The Three Mores

We have learned through trial and error over long careers spent building and running businesses and brands that there are only three ways to grow:

1. Find More Customers
2. Sell Customers More
3. Make More On What Is Sold (To generate $ to do 1 and 2.)

We call them the Three Mores. Everything else a brand or business does is just a way to make one or more of those three things possible.

But they are in a dynamic relationship. As an example, if you run an aggressive couponing effort to sell customers more, you may wind up making less from each customer. Conversely, if you raise prices to make more, you might wind up losing customers.

Some brands are forced to be obsessed with the First More: Find More Customers. Brands like Southern Comfort or Pampers are forced to because their hold on a customer is fleeting.

Part of our growth process is to turn these Three Mores into questions. The next time someone tries to get you to fund a social media effort or event sponsorship ask them which of the Three Mores it will accomplish. Make them be specific. Make them quantify it. You may be surprised just how quick the latest marketing tactic proves itself to be a fad not a magic bullet. Does your agency have difficulty trying to get specific about how this new ad will sell your customers more?