Most highly successful companies do not necessarily have large marketing or advertising budgets. In fact, most small- and medium-sized businesses that see fast growth often have a relatively limited marketing budget or none at all.

So what makes their sales grow?
- Is it their innovative products?
- Is it because they are financially supported by very wealthy organizations?
- Or is it just luck?

The answer may be yes in some cases, but certainly not in most cases.

In reality, there is something that all of these companies with an above-average performance share: an exceptional sales team with sales people who work 24/7 for the company, who are able to quickly convince potential customers of the wonderful advantages of your products or services, and who have infectious enthusiasm.

But where do these kinds of sales reps come from? Well, your company already has quite a few, but you may not be using them as you should. These outstanding sales reps are YOUR OWN CUSTOMERS.

We all know that companies can invest considerable sums in entertainment, marketing or advertising expenses, but often the desired results do not follow. The most profitable type of advertising is “word-of-mouth” advertising from your own customers.

If you want to thrive, the first thing you need to do is make sure that a large number of your customers are working for you. Every day and each time they meet with someone they know, you want them to be talking about you very enthusiastically.

But how can you create such fervor in your customers and turn them into your best sales people? The answer is that each time you communicate or deal with them, they must say to themselves, “WOW, this company is great,” because they are impressed either by the quality of your service, a very fruitful business relationship, or the exceptional benefits your products provide. In fact, when you succeed in having your customers experience something emotional, pleasant and exceptional, it's as if you were hiring a sales person to work for you free of charge.

Let's look at an example. Your brakes need to be changed and you need to go to the garage to have the work done, which will take about two hours. What will you be doing during this time? Will you read the newspaper while you wait? Will you use a limo service to get back to work or your home and then come back two hours later? Is this not a disruptive and unpleasant situation?

Now, what would you say if your mechanic proposed the following to you: “We offer the following VIP service to our customers: when you need to have a repair done, we'll go get your car in the evening and have it fixed and returned to you by 6:00 a.m. the next day. We will charge you $35 for this service.”

Would you be willing to pay an additional $35 to not lose two precious hours of your day? I would agree to it in an instant. And after my first experience with the new service, what do you think I would do when I arrive at the office with my repaired car? Well, I would tell everyone about it and I would give the garage's name to a number of people I know.

What is great about the garage's offer is that it considered situations that were a source of irritation to customers and found a solution to a troublesome problem.

Based on the preceding, the lesson to be learned is that you need to be attentive to your customers' needs, make a note of the things that annoy them, correct them without delay, and take action now to improve your products and services. If you want to thrive, your best investment is to generate the “WOW” effect in your customers.

Now ask yourselves the following:
- Do your customers speak about you positively and with enthusiasm to others?
- Do they speak highly of the benefits they received by doing business with you?
- Are new customers referred to you regularly by your existing customers?

If the answer to these questions is not an unqualified yes, then a lot of work still needs to be done.

As the person in charge of business development, you need to invest daily in your own customers to generate the “WOW” effect. Do this now and you will be surprised to see a marked upward progression in your sales over the short and long term.

Happy selling!


Jean-Pierre Lauzier
Tous droits réservés. Reproduction strictement interdite sans autorisation
de l'auteur et de JPL Communications Inc.