What do your customers say (or NOT say) about you when you’re not there?
By Ken Schmidt, former director of communications for Harley Davidson Motor Company
You’ve probably never thought about what you’re about to read. But you know this is true:
Somewhere in the world, right now, people who could put you out of business tomorrow are meeting. In their international, national, regional or local conventions, corporate IT managers, procurement specialists or finance gurus are sitting through boring presentations all focused on the same issues: How to do more with less. How to lower operating costs to improve profitability. How to make their departmental successes visible to others in their organizations.
At evening social events, the gathered attendees will relax and enjoy each other’s company over cocktails and laughter. Because they’re human and have similar work lives, their discussions will move fast and find common ground as they discuss the challenges and successes they experience every day. At that point, your business, and you as a leader within that business, are about to be discussed.
The question I always ask – and that you need to be able to quickly answer — is, “What do the people you depend upon for your livelihood say about you when you’re not there?” The single most influential people in your business life, your current customers, are about to either create further demand for what you do by telling others of their success working with you — and how amazing you are to work with — or they’re not going to say anything at all.
What’s it gonna be?
Your customers pay the mortgage for your house, your kids’ college tuition and your motorcycle payment. It’s incredibly important to you and you’re very passionate about them. Problem is, your name may not be pinging on corporate radar screens as loudly as you’d like. Current customers may still think and talk of you the way they did when they first met you when you were the supplier of their printer hardware. But you want them to think and speak of you as a group of incredibly driven people who opened their eyes to new levels of savings and efficiency–and made heroes out of them.
New brochures and a revamped Web site are not going to change your business and encourage customers to become disciples for you. You are. You’re going to change not only the language you use in front of your current customers and prospects, you’re going to make instantly visible changes in your behavior. I’m going to show you how this works and why it works. I’m going to show you that, in order for customers to trust you with more responsibility, they need to like you more first. Period.
Harley-Davidson grew from a tired, me-too business on the brink of ruin into an industry dominator by changing its behavior and becoming a more like-able, approachable, trustworthy and recommendable business. Starbucks built the strongest coffee brand on earth with the third best-tasting coffee – through behavior exhibited in front of customers. That’s what you’re going to do with your MPS business.
I’ll show you what I’m talking about in Orlando. Don’t miss it.
Ken Schmidt will keynote at Transform 2012 in Orlando, FL on May 24. As the former director of communications for Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Schmidt played an active role in one of the most celebrated turnarounds in corporate history. On the brink of bankruptcy, Schmidt was asked to revive Harley-Davidson’s image and create demand for its motorcycles. The business transformed from an equipment sales model focusing on people and processes. In a few short years Harley-Davidson became one of the most visible brands in the world. As Schmidt tells Harley’s story, he’ll share insights into building relationships, validating customers in the buying process and differentiating your business with services.
Learn more about Schmidt and other exciting speakers. http://www.photizogroup.com/global2012/
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