Jay Abraham

520 Pages·2003·1.96 MB·English

Jay Abraham

Marketing Strategy Diagnostic
Assessment Results

VOLUME II

This 1500+ page report contains the
confidential results of a survey of over 3000
business owners and entrepreneurs on
marketing strategy and the implications on
their business.

I guarantee it will change the way you think
about your marketing strategy.

© 2003 The Abraham Group – All Rights Reserved.
Table of Contents

Question 31. Whose business strategy do you most admire and why?......................................................527
Question 32. Is customer lifetime value (marginal net worth) reshaping your marketing strategy?
If so how?............................................................................................................................................547
Question 33. What’s the most advanced marketing concepts or tools you use to sell more products
to more people? Describe briefly below..............................................................................................565
Question 34. Who is the most masterful business or marketing strategist you’ve ever known?
How did he/she best apply their strategic genius? Describe their biggest strategic “coup.”...............585
Question 35. Do you have a profitable business/marketing strategy for the internet? If “yes”
describe briefly below.........................................................................................................................604
Question 36. How do you explain your marketing strategy to someone outside your industry (i.e.,
at a party), keeping it as simple as possible?.......................................................................................614
Question 37. Now describe your marketing game plan in one sentence..................................................638
Question 38. Describe the different marketing tactics you successfully use.............................................656
Question 39. What do you think are the Strategic benefits of each tactic?................................................676
Question 40. What are the Advantages people choose your company/product or service by (i.e.
your USP)? Define briefly...................................................................................................................695
Question 41. What sequential marketing (if any) does a prospective client get when initial contact
is made vs. when they buy your product/service?...............................................................................720
Question 42. What marketing efforts/activities do you want to be doing right now that you are
not? Why?...........................................................................................................................................739
Question 43. Describe your competition and any effective marketing strategy or tactic they use
that you don’t......................................................................................................................................763
Question 44. Do you have a long-term written marketing game plan----if so, include a written
copy as an attachment with this questionnaire? How do you accomplish your marketing
goals?...................................................................................................................................................786
Question 45. Briefly describe the complete strategic marketing cycle from generating the lead
through to closing the sale on to requesting repurchase and all follow-up referral generating
that you do...........................................................................................................................................791
Question 46. How do you currently prospect and generate for new first time buyers?.............................831
Question 47. What frequency of communication do you have with your prospects, active or
inactive clients/buyers? What forms do they take (call, visit, letter, etc.)?.........................................852
Question 48. What tactics do you use to overcome frequently posed objections?....................................874
Question 49. What is your strategy for reclaiming windfall profits from prospects you don’t sell
or close?..............................................................................................................................................897
Question 50. Describe five of your most formidable competitors and their marketing approaches..........906
Question 51. What are the top two reasons that you lose business to the competition?............................933
Question 52. How much follow-up do you do with a client---AFTER they buy? With a prospect if
they don’t purchase? And with a client AFTER they buy...................................................................954
Question 53. Do you ask for referrals, how and how often?.....................................................................974
Question 54. List three things you could do to strengthen your marketing effectiveness now..................987
Question 55. List the materials, products, programs of mine you’ve been exposed to---plus how
often, how well you’ve studied and honestly applied each one..........................................................1011

Marketing Strategy Diagnostic Assessment Results
Question 31. Whose Business Strategy Do You Most Admire and
Why?

Question 31. Whose business strategy do you most admire and why?

