Getting It Into Orbit

Getting Ideas Off The Ground

An idea that stays on the ground isn’t that great of an idea.

What makes an idea great is when it gets to the point of fueling itself.

Of course, it takes effort to get it into orbit. Are you ready to get it there?

 

Stay Positive & You Can Only Go Up From Here

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Benefiting Ideas

Benefiting The Target

It’s worth analyzing the benefits that an idea will bring.

Not to determine whether it’s worth it, per say, but to confirm who the benefits are for.

Too often we confuse a benefit with what makes our life easier with a benefit that makes our customers’ life easier. If it’s mutually beneficial, great, but it’s unlikely.

 

Stay Positive & You’re Wearing Their Shoes, Right?

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Treating Different People Differently

Different People

Many an employee fall into a routine when a customer walks through the door.

The employee rotates through a couple different greetings, asks the same follow-up questions to every person walking in, and preaches about the sale going on that week.

My philosophy: Ensure staff treat different people differently.

Every customer is telling themselves a story that’s different from the person who entered before them and from the person who will enter next (online or not).

It’s the employee’s responsibility privilege to interact with each on a person-by-person, individual basis.

When engaging with customers becomes a process and not an authentic interaction, it’s not time to get a new customer, it’s time to get a new employee.

 

Stay Positive & You’re Staff’s Not Standing Still, Are They?

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Question And Answer Process

Market Research Q&A

It’s quite easy to inappropriately rank the importance of questions and answers, especially when it comes to market research.

Most know the answer they want to hear, ask the question to get that answer, and not respond or act on that answer because they’re already fulfilling it.

There’s not much meat to this type of research.

Better to ask the right question (and you won’t know if it’s the right one until you have an open mind and ask enough of them), genuinely care about the response, likely ask follow-up questions and then act on that information.

It’s more difficult and more care is required to follow the latter process, but worth it. Always.

 

Stay Positive & Answers Should Be Getting You To Grow, Not Stagnate

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Worrying

Worrying

The paradox of worrying is that most of the things you worry about never happen and, at the same time, you attract the situations you’re worrying about.

Worrying is a two-case scenario: Either you worry, it doesn’t happen, and you suffer once OR you worry, it happens, and you suffer twice.

On the other hand, not worrying is a two-case scenario, too: Either you don’t worry, it doesn’t happen and you don’t suffer OR you don’t worry, it happens and you suffer once.

And the paradox still exists, most of the things you could worry about never happen and, at the same time, you attract the situations you’re worrying about (which in this case are none).

 

Stay Positive & Who Is In Favor Of The No-Worrying Scenario?

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Once They’re Out

Retaining Customers

If you thought acquiring new users was expensive, try to get a previous user who had a poor experience to return.

I’ll say this: It costs less to invest in them now, to ensure a positive experience, to surprise and delight them than it does to earn their trust back.

Money aside, you can do a lot to keep people in. You can start by caring more.

 

Stay Positive & Once They’re Out, They’re Out

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Where’s Your Competition?

Location Of Your Competition

Hiding competition will not prevent anyone from finding them.

In fact, mentioning them gives you an opportunity to share in a customer’s narrative.

What story are they telling themselves when they look for competitors? Are they looking for the cheapest? Are they looking for reasons why you’re more expensive? Are they looking for convenience? Are you answering their questions?

Your competitors can think to themselves “any press is good press” all they want.

In the meantime, you’ll be here connecting with your target.

 

Stay Positive & There’s No Sense In Hiding Your Competition

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