The Customer Is NOT Always Right…
What's going on, everyone? This is Steve Larsen. I have a little bit of an unfortunate episode.
Welcome to “Sales Funnel Radio” where you’ll learn marketing strategies to grow your online business using today’s best internet sales funnels and now here’s your host, Steve Larsen.
Hey guys. I am ... I love podcasting, I love talking with you guys, and it's been fun. I feel like ... especially the last week because I've been traveling, going around all over the place, I've had a chance to meet a lot of you and it's been a whole lot of fun.
Okay, this is gonna be a little bit of a ... I don't know how to say this. I know that what I put out there, there's not many other people who are. I know that. I'm not cocky about it, but I know it. I don't know anyone else who delivers to the level that I have been. I don't know any ... You know what I mean? I'm not saying I'm the best. I'm not saying that I'm ... I'm not drinking my own Kool-Aid. I'm very against that also, but when someone gets sassy with me and saying that I'm not delivering. That's saying that.
I know that I am. That is one of the fastest ways to piss me off. It's funny because Russell's actually the exact same. He and I had many conversations about it when we were ... I put so much heart and soul. I am not with my family right now. I'm not with them for a solid week because I'm going out and doing things that frankly, there's a few things I know that I really wish they had gone better that I didn't get paid what I know I was worth, but I did ... You know what I mean?
That's fine. That's fine. I'm not trying to drink my own Kool-Aid again, but when someone comes out and they start taking advantage and acting like I owe them something that pisses me off faster than anything else on this world. I owe nothing to anybody. You know what I mean? Because it's so deep seeded in my brain to over deliver stuff, I'm fearful. It's a fear I have. Maybe it's a false belief I have that I have to over deliver on a massive scale constantly. Anyway.
I have been chatting with somewhat of an angry customer. They bought one of the $100 funnels. Guys, I took down all of the $100 funnel options. The reason I did it is because I didn't like the client that was being attracted to that. My stuff is worth way more than $100. I don't even start talking with someone to build their funnel unless it's at least a 50 to $100,000 range with royalties in the back.
$100 funnel? Not a huge fan of who that attracts. I'm not saying that everyone's that way. I am not blanket statement. I know that everyone's different.
Everyone's got that, but unfortunately, there's been a few instances where it's attracted an individual that believes that $100 is a billion dollars, and I owe them my life. No. That's extremely cheap. It should be way more than that. You know what I mean?
Anyway, I just wanted to read without actually ... I'm not gonna tell you who it is that was saying this. I'm gonna keep confidences. I'm gonna keep ... But I want to read a little bit of an email strand that's been going on back and forth with somebody who ... Man, I'm trying to bite my tongue, guys. I'm not much of a swearer, but holy crap. Oh, my gosh. There's a few parts I didn't record of this. I was pissed and still am. I'm gonna record it in the heat of this, which may be the best thing. Anyway.
Please understand as I read this, whoever said the phrase that "The customer is always right" got straight A's in school, read about business, but never did it and has no idea what the freak they're talking about. The customer is not always right. They are not always right. If you want to work with your dream client, it also means that you don't work with other clients on purpose. I am probably one of the only people I know who is willing to fire a customer, a customer.
I don't give a crap if you have the money to spend to actually buy my thing or hang out with me. If you're a jerk or an id' or you're a pri', my gosh, I will give you your money back and I will fire you. What a concept. I don't get ... Oh, man ... Okay. I'm gonna reign it back, reigning it back.
I'm not talking like you, the listeners, if you're this individual just so you know, but I'm fired up. I want you to know why and I hope that you ... What I'm trying to do is I'm trying to elevate the customer that you work with and treat yourself well because there are jerks. There are idiots. There are people out there who want to take advantage of you every single straw that they can and protect yourself and be okay with that.
Don't just work with anyone. If you're trying to get cash, I understand that you need to do that. I understand. I did that for a long time, too. But, man, you get to the spot though where you're like, "You know I actually could choose who I work with." It's amazing to do that.
I'm gonna go ahead and read this. I just increased my support so this guy said he sent an email a couple days ago. I didn't see it. I apologize. Emailing me directly, PM'ing me directly, going straight to me on Facebook that's not my support; that's me. You know what I mean? Sometimes people will send messages directly to me. I am not my own support because I'm focusing on building cool stuff. I'm not my own support.
I'm very involved with it, but I'm not. Anyway...
He kept sending me personal messages. I hadn't got a chance to look at my messages for a while. Anyway, he said, "This is the second email in four days. I ordered" ... There was a funnel on there that was for 100 bucks called the smartphone insurance funnel. He said, "I only received one funnel. It was supposed to be three. I didn't receive the marketing course and you weren't funnels to model or the affiliate insurance companies to work with. This is supposed to be a done for you funnels. It's not."
