Concentrate on Providing Value, Not Making a Sale

In mid-May I had an unusual beginning with a new Twitter follower–@evolutionfiles.  He goes by the nickname Bear and is a branding, graphics-design, website-design expert, and all-around great guy.  You can find him at www.evolutionfiles.com.  As I always do with new Twitter followers, I sent Bear some personal direct messages thanking him for following and offering to help if I possibly can.

For some strange reason Bear mistakenly thought my messages were automatically driven (that’ll never happen, folks!) and sent out the following tweet: @RobertTerson Dude, double auto-DM? Not a big fan of those.

Naturally, I was somewhat taken aback and responded with a tweet of my own: @evolutionfiles Actually, Dude, those were direct messages from the heart, nothing automatic about them.

The next morning I saw Bear’s response: @RobertTerson Wowza you’re so right. *shakes head* Even had my name right in there. Sorry man.

I then sent Bear a series of direct messages, which led to receiving a surprise phone call from him; my telephone number is on my website.  We talked for at least a half-hour and I found the man delightful, to say nothing re being so knowledgeable about his field.  Yeah, I liked him—a lot!

We got on the subject of producing business and I told him not to ever concern himself with making a sale, with producing business; instead, I told him, simply concentrate on providing value; that success was a byproduct of providing that value; that if the value was great enough, customers would flock to do business with him, he wouldn’t have to go after it.  He seemed genuinely moved by my words, said it made a lot of sense.

The next day he sent out the following tweet: @RobertTerson Thought of you when I saw this in @RobinatRibit’s stream – “Don’t Advertise, Just Deliver” goo.glo6KH2 http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2174863/dont-advertise-deliver.  It was a great article written by Dave Evans, posted May 16^th at ClickZ; I hope you’ll read it.

Robin Moss, @RobinatRibit, (Robin and I follower each other, too; she’s also someone you should know—www.ribit.com), sent out a tweet, too: @evolutionfiles Bear, it is the best way to build a business!

She’s so right!  Which is why I want to reiterate to you what I told Bear: Don’t worry about making sales.  If you concentrate on providing value extraordinaire to the people you seek to do business with, the sales will flow in like a tidal wave.  I know, I know, you’re working for a company, have a sales manager, and are pressured every day to P-R-O-D-U-C-E, and you must make a living to provide for your family—I get it.  Still…I’m going to tell you to think value, not sales.  In the long run, it’ll make so much more money for you, your company, that sales manager, than you possibly can imagine.

So many of you revere the late Steve Jobs.  Why?  Because the man gave you incredible value.  Start thinking the way he did and you’ll be on the right path to success.

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