Re:Focus

Where Ambitious Upstarts Mix

If you're an ambitious upstart, an entrepreneur with a dream, someone who is taking the steps that so few people do - to bring your idea to reality...then you should know about Mixergy.com. 

Andrew Warner, the founder of Mixergy, a successful entrepreneur in is own right, wishes he had something like Mixergy when he started his business...so, like any good entrepreneur, he built it.

His mission is to introduce entrepreneurs to doers and thinkers whose ideas and stories are so powerful that just hearing them will change you. It is a truly wonderful resource and community of big thinkers and big doers.

I was honored to be a guest on Mixergy, where I got to share ideas about how to build a team of believers like the Wright brothers, how to create buzz for your idea and how to overcome the feeling of failure that so many entrepreneurs have at some point in their development.  I share my own story when I hit rock-bottom, an experience I am now grateful for.  Had I not gone to the depths, I would never have discovered the Golden Circle and the concept of Why - which was the thing that pulled me up and reinvigorated my passion.

I hope you enjoy the interview (click the link to see it) as much as I enjoyed giving it.

The Right Way To Delegate

We all know the importance of learning how to delegate, but how many of us really know how to do it well? It's an invaluable skill. You can't effectively run a team or an organization unless you know how to delegate properly.

The problem is, a lot of people confuse delegation with assigning tasks. Effective delegation is about giving responsibility.

I'm writing a book on the history of America and someone recommended I read a book about Abraham Lincoln called Team of Rivals.  Please go to the bookstore and pick up a copy for me. Thank you.

This is an example of assigning a task. You need to get something done and you ask someone to do it for you.  But this is not successful delegation.

I'm writing a book on the history of America. More specifically, about what it takes to  lead this country through difficult times. Someone recommended I read a book about Abraham Lincoln called Team of Rivals. Please go to the bookstore and pick up a copy for me. Thank you.

In both cases I will get exactly what I'm asking for. In both cases I will get my copy of Team of Rivals.  But only in the second example was responsibility assigned. By explaining why I need the book, I have given a context for the request. This context opens up the mind of the person to whom the assignment was given. They now feel like they can contribute value rather than simply perform a task. Only in the second example would I also get a copy of American Lion, about Andrew Jackson, and Traitor To His Class, about FDR. In fact, whoever went to the bookstore may also have read the books before giving them to me and may even point to the exact chapters I should pay attention to.

If you only delegate tasks, you may get what you ask for, but won't get the value of any ideas beyond your own.  If you delegate responsibility, you will get more than you ask for and you'll be given ideas beyond your own.  Effective delegation also strengthens the culture of the team or organization. By assigning tasks, people will always feel like they have a job. In contrast, assigning responsibility lets people feel like they are a part of something bigger. They are more likely to take accountability for their actions and will work harder, not to perform their tasks, but to advance the context.  To advance the reason why.

Small scale companies and small minded leaders only delegate tasks.  Everyone is treated like a vendor. Great organizations and great leaders delegate their cause. Everyone is treated like an essential part of a team.

My goal is to inspire people to do the things that inspire them so that together we can create a more optimistic world. I know that by sharing the Why with more people, we can achieve this. Please email this blog to three people you think it will inspire. Thank you.

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To Be Authentic Is To Be Imperfect

There is great beauty in that which is imperfect.

The grain in a piece of wood. A bristle of a paintbrush left stranded in a painting. The uneven glaze of a Japanese ceramic cup.

Perfection comes out of molds or off assembly lines. Things made by nature or by hand are imperfect. It is their flaws that make these objects unlike any other of their kind. It is their imperfections that make these things unique and beautiful. 

The same is true for people.

It is the blend of anxiety, fear, pain, insecurity and naïveté that makes each person special. Ironically, we try to suppress these feelings, cover them up and compensate in an attempt to appear perfect to the outside world. We put ourselves into quite unnatural positions in hope that others don’t perceive us as we truly are: imperfect.

