Category Archives: Marketing

Focus on the Problem Customers Have, Not What the Competition is Doing

I recently had a conversation with a friend who owns a marketing agency. My friend, although very smart, has a very deep tendency to see what competitors are doing and is constantly reacting to what others do. This puts him, and his business, in a bad position. Most business leaders run their businesses the same way, looking at what others do.

7 Ways To Practice Unreasonable Hospitality

Investing in developing a unique customer experience is one of the most powerful strategies a business leader can use, and customer service is at the core of this. I recently read Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara. The book delves into the philosophy and practice of going above and beyond in customer service. The book draws on Guidara’s extensive experience in the hospitality industry, particularly his time at Eleven Madison Park, a renowned restaurant in New York City.

Jeff Bezos on Two Different Kinds of Failure

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has often spoken about the nature of failure and innovation, especially in the context of his own company’s journey. He distinguishes between two different types of failure: “experimental” failures and “operational” failures.

Studying Your Competitors is Overrated. Studying Your Customers is Underrated

I don’t know that there’s a research report that shows how rampant competition focused mindset is vs a customer focused one. But, you instinctively know this if you spend anytime in the world of business. And you’re probably more focused on studying your competitors than you are your customers.

Customers Don’t Buy Technology, They Buy Better Lives

Technology, it’s sexy. It gets all the attention, even from non-technologists. Innovation is often confused with technology, as it’s what people see; technology itself is not innovation, rather the outcomes is enables. The mistake aspiring technologists make when pitching their ideas is confusing features with benefits.

3 Lessons On Customer Obsession From DoorDash

Customer obsession is thrown around as if every business does it. Truthfully, most businesses are profit obsessed; not customer obsessed. So what does customer obsession look like? A business that says they’re customer obsessed is one that sees their customers as their North Star; they start from them and work backwards.