The Hidden Customer

The Secret To Success with Antonio T Smith Jr

Episode Summary:

In this episode, we dive into the often-overlooked distinction between your product and your true customer, and how shifting your marketing efforts can unlock new revenue streams. Learn how to identify your real target audience and protect your product's value while maximizing profits in unexpected ways.

To contact Antonio T. Smith Jr.

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniotsmithjr

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Understanding Assets and Liabilities

• Basic Principle:
• Money coming in is good (asset), and money going out is bad (liability).
• Protect your business assets by focusing on keeping money in the system.

The Role of the Customer in Business

• Customers vs. Products:
• Your real customers may not always be the direct consumers of your product.
• Example: In a school, students are not the customers; they are the products. The real customers are the parents who pay tuition.
• Protecting the Product:
• Maintaining the value and reputation of your product is essential to long-term success.
• For schools, ensuring students attend and perform well enhances the institution’s reputation, allowing for higher tuition rates.

Marketing Strategy Shift

• Focus on the Right Customer:
• Shift your marketing efforts toward the true customer (e.g., parents in a school system) rather than the end-user (students).
• Understanding this distinction can help refine your marketing message and drive more engagement and revenue.
• Example of Misunderstanding Marketing:
• Schools may focus too much on students (product) when they should be focusing on parents (customer) to increase enrollment and retention.

Understanding Value from a Business Perspective

• Customer Satisfaction vs. Profit:
• Sometimes, businesses must choose between customer satisfaction and profits.
• Example: Rolling blackouts in Houston are a business decision made to save money, even though they affect customer service negatively.
• The Power of a Captive Audience:
• When your product or service is a necessity (like toll roads or public utilities), customers have limited choice, allowing you to prioritize profit over customer service.

Leveraging Attention Over Money

• Social Media as Currency:
• Engagement, even from non-buyers, helps boost visibility through algorithms.
• Social media interactions (comments, likes) are valuable even if the person doesn’t make a purchase, as they help push content higher in feeds.
• Unwitting "Interns":
• People who engage with your content but don’t buy are still valuable as they help with visibility, essentially acting as unpaid promoters.

Shifting Mindsets in Business

• Wealthy vs. Middle-Class Thinking:
• The middle class often thinks in terms of solving problems (like traffic or inefficiency), while the wealthy think about how to profit from those problems.
• Example: Instead of complaining about traffic, view each car on the road as a source of revenue through tolls.
• Exploiting Inefficiencies:
• Find ways to monetize systems others may view as inefficient or problematic, such as toll roads or subscription services.

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