40 things your customer might be thinking right now

Do you remember the 2000 film “What Women Want,” starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt?

It’s the one where Mel’s character, Nick Marshall, finds a super power in being able to hear women’s thoughts without them speaking. In a nutshell he becomes a mind reader.

If you need a light refresher it’s here.

If you’re getting worried about where this is going, don’t be. I’m not going to suggest (in this blog post anyway) that we’re not too far from an AI being able to read your thoughts, although I imagine I will be tapping out something like that one day.

But I think this movie is an interesting metaphor for the ability to really be able to tune in and listen to your customers fears, hopes and dreams.

In other words, what customers want.

If you’re not super intuitive and not a mind reader like Nick Marshall, I saw a super helpful prompt on X the other day that can help you get pretty far with what’s going on inside your customers mind.

It goes like this:

I want you to do customer research for me. Tell me 10 frustrations, 10 dreams, 10 wants, and 10 fears that my audience experiences related to [thing that you do]. Format the 10 frustrations, 10 dreams, 10 wants, and 10 fears in a structured table. The x axis should be numbered 1-10 and the y axis should include frustration, dream, want, and fear.

You would replace the [thing that you do] with “managing an investment property”, “finding a property” or I used “related to selling their house” as my prompt in Claude - which returns the following table:

Note - I’m not at all saying you should replace listening and conversation with an AI prompt - but it is good for creating a checklist and for using it in your marketing by creating messaging that speaks to these hopes, dreams and fears.

So my follow up prompt is:

Knowing this - if you were a real estate sales agent, how would you use these points in your marketing and listing presentation?

Claude’s answer is pretty comprehensive - so I’ll paste it for you below.

I did want to see what ChatGPT could come up with as well - the table was pretty similar but I used a different follow up prompt:

Act as an expert marketer - tell me in great detail how and where you would use these messages?

I’ve used Fancy GPT - the tool I talked about yesterday - to create a PDF of ChatGPT’s plan which is also pretty comprehensive

Happy Hunting 🚀

Claude’s answer

As a real estate sales agent, I would use these points in my marketing and listing presentation to demonstrate my understanding of the seller's needs, concerns, and aspirations. By addressing these points directly, I can build trust, showcase my expertise, and differentiate myself from other agents. Here's how I would incorporate these points:

1. Marketing materials:

• Highlight my track record of selling homes quickly and efficiently

• Emphasize my commitment to providing a smooth and stress-free selling process

• Showcase my network of potential buyers and marketing strategies to attract competitive offers

2. Listing presentation:

• Acknowledge common frustrations and fears, and explain how I work to mitigate them

• Present a clear, step-by-step plan for the selling process, including timelines and key milestones

• Discuss my approach to pricing strategy, ensuring the home is competitively and fairly priced

• Outline my communication style and frequency to keep the seller informed throughout the process

• Share my network of trusted professionals (e.g., home stagers, photographers, inspectors) to enhance the home's marketability

3. Addressing dreams and wants:

• Listen to the seller's dreams and wants, and explain how I can help them achieve their goals

• Discuss my expertise in preparing homes for sale, including advice on repairs, upgrades, and staging

• Highlight my flexibility in accommodating the seller's schedule and preferences for showings

• Present a comprehensive marketing plan to maximize exposure and attract the right buyers (How to is here)

• Demonstrate my negotiation skills and strategies to secure the best possible price and terms

4. Providing support and guidance:

• Offer personalised guidance and support throughout the selling process, addressing concerns as they arise

• Provide resources and explanations to help the seller understand the paperwork and legal aspects of the sale

• Share testimonials from previous clients to demonstrate my ability to deliver results and exceed expectations

• Emphasise my commitment to open, honest communication and transparency throughout the process

By addressing these frustrations, dreams, wants, and fears in my marketing materials and listing presentation, I can demonstrate my value as a real estate agent and build a strong, trusting relationship with potential clients. This approach positions me as a knowledgeable, empathetic, and results-driven professional who is committed to helping sellers achieve their goals and navigate the complex process of selling their home.