Put The Customer Second (Yeah, You Heard Me)

By Barry Goss

I got this video from Bob Burg, who eloquently points out that providing value (to customers) does NOT equal being taken advantage of.

BELOW the video, the link will take you to, how shall I say… a much more direct and raw version of this topic and it’ll also give you some views on why your customers aren’t always right.

First, check out the hilarious video:

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Now [ time to be SERIOUS] —  if you’re a publisher, or someone who sells your own products, here’s a marketing lesson you need to listen to carefully…

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I see this all the time — from affiliates, publishers in our peer group, and even a few of our past business partners.

Yes, when a customer, subscriber, or even JV Partner whines, or gives unsolicited advice (in the form of complaints) on the changes that should be made, or feels victimized by a good ol’ fashioned marketing strategy, SOME MARKETERS CURL UP IN A BALL ON THE FLOOR WITH THEIR THUMB IN THEIR MOUTH.

Look, if you’re working with passion, connecting with people to move your mission forward, and just plain in the business of business (i.e., feeling good about exchanging your value in the way of money), you’re ALWAYS gonna offend someone.

It’s the way life works. Sorry, I just can’t put on rose-colored glasses (I’d have to go borrow some from one of the metaphysical marketers I know who have a few spare ones) and spin this in a pretty way for you.

The TRUTH (the reality): You can’t please them all!

Some marketers and teachers I know — especially the ones I encounter within the spiritual growth and metaphysical arena — can’t handle the thought of having an upset or disappointed subscriber / customer.

Look, thicken-up, keep things real, and understand that everybody isn’t going to agree with, or like, you.

And, that’s a good thing — the more you can polarize the crowd, the more loyal your followers are, the more money you will make (and, if you feel that that isn’t your key goal, you’re fooling yourself – REMEMBER: money only comes to the person who is serving with honor, commitment, and a sense of congruency with Who they are and Why they’re doing what they’re doing).

Don’t change something on your website, modify a marketing model, give into a refund policy, or even offer a new service just because one, two, five, or ten people ask, whine, or judge you.

A fellow marketer Heather and I know once told us:

“There will always be depressed, unhappy, and jaded people in this world that feel they need to voice themselves or tell you how you need to treat them. They think they are smarter than you, and will do what they can to prove it. Just realize that they spend a majority of their time looking for attention and majoring in minor shit. Yes, it’s okay to call a spade a spade, regardless of how evolved or spiritual you think you’re supposed to be.”

Here are a few unconventional (but potentially profitable) truths to start stomaching:

Customers Aren’t Always Right!

Challenging customers is part of sales. If we want to prescribe the right solution, we must get to the truth with our customer. Sometimes customers don’t start out telling us what we need to know. Sometimes customers lie to us. To get to the truth, we must challenge our customers.

Hal Rosenbluth, CEO of Rosenbluth International (a corporate travel agency), took this truth to heart and wrote an excellent book about it called: Put The Customer Second – Put Your People First and Watch ’Em Kick Butt.

And, if you don’t have employees, revise his book title for your own slogan: Put Your Business FIRST, Your Customers Second.

I know that’s not going to sit well with some of you reading this, but the simple fact is that when I say “customer” in the above title, I’m referring to the troublesome, irritable, miserable ones. They don’t run your business. You run your business. Get it?

It’s Okay To Tell The World Why You’re Great!

I have nothing to say about this that Dan Kennedy already hasn’t said.

Here’s an excerpt from his book, The Ultimate Success Secret:

“General Patton was viewed by many of his peers as a shameless, egotistical promoter. Madonna, throughout her career, has been sneered as a no-talent self-promoter. Brandon Tarkitoff. Donald Trump. Richard Nixon brought himself back from utter, unparalleled disgrace to respected status as an astute elder statesmen through an aggressively implemented, thorough strategy of self-promotion.

“And let’s add the adage, ‘There have been many statues erected to honor those highly criticized, but very few statues erected to critics.’

“You really have two choices. You can choose to stick your nose up at the promoters, criticize them and criticize promotion, view it as unseemly, as beneath you, as crass, and stand around grumbling about it. OR you can get good at it and use it to create influence, prominence, prestige, credibility, celebrity, career and financial success. It is your choice.”

And, if you’re inspired now to learn more about the virtues of shocking your bad customers, being a couthful self-promoter, and having conviction with your plan of marketing, read what Robert Ringer has to say about For The Love of Making a Ripple.

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