1. ? (13)
2. 555 Soul and Diesel they’re very unique stray from the norm and create clothes
with both character and style. They tied I-D in with their product effectively and
seem to make the wearer feel more confident and expressive.
3. A big publishing company’s strategy. They sell just business ideas instead of real
businesses. So they have an endless market of people who just want information
but don’t really want to get “dirty” doing real business.
4. A combination of Amazon.com and Land’s End. Amazon is very proactive in
recommending what I may want to purchase, based on previous purchases. They
soften the risk of mail order with free shipping—when my order reaches a cost
threshold. They offer more than books, making it easy to buy stuff online from one
site with a couple of clicks. Every once in a while a bonus product is included with a
shipment as a Thank You (and, I’m sure, a sampling strategy for another company
who paid dearly for the opportunity). They provide customer recognition, they are
pro-active in providing a meaningful benefit (free shipping!), and they communicate
when my order was shipped and how to track it. Land’s End has their brilliant
“Guaranteed. Period.” risk reversal. Their customer service people are tops, and
their service is tops. Their products are truthfully represented. They have not
strayed from their branding. I know what to expect. I am always delighted yet never
surprised when they come through.
5. Abraham & Kennedy. They work!
6. Abraham. It’s not brain surgery, and it works!
7. Abraham’s. it makes a lot of money.
8. Abrahams, it works
9. Absolute vodka
10. AFLAC - because it is memorable without being antagonizing.
11. After Jay's, it would be Tony Robbins, because he is able to create great demand
for his products and his service so that people have to work at getting what he has
to offer, whether that be coming up with large sums of money or gong long
distances to hear him.
12. Agora Publishing- because they are extremely effective at back-end and cross-over
marketing.
13. Agora Publishing. They publish several excellent, daily, free e-mail newsletters and
then advertise in the email newsletters all their fee-based newsletters and
conferences.
14. Alan Weiss – maximum leverage and long term value from each of his clients
15. Alan Weiss’ marketing gravity. Leads to warm leads and respect for him before he
even meets the client
16. ALDI – a german supermarket chain – very, very successful
17. All those people/companies who give their employees some share in equity or
profits of their venture. They thoroughly deserve all the commitment that they
inevitably receive from their staff.
18. Allen Says – creativity at the service of problem solving, an explosive marketing
mix that is ignited by viral and affiliate marketing, self propelling itself to amazing
heights.
19. Allen Says/Jay Abraham. Because they both get me to start thinking creatively, to
Marketing Strategy Diagnostic Assessment Results Page 527
Question 31. Whose Business Strategy Do You Most Admire and
Why?

realize that there are a lot more options available to me that may seem at times.
20. Amazon.com – Jeff Bezos - first to use the internet effectively
21. AMAZON.com they make it easy to shop with them
22. Amazon.com. See 17 above.
23. Amazon.com. Great site. Keep adding great ideas that make shopping an easy
and fun experience.
24. Amazon: User friendly, open, engaging.
25. Amazon’s, because Bezos is not consumed by the day to day movement of his
share price, but on building a great company and a great brand.
26. Amway. It’s success if built upon making other people successful.
27. Andy Andrews – he rose from being a storeman to Dean of the business school at
the University of the Witwatersrand – to running practical, down to earth courses for
managers on “how to manage Return on Assets Managed”, basic, really needed
skills.
28. Anglo American they minimize every outlay and maximize every return locally and
globally and always go for the residuals.
29. Anita Broderick of the Body Shop ie she really tapped into the animal friendly
products, being part of the community and giving back to the community and
having a consistent product and image.
30. Anthony Robbins and Jim Rohn. They have long lasting and varied empires with
multiple streams of income while helping and inspiring others
31. Anthony Robbins because he has created an empire from nothing.
32. Anthony Robbins because I see what it has produced.
33. Anthony Robbins, he is always looking for better ways to do what he does and he
is so strongly admired for what he does because he is so sincere.
34. Anthony Robbins, Brian Tracy, Jay Abraham
35. Any company that creates a great product, tells their customers about it and
enables them to make the “right” choice for themselves. I like it because it seems
to create a “loyal customer” who ends up being far more valueable than the “run of
the mill” customer.
36. Any company that Warren Buffet invests
37. Anybody's story of carving out a market niche and dominating it such as Jack
Welch of GE with financing and Michael Dell and building customized orders
without appreciable inventory.
38. Anyone who gives a high quality product or service for a reasonable price.
39. Anyone who has a real niche market, who has surveyed that market and then
delivers exactly what that market needs and wants.
40. Anyone who perseveres and is consistent.
41. AOL making it easy to become a client by being preloaded on computers. Plus
their service is easy to use and inconvenient to switch to a competitor.
42. Apple computer, due to their differentiation approach in pc market
43. Argent Financial Group. They are prompt and professional.
44. Artists of America because of their uniqueness and success
45. As above, Tony is the only one that springs to mind right now, because he is so
closely related to our own business. Admire Jay’s (obviously) but doubt we could
do anything that major in the short term. We don’t have the manpower.
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Question 31. Whose Business Strategy Do You Most Admire and
Why?