Authenticity is about imperfection. And authenticity is a very human quality. To be authentic is to be at peace with your imperfections.  The great leaders are not the strongest, they are the ones who are honest about their weaknesses.  The great leaders are not the smartest; they are the ones who admit how much they don't know.  The great leaders can't do everything; they are the ones who look to others to help them. Great leaders don't see themselves as great; they see themselves as human.

Great leaders don't try to be perfect, they try to be themselves.  And that's what makes them great.

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Find out why at StartWithWhy.com

A Man Who Knows His Why: Freedom of Choice

John Nese lives his Why.  The proprietor of Galcos Soda Pop Stop in Los Angeles, John Nese believes in the freedom of choice and everything he says and does proves it. 

When a Pepsi bottler told him he had to stock Pepsi on his shelves because Pepsi was a demand item and his customers would demand it, Nese refused.  Not because he had anything against Pepsi, but because he knew that his customers could get the product much cheaper down the street at a big-box supermarket chain.  If someone asked for Pepsi, he told the bottler, he'd send them to the Ralph's a few blocks away and his customers would be grateful for his honesty.

And he was right.

It was then that Nese understood that as a store owner, he owned the shelves and he could stock his shelves with whatever products he wanted. 

If you have a strong sense of Why, you don't need to do what they market tells you, you can tell the market what you're going to do.

This is a story of a company with a strong sense of Why.  This is an example of authenticity at it's finest.

Find out why at StartWithWhy.com

House vs. Home

There is a difference between a house and a home.

A house is a structure, nothing more, nothing less.  To build a house requires a technical knowledge, materials and some money. There are well built houses and there are some weak ones too.  A house serves as a place to keep our stuff and protect us from the elements. But a home is different. 

You can live in a house that doesn't feel like home. To be a home, it needs to feel like a place you belong.  A place you feel at peace. Comfortable. A home reflects your personality, so it stands to reason that people like you will also like being in your home.  And even if you don't own the house, the home is yours. 

The same is true for a company, but sadly we don't have two words to make the comparison. 

A company is like a house. It's a structure. Nothing more, nothing less. It requires technical knowledge, materials and some money to build.  There are well built companies and some weak ones too. A company serves as a place for us to work so we can earn a living, pay our bills and protect our families. But some companies are different. Some companies also feel like a home.  Some companies are more than a place to work, the people who work there feel like they belong.  They feel at peace.  Comfortable. These companies reflect the personalities of the people who work there, so it stands to reason that people who like it there are all alike.  And even if you don't own the company, it still feels like yours.

The company that is like a house, focuses on the structure. Strategy and tactics are a way to increase sales, and money is the pursuit.  The company that feels like a home, focuses on the culture - the very thing that makes a house into a home. Strategy and tactics are a way to share that culture, that belief, with people outside the company too, and money is the result.

The funny thing is, with all these contractors out there building all these fancy houses with all the latest modern conveniences, it is the homes that are more profitable, more innovative, have the most loyal customers and employees. If there is a storm, people rally to fix the home where others abandon the house. Our houses have value, but we value our homes.

It's a shame we don't have a word for companies that are built like homes.  If we did, we'd probably have more of them.

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Find out why at StartWithWhy.com

Market Opportunities Don’t Exist

A very successful shoemaker in the United States was considering expanding his business into India. He decided to conduct some market research to help him properly assess the market opportunity before he could make his final decision. He sent one of his sons to travel the country from north to south.  He sent his other son to travel the country from south to north.

After one year away, his two sons returned with their reports.

“We must expand to India,” said the son who traveled north to south. “No one there has shoes, the market opportunity is amazing.”

“There’s no point expanding to India,” said the son who traveled south to north. “No one there has shoes, there’s no demand.”

 A market opportunity is not a thing that exists or doesn’t exist. No amount of research can conclude that there is or isn’t a market opportunity.  A market opportunity is nothing more than a perception.  Some perceive opportunities where others do not.  Some succeed where others fail.  And some fail where others succeed. This is the reason it is unwise to wake up everyday in pursuit of market opportunities.  Why not chase unicorns? There is not a single example of a person or organization that ever achieved greatness by chasing a market opportunity. 

