Keynote Speaker Dan Coughlin- Depend on a Concept, Not a Customer

by Dan Coughlin

In tough economic times, the temptation is to land a truly great customer and then do whatever the customer wants in order to keep the revenue coming in. The thought process is, “We can’t afford to lose this customer so let’s do whatever they ask.”

Then with no bad intentions whatsoever the one great customer keeps asking your business to do all sorts of different things. Before you know it, 85% of your revenues are coming from this one customer and you have strayed dramatically away from the value that you want to be known for delivering. There are only two things that can happen at this point. The customer continues to be your customer and the survival of your business grows even more dependent on this customer, or the customer decides to stop buying your products and services and your business collapses dramatically because you have not established the value that you want to be known for delivering. No one else knows what you have to offer, and you haven’t been constantly improving the value that you do have to offer. When you go out into the broader marketplace with a weak brand and outdated capabilities, you will face a massive challenge.

A Lesson from Apple

In the enormous outpouring of articles and books about Steve Jobs, I think there is one insight that stands out above all the others: he never changed his concept. The concept that governed his two tenures at Apple was, “build electronic devices that are remarkably useful in people’s day-to-day lives, make them easy to use, and make them look stunningly attractive.”

The Apple II may be extremely primitive compared to today’s standards, but at the time it was mind-boggling. I was a freshman in high school in 1977, and my school purchased a few of those computers. I was used to seeing an entire room full of giant machines that used punch cards. I was a senior in college in 1984 when the first Macintosh came out. When my classmate down the hallway bought one and I got to borrow it, I thought it was amazingly useful to write an engineering report, save it, and come back later and make corrections. I was the official typist on our team engineering project that year, which might explain why I never actually used my degree in mechanical engineering. I do remember my professor saying that I was remarkably fortunate to be on the team that I was on. I don’t think he meant that as a compliment to me.

Obviously from 1997-2011, Steve Jobs stayed true to his concept with the creation of the iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and iCloud, which pulls everything else together into an even easier format for people to use the devices.

Be Customer-Driven, Not Customer-Dependent

The greatest companies in the world are customer-driven, not customer dependent. McDonald’s serves food to millions of people every day. Ray Kroc built his first McDonald’s restaurant in 1955. That’s 66 years of staying true to a single concept: QSC&V. From the very first restaurant to the 14,000 restaurants in McDonald’s USA, the concept has been to provide quality food with fast, accurate, and friendly service in a clean environment at a reasonable price.

The great companies are driven to always deliver the very best value they can within their concept to their customers. However, they are not dependent on the customers in terms of having the customers tell them what to do.

If your business is reaching that unhealthy point, then I encourage you to seriously pause what you are doing and think through the next stage of your business.

Clarify Your Concept

Most importantly, clarify the value that you want to be known for delivering. The only way to build a sustainable brand is to consistently deliver the same type of value to all of your customers. Once you’ve clarified the value you want to be known for delivering, then make sure that every customer relationship falls under that concept. If you are just doing things to generate a short-term revenue, then you can easily allow your customers to take you all over the board and then you won’t be known for anything. And that, my friend, is a very scary place to be in a highly, highly competitive global marketplace.

Innovate within Your Concept

Once you define the concept of the value that you want to be known for delivering over the long term, you are in a great position. You can now effectively innovate every day. I define innovation as “creating greater value for other people and delivering it with more appropriate values based on a better understanding of them.” The problem with innovation is that you can literally do millions of things for other people that could be of great value for them, but if you try to do every good idea that you come up with then you won’t be truly great at any of them.

Start with your concept. What is the value that you want to be known for delivering? Then ask yourself, “Within our concept, how can we create greater value for our customers and deliver it with more appropriate values based on what we know about them?”

This is exactly what Apple has done and continues to do. They don’t make cookies, they don’t sell real estate, they don’t write books, and they don’t make clothes. They just make very useful electronic devices that are easy to use and that look great and that work together seamlessly.

