Page 105 - 100 Great Business Ideas: From Leading Companies Around the World (100 Great Ideas)

151 Quick Ideas to Get New Customers

prospect, even if you’ve done business with them before, and
you’ll be successful every time.

Epilogue
You will never fail by over-preparing. You’ll only fail if you
take your customers, or your success, for granted.

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Beware of a Prescription
Without a Diagnosis

Imagine seeing a new doctor, and without saying a word to
you, she began to write out new prescriptions for you. She was
doing so without getting your medical history, checking your
vital signs, or even asking why you were there. Would you pay
her for that visit or take those medications? It’s very doubtful
that you would feel comfortable doing so. Getting a prescrip-
tion without a diagnosis is called malpractice!

When a plumbing wholesaler was desperately looking to
increase sales and get new customers, he asked his will-call
sales desk for suggestions to improve the business. They said
the area needed to be spruced up, they needed a new counter,
better uniforms, improved signage, and a nice place for their
plumbing customers to come in and pick up their orders. The
owner did exactly what his people recommended, but sales
didn’t go up at all. Why? Because it wasn’t important to the
customers! So he personally went out and made calls on his
plumbing contractors and asked them what was critically im-
portant to them. They explained that having the right pieces

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