46. As I said AMWAY – they've made world sell for them.
47. At our level I have no knowledge
48. Barry Farber. He promotes the needs of the customer as the basis for sales. Also,
honesty, so I don’t have to remember lies.
49. Besides Jay Abraham? Corey Rudl. Because he's the best on the Internet
50. Big ticket seminar and highly paid copy writers Because of the leverage /more
money in a time a time slot -because they duplicate themselves better
51. Bill Gates
52. Bill Gates -- $$$$$$$$$$$
53. Bill Gates – he found his niche, negotiated with a heavy hand / out thought the
competition.
54. Bill Gates – he seems to be able to capture the PC market through his software.
55. Bill Gates – his success can be traced back to his childhood – he bought and sold
McGovern-Eagleton campaign buttons when he was 16 and made $20,000,
Warren Buffet – brilliant investor relies on competent honest managers, Disney –
tremendous brand recognition and entertain visitors.
56. Bill Gates – market growth, integration and domination Glen Taylor – same reasons
57. Bill Gates – phenomenal growth and shared success
58. Bill Gates because he gets results and gives back a huge portion to charity.
59. Bill Gates, because of his never-ending focus on marketing.
60. Bill Gates. A computer on every desktop running Microsoft software. A bold
statement made when computers where rare.
61. Bill Gates. He sells something that every needs and charges what he wants for it.
62. BMW – the ultimate driving machine. The company repositioned themselves in the
late 60’s as the super premium German car company. They are still regarded this
way despite selling record numbers of cars whereby in the UK they are not as rare
a site as they were many years ago. Virgin – successfully positioned themselves
as the company that takes on big business and wins by being smarter, better value
for money and more caring for their customers than rival companies in whatever
sector they go into. The whole company is built on the image of Richard Branson
yet his direct contact with consumers must be minimal.
63. Can’t really answer this one very well. We like the McDonald’s concept of prototype
development and subsequent franchise roll-out. We’d like to take that approach,
but requires the perfection of our current single depot down to a fully systemized
entity … and we have a ways to go before that’s achieved.
64. Cannot pick one.
65. Carnival cruises. They provide good service to the customers that are trapped on
the boat.
66. CDW. They have an amazing service model and always deliver what they promise.
67. Changes week by week, but I really appreciated hearing from Alex Mondossian
(marketingwithpostcards.com) and his approach. He had a lot of good ideas, and
implements them all quite effectively to my mind.
68. Charles Lewis. Starting from nothing, he has grown to be one of the most
respected and well paid photographers in the country.
69. Chet and Jay
70. Chet Holmes strategy with Jay’s tactics
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Question 31. Whose Business Strategy Do You Most Admire and
Why?

