See The Future - Do you market now or wait for the recovery?

It was a dark and stormy night

The door gave a hollow rattle when I knocked. The sign out front read:

Do you feel that things aren’t going the way you planned? Do you need to know your future and understand the past? Madame Z Sees All!

Eyes peered through the crack as the door creaked open. I blurted out, “Hi, I’ve come to find out …”

“I know why you are here,” said a voice half Madonna and half Bela Lugosi. “Come, all will be revealed.”

The room was heavy with drapes and scarves. Gnarled hands hovered over a crystal ball as she studied my face. “You are puzzled by things you know and things you don’t. You seek to understand things that trouble many people who do not know what to do.”

“About?”

“About marketing, my son. They do not know if they should market now or wait until the recovery begins?”

All over the business world there seems to be a vast conundrum … which is one of those huge off-road things like a Hummer. As the recession deepened marketing budgets got as tight as the lid on an old jar of mayonnaise. Today there seem to be two opinion camps about what to do next. One side maintains that marketing is always important regardless of the economy and it can operate effectively by working lean and focusing on results. The other side shakes their heads and argues the recessions are bad times to invest in marketing because customers/consumers aren’t spending money. The return is too low. To complicate things well meaning CEOs and CFOs slashed marketing budgets in an effort to control expenses while believing with all their hearts that their products and services will somehow manage to sell themselves.

Market now or market later
Madame Z snorted. It was either a vision from the depths of the crystal ball or the incense was finally getting to her. “The path is lined with questions but at the end of the journey lies the ultimate answer. How much money do you have?”

“We’re working at a percentage of last year’s expenditures so I can only give you a range.”

“Not your marketing budget Mr. Trump, how much money do you have on you? I need $100-bucks.”

I know I should have negotiated or at least tried but the look she gave me reminded me of my 5th grade teacher, Miss Axehandle who scared the hell out of me. Benjamin Franklin wasn’t looking too happy either as I handed him over. Madame Z shoved a yellow pad and a pen my way.

“Take notes, I’m from the north and I talk fast.”

“New York?”

“Transylvania, start writing.”

Madame Z dictated a set of Yes/No questions to help determine if you should market now or wait until the recovery. It won’t take you a moment to answer them.

1. You aren’t marketing right now Yes/No
2. You are marketing and it doesn’t seem to be doing much Yes/No
3. You are marketing and it’s working, you’re doing business Yes/No
4. You are making all the money you want and need Yes/No

If you answered, “Yes” to any of the above – you should market consistently
If you answered “No” to any of the above – you should market consistently

You should be marketing consistently today
• Has the need totally disappeared?

• Is your competition not going after the existing business?
• Do you have instant recognition?

There is a tendency to take the short-term view that the sales function has a more direct link to the customer/consumer. So, it might seem logical to wait until your clients have some business for you. It might seem safer to wait until your customers/consumers have started buying products or services like you provide. Well, it’s like asking the question, “How long can you hold your breath?” To survive organizations have to market – there is no choice. If you wait until the recovery you’ll already be deep in a revenue pit.

Coca-Cola, Disney, Nintendo, BMW, Apple, Target – all the major global brands are aggressively marketing and they enjoy practically instant brand recognition. If it’s important for these companies to keep themselves in the faces of customers/consumers why should you think differently? Marketing says, “We want your business!” You have to be ahead of the curve and position your organization as “ready to rock.”

Should you market during the recovery? Only if you want to recover.

• Focus on results
• Make ROI a priority
• Explore leaner, less expensive marketing vehicles
• Hold off on new, trendy marketing channels and use the “tried & true”
• Consistently remind customers/consumers that you are there and ready to meet their needs

I read over my notes. There was one more burning question, “When do I start?” I looked up to ask Madame Z … and she was gone. The table was bare, the room empty, the scarves, drapes and even the crystal ball had vanished. That’s when I saw it, a #10 envelope in the center of the table with my name on it. I tore it open with trembling hands and unfolded the single sheet of paper. There it was, the ultimate answer I was seeking – the one she promised would be at the end of my journey.

