Category Archives: Marketing

Technology Won’t Save Your Product! Why Customer Pain Points Matter More

Why should they care? I had some entrepreneurs show me a project they’re working on. It’s a finance application for small businesses. One of the founders is an accountant who gets questions constantly, so he figured he’d create an app to solve that problem.

How Not To Determine Whether Or Not An Idea is Worth Doing

“I’m not sure about this idea anymore.” Why? I asked. “Because I talked to two potential customers and they don’t seem interested”, she answered. This was a conversation I had with a friend who wants to find out whether or not an idea she has, a need she has, is worth pursuing.

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.