The “True Happiness” Marketing Strategy to Get and Keep Customers

I received this book at the conference I attended last week.  So, in addition to the plethora of books I'm reading, I added it to my nightstand.  It's a book about being the very best version of yourself.  Matthew Kelly has written many books, but like the rest of the small business world, I love books with numbered lists, and this one has 9 Lessons for Enduring Happiness.

One thought that occurred to me as I was reading this book is that businesses and companies want happiness too.  After all, companies are really nothing more than groups of people who are in the unending pursuit of happiness.  Can Kelly's 9 Lessons apply to marketing strategy?  Of course!  Let's review them and see how.

1. Make and acknowledge progress.  Unless you are truly living under a rock, you are making progress.  Unless you acknowledge that progress, you will stick yourself in a rut.  Take the time to review and share the progress you are making — daily.  Speaking and acknowledging your progress will propel you toward more.
   • Have employees and associates send their daily progress "moments" to you and then share them on a board or via a corporate e-mail.  I'm not just talking about big deals, I'm talking about the small stuff.
   • Share the progress you've made on specific customer problems with them.  We often avoid telling our customers that there are problems we deal with around their business.  While it's we don't want to bother customers with every little detail – be sure to note the major improvements you've made or problems you've solved and share those.  It will build value.
2. Do the next right thing.  You know what this is.  It's the moment when you complete an activity and think "now what?"  Your brain will tell you the next right thing to do.  At that moment you can choose to do it or not.  Do it, and you move your organization toward being more of the organization your customers love and value.
   • Call a customer
   • Write a personal note
   • Complement an associate or team member
   • Help someone complete their task or solve a problem
3. Put Character first.  Your company is based on a passion or a peeve – something in which you believe strongly.  Stick to it and never compromise.  If you value helping customers solve problems quickly – make sure that everything you do accomplishes that very outcome – every day.
   • What character traits drive your organization?
   • In what ways can you show and provide evidence of this to your customers?
4. Find what you love and do it.  There is no stronger differentiation than knowing your character and doing what you love.  It's the most potent advertising and referral driver there is.
   • Involve your employees and create the connection between what they love and do and what the purpose of your organization is.  It attracts customers like honey.
5. Live what you believe.  Again this is an inside out marketing strategy - that will drive customers and keep customers if you are able to translate it into systems.
   • Make a list of what you believe
   • Map out your process
   • Outline what you do and WHY it's done that way – that matches your beliefs.
   • Train employees on your story.
6. Be disciplined.  A disciple is someone who follows the path.  Discipline is what we do to keep ourselves on track.  Discipline is not bad – it's a powerful success driver.
   • Discipline = process
   • Process comes from your beliefs and your character
   • Follow the process and your ideal customers will come to you.
7. Simplify.  Don't let your systems and processes take over the spirit of your business.  Keep it simple.
   • Urge employees and associates to find simpler, easier ways to accomplish your purpose.
8. Focus on what you are here to give.  Your mission has to be simple and differentiating so that when your customer experiences "X" you are the company they choose.
   • Review your tasks and objectives around your mission.  If the connection is not clear – then stop doing them and do the next right thing.
9. Seek the good in everyone and everything.  I don't believe in problems.  Everything happens for a reason that will help you become more of the best version of yourself.  Without being a "Pollyanna" search for the good in what's happening.
   • You lost a customer – so what?  Were they hard to work with?  Did they value what you provided?  What can you learn from the experience that will stop the next best customer from leaving?

Know yourself and know your ideal customers and your marketing strategy will be pure, effortless, easy and fun — bringing you, your employees and your customers true happiness.