Welcome back to Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is: The No Buy Survey

• Understanding No Buy Surveys: Mercer and Jeff introduce the concept of no buy surveys—a tool to gather insights from customers who showed interest but didn’t make a purchase. This method helps businesses understand buyer objections and adjust strategies accordingly.

• Key Benefits of No Buy Surveys: Mercer explains how asking simple questions, like why someone didn’t buy, provides valuable feedback directly from the market. He shares successful examples, noting that businesses often guess customer needs when they should be asking.

• Tactical Implementation: Jeff emphasizes the importance of conducting surveys after a customer sees the full offer, as it provides insight on pricing, format, and timing. Both agree this feedback can inform product improvements and strategy adjustments.

• Structured No Buy Surveys: Mercer introduces structured surveys—a sequence of guided questions designed to rekindle interest in the product or service. He shares examples of how these surveys have helped add 10% to revenue by building value and reopening sales opportunities.

• Personalized Approaches: Personalization is key to making the survey engaging, with Mercer suggesting tailored questions and even offering free trials to non-buyers. These touchpoints help potential customers see value, leading to conversions.

• Sales Skills in Marketing: Mercer highlights how no buy surveys employ fundamental sales skills, comparing it to techniques like the Columbo close, where the last question reveals critical objections. Both agree that blending sales skills with marketing strategies can significantly boost customer engagement.

Welcome back to Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is Use the system to improve the system

• Systems Are Evolving Tools, Not Static: Jeff highlights the breakthrough realization that systems aren't rigid but should always be open to feedback, improvement, and new ideas. Systems should evolve alongside new technologies for maximum efficiency.

• Day Zero Culture for Constant Improvement: Taking inspiration from Amazon's "Day Zero" approach, Jeff and Mercer stress that systems should never reach a state of stasis. Embracing a Day Zero mindset ensures that systems can continuously improve and support business growth.

• The Power of Feedback Loops & Problem-Solving: Mercer emphasizes solving real problems with systems in production instead of hypothetical ones. Continuous feedback allows for iterative improvement, ensuring that systems remain relevant and agile.

• 90% Done is the Sweet Spot: Jeff believes that systems are never truly "finished"—they're always 90% done and evolving. Empowering users to take ownership of systems and utilize their expertise fosters a competitive edge.

• Systems as a Service (SaaS) Mentality: Jeff introduces the concept of "systems as a service," likening systems to software that can always be updated and improved. Businesses should embrace the iterative nature of systems to stay ahead of the curve.

• Constant Iteration Drives Business Growth: Both hosts stress the importance of starting with the systems you have and improving from there. Continuous iteration ensures that systems help businesses scale, organize processes, and boost efficiency. Everyone is a "systems person" once they realize the power of iteration.

Welcome back to Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is Developing Team Culture.

• Defining Team Culture: Jeff and Mercer define team culture as the company's character, emphasizing it's a living, breathing entity that evolves and can be influenced by individuals, especially leadership.

• Strategic Choices in Culture Development: Mercer discusses the importance of making strategic choices in shaping team culture, highlighting the "trust but verify" principle to encourage accountability and process improvement.

• Allowing Failure for Growth: Jeff shares his journey from perfectionism to allowing planned failures, emphasizing the importance of letting team members fail to build resilience and foster personal and organizational growth.

• Coaching vs. Teaching in Leadership: Jeff distinguishes between coaching and teaching, stressing the need for a coaching approach in business to help team members develop their solutions and leadership skills.

• Balancing Ambition and Contentment: Mercer emphasizes the importance of setting realistic goals and finding a balance between ambition and contentment, aiming for "more than enough" rather than unattainable levels of success.

• Nurturing a Prolific Culture: Mercer and Jeff contrast prolific culture with hustle culture, advocating for working smart, developing long-term strategies, and fostering a nurturing environment that allows for natural evolution of team culture over time.