Only Market On Days That End With “Y”

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Please Subscribe! There's a new article every week and we are determined to give you valuable information you can use to be successful and make more money. So, go to the Be The First To Know box and just fill it in.

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.

Target: The Great Experience

It means you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

Everything begins and ends with person-to-person contact. That simple act of reaching out, of taking someone's hand and saying "hello" - that momentary, face-to-face contact - is the bread and butter of any operation. It's what keeps you in business. If you know that person, you just reinforced your relationship. If it's a person you don't know … you just started one. The point is it's an experience that matters and has an impact from here on.

There are feelings and emotions attached to it.

There are opinions and impressions that come out of it.

There are literally billions of dollars in revenue that change hands each day as a result of it. Wham, we’ve created a market, an industry and positive relationships with millions of loyal customers.

Of Course We Can’t Go Door-To-Door Shaking Hands

That’s the role of marketing. Whether it’s a box on a shelf, a retail store, a hotel, traditional or digital marketing the ultimate goal is the same – to make meaningful person-to-person contact and motivate that individual to do what you’d like him or her to do. When it works your organization increases revenue, profitability and market share. And, after all, market share is only a term for getting more of the money that’s in people’s wallets.

No Business Is Better Than The Last Customer Experience

Quality, value, excellent customer service and convenience have become commodity phrases. What company would not promise them to consumers or end-users? They are a given and not a point of differentiation.

The total customer experience goes beyond customer service. Only a positive, enjoyable total experience can create high loyalty and lead to increased revenues. The key question is how do we provide a chain of compelling experiences that create lasting, positive memories and long-term relationships? The answer is really very simple. You can sum it all up this way: "Make the customer happier than the competition does, every time."

Who Owns The Experience?

Part of the challenge is that each customer or end-user defines his or her own experience … just as every customer defines value. So, does this mean that incomparable customer experiences just happen … strike like lightning … by luck or coincidence? A Great Experience isn't an accident, it's created as the result of a strategy and design and it can be managed just like any other function of your organization.

A Great Experience is a 360-degree experience. Everything that touches the customer, consumer or client creates it. In other words, customers, consumers and clients don’t come to you for products and services. They come because they like the experience of buying products and services from you and your people. A Great Experience becomes your "competitive protection."

Your Biggest Competitive Issue

Providing a compelling, incomparable customer experience will give you the competitive advantage. It is a constantly moving target because you have to assume that everyone in the market is trying to do the same thing.

Delivering on your experience promise is the never ending Q&A. How does it feel to be your customer? What works and doesn't work for that person? What did that customer hope to experience, and what did you deliver? How did your experience compare with your competition? How can you be different in ways that really matter? The goal is "To create customer demand and loyalty and enhance your distinctive brand position to drive profitable revenue growth."

The Great Experience Means Empowerment And Achievement

Since customer experiences come out of your business model, they can be managed just like any other function of your organization. Here's how you manage experiences.

#1. Execute for the experience and not just efficiency.

#2. Make your organization “easy to buy.” If you have a choice between easy to sell and easy to buy, go with easy to buy.

#3. Define a customer experience that builds revenue and loyalty and make it a priority.

It’s up to you to define and deliver a great customer experience. It isn’t going to happen by chance. You design it; train for it and management it. In fact it may be the most important thing you manage over time.

• Customer demand and loyalty mean owning the customer.

• Distinctive brand position means owning the brand.

• Profitable revenue growth means owning the total customer experience.

It's all about empowerment and achievement. Make sure you understand what the customer wants and expects. Then, make a genuine attempt to do your best and deliver them. If you do that the majority of the time, you'll deliver good customer service and a Great Experience. Plus your customers, clients and consumers will be constantly delighted and look forward to doing business with you again.

I’m reminded of the words of a crusty, old Washington, D.C., cab driver. Every day, the cabbie drove tourists past the National Archives Building where the words “The Past is Prologue” are carved in stone over the door. Passengers would often ask him, “What does that mean?” And the cabbie’s reply would be, “It means you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”

Plan, manage and provide all the aspects of a Great Experience and you be able to say the same thing.

