Wouldn't it be great to have a crystal ball that revealed your customer’s every need and desire? Understanding what customers really want and value is one of the biggest challenges (and opportunities) that companies face. Chances are your customers are already telling you everything you need to know. The question is, are you listening? The days of developing Go-To-Market strategies and creating sales tactics based on goals that you want to accomplish are over. Instead, focus on giving your customers what they want and your business will thrive. Ben Norton, CEO of VelocityX, shares insights into driving consistent growth by understanding and focusing on what your customers’ need.

1. A (Not So) Secret Key to Sustained Growth
Growth. Accelerated.
PRESENTED BY: Ben Norton

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https://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_how_to_start_a_movement

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“Success comes from listening to your customer.”
~Richard Branson

4. “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”
~Bill Gates
Growth. Accelerated.

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“Your customers can tell you the things that are broken and how they want to be
made happy. Listen to them. Make them happy. But don't rely on them to create the
future road map for your product or service. That's your job.”
~Marc Cuban

6. “Some people say, ‘Give the customers what they want.’ But that’s not my approach.
Our job is to figure out what they’re going to want before they do.”
~Steve Jobs
Growth. Accelerated.

7. “You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By
the time you get it built they’ll want something new.”
~Steve Jobs
Growth. Accelerated.

8. “It’s not the customer’s job to know what they want.”
~Steve Jobs
Growth. Accelerated.

9. “Get closer than ever to your customers. So close that you tell them what they need
well before they realize it themselves.”
~Steve Jobs
Growth. Accelerated.

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“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said ‘faster horses.’”
~Henry Ford

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“Employers only handle the money – it’s the customer who pays the wages.”
~Henry Ford

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“Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.”
~Henry Ford

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“Marketing IS actively listening to what your Customer wants. Marketing IS NOT
about big fancy fake words.”
~Unknown

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Abusive to your employees
More trouble than they’re worth
The tail that wags the dog
One voice is not always representative of the masses
The Customer is King but the Customer isn’t always right...

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It’s simple…but not easy...
Businesses of all types and sizes struggle
Customers may not know what they want or how to communicate what they want
e.g. “I want to pay a lower price” may actually mean “I don’t derive enough value
from your offering” ~ It’s your job to decode what they are telling you
Know which customers to listen to...you can’t please everyone
Implement mutiple listening & communication channels
Listen for what your customers want to acheive or accomplish...not features & benefits
Observe how your offerings are being used

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Those who listened…

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http://www.nacsonline.com/Research/FactSheets/ScopeofIndustry/Pages/IndustryStoreCount.aspx
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/average-gross-revenue-convenience-store-35712.html
Today...
Over 1,200 ampm stores in 10 states
~155,000 minimarts nationwide
The rise of a 550B a year (and growing) industry
Differentiation “gas is gas”
The year was 1978…

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Originally a wallpaper cleaner…
Children in a Cincinnati nursey school began
using it to make Christmas ornaments
Today...
Remarketed to children around the globe
3 BILLION cans sold since 1956
32% increase in sales in ‘15
www.hasbro.com

19. Growth. Accelerated.
Rocket Chemical Company, San Diego
Rust prevention and degreaser products for Aerospace
Water displacement, 40th formula ~ WD-40
Today...
Brilliant example of listening to customers
Found in more than 80% of U.S. households
Over 2,000 “official uses”
A fan club with over 100,000 members (‘06)
400M in annual saleswww.wd40.com

20. Growth. Accelerated.
Your examples?

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Those who didn’t listen…

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Takeaways you can implement today…
Executive Sponsor Program

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Takeaways you can implement today…
Social channels

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Takeaways you can implement today…
Customer Advisory Board

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Takeaways you can implement today…
Experiential listening

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Takeaways you can implement today…
Surveys

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Takeaways you can implement today…
Net Promoter Score

31. Thank You!
Growth. Accelerated.