The Power of Magic: Know your customer and where they are going

Over-deliver and over-prepare. These two words radiated throughout the grand ballroom on Wednesday when Magic Johnson addressed the packed room during his Keynote, "The Power of Magic: Know Your Customer and Where They Are Going." 

These words came up multiple times as he answered questions from both the audience and from Moderator Mitch MacDonald, Editorial Director for DC Velocity and President/CEO of Agile Business Media. 

Johnson said that over-preparing was one of the transferable skills from his basketball career to his business one. "Just being prepared" along with being disciplined, focused, hating to lose/loving to win and "the strategy part" were all traits that have helped him in both careers. "I took those skills over to the board room," he said. 

As far as over-delivering, "It is not enough to just deliver to them (the customer), we have to over-deliver," said Johnson. "If you over-deliver, you’ll get the retention you want." As far as how that has helped him? He said the first theater he opened was "the top 10 highest grossing theater in year one. ... because we over-delivered." He said it "taught me an important life lesson. Think of the customer first and make sure you over-deliver to them." 

Wait? Johnson isn’t just a basketball legend and the face of HIV/Aids awareness campaigns? He’s something other a No. 1 draft choice, Dream Team player and Lakers superstar? He is much more. Since his "last" retirement from basketball in 1996, and even long before, he has been polishing his business skills in preparation for the role he currently plays: successful business owner, partner, CEO and enthusiast, and now the President of Basketball Operations for the Lakers. 

Johnson actually started prepping for his business career during his basketball career. He said his goals were the NBA but at the same time he was dreaming of one day being a businessman. "It was important to me to prepare myself to become a businessman," he said. "What I did first was get me a lot of mentors to help me learn business." The owner of the Lakers at the time, Dr. Jerry Buss, "was like a father to me," Johnson said. "He took me aside and started teaching me business." Johnson said he was "blown away. That was where I got my start." 

His ensuing success as a businessman still surprises him, though. "Going to this level as a businessman, I am really surprised. ... Who would think I would end up owning the Dodgers?" He said some of his key priorities were hiring the right people, having the right vision and understanding the "power of minorities" and urban America. 

But, his single proudest accomplishment is putting people to work every day – almost 50,000 minorities – and 10,000 minorities to college through scholarship at the foundation. He said he’s been successful and wants others to be too. "It is really about touching the community and making sure they can have a job opportunity to take care of themselves and their family. Nothing is bigger or greater than that."

But he never stops his learning either. "I am like a sponge," he said. "I listen and talk to people. I continue to strive to get better." He consults with experts regularly – and hires them. "You have to come up with fresh and new ideas that are going to help YOU be successful," said Johnson, and "your management team has to be great." Then, find your own strategy. Also, listen to customers. "I think it is really important to listen to the customer." Make sure their voice is heard. "They’ll appreciate that," he explained. "The customer has many options. Remember that. We want to keep them coming in our doors." 

If you are interested in hearing more about Johnson’s story, Gregg Goodner, President of MHI, said Johnson’s wife Cookie wrote the book, Believing in Magic. "Pick up a copy and read it," he said. "Fantastic read." The story is touching, compelling, insightful – and true. 

Just as Magic Johnson has had multiple mentors and influences on his life, both on the court and in his business career, his life has been a part of so many of ours. As MacDonald so accurately pinpointed it: "Magic Johnson has touched the lives of millions of us."

Check out additional article on this keynote session by Modern Materials Handling here.