Just last week I was working with a company and we identified an action of following up with customers that their competition would not employ. I suggested that the company follow up with customers as soon as the customer left rather than later in the day and even suggested that the salespeople follow customers home. Sounds crazy doesn’t it? The management in this company protested, “There is no way this technique will work with our product or our customer demographic.” I pleaded with the managers to just trust me and use the technique, and within 24 hours, they had contacted my office claiming, “Not only did it work, but our customers loved it!” The company was revitalized with new ways to expand into the marketplace. Now before you completely dismiss my actions as unworkable understand that your response alone means that others will not employ them either, which means those that take this action will no longer be competing but doing something completely different. At times like these you don’t want to compete, you want to beat!
While these techniques should be applied to your marketing and selling efforts in all economic climates, you will find these are the type of strategies and thinking to get you through periods of contraction. This is where we are only thinking in terms of expansion and willing to try anything, even break agreed upon norms in order to grab business. And before you start thinking you are violating customer satisfaction with these actions know that same company experienced the highest customer satisfaction scores their company had ever attained. Customers were saying, “We have never had a company who had been willing to do more to earn our business.” This way of thinking and these actions are for those who refuse to have their families, businesses, and financial futures put at risk—and are willing to do whatever it takes to be first. Trust me on this, and I assure you that you will be rewarded with success. I look forward to hearing about your journey to first and how much success you receive from the implementation of these powerful and effective recession-fighting techniques.
CHAPTER 2. Power Base Reactivation
I’m going to start you on the path of “advance and conquer” with an asset that I know you have: a power base. Unfortunately, most people deny knowing that they even have a place of power. They truly believe that they have nothing to start with. Not true. Everyone has a power base; we simply don’t all acknowledge or utilize it. Instead, we go backward by trying to build a business in a place where we don’t already have power, with people we don’t know. This is the most difficult way to form a company.
Everyone has an existing power base. The people you know—friends, family, relatives, schoolmates, past employers, existing employees, and even your enemies—are all part of it. A power base doesn’t remain the same size throughout your career; it will grow (or cease to grow) depending on the amount of attention you give it. To cultivate and increase the quality of your power base, simply start with what you have. Direct and multilevel marketing companies are effective because they depend almost solely on utilizing and optimizing people’s power bases. Combine a dedicated and relentless contact of power bases with great products, and you will create a corporation that profits during any economy. Amway, Nu Skin, Herbalife, Mary Kay, Market America, and Kangen Water are just a few examples of companies whose entire model is built on the idea that everyone has a power base; success depends on how effectively those power bases are informed about the company’s products. Those who make it to these firms’ top levels are not great salespeople; they are great at power base reactivation. That is why so many businesses focus so intently on customer satisfaction and knowing how much word of mouth generates future sales. Corporations tend to fail when they rely too heavily on advertising campaigns and claim commitment to customer satisfaction without organically stimulating the power base. When you effectively activate your power base, you will find people who are qualified to purchase your products and motivated to tell others.
You have to be cost effective in generating opportunities for purchasing your product or service during slow economic times. While a big corporation may be able to afford huge advertising budgets, individuals typically cannot. And while advertising can hit more people faster, it is less personal. To that end, your power base is the single most lucrative way to generate immediate business. Traditional advertising has become “the dependency” of the twenty-first century whereby the company’s ability to generate business rests solely with mass advertising to people you don’t know who may or may not be qualified or even interested in your product. A majority of advertising budgets are lost to these people. This method of contact may not be an affordable option—even for large corporations—during periods of contraction, when you truly have to watch every penny you spend.
Although reactivating your power base is very cost effective, it does require some degree of effort. Don’t worry when you begin whether these people are qualified or even interested in your product; just make your list, then contact those on it. Remember that the people you know also know others in turn who may be more appropriate prospects. You want to reactivate every possible contact you have and get your power base to start to work for you. It’s akin to mining; think of the people you know as gold, and treat them as you would a gold mine. Post a claim and work it constantly. Neglect it and you will find someone else claiming your fortunes. Worse yet, your power base can sit vacated, unattended, and ignored. The fact that you are not working your gold mine effectively does not mean it is less valuable; it just means that you aren’t tapping into its immense potential.
Start getting in touch with friends, family, relatives, and past employers and take a genuine interest in them. Find out what they are doing; ask about their lives, their careers, and their families. People love to talk about themselves, and they really love it when others take interest in them. Let them know what you are doing when it comes up, but understand that this is not a sales call. You are simply reconnecting with someone with whom you have been out of touch.
Do not rely solely on e-mail or snail mail for this venture without first getting in touch via phone or personal visit. A phone call is more valuable than mail but can and should be followed by mail or e-mail the same day. Make it clear that the intention of your call is to catch up with those in your power base, not to sell your products or services. During all economies—good, bad, and indifferent but especially during contractions—contacts and relationships are everything. If you’ve ever heard the saying “It’s who you know, not what you know,” then you know that this is true. You are short on people, not short on money, and the people you know either have the money you want or know people who do. It is those people who want and need your service. So the more people you contact, the better chance you have of discovering and selling to those who are members of your target market.