You know, as a writer, it probably comes as no surprise to the masses that I like to read. All throughout my childhood I was always called things like “book worm” and “book nerd”.
As I grew, I read voraciously. My focus back then of course was fiction; I loved the way a well-written story could take me outside of myself and send me drifting on a cloud of imagination.
As I grew older I found my focus shifted towards more non-fiction books. I enjoyed reading books that challenged or expanded my thinking, and helped me grow in both knowledge and wisdom. These days though, I don’t get to read nearly as much as those days before I became a writer.
When I do read, it’s usually because I want to learn something new that’s applicable to my life today, or… like today I’ve been asked to review a book written by a friend or fellow blogger and give honest feedback.
Luckily for me (or the writer, you pick) I have not had to read a book that bored me to tears or that I didn’t find valuable and useful. (YET!)
So without further ado, I present to you…
RARE Business by Adrian Swinscoe
This book really is a great read. If you’ve read BGB for any length of time, you’ll know I often talk about as a business and entrepreneur, taking care of your existing customers being just as vital (actually more so in my book) as pounding the pavement trying to scare up new ones.
With online friends like David and Lavonne, you can imagine that #customerlove is a pretty hot topic that I try to touch upon often.
Adrian though, has literally detailed an entire framework that is based on the basic principles of customer love and really caring for the people you choose to serve.
“What if we lived in a world where all companies took care of their existing customers as well as new customers, where companies were trusted and liked, where doing business with a company was a good experience, where companies and their employees cared about their customers?”
What Kind Of World Would That Be?
According to Adrian, that is a world worth fighting and striving for, and I agree. Is it always easy? Hell no. Is it sometimes a real pain in the ass when you gotta deal with a real… well pain in the ass? Of course it is.
No one said the road to success and higher living was easy. As humans we tend to avoid things that are overly hard when and where we can. It’s a self-preservation instinct we’ll likely never get rid of completely.
But as humans, it’s also our duty to make the reality of the world we live in a world we are proud to live in. And that starts first and foremost with us, with our personal lives, and within our businesses.
Adrian goes on to say that before we can begin to create the aforementioned world, you have to first understand a little more about the current world you live in.
“The Hole in My Bucket” Syndrome
I like this analogy, and I won’t spill the beans on where he got it, you can read the book for that if you don’t already know. But suffice to say that this “Hole in the Bucket” syndrome is a great visual as Adrian talks about the constant cycle business owners often find themselves in, the poor customer retention many businesses experience, and the trials of having to replace lost customers with new customers in a never ending loop.
In the book, he goes on to talk about customer focus, with several “Customer Insights” into real world companies that are leading by example when it comes to treating their customers well.
Sample Chapter Titles
Customer Focus
- Grow your business by getting closer to your existing customers. Pg 29
- What sort of customer relationship are you trying to create? Pg 43
- Add value by introducing one customer to another customer. Pg 61
People
- Do you know your values and why it’s important you do? Pg 116
- Great customer service starts with internal branding. Pg 127
- You can’t afford not to train your people. Pg 149
Leadership
- 10 things you can do to foster a culture of innovation and creativity. Pg 170
- Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Pg 181
- Are you a creative or reactive leader? Pg 203
- 8 common errors why organizations fail to change. Pg 225
These titles are just a small taste of what is covered with this book, and the many real world company insights he’s packed into every chapter. I learned a lot from reading it, as well as re-affirmed some things I already knew.
It’s written in a clear, easy style that was both enjoyable and comprehensible too, so… if you can read this blog with no problem, you can read this book with no problem. 😉 It’s also available in hardcopy as well in case you’re old school like me, and like to read actual books.
Now… if you’re in business for yourself and you believe in taking great care of your existing customers over constantly chasing new ones… this is a wonderful framework to base your own strategies around. So pick up a copy and read it for yourself… then drop back by and let me know how you liked it.
Warmest