71. Chrysler.
72. Coachville – content, quality, added value
73. COCA COLA. THEY UNDERSTAND AND FOCUS ON TARGET MARKETS.
74. Companies that build quality and achieve preeminence in their field.
75. Companies that create the impression that they offer the very best products in their
field, and that they are truly customer driven
76. Corey Rudl’s, because it’s revolutionary
77. Cory Rudl because he developed the software I needed to start, grow and maintain
an internet publishing company, and I get his newsletter for ongoing help at a price
I can really afford. Plus Cory provides FREE support for his software. And he
made it much more affordable than you, Jay. I’ve paid out far higher amounts for
help from Jay Abraham, but got little tangible success back.
78. Cory Rudl’s Simple effective honest generous. Jay Abraham: Intelligent, effective,
perceptive immediately successful.. Scott Hallman: KISS. Chet: PPP
79. Craig Proctor has a system that appears to grab market share without sacrificing
margins.
80. Craig Proctor, Emyth, Dirk Zeller
81. Crispy Cream donuts- for their unique approach when they open stores.
82. Dale Carnegie – because he did it on his own and without hurting anyone.
83. Dan Kennedy, Jay Abraham - because of the creativity
84. Dan Kennedy. Low cost with measurable return.
85. Dan Kennedy’s because it’s proven to work over and over again in any business
and is time tested.
86. Dan Sullivan – teaches entrepreneurs how to continually double both income and
free time. He lives what he teaches.
87. Dee hock, management methods are light years a head of command and control,
which stifle creativity and productivity.
88. Dell Computer: Efficiency is outstanding. They attack their competitors one at a
time where they feel they can gain an advantage so they don’t over commit
themselves to multiple line extensions. Limit overhead so that they generate cash
flow even when economy slows down.
89. Dell Computer’s: because they have achieved number 1 in a very competitive
market.
90. Dell for learning and applying from larger organizations and Tesco who now have
Wal Mart to beat in the UK market.
91. DELL has done an outstanding job in manufacturing low-cost, high-quality PCs and
making it work via mail order (as opposed to opening up retail stores).
92. Dell simplicity financial soundness customer commitment
93. DELL- the best model, cleanest service
94. Dell, and Microsoft, They know their customers and seem to do well even in down
markets
95. Dell, Cisco, Microsoft, Charles Schwab. Innovative, created a business market,
continually grow market share, monopolize their category.
96. Dell; once they lead, no one can compete on price
97. Dennis Tubbergen claims to work less days every year and continuously increase
his revenues with bigger clients and more sales to those clients.
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Question 31. Whose Business Strategy Do You Most Admire and
Why?

98. Developing long term mutually beneficial relationships. This is why we are on
planet earth.
99. Dick Smith. He started with nothing but up a large business and sold it. He works
on ideas that he is passionate about and makes them work is his own unique way.
100. Did not pay attention.
101. Differentiating yourself so that you can be paid what you’re worth
102. Direct sales people (Kennedy, Abraham, North, etc.) because they constantly send
stuff and they can monitor their results.
103. Ditto.
104. Do not have real role models
105. DollarsByDesign.com It is simple, automated, easy to comprehend, and massive
106. Domino’s -- built a brand quickly
107. Don’t have any.
108. Don’t know (12)
109. Don’t know any others intimately
110. Don’t know enough yet
111. Don’t think I know enough about others to tell. I certainly admire the spare,
simplicity of Paddy Lund’s. I think reducing it to just three of four words is
wonderfully clarifying.
112. Earnst & young (Israel). They growth in 10 years from a medium firm to the biggest
firm in Israel.
113. Earthlink – they offer free time online with a CD like AOL but lack the AOL online
sense of community.
114. E-Bay…their overall niche fits the New Economy beautifully, they will grow in good
times and bad, and they deploy a lot of killer tactics
115. E-Bay…their overall niche fits the New Economy beautifully, they will grow in good
times and bad, and they deploy a lot of killer tactics
116. Edgar Schein
117. Edward Jones, Alston Byrd-atty’s
118. Endorsements. It is the smartest, fastest, and easiest way to grow a professional
services company (and others)
119. Englehard due to their product development and technical services.
120. Ethical partnerships
121. Excel - results
122. Expansion of business—profitable business
123. FED EX because the company continues to grow and deliver in a way which best
serves their clients.
124. Fed Ex, it gets done as promised
125. Fed X. See above.
126. Federal Express
127. Federal Express They seem to have the personnel, technology, and the systems all
integrated In a very cohesive way.
128. Federal Express, their slogan says it all
129. FedEx – constantly stretching the envelope, anticipating clients needs and wants
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Question 31. Whose Business Strategy Do You Most Admire and
Why?

