Delivering Happiness the Zappos Way1

Delivering Happiness the Zappos Way

How the footwear e-tailer's CEO, Tony Hsieh, builds a brand through public speaking

By Carmine Gallo

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"Happiness in a box." That's how one customer described the feeling of receiving her shoe order from online retailer Zappos.com.

Much has been written about how Zappos cultivates a culture dedicated to exceptional customer service (it famously offers $2,000 to employees who quit during its mandatory four-week training program for new hires, although few people take the offer). What's less known about Zappos is just how much time CEO Tony Hsieh has dedicated to spreading the Zappos gospel to most anyone who will listen.

During a recent interview, Hsieh told me he gives anywhere from one to four presentations a week, speaking at a variety of conferences and "pretty much anything" in Las Vegas (the company is based in the Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nev.). According to Hsieh, entrepreneurs and business owners should give as many public presentations as possible to support and help build the brand. "It's one thing to read about your company, but when a customer can associate it with an actual person, it creates a deeper, more meaningful connection to the brand," Hsieh told me. Here are Hsieh's three tips to building a brand through public speaking:

•Speak about topics you're passionate about. Although Hsieh started an online shoe retailer, he's most passionate about customer service, corporate culture, and happiness. Yes, happiness. "Tony, what does happiness have to do with selling shoes?" I asked. "At Zappos, our higher purpose is delivering happiness," said Hsieh. "Whether it's the happiness our customers receive when they get a new pair of shoes or the perfect piece of clothing, or the happiness they get when dealing with a friendly customer rep over the phone, or the happiness our employees feel about being a part of a culture that celebrates their individuality, these are all ways we bring happiness to people's lives."

Speaking about a topic he's passionate about, Hsieh engages his audiences and teaches them something new in the process. In a 55-slide PowerPoint deck, Hsieh devotes no more than five slides to a corporate discussion of Zappos data. The rest is dedicated to explaining how Zappos achieved its success ($1 billion in gross sales in 2008) and, most important, what the audience can learn from the Zappos story.