What I learned from Godaddy’s CEO – Bob Parsons

Bob Parsons was the first keynote speaker at Yanik Silver’s Underground Seminar this year. Before you click away, let me tell you I have a new found respect for Mr. Parsons.  He is most known for his controversial Super Bowl commercials.  But there is much more to this man.

Like many successful entrepreneurs, Bob Parsons failed 5th grade and barely graduated from high school.  One reason he graduated was he already enlisted as a marine.  As a marine, he became a combat soldier.  When he arrived at Viet Nam, he had one of those soul searching experiences.  As he sat on the top of the hill of a destroyed French fort, he contemplated death and found peace. He only wanted to make it one day at a time…to mail call the next day. In Viet Name, he saved a Marine who several months later saved his life.  He survived his days at Viet Nam and began to realize your perspective on life greatly affects what happens to you.

When he returned home to the states, he attended University of Baltimore and graduated magna cum laude.  What a change from high school where he barely graduated.  After several years at his accounting job, he developed an accounting software, Money Counts.  At one time, he asked a friend to invest in Money Counts, but was turned down.  Through many lows, it was the “dream that kept him going”, not the money.  This is another important concept to remember as you purse your own entrepreneurial success.

With Money Counts, he had the opportunity to advertise on the back cover of a financial magazine.  He decided to invest in the ad, but to choose carefully how he advertised.  In the past, he chose to charge $97, $67 and eventually $47 for his software.  When he advertised in the magazine, he wanted to go directly opposite of all the other software products.  He charged $12 and sold a boatload of software.  One of the mantras of Money Counts is excellent customer service.  After a few years, he sold his company for $60 million.  I wonder what his friend who didn’t invest $5000 thought about that sale.

A year after the sale, he was completely bored and decided to go back into business.  He tried many things, but landed on selling domains.  Once again, he decided to go against the norm for dot.coms and advertise on TV.  If he’s going to advertise on TV, why not make a great impression and advertise during the Super Bowl.  As he developed his ad, he wanted to make a “great” impression so his ad had to be edgy.  Although I wouldn’t produce the sexual ad GoDaddy.com produced, his goal was accomplished.  He made a splash in the American public and people are talking about his ads, to this day.

From that point, GoDaddy has soared in sales.  They have also soared in customer service.  At Underground Seminar 5, we heard someone say they answer their phone at the first ring.  That’s amazing!  And it’s amazing that a website would post an 800 phone number.

As Bob Parson says, what goes around comes around, just like saving that Marine Bob saved, who later saved Bob.  Mr. Parsons strives for terrific customer service in both his companies.  He only wanted to make it to mail call the next day. He’s also chosen to go against conventional ways of pricing and advertising.  As a war veteran who served his country well, Mr. Parsons showed me his is much different personally & professionally than the Super Bowl ads for GoDaddy.com

by Kerry Beck, http://www.8WeeksToProfits.com