I have just finished reading a post from Perry Marshall titled “Epiphany in Communist China.” He made a few very interesting comparisons, which I wanted to share with you, adding my two “sense” of course.First of all, he likens Chinese propaganda (“In the newspapers, the only thing you can be sure it true is the date”) to business press releases. Secondly, he draws attention to interesting parallels between communist government policies and business policies.Which encourages me to pose a question for all the movers and shakers in our dear pool industry: are you running a communist business?While Marshall only mentions press releases, propaganda can be found in advertisements, websites, articles and many other sources. Are you telling the truth when you talk about your products and service?When we are dealing with other business people, it is not uncommon to wonder if we are “being had.” Our first instinct is to never trust a salesman, because you just know they are trying to pull something over on you. If this is your first impression of the people who you deal with, it begs to question how other feel when they are dealing with you as a business leader.Working with Flexible Solutions we often come across customers who are worried that we are offering a 'snake oil'. Honestly, if you can't see it, smell it, taste it or feel it, who's to say that there really is a liquid pool cover protecting a pool from heat loss and wasted energy? Trust me, I am not a stranger to skepticism. And I know I am not the only one out there.We have based our company image as the Liquid Pool Cover Experts who actually provide proof. We offer test results, testimonials, safety data and 15 years of accumulated experience. Still, people are not always sold. Why? Because there are others out there making claims that they cannot support.Are you having this problem? When you offer premium support, service and products, do your customers waver because they have had less than satisfactory experiences in the past? How do you combat a reputation that is not yours? How do you present an image of truth, trust and reliability? How do you prove that you are not just spouting propaganda?I'd love your feedback and stories, so please leave comments and / or send me a message.In Part 2 I will talk about the parallels between Communist government policies and some business policies.If you'd like to read the original article, you can find it here: http://bit.ly/18rssE
Thanks for the great comments guys! Your feedback is exactly the sort of reactions I have had myself!
James, it definitely sounds like you have faced your share of adversity, and may harbor just a tinge of animosity. I hear you, and I am certainly in favor of fighting for a great product. I am very glad you did, because you offer a wonderful resource to the pool industry, and we need more innovators like you out there! That being said, I have often had to re-evaluate my opinion of competitors in the past. As a result, I have written another post about the Value of Competition, if you are interested in reading.
PoolDraw, I agree with your perspective as well. Any company that would want to sell a customer on a product even if it is not a good fit is exactly the type of business that I was talking about in my post, selling on propaganda and false promises. I never want to be in that position, and I value the business out there that believes integrity is the best policy.
Scott, thanks for your comment as well. The process you took is exactly the process we encourage our customers and potential customers to take. That is how we set ourselves outside the box, that is our unique sales position, really.
Thanks again for your comments, and Part 2 will be available on Tuesday, July 21st.
It is very difficult to counter the misrepresentation and sometimes outright dishonest claims of "competitors" - especially when there is a price differential. Pointing out questionable claims comes across as negative and is counter-productive. My PoolDraw sales are generally developed as a quasi-personal relationship. I expect to be interacting with my customer for many years so I want it to be positive experience for both. Some prospects may be better served by other products and I will re-direct them if that is the case. As the owner, salesperson and first line of tech support, I try very hard to provide an honest representation of our product and to set the proper expectations. I would prefer to not make a sale if it is not right for the prospect. I do not want unhappy customers calling me - life is too short! Having said that, there is a certain level of user commitment required to learn how to use a design program and I have come to realize that you can't please everyone. However, I believe in our product - 19 years of customer feedback has given me that confidence - and I know that it has made a difference for many hundreds of pool builders. PoolDraw has been on the market since 1995 and just yesterday I was on the phone installing an update for a builder who started using PoolDraw in 1999 - he was extremely relieved that it would work on his new computer. My page here on PGN has given me a resource for meaningful testimonials as opposed to unverifiable "customer endorsements" in a hard-sell sales pitch. Verifiable customer references are my best sales tool and proof of product.
I say run the race and fight the good fight, meaning pace yourself, and know when to put up your dukes and punch out your adversaries.
For years we were the bastard step child of the pool heating industry, we were noticed but not taken seriously. My advice is get your customers talking about your product. There is nothing more credible than someone using your product sharing their experiences with it.
You will always have to endure some sort of skepticism's, slanderous statements, and just plain acts of evil from others. Thats the business world, the trick is, not to get caught up in their snares and fall victim to it. I find it amazing when I look back at all the scouffers who were hell bent to discredit us. They are now either out of business, our one disaster away from shutting their doors.
To sum it all up, be the bastard step child and push your way to the front of the line.
I can see how people could be skeptical about your product. It is such an innovative product it is hard to wrap your arms around it.
When went to your website and saw before and after pictures, read some testimonials, and looked at your findings I can now understand it and believe it for myself to be true.
Comments
James, it definitely sounds like you have faced your share of adversity, and may harbor just a tinge of animosity. I hear you, and I am certainly in favor of fighting for a great product. I am very glad you did, because you offer a wonderful resource to the pool industry, and we need more innovators like you out there! That being said, I have often had to re-evaluate my opinion of competitors in the past. As a result, I have written another post about the Value of Competition, if you are interested in reading.
PoolDraw, I agree with your perspective as well. Any company that would want to sell a customer on a product even if it is not a good fit is exactly the type of business that I was talking about in my post, selling on propaganda and false promises. I never want to be in that position, and I value the business out there that believes integrity is the best policy.
Scott, thanks for your comment as well. The process you took is exactly the process we encourage our customers and potential customers to take. That is how we set ourselves outside the box, that is our unique sales position, really.
Thanks again for your comments, and Part 2 will be available on Tuesday, July 21st.
I say run the race and fight the good fight, meaning pace yourself, and know when to put up your dukes and punch out your adversaries.
For years we were the bastard step child of the pool heating industry, we were noticed but not taken seriously. My advice is get your customers talking about your product. There is nothing more credible than someone using your product sharing their experiences with it.
You will always have to endure some sort of skepticism's, slanderous statements, and just plain acts of evil from others. Thats the business world, the trick is, not to get caught up in their snares and fall victim to it. I find it amazing when I look back at all the scouffers who were hell bent to discredit us. They are now either out of business, our one disaster away from shutting their doors.
To sum it all up, be the bastard step child and push your way to the front of the line.
I can see how people could be skeptical about your product. It is such an innovative product it is hard to wrap your arms around it.
When went to your website and saw before and after pictures, read some testimonials, and looked at your findings I can now understand it and believe it for myself to be true.
Keep up the good articles.
Scott