399 words.  

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How to Make Your Products and Services Stand Out

Part 1 

by Dov Gordon

- The company with the deepest understanding, the deepest awareness of the very real motivations, fears, passions, and aspirations of their customers, will develop the innovative and profitable products and services.

- There is almost always a gap, often a tremendous gap, between what we believe to be the reasons our customers buy from us and the real reasons they buy from us.  And studies show that we are very likely to believe that our business is different and the last sentence doesn't apply to us.  (Wiggle out of that one.  ;-)

- Far too many companies are afraid - yes downright scared - to ask the customers what they really, honestly think and feel.  They are afraid of what the customers may say.  They choose short term comfort and long term mediocrity over short term pain and long term excellence.  So they do market research.  (Read on...)

- You don't need to do market research.  You do need to acquire market understanding.  Deep understanding.  And much of what passes for market research will not help you understand because...

- Market research is an activity, an input.  Market understanding it an output, a result.

- Most market research fails to give market understanding because the objectives of the research are poorly articulated and there's too much focus on the methodology, the activity.

-  Always begin by asking "What do we most want to understand?  Why?" and "How will we use the information once we collect it?  Why?"

- Most quantitative surveys are poorly structured; even downright reckless.  They generate answers that should not be used for decision making. Did you read about my experience taking a survey about cottage cheese?

- The best market understanding is achieved when (1) you really, really care about the customer and (2) you are not afraid of what they may tell you because you're willing to suffer some pain today so you can be excellent - and really stand out - tomorrow.

Is your company looking to stand out, especially during these hard times?  Call us!  We'll ask you a bunch of questions to get a true, deep understanding of what you really, really want and need.

Then, if I can help you, I'll suggest some ways.  If not, I'll do my best to point you to someone who can.

Click to read Part 2:  How to Make Your Products and Services Stand Out, Part 2.

Dov Gordon
+972-2-992-0396
dovgordon@gmail.com

PS – Would you please share these tips with someone who owns a small company, ($250,000 - $5,000,000), is doing well but wants to always be challenged and pushed to do even more?  Probably someone very much like you.

PPS – If you are involved in Pay-Per-Click marketing, Google Adwords and the like, you should check out 17 FREE AdWords Cheat Sheets, Videos, and MP3s.  I’ve learned a lot from Glenn and sent some of his free materials to clients – who thanked me.

Glenn has a very strong business background consulting for dozens of companies like AT&T, Lipton, Novartis, Whirlpool,and many, many more.  And, also unlike many of the Internet marketing “gurus,” Glenn successfully built 17 of his own AdWords projects in markets having NOTHING TO DO with internet marketing. Glenn’s emails are one of the few I always read when they land in my inbox. So go get Glenn's 17 FREE AdWords Cheat Sheets, Videos, and MP3s

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Archives of The CEO Thought-Provoker™ are here:  http://www.gordongroupec.com/articles.html

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Dov Gordon helps senior executives at small and mid-sized companies around the world to earn the respect and admiration of their marketplace.  Clients benefit from clarifying their strategies, sharpening their focus, better decision making, improved teamwork and growing into great leaders.

Management and Strategy Consulting.

Executive Coaching.

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Please email me your thoughts and feedback.

See our recommended reading list at:   www.GordonGroupEC.com/books.html         

Copyright 2009 © by Dov Gordon.  All rights reserved.