Frankly, it shouldn’t matter if it’s a movie about superheros or a new tech device you just have to own…ANY product or service that can attract over ONE BILLION DOLLARS in sales over its first couple of weeks in the marketplace can probably teach us something or two we could learn about improving our own organizations.

So it is with the hit film, “The Avengers,” which over the weekend became only the eleventh movie in history to join the Billion Dollar Club of features earning that level of ticket sales. Here’s an astounding aspect — the movie is only in its second week of release here in the U.S.

What has made “Avengers” such a phenomenon? It’s easy to dismiss its success as solely based upon the star power of characters like Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and the rest — and the charismatic actors playing the roles like Robert Downey, Jr. — however, there is much more than just those elements. Here are three of great importance to you and your business:

1) Repeat the experience
You can only earn a billion in ticket sales if your movie is so terrific that people seeing it on the first weekend come back the following one to repeat the experience.

(Consider for a moment how easily “The Avengers” could have turned into a laughing-stock experience — actors with huge egos wanting screen time to the detriment of the story; special effects overwhelming any sense of humanity in the script; relying on the fans of the characters coming to the film, instead of creating a compelling movie they — and non-fans — would both find incredible. Instead, by almost every account, the filmmakers have knocked it out of the park.)

What is the experience of doing business like for customers at YOUR organization? Do your current customers desire to repeat it? It’s the basic first step of creating distinction.

2) Refer the experience
For over a decade, I had the greatest free-lance job in the world — I was a movie reviewer, syndicated to over 80 television stations in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. As you might imagine, I took my responsibility very seriously, because I knew that — based upon my referral — there were people who were going to decide if they should hire a baby sitter, spend the money, and commit their time to go and see a particular movie.

I learned that you only enthusastically refer something you totally believe in.

This is also an element of the success of “The Avengers.” It’s so darned good, you can’t quit talking about it…and telling friends they just HAVE to go and see it. You don’t sell a billion dollars worth of tickets unless those who have already seen the movie are repeatedly and excitedly referring it to their circle of influence.

Take a look at your organization. Is doing business with you so compelling that your customers can’t wait to tell their friends?

I’m always asked how to get more referrals. Here’s the answer: Do a better job creating distinctive experiences for your customers. If you do, they will spread the word about you.

3) Expand the experience
How can your customer find more ways to spend money with you?

There’s not much doubt there will be “Avengers 2,” based upon the success of this initial offering. However, I’d guess the next films that are solely devoted to Thor, Hulk, and others will grow from their previous efforts, as well, based upon the halo effect surrounding this movie. Can you even imagine what DVD sales will be? Add pay-per-view, licensing deals, action figures, promotional tie-ins, and more — it’s hard to truly comprehend what a “money machine” that “The Avengers” is for parent company Disney.

But, you can bet the farm that Disney had this all comprehensively planned and strategically prepared to maximize profits.

Yet, in most organizations, we often fail to consider creating other avenues to permit our “fans” to expand their business with us. Are there other ways you can deliver your product or service? Could there be ancillary aspects you have yet to explore?

When you expand the experience for your customers, you can often expand the relationship you have with them — and your profitability, as well.

Don’t know about you…but, I believe “The Avengers” is yet another prime example of the reasons why “ALL Business is Show Business!”

My wife and I laughed about it — even though, I guess, when you really think about it, the story wasn’t funny. Perhaps, it was because it is just so darned strange.

Did you see it? A guy, Marek Olszewski, breaks up in Poland with his girlfriend, Anna Maćkowiak…he just unexpectedly dumps her for another woman.

However, as the story — published in print or online by FOX News, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Huffington Post, Yahoo! News, MSN, New York Post, and New York Daily News (among others) — goes, poor Marek was having dental problems…and his dentist is his former girlfriend. So, for some reason beyond explanation, he keeps an appointment with his jilted former lover to have his teeth fixed.

What does she reportedly do? After she gets him under anesthetic, she pulls ALL of his teeth! Every one of them! What a story of revenge!

The article even states that Marek’s new girlfriend then dumped him…because “she can’t be with a man without teeth.”

Here’s the problem: NONE of it was true.

MSNBC.com contacted police in Wroclaw, Poland, about the supposed criminal case, and a spokesman informed them there was no record of such an incident.

Also, according to MSNBC, “A legal adviser for Poland’s Chamber of Physicians and Dentists, which handles disciplinary matters, said the organization is not investigating and has never investigated any such case, and added that there is no dental practitioner named Anna Maćkowiak listed in Poland’s central register of dentists.”