"I hope the MLM funnel system coming out on Thursday delivers what it's promising." I was like, "What on Earth?" ... This is my response, "Hey, man, I'm totally confused. I don't offer what you just described," which is true. I was like, "What are you talking about? I don't give any of that stuff." I said, "The smartphone insurance funnel comes alone, not with three. None of my sales material has ever talked about a marketing course or affiliate companies to work with."
Getting in more details. "I've had an issue with a few idiots stealing my stuff and then posing as me. Pisses me off. They're jerking around with my name and my brand. Can you give me more info so I can nip this?" I was trying to be open and real and just let him know what's going on. Not trying to be, "Thank you for your concern. A customer service representative will get back to you within a few hour." You know what I mean? I hate that crap; just be real. Anyway.
He sent a few screenshots over. I realize that some sales copy that I had written had talked about him getting what he was talking about, but it was never intended ... I was never ... What he bought, never came with these other things, ever. Ever. All the other people that ever got it, it never came with those thi' ... That was not a part of it.
Says that there's a traffic course for 297. Says this, says this and I was like ... He took screenshots. He sent it over. I was like, "Oh, crap. He's right," and I knew that. I admitted it. I said, "Whoa. What the? What's wrong? That was never part of the funnel or the offer. It's just the funnel that I built. I'll go hit it with a hammer." I was trying to keep it light. I said, "Thanks for showing me." I said, "Weirdness. That's weird." That was kind of it. I thought that that was it, but apparently, it wasn't it because that ... I don't know how long. That was a couple weeks ago.
I just got this scathing email...
Holy smoke. I'm gonna go ahead and read it here. I'm gonna switch some names. I'm gonna switch some things so that there is some ... Anyway. I also wanna tell you the story of why I'm telling you this in just a moment. There's a reason for this. I'm not trying to just throw rocks here. Part of me is though. Okay. I'm human. I'm ticked. All right.
She said, "Hey, Steve, I just got off the phone with so and so. He's a so and so here in so and so." Okay. Anyway. "I had to cancel his monthly lunch with some friends." I'm changing stuff here, so you see. Okay? Anyway. He said, "Apparently, it's too cold for finger" ... Anyway. He's kinda throwing some stuff around. I think he was trying to stay up and fluffy, but he definitely did not.
He said, "But I digress. I know you're in the middle of your MLM Recruiting Funnel launch, and I'm sure you're quite busy. I was really looking forward to jumping on board. I love the MLM concept, but I've always thought there's gotta be a better and much faster way to do it. I passed on purchasing the funnel because of this whole smartphone insurance funnel issue, but I'm confident we can figure this out together." I'm like, "Ew, okay."
"In the last email you sent in regards to the smartphone insurance funnel package I purchased, you said you were going to quote, unquote 'hit it with a hammer.' I'm not really sure what that means, but you didn't go into detail, so I guess I'll have to guess/multiple choice style put this, so you can pick. Deal? Awesome."
"Did you mean A) Sorry, sucker. You lose. I got you. That's called bait-and-switch, son. Caveat emptor. Welcome to the big leagues, kid. Or B) You know what, dude? I know. This is totally my fault. I'm so sorry, but I'm not going to do this so to try and make it right, I'm gonna refund you your total purchase. Keep the funnel with the WordPress template. I'm gonna show you I'm a legit dude, and I wanna offer you 50% discount off of my MLM funnel." I don't discount price, so you guys all know that. There's some reasons why. It's because of an offer. I give way more than it's worth.
He says, "I like making things right when I can. Hopefully, you'll get in, and I really look forward" ... He's talking as if he's me. "I look really forward to doing business with you and maybe meeting with you in an event."
"Or C) Hey, what's up, bro? What's with all the" ... Anyway, he's skinning some stuff about his location as trying to be a jest so I'm not gonna say it. He said, "Now you get a taste of what's going on here every year; lol." Of course, he's trying to act like he's cool. "Of course, I'm gonna do what's right here and give you everything I promised. Not just because I'm a super awesome dude, but because I'm honest and have what is sometimes rare in business: integrity. Bam. Not to mention the whole truth in advertising thing. I don't want the FTC all over my rear end." Give me a break.
"Since I'm starting to own my business, I've learned that reputation is what you live by and die by so heading your way is three funnels that I advertise: the traffic course, the upsales, the affiliate companies I recommend, the other goodies and resources. Oh, and I'm a straight shooter man. I want people to know that. Oh, and since you didn't get on the MLM package, you should have. Duh. I understand, so I'm gonna extend the $9.95 intro rate to you again. I want people like you in my group."
