What’s Your ‘Because’?

By Scott Costa, Publisher, tED magazine

Change the rules.

If you are going to future-proof your business, you need to be ready for change, and if you believe tomorrow is going to be just like today, you need to worry about the future.

Business Strategist Gerry O’Brion spoke about that topic at the NAED National Meeting in Boston during the Opening Session. O’Brion talked about the companies, like Blockbuster, that did not change fast enough, and the inability of its leadership to create change.

“Give your customers more of what they want, and less of what they don’t,” O’Brion told the audience. “It seems so simple, so why are so many companies not doing this? All [that] companies are is big collections of decisions. About money, time and people.”

One of those decisions is how you and your people can make your distributorship different than everyone else. O’Brion believes the real answer comes from answering the question of “because”.

“Nobody buys anything. How do we choose between options?” O’Brion asked. “Sometimes we hear things and it sounds like the sea of sameness. But if we say something different or that they have never heard before, people tend to lean in and want to hear more.”

It’s that “something different” that allows you to make a mark on your customers.

“You have to be different from the competition in a way that customers value. You want them to vote for you with their dollars,” O’Brion adds.

He offers three questions that you should ask your organization.

First: What do people believe about your business? “Strong companies are adept at listening to their customers. Learn what they want because you have the ability to deliver on those insights,” O’Brion suggests.

Second: What outcome do you want to deliver?  “Make sure the outcome is everything that the customer wants, and you deliver it better than your competition. It’s about them. They don’t want to hear about your business, they care about themselves,” O’Brion says.

Third, and most important: What is your because? “We are bombarded with messages every day.  Our brains are looking for a way to cut through the clutter. We pay attention to your “because”. If we say what everyone else says, no one new will choose you. You have to put your ‘because’ in your slogan. Even the small things are unique and valuable to the customer. Your ‘because’ makes you believable and repeatable.”

You can learn more about Gerry O’Brion at his website www.whatbigbrandsknow.com or you can e-mail him at Gerry@whatbigbrandsknow.com.