Greatness starts with a problem that needs solving. The opportunity comes from marketing a solution that works. Sharing that solution becomes a cause.  The cause inspires people to help.  And when people are inspired to help, organizations become great.

If we were to look into the history of the successful American shoemaker, we might learn about a problem that he set out to solve that inspired him in the first place.  Something few people know is that he grew up very poor in a very rural part of the country, a mile and a half from the nearest town.  They were so poor they didn’t own a car or horse.  They were so poor, they didn’t even have shoes.  They had no way to cross the rocky, dirt roads to get to town.

One day, a passing traveler gave him a pair of shoes.  The young boy put on the shoes and, for the first time in his life, he could walk across the sharp rocks on the dirt road without cutting up his feet.  It was this one pair of shoes that made it possible for him to walk to town to get a job.  It was this job that helped lift him and his family out of poverty.  It was this one pair of shoes that inspired him.  He vowed that he would see to it that everyone in the world would have shoes so they could walk to and from work and provide for their families.

India, as it turns out, has many poor people and many sharp, rocky dirt roads.  Is the opportunity to sell shoes or is to help people to live in dignity and provide for their families simply because they can walk across rocky, dirt roads to get to work?

Solve a problem, pursue a cause and, who knows, you might just sell a billion pairs of shoes in the process.

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Find out why at StartWithWhy.com

 

The Definition of Success

What does it mean to be successful?

It's fascinating how many people pursue something that lacks a standard definition.  Is success achieving some level of accumulation? Maybe. What if you don't make a lot of money? Does that mean you're not successful? Not necessarily.

To pursue something, we need to know what it is otherwise how do you know how to get there or when you've arrived?

Accumulation or reaching some measurable goal is not success - that's achievement.  Success is a feeling.

Success is waking up everyday at peace with the life you live and the decisions you've made.

I wish everyone great success.

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Find out Why at StartWithWhy.com

Economist Extraordinaire: Charles Darwin

As if Charles Darwin himself were personally involved, the significant economic dips and downturns we face seem designed to weed out the weak. It’s a good thing.  By doing so, the economy, as a whole, can enter the next decade stronger, free of dead weight and old thinking so our society can more easily progress forward.  

 

But recessions and other major dips only happen about every decade. So what about the other nine years?  How can organizations ensure that their foundations are strong enough to adapt to any economic climate, weather any change and adapt to seize the opportunities brought with the introduction of new technologies?  How can organizations make sure that they are the fittest who survive?

 

There are two types of weak companies – the ones who will suffer the most in a downturn.

 

1.     The structurally weak.

2.     The culturally weak.

 

The structurally weak are those with poor systems and processes. They survived in the good times not because they were good, but because it was hard to fail…think dot com.  There were a LOT of bad companies run by 21 year olds with big ideas and barely a whiff of a sound business model who were securing millions of dollars of funding.  The culture at many was strong; the whole sector was intoxicated by the possibilities...and most failed.  But they didn’t all fail. There were a few who not only survived, but continue to thrive to this day. They had structure where the others didn’t.

 

But it is the culturally weak that I find more fascinating.  The structurally weak can hire a consultant or read a book to gain the knowledge they need to implement good systems (and they have to follow through, of course).  But the culturally weak can’t outsource a solution.  Having a strong culture inside an organization takes clarity, discipline and consistency from those who lead.

 

Take Lehman-Brothers, for example. A very successful company that collapsed not in months or weeks…but in days.  At the slightest shudder, the house of cards came tumbling down.  They were good at what they did and they knew how to do it. Their systems and processes were sound  (they were the same as all the other banks). But because their leadership was weak their culture suffered.  There was no sense of shared purpose or cause beyond the accumulation of personal wealth; there was no glue to hold the company together.

