JamesCarvin.com

TMC

 

1. It's easy to do business with Allied.
   
   
2. Sell what cutomer needs, not what he wants.
   
   
3. To make money now you have to be able to act now.
   
   
4. Innovation ... the more severe your product and market limitations the more you need it.
   
   
5. Deal in excitement. It's contagious.
   
   
6. Cover every receiver.
   
   
7. Customer ... Wife or Mistress.
   
   
8. The duller the product the brighter the prospect for promotional success.
   

TMC was the concept of getting a product out to everyone on the planet without exception. When the Fibers Division of Allied Chemical Corp. (known as National Aniline) made the decision to take one of its products to the consumer market their marketing strategy shifted from business to business (B2B) to business to consumer (B2C). That meant making some radical changes. My father learned his marketing from his father, a very successful salesman in the textile industry. And I feel very blessed to have spent a great deal of time with my dad before he died. In this article I will explain some of the principles of the Total Marketing Concept he taught the Allied team in order to achieve a 100% B2C reach.

 

1. Its Easy to Do Business with Allied.

It really amazes me sometimes when I think of how hard some businesses make it to buy their products and services, especially over the Internet. In marketing, the first and foremost and most critical principle needs to be the customer experience, whether that customer is a business or end consumer. If everything else about a product is equal, making business easier to do will make all the difference. And it will make your sales team feel more confident, as well. They will enjoy their jobs knowing that their company is going to help close their deals and say "yes" when a "yes" is needed.

 

As a salesman this principle applies too. When a customer calls are they getting a voice message? You'd better avoid playing phone tag and annoying prompt systems. And you also need to guide your customer into the sale. Saying "no" actually needs to be difficult because the momentum of the sale is like gravity. Gravity is easy. Everything just goes in that direction. Let your phone system lead to that cash register without a bunch of prompts and options. Team up with your company so that your customer gets caught into the vortex of that funnel that draws them in and takes them to the shortest route possible so they can enjoy the journey and enjoy the rest of their day. Sweet and simple.

 

2. Sell what cutomer needs, not what he wants.

Part of the ease of doing business with Allied is the sense that a customer needs something. They don't really have a choice. To close a sale a true salesman does not present an option. A conversation must be directed to a sale. But this principal also applies in another way. The customer does not know what they need as well as you do. The customer may need to be educated. They may want another product or service. But what they need is what you are selling. And in fact, they need it right away. They need it urgently. I don't know what you are selling so I can't tell you how to do that. But you need to answer that question before you approach your market prospects. Your customer needs your product or service right now. Fill in the blank. Here's why _________. Now how will you communicate that?

 

 

3. To make money now you have to be able to act now.

Also making it easy to do business with Allied is the ability to act immediately. You as a salesman are able to sign a contract immediately. If you have to think on your feet, so be it. If your web site is a cash register, then great. But if your customer doesn't have Internet access what is your plan? Think ahead so you can make the sale. What if their credit is insufficient? There is always a work-around. Do you know who the co-signer will be? The time to work it out is now. Acting now is not improvising or breaking rules. It is acting immediately to plan for every conceivable obstacle to that sale. It is acting immediately to make sure there is no resistance to the vortex you have created. If it doesn't funnel your customer in irresistably you need to act to change that immediately so that it does.

 

4. Innovation ... the more severe your product and market limitations the more you need it.

Marketing isn't just about sales. It is about development of products and services and sales processes such as communication media, branding concepts, customer intake and distribution. Any of these areas can be innovative, helping you reach customers before your competition does. And if you do it well, you will create perception of value - making your services stand far above your competitors too. In the end, it may just be all about you.

 

5. Deal in excitement. It's contagious.

Your enthusiasm is contageous. It makes life great for you and for the people you work with, as well as your customers. Love life. Find your purpose. Love what your products and services do and the way your company delivers them. Love your part in it. Loving it requires appreciating it. If you don't love it, all you need is to look at it from a different angle. You'll feel the love. It's there. Keep looking. Me, I love people. I love serving them. It excites me to know that I can give them what they need and deliver an improved life. What a great feeling that gives me. It's not even about the product. I'm just excited to be there and to be with them to help. No wonder everyone is always commenting about the way I smile so much. I look into their face. I've got super good news. Find that news. It's there!

 

6. Cover every receiver.

There are two kinds of receivers - your company's and your customers'. And now that that there are more phones than ever and more ways to communicate - TVs, Radios, Cell Phones, Social Media, Lap Tops, Desk Tops, and so much more, you've got to equip yourself to reach them all - all the time - and do it now. Total Marketing covers every medium. Total Marketing determines the necessary capacity and then operates it.

 

7. Customer ... Wife or Mistress.

Total Marketing finds every type of conceivable customer. This is not just a joke in poor taste. It is a statement about reaching people no matter how bad their taste is. Don't second guess yourself. You are targeting as many people as your product or service is designed to handle.

 

8. The duller the product the brighter the prospect for promotional success.

Remember. It is not about your product or service. It is about your marketing, your attitude, your commitment, your ability to make it happen. Maybe you have the next best thing to sliced bread. If you rely on your product and forget your TMCs you'll be wondering why an inferior product managed better sales. Don't let it happen!