The Commitment Engine: Making Work Worth It

by John Jantsch

Why are some companies able to generate committed, long-term customers while others struggle to stay afloat? Why do the employees of some organizations fully dedicate themselves while others punch the clock without enthusiasm? By studying the ins and outs of companies that enjoy extraordinary loyalty from customers and employees, John Jantsch reveals the systematic path to discovering and generating genuine commitment. Jantsch's approach is built on three foundational planks, which he calls the clarity path, the culture patron, and the customer promise. He draws on his own experiences and shares true stories from businesses like Threadless, Evernote, and Warby Parker. His strategies include Build your company around a purpose. People commit to companies and stories that have a simple, straightforward purpose. Understand that culture equals brand. Build your business as a brand that employees and customers will support. Lead by telling great stories. You can't attract the right people or get them to commit without telling a story about why you do what you do. Treat your staff as your customer. A healthy customer community is the natural result of a healthy internal culture. Serve customers you respect. It's hard to have an authentic relationship with people you don't know, like, or trust. As Jantsch says, "Have you ever encountered a business where everything felt effortless? The experience was perfect, and the products, people, and brand worked together gracefully. You made an odd request; it was greeted with a smile. You went to try a new feature; it was right where it should be. You walked in, sat down, and felt right at home. . . . Businesses that run so smoothly as to seem self-managed aren't normal. In fact, they are terribly counterintuitive, but terribly simple as it turns out." As a follow-up to The Referral Engine, this is about more than just establishing leads- it's about building a fully alive business that attracts customers for life.

Genres: Business, Leadership, Nonfiction, Entrepreneurship

254 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 27, 2012

About the author

John Jantsch is a small business marketing speaker, marketing consultant, and bestselling author of Duct Tape Marketing, Duct Tape Selling, The Commitment Engine, The Referral Engine, and The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur.

Look for The Ultimate Marketing Engine out Sept 2021.

Reviews

[Robert Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have just started or are about to start a business then you really should read this book. It's an easy read which covers everything from forming the critical ideas to marketing them and managing everything in-between.

One of the things I liked most about this book is that it contains many current references to online tools and social media concepts which can really save a business owner tons of time and extend their reach greatly. The other thing that comes through very clearly is the author's passion for building a business and how vital passion is to fueling to the commitment engine.

This is a short review I know, but I don't want to give away too much from the book. If I were to start a business tomorrow this book would be most valued reference.

[Nick Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think you could safely pick just one between Referral Engine and Commitment Engine. There are enough similarities that a cliffnotes version would fill in the gaps between the two. Still, this was a good read, the first few chapters were very substantive. The remainder were things we'd heard in Referral Engine - important lessons in both, but I felt like this could have been an add-on chapter or two to Referral Engine.

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will post an in-depth review on amazon, YouTube, and my blog soon. It's about every organic aspect of your small to medium sized business, which was unexpected from the guy behind Duct Tape Marketing and the blog I follow religiously. John more than delivers in this effort. A must read if you are in any position of authority for any kind of company.

[Sandra Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring and thoroughly practical, The Commitment Engine renewed my sense of purpose and passion. While aimed at business owners, it was easy to apply the teachings to my own work as a manager for a nonprofit organization.

My full review is on The High Calling... http://www.thehighcalling.org/book-re...

[Gary Paulson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am being challenged by the author, so even though I am enjoying the audiobook, once I am done, I may have to read a hard copy just to make notes.
Update: Finished listening to book and will definitely be reading it again (ebook) this to pull more info out of it

[Marcey Rader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of writer-downers. I listened to the audiobook and was repeatedly rewinding. Great book for business owners.