Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version.

Visit the website to

download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com

Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com
Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com

You Are Free To Forward This Book To Any &

Everyone You Know. Sell it, print & copy it or
even Give It Away – Just Don’t Make Any
Changes To It (At All).

Please Note: This is Not a Final Version of the book! It’s an insiders pre-
release version – my way of saying - No fancy pictures and graphics added yet, no
grammatical editing – just plain hardcore customer stealing content. But if you do find
an gramma errors or mega mistakes, just pop me an email and let me know…I’d be
very grateful (I’ll also include you name in the credits of course).

Oh - The final 3 chapters are short – but not yet done. Had hoped to have all them all
done before releasing this…but I thought you might not want to wait – and you don’t
have to. The last 3 will be out at the official ‘online launch’ of the final edited version.
In the meantime, I thought the early birds deserved a bit of a head start…sound
good?

Good.

Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com
Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
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What Is This Book About?

If you don’t have time to read the whole book, here’s the summary in
one paragraph:

Creating a customer is hard, slow and expensive – it’s the single largest
risk you can take. It’s the top reason businesses fail. The alternative?
Steal a customer. In fact steal one hundred. It’s cheaper, faster and
less risky. It’s also surprisingly easy once you know how. Businesses
that master the art of customer theft succeed. Customer Thief will show
you how to do that.

Introduction

I’m a thief. The real deal, I’m no amateur. When it comes to stealing I
mean business. And when it comes to business, I’ll steal anything not
nailed to the floor – especially customers. I’ll steal from competitors,
suppliers, partners etc – anyone who has what I want, I’ll steal from
them. And contrary to popular belief…

Some thieves sleep VERY well at night!

I’m not a common thief though…I’m above that. I’m the other kind…the
kind with ethics - you know, REAL morals…

Just ask the last girl I dumped…

True story: once upon a time I had this girlfriend, Connie - heck of a
babe. Had the kind smile that could haunt your dreams - for years.
Hands down the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met.

More than just a pretty face though, she actually had a brain and a
heart too. Just the kind of gal you’d want to marry –

Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com
Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
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But I had other plans.

C’mon, you know how it is…girls start talking marriage long before most
guys are ready for it. I mean I loved her, I cared deeply for her – I just
wasn’t ready for marriage – so I decided to do the noble, heroic thing…
let her go (somewhat gently).

Big mistake…

T’was evening, 6:30pm and we went for a walk around the block from
where she lived. I was delivering my ‘break-up speech’, complete with
excuses and nonsense – but eloquent.

Then suddenly it happened.

12 big hairy, body- building, gun carrying guys with – oh wait…wrong

story. It was just 3 guys, ordinary looking guys. They came up to us, in
the middle of my third or forth good reason why our relationship had to
end – and asked for the time.

I lifted my hand to look at the time…and before you can say ‘what the
heck’ two of them were holding me down – while the third casually
stabbed me three times in the arm. Within seconds, they had
disappeared into the night – I was bleeding, missing a wallet and a pair
of shoes.

Scary experience – I was rushed to the hospital, where I found out I

was the second such victim that night.

For three weeks after that, I couldn’t use my hand, I’d been
immobilized. The thieves were out there, with my wallet and one of
them was probably wearing my cool white sneakers. I was furious. I felt
violated. I thought…

“What gives someone the right to take what doesn’t belong to

him?” Selfishly profiting from the work of others…GRRR!

But the more I thought about it, the more I began to admire the
courage, creativity and strategy it takes to steal, and completely get

Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com
Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
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away with it. It’s more than just taking from anyone, anytime, anyhow. It
takes preparation. Stalking. And the ability to take action.

Eventually, I’d become so intrigued by ‘thievery’, that I begun studying it

and before long, I was doing it. Not with knives or guns but with pen and
paper (and ethics). I’ve been at it ever since, stealing customers – for
over 200 businesses in 35 different industries.

Side note:
I was robbed twice that night. 3 thugs stole my wallet & Connie stole my
heart. 3 years later, I’ll tell you, marrying her was the best thing I ever did.

Look I didn’t invent customer theft. I’m just out to master it - And to
show you how. Why?

Because Stealing Customers Can Make You Rich!

Master ‘Customer Thieves’ easily make more money than any other
people on earth. Bill Gates, Richard Brandson, Strive Masiwa – All
customer thieves. Allow me to explain…

WHAT IS A ‘CUSTOMER THIEF?’

Once someone has become a buyer of a particular product, we call him

a ‘customer.’ Who ‘owns this customer?’ Simple – the one he currently
buys from. When two or more people want the same customer, that’s
what we call competition.

