There are no shortcuts in business. In order to be successful there are some things that you must know. These are not all of them by a long shot, but IMHO they are 6 of the most important
1. Know how to sell.
Selling means being able to convey why your product or service, which may be you if you are looking for a job, will make things better. Selling is never about convincing. It is always about helping.
2. Put yourself in the shoes of your customer
If you know how to put the person you are dealing with in a position to succeed, you can be successful. In order to do this, you must be able to quickly understand the needs and demands of that person and those of the company(s) they work for or with. Every person and industry is different. This is something that comes from investing incredible amounts of time to understand different industries , businesses, roles, and what has made them work and not work.
It is a never ending process of learning about what companies need. What people in those companies need and how they work. If you don’t understand what it takes to make the people and companies you work with better, you don’t understand how to be successful
3. Know as much as you can about technology
The beautiful thing about technology is that it changes every day. Look at any tech you can see today or have ever seen. Any tech you have read about. It was invented by someone(s). They know the product better than everyone. On the day that it is released, you are as knowledgeable about that technology as anyone else in the world. From there its just about effort to keep learning.
If you are one of the few people that know the new technologies, you are in a unique position to put yourself in the shoes of your customer(s) and determine if the new technology can be of benefit. New technologies enable change and where there is change there is opportunity. Its up to you to figure out what that opportunity is.
4. Always ask how you would design a solution if no current solution existed.
99.99pct of the things we do in business are being done the way they have always been done. No one has re imagined how things should be done. That is what successful people do. Every situation they are in they take their knowledge of the business or situation they are visiting, whether its buying a deck of playing cards, eating at a restaurant or trying to solve a problem and think about how to re invent it. They dont ask people what they would want. They envision a complete reapplication . Then they decide what to do with what they just recreated.
5. Is it the path of least resistance to something better.
Lots of people come up with ways of doing things that they think are great/amazing. What they fail to ask is whether it will make anyone else’s life better or easier. The simple test of any imagineering of a process or situation is simple. Is this the path of resistance to a better place for the user ? Yes or No.
6. Be nice.
People hate dealing with people who are jerks. It’s always easier to be nice than to be a jerk . Don’t be a jerk
Want t discuss this post with me ? I will be taking questions on cyber dust under AskMark an account I use just for Ask Me Anythings http://cyberdust.com/addme?askmark
If you want to have an AskMeAnything on Cyber Dust, hit me up there and we can tell you how
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I agree most of this point. We have to be nice for customer. He or she is a king. If we can help them. We make money.
Comment by Leny KEO -
Thanks for the tips! Very useful 🙂 /Hannah, http://bakewithhannah.com
Comment by Hannah LR -
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Mr. Cuban, I would love to tell you more about hosting you at the University of Texas at Austin for an hour.
Comment by jcanavati -
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Very well said. Great customer service plus business innovation is the key to success. I love how you emphasized “re-invention”. Our mind is so powerful that I know we can think of a brilliant idea and transform it into our own business.
Comment by Travis Martin (@mixtureofmarket) -
Reblogged this on Emergence.
Comment by chetan -
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2nd point is critical. Great businessmen have empathy- the bad ones are tone deaf.
Comment by stephencho -
#7 Read “Blog Maverick” and advice from other successful people!
Comment by dcangelo -
Mark! Your advice is so down to earth anyone can understand it – even kids. As a dad with young kids, we are desperately hoping you’ll see this and respond. We host a parenting radio show on the Gulf Coast of Florida, and we would LOVE to have you call in and talk briefly about what it takes to raise business smart kids. How can we make this happen? We realize that you are a very big fish for our small pond, but we’ll import water if we have to! Parents in Sarasota NEED to hear from YOU!
Comment by jenniandjody -
Inspiring. But there is more needed.
1. Need good health, spirit and passion.
2. Need the best ideas and the opportunity to work it out.
3. Need to meet the right people on the path of executing.
I have finished 1 and 2. Working now on number 3.
The future starts soon. Can’t wait to see it happen.