"I'm glad we worked everything out. Come by and say, 'Hey, man' at the next events. My man, take your pick. I know this may seem a little silly, but I just need some clarity on some action, so I can ... gonna take. Stay warm. Thanks for the time." Says that.
I was like, "Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh." And I started swearing in the car. Are you freaking kidding me? Are you freaking kidding me? My funnels, besides Russell himself, I don't know a human on planet Earth that has built more than me. I don't say it to be cocky. I say it to be real. My funnels kick butt. I know they do and I'm trying to tell him what he bought and what he's trying to go for ... It doesn't come with those things.
I said, "Ha-ha. It's C, but I'm also a person who works with my dream client. Those other things were not part of the smartphone insurance funnel so I didn't give 'em to you. I'll refund you, but I also don't want you in the MLM stuff if that's the attitude over this." Guys, I'm fired him. Checkmate. "I constantly over deliver my audience and have full, clear conscience about what I do. Your refund is submitted, but it takes a few days. Stay classy, Steve."
Holy crap. Only do stuff with the people that you want to. It doesn't matter. You having the cash to do something with me is not enough payment anymore. You know what I mean? I'm preaching in the choir, you guys. "Sales Funnel Radio" listeners, you guys are all awesome. I love meeting you guys. You're all awesome. You get it. You're into it.
I over deliver. I constantly try to. It is probably a - I don't know - it's a complex I have over this thing, but the customer is not always right. It is not always right. They are not. Whosever said that, this is the most false crap on the planet.
You're saying I gotta bend backwards at all times when I already know my offer does that for them? When I ... No. No. No.
That's not what this is. That's not how I do this. That's not why I do it. I'm telling you this story because there's been tons of moments where someone'll reach out and they act like they are God's gift to me. They are not. They are human. I am human. You said you had money. I said, "I have an offer that I know over delivers and it'll work more than I'm asking you for anyway." I go and I hand it over to 'em and then you act like you own me. No.
You need to do the same thing in your business, guys. I did that for three years. I did not work with my dream client. I worked with tons of start-ups. It's nothing against start-ups, but I was working with people who were not my dream client. I understanding my previous self.
I understand people might not know who you are. I understand y'all gotta start where you are and I know a lot of people here, you are staring out, which is brand new, which is great, but man, understand the customer is not always right. Your offer is your offer. That's what you gave them and that's what they get.
As part of the offer, I make sure I over deliver so that my conscience is so clear, guys. I have no, no at all regrets about what I do, what I sell, who I help, who I don't help and I fire the people that I don't want to work with. Life is short. Work with those you want to.
Your happiness, guys ... I have worked with some clients and it has been an amazing experience. It has been and amazing experience.
When we were building for guys like Marcus Lemonis and huge guys, huge guys. It's so cool because they are where they are because they also understand this. I've never met someone who is really, really big who also drinks their own Kool-Aid. I've never met someone that does that. I've never met anybody who goes out ... Now they might ... I'm not saying they don't know that they're not good. They're very clear on the fact that they know they're good. They are confident.
They have absolutely certainty about their abilities, but they are als' ... There's a difference between that and drinking your own Kool-Aid and throwing it in other people's faces.
There are a few people who make it there, but not as many as you might think. It's funny because a lot of attention goes to those people because they got a lot of publicity and stuff like that, but a lot of the people that I going and I was building with and building for, like huge guys. I've built for some amazing people. They understand that these funnels we build together.
What's sexy about 'em is that they're a system. Set it and forget it. Walk away. One and done. There's some elements to that, but there's this other element that messes the whole thing up called the human element. We all mess up. Every one of us is a human and treat each other that way. Don't you dare go around acting like everyone owes you everything. You're never gonna get anywhere in life. You'll never gonna get anywhere in life. Be humble about it. I try and take that stance from it. Am I always? No. Am I fired up? Oh, my gosh. I am biting my tongue so hard right now.
Every time I've made any leap in my career, you guys, it attracts people that I wanna work with and it attracts people who I might not wanna work with yet. They're not quite in the spot where I'd wanna work with them yet. I'm not talking about money. That's the funny thing. It's this X factor.
I got offered 100 grand to build a funnel a couple months ago for this sure thing. It was getting me royalties for life. It was this killer topic and niche inside of Amazon. I knew I could blow it up. It had nothing to do with money at that point. It had nothing to do with my ability to blow it up. It had nothing to do with my ability. I know I could kill that. I know I could do amazing with it. I hated who the individual was. Not them as a person, but their attitude towards me was ridiculous. I don't know if they were trying to come off super confident because they thought that's what it took to make big deals. I don't know if it was ... I don't know what it was. I have no idea what it was, but I fired him.
You guys, this business and this whole, all of it, life is short. Don't work for clients that you're hating. If you're hating 'em, what a concept. Fire them. Money's not enough. Your life can be very blissful or a living hell based on the client that you have. Not so much the money.
