In 1975, Jay Abraham went to work for Entrepreneur Magazine just as it was launching. The concept of entrepreneurship was so novel that few people even knew the meaning of the word. So Jay printed the definition and phonetic pronunciation of “entrepreneur” on the outside of the magazine’s envelopes. Through his cutting-edge approach to marketing, Jay grew Entrepreneur Magazine by a factor of nine over the course of the next year. He accomplished this feat for almost no cost by redeploying the magazine’s content into start-up manuals and then taking those manuals and turning them into educational courses on entrepreneurship. He got everything he could out of everything Entrepreneur Magazine had to offer. It was the last “job” Jay Abraham ever had.
From there, Jay began advising businesses on how to do what he had done at Entrepreneur Magazine—get everything they could out of all they had. Over his thirty year career, he has served over 10,000 clients in 500 industries. He is widely considered one of the greatest marketing minds alive today.
Jay has used his broad knowledge to craft an overall marketing philosophy that can benefit any business. This philosophy hinges on three essential concepts: Preeminence, Preemptive Marketing, and Strategy Over Tactics. Employing these concepts can help you enrich your life and maximize your business in ways you never thought possible.
PREEMINENCE: The YOU Attitude
In his bestselling book Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got, Jay defines Preeminence as “the ability to put your clients needs always ahead of your own.” It is the foundational lifeblood of any successful business.
Preeminence is based on the YOU attitude. The client is the center of attention. Their needs and problems become more important than your own. Companies that achieve Preeminence and become the leaders in their industries always put their clients’ needs first. In this way, they inspire trust and loyalty and build deep, lasting relationships.
In Jay’s seminars and workshops, Jay practices Preeminence by first going around the room and asking each attendee to share their biggest business problem, challenge, or opportunity. He listens closely to his audience. Then, Jay re-articulates each client’s issue in a clear, concrete way. This process can take hours, but Jay maintains that it’s worth it.
“The moment that I express [the client’s] issue in a solid, tangible way, you can see their body language change. Their eyes sparkle, their shoulders relax, their mouths smile (even when the feedback is negative), because for the first time in a long time, somebody puts into words what is driving them batty.”
Jay describes this YOU Attitude as a form of “sincere hopefulness.”
“It’s the hope you have for your prospect or your client that, through your contribution, expertise, and efforts, they will have a better, safer, happier life.” Preeminent businesses contribute and add value to their clients’ lives in ways no one else thinks to do.
Jay recommends simple, concrete actions to begin building Preeminence for yourself and your business. “Think about the different people you deal with. Think about them one at a time. Then focus on what the person’s real need in dealing with you is. What results are they truly after? Connect more compassionately, respectfully, and loyally to that person. Then see what a dramatic difference it makes in the way they respond to you.”
PREEMPTIVE MARKETING: Think Different
All businesses market themselves, but the effectiveness of that marketing varies widely. Jay emphasizes the importance of Preemptive Marketing, which anticipates the needs and problems of the client, puts the client first, and is different, innovative and surprising.
“Preemptive marketing drives you to look at the relationship with a fresh set of eyes from a different vantage point. You look at what you can do or contribute right now to gain [customers’] trust and to make a big enough difference in their lives that you receive their time and attention.”
The first step is discovering what makes your business superior to the competition. What is the distinct advantage you have to offer that is different from everyone else? Jay calls this advantage a company’s Unique Selling Proposition, or USP.
The second step is to employ “strong risk reversal”. Jay describes this step, “Assume the risk in every transaction you have with your clients. Let them know that, if they are ever dissatisfied you will give them their money back, redo the job at no charge, or whatever else it takes to demonstrate your total, passionate commitment to their satisfaction.”
Jay employs a unique marketing approach in his seminars that is designed to eliminate reservations and misgivings in prospective clients. Before he asks anyone to commit to a seminar, he sends out a short education course for no cost or commitment. He shares over five hundred testimonials that prospective clients are encouraged to verify. If clients like what they see, they can sign up for the seminar, but Jay and his staff hold all payments without depositing the money.
When clients finally attend, Jay lets them experience up to 50{cd266c1509fca34f59dc93da7daf12a6ee52c6401aabb2126e757d9de7c223fc} of the event before he considers their purchase binding. If at any time in the first 50{cd266c1509fca34f59dc93da7daf12a6ee52c6401aabb2126e757d9de7c223fc} of the event, a client decides they are not getting what they paid for, they can walk away—no questions asked, no charge.
“We want to be the ones investing in them. If it doesn’t work out, we’re the losers, not they. It’s a mindset that translates to almost everything we do,” says Jay.
By utilizing these two steps, defining what makes your business unique and removing risk for your clients, your business will rise high above your competitors. This kind of Preemptive Marketing coupled with a commitment to Preeminence will guarantee that your business performs and delivers a higher level of satisfaction than ever before.
Strategy Over Tactics
Jay says that one of his biggest frustrations is the way in which people tend to think tactically instead of strategically. “If you’ve ever watched a master play billiards, you see that every shot they take is designed to set up the next.” Always thinking of the next step is key to a strong business strategy.
According to Jay, most entrepreneurs fall into the trap of thinking tactically. They create the best marketing materials, ads, or mailings for their products or services, but they fail to create a long term strategy that fully exploits those efforts. They focus on the details of execution instead of the Big Picture.
“It’s as if you said I’m going to build a house, and I want to have a room here, a room there, and I don’t really care about having plumbing or bathrooms or a kitchen. I just want a couple of really cool rooms.” Jay encourages entrepreneurs to focus on long term strategy instead of individual initiatives and their execution.
Strategic thinking begins with goals. Set goals for yourself that are clear, specific and attainable. Jay adds, “Make your goal one that causes a smile to automatically appear on your face.” Goals should inspire and motivate you.
But robust goals aren’t enough to maximize your business. “Once you decide on a specific goal, you can’t just squint your eyes and look up to heaven for divine inspiration,” says Jay. You must reverse-engineer your goal. Begin at the end with the specific outcome you are seeking. Then work your way backward from that outcome by thoroughly evaluating all the steps you must take to get from where you are to where you want to be.
“Without a clear destination and a precise road map for getting where you want to be, you’ll never maximize your potential income or success. But follow a good clear map with completely detailed travel instructions and your journey will be highly rewarding. When you become strategic, you always improve your results.”
Get Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got
By practicing Preeminence, Preemptive Marketing, and Strategy Over Tactics, Jay has guided thousands of entrepreneurs in growing their businesses by leaps and bounds.
Jay sums up his personal mission, “I want every day to be a day of joy and enrichment that advances you to the maximum along the success path you want to pursue, on whatever you define as enjoyment and enrichment.”
By putting the needs of your clients front and center, you put your business on the path to Preeminence. You build trust with your clients that leads to repeat business and long term, close connections. By discovering your Unique Selling Proposition, you set yourself apart from your competitors and offer your clients value they can not get anywhere else. And then, by employing strong risk reversal, you remove any objections clients may have about working with you. Finally, by always thinking long term, developing inspiring, concrete goals, and then reverse-engineering a road map from your goal to where you are now, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.
For Jay, the possibilities are always endless. “There are no rules. It’s only what works for you provided it’s moral, ethical and legal. Learn from yourself. You have benefited from all your experiences and they are translatable to other experiences. For you, I want every day to be a day of joy and enrichment that advances you to the maximum along the success path you want to pursue.”