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My 14 years’ experience of growing a business from £0-£100m as well as the life that goes with it.

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Simon Says

Winformation This Week...

Another week, another world-renowned expert came through the doors at our company. On Wednesday I sat down with Grant LeBoff world famous marketeer and bestselling author. Now, we have Grant working on a particular project for us...which I can’t talk about – but my God the lessons he chucked my way in 4 hours on Wednesday morning were simply mind blowing...too good not to share.

In today’s One Idea to Win in Business I give you Grant LeBoff’s 3 biggest Marketing knowledge bombs!

Negotiating is a key skill in business and in life. 

My youngest son just turned five and is really starting to develop his skills. “Five more minutes then bed…” I say. “OK, how about ten?” is the instant response. 

You see, his approach to negotiating at five is similar to most people’s when they hit adulthood. They think there has to be a clear winner. 

This is the message of Chris Voss’ bestseller Never Split the Difference. Chris is a former FBI negotiator, and his book is being used in business more and more. I think that often leads to poor negotiation. There is more to it in the real world...when there isn’t a life online.  

My take on how to negotiate properly is below, in today’s One Idea to Win in Life. 

One Idea to Win in Business

Something to Sharpen Brand

My Wednesday Morning Meeting: Everything Grant LeBoff Taught Me in 4 Hours

Grant LeBoff is the undisputed daddy when it comes to marketing and branding. Grant came in on Wednesday and is leading a project for us. He casually dropped 10+ golden lessons in throw away comments throughout our 4-hour meeting. I didn't even want to be seen writing them down...ha! But here are the best 3.

Brand is emotion. You don't decide to buy from a brand based on logic. You decide based on emotion. When people say “take the emotion out of a decision”...it’s practically impossible. You emotionally chose who to fly with, for example, and let logic back up your decision after you have made it. Companies that sell logic first always struggle. Brands that tap into emotion first and provide the logic later will win.

Avoid rebrands unless...your brand has become culturally irrelevant. Companies often rebrand because they feel their brand has become a bit stale. Or they have moved into a new head office and so want a fresh start. This, Grant said, is the biggest mistake in marketing. Your brand feels stale to you because you look at it every day. Your customers don't. Kit Kat has owned “have a break have a kit kat” since the 1960s. No need to change it. Yorkie on the other hand went with “it's not for girls” in the 1990s, and hence culturally now that has become totally outdated, so they changed it. Unless you are the Yorkie here, don't change what works.

Never more than 12 words. This was gold. You should be able to communicate your entire brand to your customer in no more than 12 words. Call it a tag line, call it a summary, whatever “it” is – 12 words. No more. After 12 words your brain has to access different parts to understand the concept...you force your customer to consciously think. Under 12 words your brand can have its own little party in the subconscious. No actual thinking is required. Brand, emotion and buying decisions all hang out in the subconscious.

What one of Grant’s knowledge bombs are you stealing here? Hit reply and let me know! I respond to every email.

One Idea to Win in Life

Something to Negotiate Better

Beyond Winners & Losers: How to Negotiate Properly

Most negotiations in life and business are not about defeating the other side. They’re about building something that lasts. Long-term relationships require a very different mindset to one-off crisis moments.

For what it’s worth, here’s what I’ve learned about proper negotiation… not the FBI kind...

It's not about battering suppliers into submission. I get it, price and quality are still the name of the game if you’re buying products. Just not at the expense of everything. You need to know your products have been sourced in the right way.

It’s unlikely your customers want goods associated with unethical practices. So, get to know your supply chain. You’ll build good relationships that way, not to mention supplier loyalty.

Don’t bite the hand that feeds. When you collaborate with suppliers you are effectively building a long-term relationship.

They’re far more likely to offer real value to you than if you’d strong armed them.

Do that and there’s a risk they’ll hold it against you and take short cuts producing whatever it is you’re buying from them. Worse still, if your supplier has been given the nasty end of a stick when it comes to negotiation, they might go under. Then you as the buyer are in trouble.

Be both cooperative and assertive. Being cooperative isn’t about being a pushover, far from it. The strongest negotiations happen when you’re clear on what you need while remaining open to what the other side needs too.

It’s not about domination, and it’s not about surrender. It’s about finding the overlap where both sides can walk away satisfied.

Make win-win your aim. It’s all about being prepared. You’re not going to war, you’re going on a journey. If you’re asking for something from your supplier, make sure you actually know exactly what you want.

Be prepared if that isn’t available and have a best alternative desired outcome if your negotiation falls flat. With that in mind, it’s best to get a feel for what your supplier wants. If both sides come to the table with this mindset, good things can happen. So be open, be honest and start talking and you can win together with your suppliers.

Win or Wonder?

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Business, life or mindset, I read and reply to every question. The best ones will get featured in future editions of Winformation, with your permission of course!

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Until next week! 

Let’s win, together!