Max’s dad trying to talk him into joining the soccer game.
Max is my oldest grandson. A few years ago he thought he’d like to give soccer a try. He thought wrong. I recorded the story of his fear and some lessons I learned back in April 2011. I’m posting it here today because fear is a timeless subject.
For a good long while Max’s dad and I both tried – together and independently – to get him to join the other kids on the field. This kid’s fear was real and it was working furiously to keep him off the field. He simply couldn’t withstand it even though he saw all the other kids enjoying chasing the ball all over the field.
Regardless of our age, fear is a powerful force that gets in our way. Max’s encounter on a spring Saturday a few years ago taught me some things.
Do you know how much it costs to get a new customer? Figure that out. Then, take a new look at your customer recovery/retention practices. You may find that the money you think you’re saving is costing you valued customers.
Another video that I recorded 5 years ago for the retailing space focuses on a supreme opportunity every company has in turning around disgruntled customers. It’s a fast path to greater customer loyalty.
It doesn’t matter if you’re selling software, tires, cars or ebooks. The magic is still in taking care of customers. My business philosophy is still valid.
Five years ago I recorded this video. It was primarily for people in the retailing or online selling space, but the message is true no matter what space you’re in, and no matter what you’re selling. Customer experience is still at the heart of the matter.
Some thing never change. Namely, my philosophy that outstanding customer experience is the path to remark-ability! And it doesn’t matter what you’re selling.
Is it possible to create loyalty even when you haven’t sold anything?
Yes, absolutely. It can happen if you’re committed to being remarkable.
People talk about a “loyalty ladder” but I’ve always thought of it as a circle. It starts with a “suspect” (anybody who is breathing), moves to prospects (anybody who might be interested in what you’ve got to sell), then goes to shoppers (somebody who has a higher interest in what you’re selling), then a customer (those are prospects we’ve converted into buyers, but they’ve just bought from us once), then to clients (those are the folks who buy from us more than once) and ultimately ADVOCATES (the people who wouldn’t dare buy from anybody else, or recommend anybody else). We can create advocates from folks who don’t even buy from us though.
the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid”
My first blush take on the word deals with careers and organizations. Today’s video is based on using the word as it relates to interpersonal relationships at work.
The CEO was describing a person – a leader in his organization. “He’s got pixie dust,” said the CEO.
I inquired, “What does that mean?” Thinking I knew, I still wanted to hear this chief executive verbalize it. And he did.
“He just handles things more remarkably than anybody else on my team. It’s almost as if he’s clairvoyant.”
That’s pixie dust power and effective leaders have it. Poor leaders don’t. And it makes all the difference in the world in their work…and in their careers.
This video is now 5 years old.* Hard to believe I recorded this back in 2009. Yes, the economy was a bit different when I recorded this, but I’m putting it out there today because I still believe in the message.
As this was recorded I was in the midst of coaching some people who had fallen prey to some Internet marketers. That perspective comes through. My mind hasn’t changed, by the way. I still love the optimism, but warn everybody I know to proceed with great care at what is really a “business opportunity” market. People in pain are susceptible to being duped.
Business and career failures can teach us some things. We have to be wise in our quests – and resilient. Dogged determination coupled with a strong sense of purpose can help propel us forward.
Have things improved for you in the past 5 years? Have you figured some things out in the last 5 years? I hope so.
But I know many people who are still suffering as much as they ever have. They’re looking for a way out of failure. It’s easy to embrace defeat, but that doesn’t help. Still others are embarrassed that they’re not driven toward self-employment even though they feel everybody is declaring that employment is a poor choice. Not everybody is meant to be self-employed. Self-employment isn’t the barometer of success for everybody. Just read Carol Roth’s The Entrepreneur Equation. She tells it like it is. Candid conversation is usually the most profitable. You can listen to her.
Tenacity is the order of the day. Relentless pursuit. Shaking off failure knowing it’s the price we must pay for success! But telling people who are suffering that they should simply be strong is a pretty hollow battle-cry.
We all fail. Ari Herzog wrote a terrific piece entitled, Finding The Faith To Work For Yourself. He’s candid. I love that about him. Blunt, honest, out front communication. My kinda guy.
* Note: I recorded this in September 2009. I was only about 4 months removed from stepping away from a 20-year stint leading a multi-million dollar company. I was very much in start-up mode and starting-over mode. Today, my focus and concentration is on the human side of business. That’s why the podcast is now HIGHER HUMAN PERFORMANCE.