 

If you look at companies with strong cultures – Patagonia, Container Store, Google, to name a few – the people who work there come to work with a feeling that they are a part of something bigger than themselves. Their jobs are more than making a living.  It’s more than a need to pay the bills.  The company they work for is a part of their personal identity.  To those who work in companies with a strong culture, the accumulation of personal wealth is the byproduct of being a part of something that inspires them and not, as was the case at Lehman, the primary driver.  It is this culture – shared values and beliefs – that bonds the employees together and inspires them to batten down the hatches when the going gets tough.  Not for themselves, but for the good of the company and their colleagues. 

 

In this recent economic downturn, many companies learned the lesson to improve the quality of their systems and processes, but not enough realize the need to strengthen their cultures also.  No matter where you work, try to take a job in which you like the culture as much as you like the benefits package and the odds are much higher you’ll survive the next dip because they will too. 

To learn how to build a strong corporate culture, read chapter 6 of Start With Why.

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Find out Why at StartWithWhy.com

We Need More Jamie Olivers

Jamie Oliver lives his Why.  He is not a chef - that's what he does.  Jamie believes in something big - that the only way to live life is to stay alive.  The longer you live, the more you can get out of life.  To live is very simple - put fresh food in your body.  If you don't, you'll die younger.

He just won the 2010 TED prize for the work he's doing to share his cause with as many as possible.  To encourage us to eat fresh food for no other reason that because it will help us live longer, happier lives. 

Lets all commit to two things:

1. Support Jamie by encouraging and supporting people to eat healthier.  Start at home.

2. Live your Why so that there will be more Jamie Olivers in the world.  With more leaders like Jamie in business and politics, then a better world is a certainty, not a dream.

Find out Why at StartWithWhy.com

Fan The Flames

Building a fire takes work.  It's easy to just throw a match on to something flammable, but there is no guarantee that it will catch.  Or worse, it may catch and you could lose control of it very quickly and burn your house down.  Remarkably, breaking down the steps to build a fire provides guidance on how to build a business, a social movement or an online community - anything you want to catch light.

1. The Spark: A fire is just a nice idea without a spark.  You must have something to ignite the fire. A source of energy. Be it a match, a flint or a bolt of lighting, more often than not it will come from a single source.

The same is true for a company or social movement. Someone with some energy, with a spark, must start the organization.

But a spark without something to light is...well...just a spark. A flash of something wonderful that disappears and provides no lasting value.

An idea, no matter how brilliant, will remain an idea until it can be brought to life.

2. Kindling. Even though the goal is to burn some nice size logs, a spark can't ignite big logs. It just won't work.  Before a fire can be of any real value, you need some small sticks that will ignite easily. They may or may not last for the entire fire, but they will be there to help the fire get going.

In an organization, these are the early adopters.  These are the early believers. They may or may not have the muscle to build the organization for the long term, but they ignite easily. They are inspired and they want to be near the spark. They need to be near the spark.

A person with a vision must surround themselves, not with people they need to be convinced to believe in the idea - those are the logs and they will burn later - they need to surround themselves with kindling.  People who "get it."  People who don't need any convincing or coaxing.  They just ignite as soon as the spark hits.

3. Ventilation, Attention and Patience. With the kindling lit, you can't waste time. You must blow on it, fan the flames, keep them burning so that the flames can self-sustain to some degree.  They won't provide much heat or warmth yet.  It is at this time that the fire requires the most attention because it can go out at any time.

The number of organizations that start and end very quickly vastly outnumber those that last. They have the first two ingredients, the spark and the kindling, but they were just not able to keep those flames alight.  Perhaps some of the early believers didn't see any logs catching light, so they gave up.  Perhaps the elements were too intense for the kindling to withstand.  Perhaps the spark went out. Or perhaps someone inside the organization went for the logs too early - piling on all the big stuff, snuffing out the beauty of that original fire.  Most commonly, however, the kindling was just not organized and nursed properly.  

4. The Logs. With time, attention and patience, those small flames are fanned until they offer a small, but stable flame.  Now you can add some logs.  Slowly, one or two at a time can be added.  They will catch fire and start to offer some warmth and heat.  But they must still be nursed.  They must still be ventilated and given attention.

