(Listen this article HERE)
Over the last 51 years I’ve slept some 18,615 times.
My
experience has been pretty diverse too, as I’ve slept in the Soviet Union,
China, Mexico, Italy, England, and Vietnam. I slept on trains, airplanes and
boats. As well as on the floor, at the office, and in the woods. It could be
said that with approximately 148,920 hours of sleep, under my blanket, I’m
somewhat of an expert on the topic.
And
in all of that time, and in all of the places where I’ve laid my head down,
never have I given much thought to the pillow under it. Sure, some we’re better
than others, but not in one instance did I get up in the morning and feel
compelled to call a friend and tell them about my extraordinary pillow
experience.
So,
if the pillow manufacturer was exclusively counting on my referrals, it would
prove to be a disappointing business model.
On
the other hand, Michael J. Linden, founder of My Pillow, built a 300-million-dollar
business, selling what is perhaps one of the least thought about products in
the world. Primarily by forcing this sleep-utensil to the forefront of our
minds. And, for all intents and purposes, he was probably the most unlikely
person to have built that.
One
of the rules in polite society is that you don’t bring up politics or religion
at the dinner table, lest you offend someone with opposing beliefs. In business
as well, it’s recommended that you keep your personal views to yourself and try
to present your message in a neutral manner.
Michael
however, instead of sporting a customary jacket and tie in his ubiquitous
infomercials, wears a large silver cross prominently displayed over his dress
shirt. In addition, he is an enthusiastic Trump supporter, telling anyone who
will listen why this President is the best choice ever. And if that wasn’t
polarizing enough, he began building this business, while addicted to crack
cocaine.
Word of mouth
exclusively is a recipe for mediocrity indefinitely:
● Primarily because you’re
operating at the fiercest level of competition. Where everyone else in your
industry is fighting over the same small percentage of the population who are
already believers. These people understand your unique approach, and they
understand how effective and helpful it is. They also know what to google when
searching. So now they just need a provider in proximity, who they think can
help them, and can do it at a price they are willing to pay.
● Word of mouth is also
sporadic and unpredictable. Usually resulting in a feast or famine roller
coaster. Relying on this tactic alone, most entrepreneurs will keep their head
just above water, never gaining the momentum necessary to achieve the results
they envisioned when starting their business.
● The only word of mouth that
spreads virally is the negative kind. Much like a weed it requires very little
help. The positive word of mouth that we’re looking for, must be cultivated, woo’
d and courted like a shy maiden.
● Most entrepreneurs, who use
word of mouth exclusively, will tend to be less selective in who they accept as
a customer. Willing to take on anyone who knocks on their door because of
practical pressures. Which in turn frustrates the therapeutic outcome, and
dilutes their statistics, confidence, and reputation.
● Also, since like attracts
like, on the off chance that a difficult and frugal client makes a referral, it
will be of someone even more frugal and difficult.
● You are giving up all your
personal power, and control, and placing it on the lips of people who are very
busy living their own lives.
● Additionally, word of mouth
alone won’t generate enough force to tear the gravitational pull, and propel a
business to prominence, and the founder towards prosperity and freedom. It will
just kind of coast down the runway indefinitely. And eventually, this brave entrepreneur, will come to
the inaccurate conclusion that she was simply not meant to fly.
● After a few years, this can
become demoralizing, exhausting, and result in a downward spiral and inevitable
burnout.
Please
don’t misunderstand, I think that word of mouth is an important part of growing
any business. And will naturally bubble up, from our willingness to serve our
clients to the best of our ability, and from the bottom of our heart. But what
is preventing us from serving the larger population and providing value to them
in a similar fashion.
Won’t
that as well generate world of mouth?
There
is also the placebo factor that comes into play when an expert achieves
celebrity status, by educating the public, on a large scale. So, by the time a
patient shows up in the waiting room they know who you are, what you do, how
you work, and are primed and ready to get better.
Looking
at his reviews, I know Michael gets a tun of referrals, sent to him by happy
customers who have already purchased his product and swear by it. But those
amazing clients, came from his ongoing effort, of putting his well-thought-out
message consistently in front of millions and millions of people.
He
turns a lot of dirt, sort of speak, to find a few gems.
In fact,
he spends 100 million dollars per year (30% of his gross revenue) on bringing
his evangelical message to the masses. And you’d think, to enjoy that level of
success, his product would have to be the best quality or the best priced. It
did not even make it into the top five best pillows in the Bestreviews report
and is about 40% more expensive than many of those options.
The
mistake most entrepreneurs make is thinking that the quality of their product,
service, or infrastructure alone, is enough to bring the masses to their door.
Marketing, why
none of it works, and how all of it does.
Most
people who say they’ve tried marketing, and were disappointed with the results,
left something out of the recipe, used a wrong ingredient, or did not stick
with it for the full term. A onetime ad in a local newspaper is not enough. A
sporadic mailing or lecture, a social media post or being a guest on a local
news program even, won’t do it.
But
when you combine all these approaches, and consistently bring your unique
message to the public in a passionate, almost evangelical manner, you will
begin to get attention, and create converts. People who go from being the
grumpy and skeptical ‘Walter” (Jeff Dunham’s ventriloquist dummy) to an
enthusiastic Amway recruit, as spreading your message becomes their personal
mission.
Alex
Lubarsky is the founder of the Health Media Group, Inc. a company that produces
the Science of Human Optimization Conference and the Physician, Inc.
Mastermind, he is the author of The Art of Selling The Art of Healing: How the
Rebels of Today are Creating the Healthcare of Tomorrow and Why Your Life
Depends on it. In his weekly RADIO program, he interviews some of the more
innovative physicians, authors and celebrities from around the nation.
