Posted on | March 16, 2010 | 1 Comment
Now I have your attention, let me tell you what’s remarkable about this article.
It’s not the controversial title or any suggestive pictures. Rather, it’s in the practical advice about how you can best stand up, stand out, and be vital to those you need to get passionately excited about what you have to offer – your customers.
With times as tough as they are now, at least economically for most, there is a pressing need for practical and effective ways to find more new business prospects to ‘seduce’ and ‘satisfy’ in ways so positive that they just can’t wait to sign up as fans on the company facebook page.
But how can your company do this?
I say: get naked! (Figuratively speaking that is.)
In and of itself, this advice may not seem remarkable, for I am not the first consultant advocating people do this. Indeed, one company was advised their staff should literally bare all to improve office morale. It was just a year ago that it was reported David Taylor, a business psychologist, had convinced workers at the design and marketing studio onebestway in Newcastle upon Tyne, northeast England, to start having Naked Fridays as a great way to boost their team spirit. If you are keen to see the staff’s sexy calendar-like picture, check out the following blog article on this reported news item:
> Calvin Palmer’s Weblog: Staff Bare All to Improve Office Morale
Nor is what you are reading the first online article to use the term ‘Get Naked’ figuratively, for Wired magazine’s front page shouted out three years ago that ‘Get Naked’ was the way to rule the [business] world. If you want to check out Wired’s sexy front page picture back then, click on the link to their archived edition below:
> Wired Magazine Mar2007: Get Naked and Rule the World
But before you get too ‘hot n bothered’ reading my article here, let me get to my point.
The best way for you to (i) win new customers, (ii) get more business, and (iii) make a lasting positive impression on others is not by taking off all your clothes in public or by ‘letting it all hang out’ when you are around others you want to impress. Both of these only have momentary sex appeal, it any, for most.
Rather, the best way for your company and your offerings to attract attention and cultivate robust customer relations is if you:
- Be Remarkable,
and
- Be Passionately ‘Other-Interested’
The first point is about getting noticed for the right reasons, not the wrong ones.
What you and your offerings need to do is be seen as distinct, indeed outstanding, both in the figurative and literal sense of both of these words. Not convinced? Well then, listen to Seth Godin talk about this is the following 17 minute video clip from 2003:
> Seth Godin’s 2003 TED video talk: ‘on sliced bread’ and standing out
The second point is about how to build vital customer relationships that stand out, which is something you can do by distinguishing yourself from the 80% or so of other businesses that are all too self-interested. How can you do that? Well, by being other-interested.
When you build ‘other-interested’ relationships with your customer, you are being authentic is the way customers most appreciate. You can do this is by leveraging advice that Patrick Lencioni outlined in his recent book Getting Naked which for him means putting the client first and allowing yourself to be more exposed by dealing with client issues and needs in more open and honest ways.
For a quick synopsis of the key points in Patrick Lencioni’s book, check out the following review:
> Globe & Mail Newspaper book review: Getting Naked
So, there you have it: some simple, straight forward advice you can execute on without delay. Now, with the direction to go in, it’s your responsibility to tackle the challenge of making it happen, making it cashflow positive, and making it profitable or bringing in help that can.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Article by –Tony Johnston
© Blog.TonyJohnston.biz & Compass North Inc. 2010
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And if you could use some outside expertise to quickly help you to re-craft your business to become remarkable and remarkably profitable or help you re-make it remarkably by getting important major transactions done on a better basis, check out my management & advisory firm, Compass North Inc., email me, or call me at (416) 342-5652.
Tony Johnston
Tony makes business results happen for companies facing challenging business goals !! Here’s how:
> by energizing and fine tuning organizations so they grow faster,
> by getting timely financing and better ownership deals done,
> by orchestrating activities so new businesses come to life, and
> by thrilling vital communities inside and outside companies so their
legion of fans multiply!
If you are a decision maker in a company with ambition and a challenging goal to achieve who would appreciate senior level support from insightful results producers with deep domain expertise, give Tony Johnston, President of Compass North Inc. a call at 416-342-5652.
Bottom-line: Tony and Compass North Inc. help company owners:
- maximize what they earn while they own their business and
- maximize what they bank when they sell.
Tony Johnston, CMC, CGA, MBA, BA (Econ)
President
Compass North Inc.
18 Balding Court
Toronto ON
M2P 1Y7
Office: 416-342-5652
Mobile: 416-346-4140
www.CompassNorthInc.com
www.CNiRapidResearch.com
> Follow Tony on Twitter @CompassNorthInc
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March 16th, 2010 @ 9:11 pm
Serious Biz Advice 4U: GET NAKED! | Biz Money Matters |…
Practical advice about how you can best stand up, stand out, and be vital to those you need to get passionately excited about what you have to offer – your customers. Read more……