Which principle urges making the stance attractive to customers by focusing on substance rather than surface?

• A. Be absolutely professional: stake everything on results, and win.
• B. Thoroughly analyze specific information and other information relating to successes and failures. Remember what you learn, and put it into practice the next time around.
• C. Focus on speed, eagerness to succeed, dramatic improvement, and getting things done.
• D. Be super alert, and remain focused on substance, not surface. Work to make your stance as a company even more attractive to customers than your products.

Answer: (D)

This is about drawing customers in by what the company stands for and does, not just how it markets itself. Substantive appeal means the stance rests on real commitments, credible actions, and consistent behavior that reflect values customers care about. When a company stays true to its stated position and proves it through tangible progress and trustworthy conduct, that stance becomes more attractive than surface-level polish or promises. The chosen principle urges you to keep your focus on substance and to shape the company’s stance so it resonates with customers because of genuine value and integrity.

Other options highlight results, learning from successes and failures, speed, or general alertness, but they don’t tie the company’s attractiveness to a substantive stance in the way this principle does.