Unfortunately, your competitor, caring little for you, will not willingly give
you his customer. He’ll not even share if he can help it. Thus, you have
to take what belongs to him - without his permission and make that
customer your own. If he resists, you may have to hurt him. That’s theft,

Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
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Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
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‘ethical theft,’ the only kind that even God approves of. The kind you
need to master.

Listen, there’s a big difference between an ethical thief and a common

thief. I hate common theft. Here’s the difference:

A Customer Thief is an ethical thief. A common thief has no ethics.

‘Ethical theft’ means we don’t lie or cheat customers, offering products
with bad quality or even taking something for nothing. When you have
stolen ethically, your new customer should be glad you did, you
competitor however… may feel differently.

HOW TO FIND SOMEONE TO STEAL FROM

First the bad news.

Whatever your business, you have a lot more competition than you
thought. Most people think their only competition are other people who
do exactly what they do – thus your strategy, ideas, growth potential
and earnings are limited.

If you sell Potatoes – your competition is a lot bigger than others who
sell potatoes. Same whether you sell cell phones, real estate,
computers, DVD movies, consultancy services or whatever.

Imagine you owned a DVD Club – a simple example of a common

(micro) business.

You probably assume other DVD clubs are your only competition. You
think your customers are paying you for DVDs…which is wrong. The
result? You spend all your time getting the best DVDs and trying to beat
other clubs on price and variety.

But DVD is not the only way to watch a movie. I can watch it on my
computer, IPOD, Cell Phone, right off the internet OR I can go to the
cinema, I may even be an old-timer with a VCR. With the advancement

Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com
Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com
of technology more ways come up everyday. That’s a lot more
competition – a lot more people to steal from.

People (Most) hire DVDs to be entertained and avoid boredom. Doesn’t

that expand your competition a lot wider?

I’ve endless other options for entertainment or boredom avoidance. I

can have dinner with my wife, go bowling or go clubbing. I can read a
book, go visit a friend and just chat – you get the picture right?

Anyone who entertains

your market is your competition!

By understanding that you’re in the entertainment business…you’ll

vastly expand your options and potential. Entertainment is your product,
DVD is a medium or delivery system.

The Good News.

The more competition, the more people to steal from! Imagine people
stopped using other forms of entertainment in favour of your DVDs. No
more, going clubbing, playing sport, socializing – just you and your
DVDs.

You may even decide to shift into a different business once you see
how many more profitable ways there are to entertain people. Either
way, you’d be filthy rich.

HOW TO STEAL CUSTOMERS

Every customer has an internal security system designed to keep you

out and his money in. It’s a mental safe with a 5digit combination lock
feature. These digits represent the emotional logic he requires before
he will buy anything from you. Presenting the wrong emotional logic, is
like putting in the wrong pass-code – you go home without the sale.

Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com
Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
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Fortunately, I have the formula for you – it’ll show you exactly which 5
digits to press and how. If you use this pass code, you’ll gain access to
his money every-time. You do that by presenting your sales logic, in the
right words, in the right order – being sure to press the emotional
buttons that will get him to take the action you’re after.

Here are the 5mental/emotional buttons you’ll have to push

1) Get His Attention.

2) Get his belief
3) Arouse his desire
4) Remove the downside (risk)
5) Demo Your USP.

There are many mediums with which to accomplish this – newspaper

advertising, one on one presentations, a letter, email, phone call, TV –
whatever. Yet all of these, without the above pass code virtually
useless.

[Actually, I covered ‘the what, where and how’ of the first four keys in
my other book – Cash Baron Secrets. It’s a free download, with
extensive examples of how I’ve used them to do unusual things –
Google search ‘Cash Baron Secrets’ to find it quick & easy]

1) Get His Attention

Without this, nothing else matters. Most people have no clue how to do
this.

• They send emails that are never opened

• Letters never read
• Adverts no one notices,
• Sales presentations that no one listens to

So how do you get attention? Well that’s the job of your headline.

The first thing you say in an ad, presentation, conversation, email etc…
that’s your headline. It’s not for your logo, your company name etc…the
primary purpose of your headline is to attract the right kind of attention
from the right kind of person.

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Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
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You’ve got to know what to say to get your prospects attention in 3
seconds. If you can’t do that – it doesn’t matter how exciting,
groundbreaking or unique your offer is…I wont read further to find out.

So in a crowded place there are several things you can do to get my

attention
1) Call my name
2) Say something about something that ALREADY has my attention.

Here’s an example

“Hey George Jackson”!

