Business Prosperity

We're all here to experience prosperous lives. That includes us as individuals and also as business owners. To experience prosperity, priorities must first be in order...

A business by definition exists to provide goods and services (products), ideally, to as many people as possible for profit. How well those products are perceived by consumers is the most important variable for business success. If the perception of value is poor a business will flounder and likely meet demise. Also, if a business' primary objective is centered around money that will likely cause it to fall mightily. Too much focus will be placed on profit and delivery of the highest quality products at the best possible price will suffer.

If customers and their levels of satisfaction are an afterthought of any sort your ship "Prosperity" will likely be sunk, soon never to be seen again. However, if the perceived value is high, not only will your customers likely return, they'll also tell their friends. Now the good ship "Prosperity" will float as designed with the correct amount of wind in its sails.

Notice the mission themes of these incredibly successful and prosperous companies:

* Sam Walton's, when creating Wal-Mart in the 1970's, was "Saving people money so they can live better."
* Under Jim Sinegal, who co-founded Costco in 1983 is "committed to provide its members quality goods at low markups and pass those savings onto its customers."
* Robert Wood Johnson (Johnson & Johnson) in the 1940's defined the company's priorities as: #1) "consumers and medical professionals", 2) employees, 3) communities where its employees work and live, 4) stockholders (profit last)

The message is clear and undeniable. Your business must be created and operated with the state of mind that the customer's experience with you will be better than it can be with any other company. Being there and staying there as a business is the creation of the conditions that prosperity requires...Once we deserve prosperity, only then does it become ours.

Business Enthusiasm

Let's say you sell toasters and your passion truly is to provide customers with the highest quality toast they've ever experienced, in their lives, at the best possible price. Do you realize that those customers will feel enthusiasm from that and will recognize that they've just had a wonderful experience after purchasing a toaster from you? In all likelihood they could've purchased the same type toaster elsewhere but, for some reason, buying it from you was better. We never forget how an experience made us feel.

It's been said many times that sales is merely a transfer of enthusiasm (Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar, etc.). Certainly the same is true for marketing and every other aspect of a successful business. Let's face it, if you're not incredibly enthused about your products, your company, your ability to solve problems and fulfill desires of customers, why would they be?

So where does enthusiasm originate? We tend to believe that some people are just naturally more enthusiastic than others. Yes, some people are more outward but, for the most part, we radiate how we feel. Those who are genuinely enthused are that way because of their passion towards what the enthusiasm is for. In other words, passion is the mother of enthusiasm. This then becomes a way of life and is what keeps them up nights with excitement.

Hence, when you're passionate as a business person regarding solving customer's problems, enthusiasm about that exists and emanates from you. That energy transfers to all other aspects of the company (marketing, sales, products, customer service, employees) too. Consumers will feel (experience) that and desire to do business with you again and again. Word will spread and new customers will magically appear, often from places that cause you to scratch your head.

The toasters will sit giddily on your shelves, fighting amongst themselves, climbing over each other, striving to be the next one sold so they can get busy creating the greatest toast ever...Just as you had intended!