Getting Your Horse (Customers) to Drink Water

Guest post by: Edward Abel
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Are Your Goals SMART? - By Edward Abel

The old adage "you can bring a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink" is an extremely pertinent one in the world of Sales & Marketing. For instance, let's use this adage as the metaphor that it is: The Horse: Though not the most flattering thing with which to associate a consumer, the horse truly represents the consumer. Like a horse, the consumer is constantly being directed onto different paths; yet ultimately goes to where they are led. Which factors cause a horse to be successfully led to a particular destination? In truth, the answer is quite simple.

Persistence: Imagine if a rider attempted to guide the horse to the right - yet the horse refused to move. The rider would not throw their hands in the air, give up, and make other plans. The rider is persistent in their efforts to move the horse, whether that action entails gently speaking to the horse, whipping the horse, or pulling at the horse's reins; eventually the horse will move.

Familiarity (Rapport): Riders and horses spend months (if not years) becoming acquainted with each other. The harmony that exists between a horse familiar with its rider (and vice versa) is unmatched. The rider knows exactly how to control their horse, how to maneuver it, and how to recover from falls. Furthermore, the horse trusts its rider. As a result, the horse performs at an optimal level.

Sticks and Carrots (Customer Service): Though the horse trusts its rider, it will not perform at the height of its ability unless there is a reward system in place. When the horse is responsive and agile, the rider rewards it with a treat. As a result, the horse associates good performance with a tasty reward. This positive reinforcement technique inspires the horse to maintain its heightened performance; it wants to be rewarded for its actions. The principles of this concept are identical to those of customer service; the effectiveness of your customer service is directly proportional to your customers' happiness and loyalty.

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Are Your Goals SMART? - By Edward Abel

About the Author: Edward Abel

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Ed Abel has invested more than three decades learning how to build a successful, thriving business. At age 24 with a $5,000 loan and the energy and passion of a young entrepreneur, Ed was ready to take on the world. And he did, only to emerge seven years later at the top of a $36 million organization with 585 employees. Inspired by the challenges that led him to success, Ed went on to build other multi-million dollar businesses, yet he missed the passion he experienced "in the trenches" of his formative years.
Determined to find a way to educate and advise others in the construction and sustainability of a vital business, he founded ABEL Business Institute. Over the course of this process, he developed The SkillPreneur Business System, a systematic approach to the construction, maintenance, and growth of a business's--an approach that has become the philosophy and methodology of ABEL Business Institute.

Ed is an adjunct professor of entrepreneurial studies at New York University (NYU) as well as the Director of the business division at the world class Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). At iPEC, Ed directs the business division that is responsible for supporting the graduate coaches in their business development process.

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