Still urgently looking for cheap accommodation? Cuz I just heard of a
new way you can get a house in Borrowdale for the price of a hut in
Chitungwiza! Full details here – www.cheapborrowdalehome.com

If you don’t know his name then address them with the most accurate
‘name you know – for example:

“Dear expecting mother

Did you know that there are 3 things you can do right now to have a
quick and easy delivery…for half the normal hospital fees? Find more
here – www.pregnantmama.com

Dear frustrated entrepreneur,

There are 2 guaranteed ways to double your sales in 7 days or less…
no investment required… interested? www.businesssetupgroup.co.cc

Notice 3 things about all three examples

1) They address the person as specifically as possible –

George/expecting mother/frustrated entrepreneur.
2) They immediately get into something that the listener is already
interested in.
3) The offers are rare and unlikely to be repeated by competitors –
thus making them all the more interesting.

Compare those examples to what people usually do

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Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
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(Ad #1) “Dear expecting mother

Did you know that there are 3 things you can do right now to have a
quick and easy delivery…for half the normal hospital fees? Find more
here – www.pregnantmama.com

OR

(Ad #2) Medi-child Maternity Specials…HURRY!!

For the best in baby delivery products and services, give us a call! We
offer high quality for low, low prices. Hurry while stocks last! Here is our
product list www.medicarematernity.com

Now if you were an expecting mother which one of the above two would
be more -
• Interesting?
• Understanding of you & what you’re going through?
• Cares about your best interests?
• Seems more helpful and worthwhile to read?
• Seems more unique and valuable to website?

The answer should be obvious – Ad #1

Ad#2 What’s wrong with it?

• Talk about themselves, not their market (pregnant mothers).
• Care more about selling their product than providing you with a
solution.
• Say the kind of thing that everyone else is saying
• Is trying to close a sale before offering value.

No wonder this approach gets poor results. Once you’ve got the
attention and interest of a customer you must…

Get His belief

Once you’ve held my attention long enough for me to see what you’re
selling there are only 3 reasons I wont buy.

1) I don’t want it.

2) I can’t afford it

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Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
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3) I don’t believe you.

Lets deal quickly with the first 2

1) If I don’t want it, you’ve either targeted wrong or failed to make
your offer appealing.
2) If I cant afford it, you’ve either targeted wrong or offered the
wrong payment terms

BUT if I you’ve got what I want at a price I can afford, the next reason I
wont buy is that I don’t believe you. Something smells fishy.

I don’t believe
1) You are who you say you say you are
2) You can do what you say you can
3) You have what you say you have
4) You are being truthful about yourself, products or business

Trust is an essential for any kind of transaction. Distrust slows down

progress, It creates friction and it can kill a business transaction or
partnership. (By the way if you haven’t read ‘Speed of Trust’ by Steven
Covey – what are you waiting for? He covers this topic in depth.)

Fortunately there is a way to build this trust – offer proof. And there are
many ways to do this. But first lets go through a few common mistakes
people make that build distrust

• Offering conflicting messages.

• Using unqualified statements or vague generalities

Offering conflicting messages.

• Selling premium/ exclusivity on cheap looking stationery.

• Claiming to have most affordable pricing in a lavish and fancy
office
• Offering record breaking speeds whilst emphasizing individual
customer personalization

Like the woman who ‘says’ she hates male eyeball attention but insists
on a wearing micro miniskirt – It’s just not believable!

A conflicting message happens when you’re saying two different things

at the same time. So #1 for believability - Consider the whole
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Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
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communication picture. Ask yourself if your message is congruent all
round?

Unqualified Statements & Vague generalities

Businesses love doing this. Especially when it comes to corporate

taglines or advertising slogans

“Compu-Print Trading is the Nations Number 1”

“Moyo & Sons Repairs…Where Customer Is King”
“Graphixa Designers… the home of creativity & innovation”

What do all three of the above have in common? They’re all vague/
very general and very useless. The companies who make these sort of
claims offer no specific proof of their claims and therefore their
message isn’t effective.

Here’s how it should be done.

“Compu-Print has 9 years more experience than our closest competitor

– and here’s why that’s important to you…blah blah blah”

“We’ll give a Benz/ BMW of your choice to use while we work on your
car. It comes with 25litres of fuel for no extra cost to you…because at
Moyo & Sons Repairs…the customer really is king.“

Notice how being very specific VS vague makes your claims more
believable (and powerful)? In the customers mind you’re either telling
the truth or outright lying – and few would believe a business to make
false statements to that degree.

For example in my personal bio I could say

“Max Soutter has worked with many businesses in many different

industries” – shucks who cares…there’s nothing special about what I
just said – in fact almost anyone could say it.

“Max Soutter has worked with over 200 businesses in almost 40

different industries including real estate, finance, technology &
advertising…” The believability goes way up because it’s a very specific
claim. In your mind you decide – Max is either a pathological liar…or it’s
the truth.

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Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
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Being specific infers that research, calculation and attention to detail is
behind the statement.

