The "meaning" of business....

I found this fascinating quote....

"We are all in the business for the same purpose, to improve the lives of our customers. The meaning of life is to improve the lives of others. The only reason anybody buys a product or a service is that they prefer the product or service to the money. It might look like a product or service, but people buy improvements in their condition."

[The Ultimate Entrepreneur's Book, by Richard Dobbins and Barrie O. Pettman, p. 94.]

In my opinion, this is one of the nicest statements of the meaning and purpose of business I have come across....

What people in business want is independence, freedom, or wealth! (Or all three.)

But ultimately what business is about is improving the lives of our customers in one way or another....

The sentence, "the only reason anybody buys a product or a service is that they prefer the product or service to the money," reminds me of what Gordon has written about chattel.... That when you "sell" a second-hand item, it can also be seen as you "buying" their money with your product.

This view holds in any situation where you are selling something.... In reality, you are buying their money with your service or product.

Think about it.... It's an empowering perspective!

- Dien

I also want to say that this forum has opened my eyes and mind to the better more optimum ways of considering marketing and just how it is done.

Right now I am reading "Influence". It is an exceptional peice of work about how we are all influenced and manipulated.

This form really brings the book home to and for me.

You and Gordon are masterful instructors who have tremendous patience and empathy.

Thanks for sharing with us.

Taylor

> I found this fascinating quote....

> "We are all in the business for the
> same purpose, to improve the lives of our
> customers. The meaning of life is to improve
> the lives of others. The only reason anybody
> buys a product or a service is that they
> prefer the product or service to the money.
> It might look like a product or service, but
> people buy improvements in their
> condition."

> [ The Ultimate Entrepreneur's Book , by
> Richard Dobbins and Barrie O. Pettman, p.
> 94.] In my opinion, this is one of the
> nicest statements of the meaning and purpose
> of business I have come across....

> What people in business want is
> independence, freedom, or wealth! (Or all
> three.)

> But ultimately what business is about is
> improving the lives of our customers in one
> way or another....

> The sentence, "the only reason anybody
> buys a product or a service is that they
> prefer the product or service to the
> money," reminds me of what Gordon has
> written about chattel.... That when you
> "sell" a second-hand item, it can
> also be seen as you "buying" their
> money with your product.

> This view holds in any situation where you
> are selling something.... In reality, you
> are buying their money with your service or
> product.

> Think about it.... It's an empowering
> perspective!

> - Dien

Not only is that true, if the business person doesn't believe it, he or she will fail miserably. If a person engages in a particular business for the wealth, independence, etc., that is all fine and dandy. The person may or may not succeed. However, if that person throws their heart and soul into the business, at some level he/she has already succeeded.

This passion to provide products and services that will make the world a better place (or the customer's life better) is the key to marketing. Shabby products/services lacking an enthusiastic backing will not sell--if the creator (or marketer, or whatever) doesn't believe it is truly is a solution to a problem, who else will believe it?

This is perhaps why many of the business opps we see spammed on message boards are failing. The product that these troops of people are trying to sell isn't that great... and they know it. So instead of targeting a specific market with a specific message, they throw out a million messages in hopes that one "sucker" will be fool enough to buy the product. The only passion that is driving some of the spammers is a desire to make money, not a desire to help improve the customer's life.

Oh dear, I am beginning to ramble. :)

Thank you for sharing, Dien!

Becky




Unlocking your website's potential

Hi Taylor,

> I also want to say that this forum has
> opened my eyes and mind to the better more
> optimum ways of considering marketing and
> just how it is done.

Thanks! I think Gordon especially has given fantastic value with (originally) Remote Hypnosis and now with the Jim Straw Plus Study Group forum!

> Right now I am reading
> "Influence". It is an exceptional
> peice of work about how we are all
> influenced and manipulated.

> This form really brings the book home to and
> for me.

I agree, that's a fascinating book. Kind of spooky too, when you read about how some people have used the techniques it talks about in unethical ways.... But still very fascinating!

I find it interesting that he sees these as responses deeply rooted in our culture and maybe our biology -- there's no escaping it. Even when we know and understand the principles he talks about, still it's hard not to respond in these ways deeply programmed into our psychology....

> You and Gordon are masterful instructors who
> have tremendous patience and empathy.

Taylor, that means a lot coming from such a highly esteemed online marketer like yourself!

Thanks.... :) I'm a big fan of your forum too, it's without a doubt one of the best online.... :)

- Dien




Taylor Trump's web site....

Hi Becky,

> This passion to provide products and
> services that will make the world a better
> place (or the customer's life better) is the
> key to marketing. Shabby products/services
> lacking an enthusiastic backing will not
> sell--if the creator (or marketer, or
> whatever) doesn't believe it is truly is a
> solution to a problem, who else will believe
> it?

I agree with you completely!

The key (as Richard Dobbins and Barrie Pettman put it) is that....

The meaning of life is to enrich the lives of others.

The meaning or objective of all businesses is to improve the lives of others.

Back when I was an undergraduate student, I regularly took part in various social and welfare causes. Perhaps this is why this approach rings a bell with me so much. :)

Of course, there's more to it than that, but I do believe this is the basis.... :)

And it's not some airy-fairy theory. I got these nice quotes from the book "The Ultimate Entrepreneur's Book" by Richard Dobbins and Barrie Pettman. You may never have heard of these guys, but they are both multi-millionaires (in the U.K.) through their businesses. Richard Dobbins made his money in management development, and Barrie Pettman made his money in publishing.

> This is perhaps why many of the business
> opps we see spammed on message boards are
> failing. The product that these troops of
> people are trying to sell isn't that
> great... and they know it. So instead of
> targeting a specific market with a specific
> message, they throw out a million messages
> in hopes that one "sucker" will be
> fool enough to buy the product. The only
> passion that is driving some of the spammers
> is a desire to make money, not a desire to
> help improve the customer's life.

I agree, there's too much of this kind of approach going on....

Often, the thought process is something like this: "The only way to make money is to take it off of `suckers'. And while I don't like it, if I'm going to get rich, you gotta do what you gotta do."

What they don't realize is that most people who get rich do it by getting repeat customers, NOT by looking for "suckers" for their latest scam. And you don't get repeat customers by tricking them. To add to that, they could get in legal trouble too if they misrepresent what they are selling!

Getting repeat business seems to be one of the things most successful businesses have in common. While you can probably think of exceptions (like one-hit wonders, such as the "Pet Rock" of the 1970s), most highly successful businesses are built on a regular set of customers, who they serve exceptionally well....

> Thank you for sharing, Dien!

Thank you Betty! Your post was a fresh ray of wisdom and light.... :)

- Dien