If you’re aspiring to satisfy your customers, then you’re aspiring to mediocrity. That’s the unique philosophy at the heart of Jon Picoult’s work, because building brand loyalty requires impressing customers, not just satisfying them.
Princeton-trained in cognitive science, Picoult teaches that success in business is as much about shaping people’s memories as it is about shaping their experiences. Using captivating stories and eye-opening studies, he explains the breakthrough, psychology-based strategies that great, admired companies use to turn more sales prospects into customers, and more customers into raving fans. Jon leaves audiences enlightened and energized to apply those same techniques in their roles and organizations.
Picoult is the founder of Watermark Consulting and a noted authority on customer and employee experience. From Fortune 1000 CEOs to budding entrepreneurs, he has advised business leaders worldwide on how to cultivate loyalty in both the marketplace and the workplace.
Picoult’s insights have been featured by dozens of media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Inc., Fortune, NBC News and Forbes.com (where he is a regular contributor). His landmark study on the ROI of customer experience is one of the most widely cited analyses of its kind, referenced by firms such as McKinsey, Deloitte, Accenture, Forrester, SAP, and Oracle.
Picoult is also the author of the new book, “From Impressed to Obsessed: 12 Principles for Turning Customers and Employees into Lifelong Fans,” which debuted as an Amazon #1 New Release and has earned praise from business luminaries such as Horst Schulze (co-founder of Ritz-Carlton Hotels), Hubert Joly (former CEO of Best Buy), and Marshal Goldsmith (world-renowned executive coach).
Prior to establishing Watermark, Picoult held senior executive roles at Fortune 100 companies – leading service, operations, distribution, technology, sales and marketing. Early in his career, at the age of 29, he earned the distinction of becoming the youngest executive officer in the over 150-year history of a leading, global financial services company.
Picoult holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Science from Princeton University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Duke University.