“If I’d asked my customers what they wanted, they’d have said ‘a faster horse.’” Henry Ford

Are you curious about how to make your customers more loyal? Or why they buy from your competitors? Or what could make them spend hard-earned money on your product or service?

One way to find out what your customers want is to ask them. There are market surveys, phone surveys, and focus groups. However, while conventional research methods may produce some quality information, they rarely produce remarkable breakthroughs.

So how can you find out what customers really want out of their relationship with you?

Start by putting yourself in their shoes. If you own an independent hardware store, you may not have the inclination to visit Lowe’s very often. But visiting your competitors can give you insight into how they get and keep customers; it may also tell you what you should not do in your store.

Visit your own website. Click every link and fill out every form. If you sell via your website, get out your credit card and buy something.

Tell me a story.

Rather than asking point blank questions to your customers, give them the opportunity to tell their stories. How do they use your product? How would a perfect interaction make them feel?

Facebook is a great forum for your customers to share stories in an informal manner. Have them photograph how they’re using your product and post it to your business’s Facebook page. Consider hosting a contest or giveaway to a customer who shares their story with you via Facebook.

By becoming a customer yourself and paying close attention to your customers’ stories, you can gain greater insight into their wants and needs—and eventually solve a problem they didn’t even realize they had.

How do you find out what customers want from your business? Let us know in the comments.