Put The Customer Second (Yeah, You Heard Me)

Now, before you get all up in arms about the title of this post alone, bear with me.. by actually viewing some of the grey areas of the topic at hand; the very one, mind you, that you bit hook, line & sinker from day #1, as a customer, purchaser, buyer, member, etc.

First up: the video below was passed on by Bob Burg, who eloquently points out that providing value (to customers) does NOT equal being taken advantage of.

BELOW the video, by yours truly, you’ll get… how shall I say… a much more direct and raw version of this topic.

I will also give you some expansive views on why “customers” aren’t always right.

Now [ time to be SERIOUS] — if you’re someone who sells your own products, or part of the management team that is responsible for that, here’s some uncommon business lessons I highly encourage you to soak in…

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 JV Partner whines and/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 BUSINESS MEN AND WOMEN CURL UP IN A BALL ON THE FLOOR WITH THEIR THUMB IN THEIR MOUTH.

If you’re working with passion, connecting with people to move your mission forward, and are flat out in the business of business (i.e., feeling good about exchanging your goods for money), you’re ALWAYS gonna offend someone.

It’s the way life works.

Sorry, I just can’t put on rose-colored glasses and spin this in a pretty way for you.

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

Some entrepreneurs and teachers I know — especially the ones I have encountered 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 smart cookie I know once told me:

“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.

Are you in ‘reading-lust’ with this post? Kewl. So, now that we’re kindred spirits, I’ll give you some distant mind-love, if you kindly tap the💚 icon below (or wherever it is floating around on this page!). A BIG digital ‘Bear Hug’ in advance ;)