One of the first things you learn in flight school is that attitude--not speed--determines altitude. Given a basic air speed, if you want to climb you pull back on the yoke to change the attitude, or angle, of the wings. Opening the throttle by itself won't make you climb. In fact, if you are already in a dive, it could increase the speed of your descent. On the other hand, if your attitude is right, pulling open the throttle will speed your climb--but only if the attitude is right first. In much the same way, the growth of your business depends on your attitude. Using tools like PromoterZ(tm) (http://promoterz.com) to get your customers more engaged and speed your growth will only help if you start with the right attitude.

In a nutshell, if you are not willing to learn and improve your business based on the feedback you receive from your customers, don't bother asking them for the feedback. Not only will it not help you, your customers will see through the ploy and take their business elsewhere. Just like opening the throttle when a plane is in a dive will speed the descent of the plane, asking customers for feedback with no intention of acting on it, will speed the descent of your business.

Socrates, the great philosopher, called the right attitude wisdom. He taught that wisdom is not so much how much you know, but realizing how much you don't know which leads to always being willing to learn:

"I am wiser than this man; for neither of us really knows anything fine and good, but this man thinks he knows something when he does not, whereas I, as I do not know anything, do not think I do either. I, seem, then in just this little thing to be wiser than this man at any rate, that what I do not know I do not think I know either." (From The Apology)

Getting your customers more engaged in your business is a powerful concept. With the right attitude you can turn your customers into co-producers. They will help you improve your product and service to better meet their needs and they will pay you handsomely to do it. Then they will become a powerful sales force and go out and tell their friends what a great business you have. In a sense, they will become your partners in achieving success. The cost to you? 1) The effort to go out and get them engaged and 2) The willingness (attitude) to listen to them and make the effort to improve.

PromoterZ(tm) can help you with number one, but please don't waste your time and money on PromoterZ(tm), or any other tool, unless you already have number two in place.

About the author:

Dave Free is president of Zeryn, makers of PromoterZ(tm) (http://promoterz.com), a customer care system for small business growth. Mr. Free received an MBA from BYU and has worked as an Intel executive domestically and internationally, at a Washington think tank, and entrepreneur.