There are three books that I believe can help you understand how to attract Ideal Customers.
This is the final article in a 7-part series.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7
To watch the full video, check out:
Book 1
To begin, a classic book I suggest reading is “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie.
The copy I found at a garage sale was printed in 1969 — and even at that time was in its 90th printing! The first printing was in November 1936.
This book explains how to make people more comfortable around us and why they respond positively and negatively, depending on how we present information. The author shares some nuggets of truth that I wasn’t expecting.
Since it was written soooo long ago, a lot of the examples are really outdated (I’m sure the more modern versions have edited it out). But it contains a lot of thought-provoking questions.
Book 2
The next book I recommend is written by a professor and psychologist at Arizona State University, Dr. Robert Cialdini.
It is called “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.”
This classic book is often quoted by people who talk about the topic of influence — often without crediting Dr. Cialdini for his original ideas.
It includes studies, discussions, and methods on how we tend to be drawn toward certain people, what makes us want to help others, and how to recognize disingenuous and dangerous situations. Although it was written by a psychologist and is very data oriented, the examples are extremely helpful for business owners and marketing experts who want to create the best situations for buyers to purchase what they’re selling.
To summarize, there are 6 ways to motivate people to buy:
- Reciprocity
- Commitment or Consistency
- Social Proof
- Liking
- Authority
- Scarcity
I have applied a lot of the ideas in this book to my own work. It’s a valuable resource, and I highly recommend reading it.
Book 3
The final book I recommend is “The Consulting Bible” by Alan Weiss, PhD.
Dr. Weiss is a business consultant who teaches others how to be financially independent and create wealth. He has also written “Million Dollar Consulting” and a host of other books. I like his writing style because it’s funny and engaging. He uses a lot of visual graphics to represent his concepts, which is helpful for those of us who have a visual learning style.
Even if you’re not a consultant, this book can help you understand how to create a profitable business and to relate to customers. As I mentioned, my Client Rating System is based on his ideas — which you can learn about in How Do You Find an Ideal Customer? Which Tools Can Help?
If you have any other questions or comments, feel free to contact me below or send a message.
To discuss how you can reverse a toxic workplace, find out more here.
Grace LaConte is a business consultant, writer, workplace equity strategist, and the founder of LaConte Consulting. Her risk management tools are used around the globe, and she has successfully reversed toxic work environments for clients in the healthcare and non-profit fields. Grace specializes in lactation law compliance & policy development, reducing staff turnover after maternity leave, and creating a participatory work culture.
Find more at laconteconsulting.com, or connect with her on Instagram and Twitter @lacontestrategy.
Grace LaConte
Grace LaConte is a profitability expert, writer, and speaker. She is the founder of LaConte Consulting, which provides business owners with practical ways to improve their company's profit, growth, and value. Grace also shares her thoughts about marketing strategies and the dangers of predatory tactics used by MLM (multi-level marketing), which you can find at https://laconteconsulting.com/blog. She is based near Houston, Texas.