Be as specific as you can, when ever possible (and it’s almost always
necessary – especially with an unknown brand)

Use exact numbers, places, people, positions, institutions, publications

etc.

Avoid generalities when describing something you really need

people to believe about our offer or your business.

That’s barely scratching the surface. Here are 10 more ways to

increase the credibility of your communication with your market.

1) Give them reasons why what you’re saying is true. Is it the best?
Cheapest? Fastest? Strongest etc…why?

2) Logical Arguments. I.E. Starting with something they can agree

with or easily confirm. Then move logically to point B, then C etc.
If point A is definitely accurate…it lends believability to B. If A & B
are accurate, then they both lend credibility to C and so on.

3) Use Strong examples. You’ve won 5 big awards, name

them…describe them in detail if need be. Always go for the
strongest example of the truth of your claim.

4) Use testimonials…lots of them – especially the kind that most

resemble the person you’re trying to persuade. If you’re selling to
Kingdom Bank…show them how Barclays was completely
delighted with your product.

5) Get Credentials. Certificates, awards, titles etc Would you let a

‘self taught’ doctor do brain surgery on you?! If you market values
credentials…get em.

6) Be important. Whatever you can it increase your profile. Have

you written a book? Can you drop a few names? Were you in the
newspaper? Warning: Do it tastefully…no one wants to deal with
an arrogant person, but a successful/ accomplished/important
person…that works.

Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com
Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
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7) Offer a guarantee. This is one of my fav – and certainly one of

the most powerful. “If it breaks down in the next 12 months, we’ll
replace it – no questions asked”. “If it doesn’t work the way we
said, you get an instant refund – no excuses”. Very few
businesses have the guts to do this one…and that’s why it’s so
hard to steal their customers!

8) Give them your track record. You have a 98.5% success rate
VS your competitors 80% - shout it out to the world!

9) Show it in Action. Is there a way to demo you product or service

before they buy? Saying is one thing…but showing can be so
much more powerful when done right. Fit it into your presentation
in an interesting way and you win

10) Scientific Language. Depending on your product and

market, well-placed scientific sounding language or graphs, pie
charts - type data can push your credibility way up. Make it as
understandable as possible, whilst showing mastery of the
technical or scientific aspects of your product/ service

There are at least 7 more ways, I know of - but I’ll stop here. Use your
imagination. I’m sure you can see how some of the above fit into your
situation. The trick is to factor the right credibility tactics into every
communication with your market.

Next Chapter - Arouse His Desire.

Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com
Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com

End of pre-release version. Keep checking the website for the official & final
version.

Still to come in Final Version of Customer Thief;

• How to get prospects blood thirsty for your products and services
• Make your competitors offers look like junk, without even saying it – a
little known sneaky little trick.
• The real difference between a customers & a client & exactly how
to work it.
• 3 real life examples of recent customer heists I’ve done, with detailed
how to steps.
• How to structure a bullet proof sales argument for your market
• How to be more expensive…and still sell more products than your
competitor
• What to do when you’re facing a pitch or tender for mega bucks
• How to make your product more unique & valuable than your
competitors…even if it’s exactly the same.
• The number one fast-forward business growth strategy for ANY
business.
• The marketing leverage mentality… it makes all the difference
• My 5 rules for doing business deals in Zimbabwe
• How to turn one customer, into two…with 5 minutes of work.
• How to turn your best customers into your top sales people.
• How to attach you competitors indirectly – and render them useless.
• How to position yourself as an industry leader in the eyes of your
market
• How telling your client the truth (in the right way) can sky rocket your
business profits.
• What to do when you’re up against another thief.
• And more…

All of the above even a brand new business can do to compete against well
established competitors.

Got questions? Comments a testimonial on what you’ve read so far?

Please feel free to email me personally or post it on our website. Now go out
there and steal something!

Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com
Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com

Free Resources

Download ‘Cash Baron Secrets.’

Do you know how to get the cash you need when you need it most? Learn the four
leverage keys of a desperate cash baron for getting Other People’s Money (OPM)
and a whole lot more…
www.bisetup.wordpress.com/cash-baron-secrets

Want Free Advertising for your Business? GetMoreInfo will let you post your ads,
docs, company profile, portfolio, CV – whatever online with a simple email. Signup at
www.getmoreinfo.wordpress.com for a FREE account.

Starting, Setting Up or Growing A Biz In Zimbabwe? Do it the smart way with the
Business Setup Kit – find out more at www.bizsetup.wordpress.com (considered by
many as the leading website for Zim entrepreneurs world-wide). There you’ll also find
expert business advice, free downloads and valuable resources to fast-forward your
business success.

Customer Thief by Max Soutter: This is a Pre-release version. Visit the website to
download free final version of this book – www.bizsetup.wordpress.com