Alignment, Moral Philosophy, Expertise & Results
Here are some areas to consider when working with anyone, regardless of who they are or the service they provide.
Alignment: Find the group you fit with. Do you actually like the people you’re dealing with? This is crucial, aside from the obvious fact that results matter. Of course, some people don’t care about this; they’re only focused on results, and that’s fine. However, it’s beneficial to connect with people who care about your business. Let’s be honest, some view the relationship as a master-servant dynamic, and many agencies try to steer clear of such clients.
While being overly demanding might work for some, the old “treat them mean to keep them keen” approach doesn’t hold up in the long run. Not everyone is driven solely by money; sometimes, that’s just an individual projecting because that’s how they’re wired, and they assume everyone else is the same.
Consider Amazon: many people work there because it’s prestigious to have a top company on their resume, not because of its working environment. Strong alignment is essential for long-term relationships of any kind, and switching costs can be high for you, the seller. I’ve included several questions in this article that you can use to find the right answers for your business.
Moral philosophy: Are you being sold the dream? Are you susceptible to FOMO and the allure of shiny objects?
Then question it, because when you get the smooth-talking salesperson in your ear telling you about magical strategies and secret sauces, it will sound like music to your ears—and then three months later, you will feel duped. There are countless scenarios here.
What if the salesperson is highly incentivized and going through a dry spell, needing to hit numbers to avoid being out of work next month and to support their family? What if they are losing customers and have account managers to pay, and you are used just to ease cash flow issues to get them through the next few months, knowing you are only going to stick around for a short time? What if you are a tough negotiator and the company doesn’t push back but tells you they cannot afford to deliver the heavily discounted price, yet they take you on and tell the account manager to make you a low-level priority?
Everyone has their own moral philosophy, but they are not all created equal. For example, most people view hardcore black hat tactics (attacking other sellers) with disdain and repulsion, some sellers are fine with doing giveaways, and most sellers have no problem doing a few sly friends and family reviews. They all have one thing in common: all are against terms of service.
A moral philosophy is not about virtue signaling or polishing your halo — “Look at me, I am good; they are bad.” It is about what you do when no one else is watching and your own values. Finding someone or a company that aligns with your values will build trust and help grow or support your business.
Expertise: I discussed most of this at the beginning of the article. The talent pool is small and scattered.
Expertise is subjective. I once spent nearly 18 months trying to hire a PPC account manager. We went through two employment agencies and eventually got lucky; the rest simply weren’t skilled enough to pass the technical training. Even if it took six months, they wouldn’t make the cut. Of course, some demanded exorbitant salaries. When I questioned their rationale and compared it to their previous earnings, their nonverbal responses told me everything I needed to know.
I firmly believe you should be paid what you’re worth, but you also need to balance that with a realistic outlook. Experts are everywhere—check your DMs on FB (City: New York, New York) and Insta, you’ll find plenty of Amazon experts, and the same goes for platforms like Upwork and LinkedIn. Again, it all comes down to your judgment and doing your homework to find the right fit for you.
Results: Everyone lives and dies by results. Remember, your product contributes more to your success than any marketing amplification.
Identify and address your customer’s objections, not the latest hack. The latter is the icing on the cake, not the base. A product without a proper market fit may be propped up in the short term, but it will never last in the long term.
There are no magical strategies or crystal balls, only the right strategy for your specific product and outcomes from predictions (variable). When you build a product, if you had a crystal ball, then your strike rate would be 100%.
Apply this same logic to everything else. If you remember, not long ago we had a thriving aggregator season, with all those beautiful hockey sticks in the spreadsheets going high and to the right. Then it all came crashing down back to reality. Focus on your expectations and refer to the section above on alignment.
Remember, it’s rough out here for many sellers. Anyone telling you differently is a big red flag.
Without sellers like you, no services can be provided. If you win, everyone wins.
You are the heartbeat of this community, but you must use your critical thinking.
Now go fucking win.
Much love.
Danny.
