Do this. Stop doing that.

Earlier I wrote a story about how extreme preparation led to success in a legislative arena.

It was a fun story, but it obfuscated a key point. Yes, "Success favors the prepared mind," but we need to understand the object of the preparation: in our case it was overcoming the inherent negativity of Members of the Senate Finance Committee. This object is narrowly-focused; we were not trying to convince the entire 181 Members of the Legislature; we were not trying to convince all 31 Senators; we just needed nine of the 17 Members of the Senate Finance Committee to see that we knew what their concerns were, and that we had addressed their concerns, so they could vote in our favor.

In one of our examples, golf legend Gary Player hit a hole in one, and when a spectator said, "Lucky," Player replied: "The more I practice the luckier I get." But what exactly did Player practice to be able to do? My guess: he practiced on par-3 holes. Par-3 holes are defined as 260 yards or less, though most are less than 200 yards, sometimes with tricky sloped greens or adjacent water hazards. These holes are designed so that most golfers can get to the green in one shot, usually with a short iron club. Most 18-hole golf courses feature two par-3 holes.

Player practiced these short shots until he could hit them with uncanny accuracy, onto the green and into the cup. It's not just that he practiced, it's what he specifically practiced to do: make a hole in one on a par-3 hole, scoring 2 under par, or an "eagle." His potential maximum payoff was a score of 4 under par, or a 2-under par eagles on both par-3 holes. Even if he missed sinking the ball on his first shot, he would probably be close enough to sink the ball on his second shot, earning him a 1-under par "birdie."

Choosing to focus on par-3 holes was a strategic decision: a golfer has relatively more control over short shots than long ones; par-3 holes have a high maximum payoff, a good probable payoff, and very few negative consequences; the skill to shoot accurately at distances of 200 yards or less will pay off in other parts of the game as well.

Making a strategic decision about what to focus on also implies what not to focus on. If short par-3 holes are your specialty, then don't worry about your ability to drive 300+ yards on your first shot. A lot of younger, stronger guys will drive that far; don't try to compete against their strengths. Focus on your own strength, extreme accuracy at 200 yards or less.

The same principles apply in business today. The first task is to identify your most-likely, or most-profitable, customers, and second, focus on their needs. In our legislative example, our customers were the 17 members of the Senate Finance Committee. We were selling them the idea that voting for our appropriations was in their best interests. In the golf example, the customer was Gary Player himself. If he could sink an ace on a par-3 hole, he would score an eagle, advancing him by two strokes.

Complete the following sentence: "Our most-likely (or most-profitable) customers buy our products (or services) because…"

… because our products (or services) meet their needs precisely. … because they want the best prices. … because their trusted friend recommended us. … because they remember our clever marketing campaign. … because they can get our products faster with same-day shipping.

Once you understand why your most-likely or most-profitable customers buy from you, you will be able to develop your business to attract more of them. For example:

If your target customers like your products or services because they meet their needs precisely, you may be able to grow your business by developing products or services that meet other customers' similar needs. The ideal seat cushion for people with disabilities may also be ideal for long-haul truck drivers. These may be diverse markets, but they may have similar needs.

Similarly, of your seat cushion is ideal for people with disabilities, what other products do such people need? If they love your cushions, they may also love your cushy foot-rests.

Focus development efforts not so much on products, rather zoom in on customers' needs and wants.

If your target customers like your low prices, focus on improving your efficiency continuously. Manufacturers implment "lean manufacturing" practices to achieve continuous improvement. Non-manufacturing businesses also use some of the same techniques to improve efficiency: automate order flow and reduce steps; eliminate errors in filling orders; redesign packaging to save money, be more sustainable, and improve efficiency.

If trust is the key to customers, focus on substantive testimonials from documented customers. Testimonials should include customer's first name, last initial, and home city ("Susan Q., Cincinnati"), a description of the products or services they bought, and a comment on how the quality and usefulness of the products and any related services helped them with their situation. Close with a sentence like, "We'll call this company again when we need…" or, "We recommend this company to anyone who…" Some of your best customers may want you to write the testimonial for them. Follow the pattern, write it, and send it back to the customer for approval. If the customer then wants to edit the text, publish what they want.

No company can be 100% perfect in all respects, so expect some negative comments. You don't have to post negative comments on your website, but you should respond to those customers to try to remedy their complaint. A customer with a problem that you fix can sometimes be a better repeat customer than one who never had a problem at all. Use the negative comments to feed back into your continuous improvement program.

A clever marketing campaign can increase potential customers' awareness of your business, and may even inspire some customers to contact you. But it will never be as important to your success as excellence in products, services and price.

Same-day shipping is a service that is part of what you deliver to your customer. Many transactions have both product and service aspects, and emphasizing both aspects is valuable. Same-day shipping can be a benefit to some customers, and may be the feature that tips the balance in your favor. But that assumes that all other factors are equal. If you resell products that are available from many vendors all at the same price, same-day shipping might be an advantage. But if you differentiate in other ways — unique product, noticeably better pricing, or add-on features such as warrantees, bonus products, rebates, etc.— then same-day shipping will make little difference to most potential customers.

One exception to this rule is that it can lend respectability to a small business. If you have your processes organized well enough to ship same-day, then you probably have a well-oiled, "legitimate" business, rather than a fly-by-night operation that may not be around next time a need arises.

Again, once you know why your most valuable customers buy from you, focus exclusively on continuous improvements in that aspect of your business, and stop worrying about the other aspects that don't appeal to your most valuable customers. Selecting one strategic direction means deselecting the others.

Selecting one strategic direction also means getting everyone in the organization focused on the same strategy. If your customers buy because you meet their needs precisely, then…

… get marketing to identify and access those customers and then communicate how useful the products are through advertising, demonstrations, and testimonials. … get product development to work on new products for your most-valuable market, and for new markets with similar needs. … streamline order-taking and fulfillment to improve service and cut costs. … redesign packaging to show how products are used; also, reduce weight, increase sustainability, and reduce costs.

Business strategy has two key elements: (a) focus on and improve your own strengths, and (b) quit doing things that do not focus on or improve your strengths. Apply these two strategic concepts, and become more successful in business, golf, or lobbying.