A Lesson From ?The Apprentice? That Can Make You A Master

I have to admit, I was curious. When I saw previews of a new show called "The Apprentice," it made me want to at least watch the premiere to see what was going on. Immediately, I was hooked. The whole idea of candidates - from all walks of life, not just college grads fresh from their commencement ceremonies - vying for a position in one of Donald Trump's organizations piqued my interest. What kept my interest were the real-life advertising lessons every business owner needs to be reminded of.

Take, for instance, one episode where the teams were challenged to create an ad campaign. I was, needless-to-say, on the edge of my seat for the entire show. One team immediately decided to phone the client and setup an appointment to find out about the product, the end user, and other aspects that would make a big difference in creating the campaign. (Smart move!)

The other team, however, said they didn't have time to talk with the client. They were running behind schedule. Meeting with the client - in their opinion - would just waste an hour or two that could have been spent on more important tasks. (Excuse me?)

What happened? First of all, my husband came charging into the living room asking, "Do you believe that? Even *I* know you have to talk to the customer first!" Yes, he had been listening to me after all.

In the end, the campaign from the team who did speak with the client won the challenge. Once the losing team arrived in the boardroom, the project leader, Jason (Mr. "We Don't Have Time To Talk With the Client"), really got it from all sides.

Donald Trump's assistants, George and Carolyn, made a point of bringing up the fact that the client was not contacted. Jason's own teammates made a point of bringing up that the client was never contacted. And Donald? To quote, Donald said, "That was a HUGE mistake? you're fired!"

This was fairly early in the show so you would have thought the other contestants would have learned from Jason's mistake. Not so. There was yet another episode where an Apprentice put what they wanted over what the client wanted/needed.

In this task, the teams were charged with selling Donald's new product, Trump Ice (bottled water). The winner was simply the team who sold the most in a given period of time. Nick, a salesman by trade, was immediately confident his team would win if they would just step aside and let him work his magic.

Ereka, the project manager for Nick's team, urged Nick to sit with her at the computer and research the market and the customer base for bottled water. Nick wouldn't even hear of it. To quote, "Telling me how to sell is like someone telling the Pope how to pray." So off went Nick using his same "high energy" sales pitch on every customer and focusing on what Nick wanted to sell - instead of finding the best benefits for the clients.

What happened? Nick flopped time and time again. A teammate (Bill) jumped in during one sales meeting and helped the client to understand the benefits of buying Trump Ice. Bill made the sale.

In the boardroom, George immediately noted his disappointment in how little the team seemed to know about their prospective customers. And Donald chimed in by saying he had no idea why Nick thought his sales skills were so great when he had no clue about the customers he was selling to. Ouch!

The bottom line? The team lost. Why? Because Nick was busy trying to sell what he wanted to sell, and in the way he wanted to sell it, with no regard for the customer whatsoever.

The moral of the story? Know your customers. They are the ones with the money. It doesn't matter what you like. If *they* aren't happy with your site, your copy, your graphics, your product, or your service? they'll abandon you cold.

When you're creating a business plan, when you're writing copy, when you're creating a website, or developing a brochure. It's not about you? it's all about them. If one of the richest and most profitable businessmen in the world tells you target market research is vital to success, you can bet it is a wise strategy to follow.

Karon Thackston © 2004

About The Author

Copy not getting results? Learn to write SEO copy that impresses the engines and your visitors at http://www.copywritingcourse.com. Be sure to check out Karon's latest e-report "How To Increase Keyword Saturation (Without Destroying the Flow of Your Copy)" at http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword.

---

Family Business and Conflicts

What is a Family Business? A family business is basically... Read More

Marketing Your Small Business with Success Stories

-- The One Pager Shortcut Series --An effective and compelling... Read More

Cleaning Grain Silos, Towers, Containers, and Combines

If you run a pressure washing company in a rural... Read More

How To Select a Franchise

Here are some useful tips on how to select a... Read More

Window Cleaning Business Future Challenge With Self Cleaning Glass

Self-cleaning glass has been talked about a lot, with such... Read More

Combating Over Regulation of Small Business

Many small businesses do quite well due to the blood,... Read More

Canon City, Colorado - Good for Small Business

Canon City, Colorado is known for it's 6 Prisons; State... Read More

Big Successes Never Happen Overnight

Treat your business as a serious, full-time business and be... Read More

Business Reviews that Work

What is the satisfaction & expectation review of the business... Read More

Bringing Home the Bacon

In general, all of us know how to accomplish the... Read More

A Small Business Must Have a Solid Foundation

We all know that a building has to have a... Read More

Self-Employment: Do you know the Difference between Rates and Wages

The difference between rates and wages is not always clear... Read More

Mobile Car Wash Market Opportunities in California

The current lack of industry leaders represents an exceptional opportunity... Read More

Hone Your Edge, Stay Focused

A common hazard faced by new entrepreneurs is a lack... Read More

The 5 Habits of Highly Successful Small-Business Owners

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a... Read More

Creating Lists to Learn About Yourself, Your Business and Your Customers

I love lists. I make them for everything. And I'm... Read More

Tracking Revenue For MORE Profits

The revenue history is a vital piece of your power... Read More

Why Do Most Online Small Businesses Fail?

Search Engines account for almost 90% of all web traffic!In... Read More

Tips and Tricks for Legal Debt Collections

If a customer owes your local business money, it's hard... Read More

Competition in the Market Place and Over Disclosure Regulatory Burden

The Federal Trade Commission is assisting competitor to cheat and... Read More

Image of Your Franchise Automotive Outlet is So Important

Image of your franchise automotive outlet is so important. Some... Read More

How to Profile a Client

At first glance, this topic may seem a little repetitive,... Read More

Arranging Your Fundraiser

When deciding to host a fundraiser for your company or... Read More

7 Essentinal Resources for Small Business

So you want to start a business but you don't... Read More

How Most Business Owners Sabotage Their Success

Owning a business is a challenging endeavor. If you're like... Read More

Six Essential Skills to Business Success!

The following are six essential skills to business success. You... Read More

3.5 Million People And A Possible UK Home Business Opportunity

Has this ever happened to you... 'John, you have a... Read More

11 Things Small Business Owners Can Learn From Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

1. Everyone Makes A Difference ? Despite not letting him... Read More

Why Does a Business Fail and What Can You Do to Stop It?

I believe the number one reason why a business will... Read More

Virtual Assistant ? Questions Answered

What is a Virtual Assistant?A Virtual Assistant is a person... Read More

The Key To Success - Choose The Right Partners

Do you promote yourself as offering prompt, reliable and quality... Read More

Gold Medal Delegation

When the recent Games of the XXVIII Olympiad came to... Read More

Do Your Best; Hire the Rest

One of the hidden perks of raising six children is... Read More