Why Users, Not Customers, Are Key to Business Success—An Interview with Aaron Shapiro

RainToday.com's Podcast: Marketing & Selling Professional Services

With more people researching services online—and purchasing services online—your online presence is more important than ever. Prospects are users before they are customers. And if you fail to meet their digital needs for information, engagement, and interaction, you can expect them to turn elsewhere for help.

"We're at an inflection point that's happening right now, which is that the majority of sales that are happening are because of digital," says Aaron Shapiro, author of Users Not Customers: Who Really Determines the Success of Your Business. "What we expect to see is the pace of acceleration is speeding up where all of a sudden companies really need to think about a digital strategy as the way to become successful."

Not only is a strong digital presence necessary for willing new business, but once users become customers the online interaction continues.

"Increasingly all of the customer service and ongoing interaction happen in the digital space," Shapiro says. "That means digital interaction becomes critical in maintaining customer relationships over time."

Listen as Shapiro discusses how B2B services firms are growing their business via their digital presence, how emotions play a role in online purchases, and what can happen if you ignore the digital space.