The Bigger Picture

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

This past week I have attempted to share with you, my perspective with respect to what is critical for true marketing success. I am certain that my approach is anything but excellent? Because I may not know as much as you do and what I have shared, I will be the first to admit, may very well need clarification or even a different approach.
As a seminar instructor for almost two decades, one of the single most important ideas I learned was that in order to be successful, I had to be like one of my own students. In other words I had to be able to understand what they were not grasping and why.
Once I did adopt that approach, I began to get more feedback and appreciation from my students. I wanted their participation and their ideas as to what it was I was sharing with them, and whether or not I was making sense to them.
Please understand the bulk of my contractor students were just getting started in business, but nevertheless, probably somewhere between 10% and 20% of those in attendance in each workshop were experienced business owners from out of state, and many of them were so very helpful. They could and would on occasion challenge me, or an approach I was teaching for a particular business method or need.
So many of my students were of the firm belief that they were such good trades-people, that they could start and run their own business. Accordingly I asked them what they believed was their advantage. They really did not have any idea of what “the bigger picture” of running a business was all about. For most of them, their primary reason was that they believed they could do a better job and do it for less. Attending one of my classes was a gentleman from Kansas, and was the owner of a company which specialized in designing gasoline stations throughout the mid-western and southern states.
He had been in business for the better part of 21 years at the time, and had paid particular attention to the needs of his potential clients. As a result he had, if I recall correctly, about 4 unique designs for a station meant to meet the needs of its clients. As he explained to us with simple adaptations the design could be used for a facility on the Northwest, the Southwest, Northeast or Southeast corner of an intersection. He also had adaptable designs for stations situated in the middle of the block. As a rule, his experience made a difference and each of those issues would indeed attract the attention of potential buyers, especially those who were specific brand dealers and wanted to insist upon quality.
What I am about to share with you is something which at the time was new to me but which to this very day, I still share with others. I certainly hope you will grasp its value as well.
This very successful business owner made it a point that upon submission of his fees and approval for the project design, he was to be granted two additional opportunities to make something else known to these potential buyers. He wasn’t merely trying to “sell” them; he was applying increasing value in order to attract them. He simply requested an opportunity to bid on the actual construction of the project.

His bid was likely to be the most expensive and so he acknowledged that. His second request was to insist they commit to contacting at least three of his previous customers on a list he provided and ask how he benefitted them.
Almost each and every competitor estimated the project would take anywhere from 9 to 12 months. This gentleman’s former clients praised the quality of his work, but most importantly his completion of the project within close to 6 months. Thus they were generating income on an average of 4 to 6 months sooner, than if they had elected to work with one of his competitors.
I hope this motivates you to develop your marketing strategy on increasing value!