NEWS FLASH – THE WORLD IS NO
LONGER FLAT!
Most of you, if not all of you know this
fact! or do you?
First, let us relive a bit of the past –
Math Class. We learned how to graph on “Y” and “X” axis,
given a set of “points” we could use these axes to pinpoint the
location – on a FLAT piece of paper!
Those of us with a
propensity for math also understood the “Z” axis – 3D.
With
all the “points” we could pinpoint the EXACT location in space –
not just a flat piece of paper.
Well, my friends welcome
to the wild frontier of the Internet. Unfortunately, most of you
still are based and run your business on a FLAT model that is over
100 years old! The car business is the most dynamically changing
industry on the planet, and yet many do business like it’s 1985! You
still cling to the past ways of doing business because they work. Do
they really?
Most of you I talk to are moaning about the poor
selection and high price of inventory, not to mention the lack of
“buying” customers. I have said this to almost ALL of you at one
point or another – INSANITY (and poor business management) is
defined very simply:
DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER
EXPECTING DIFFERENT RESULTS!
We
no longer live in a FLAT world! Our success is determined by stars
(literally) and swipes. Our stars determine our position on that
crucial “Z” axis – are we ABOVE or BELOW standard? Swipes
determine if we’re going to pay our bills that month or not. What
REASONS do your “potential” have from buying from you – if you
say PRICE, then you have already lost!
Let’s look at it from
this perspective – would you rather be a port or a ship? A ship can
bring prosperity to new and gloriously new markets. A port, on the
other hand, IS prosperity attracting numerous “ships” laden with
treasures for her inhabitants and their future. Most of you out there
are “ships” looking for ports to “unload” your
merchandise.
Those of you out there that are “ports”
have labored hard with your inhabitants to make it “the
destination” of prosperity.
In simple terms, PORTS build
relationships with their ships and merchants!
Far too often in
this business it’s “sell it and move on” to the next customer
(that would be the price model) with never enough time to build any
sort of “relationship”. Hell; only a handful of you even
understand the POWER of a simple yet sincere, handwritten Thank You
note mailed out!
“Port Dealers” find ways to constantly keep
in touch with not only potential customer, however, they also go
“above-and-beyond” to keep past customers in their community
“loop”.
Newsletters, videos, emails and most
importantly a “stunning” web presence. They have become a vital
part of their “ELECTRONIC COMMUNITY” They build VALUE into
themselves, their product and their web presence.
OK, so
that is the long-and-short of my message here people. I think I’ve
broken my own record for metaphors and analogies in one paper. Over
50+ years of communicating with folks I have learned a way-or-two to
“pitch” an Idea and I am sincere; that’s one of the reasons
people see value in me when we do business together. What do people
see in you and your business?
Where are your STARS and how many
SWIPES sent you and your website to electronic oblivion? Time to up
your game folks – if not now, then when. There are numerous tools
and services out there at your disposal – some of it even free! You
have to make it a PRIORITY in your day and your business.
If you
spent ½ as much time in a month growing your business electronically
as you do hunting down inventory and going to auctions, well my
friend you would definitely be on the BETTER path to success (lasting
and financial).
So there you have it April’s nugget of wisdom to
ponder upon ( & hopefully act upon).