before the client even knows them. Consummate customer service.
130. Fedex – fast and guaranteed performance Richer Sounds – customer focus and
staff development
131. FedEx and McDonalds. They live their business
132. Fedex. I’m beginning to get just a little enamored by yours.
133. Finished materials
134. Ford’s worldwide acquisition of brands – cover the market form Kia to Aston Martin
135. Four Seasons because they are at the pinnacle of the hotel and resort industry.
136. Franklin Covey
137. Gates’, i.e., in spite of Mac users, how many pc users use or have used windows?
138. General Electric. They can be in so many different unrelated fields and yet maintain
superiority in the marketplace.
139. General electric—Be either no. 1 or 2 or get out.
140. Geraint Lewis
141. Good to Great, business strategies defined. Logical
142. Guerilla Marketing – done on a shoestring and is highly creative.
143. Harvey Mackay, I think. He focuses on proactive and referral-generating tactics.
144. Harvey Mackay, Wendy Evans, Michael Gerber and Brian Tracy, we have
integrated their vision and methods into our previous success
145. Haven’t really studied business strategy
146. Haven’t thought about this.
147. Haven't really studied anyone's
148. Having attended Jay’s seminar, I always marvel at how meticulously he implements
what he has taught us in his correspondence. British Tobacco Co. in South Africa –
although I do not have an in-depth knowledge of the particulars. Also see answer to
question 22.
149. Henry Kaye, the speed and price of it.
150. Hmmm… Google’s
151. Honest, straight-forward friendship. Because it appeals to me the most.
152. Honesty, because you develop trusting relationships.
153. HP’s. Growth through great products and now gaining strength through the nearest
competitor-now-family.
154. Hubbard Foods – a NZ-based cereal producer – no advertising, very innovative
with product development and a socially responsible employer.
155. I admire companies that are selected to be the most employees and customers
friendly and on such base create their business strategy.
156. I admire how Jay Abraham consistently markets. Since day one of us opening our
doors.
157. I admire Jay Abraham’s Strategy of Pre-eminence because it keeps me on the
track of remembering that the sole objective of being in business is not to make lots
of money, but simply to make the lives of those with whom I do business better
because they met me.
158. I admire Joe Vitale because he writes well (if a bit long-winded) and his approach is
non-competitive.
159. I admire many different business’ strategy, because they are successful and are
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Question 31. Whose Business Strategy Do You Most Admire and
Why?

the market leaders.
160. I admire Nightingale-Conant’s strategy of selling products that are healthy and
positive, and that I really want to buy (because I am committed to self-
improvement, both personally and professionally). They always include a coupon or
special offers in their catalogs, and they frequently mail me offers on new or
existing programs they have. It works pretty well, as I’ve spent several hundred
dollars per year each of the past few years on their programs. Best of all, it was
through N-C that I was introduced to you, Jay. Two years later, here we are.
161. I admire the business strategy of the Mayo Clinic, which is doctor driven and
administered by the principles of the catholic church.
162. I admire what Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen are doing with The One Minute
Millionaire and Robert Kiyosaki with Rich Dad – Poor Dad, i.e., create a multi-pillar
business by starting with one book.
163. I am amazed at the power of viral marketing especially on the net. Unbelievable
returns on investment.
164. I am just starting to look at strategies
165. I am not sure (2)
166. I can’t answer this in the context of my business
167. I do admire Jim Rohn and Robert Kiyosaki. Both utilize symbiotic (Host/Parasite)
relationships.
168. I don’t know very many peoples strategies.
169. I don’t know very much about other peoples stratgey
170. I don’t know. Maybe Coke and McDonald’s.
171. I enjoy Jay’s, because it’s written intelligently, while never over or under-assuming.
Readers become their own police when they need assistance.
172. I feel I would admire anyone who can stand back and let the business run via
delegated functions.
173. I guess it is Jay’s strategy of turning small grossing businesses into profit goliaths.
174. I have one client who follows the strategy with discipline. They produce the plan
every year for the last 5 years ion terms of outcome. I admire them because they
do what it takes to achieve the plan.
175. I haven’t looked at many but I do admire Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie
because they seem to have had workable strategies that didn’t just happen by
accident.
176. I just got introduced to Jay Abraham’s concepts. I also admire Y2’s concepts and
applications.
177. I like Jay’s the best in terms of marketing because he likes to employ as many
marketing methodologies as possible. He explains them well. I like Chet’s
descriptions regarding how one should make an impact on one’s prospects.
178. I like Robert Allen’s. He gets people to love to do things for him.
179. I love the Mike Ferry system
180. I read about and admire all successful entrepreneurs. The risk takers
181. I really admire the strategy of a company named Internet Services Corp. They
market the products and services of the Old Amway Corporation and now the
Quixtar.com business. They are more in the people building business, who then
can build a bigger business. They provide the training and the environment for
people to grow. This growth includes people skills, business skills, and financial
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Question 31. Whose Business Strategy Do You Most Admire and
Why?

