"Cargo Cult" Sales, Marketing, & Finance: Art of War

"Cargo Cult' Sales & Marketing

During WW II cargo dropped from the sky in the South Pacific and Indonesia. The shipment included clothing and food from the U.S. government and also humanitarian missions. This phenomenon drew the attention of the local tribes who became known as "Cargo Cult" because they always stood waiting for the next package.

These tribes believed the cargo came from their ancestors and if they erected a landing strip, air towers, and planes made of bamboo then the cargo would appear because this is what it was like the last time they received a package. The cargo appears as a way of mysticism and magic instead of hard work and ingenuity.

In business we can wait for ideas to magically appear or we can produce the "cargo" ourselves. "Cargo Cult" Sales and Marketing blog was created to talk about the essentials for successful sales and marketing professionals. It covers some tips and observations to be more effective in your endeavors.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Art of War

Sun Tzu's Art of War is quickly becoming one of my favorite books it was written in the 6th Century BC as a military strategy book. There are so many good insights on how to formulate strategy and overcome an adversary based on common sense and experience. One thing I have done lately is to see how I can apply many of the quotes into my business. One of the interesting quotes I came across is:

"If you know both yourself and your enemy, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss"

I don't think it is a good idea to think of your customers as enemies, but if you truly understand your customers needs, wants, compliments, complaints and understand them, you will be more effective.

Now the hard thing is to understand how to understand yourself and customer.

"Cargo Cult" Sales, Marketing, & Finance