Henk J.J. Leferink
Comment by Henk J.J. Leferink (@henry2145) -
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On the money as usual, I experienced all this as a customer, before going into sales. I learned about you by accident long before the Mav’s or the Tank (you’re the most honest on the panel!). I flew to NY and back to LA with Jacqueline Sanders, then Tim and J for dinner with my wife here in Studio City. But MP3’s still suck…brilliant back in your day though! Can’t wait for the new player Neil Young has invented. Analog’s the future! Hey, vinyl has come back a bit….Thanks for sharing so much Mark
Comment by milesgt2014 -
Thanks Mark! Loved these two points the most:
#1 New technologies enable change and where there is change there is opportunity. Its up to you to figure out what that opportunity is.
#2 Selling is never about convincing. It is always about helping.
They are great concepts that I can use for a lifetime. They were really paradigm shifting for me! Cheers
Comment by YoungMoneyStartups -
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#7 Inspire people
Thank you for the pep talk, gotta a 3 day road trip coming up, and this post is lots better than the inspiration my boss gave me Sunday night.
Comment by Drink Juice (@DrinkJuice) -
Christopher Pindar, first, Mark reads this there smart one. Second, this isn’t shart tank.
Comment by hypocrisyrealized -
Charles Medlock. Calm down brother. Your main issue is negativity mixed with self-prophecy. Being nice is just a tool for getting our point across, especially in today’s ever-evolving society. Successful people usually do not respond well to hate or negativity. So if YOU want to be successful you need to evolve. Step 1. Evolve. Step. 2. More reading less talking.
Comment by hypocrisyrealized -
Thank you. Now when I become the mega super power I’m destined to become I will remember this and I won’t squash you like a bug with my greatness. No, I will let you live.
Comment by hypocrisyrealized -
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Thank you for helping others.
Comment by Kim Ryan (@delatty1) -
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Totally a great read for someone who intend to start a business like me! Hope to read more from you
Comment by julin8ng -
Good Stuff. I shared this because this is much needed information from a credible source. I am ashamed that is necessary to do so. The best companies provide the best service. The product is more than just the device. How many customers get lost on a daily basis by someone neglecting to say good morning?
I am dating myself but too many companies present good products on garbage can lids (Cosby Show Reference). Why do people tell you how great they are, when my question is does your product do what it’s supposed to and if by chance it doesn’t (worse case scenario because we know everyones product is flawless) do you have someone knowledgable and pleasant enough for me to work it out with?
It’s not enough to have one great component in business.
Business and ball work very much alike. You need a good 5 to win the chip. You gave us six but I think Dirk is worth that extra bullet. Thanks for the post.
Comment by Maximusage (@Maximusage) -
Sent from my iPad
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Comment by Sharon Webber -
Mark – I’ve always liked the concept of “hire slow & fire fast” when building a team for my business. It helps to get the right folks that are as passionate as you are + get rid of problem employees before they damage your company’s culture and work environment. I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
Comment by Matthew H Sage -
What if the end users life isn’t necessarily made better or easier but instead more interesting? At a funding precipice and wish I had your guidance!
Comment by Ashley Yann -
Being nice facilitates relationship building, and relationships are the most important part of sales. Building great relationships can get you farther than you’ll ever go without them. A decent sales person with great relationships will travel farther than a rock-star talented one with none.(because they are jerks)
Comment by MarketingUnlocked (@MarketingUnlock) -
Great post Mark. Sales is the most important function in any organization. Good sales people are a dime a dozen. Great ones are golden and can skyrocket the success of any business…. Especially a start up! Looking for any great sales people????
Comment by Susan Tierney -
Great “foundation of advice”. Technology adaption revolves around selling. But, many great ideas are never fully implemented due to businesses and consumers lack of desire to change. Even in sports. Why are we still printing paper tickets. Technology is available for a disruptive change. Are the Mavericks enticing ticket holders to go paperless? In Europe, chip technology is used in selling season tickets that not only makes the entrance into games effortless, but tracks fans spending habits at the game for further marketing opportunities,
Comment by Brad Kellmayer -
Point # 3 absolutely hits home for me. One thing immediately pops up is automation to deliver solutions easier, faster and precisely. A huge value. Every industry needs it. If you stay on top of ever evolving technology, it’s a matter of matchmaking right technology to the right solutions.