I’m not certain how such major and distinguished news organizations run with a story — that generated almost 75,000 hits immediately from Facebook alone — without verification the information was actually true. Isn’t “truth” pretty high on the list of what journalists are supposed to be about?

Yet, I’ll bet you and I both know how this really happens. It’s so good…so appealing…it’s easy to just run with it — even though we should take the time to question if it is the best action for our long-term success and performance.

Yet, the same phenomenon also occurs in many of our careers and our companies. There’s a prospect that looks like they could bring us a lot of business — almost too good to be true — so, we spend more time blindly pursuing them, instead of making the same effort and taking the same time to heap care on our current clients.

Some young, brand-new colleague exhibits a lot of potential — so, we spend a lot of time helping them, instead of also extending the effort to help grow someone who has been loyal to our organization for a while and assisting them to enhance their performance.

My grandmother always told me something you’ve heard, too: “If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

Wise words for journalists…and pretty much ALL of the rest of us, too.

In a recent interview, New York Times columnist David Brooks remarked he was disappointed with President Obama — and with his own decision to vote for Obama in the election four years ago.

Conversely, he also mentioned his good friend, the Washington Post’s E.J. Dionne, was excited by Obama, and happy in how he had cast his ballot.

Interestingly — and this is NOT a political discussion, it is about how a customer/voter evaluates your performance — Brooks then explains his reason for dissatisfaction, and his friend’s justification for the opposite conclusion.

Brooks expected Obama to be a person who would reach across the aisle, work with the Republicans to bring hope and change, bridge the divide between the parties, and find a way to get things done for the country by building consensus.

On the other hand, Dionne (according to Brooks) viewed Obama as the liberal’s hope after eight years of George W. Bush. Obama, Dionne hoped, would make a stand for the left, get us out of Iraq, make sweeping changes in health care, and assert a more active government to protect the lower and middle class.

Here is the critical issue for you to consider for your business: Both of these very smart people created their widely varied perceptions based upon exactly the same information.

Obama didn’t give one speech to Brooks and another to Dionne. They heard the same information, watched the same campaign ads, listened to the same speeches, read the same interviews. (Let’s face it, too…they probably did a LOT more of that than the average American!)

And, they STILL came up with such wildly divergent perceptions — creating polar opposite evaluations.

Your business — just like the Obama campaign of four years ago — can create such compelling messages it inspires people seeking many different outcomes to choose to vote for, or do business with, you. That is critically important, and extraordinarily difficult to do.

But, here is what’s even harder: Performing at such a high level that a huge percentage of those who chose you the first time come back for more.

It’s what will make this fall’s election fascinating and important. And, it is part of what makes being successful in busiiness so darn tough.

Seth Godin recently posted a link to the employee handbook of Valve — the company famous for video games such as “Left 4 Dead,” “Half Life,” “Day of Defeat,” and many others. Founded by former Microsoft employees Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington in 1996, the handbook is so incredibly powerful it could be the source of hundreds of posts.

Let’s start with this quote: “We are all stewards of our long-term relationship with our customers. They watch us, sometimes very publicly, make mistakes. Sometimes they get angry with us. But because we always have their best interests at heart, there’s faith that we’re going to make things better, and that if we’ve screwed up today, it wasn’t because we were trying to take advantage of anyone.”

As I often say from the platform, “Customers do not want you to make it right; they want you to GET it right!”

However, as I also write in “The Ultimate Customer Experience ®” book, when you don’t get it right, it’s critical for your customers to know that you both: a) tried; and, b) cared.

What absolutely irritates customers to infinity and beyond is when the perception is established that not only did you fail to get it right…you also failed to care about it. They feel taken advantage of, and this naturally will cause them to not do business with you again — and to tell everyone they know how badly you screwed up.

Part of what I LOVE about Valve’s approach in their employee handbook is that it:
- acknowledges everyone is responsible for the customer relationship
- acknowledges everyone — sooner or later — makes mistakes
- recognizes sometimes customers can get angry
- advocates the situation will be positively resolved for ALL, because of the integrity of the effort

Here’s one more aspect of the Valve handbook; there is a section entitled, “What Is Valve Not Good At?”

Among the points of self-criticism are: “Helping new people find their way. We wrote this book to help, but…a book can only go so far.”

