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How Passion Can Tranform Your Business

January 1, 2013 by Rosemary

By Chris Nosal

Today the world is more oversaturated than ever; on television you see insurance companies, retailers, car dealers, and pretty much every company under the sun all telling you they’ve got the lowest prices, and trying to compete by offering customers the best deal.

But, recently, I noticed there’s one thing missing from all these commercials, advertisements, and marketing pieces; something that would instantly make any company who used it stand out, so they could lead their industry instead of compete.

Want to know the secret?

It can be summed up in one word:

PASSION.

How To Apply Passion To Your Business

Imagine that you saw a car commercial, and while all the other companies were telling you about how they had the lowest prices, this company decided to innovate out of their passion, their love of what they do, and their desire to create the best experience in the world for their customers?

This company went a step ahead of all the other dealerships, found something they could improve (car buying is usually considered a pressure situation with a lot of hassle), and gave customers REAL BENEFITS that they could offer.

Now, imagine this commercial said:

“We want to make your car buying experience most pleasurable, simple, easy, and fun. We have a commission-free showroom, so that our focus is specifically on helping you, educating you, and making sure that you have all the unbiased information you need from our experts to make sure you get the perfect car for you… we also employ extra team members to make sure that you can always get helped right away when you come to our dealership; you’ll be welcomed the moment you walk into our dealership, because we believe our customers are people too, and people should be treated like family… we want to create the best car buying experience on the planet for YOU.”

Now, while this might be good for customers, it’s also good for your team of workers…

Your Business Needs A Bigger Purpose

People with a common goal connect with each other.

While the desire to make money might motivate the boss of most companies, it doesn’t often motivate the salaried or hourly people working for you.

So what does motivate people?

A PURPOSE

If you ask most people why they come to work each morning, you typically get a common answer, “because I need to make money”.

There is rarely, if ever, true loyalty to a company or business.

But why?

Simple.

Because your company lacks a purpose.

Imagine if you asked someone why they came to work each day, and they said:

“Well, I do need the money, but the job I do is also focused on helping people make important decisions in their lives, and my focus every day is on putting smiles on people’s faces with the service I deliver, making people happy, and enriching lives by giving customers the best car buying experience on the planet… and my every day my work helps me learn something new and grow as I connect with more and more people.”

Now, when a company pressures with sales deadlines, quotas, or commissions, that doesn’t give people a sense of purpose, a sense that they’re having a positive impact on people’s lives, or a sense of true purpose that goes beyond making money for the customer.

And if you give your employees a common goal that involves creating the best experience in the world for your customers, it’s good for your customers, it’s good for your employees, and it fosters loyalty all around, which usually also means many customers referring additional business to you.

The benefits of this are:

  1. You don’t have to play the price game… you play the “providing the best customer experience in the world” game.
  2. Your business grows as a result of customer referrals, because you provide the best service in the world.
  3. Your team members actually care about their jobs, and will work harder, longer, and even turn down other offers for a job that actually has meaning, and is focused on improving people’s lives.

The Key To Success Is NOT Competition

For years, the game of competing on competition has worked. But the world is growing more than ever before, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that competing on price or consumerism is NEVER going to work again, it’s time to start defining ourselves in a different way, and focusing on enriching lives, and creating amazing experiences for people.

If you make this your focus, give an actual purpose to your business that extends beyond simply selling something, and you share this vision you have of a better world with your customers; whether it’s creating the best breakfast restaurant on the planet, the most amazing online shopping experience, or just putting a smile on someone’s face, make your focus on something that has meaning to others, and you’ll be amazed at the transformation that will take place in every area of your business, and your relationships with everyone you work with and serve.

At the end of your life, the amount of money you made isn’t going to matter… but the legacy you create, and the ability of what you created to enrich lives, and make people happy, will love on long after you’re gone.

Author’s Bio: Chris Nosal is a marketing expert who writes at his blog http://chrisnosal.com, and gives private consultations. You can visit his website to download his free eBook, and read more free articles. You can also find him on twitter as @chrisnos, and on Facebook

Thanks Chris, great thoughts to start 2013!

Filed Under: Business Life, management, SOB Business, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, customer focus, passion, purpose

5 Smart Ways to Differentiate a Successful Business

August 6, 2012 by Guest Author

by
Grant Tilus

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Did you know Americans create more than 500,000 new businesses every month? It’s true, but only 50 percent of those businesses will still be operational within five years. While the amount of new businesses every month is encouraging, our rate of failure is unfortunate and must be improved upon.

5 Smart Ways to Differentiate a Successful Business

One way you can increase your business’ chance of celebrating its five year anniversary is to differentiate your business among your industry peers. Stand out from the crowd. Use these five ways to differentiate to build a smart and successful business. Each key point provides real-world examples of what you can do to improve your business.

1. Focus on the Customer

The best and often the most successful entrepreneurs create businesses they are so passionate about they will do anything for their customers. Over time many business owners tend to lose focus and begin straying away from having the needs of their customer be a top priority. However, by maintaining a customer-centric focus you will create a positive customer experience that will allow you to build your brand all while creating a loyal base of repeat and new customers.

Example: Stuffed Giraffe Shows What Customer Service Is All About

2. Be a Social Media Juggernaut

In our digital world social media cannot be ignored by even the smallest of businesses. Focus on creating a unique social community by engaging and educating your customers about your brand in a way that’s both entertaining and helps them feel connected to your business. We all know it’s easier to keep customers rather than finding new ones; social media can help you do both.

Example: Impressive Small Business Facebook Pages You Can Learn From

3. Don’t Focus on the Competition

Every smart business owner has conducted a SWOT analysis for their business venture. Far too often business owners get caught up in the threats of competition, which causes their own business to suffer. However, by focusing on the unique opportunities your business has to offer you will help it stand out among the rest as a clear and distinguished option for your targeted customer base.

Example: Your Competition, Isn’t

4. Make It Personal

Creating personal connections is part of human nature. In the midst of creating a business we subconsciously hide our own personality, and that’s not necessarily the best thing to do. Customers need ways to connect with businesses beyond the advertisements and sales pitches. By being transparent and humanistic your customers can begin to create a relationship with your business and become more than just a customer. Tell your story and learn your customer’s story as you build your business.

Example:


Papa John Telling the Papa John Story

5. Keep Things Fresh

Changes within your target market, technology, and the economy often require your business to make adjustments. In order to stay relevant and continue building a successful business it’s important to assess and refresh your business’ activities. The businesses that are comfortable maintaining the status quo are the ones that are failing to prepare for true longevity. As a business owner you need to be asking, listening and responding to changes in the market and your customer base in order to succeed in the long term.

Example: Living Business Plans Help Businesses Flow with Future

Differentiate your business in 5 smart and social ways to build success. Use social avenues to focus on and connect with customers personally by sharing stories. Then you can let your competition worry about you.

What successes have you had with differentiating your business in smart and social ways?

Author’s Bio:
Grant Tilus is an Inbound Marketing Specialist at Rasmussen College. He creates superior content and blogs about accelerated bachelor’s degree programs, other online business school degree programs or inbound marketing best practices. Feel free to connect with Grant Tilus on Twitter and Google+.

Buy the Insider’s Guide to Online Conversation.

Filed Under: Marketing /Sales / Social Media, Strategy/Analysis, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, business growth, customer connections, customer focus, differentiate your business, keep it fresh, LinkedIn, small business, social media juggernaut

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