The CEO was intrigued when the caller suggested he could more than double his company’s profits.
The marketing guru on the phone said “If you pay me $1 million I’ll give you two words which will more than double your bottom line.”
Of course the boss had heard this type of pitch before and certainly wasn’t going to be taken in – and said so.
“OK” said the marketing man “If you don’t like that offer I’ll make you another. I’ll tell you the two words provided you agree to pay me $2 million if ever you use them.”
“That sounds like a deal to me. Go ahead and tell me the two words. If we use them we’ll pay you the $2 millions.” said the CEO.
“Deal” said the marketing guru. “That shampoo you make. Take a look at the back of the bottle and read where it gives the instructions for use. Right now it explains the user should wet the hair, then massage the shampoo into the scalp and rinse with clean water. At the end of that instruction I want you to add my two words.”
“Sound good to me” said the CEO. “Which are the two words?”
“THEN REPEAT”
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{ 4 comments }
Lovely story. I was once told the following by a Colgate-Palmolive exec. Similar setup, $1 million to increase product sales by 50%.
How? The business advisor said “Make the hole in the end of the toothpaste tube larger”.
Hi Steve, thanks for stopping by and taking the trouble to comment.
I just love these stories but can't for the life of me remember where I heard this one. It obviously has the same root as yours.
It probably came up on one of those sales training courses so many years ago, but seems more apposite today, I think, because some people make things complicated.
I'll have to dredge my brain to see if I can't remember some more. They surely help in the search for engaging content that's fun to read and easy to write.
Steve
Lovely story. I was once told the following by a Colgate-Palmolive exec. Similar setup, $1 million to increase product sales by 50%.
How? The business advisor said “Make the hole in the end of the toothpaste tube larger”.
Hi Steve, thanks for stopping by and taking the trouble to comment.
I just love these stories but can't for the life of me remember where I heard this one. It obviously has the same root as yours.
It probably came up on one of those sales training courses so many years ago, but seems more apposite today, I think, because some people make things complicated.
I'll have to dredge my brain to see if I can't remember some more. They surely help in the search for engaging content that's fun to read and easy to write.
Steve
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