Make The Value Visible: The Lawry’s Gong Story

Don Shapiro started his management career with Lawry's Restaurants famous for Lawry's The Prime Rib.  In his speeches and workshops, he shares a story about how Lawry's found a way to turn a cup of coffee served at the end of the dinner into a merchandising and marketing phenomena that helped spread word of mouth about the restaurant. The lesson from this story can be applied to any business...even manufacturing, technology and B2B service. What "gongs" can you create to make your value more visible to your customers? Don Shapiro shares his original discoveries about how customers figure out their perceptions of value and what causes that value to rise and fall ... Read More

Increase Sales By Finding The Stealth Customer Value

Hidden customer value exists inside every customer and company selling to those customers that could increase sales and improve profit margins

Customer value is the sum total of everything a customer knows about what you offer for sale and how it compares to the competition. Inside every prospect and customer exists stealth value... value that could attract more customers and increase sales. This customer value lies outside the awareness of both customers and the companies selling to them. It can help to differentiate your offer, justify higher prices, and close the sale. Stealth Customer Value

Increase Sales by Tapping into Customer Value

The customer’s final decision that determines whether ... Read More

Consulting Is A Calling, Not A Career Choice

A true consultants brain is wired differently than other people

As I reflect back on how I got into this business and what I’ve learned along the way, I've come to realize that one can’t just decide they want to be a consultant or take some classes that will teach them how to do it. This isn’t a profession that you can master just by working hard and sticking with it. Consultant isn’t a title you put on a business card. It’s the way you are wired. Consulting combines critical and creative thinking with an extremely objective mindset devoid of any agendas, preconceived notions or assumptions. It requires a certain rather unique way of looking at the world that involves asking lots ... Read More