Download this letter here.
“Create a market offer so good, your customers can’t refuse it and your competition can't or won't offer the same – that’s a “mafia offer”!”
-- “Dr. Lisa” Lang
Dear Business Owners and Sales & Marketing Executives:
A “mafia offer” sounds like something out of a movie, not something that could actually allow you to increase and control your sales.
In the following pages, I’ll spell out the details … disclose the conditions … present credentials … and then invite you to attend one of the upcoming Mafia Offer Boot Camps.
If you have attended one of my speeches you have probably heard at least one example of a mafia offer. You know that the mafia offer that was developed was for a regular company. This company had no particular competitive advantage – no patent, no unique technology, the same equipment as competitors, and similar employees. And yet, it was a not based on a price reduction, not easy for the competition to follow, and so good that most customers would accept it readily.
It turns out that mafia offers are possible for the majority of companies. The reason that most companies don’t know that they have one or know what it is, is because they just don’t know how to develop them. If you read Dr Goldratt’s book It’s Not Luck or one of the other Theory of Constraints (TOC) books, you read about how we use cause and effect logic (also called Theory of Constraints Thinking Processes) about your customers, your industry, and about your company to create the offer. You also know that it’s not easy to do.
During my years in the consulting business I have asked many owners one question – if I am one of your best prospects, what would you say to convince me to do business with you? Here is a list of the typical answers:
(write down your answers before you continue)
- We provide great customer service
- Our quality is outstanding
- We innovate and/or help our customers to innovate
- We have great employees
- We deliver results
- We have a very knowledgeable staff
- We are responsive to our customers’ needs
- We have a great reputation
- Our customers trust us
Don’t your competitors say the exact same thing? All good companies have these qualities or they wouldn’t be in business for long. I call this the blah, blah, blah answer because that’s what it sounds like to your customers and prospects.
A mafia offer is NOT a list of strengths, a cliché, subjective, or offered by the competition. In addition, it is sold differently. When you have a mafia offer, you are making a business proposal. Everything changes.
The promise: improve your offer to the market – create your mafia offer!
Can it be done?
All I can do is present our credentials and methodology and let you be the judge of that. This is the purpose of the balance of this letter.
The methodology?
Each boot camp will have a maximum of 5 companies represented. Each company brings 2 to 5 people. The three days are broken down as follow:
Day 1: Create YOUR Mafia Offer
Day 2: Verbalize and Create the Collateral for YOUR Mafia Offer. This includes some of the more traditional techniques –- the competitive advantage, the touchstone, and the delivery of the irresistible offer.
Day 3: Create an Action Plan for Implementing YOUR Mafia Offer
Each day will involve an explanation of what we are going to work on, work instructions, and then facilitated group work.
Each person will have an extensive workbook to capture your group’s mafia offer.
These will be long days involving homework. In addition, we will take advantage of the presence of other companies. We will use a facilitated group process with the larger group to test and revise your offer.
The 2 to 5 people from your company should be those that will need to buy-in to the offer and/or those that have contact and experience with your customers.
Walking away with anything other than a profoundly different perspective on your business after the 3 days will be very difficult.
So, the next question is, is it at least conceivable that I can make good on my audacious promise? To judge, you need to know something of my background and that of Brad Stillahn, co-facilitator.
Who are “Dr Lisa” Lang and Brad Stillahn?
“Dr Lisa” is an international speaker, author of 2 books, and the President of Science of Business, a Theory of Constraints consulting company. She is recognized as one of the few TOC Experts worldwide by Dr. Goldratt, developer of the Theory of Constraints and author of the best selling business novel The Goal and is only one of two preferred providers in Sales and Marketing. In addition, she has served as Dr Goldratt’s Global Marketing Director.
Brad Stillahn, also a certified TOC expert, is the owner of Adstick Custom Labels. Since, he has nicely offloaded the running of Adstick after a successful TOC implementation (and nice mafia offer) and now works with Dr Lisa on helping other companies make more money. He has served as Marketing Director of Menasha Corporation and is known for innovative thinking and the identifier of erroneous assumptions.
Enough with the blah, blah, blah. The real key is that we have developed more than 70 mafia offers, surpassing anyone except Dr Goldratt himself. We are able to quickly facilitate our clients through the process of identifying and detailing their offer. And most importantly, we are willing to put our money where our mouth is and walk the talk.
What’s your risk?
Here’s the really interesting part. You can choose.
Option #1: You pay a flat fee of $10,000 to attend a GROUP or REMOTE (on-line) boot camp. All group events are in Denver, Colorado.
Option #2*: Instead of attending a boot camp with 4 other companies, we will customize a PRIVATE event for your organization. You pay a flat fee of $20,000 plus travel. We will come to you or your group can come to beautiful Colorado.
OUR GUARANTEE: If after the first day of the boot camp you are not absolutely convinced that the boot camp is going to provide value beyond your investment or if you not happy for any reason – we will stop right there and give you a full refund.
*PRIVATE Boot Camps include development of YOUR Strategy and Tactics tree which is a broader implementation plan than we have time to do in a GROUP or REMOTE boot camp.
This is an investment in your company and your company’s future. When have you stopped working IN your company long enough to spend 3 days working ON your company?
The results?
One of our clients has credited us with saving his company. And this was a guy who was skeptical about there being a mafia offer for his company. [Give us a call if you would like to talk to him.] And, check out our testimonials!
During the camp we will share examples and stories with you in addition to individual guidance to help your team devise your offer.
The Logistics
Due to the preparation required for each event and the in-depth nature, there are a limited number of events each year.
NEXT GROUP EVENTS:
December 2-4, 2008 in Denver, CO
Private boot camps are scheduled at mutually convenient times and location of your choice.
The camp begins each day at 9:00 am with a continental breakfast, includes lunch, and concludes by 5 pm.
To reserve your place, please send and email to reserve@mafiaoffers.com. Once we receive your email either Brad or I will call you to ensure that your company is a good fit. We will collect some preliminary data, discuss your preferred payment option, and then your place will be confirmed.
You can also call me at 303-909-3343 or Brad Stillahn at 303-886-9939 with any questions. Please remember that space is limited. To avoid disappointment, reserve today.
Sincerely,
“Dr Lisa”
drlisa@scienceofbusiness.com
P.S. You receive up to 3 months of weekly FREE 1 hour consulting sessions after the event to ensure you are getting the results. ($6000 value)
P.P.S You receive a FREE copy of my workbook and 3 hour audio CD “Achieving a Viable Vision: The Theory of Constraints Strategic Approach to Rapid Sustainable Growth”. ($199 value)
P.P.P.S. You receive a FREE audio of your final mafia offer presentation. (Priceless)
P.P.P.P.S All of our consulting projects start with a 3 day Mafia Offer Boot Camp. Then if you want our help in getting your operations in shape and in implementing your mafia offer – we only get paid if your PROFITS increase. 100% of our payment is dependent on your profits increasing. In addition, we will also provide a no charge analysis so that you know if the investment in the boot camp is worth it for you. That’s our Mafia Offer to you! (Now that’s a Mafia Offer!)
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For more information check out:
These 2 podcasts where we discussed Mafia Offers and the Boot Camp and our FREE Preview video:
1) http://www.podcasternews.com/programs/87/better-process-podcast/3574/?A=1 This one has had well over 1000 downloads just since Feb 7, 2007.
2) http://tppress.blogspot.com/2007/03/dr-lisa-podcast.html
3) For a free video preview of Session 1, click on the EVENTS tab and scroll down to the FREE Preview.