Ending updated for 2020...

If you're following along, you already know that I wrote this article 2 hours BEFORE Elaine and I saw American Hustle. If it were up to me, I would require every B2B and B2C consumer as well as every B2B and B2C marketer and sales person in the world watch the movie.

American Hustle is about con artists hustling victims and the thing that I realized as I watched the movie is that the #1 motivation of consumers as they begin and proceed through their buying process might be to NOT BE HUSTLED! Isn't that a shame? Here's somebody that has an issue that they'd like to fix and as they try to figure out who or what the best solution is, they have to worry about liars and thieves trying to take their money for a less than perfect or totally non-existent solution. Moreover, as you watch the movie, you may realize that con artists use the same techniques and tactics that salespeople and marketers learn in S & M school!

So, what's the difference? How do legitimate sellers differentiate themselves from con artists and frauds. Intent, transparency and consistency are good places to start. Setting and agreeing to mutual expectations that don't give one party the advantage. Not tolerating deviations from agreed upon expectations and the world is so off balance due to the events of 2020, that the concern has been intensified.

For example, if you expect your questions to be answered, you must answer questions. If you expect punctuality, you must be punctual. If you expect a particular behavior, you must exhibit that behavior.

Enough from me. Let's let it mellow. If you have a thought, please comment.

If you want more, talk to me about my sales stimulus program.