---
title: How close does Steve Jobs say to get to your customers?
description: To succeed you may need to get close by getting farther away. Few people know what they really want or truly need. It takes commitment to figure it out.
image: https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hubfs/Blog_Featured_Images/pexels-25485192.jpg
---

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 Jul 28, 2013

# How close does Steve Jobs say to get to your customers?

![Picture of Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png?width=50&name=Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png) [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer)

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Steve Jobs On Knowing Your Customer

Sometimes, to get close to your customers to help them, you need to not let them get close to you.

At USAFA, we had water survival training, and they taught us how to rescue a drowning victim.

You are to approach from behind, inform them you are there to help, and then shove yourself under water to get away from them if they get a hold of you in their panicked state, because they'll kill you both.

Steve Jobs didn't listen to the rants or idealistic wishes of his customers. He knew their true needs and met them.

He didn't do customer surveys or focus groups.

He controlled his environment. He surrounded himself with "A" players and pushed them to create "A+" offerings, and he ruffled a lot of feathers along the way.

Are you willing to get so close to your ideal customers that you end up putting some distance between your non-ideal customers?

Are you so committed to supporting them and delighting them that you'll step away from the chaos and the noise to actually think and plan?

Then, when the path is clear, are you willing to focus on what you can produce with excellence and actually ship it?

If you are, then say so below and [tell the world here](http://clicktotweet.com/I7jzu).

Sell Different.

Market like you mean it.  
Now go sell something.

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