In an organization, as the idea and the early believers start to convince others, those new additions must be cared for and managed. Only when the logs start to burn, will you be able to add others.  The better you manage your small fire, the more likely other logs will want to join.  More and more people will hear about your fire and want to be a part of it.

5. Fire. Once the fire is going. It will provide a remarkable warmth and a remarkable light.  It will keep away wild animals and it will serve all those who come near it.  You can turn away and it won't go out. It is able to keep itself burning. You can add more and more logs --- you can add one or you can add many, at this stage, it's up to you how big you want your fire to be.  The logs you add don't have to be in the perfect location and they can even be a little wet.  They will still work.

When an organization starts to gain momentum, more and more people will join, or buy or recommend.  Soon the value of that organization will spread to people far and wide and they will seek it out for no other reason that they've heard it provides value they need.  It may have taken a very different shape from the original form...but you can't deny it.  It's going.  It's burning.  And it's self sufficient.

And that's the power of fire.

p.s. Never forget the spark that started your fire.

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Find out Why at StartWithWhy.com

If Advertising Is So Effective, Why Don't Ad Agencies Advertise?

If advertising is so effective, why don't ad agencies advertise? PR firms tout themselves in releases. Event planners throw their own parties. E-marketers use the Internet. These folks all believe in the effectiveness of their disciplines. Do ad agencies disagree?

In an increasingly cynical age of advertising and mass marketing, modern ad agencies work hard to reinforce the value of their product with their clients. "Studies" are whipped up to prove the effectiveness of the medium. And when client budgets are tight, agencies will provide data to show the importance of advertising in a down market. But this "do as I say, not as I do" mentality raises a suspicious eyebrow.

More than advertising, agencies rely quite heavily on pr. Getting mentioned or singled out in Brandweek, Adweek and other prominent newspapers and magazines supports an agency's ability to drum up business.

When Donny Deutsch took over leadership of the agency his father started, he tried to drive new business with a full page ad in the New York Times. The ad was ineffective at helping Deutsch attract clients. Deutsch abandoned his own product and hired high-priced pr mavens at Rubenstein Associates to raise his profile. And it worked.

In their own defense, agencies may point out that they operate in a business-to-business environment and their product is more effective in a business-to-consumer landscape. But the argument holds no weight because agencies routinely pitch and promote the value of ads to b-to-b clients, too.

If agencies hype the importance of branding campaigns for public companies to enhance their image among investors, why is it that Interpublic, Omnicom, Publicis and WPP don't support their brand images on Wall Street?

According to 2006 Nielsen Monitor-Plus, the four holding companies spent a total of $3.7 million to promote themselves in the U.S. in 2005, down 15% from the $4.4 million they spent in 2004.

Considering that agencies recommend their clients spend 10% of their revenues on marketing, the big four are spending .01% of their combined $29.3 billion in global revenue. Mull that for a second or two.

David Ogilvy once admitted, "99% of advertising doesn't sell much of anything." He was right. Fact is, most ads today are ineffective. "Effective" advertising can communicate the relevance of a company or product in a buyer's life, resulting in a visceral response to the message. Most advertising, however, does not create such value (there is some truth behind the old CFO joke that advertising is always on the "L" side of the P&L).

Companies that can quantify a rise in sales when they advertise and a decline when they don't aren't necessarily producing effective long-term value. A large contributor to such a correlation between ad spending and sales is based simply on raising awareness. Fact: consumers are more likely to buy a product they've heard of vs. one they haven't. Politicians know this and work hard to build better name recognition.

So if agencies aren't advertising, why should anyone else? Deutsch built his business without an ad campaign spare that one ad. So have Starbucks, Google and countless others. Two years ago 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, one of America's fastest growing franchises, relied heavily on pr to sell 50 franchises. They spent only $1,800 in ads versus the hundreds of thousands of dollars other franchisors spent to accomplish the same results.

In truth, it's what's in the advertising that is not working. Ad agencies are doing a poor job creating messages that affect long-term value for their clients. Along with the media in which it exists, advertising has been commoditized. Most agencies struggle to justify their own value in a sea of sameness. While they try to sell their clients on their "unique perspective" and their ability to balance "creative and strategy," other marketing tactics like buzz marketing and targeted pr are delivering long-term, measurable results for marketers and further eroding any perceived value advertising enjoyed.

