Last week, I attended an event where former NBA player, Walter Bond, was speaking to a group of sales people and corporate employees. Bond’s speech blew me away with truth.
Unfortunately, the truth can sting sometimes. Unless you take that truth and use it to your advantage.
Bond pointed out that your competition is dealing with the same market and the same economy as you are right now. So who’s going to win?
The company who “Sucks it up, gets tough and goes for it,” Bond said. “Only the strong will survive.”
Many companies right now are having pity parties. They’re hiding away, hunkering down and refusing to make a move until the economy gets better.
This is a bad idea.
Bond said a pity party is simply when someone “meditates on the wrong thing over and over and over again.”
“Pity parties are for weak-minded people,” he said. “90 percent of your life is great. 10 percent sucks. But most people choose to focus on the 10 percent.”
So what do you focus on as a company?
Are you always thinking about the negatives—cutting back, reducing staff, playing it safe. Or do you focus on the good things that are present—new opportunities to think outside the box, learn something new and try something different.
You can do this if you commit to it. Even in a tough economy.
In fact, some of the most successful companies in history (Microsoft, HP, General Electric) started during a recession.
You can make sales and gain more customers during a recession. It all comes down to being different.
Example
When Bond was being recruited to play college basketball, he received visits from coaches from some of the best universities in the country. Week after week these coaches would show up at his house wearing their school’s colors and trying to sell him on playing for their team.
Bond had no interest in any of them, until the coach from the University of Minnesota showed up at his door in a suit and tie. Immediately, Bond took notice because the coach “looked like success and money.”
Being professionally dressed—rather than showing up in school colors—made the difference for Bond. Enough for him to listen to what the coach had to say.
Next, the coach proceeded to impress Bond’s parents with his knowledge of who they were. He was able to connect with Bond’s parents, which convinced them right away.
Bond was an easy sell after that.
Applying This Example
So how does the above example apply to your company? Well, it gives you four excellent ways to be different and get ahead of your competition.
The four ways are:
- Stand out—Be so amazing your customers (and people who aren’t yet your customers) stand up and take notice. Make it so they can’t do anything, but notice your company.
- Put your best foot forward—Add as much value to your offerings as possible. Do everything you can to make your customers’ lives better and easier. One up your competition.
- Connect with people—Get to know the people who buy from you. Get to know the people you want to have buy from you. Bond said you should be able to have at least three intelligent conversations with each person you’re selling to. “Connect, don’t just communicate,” he said.
- Exude success—Share your company’s accomplishments. Add an “In the News” section to your company Web site. Be proud of your company’s accomplishments.
So while your competitors are nervous and waiting things out, make your move. Become a stronger, better version of the company you already are. When the economy gets better, they’ll never know what hit them.