In the William Shakespeare play Richard III, Richard loses his horse in battle and is forced to continue the fight on foot. In desperation, he cries out: “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!” According to B2B consultant Mark Eardley, if we think of Richard as a customer, providing him with a positive experience is all about meeting his needs. And what does he need? Well, a horse, of course.

Response is critical to Richard; he needs to know that someone understands his challenges and will solve his problem, continues Eardley. What he doesn’t need is a status report informing him that a horse will definitely arrive before close of battle today. While he may not detail when he needs that horse, you as a brand know that he needs one now. The quality of horse is less important for Richard given his desperation. As for price, Richard makes it clear that things like total cost of ownership, return-on-investment, discount structures and payment terms are totally irrelevant. He’s willing to give his kingdom for a new steed.