This past summer, good friends of ours invited my wife and I to join them for hot yoga.

Yoga? Not just any Yoga, but Bikram Yoga. Well, they were insistent and we were curious. They explained it was a 90-minute session in a room heated to 105 degrees. OK. They said it was more than a workout and it wasn’t so much about sculpting your abs as it was finding balance. It was about making a decision to live “well.”

Perhaps it was the stage of life we were at, or perhaps we just wanted to get healthier, but we decided to take them up on their offer. We met at the studio, endured the 90 minutes, and discovered something wonderful. It was difficult, I don’t think I have ever sweated so much, but in the end we both felt better.

We continued on until we developed a schedule of going twice a week. With an interruption for a “trade show cold,” we both found that we looked forward to the 90 minutes at 105 degrees. Now we find that the 90 minutes is more than just a great workout, it is an opportunity to relax and decompress from the challenges of the day.

Eventually we would hang around after the session and found ourselves meeting new people, and even after a short few months, encouraging those new to the studio to “hang in there.” It was nice when the owner recognized us by name and seemed genuinely interested in our progress. He offered tips and we came to find our favorite instructors. We were fast becoming fans of Bikram Yoga. We had joined a community.

The Payoff

After four months we noticed real progress. There was weight loss, increased energy and a calming effect creeping into our daily lives. We felt better than we had in years. Our excitement spilled over to our friends who we invited to give it a try.

When our daughters were home for the holidays, we all went together. Afterwards they were excited to find a studio where they lived to continue on.

I decided this was such a remarkable experience that I wanted to share it with you.

I want to ask you a question: when was the last time you felt so enthusiastic about something new you tried? And as a business owner, when was the last time one of your customers was so enthusiastic about your business?

You see, while some might think we “bought in” to Yoga, we were really investing in ourselves – our health and state of mind. It is curious to think of what you are being “sold” and what you are “buying into.”

In these tough economic times it is admittedly difficult to make the financial, as well as physical, commitment to a tight budget. But in the end we decided it was worth it. We actually spend more on Yoga than we do on food.

To summarize, we followed the recommendation of trusted friends, tried something new, invested serious time and money to the process and loved it so much we couldn’t stop talking about it.

Takeaways

So much for objections of price, convenience and unfamiliarity. The Yoga studio now had a customer for life.
How did he do it? More importantly, how can you do it?

• Know the value of your customers. It is not always who your ad brings through the door, but more likely the recommendation of a happy customer who leads to sustained growth.

• Understand that despite what you think you are selling, customers are buying the experience. They are investing in the benefits. You think you are selling plants, but your customers are buying relaxation, creativity and well being.

• Create a community. Create situations where your best customers can impact those new to your business, or more importantly, new to the garden.

• Become the resource for information. You are the expert – act like it. Customers need to be recognized and have their efforts nurtured and encouraged.

• Ask for referrals. If your customers are happy, ask them to tell their friends, become fans on your Facebook or blog about their experience.

• Let the customer determine the value of the product, or experience. You might be surprised at how much people are willing to invest in their well being.

A New Resolution

In the end we were hooked. I don’t think we would ever make the decision to try something so radically new were it not for the recommendation of trusted friends. We certainly were not aware of the new studio opening, nor had we seen an ad, a TV spot or found it online. We came because someone we knew was enthusiastic enough to convince us to join them at the studio.

So as you reflect on your New Year’s resolutions, can you see your business adopting the same fundamental ideas that spelled success for our Yoga guy?

Of course, you must come to the new understanding of what exactly you think you are selling, and what your customers think that they are buying. Yes, people need to feed their lawns, water their plants and pull the weeds. However, from their perspective it might feel like an afternoon in the sun, playing in the dirt and feeding their souls.