Competition and apathy have left agencies struggling to define themselves. That's ironic for an industry that claims to be full of creativity and objective perspective. Their Faustian resistance to use their own product contributes to the slew of press predicting the fall of advertising and the rise of pr, buzz marketing, product placement or whatever fad is next in line to steal some of advertising's once mighty thunder.

Agencies should ask for help to get that message out and inject a spark back into the business. That would help build far more credibility with clients to use the product they sell. If you disagree, feel free to take out an ad to convince your clients I'm wrong.

This article was originally published in BrandWeek in April, 2006. It's come up in multiple conversations this week so I thought I'd share it again.  It's an oldie but a goodie. 

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Find out Why at StartWithWhy.com

Don't Let The Price Get In The Way

"We love what you have to offer. How much does it cost?"

Never have two phrases strung together caused so much stress.  When someone tells you that they love you, you feel you're about to land a new client.  Then they ask you how much it costs and you instantly feel you could lose the business before it started. That feeling of "sure thing" instantly turns into a contorted mental gymnastics.  Worse, what comes out of your mouth may be more damaging than simply answering the question.

"Here's the price, but we can negotiate based on your needs."

"We have many options."

"It sounds expensive, but this is why it's worth it."

"We'll give you the best price, guaranteed."

No matter how you try to couch it, saying anything more than the answer to the question sounds uncertain or defensive - not good things after you've worked so hard to get to this point.

The good news is, there's an alternative: Don't answer the question until they are ready to buy.

The interest expressed from your potential client may have increased the likelihood that they will buy from you, but it's not a sale yet.  The goal is to have them decide to buy from you because they REALLY want to do business with you, not because you fall within their budget. Not to mention, the more they want to do business with you and no one else, price either becomes less of a concern or they will be able to make it work in some way shape or form.  People are always willing to pay a premium, go out of their way or suffer inconvenience to do business with the person or company they love.

The next time someone says, "We love what you have to offer. How much does it cost?" answer with this:

"We haven't even decided we want to work together yet. Let's talk price after you've made a decision."

If they push back and say, "but I need to know the price to make my decision," you can reply:

"If you decide we're a good fit for you and we really want to do business together, I have no doubt we'll figure out a way to make it happen."

By avoiding the price discussion until they are ready to buy, two things happen:

1. You will come across much more confident about your services, which only increases their desire to work with you.

2. If they decide they do want to work with you, then the issue of cost becomes a discussion and not just a simple one word answer. It's no longer a make-or-break situation; it becomes something to negotiate.  After all, the decision to do business together has already been made. The cost and the terms are now just the plumbing. 

And one more thing - never do this over email.  Value and the perception of worth is emotional, not rational. This conversation should never happen over email; only over the phone or in person...the way all emotional conversations should be had.

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Find out Why at StartWithWhy.com

The Problem With Goal Setting

Growing up in Fargo, ND, performing on Broadway seemed like an impossible dream.  There were no fancy schools for musical theater in Fargo and there weren't many big shows that came through town.  But for Jessica Pariseau, making it to Broadway was her life's goal.

Flash forward a dozen or so years and a couple of cruise ship revues later, Jessica made it to Broadway.  Her big break came when she got a part in the national tour for Cabaret. After that she landed a part in one of the most celebrated shows in Broadway history - in the Broadway production of Mel Brooks's The Producers. It was miraculous.  She proved that with enough tenacity and a goal-oriented mindset, you could achieve anything. 

But then what?

Jessica spent her whole life focused on her goal that she neglected to think about what she would do if she achieved it.  For 20-something years she was so driven and so focused on that one thing, that after she achieved her goal, she didn't know what to do next.  Though performing was still fun, though she still enjoyed the singing and dancing, that steely-eyed focus and direction wasn't the same. 

