Maidsfield Blog - Partnering and Business Development

Very little of what we do in life is incidental. Everything we do goes towards what we build up to be what defines us as a person. This defines what we represent. This is our personal and individual brand. Companies are similiar but are defined by the collective behaviours of the team. Communicate focus on values that deliver long-term value for your company.

While at Disneyworld Florida at the ISPE conference we were told that 70% of Disney customers are repeat customers. In our businesses we should adapt this as a principle by which we do business.

Act with the long-term in mind - don’t be happy with just gaining revenue today, build value in the experience that enhances your company. Learn by the experience that betters the next time your organisation must do a similiar task.

Dont just focus on the quick sale and say “next” - I read somewhere that US based department store, Nordstrom, have a principle that every customer coming through the door should be treated as such that they will potentially spend $50,000 with them in their years of custom.

Beware of throw-away tasks - On first carrying out a particular business task for a customer, document it sufficiently that you are creating a piece of knowledge that can be reused by you company more effectivley at a later date.

Focus on the long-term value for your customer. Think beyond the current project to understand long term value for your customer then you will better understand what is required of your company in the long-term in delivering on your customers’ needs

I spent the past few days (Nov 6th to Nov 8th 2006) at the ISPE annual meeting in Orlando, Florida’s Disneyworld.

It is absolutely amazing to realise the enormous detail to which Disney people go to, to ensure they think of everything possibility to ensure that their guests get the fullest experience possible on their visit to Disneyworld. There is very little left to chance. They believe in premium pricing and well above premium service. 70% of the guests are repeat visitors. They treat everyone as an ongoing repeat visitor year in year out. They charge well and deliver value.

The photo was taken by Jeff Masten of Genentech. (Thanks Jeff)

On stepping up for my photo, I addressed the Disney pair with “Well Ladies”, mistakenly recognising Donald as Daffy (how could I!). Of course Donald took offence which I had to rectify with an apology and correctly addressing him as “Gent”. Well after all, 70% of all management decisions are wrong. The good managers know when to rectify their decisions quickly.

Disney’s manner of doing business by offering the fullest experience is a guiding principle that cannot be encompassed in a standard operating procedure. It is in the manner in we engage and are engaged as people. Disney is a great business guided by strong principles.

No matter what you do, everyday we are all always faced with situations in which we have to get a message across.

In every discussion:
i) We have to understand the views on the audience we are addressing
ii) Start delivering our message from this point of view and
iii) Then demonstrate the value of what we’re suggesting with direct relevance to our audiences’ point of view
iv) And win over agreement and support

Is this not the same as:
i) Gather market research to develop a Market/User Requirements Specification
ii) Construct and deliver a customer relevant marketing/sales message to capture their attention
iii) in order to get the opportunity to demonstrate the full value of our offering with direct relevance to the customer
iv) in order to win a sale

This is true of all scenarios whether for individual or company driven goals, within small or large organisations or generally in society.

Everything is sales….www.everythingisales.com