Winning a customer takes more than just closing a sale
Written by Mark Hull
You can’t turn up to the final of an Olympic race and expect to just win. First of all, if you did that, you wouldn’t even get on the track – you’ve got to earn your place there. Secondly, and supposing you’ve done everything necessary to qualify, there are at least seven others on that start line who all have the same ambition of winning and will do their very best to make sure you don’t.
You can’t turn up to the final of an Olympic race and expect to just win. First of all, if you did that, you wouldn’t even get on the track – you’ve got to earn your place there. Secondly, and supposing you’ve done everything necessary to qualify, there are at least seven others on that start line who all have the same ambition of winning and will do their very best to make sure you don’t.
To win that race, when you have just one chance to do so, requires years and years of preparation to earn the right to be on that start line and at least be considered as a potential winner. Then, you need to put in the perfect performance on the day, to execute everything precisely as planned, in order to get over the finish line first.
Take Alex Yee and his gold medal performance in the Paris Olympics Triathlon in 2024. Seven years prior to that moment, Alex, already with years of training under his belt and performing at a high level, made a prophetic tweet about being patient and knowing one day he’d be the greatest. He continued with the training, hard work, and preparation over the years, eventually earning his place on the start line of that Olympic final – and as the gold medal favourite.
However, the race wasn’t a foregone conclusion. Despite Alex putting in an amazing performance, other athletes – namely Hayden Wilde from New Zealand – were delivering on the day. By halfway through the run, Hayden had built a significant lead. I’m not going to give a full race commentary, but the result was Alex kept pushing until the very end, and only on the final corner did he manage to overtake Hayden and win the gold medal.
Take Alex Yee and his gold medal performance in the Paris Olympics Triathlon in 2024. Seven years prior to that moment, Alex, already with years of training under his belt and performing at a high level, made a prophetic tweet about being patient and knowing one day he’d be the greatest. He continued with the training, hard work, and preparation over the years, eventually earning his place on the start line of that Olympic final – and as the gold medal favourite.
However, the race wasn’t a foregone conclusion. Despite Alex putting in an amazing performance, other athletes – namely Hayden Wilde from New Zealand – were delivering on the day. By halfway through the run, Hayden had built a significant lead. I’m not going to give a full race commentary, but the result was Alex kept pushing until the very end, and only on the final corner did he manage to overtake Hayden and win the gold medal.
What businesses can learn from gold medal performances
Why am I talking about Olympic races and gold medal performances? Because it’s a perfect analogy for what is necessary for businesses to win in a Once or Twice purchase situation.
A Once or Twice purchase situation is when a customer is only likely to buy a particular product or service just once or twice in their lifetime. It means a business has just one opportunity to win that customer – it’s the Olympic final and there’s no second chances.
Businesses whose products and services are bought that infrequently need to ensure that they’ve done enough to be considered when the moment of purchase arrives – that they’re on the start line. Then they need to deliver an exceptional sales performance to ensure they’re the brand that is chosen and the ultimate winner.
The years of training: building your brand
Just like Alex Yee’s years of training, businesses need to invest time and effort into building their brand and earning trust with their audience. This is what Byron Sharp refers to as mental availability in his book How Brands Grow – the process of ensuring your brand is front of mind when your customer is ready to buy, and it’s especially relevant for Once or Twice businesses.
Think about it: customers can enter a market at any time, it’s hard to predict. Some purchases such as needing a locksmith or arranging a funeral, can come suddenly and without warning. Others, like buying an engagement ring, getting a new fitted kitchen or having laser eye surgery, are life stage dependent and different for everyone. These decisions might be years away, but during that time, customers are passively forming a shortlist of brands they’ve heard of, trust, or associate with quality.
Building mental availability requires consistent, long-term engagement. You may not see immediate results, but it’s critical for success. You need to ensure your brand stays visible, relevant, and memorable—even if your customer isn’t ready to buy for years.
Unlike an Olympic athlete who knows when the final will be to plan and prepare, businesses don’t always know when a customer will enter the market. That’s the challenge: being prepared, staying patient, and putting in the work to ensure that when the customer starts to consider a provider, you’re already on their shortlist – you’ve qualified.
“Neglecting preparation leaves you off the start line, and neglecting performance means you lose the race.”
Performing on the day: delivering exceptional sales execution
Preparation will get you to the start line, but it’s your performance on the day that determines whether you win. In marketing terms, this is what Byron Sharp refers to as physical availability—making sure your business is easy to find, easy to buy from, and ready to outperform the competition.
When your customer is ready to make a purchase, your business needs to deliver an exceptional experience. That could be a slick website or a showroom with high quality displays. Your messaging should resonate immediately. Your team should respond quickly and effectively. The sales process should be seamless, relevant, and personal.
And don’t forget—your competitors are also on that start line, vying for the same customer. To win, you need to be faster, better, and more compelling than they are.
Here’s the kicker: no matter how brilliant your on-the-day performance is, it’s useless if you haven’t qualified for the race. You can’t win a race you haven’t qualified for – and you can’t win a customer if you’ve already been discounted.
Preparation and performance: you need both
At Once or Twice, we understand the two essential halves of success in Once or Twice situations. Winning requires a long-term strategy to build your brand, earn trust, and ensure your business is remembered—even if your customer’s purchase is years away. And it also requires an exceptional on-the-day performance to convert that trust into a win when the moment arrives.
You can’t have one without the other. Neglecting preparation leaves you off the start line, and neglecting performance means you lose the race.
We’re here to help with both. Whether you need to develop a long-term strategy, refine your customer experience, or optimise your sales performance, we have the expertise, tools, and support to help you succeed.
Are you ready to win? Let’s talk.
Written by Mark Hull
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