The phone rang. It was Mr. Hemphill, the Principal of our high school. He was calling about my upcoming graduation ceremony.
It was almost the end of the year, and I had completed and passed all of my courses except for one.
The course that was standing between me and a high school diploma might surprise you…
We spent a few days at Copper Point Resort in Invermere the week of Canada Day. It was clear from the moment we arrived that the hotel employees were not fully trained, and their guest capacity was more than they were staffed to handle.
At the end of our strategy debrief, after I discussed what people typically do before they make a decision to reach out for business help, he said, “I was stalking you for nine months before I pulled the trigger.”
His handle is @FailedProtostar. But one look at the photos on his Instagram feed and you’ll immediately see that he is far from failing.
My recent experience with two well-known companies and their customer service paints a very telling and familiar picture about the role of automation. One was much more personal in its approach, while the other relied too much on AI. The former nailed responsiveness and got the sale, while the latter has left me feeling drained.
The truth is, the more personal company, the one that makes its buyers feel heard and valued, will win every time. This is a story, that in so many words, every buyer has told at one point or another.
During a recent conversation with a client of mine, I asked her, “Do you want to be an “influencer” or an expert who has influence?”
She stopped in her tracks and said, “That’s a great question, I want to be an expert who has influence.”
You could likely learn a thing or two from those flyers you get in the mail – they are not looking for the first sale, they are looking for the second sale. Traditional “Getting the sale” thinking is transactional in nature. It doesn’t lay the foundation for a long-term relationship with your buyer.
Your strategy shouldn’t be all about the first sale. It should include what happens after that – what happens in the second sale.
In order for you to develop a strategy that includes second sale thinking, there is one thing that is critical to understand: Your buyer’s journey.
When everyone is complaining about your industry, there’s an opportunity to stand out. The best business owners are rule-breakers. Do the opposite of your competition—it will serve you well.
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