My Rambling Business Notes from Sidney Biddle Barrows, the “Mayflower Madam”

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Last week I had the opportunity to hear Ms. Barrows speak on sales and business success.  Like I said in my last email, one summer when I was 12 or 13, her book was one of the only books I could find in English while overseas, so I read it.  Maybe that’s what gave me the entrepreneurial spark at such a young age!  But, back to my notes…she squeezed a 90 minute presentation into about 45 minutes, so she was talking very fast and I was writing to keep up, so I hope these notes make sense to you!  (I’ve condensed, edited, and cleaned them up a little!)

You must build “the customer experience.”  Since most companies don’t provide ANY, so if you do ANYTHING, you’re better!

What is your USP (unique selling proposition)? Why should they do business with you instead of your competition?
How do YOU KNOW what’s the best experience for YOUR customer?

When she first started getting asked to do consulting work for businesses, she had NO CLUE, so she ASKED them: what are your challenges? what do you need help on?  (she had Fresh Eyes on their business, I have often consulted with agents on why their listings aren’t selling based on this same concept!)

Have a “Blueprint” for you biz/customer experience (advertising, decor, staff, etc.) then everyone can follow it just like a builder uses blueprints.

1. What biz are you in? example: NOT dentistry, Yes: attract a mate, get a job, feel younger, etc.  (often others can see this better than you)

2. ask WHY are my customers buying?  the emotional reasons - be in the business THEY want you to be in.  if you don’t know what they’re coming to you for, you can’t build an experience around it!

3. develop you “story” or plot (you are now in the “mental movie” business

4. start developing your “script”? everything they hear about you, see in advertising, experience in the office, etc… What movie are they seeing NOW?

5. compare and contrast: what movie the client wants vs. what you have playing now

6. compare and contrast: what movie you have now vs. what you want to be playing

     A. opening credits:  advertising - catchy name, does your ad attract what you want? ask for the next step, informative enough?

     B. 1st point of contact: voicemail hell vs. live answer (think about when YOU call a biz, do you like automated?)  does your website load fast? to the hotlinks work? answer emails promptly.  Face to face: greet at office, have an intake procedure (think of a doctors office).  do you make it easy to do biz with you?  have a good sales presentation (sell the BENEFITS, not the features!) (give an outline/highlight script to your phone people)

     C. visual impression: EVERYTHING they see: ad, bags, employees, displays, packaging, etc. must all support the movie you’re playing (example: upscale, discount, “green”, family friendly)

     D. (i missed this point somewhere in my notes…it was probably the billion $ secret!)

     E.  choreography - psychological OR physical - influence (manipulate) the client’s perception of your biz.  ex: do you want to be on the mailing list? NO!  do you want to be on the VIP list?

     F.  repeat biz & referrals: example: after plastic surgery-send bouquet of flowers show appreciation.

find out from your customers what they don’t like about your industry?  then form your story around it
I asked specifically what people in the mortgage and real estate industry could do… she said that since there’s so many horror stories (mostly unfounded!) but it’s absolutely critical to MAKE CLIENTS FEEL SAFE WORKING WITH YOU!

Hope that you like some of the ideas… ignore the industry she was in (unless you’re looking for a new career!) and look at how you can apply these ideas for YOUR business!