[Book review reprinted from the original post over at 12most]
In the book, Winning the Customer, Lou Imbriano and Elizabeth King outline the necessary steps toward building customer relationships and winning large revenues. As the former CMO of the New England Patriots and the CEO of TrinityOne, Imbriano draws upon his experiences to share dozens of real world examples.
The book breaks down the process of winning the customer into three steps:
- The Marketing Playbook – Organizing your structure and identifying your fans
- Relationship Architecture – Connecting with your customers and the importance of creating memorable moments
- The Revenue Game – The process for creating customer focused business solutions and the 9 steps to closing the deal.
Here are the 12 most compelling takeaways from ‘Winning the Customer’:
1. Relationships First
Think about relationships first rather than focusing on the transaction.
2. Overdeliver
Have loftier goals and make it your intent to over-deliver on expectations.
3. SCD test
All marketing promotions should pass the SCD test. They should be simple, creative and dominating.
4. Everything Counts
Think of every interaction as an opportunity to gain a new customer or to build on an existing relationship.
5. Be Systematic in Your Outreach
Think less about business cards and more about approaching people / organizations in a way that resonates by design.
6. Memorable Moments
If you want to beat out your competition, you need to focus on creating memorable moments.
7. Tying ‘The Bow’
Find ‘The Bow’. A little strip of ribbon that when wrapped just right around a package or offering, that ties everything together and makes it perfect. The Bow shows you value the relationship enough to pay attention and cared enough to go the extra step.
8. Look Behind the Deal
Keep the contract in the drawer, stay focused that your job is to make sure your client is accomplishing its goals.
9. Needs before Inventory
You can’t just sell people what you have, you need to a conduit for what the customer needs.
10. ABC – always be creating
Your role is find solutions. ABC – always be creating solutions.
11. No Shortcuts
The key to creating revenue involves following a 9 step blueprint. Stick to the plan as each steps builds toward an eventual close. Shortcuts do not apply.
12. Bringing it all together
Put a great plan in place, design an operational structure around it and bring it to life with strong relationships to win the customer and generate incredible revenue.