“Mentoring people. Not just helping new people figure things out, but proactively helping people to grow in areas where they need it is something we’re organizationally not great at.” In other words, Valve begins by admitting it is not great at everything — which, obviously, gives the new employee reading the handbook the permission to admit that he or she is not great at everything…and targets areas for both the company and the team to improve. That’s pretty important…

So…here are two activities for you to undertake to improve your business…and you can do them today.

First, download and read the entire Valve handbook. It’s only 56 pages in its entirety, and it has really big type, cool artwork, and won’t take much of your time to read — but, trust me, you should do it.

Second, look at the handbook of your company…and realize why so few organizations are truly distinctive. Go and do something about it!

Immediately after I finish a presentation — as I did yesterday in New York for Stop & Shop, for example — I receive comments on implementing the Ultimate Customer Experience ® and on creating organizational distinction.

Give it a month, however, and people remember Taxi Terry, our small-town grocery store, and my wreck in a Hertz rental car. Why is that the case?

The latest issue of Fast Company provides a great insight into this phenomenon. It’s from an interview with Steve Jobs relating an epiphany he had shortly after he and his kids watched the DVD of “Snow White.”

“The technology of what we’ve been laboring on over the past 20 years becomes part of the sedimentary layer. But when ‘Snow White’ was re-released (in 2001), we were one of the 28 million families that went out and bought a copy of it,” Jobs tells his interviewer, Brent Schlender. “This was a film that is 60 years old, and my son was watching it and loving it. I don’t think anybody’s going to be beating on a Macintosh 60 years from now.”

As the article states, Jobs recognized that, “People remember stories more than products.” (And, it’s what I realize more every day in my own small business.)

So…the fundamental question for YOU is this: Why are you spending so much time on the product or service, and practically NONE on the story?

What’s the story you have to tell? Your organization…your products and services…your customers…YOU…there is a story about each of these, and chances are you aren’t telling it with the power and precision you could.

And…that’s costing you both immediate business AND long-term customer engagement.

Consider this: If you’re having a difficult time developing and refining a story to emotionally connect with colleagues and customers — why not hire a writer to assist you? Seriously. You wouldn’t try to perform surgery on yourself…so why would you assume if you have no skills in crafting dramatic, memorable stories that you could do that activity as well as a true pro? If you want a story to be remembered — spend some resources and have it crafted. In fact, you may be better off if you hire two or three writers, then choose from their efforts. Multiple angles on your stories provide exponentially greater insight into what your customers will consider to be compelling.

As I’ve learned from my own business — if people can remember your story, they re-tell it (we call this a “recommendation”) — AND they want to hear it again (we call this “customer loyalty”) — and both are critical to your success.

For some reason, we always ask what we are doing to create a product that customers will buy — but seldom ask what we are doing to provide what people are going to remember.

What are you doing TODAY to create a compelling story for your product, company, and yourself that will be repeatable and memorable?

More now than perhaps any other time in history, there is a huge gulf between what is momentarily popular, and what is an enduring success.

And — again, perhaps now more than ever — it’s pretty important which one you choose.

“Popular” means well-liked, fashionable, and trendy. (Of course, since “trendy” basically means the rage du jour, it doesn’t bode well for maintaining high levels of popularity for the long-term, does it?)

Yet, in today’s culture, we often see those who would rather be reality show contestants than business school graduates. Pop stars as opposed to musical artists. Quick-hit entrepreneurs, not true business builders. Some will even trade their future — and damage that of others — for a brief turn believing they are in the rarified air of significance.

Sometimes I am asked, “Who speaks to the speaker? Who influences the author? Who motivates the motivator?” Great questions — and something I was pondering the other night as I listened to Elton John in concert.

During the show, the music icon mentioned an inspiration of his had just passed away. Frankly, I thought he was going to talk about Dick Clark — instead, it was Levon Helm, who died on April 19 at the age of 71 from cancer.

Levon Helm was best known as the drummer for the seminal music group, “The Band.” Growing up in — as Johnny Carson used to say, “I kid you not!” — Turkey Scratch, Arkansas, where at age six, young Levon saw Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys and decided on the spot to become a musician.

He spent decades diligently growing and improving his craft. If you are familiar with rock music, you know the importance of the group of which Helm was a member. They were Bob Dylan’s backing band for years, and they also produced critically acclaimed albums such as, “The Last Waltz” (their final concert that also became the subject of a Martin Scorcese documentary). Levon sang lead on such classic songs from the Band as “The Weight,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” and “Up On Cripple Creek.”

