Sampling is universal

Sampling is a very powerful type of performance predictor. There is no better way to 'fast forward a prospective customer into the future' than to actually allow them to experience the product or service first hand.

Last night I was part of an informative teleconference call hosted by Results Coaching Systems. The teleconference itself was a performance predictor for the organisation - professionally conducted, innovative and contained experiential content. However, the closing offer proved to me that sampling is universally possible, even in the case of a highly intangible service like business coaching.

All participants on the call where offered a sample 1.5 hour coaching session with a Results Coach. No cost, no obligation. The message was simple - try out one of our coaches for yourself so you can experience how good we really are.

All that glitters is not gold

As consumers, we are attracted to products and businesses because of the glitter, sizzle and bling. We are driven by emotion first, and logic later.

Whilst presenting a professional image is a performance predictor in its own right, it should not be the only performance predictor your business offers. You might be successful in the short-term, but glitter with no gold is not sustainable.

I agree with Lynn Upshaw, in his book Truth: The New Rules for Marketing in a Skeptical World when he cites "offering only products and services that perform so superbly that they generate their own marketing momentum, above and beyond formal marketing efforts" as an astute tactic.

Increasingly, consumers are scratching the surface to see what is hidden under the glitter. After all, nobody wants to be caught with fools gold.