About Dan Coughlin

Visit www.thecoughlincompany.com. Dan Coughlin is a leading authority on managing for long-term business success. He is a business keynote speaker, seminar leader, and executive coach on leadership, innovation, and branding. He is also the author of four books on generating sustainable, profitable growth. His clients include McDonald’s, GE, Toyota, Prudential, Coca-Cola, Marriott, Jack in the Box, Boeing, Abbott, Denny’s, Subway, Holder Construction, Kiewit, Ace Hardware, and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Book Dan Coughlin today!

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Richard Schelp

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Many years ago I was contacted by a client from State Farm Insurance. They were looking for an economist for their meeting and they contacted us. Immediately I began to ask about her audience, the speakers she had used in the past, and other pertinent pieces of information. It was a good conversation.

About two weeks later, as she was narrowing down her speaker options, she told me that she was going to use us for all future speaker requests.  She said she had worked with a number of bureaus in the past, but I was the first person to ever ask her detailed questions about her meeting.

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In his first year in the NFL, Mike Ditka caught 56 passes for the Chicago Bears and earned Rookie of the Year honors. Twenty years later he returned to the Bears as head coach, guiding the team to six NFC title games and a Super Bowl victory. Twice named Coach of the Year, Ditka is one of only two athletes to have won Super Bowl rings as head coach, assistant coach and player. Today, Ditka shares his and team-building skills and drive to be the best with audiences across the country.

His presentation, ACE – Attitude, Character and Enthusiasm, demonstrates how lessons he learned in a life of commitment and attention to the fundamentals resulted in victory and success – both on the field and off. An ESPN NFL analyst, regular on late night talk shows and iconic “type A” sports personality, Ditka is the author of Mike Ditka: Reflections on the 1985 Bears and Wisdom from Da Coach (August 2008).

For more information about Mike Ditka, call Executive Speakers Bureau at (901) 754-9404.

• Simon Bailey • Achieving individual and organizational brilliance
• Ken Blanchard • Customer loyalty, employee engagement, leadership, organizational change
• Walter Bond • The Accountability Leader
• Nancy Goodman Brinker • Founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
• Marcus Buckingham • Executive coaching, strengths-driven performance, leadership
• Mike Ditka • Former coach of NFL’s Chicago Bears
• Durwood Fincher • “Mr. Doubletalk,” Humorous take on corporate culture, customized for client
• Nancy Friedman • “The Telephone Doctor,” motivational business topics
• Patricia Fripp • Executive speech coach, presentation-skills trainer
• Tim Gard • Humor as a business skill, professional enthusiasm
• Barbara Glanz • Improving employee morale, retention, productivity
• T. Scott Gross • Performance management consultant
• Keith Harrell • Motivational speaker, attitude coach
• Art Holst • Former NFL official, speaks on business topics, motivation, change, football
• Dewitt Jones • Professional photographer, speaks on creativity, passion and vision
• John Kasich • Candidate for governor of Ohio
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• Aron Ralston • Rock climber who amputated his own arm
• Mike Rayburn • “World’s Funniest Guitar Virtuoso,” blends music and comedy
• Susan RoAne • Motivational business topics, how to work a room, connecting with people
• Patricia Russell-McCloud, J.D. • Work/life balance, education, diversity, leadership
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To learn more about Jack Uldrich, call Executive Speakers Bureau at (901) 754-9404.

That’s why David Nour, author of Relationship Economics is sharing his practical, pragmatic advice on the Top 10 Reasons Most Networking Doesn’t Work and Why! “When it comes to ‘networking’, I’m often amazed at how many people confuse vibration with forward motion,” says David and in this highly interactive session, he brings his independent perspectives and unique insights on what we all do and then wonder why we’re not seeing the results from all of our activities.

For additional information on David Nour, call Executive Speakers Bureau at 901-754-9404.