Elton John spoke movingly of how Levon Helm’s dedication, perseverance, and artistry had inspired him. In fact, the song “Levon,” from the album “Madman Across the Water,” was written because John wanted to do something with his hero’s name in it. Later, upon becoming a parent, one of the names John gave his new son was “Levon.”

What does this have to do with you?

Who are YOUR heroes?

Are they flavors of the moment? Or, are they successful in a manner that transcends mere popularity? It could make a significant difference in your future.

It makes me wonder…back in ’68 when Elton John and Bernie Taupin were getting started writing and working together…what if they would have not looked up to artists like Levon Helm who didn’t have a popular “hit” at that moment…and instead went for the “hot” artists who had big #1 songs that year…like Archie Bell and the Drells, John Fred and the Playboy Band, and Jeannie C. Riley?

Who you choose to admire…defines you.

“This is the second largest stage in America,” Elton John told the soldout crowd last night in Caesar’s Palace at the Coliseum. “In fact, the stage is so big, when Cher was here, one of her faces fell off and it took days to find it.”

The audience laughed — but, some groaned at the dig he was taking at another performer. To which the extraordinary entertainer smiled and simply replied, “Hey…I’m SIXTY-FIVE years old! I don’t give a s**t!”

Well, we all laughed again at the line…and, of course, marveled that he could be 65. But no one — not even for an instant — believed what he had said.

Sure, Elton John may not care what Cher thinks about the joke. But, it is obvious he cares about his audience.

He has been knighted…he has composed and performed some of the great songs of the past forty-plus years…he is famous and wealthy and does not have to work again for the rest of his life.

And, he busted his tail to thoroughly entertain his audience for over two hours last night.

Because Sir Elton cares so intensely about his audience — and it is demonstrated in every detail, from staging to song selection, from his banter with the crowd to the way he puts his heart and soul into the performance — we respond with enthusiasm, admiration…and by telling others they “gotta go see the show!”

He delivered an “Ultimate Customer Experience ®” for his audience, and turned even first-time concert-goers into raving fans.

The fundamental question is: Do you care as much about your customers as Elton John cares about his audience?

Have you precisely planned every aspect of the interaction you’ll have with them? Do you add small, unexpected elements that will ensure their delight? Do you deliver more than they expect — and even more than you’ve promised?

If so…maybe you can begin to experience the type of admiration from YOUR audience Sir Elton John receives from his.

Noticed this morning a Pew Research report that TWENTY PERCENT of adults in the United States will not use the Internet. Consider that for a moment…one in five are not online at ALL.

The main reason? Well, they just don’t WANT TO…

That’s right. There’s “no good reason” to go online, 48 percent of respondents told Pew researchers. The report also states, “Other common reasons the non-internet-users are living life unplugged: They don’t have access to a computer, it’s too expensive, it’s too difficult and it’s a waste of time,” the survey-takers told Pew.

“American adults who never go online tend to be older (59 percent of US senior citizens live internet-free), and have less education (60 percent of high-school dropouts don’t use the internet), Pew researchers found,” according to CNN.

What chance do you have to be relevant in today’s world if you aren’t online? You may not LIKE IT…but, it’s just the reality.

(I can imagine years ago, “I’ll not get one of them newfangled telephones!” said proudly in the houses of luddites. You can’t be a mechanic if you don’t know how to use tools. And, like it or not, the Web and computers are the tools of this age. Here’s a great use of old laptops and desktops…give them to someone who could use them — or a charity that will get them to those who need them. It’s something many of us can easily do, and can make a difference.)

To contrast this, however, on my other blog — ProjectDistinct.com — I posted about a recent signing by legendary publisher Simon & Schuster of author’s Herman Wouk’s forthcoming novel.

Yes…the SAME Herman Wouk who authored “The Caine Mutiny” and “The Winds of War.”

His next book, “The Lawgivers,” will be based upon the text messages, e-mails, and Skype conversations of the cast and crew of an epic movie being made about Moses.

Did I mention that Wouk is in his NINETIES?

If a legendary author in his 90′s can write a new novel about Skype conversations and more high tech communication — what excuse do any of us have for not staying on top of the latest?

Take a look at your current practices…or, maybe there’s a new approach you feel is too expensive, too difficult, or a waste of time…could your procedures be a bit outdated simply because you are clinging onto past policy for no particularly good reason?