Rest of the points are age old wisdom one should incorporate nevertheless.
Thank you Mark!
Comment by Mary Nathan (@Marynathn) -
Great, love it. Point 5 reminds me of some of the tools/things we learn in Kabbalah
Comment by Emma Hall -
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Help me out here will you please – I am trying to reach out to Cuban himself with a start up proposal. How can i contact him directly ?
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 06:23:47 +0000 To: cpindar4495@msn.com
Comment by Christopher Pindar -
Thanks Mark Guess I can call you Mark since you come to my house every Friday night on channel two, very good advice. Please look at my you tube video and see if I would be a good Business person.
http://youtu.bu/4Kkv2Bv8vEg
Comment by Bobby J Gailey -
Mark â excellent! I fully agree, and like all of the points you presented. But I do have a few additions to offer as applies to making a sales presentation-pitch:
Pre-qualify the prospect.
Arrive early for your appointment and dress for success.
Greet the prospect with enthusiasm and confidence that comes from believing in what you are selling and having a strong knowledge base of the product or service and the underlying technology(ies).
Take charge of the meeting and maintain control by continual eye-to eye contact, speaking with enthusiasm and confidence, using the art of persuasion and having good posture of sitting / standing tall, never leaning forward as this is a body language sign of weakness / inferiority.
Use visual aids, charts, graphs, etc. and if possible, customized to the prospectâs circumstances.
Present each benefit (and overcome each objection with at least one benefit) you present in situation you ask the prospect to picture in his/her mind, asking for his/her confirmation that he/she sees how it is beneficial.
Understand that the sales presentation- pitch is a sequence of steps leading up the final step of the close, whereby each of those steps constitutes agreed- upon benefits thereby reducing the final step of the close to a very small step upon your summarizing what has been established and confirmed by the prospect. Sometimes you can close earlier in the process depending on the prospectâs pre-existing level of interest in acquiring the product or service.
If any further objections or second thoughts are made by the prospect, then cite examples of how other clients / customers have benefited.
Learn how to read prospectâs body language and anticipate his/her response.
Itâs all about doing oneâs homework, being fully prepared and behaving like someone whom you would like to know and buy from.
Remember that the sale does not end with the signing of a contract. For example, you want to leave a lasting positive impression of good feelings. This can be best accomplished by thanking the prospect with a firm handshake and big smile, giving him/her your business card along with applicable printed matter, a copy of the signed agreement, and your verbal confirmation of any promised follow-up actions.
Best wishes, Fred Diener
Comment by freddiener@nyc.rr.com -
Thanks for the post. Summing it up:
Business success is about being good at sales with a customer service perspective, technology focused, experience design, ease of use and polite.
Comment by Ian Robinson (@IndependentIan) -
“6. Be nice.
People hate dealing with people who are jerks. It’s always easier to be nice than to be a jerk . Don’t be a jerk”
It may be easier, but does it get the job done?
By nice, I suppose you mean direct, confident, in control, calm, patient and honest, but without getting personal or allowing yourself to be used or run over.
If nice means being positive, polite, supportive, accommodating, kind, gentle, compassionate, and encouraging: (which is what I mean by nice)
I’ve been nice all my life and no one has ever said “You’re so nice, I want you to be in charge of my stuff worth millions/I really trust your sensitivity and the nuances’ of your discriminating intellect and the patience with which you take time to explain and make everyone feel worthy and comfortable with your vision.”
The message I’ve always gotten is you need to go dig trenches or sell siding until you grow a pair.
Can you please expand upon your meaning of nice? Where, exactly is the line that puts one in charge nicely?