Openshaw has made it her mission to empower Americans and help them get access to the same tools used by the rich. She delivers on her mission as the voice behind Winning Advice with Jennifer Openshaw, heard nationwide on ABC Radio and as CEO of Openshaw’s Family Financial Network, which provides objective tools and financial planning for families and individuals. A forceful voice for the “little guy,” Openshaw’s financial and economic insights have been seen and heard on a host of TV and radio shows, from CNN and CNBC to Oprah and The Montel Williams Show.

Openshaw is also author of the book, What’s Your Net Worth?, a step-by-step financial empowerment guide for women and couples, which was turned into a public television show hosted by her.

Her passion for helping consumers stems from her own life story. Openshaw’s mother found herself divorced at age 28, with three young kids and no formal education. To make ends meet, her mother worked two full-time jobs as a waitress. While her mother worked days and nights, eight-year-old Openshaw raised her two younger brothers and took on various projects to bring in extra money. At age 14, she took on her first “real” job as a maid in a motel.

She has served in top positions both in government and in some of America’s largest financial institutions, arming her valuable tools and insights for American consumers. Openshaw got her start in financial services working as press secretary for California’s State Treasurer. She later served as vice president at Bank of America and Director of Investment Services for Wilshire Associates, one of the nation’s largest investment consulting firms to CalPERS and other leading institutional investors. During her tenure at Wilshire, Openshaw led the launch of the Wilshire 5000 Index Mutual Fund and converted the Index into a real-time stock index to be used by consumers and the media, including CNBC. She most recently served as senior vice president of Corporate Marketing at Bank One, now JP Morgan Chase. Today, she brings her insights from Wall Street to Main Street.

In 1999, Jennifer founded Women’s Financial Network (WFN), an innovative financial services company created by women, for women and a trendsetter in the industry. WFN included the nation’s first network of pre-screened financial advisors for women, who could be selected based on personal preferences. Jennifer’s work as CEO and Chairman won her recognition as a “Mover & Shaker” in Silicon Valley by the San Jose Mercury News and one of the Internet’s 25 Rising Star by Internet World magazine. WFN is now a division of Siebert Financial (NYSE:SIEB).

For additional information on Jennifer Openshaw, call Executive Speakers Bureau at 901-754-9404.

Angela shares some practical ways this is lived out at Executive Speakers Bureau on a daily basis and how you can use her principles for success in your business:

Executive Speakers Bureau founder Angela Schelp

1. Respond Quickly. We return our clients’ phone call, voice mail or email within two hours; proposals are put together the same day or within 24 hours. You’ll inspire confidence as you demonstrate initiative and concern for the clients’ needs and let them know that their business is a priority.
2. Follow Up. Answer questions or concerns promptly. If you don’t have an immediate answer, research the question and contact the client promptly with the answer. Show them that their needs are important and that you are willing to take the time to provide accurate, trustworthy information and service.
3. Details Matter. We assist our clients and speakers with details such as travel, introductions, hotel confirmation and itineraries. You can provide value as you free your client from worry about arrangements and logistics and allow them to focus on their business and represent themselves positively to their peers and colleagues.
4. Expect the Best but Prepare for the Worst. When making travel arrangements, our coordinators always make sure there is a backup flight for the speaker and that everyone has necessary emergency phone numbers and travel information. Prepare for adversity and your client can relax and know that even if something goes wrong, it will be handled professionally.
5. Anticipate Needs. Before an event, we make sure to set expectations regarding speaker appearances; after an event, we check expenses to ensure that everything is billed correctly and appropriate per the contract. Think ahead so that there will be no unpleasant surprises for the client.

With a focus on clients’ needs, prompt, reliable and always-courteous service and attention to detail, you’ll serve your clients well, develop a solid reputation — and make yourself indispensable.

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You might be surprised at how many executives say they lack confidence in front of audiences and want to gain the skill.