This is a common feeling for many young performers who set their sites on making it to Broadway and make it.  They focus all their passion and energy on that one point that when they get there, they don't know what to do next.  Many simply go on to perform in show after show, but the passion is at a decidedly different level.  A few find new careers and go on to do other things.  But one thing becomes very clear - passion is not about the destination, it's about the journey. 

There are countless examples of this in the business world also.  AOL had a goal - to make the internet as commonplace as the television or the telephone.  Their goal helped focus everyone who worked at the company. AOL achieved their goal and upon doing so lost their focus. They are not the passionate company they used to be.  Sony set out to become a household name and make the words "made in Japan" synonymous with good quality.  Goal achieved.  These days, however, Sony is not the powerhouse of focus and innovation it used to be. To maintain your passion, you have to stay on an inspiring journey, not just pursue a single goal. Goals do not define the journey, they define points along the journey. They are important markers to gauge progress along the journey. But they are not, as most believe, the thing that inspires. 

Set goals, but also be clear why you want to achieve that goal in the first place.  If you know why, you'll be able to articulate another lofty goal as inspiring as the first.  Without knowing why, the subsequent goals will just be random numbers or achievements to reach.  They won't drive passion, they won't inspire and they won't focus all resources towards that goal.

If you've already achieved one goal and don't feel as inspired by your new goal, even though you're taking all the same steps, it's not because the goal is unclear, it's because you don't know the journey you're on. It's the journey that inspires, the goals work to remind us we're on the right track.

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Find out Why at StartWithWhy.com

Helping Chris Miles

A few days ago an email arrived in my inbox from Chris Miles. The problem is, I don't know a Chris Miles. The subject of the email was "Need Quickbooks Help?"  I suspected it was a solicitation.  So I opened the email to be sure. My instincts were right. It was spam. Blech.

Though my usual inclination is to immediately delete these kinds of emails, this time was different. I couldn't help myself...I had to read it. It was like a car wreck and I just had to stare. As I read, I actually got slightly offended...if you're going to send me spam, at least make sure it starts with Why. What Chris Miles had sent me was not a good piece of marketing. It was all about him. What he did, how great he was, all the awesome stuff they do. That doesn't work in sales and it doesn't work in marketing.

All inspiring and compelling communication starts with Why. 

Instead of deleting Chris Miles's email, I decided to rewrite it. Below is the exact email Chris Miles sent me.  My version is below, with comments to help all the other Chris Miles's out there to produce better, more compelling marketing that starts with Why.

Subject: Need Quickbooks Help?

My name is Chris Miles and I am the CEO of Miles Technologies, a full-service information technology and computer services company. We provide IT and software solutions that help organizations like yours to radically cut costs and become more efficient, productive, and profitable.

Besides providing innovative IT services, Miles Technologies can also save you money on QuickBooks software. Whether you need to purchase new accounting software or it's time for an upgrade, we offer substantially discounted prices on the entire QuickBooks software product line. We can even beat pricing directly from Intuit!

At Miles Technologies, we employ a team of certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors, who have been tested and certified on QuickBooks products. Our ProAdvisors can help your business take full advantage of all the features that QuickBooks has to offer.

No matter what your QuickBooks needs are, Miles Technologies is always here to help.

If you need help with QuickBooks and want to save money while receiving expert support services at the same time, or you have any other technology needs, please call us today at 800-496-8001.

I hope to hear from you soon!

Chris Miles, CEO, Miles Technologies Inc.
412 Main Avenue
Clifton, NJ 07014

New Jersey - Philadelphia - Baltimore - Washington DC - Virginia

1-800-496-8001

Not that compelling, huh?  Here's the version that starts with Why -

Lets start with the subject of the email:  "Need Quickbooks Help?", as Zig Ziglar said, "people don't buy drills they buy holes," and Chris Miles was telling me I needed a drill.  The subject should be about what I want, not about what he does. "Get Your Company More Organized."  Now THAT I need.

Subject: Get Your Company More Organized

(The new subject line offered a more compelling reason to open the email.  What's more, it set the theme - organization.  My first paragraph, repeats the theme...after all, it is what compelled someone to open the email in the first place.)

