With these social traits now more the norm than the exception, we need to adapt the way we do business with people.  We need to start treating people as individuals - as humans in fact.  Having fun in business is something we used to do in the post World War II days - but as technology and industrialization marched into our homes, we started to become less connected socially - and more part of the 'machine'.  With technology, we have started to become even more dislocated from our social groups, and the pressures and speed of life make moments of fun and personal satisfaction harder to come by.  The Small Business Advantage - is the ability for small business to make a real difference, in a human and sincerely personal way to our customers.  We are not mega-corp, and our customers are not just a number.  This is the difference, we can take the time to show we care!

Setting conditions and shaping are the methodologies used within Business Unusual to help make you, your business, and your product the most compelling for your customer.  By treating people with respect, doing the right thing and focusing on fulfilling your customer, rather than 'selling' them will 'set the conditions and shape that customer' to do business with you.  You only need to stop and consider why you have your 'favourite small business' - chances are it is that they have some fun with you, recognize you, treat you with respect (no snake-oil sales techniques I'm sure) and offer you a great product, at a fair price. 

Setting Conditions

In the sales sense you set conditions around customers to persuade them to do busines with you.  The best analogy is a romantic dinner.  You have a desired outcome... (best we leave that to your individual goal!) and you undertake a series of activities to achieve it.  You will light candles, put music on, carefully choose the meal... (well these are the things my Bride advises me constitute a romantic evening!).  What you don't do is use a slick '70's pick up line! So why do some sales people still insult us with slick '70's sales techniques.  Setting conditions is event based - it is things like making sure your price is right, making sure your business is inviting and so forth.

Setting conditions in your business, or in your business planning is about putting events or things in place that will again lead to a desired outcome.  You might set the conditions in your business for a profit by trimming costs, identifying and using your Profit Drivers, training your sales team, introducing a new product and so forth. 

Shaping

Shaping is the act of not only putting events in place in a planned manner but actively using your interpersonal, professional or other skills, knowledge and attitudes to effect the outcome.  A good sales person will set conditions in conjunction with the business to make it the most compelling place to do business, but will then shape the customer by being respectful, by listening and providing advice sincerely and so forth.

Shaping in business is the act of planning to put in place certain conditions, then driving the outcome personally (either physically or psychologically through leadership) Shaping, in conjunction with setting conditions, creates a powerful persuasive force to affect an desired outcome.

Tactical Sales and Tactical Marketing examine ways in which you can shape the people, processes, products and business to make your enterprise the most compelling place to do business - and most of them involve treating people with respect and having some fun.  Tactical Growth and Tactical Planning examine ways by which you can shape and set the conditions for your business to improve, grow and prosper.