Here’s a nerve-wracking experience that I keep in mind as I coach high-powered leaders who want to improve their presentation skills. It starts in my rear view mirror, back when I was 16 years old. Miss King – my high school business teacher – entered me in the Future Business Leaders of America speech contest. First of all, you should know that I had never given a speech before. Secondly, I was raised in a humble family in a tiny Indiana farm town, so I had no clue what topic to choose for a business speech. I certainly didn’t have any compelling business nuggets that would rock Wall Street to its core.

As the deadline to select my topic approached, and with no sudden emergence of business acuity, I chose a simple, safe speech title: Confidence is the Key. Yes, I know – my topic choice was part lame, part prophetic.

When the day of the speech arrived, I stood before the audience in my self-styled seersucker suit with a canary yellow poster as my visual. It featured a giant black key that I’d cut out of construction paper and carefully glued next to my emphatic magic marker title. You get the level of sophistication. Unlike a James Bond Martini, I was shaken and stirred as I dug deep and delivered my heart-felt message. I’ll get to the outcome of the contest in a moment – it’s pertinent, I promise.

Luckily, my grasp of presentation skills has evolved a bit since high school, so here are a few secrets to help you become a remarkably confident communicator, despite your nerves:

• Forget the underwear. The solution to overcoming nerves is not to picture the audience in their underwear – that’s a tired old tale. Instead, the smart solution is to shift your focus to serving the audience. Make this your new presentation mantra: the purpose of my presentation is the people. The people. It’s not about creating killer slides. Not about seeing how much information you can cram in. Not about whether your mouth is dry or you’re sweating through your jacket. Your mission is to create a positive experience that will influence people to act. Shift your focus to serving the audience and an amazing transformation will happen.
• Confidence is situational. If you think self-confidence and self-esteem are interchangeable words, hit the reset button. Confidence is the expectation of a positive outcome in a specific situation. It’s very different from self-esteem and your underlying sense of worth. The key to a confident presentation is to prepare for the specific situation. Smart preparation will help you wrestle your nerves to the ground. Expect a positive outcome in this one specific situation, prepare for it with a sound strategy, and you’ll achieve it. Every time.
• Lacking confidence is selfish. You read that right. It sounds harsh, so let me explain. If you lack confidence in a presentation it means that you’re focusing your attention squarely on yourself. Everyone gets butterflies before presenting. I know I still do. But butterflies are actually a good sign because it means that you’re taking the presentation seriously. You have a choice: you can let the butterflies undermine the situation by focusing on your own feelings — or you can use them as an edge to redirect your focus and take your audience to a higher level.
• Forget perfection – think excellence. Please understand that this is a huge statement coming from a recovering perfectionist. When you stop worrying about being flawless, people will start relating to you. Aim for excellence instead of absolute perfection. Truth be told, people see right through the illusion of perfection anyway and value genuine, relatable human beings, warts and all. Spewing endless, perfect factoids with a flawless style leaves people cold and that’s a confidence killer.
• Don’t slip into “presentation mode.” Do you morph into a faux-heavyweight version of yourself when you present? Stay centered. You’re good enough. If there’s a glitch, stay light and handle it graciously or humorously. Turn mistakes into advantages. You’ll light a fire by aiming for people’s hearts, not their heads. Take the pressure off of yourself and see how much better people respond to you. Isn’t that the point of business communication – getting a positive response?

Since you’ve stuck around this long, I’ll share how my high school business speech contest ended. The 16-year-old mini-me surprised myself by winning the state and regional contests with my Confidence is the Key presentation. I then packed up my poster board and boarded my first-ever airplane to the national finals where I became the top loser in America. In other words, I was first runner-up nationwide. The judges chose an experienced eighteen year with big city business ideas as the top Future Business Leaders of America speech winner.

Rightfully so. The winning speech was content-rich and well-delivered. I learned that content and delivery are equally important to your success and I’m passionate about sharing the secrets to reaching this presentation nirvana with executives today.

Clearly, confidence is a key to success. But I don’t recommend a goofy poster board.

For additional information on Connie Dieken, call Executive Speakers Bureau at 901-754-9404

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