Be Unreasonable, and Watch Your Business Soar

Most business people are reasonable. They do the job, they collect their reward. They do the job again. And somewhere down the line they wonder why their business is stagnating. Too many people run their businesses like Pete in The Ice Cream Maker, where "the low hum of mediocrity fills the air...like an offensive odor." If you want your business to soar, be unreasonable. To start with, honor your word. So few people do this that just doing this one thing consistently will make you stand out. If you commit to a deadline, meet it, even if it means pulling all-nighters three weeks in a row, or paying for something extra that will cut into or eliminate your profit margin. When your customers know they can count on you, they're yours for life. Under promise, over deliver. You've probably seen the Alaska Airlines campaign, "For the same price, you just get more." If you're doing the minimum and feeling like a success when your clients are satisfied, you've missed the plane. A satisfied client can get satisfaction anywhere, and will. The way to keep them coming back is to blow them out of water with your service and delivery level. Every time. The folks at 1-800-GOT-JUNK not only pick up your junk for you, they'll come into your house and get it, upstairs and downstairs, in the rain, on weekends, at a moment's notice, for the same price. Then they give you a $10 off coupon for the next time. Break the mold. "Everyone does it that way" is a perfect reason why NOT to do it that way. Differentiate yourself from your competitors by being unreasonable, and yours will be the first name they call when they need help again. Zappos.com offers free shipping both ways and will let you keep any pair of shoes you order for an entire year. If you decide you don't like them (and they're still in original condition in the box) you can return them, no questions asked. Their customer service department is called their "customer loyalty" department. 'Nuff said. Have integrity.  I can hear you saying: "Wait a minute! I have integrity!" But do you? Really? Ask yourself if you've ever lied about why a project didn't get done. Or whether you've ever weaseled out of a job because you didn't want to be honest with the client about why you wouldn't take it. Do you sometimes avoid difficult conversations and take the nearest exit? Most of us do. And because most of us do, those who don't stand out like a navel orange in a basket of hazelnuts. Consider this scenario: you offer to take on a joint project with a client, and make an off-the-cuff comment about what it's worth. As the project progresses, you start to see that you've grossly overestimated market value. If you tell your client about it, you may lose their business. Do you let the chips fall, find a way to extricate yourself gracefully, or come clean and possibly lose their business? This scenario happened to me recently on a joint-venture e-book. My author/client had in mind a certain price point, and was considering publishing on his own. Because of the subject matter and timeliness of the topic, I thought we could charge twice what he expected, and I told him so. My publishing company provides 50% royalties to our authors, so he was thrilled. Not only would he not have to do any leg work after turning in the rough draft, but he would reap the same income as if he had published, marketed and sold the book himself. Midway through the project though, I could see that the market value wasn't there, and we would need to come in at a much lower price point, half of my original projection. I was faced with a dilemma: be straight with him, and possibly lose his business (not to mention the time I'd put into it so far), or try the too-high price and hope for the best, possibly lowering the price later. I came clean. Instead of being upset, my client was actually relieved. "I think we'll get more buyers this way," he said. He also appreciated my candor and it solidified the trust in our relationship. He is now considering a second e-book with a broader market appeal. Could it have ended badly? Absolutely, and that was the risk I was taking. But if I had lost the deal, I still would have retained my integrity. And that's what helps me sleep at night. Having tough conversations, honoring your word no matter what, breaking the mold and over-delivering isn't reasonable. And that's exactly why it works. 2009-04-17T18:52:21Z

2009-04-18T05:00:53Z

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2009-04-18T05:00:03Z

2009-04-18T05:00:53Z

See why being unreasonable is the direct route to business success. Don't make mediocre ice cream.

Be Unreasonable, and Watch Your Business Soar

2009-04-18T05:36:28Z