There are people who will frustrate anyone so badly, (my son, my brother, my dad) intentionally or not, or because they have such strong personalities, they’ve always gotten their way by dominating nice people, it is impossible to be nice to them and still do what you believe is right and responsible. ( Remember, “Road House” with Patrick Swazi? ” Be nice, until its time not to be nice.” Running a company is rougher, more grueling and excruciating than bouncing at any bar and mistakes are not tolerated.
I don’t think being a jerk or being nice is the only answer to all questions.
Like when you are confronted by investors risking one-one thousandth of one percent of their net worth against everything an inventor owns or ever will own, beating his chest about what a risk taker he is and demanding absolute control of the enterprise, the inventor created and nurtured for 15 years in order to get into the interview. Such irrationality and unfairness is difficult to deal with nicely. Inventors jump through as many hoops as investors can think of to set up, we get no thanks or appreciation for bringing our gifts to life for the good of all, and we are treated like lepers and thieves by the market. Am I saying life isn’t fair, no I’m saying life pulls your beating heart out of your chest and stomps on it, because it can.
I’ll use every bit of my strength to be nice, but I warn you, I may have nothing left to get my vision across in the form of a business plan to be written by the most biased person in the world, on any one topic, full of WAGs, to be used against me to belittle me into giving more of my project away than necessary by professionals using every trick in the book. But, I’ll be nice, as the blood runs out of my mouth.
(Watch how many people who respond to this completely miss my point (mostly in order to kiss your ass) and set me straight on some issue I haven’t even addressed.) Its really remarkable.
Comment by Charles Medlock -
if it takes all your strength to be nice, you miss the point. Being nice is good for you. Less stress. You can still do all you can on the business side. DO what you have to do. But being a jerk adds no value
Comment by CyberDust ID - Blogmaverick -
YOU FORGOT BLOW OUT WORTHLESSS COMPANY IN 98 BAG HALF AMERICA
Comment by Free Trend Alerts (@Blackboxtrends) -
I would Add #7. Surround yourself with smart, hungry, dedicated and capable people. Your employees are a major part of your success or failure equation IMHO
Comment by GateKeeper -
Excellent advice right here !
Sent from my iPhone
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Comment by Kris Seelbach -
Informative Post. Thanks Mr. Mark
Comment by Junriz Abuyabor (@Junrizabuyabor) -
You do need to know these 6 things but I would venture to say there are a few more.
Comment by andrearodge -
“Knew technologies”? The sad and obvious truth is that Mark (and many others) have their blog and social media content written and managed by others.
Make a multi million dollar deal, or write a blog post – what would you do with your time?
My suggestion to Mark’s social media manager, hire only people with excellent english written skills, and have someone else proof read all content before submitting . After all, they are represting business tycoon, Mark Cuban! If you need someone, let me know, I know some people in this industry.
Comment by Brian Larocque (@BrianLarocque) -
Thanks! Selling many goods is key to business. It’s always the first.
Comment by Choi EunJung -
Mark,
How do you feel about this article:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimkeenan/2014/08/14/how-jerks-are-outselling-selling-you-and-your-team
Scott
Comment by scottmreeves -
its wrong. Plain and simple. But it makes a good headline and got you to read it So it worked for forbes ! Remember Forbes doesnt write these types of stories to be accurate. They write them to get readers
Comment by CyberDust ID - Blogmaverick -
Mark I want to mention that when learning new technology see if it can help your business.
Jak
Comment by yaakov antokol -
Heads up from #MM — Point Number 3: “Knew” or “New technologies…”
It is nice to see you reference the term: Path of least resistance.
The path of least resistance is by far the hardest thing for entrepreneurs to overcome.
Finding their way – we talk about that as well: http://www.meiermarketing.com/investment-development/
Comment by Corinne Meier (@MeierMarketing) -
You’ve always been pretty nice Mark. Did you have to be vicious when you first started out?
Comment by AlphaWolf -
Thanks Mark.
Appreciate you taking the time to teach us.
Comment by Hazza Jay -
LOVE this post!
Comment by Tom David -