I’m probably an Idiot… - Paul Chapman

A while ago I sent an email where I shared a video talking about a massive profit driver for businesses and using Amazon as an example (If you haven’t watched it you can do so here)

Well, I had a belting email back explaining – in some detail that I am a complete muppet – or words to that effect.

I won’t bore you with the whole thing but here is the gist.

• • • Paul – you’re an idiot (probably true)

    • You have no idea what you are talking about (possibly true)

    • My business is nothing like Amazon (certainly true)

    • There is no-way I can do what they do (cataclysmically wrong)

You see this person is classic small business mentality – they are looking at the ‘completed action’ rather than the concept.  They are not doing any thinking.

Let me give you an example –

In the video, we talked about the immediate up-sell (we refer to it as the one-click up-sell) which is where – at the point of sale, as the excited customer is poised cash in hand – you ask them the simple question of “would you like something else”.

And to this chap – this was an impossible concept – he didn’t run an enormous online business with masses of stock etc etc. BUT the only way this can’t be done – is if you don’t sell anything – which isn’t really a business.

• • • McDonalds asked if you wanted fries with that.

    • The last time I bought some shoes they showed me a very nice pair of socks.

    • I bought and electric screw driver a while ago and well stone me it turns out they have a special in multi-purpose screws.

    • My local shop in the village has sweets on the counter that get mentioned when I come in to buy some milk with the kids.

Running a business is no walk in the park (unless you are a dog walking business) but if you want it all handed to you on a plate in perfect ready to rock pieces you are going to be very disappointed and probably skint.

• • • You have to look.

    • You have to think.

    • You have stop ask and yourself – that thing that the other business is doing and making loads of money from, HOW can I do that in my business.

    • Look at the concept not at their ‘completed version’ of it.

I feel a bit better now.

Go and look at what is making money for others and just see if there is a way that you could do it too, and do you know what, if you are stuck, give me a shout and we’ll find a way together.