The one thing that holds back so many small businesses from truly thriving is something that is that is easily fixed: the ability to stay organized.

(Where as the original email has already started selling, this version offers a Why - a reason Chris Miles is sending you an email in terms that go beyond what he's selling. It asks the reader if they want to buy the proverbial hole, getting organized, instead of the drill, Quickbooks services.)

I believe that the ability to keep a company's systems and processes well organized, making even minor improvements, can have exponential impact. That's why I'm writing to you, to see if you could benefit from being even a little more organized.

With tax-season upon us, we're all forced to take a long look at our books and, for some of us, realize just how disorganized we are.

That's where I come in.

(Only now, after I've established an emotional connection, do I introduce what we're selling. Only now do I start talking about what Chris Miles does.)

I started a company specifically to help small businesses get more organized. Though we offer all kinds of tools and products to help, I just want to tell you about our Quickbooks ProAdvisors. (I'm not defining his company by one product or service, but by Why the company exists.  This email is about only one of their services.  This means that someone who doesn't need the Quickbooks help but still feels disorganized, may look into other services the company has to offer).

For any small business owner that manages their books with Quickbooks and ever runs into problems with the program or how to use it, we have a team of specialists trained to walk you through any issue until you feel comfortable it's fixed (there I go again, saying how the buyer will feel, not what they will get). And if you don't have Quickbooks or need an upgrade, then we can even help you get it for less money than most retailers. (this is a nice way of saying that if you're SO disorganized that you don't even use Quickbooks, we can help there too).

If you think you can benefit from being a little more organized with your company's books or anything else, drop us a line or give us a call and we'll see if we can help.

Chris Miles, CEO, Miles Technologies Inc.
412 Main Avenue
Clifton, NJ 07014

New Jersey - Philadelphia - Baltimore - Washington DC - Virginia

1-800-496-8001

Here's the test, if after reading my version of the email, you're jotting down Chris Miles's number...then it worked. But be warned, simply improving the quality of your email marketing is not enough. Your Why, the purpose, cause or belief that explains the reason your company exists, must be embodied at all levels. The way the website is organized has to be about the Why. The way the staff treat the customers has to be about the Why. Even the products and services must be about the Why. If it's not, then it's not a cause, it's just marketing. And that's not compelling.

p.s. If Chris Miles is reading this...you owe me a beer.

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Find out Why at StartWithWhy.com

Your Therapist Doesn't Want You To Get Better: A Business Story.

Therapists don't want you to get better.

Lawyers don't want to help you sort out your legal problems.

And consultants don't want to help you find the quick and effective solution.

It's not that they don't care, it's just that their respective business models don't encourage them to help you. Their businesses only grow and they only reap personal rewards if the engagement is prolonged. The more hours they work, the more money they make. This is the problem with all professional services. They bill for their time, not for their value.

A therapist that charges $150 per hour can only make more money by raising the rate or working more hours. And it's much easier  to keep an existing client coming in for more than going out to find new ones. That's so much work.

Imagine if professional service firms charged by the value they offered - the actual thing you want - and not by how long they worked - something you probably don't even care about (unless you're paying for it, of course). If you wanted to get over your anxiety, for example, the therapist should tell you it will cost $5,000 (or whatever amount their confidence and reputation would allow) to help you get over your problem whether it took a week or 5 years. Not only would you be over your anxiety in a few weeks, you'd recommend the therapist to someone else because they solved your problem. And, in short order, the therapist would make MUCH more money and work vastly fewer hours. Everyone wins.

If time is the billable variable, then the value is commoditized. If the solution or result is the thing sold, then efficiency goes up and differentiation sky rockets. If it's results you're looking for then the lawyer, consultant or therapist will quickly get a reputation for getting things done. 

The next time someone tries to sell you a "solution" then tells you how much it will cost based on billable hours, scratch your head and ask, "are you selling me a solution or are you selling me the time it will take you to find it?"

How they answer will tell you how much they care.

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Find out Why at StartWithWhy.com