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People Do Business With You…But Why?

January 12, 2011 By Maribeth Kuzmeski

Why do people do business with you? Is it because of WHAT you do or is it because of WHY you do it? According to author and thought leader Simon Sinek, people buy the “why.”

Over the past few weeks I’ve been asking clients and other professionals their “why.” Many times it doesn’t seem clearly defined. I do believe the “why” is critically important in business, and if you watch Sinek’s short lecture on TED video, you may see a different perspective on its importance too.

In this TED video, Sinek explains what he believes to be the reason for Apple’s constant innovations and their repeated successes. It is not because they had some unique access to talented people, advertising, consultants or the media. Sinek makes a case that it’s all about the messaging. While most companies explain that they make great products, Apple is unique in that they begin by telling the consumer “why” they make their products.

If Apple communicated like most of us, their message would sound something like this, Sinek says: “We make great computers. They’re beautifully designed, simple to use, and user friendly. Want to buy one?”
Instead, according to Sinek, Apple is actually telling us: “Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly. We just happen to make great computers. Want to buy one?”

Sinek says, “All the great and inspiring leaders and organizations in the world, whether it’s Apple, or Martin Luther King or the Wright brothers – they all think, act and communicate the exact same way.”
I believe a compelling “why” exists in many businesses – it just needs to be clarified first.

Red Zone Marketing’s “Why”: We focus our efforts on finding simple, common sense and inexpensive alternatives to creating growth in a business. We are committed to designing smart marketing strategies – not the flashiest or most complex. We use our focus to design, plan and implement sustainable marketing strategies proven to compel others to WANT to buy.

Maribeth Kuzmeski

Maribeth Kuzmeski, MBA is the founder of Red Zone Marketing, LLC, which consults to Fortune 500 firms on strategic marketing planning and business growth. She is the author of 4 books, has frequently appeared on TV and radio, and has written articles on marketing strategies for hundreds of publications including Business Week and Entrepreneur. She regularly speaks to audiences on topics relating to business development, marketing, and sales strategies. Maribeth is author of The Connectors: How the World’s Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life (Wiley, September 2009).

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Filed Under: Business Development, Communications, Marketing Tagged With: Apple, business success, client loyalty, client relationships, consumer relationships, Maribeth Kuzmeski, Marketing, Red Zone Marketing, Simon Sinek, TED video

Comments

  1. Brijendra Dharampuria says

    January 20, 2011 at 3:37 am

    To get answer of “why” is really important in business. It help to get right decision and preparing future business and marketing strategies. There is 5W, WHAT, WHY, WHEN, WHERE, WHICH plays vital role in business strategies. Due to this find out the answer of WHY has become very needed for each marketers.

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