I've seen too many people climb a business, build a business, build something that's amazing; huge value. But they deliver for clients that they actually hate and they wake up every day and they're like, "Oh, my gosh. I hate what I do. I hate my customer. I hate my client. I hate doing what I" ... It's not worth it. It's not worth it.
I'm not saying it's not a lot of money, but really it's not a lot of money over this dispute. 100 bucks over this whole thing? Holy crap. Here you go. Refund. I don't want you as a customer anyway. That kind of attitude? We're done, anyway. You know what I mean?
I know my stuff delivers so it's not about me getting the cash anymore. It's do you wanna go get the result? I know my product delivers. It has nothing to do with the 1000 bucks at that point, which is what I sell it for. It has everything to do with who do I want to work with and surround myself around. That routinely over and over and over again was one of the biggest things. I saw all these huge guys doing. It's not so much even more about ...
When money's no longer option. No, I mean ... is no longer the threat in your life. When money is no longer the thing you're like, "Oh, my gosh. How do I get the next piece of cash?" I get that. I get it, but take that element out. What does your life look like? Who are you around? Are you enjoying it? Are you happy? Is there stuff going ... You know what I mean? That is the long-term play for your life. That makes this whole thing worth it.
You can make cash, guys, using something like the "Expert Secrets" formula for how to create offers. That's incredible. That'll make you money. Making the money when it no longer is the issue, then it's like, "Oh, my gosh. What's the follow-up thing in my life I'm trying to solve? What's the thing? I'm wanna surround myself with amazing people. I'm wanna surround myself with people who give. I'm wanna surround myself with people who want to change the world like I do."
I wanna change the world. I don't know how. I just know I do. I'm trying to figure it on the way. Every single person who gets around me who is trying to take and always take and never give, it turns into this drag. It will slow you down. It will kill your momentum. You'll sit down and you'll ...
Guys, we had people like that several times who popped up in ClickFunnels sphere when I was over there. I can't talk about that stuff. I'm not going to, but man, we always had to take five. We would say a certain phrase, which is: "Some people's children." We would play some freaking Seven Nations Army. We'd dance around. We'd shake it off and we'd say, "My word. I hope that there are better people out there." There are. We know there are.
Honestly, I believe most people are good. I believe ... It's hurt me many times, but my attitude is innocent until proven guilty on pretty much all of humanity, all humanity. Some people ... I know it's a weakness sometimes. I've been taken advantage for it many times, but I would rather error on that side then you treat everyone like they're a contract.
You're not gonna create a real relationship with somebody by saying, "But you said this here and you said that there and you said that." What? You're gonna ... contract your way into a friendship with somebody. Come on. It's doesn't work that way. Anyway. This had nothing to do with funnels, but actually, it has everything to do with funnels.
Go build a business that you not only can make money from, but you like being in. I have never met anyone who is successful in this who doesn't marry their business a little bit. You gotta be a little bit of a monomanic so you're gonna go be a monomanic in an environment that's terrible and toxic and awful and not a fun thing? I've done that many times. It's awful and it's one of the reasons I'm so passionate about not working with people I don't want to. I don't care. I don't give a crap if you have the cash. It's no longer about that.
It's about who do want to work with? What do you want to surround yourself with? What is the environment? What are the people you want to be around? You get really serious about that. What's your environment worth to you?
I'll tell you a good environment will accelerate your success pretty much more than any course or book or anything else in your life. You'll learn how to self-teach. You'll learn how to be self-fulfilling. You'll learn how to do those things on your own because you have the environment to do them, to learn them that creates those kinds of things.
Sadly, weirdly enough, you guys, entrepreneurship is a bit of a lonely game. It can be. Very lonely. I've experienced that many times. I no longer work in an environment where there's people around me. I literally sit at home at a desk and I have to do things to create engagement and because it's a lonely game ... What?
You want the engagement that you are getting to be with things that you don't like? That's a great way to create a miserable life. I've seen it happen many times. A lot of people, they'll go make a ton of money. Then they'll turn back around and talk about how miserable they are. All right. I know everyone knows what I'm talking about. Everyone's seen that before. Everyone's done that. Anyway. I think ... saying the same thing over and over and over again, but don't be afraid to fire people and I don't mean your employees. I mean your clients. Don't be afraid to fire 'em. What's your time worth to you? Life's short. Make sure you guys live in it.
Guys, I'd rather make less money and enjoy the people around me then make tons of money and be completely miserable and lonely. All right, guys. That's all I got. Bit of a different one, but get serious about it because it's a real issue.
Donald Trump--You're fired. You're fired. You're fired. You're fired. You're fired. You're fired. You're fired. You're fired. You're fired. You're fired. You're fired.
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