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”

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Please Subscribe! There's a new article every week and we are determined to give you valuable information you can use to be successful and make more money. So, go to the Be The First To Know box and just fill it in.

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.

Think Before You Start Your Next Project

What are your priorities and what do you want to accomplish?

Our analytics group has developed a simple Project Priority Test that will help you target the key components and variables for upcoming projects.

• It allows you to identify what is most important

• Recognize aspects that have little, if any impact

• Set the priorities on the things that matter most

Click on the image above to download the Project Priority Test.

If we can help, please give us a call. The best of luck on your new project!

Harry Potter and the Lost Secrets of Marketing

Late one night at Hogswarts

Harry Potter leaned back from the Pensieve, eyes blinking in amazement.

“Traipsing around in other people’s memories again, are we Potter?”

Harry turn to find Severus Snape glaring back from a dark corner of Dumbledore’s office. “No, sir, secrets … of marketing.”

“Marketing, I’ve forgotten more about marketing than you will ever know.”

“Yes, sir, but that’s the point, isn’t it? You’ve forgotten.”

Marketing is too complex

It’s time to simplify marketing. The multitude of factions, aspects, channels, methods and metrics has created a Gordian knot that has tangled the basic intent and thinking. For the moment let’s put them all on hold and go back to the basics we may have forgotten.

Quick, give me the back-story

The memory Harry Potter viewed was of a dark, rainy Wednesday. A teenage radio disk jockey was sitting across the desk from the station owner, a man whose voice seems to rumble up from the bowels of the earth. In addition to playing records, the young man’s job was to record commercials and to write them. The writing stank. The owner scribbled five lines on a sheet of paper and pushed it across the desk. “Do this every time -- I mean, every time.”

The Five Secrets

Yeah, I was the teenager. Those five lines have served me well for, let’s say, more than a few years. Even though they were for radio spots I realized that the five are the essential secrets of any marketing, advertising and sales. What were they?

#1. Tell people what you want them to do.

In marketing and advertising, a “call to action” encourages the person to perform a specific action. But this is more than that. Be clear about your expectations, such as: “Reduce response to five hours.” “Try it for 14 days.” “Attend this event.” Keep it simple. Keep it focused. Make it clear. Do you want them to visit your website? Buy your product or service? Streamline the channel. Simply tell people what you want them to do and give them one good reason to take action. Most of the time they’ll do it, even if you don’t give them an incentive.

#2. The benefits they gain.

Producers of infomercials and direct-response marketers are masters of targeting what the end-user/consumer has to gain. It doesn’t matter if you are marketing your business, a training program or communicating to channel partners, people buy the benefits. If your message doesn’t have a benefit … find one. Increase revenue, save money, learn a new skill, increase efficiency, prospect leads, feel better, look better -- for consumers it’s a combination of a promise and a differentiator. For internal audiences and business partners, it’s the return for doing what you ask. Just remember, if there’s no clear, obvious, personal benefit, then your marketing is going nowhere.

#3. How much it costs.

Somewhere along the way communicating cost has been labeled “inappropriate.” Everything has a cost. It may be money, time, reorganization … there’s a fee in there somewhere. So, don’t hide it. Cost is a factor so spell it out for them in plain language. The only way that communicating the cost is a negative is if there’s an obvious disconnect with the benefits. When we know we are asking too much, we just don’t mention it. Please … tell them.

#4. How and where to buy?

Ask yourself, “How hard do I want to make the people I depend upon for survival … work?” Once again this is a consideration for customers, business partners and internal audiences. How do they do what you’ve asked them to do? “Visit your local dealer.” “Contact your marketing rep.” “Enroll online.” These phrases are not only meaningless they’re lazy. Tell them, show them, give them a direct link – don’t ask them to sort though pages, menus and options. Take the responsibility for making it as easy and convenient as possible. Be obsessive about easy.

#5. The advantages of doing business with you.

