Well, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?) I really wanna know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
Tell me, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
'Cause I really wanna know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
Roger Daltrey of The Who screamed out the late 70’s classic.
Who, who, who, who?
Let’s play a game. Our readers in Europe, Asia, India and Australia will have to forgive me for using U.S. companies. What business are these companies in?
Toro Lawn Mowers
Gillette Razors
Black & Decker Power Drills
Here are the Answers
Toro isn’t in the lawn mower business they’re in the short grass business.
Gillette isn’t in the razor business they’re in the smooth faces and skin business.
Black & Decker isn’t in the power drill business they’re in the round hole business.
Become a flexible, evolving business
Our business is what we mean to the critical people we rely upon for success, revenue and growth. There is a dangerous tendency to confuse the delivery systems of our businesses with what we really provide.
- Meetings & Events
- Fast Food
- Hospitality
- Advertising & Marketing
- Software Systems
- Building Supplies
- Trade Shows
These are all the delivery systems we use – they aren’t our businesses. What we sell are the specific results we generate that meet a consumer or customer’s need at that time. We don’t define our businesses, our clients do and we have to constantly adapt or they may leave us behind.
You are who they think you are
B.I.G. Corporation buys doodads from you. In a very short time you become known as their doodad supplier. It doesn’t matter if you actually sell far more thingamabobs, dingbats and doohickeys they will only see you as providing doodads. When they don’t need doodads they don’t need you.
Do you showcase all that you do or sell or just what that client wants to buy? It’s more comfortable but your goal should be to earn 100% of a customer’s business that you are qualified and capable of supplying. All they know about you is what you tell them. So, like the U.S. Army says. “Be all that you can be.”
Understand the difference between who you are and who they think you are
In earlier articles we talked about strategy versus tactics and focusing on the customer’s buying process. However to make those work you have to answer these two questions, “Who are you?” now and “Who do you need to become?” if you want to be around and making money three years from now. That’s right, just three years down the road. It all comes down to understanding the difference between who you are and who they think you are.
Three-year survival questions
- Who buys your products and services today?
- What are they really buying and what needs do you satisfy?
- Is the demand for your current services or products increasing or decreasing?
- Where do you want to take your business in the next 3-5 years?
- Are the customers/clients/consumers you have today the ones you want and need 3-5 years from now?
- How are your current customers/clients/consumers changing and will they need what they are really buying from you 3-5 years from now?
- If your largest customer/client canceled their business forever what would you do?
- What are the biggest reasons or motivations you have to evolve your business?
Getting to tomorrow before your customers do
Okay, let’s take a look what we really do and not the delivery systems of our businesses. Find your real business.
- Meetings & Events – Audience Emotion, Understanding + Action
- Fast Food – Memorable Taste & Speed
- Hospitality – The Best Night’s Sleep You Ever Had Away From Home
- Advertising & Marketing – Grab Attention + Action
- Software Systems – Executive Worry Removal
- Building Supplies – Creating People Places
- Trade Shows – Instant Engagement + Action
The “Ah-Ha” Moment
Instead of responding to an opportunity, anticipate it and be there before your customers do. Don’t focus on discovering the next big thing. Look at who your current customers believe you are and give them more of what satisfies them. Okay, write this down and tape it to your computer so you see it every day.
It's better to develop new ways to satisfy customers who think they're already satisfied ... than to constantly chase the myth of unsatisfied needs.
Forget the delivery systems and concentrate on what will really satisfy customers in the future. Three years from now the only way that any of us will succeed is to get out of the lawn mower business … and into the short grass business.
If you liked this article you might also like:
Do Your Proposals Stink or Sell? Pick One!
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Andy Johnston is an multi-faceted communication professional with deep experience from strategic planning, to messaging, to marketing, to media, to events, to training, to creative direction … and there are several other ”to’s.” Andy is known for his energy, creativity and his unique ability to discover the key results that must be generated – and then to develop ingenious ways to engage and motivate audiences. Positive business results are the objective. He believes that one of the most important results is an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Andy is a principal partner at Think! Consulting Group and The Idea Group.
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