intelligence, and even spiritual growth.
182. I really like the things I’ve received from Jay.
183. I really like what I have learned from reading Michael Gerber and what little I have
started to learn from Chet.
184. I really would like to be able to see, with excitement again, the future of my
business. Maybe I’m just in the wrong business. I can much more easily see
myself teaching others how to connect with God/Source—than I can selling water
purification products. I am rapidly losing my motivation here. Trouble is, right now,
I don’t yet see how I can earn a living teaching others.
185. I think your Strategy of Preeminence. It’s obviously profitable, but, more
importantly, it emphasizes extreme ethical standards. That appeals to me on more
than just a profit level. It’s a way of living.
186. I very much admire Walmart. I know and am personally connected to their history.
187. I wish I could find one that would fit our service
188. I’ve admired books by J. Peterman as well as the book on the Republic of Tea.
Taking a true personal reason for building a company, focusing on extreme
customer service and building it.
189. I’ve never really looked at anyone’s.
190. IBM, McDonalds, P&G. Brand establishment and market stability.
191. IBM. They are defining problems of their prospects and positioning themselves as
the solution to these problems.
192. IBM’s because (a) they completely understand the businesses they are in and (b)
they understand what their unique strengths are. They are not price and product
dominant in each of the individual business and technology niches that they serve.
But they are the only entity that can credibly fulfill all of the customer’s individual
requirements for business and technology services today. And they are the only
entity that can credibly assure the customer they will meet their future needs as
well, no matter how diverse or large these needs are. In addition, IBM offers
single-source responsibility for the totality of the customers’ technology and, to
some extent, business operations. This means that IBM will take the initiative to
solve problems that result in ‘finger-pointing’ in the typical multi-vendor
environment. The Marsteller Advertising Agency once ran a ‘killer’ campaign for
IBM with the theme “The way we put it all together is what sets us apart.”
193. IBM-very long term Ikea or Walmart -very customer driven
194. I'm not knowledgeable about var. types of strategies.
195. In terms of brand-building: Budweiser. Their marketing approach – for a product
always so close to getting banned – strikes me as sheer genius: Their marketers
never want for great ideas for funny commercials that somehow get associated with
having a good time with Bud. In terms of direct action: Nightengale-Conant: Even if
I don’t buy a particular product, I always read through the material, and it is likely
that doing so puts me in the frame of mind to buy in the future.
196. Information guru, gives the client ability to make informed choices that usually
benefits their business and lives.
197. Intel. They built their ‘intel inside’ brand from the very start and are reaping a lot
from that early strategy.
198. Iron Mountain, as they have grown exponentially and dominate their market
199. It is all the unknown to me an dI fel inadequate about it all
200. I've not identified any other business' strategy! It all appears to be hit and miss.
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