How Do You Find Out What Your Customers Really Buy?

Send us Fan Mail Are you marketing what you want to sell, or what your customers actually value? In this episode of Imperfect Marketing, Kendra Corman talks with twin sisters Jillian Reece and Jordan Truster, founders of Lovely Loops, about how listening more closely to their customers transformed their offers, messaging, and membership experience. Jillian and Jordan originally focused their marketing on teaching calligraphy techniques, providing worksheets, and helping students improve their skills. Over time, customer surveys, community conversations, and Zoom calls revealed something much more meaningful. Most customers were not trying to become master calligraphers. They wanted a calming creative hobby, a way to make thoughtful gifts, an opportunity to connect with others, or something fulfilling during retirement, burnout, grief, or a major life transition. That insight led Jillian and Jordan to simplify their offers, rename their membership, and shift their messaging away from perfection and mastery. Instead, they began focusing on creativity, enjoyment, confidence, connection, and the role calligraphy could play in someone’s everyday life. In this conversation, you’ll learn: How to uncover what customers truly value Why surveys only work when you listen without looking for confirmation How customer conversations can reveal better marketing language Why too many offers can create confusion and reduce sales How to use testimonials to communicate outcomes and transformation Better questions to ask when collecting customer feedback Why confidence and excitement matter when promoting an offer How simplifying your marketing can improve clarity for everyone Jillian and Jordan also share practical ways to collect stronger testimonials, including asking for feedback at the end of a defined experience and giving customers specific questions instead of an intimidating blank page. The biggest takeaway is simple: customers are rarely buying only the product, course, or service itself. They are buying the experience, feeling, identity, or outcome they believe it will create in their lives. About Our Guests Jillian Reece and Jordan Truster are twin sisters and the founders of Lovely Loops, an online calligraphy education business they have operated since 2017. They are also the creators of Calligraphy Together, a membership community where approximately 500 members learn, practice, and enjoy calligraphy in a supportive, low-pressure environment. Connect with Jillian and Jordan Jillian Reece LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jillianreece/ Jordan Truster LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jordantruster/ Looking to leverage AI? Want better results? Want to think about what you want to leverage? Check and see how I am using it for FREE on YouTube. From "Holy cow, it can do that?" to "Wait, how does this work again?" – I've got all your AI curiosities covered. It's the perfect after-podcast snack for your tech-hungry brain. Watch here