“So what?” “What’s in it for me?” You have a number of honest, legitimate answers. So, showcase them. Remember, simple beats slick every time. These answers are your Value Proposition and you need a set for every thing you market … and for every group to whom you market. Forget modesty, if you can’t provide valid, compelling advantages for a business relationship you won’t have one. So, present your advantage, make them conversational and to the point. Explain them the way you talk, not too formal and loaded with “biz speak.” No more than three advantages. A long catalog of reasons is your worst enemy. Focus on the most compelling reasons to that person or audience and forget all the rest.

Back in the Headmaster's office

Snape pushed past Harry Potter. “I need no advice from the likes of you. I’d rather enjoy a Deatheater’s kiss than have you meddle with anything as crucial as marketing.”

Harry pointed to the Pensieve. “Then look for yourself. There are people in there that will take your biggest challenge and give you results. They know the lost secrets.”

Snape sneered, “Secrets of marketing! Who do they think they are?”

Who do we think we are?

Okay, you know I couldn’t go through all this and not ask you to do something. I can’t break the rules. Give us a call and let’s talk about your marketing or strategic events. We are very good at what we do. It’s our job to “sweat the small stuff” so you don’t have to. What can we do together?

If you liked this article you might also enjoy:

Be Unforgettable - Marketing Tips From The Twilight Zone

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Please Subscribe! There's a new article every week and we are determined to give you valuable information you can use to be successful and make more money. So, go to the Be The First To Know box and just fill it in.

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.

Absolute Rule #1

Never violate this rule – Ever!

I’m not a big believer in “always and never” but this is the exception. Under no circumstances should you ever violate this absolute rule.

Always Give Them A Show

How many times have you heard someone say, “I’m not here to put on a show”? Well, you are. The audience expects it and is entitled to it. Still, for some unexplained reason, there are people and organizations that consider adding elements of entertainment, performance and “active interest” trivial.

Make them feel

Here at Think! we’ve been working on how to integrate Events and Process to generate greater ROI and desired results. We realized that the major distinguishing factor between process and events is emotion. People enjoy and respond to the feelings that events generate. When you give your audiences a show you are giving them permission to feel … to react.

Ask yourself, who would want to invest time and attention in anything devoid of feeling and emotion? Then, look at your marketing, training and development, internal and external communication, meetings, presentations, and proposals … the list goes on and on … and evaluate the emotional components in each.

Life is a show!

For the definition driven among you here’s my definition of showmanship - the skill of appealing to an individual or audience in ways that help convey an essential theme or message so that it is acceptable, distinctive, valuable and memorable.

Politicians, ministers and every one of those “big bucks” motivational speakers recognize the importance and value of “giving them a show.” From the moment you are born the show begins. Every milestone of your life is a show; birthdays, marriage, anniversaries, divorce, even funerals are a show. So why create anything that is devoid of any aspects of showmanship? Give your audience reasons to care.

Give them reasons to care

• Invest less time in “what it is” and more time in “what it means.”
• Tell them what to do and make it relevant.
• Focus on the least amount of information the individual or audience needs to know to do what you want them to do.
• Look for analogies or examples in their personal experiences.
• Visualize and dramatize.
• Empathy is a powerful tool. Put yourself in their shoes. Share personal experiences and not just war stories.
• Communicate on their terms, using their vocabulary and context.
• Everything doesn’t have to be positive. Life is both positives and negatives.
• And – don’t assume you have a “hall pass” to be sloppy, unprepared, present ugly materials, bad content, not rehearse, adlib, be rude, insulting or boring all in the name of business.

Always Give Them A Show

You can see it, hear it and sense it. It’s in the faces, postures, enthusiasm, attitudes and actions. And it’s in the results. Okay, here’s some tough love. Take a minute and review your current project or campaign.

Participation isn’t personalization

Always Give Them A Show

Interaction isn’t engagement

Always Give Them A Show

Information isn’t instruction

Always Give Them A Show

Awareness isn’t an “Ah-Ha” moment

Always Give Them A Show

Last words

We all know the importance of repetition in learning and the energy that “call & response” adds to a solid rock & roll song. So excuse me if I indulge in a little repetition.