In the interest of full disclosure, you should know I’m writing this post about a client of mine. I have worked for them, I admire them professionally, and like their leadership very much on a personal basis.

The company’s name is CoBank, based in Denver. You probably haven’t heard of them, because the “Co” in their name doesn’t stand for “Colorado,” but instead for “cooperative.” As their website says, “The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states.”

This is no small institution. CoBank is one of the 25 largest banks in the nation, and also moved into the Top 10 banks in the United States in terms of commercial and industrial lending.

Why am I sharing this with you? To praise the common sense and honest, basic values that should be integral in all extraordinary businesses.

Lehman Brothers had a remarkable Board of Directors, at least from the standpoint of resumes. According to the Wall St. Journal, it included John Macomber, chief executive of chemical-maker Celanese Corp; John Akers, former IBM chief; Thomas A. Cruikshank, chief executive of Halliburton Co. prior to Vice President Dick Cheney; and Henry Kaufman, the former chief economist at Salomon Brothers. Other members included: Sir Christopher Gent, one-time chief of mobile-phone company Vodafone PLC; theater producer Roger S. Berlind; former Telemundo Chief Executive Roland Hernandez; Michael Ainslie, former chief executive of Sotheby’s Holdings; Marsha Johnson Evans, one-time head of the Red Cross and a former Navy rear admiral. Until 2006, Lehman’s board included Dina Merrill, the 83-year-old actress once featured in “Caddyshack II.”

With this Board, Lehman filed the largest bankruptcy in United States history.

On the other hand, CoBank’s Board Chairman is Everett Dobrinski, owner and operator of a cereal grain and oilseed farm in Makoti, North Dakota. Other Board members include John C. Eisenhut, an almond grower and processor from Turlock, California; Mary Fritz is owner and operator of a dryland grain and cow/calf operation in Chester, Montana. Catherine Moyer is CEO and general manager for Pioneer Communications, a telephone and communications company that serves residents and businesses across southwestern Kansas. Alarik Myrin owns and operates a third generation ranching and farming operation in Altamont, Utah.

What results has this Board and organization achieved? In a recent Global Finance survey of the “World’s 50 Safest Banks” in 2012, only four were based in the United States: BNY Mellon, JPMorganChase, US Bancorp…and CoBank.

Look at the results…then, tell me which Board was truly superior.

What does this mean to you?

Distinction and success are not based upon having the elite and prosperous in your corner.

What you have to have is exactly what a group of ethically grounded and committed people used to achieve extraordinary results at CoBank.

The Clarity to know your purpose and live it every day; The Creativity to be innovative in how you serve your targeted customer; the Communication to tell your story so it becomes emotionally connecting and compelling; and, a Customer Experience Focus that centers on how it feels to do business with your organization.

These are the Cornerstones of Distinction — and it is essential to what CoBank delivers…and what will create competitive space in the market for you.

I’ve often mentioned my favorite blogger, Bob Lefsetz, here — and, a recent post of his really has me thinking…

Here’s what he said that has my mind in twisted knots:

“Neil Young was the biggest act in America, he recorded the album “Harvest”, a soft rock masterpiece.

Once you’re a prisoner of your audience, you’re toast.”

Now…put that on a shelf for a second, and consider what the Pew Research Center recently revealed about E-books and E-readers:

“Those who read e-books read more books than those who don’t have the devices: The average reader of e-books has read 24 books (the mean number) in the past 12 months, compared with an average of 15 books by a non-e-book consumer. For device owners, those who own e-book readers also stand out. They say they have read an average of 24 books in the previous year (vs. 16 books by those who do not own that device). They report having read a median of 12 books vs. 7 books by those who do not own the device).”

Neil Young disrupted his career…and he probably remains the most relevant artist of his age in rock music. E-readers are disrupting the publishing business…and those who own them are buying more product than those who do not.

If you’re just hanging on…or maintaining your current standards and situations…you’re in trouble.

Don’t misunderstand — it is absolutely critical and mandatory you SERVE your customer…and that you create distinctive experiences they want to REPEAT!

However, you cannot become a prisoner to their random wishes and whims. Visionary artists and leaders…from Henry Ford to Steve Jobs; from Neil Young to Picasso…have displayed it in their careers and companies.

It’s not your customer’s job to have a vision of the future of your career, your organization, your industry — it’s YOURS.

If you think disruption is terrifying…try irrelevance.