One of the first things we’re taught in sales & marketing is that we must personify expertise. It’s important that we know everything about our product and industry so we may establish ourselves as experts. This, in turn, elicits trust from the consumer.
While that may be true, the natural pet industry is relatively new territory. There have been studies proving this or that to be true, but real evidence and details are usually lacking. To further complicate matters, for every study that proves one thing, there’s two that prove the opposite.
Pet parents today are becoming more and more educated about the care of their charges. They are asking more questions than ever before and they expect real answers, not a carefully worded ball of fluff. They’re not so easily confused by big words and elusive references, and they have the means to check your claims. If you’re caught in a lie, you won’t only lose that customer, but also the countless customers that her keyboard can reach. And so it should be!
The issue isn’t necessarily a matter of intentional deception, it’s often a fear (or at least a reluctance) to simply say “I don’t know.” This seems to be especially true of the natural pet care industry, which is ironic since there is very little that we know for sure in this sector.
I believe pet parents will respect natural pet manufacturers and retailers more if they admit they don’t know something, as opposed to making something up or covering it up. There’s no shame in not knowing everything and in many cases, there just isn’t an answer to be had.
Here are some replies that will satisfy any reasonable consumer:
“That’s a great question. I don’t know, but I’ll try to find out for you.”
“I’m not aware of any studies that prove or disprove that point, but I’ll research it and get back to you.”
“You’ve raised a valid point. Unfortunately, innovation often comes before solid evidence but we’re hoping the scientific community explores it further soon.”
“The safety of pets is our primary concern. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, we will investigate and contact you as soon as possible.”
The most important part of replying in this manner is that:
(a) You mean it.
(b) It’s 100% true to the best of your knowledge.
(c) You follow up on it, including a reply to the concerned pet parent in a timely manner.
There is more than one way to build trust and respect. How do you handle tough questions in the natural pet industry?
Heartily agree! Pet food makers should know everything about their product and what’s in them within reason. If they don’t then they have to find out for the customer and for themselves. They should be happy that their customers ask questions so they are aware of what we worry about and what’s new.
Excellent points, thank you for sharing them! I agree, I’d much rather someone be honest and say they don’t know.