Always Give Them A Show

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Please Subscribe! There's a new article every week and we are determined to give you valuable information you can use to be successful and make more money. So, go to the Be The First To Know box and just fill it in.

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.

We asked you not to sell, but you insist. Here's how!

This is a follow-up to the article posted on 8/1/2009 – Want to make more money? Don't sell. Please make sure you read that piece before this one.

We’ve received a huge response to the idea of closing more business by focusing on how customers want to buy and not on how we want to sell. It’s based on the Customer Buying Process, something we all consciously or subconsciously do before we buy.

• Recognize a need
• Motivated to find a solution - now
• Gather alternatives
• Make a Competitive Comparison
• Decision Making

If you have the irresistible desire to “Sell” here’s how to do it.

This isn’t microwave sales training but here’s how you can do it. First, park all your old sales habits, comfortable techniques and clichés at the door. You have to change what you do and especially how you think.

Preparation

You aren’t a consultant and they aren’t looking for one. If anything you are a customer advocate and not an expert. You have access to resources that can create the solution. Buyers want sales people to focus on the buyer’s business and problems… and then to present business-justified solutions. They want solutions that provide the things they ultimately need the most, revenue and profitability. Customers want to make more money.

Follow their Buying Cycle

Don’t make it complicated and process heavy. There aren’t 100 steps. This isn’t a sales call, dialogue or consultation … it’s a conversation. Be positive and interested.

1. Ask questions, do research and discover the need.
2. Don’t debate or argue about the need, their definition, or what the client “really wants.” It’s his need. Countless billions in business have been lost in the name of uncovering hidden needs. The Consultative Selling line is, “Don’t listen to what the client says, listen to what the client means.” My suggestion is, listen to what the client says.
3. Help provide a motivation to solve the need … now. “Now” is the operative word. Again, focus on things that are important to the client’s business.
4. Be very careful about offering your personal point of view. Most clients don’t want your opinion and, no matter how familiar the need may appear, do not trivialize it. “You know we hear this all the time and our product can blah, blah.” Clients always feel their needs and motivations are unique and it’s better to assume that they are.
5. Don’t be in a big hurry to provide the solution. The client is looking for a combination of efficiency, performance, quality, relationship and value. They want it all and assume that a fast solution is one that’s best for you and not for them.
6. DIFFERENTIATOR ALERT: Gather the alternatives for the client/customer. Ladies and gentlemen no one does this and clients love it! Do you really want a line of competitors getting face time? You know he/she is going to compare so take control of the comparison. What do competitors offer, how do they compare and how are you different or better? If your solution has a potential problem or weakness, you point it out and explain it on your terms.
7. At this point you know the client needs to make a decision, so ask the client to buy from you. If you’ve followed his/her buying process this should be the easiest part.

Super Secret Stuff

Okay, here’s an inside view you might not have considered. Customers recognize suppliers as a critical business resource. They need and rely upon suppliers … you. In the case of the Customer Buying Process, when a client recognizes a need and has a strong motivation to find a solution, he/she is going to buy from someone. It might as well be you.

75% of closing business comes from strategy and only about 25% from skill and techniques. And, in the 25%, the most valuable skills have nothing to do with traditional selling – they’re communication skills.

Don’t talk about the value you offer or your products or services. You don’t determine value, the customer does. Oh, you also can’t add value. You can help the customer identify additional benefits that add value.

Magic Words

Obviously you ask open-ended questions but try to avoid ones you know every other rep will be asking. Instead, try something more unexpected like:

“What can I do to help?”

“What can we do for you, that no one else isn’t doing?”

“What do want to achieve or accomplish?”

“What’s the number one thing you’d like to accomplish if you could find the right resources?”

You’re already doing this - Maybe

This isn’t a new concept and many people feel that they do it … until Mr./Ms. Client poses a question or an objection. Then it’s out the window and they fall back on stock lines, features, advantages & benefits and launch into their product/service story spiel. Why? Because it’s a sales concept that’s been ingrained since the days of Willie Loman. Decades and thousands of sales books and training have added new names and variations but haven’t changed the silent determination to, “Let me tell you why you should buy from me.”

