How to Educate a Customer About a Product

Educating a customer about a product is an important part of marketing, particularly for innovative or new products that have no current equivalent in the market. Educating customers ensures that they understand the benefits and value of the product. It must be based on an understanding of customers’ real needs.

If you have a new product you want to build awareness for, one way to reach a large audience is to get written up in a newspaper, business magazine or trade publication. You must first send out press releases to different publications to see if they are interested in writing about your business. Once you convince someone to cover your company, the article can serve as a means of educating customers on the products you sell. For example, an article on the environmental benefits of organic gardening helps educate consumers on the value of using products that do not contain harmful chemicals. Articles on industrial components that reduce maintenance and replacement costs help build understanding and preference for that component.

White papers, also known as briefing papers, provide customers with detailed information about the benefits of a product. White papers set out the problems that customers face and explain why and how a new product can overcome those problems. The papers describe the benefits in detail and, where possible, include independent statistics and research to back up a company’s claims. Companies can produce different versions of white papers aimed at different decision makers. A series of white papers on a new type of communication network, for example, would focus on technology issues for technical decision-makers, strategic benefits for business decision-makers and cost benefits for financial decision-makers.

Inviting customers and prospects to a demonstration is important if the new product offers benefits that are only obvious in operation. Paint manufacturers offering a faster drying paint can hold demonstrations in DIY stores or at trade shows. Machine tool manufacturers offering a machine that produces more complex component forms can demonstrate the model at industry exhibitions or invite customers to view the model at a showroom. Companies also use videos to demonstrate products in action, placing them on company websites or on video channels, such as YouTube.

Case studies of customers who have achieved benefits by using your business' product provide credibility and reassurance to other potential customers. The case study describes the challenges a customer faced and explains why a product overcame the challenges. Where possible, it includes measurable facts on the benefits of the product, such as productivity improvements of 10 percent or cost savings of 15 percent.

Setting up an open forum on a website lets customers share their experiences with a product and gives other customers an independent perspective on the benefits of the product. The company’s technical team can also contribute advice on using the product.