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Recently, I had the privilege of hearing Perry Marshall speak at a private event. For those unfamiliar, Perry is a renowned marketing strategist and author with an impressive track record. He’s published 10 books, including the industry-defining “Ultimate Guide to Google Ads,” and founded a groundbreaking research foundation focused on cancer treatment. His work has been featured in Forbes, Inc., and Entrepreneur, and he’s widely recognized as one of the most influential thinkers in modern marketing. His insights were not only profound but also incredibly actionable. As someone who’s always on the lookout for strategies to maximize impact, I took detailed notes during his talk. Here are the key takeaways I’m excited to share with you.
The Rule of 80/20 Is Everywhere
Perry’s aha moment came as a sales manager when he noticed something astonishing: 80% of the company’s sales came from just 20% of its customers. Sound familiar? The shocking part was that nobody acted on it. That’s when he realized this rule isn’t just a business quirk—it’s a universal law. Whether you’re selling software or sandwiches, it’s your core 20% of customers who make the biggest difference.
Takeaway: Identify your top 20% of customers—the ones who drive your revenue—and invest heavily in them. Doubling down on this group can multiply your results.
Case Study: Doubling Down
Marshall shared a powerful example. By focusing marketing efforts exclusively on the 20% clients that accounted for 80% of sales and slashing spending on the rest, he achieved a huge revenue boost. It’s like playing poker: you don’t need to win every hand—you just need to focus on the ones that matter.
Action Step: Review your customer data. Are you spreading your marketing budget evenly? Instead, shift more resources toward your high-value customers and cut what’s not working.
The Poker Lesson: “Rack the Shotgun”
Perry used a poker analogy that’s pure gold: in poker, you win by playing against the “marks”—the easy targets who don’t realize they’re outmatched. The trick? Ignore people who aren’t interested and focus on those who are already engaging. Perry calls this “racking the shotgun.” When you rack a shotgun, everyone nearby reacts—the “marks” step forward, while the others step back.
Key Insight: Stop chasing people who don’t want what you’re selling. Instead, craft strategies to identify and engage the ones who do.
Upsell, Upsell, Upsell
Think about Starbucks. Sure, they make a killing on $5 coffee. But the real money? It’s in the $1,000 espresso machines they sell to the same coffee-loving customers. Perry’s point is simple: your best customers are already spending big—just not with you (yet).
Practical Tip: Ask yourself, what’s your “espresso machine”? Develop premium, high-ticket offerings that cater to your existing customers’ needs.
Stop Selling Procedures; Sell Results
Most businesses fall into a trap: they try to sell their service as slightly “faster” or “cheaper” than the competition. Perry’s advice? Stop playing small. People don’t care about the procedures—they care about the results.
For example, a personal trainer who sells “12 sessions for $500” will lose out to the trainer who sells “Lose 10 pounds in 6 weeks for $2,000.” Same service, wildly different value proposition.
Actionable Shift: Frame your offerings around the outcomes your customers want, not the steps it takes to get there.
Leverage Other People’s Audiences
Why spend your own money when you can tap into someone else’s audience? Perry emphasizes the power of partnerships. affiliates, joint ventures, and collaborations can expand your reach without draining your resources.
Quick Win: Identify complementary businesses or influencers in your space. Explore how you can partner to amplify each other’s efforts.
The Final Word
Perry’s philosophy boils down to this: Stop trying to be everything to everyone. Focus on your best customers, sell them premium products, and frame your offerings around results. Then, sit back and watch the 80/20 magic happen.
As a busy exec, the biggest takeaway here is to be intentional. Your time, budget, and energy are finite. So, ask yourself—where’s your 20%?
Pek Pongpaet
Helping enterprises and startups achieve their goals through product strategy, world-class user experience design, software engineering and app development.
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