This process is actually easier. The pressure is off. You’re more of a detective and an advocate. By tuning in you make your company easy to buy and that’s what both you and your client want.

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Please Subscribe! There's a new article every week and we are determined to give you valuable information you can use to be successful and make more money. So, go to the Be The First To Know box and just fill it in.

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.

Want to make more money? Don't sell!

Selling strategy, selling techniques, selling process, sales quotas, sales training, sales force, sales incentives … go out and sell something!

The Naked Truth

You can’t sell anyone anything. People really don’t like to be sold, they like buying things they want and need. In spite of our obsession with sales, our customers and clients are allowing themselves to buy from us. They are in control.

Odd are you or your company have a sales process or you learned all sorts of sales techniques in a training course or from some book you bought on Amazon. Hopefully you’ve realized that trick opening lines, chains of “Yeses,” and fancy closing techniques like the Ben Franklin or the “Wet Dog” are about as relevant as the 1969 Sears & Roebuck catalog.

Customer Buying Process

Everyone has a buying process, the logic and reasoning we use to decide whether to buy something or not. And, it doesn’t matter what we buy, we all use essentially the same one.

1. Recognize a need
2. Motivated to find a solution - now
3. Gather the alternatives
4. Make a competitive comparison
5. Decision Making

Click on the image above

Just click on the image above to see a larger version of the Customer Buying Cycle.

Where's the feedback loop?

I know, I hear you … where is the feedback loop? There isn’t one. In real life no one asks for more information, they make a comparison and a decision. The exception is if none of the alternatives actually solve the need. What this means is we either get the business or we don’t. Remember all those red-hot selling techniques? Well, it doesn’t matter what sales approach you use, you cannot influence the customer’s buying process. Forget what you want to sell and how you want to sell it.

For a moment pretend you’re a potential customer. You look at your appointments and see that Ralph Swint is coming in to spend an hour … telling you about his company, its capabilities, products or services, and why you should buy them. Oh baby, baby, baby, you can hardly wait! Sounds a little extreme, right? But how many of us have started a customer call with a capabilities presentation, case studies of our successes, samples of work and then either asked for the business or to be included on the next RFP? Freeze frame – It’s all about what we want to sell. Rewind to the second paragraph - You can’t sell anyone anything.

Customers don’t care about your business

So, don’t talk about your company, talk about the client’s company. Take notes. Brainstorm some framework for a solution. Be a partner and not a salesperson. Get the client talking about what he wants to buy. Quick, write this down because it’s important – Listen more than you talk. Be Interested, Not Interesting.

The Rules

• Don't ever tell customers/clients what they need or what they should do.

• Invest the majority of your time in discovering the need and motivating the customer/client to solve the need. They need a solution - now!

• Don’t do anything until you match the need with the solution your product or service offers. If there isn’t a match admit it. It’s better to be professional than try to force a fit, waste the client’s time and tick him/her off.

• Don't be in a hurry to propose a solution and try to close. The client isn't looking for an "instant solution" ... he/she is looking for the best solution. The more you interact, the better your chances.

• Leave all the fancy, sure-fire closing techniques at the office. You can’t manipulate a customer/client who uses a contract.

• Play the odds. Your goal is to earn 100% of the available business your company is qualified to provide. You get there in baby steps and not giant leaps.

It is really this simple?

Guaranteed success every time? Of course not. You may already know about doing business this way, but are you using it? This isn't a gimmick, it's a different approach at a time when we all need something different. It’s simple because it’s almost organic. We are all hard-wired this way. Ask your customers and clients what they want and show them how to get it. Make your company/product/service easy to buy. Then sit back as they buy from you.

Get in sync with how customers want to buy and you’ll win their business.

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Please Subscribe! There's a new article every week and we are determined to give you valuable information you can use to be successful and make more money. So, go to the Be The First To Know box and just fill it in.

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.