Trust - The Customers' Gold Standard

A few weeks ago I had purchased some strawberry cheese cake for my wife and her sister; I thought we'd have it later in the evening while relaxing during her visit. So I go out to the kitchen and cut just a small piece. I take it into where we are watching TV and tell my wife's sister, "Hey, I have a surprise for you. You will love it! Close your eyes and open your mouth."

What do you suppose happened?

She said, "What isssssssssssssssss it?" I repeated my request, this time with more, "Come on .....and trust me."

Same results.

Third time, she relunctantly went along with me as my wife gave her the "nod of approval," and tried the cheesecake. For sure some of you are saying, "Mark, why didn't you just tell her what you had and just ask her to taste test it?" Well where's the fun in that? However, eventually she did trust me enough to try, and the results? "Mmmmmmm! Wooooow! Sooooooo gooood!" The trust paid off my sister-in-law, and I was pleased that she liked the Cheesecake.

Part of the challange was that fact that, although we are close, my sister-in-law is not as close to me as my wife, and so naturally she was a little apprehensive about trusting me about dropping something in her mouth with her eyes closed. She probably was imagining something like watermelon with salt (she hates it), but was pleasantly surprised.

Our customers are like that. "Mr. Customer, I have just the thing for you if you can give me just a few minutes of your time." Sound familiar?

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Think About This: Would your customers trust you to select all the products and services for them without them seeing anything in advance?
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When my kids were very young, they never thought once about piling in the car for us to drive them somewhere. Many times they slept in the back without a care in the entire world trusting our driving to a place they had never known about previously. Trusting. 100% completely and totally trusting. When we arrived wherever we were going, the kids would wake up and the adventure would begin.

The funny thing is the kids just assumed everything would be okay, that we would arrive as promised and that the adventure (camping in this case) would be just as we had promised. Better. And so it was.

Our customers can be like this too. They place themselves completely in our hands and just believe that everything will be great turning out exactly (or better) than we promised. This is the ideal place to be with our customers. Loyalty.

The difference? In the first scenario our customers come to us but don't know us. So it's difficult to just "sell 'em" on whatever we think they need. It takes time to establish rapport and credibility. For those in retail, they have a matter of seconds or minutes to do that. Wow. Imagine that. For the rest of us it may take weeks, months or even a year before the customer "opens up" and risks trying our product or service.

Why do you suppose the kids worked so well in the second example? Because they know the parents, trust the parents and have complete faith in the parents based on a track record -- previous experience that convinced them, "Hey, Mom and Dad will do whatever it takes to make this happen for us. Period." And so it is.

How do your customers think about you?

™© 2007 All Rights Reserved Perception Lab, Inc.

How Serious Are You About Success?

How did I build my business? For sure, a lot of hard work. Hard work still. I love it, but it rarely is easy. What did I do? I became known by networking at chambers and major watering holes. Notice I didn't say "I met people" but rather I became known by others -- others who could send business to me once they knew more about me and my unique value to their business. First, they had to like me. Then trust me. Then understand me. Then understand how I could benefit their business. Then it happened. It still does. But lots of work.

I do the same with my clients.

Each month I meet with in two ways with most of my clients -- whether in Boston, Miami, Boca, Seattle or elsewhere, I am meeting with them in person or via phone. I meet with them to put them through two forms of ongoing boot camp - management training and staff (sales usually) training.

Even with the business I get via my eZine, like the you are reading now, or my blog site, or my podcasts or my google ads or my public speaking, seminars and workshops, I still meet with my clients every month. No matter how they found me, now matter what the type of work, I meet with them.

Every month.

Why? To help ensure my clients are successful. Management training means going over the numbers, sure -- but more about how those numbers were created -- Who sold? What did they sell? How are they selling? How are they doing it? Did they discount? Where's the pipeline report? Where's the project plan? How many did my client deliver late? Incomplete? Reschedule? Cancel? I point out the exact steps needed to be taken to maximize the client's business. Just about every client. Every month.

For the staff, similar treatment. It's all bootcamp baby. All work. A few laughs sure but not for long. "How many architects did you connect with? How many know you by your first name right now? How has that number changed since two weeks ago? When are you meeting with the owner?" And so on.

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Think About This: Every employee you have is a walking, talking, modeling representative of your company. What message are they sending?
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I explain to my clients, "Forget the VP, directors, managers -- the OWNER is The One -- The Only One -- who can say, "YES!" to your proposal, proposition or offer. Everyone else is a barrier to success. " Results. Results from tactics that work.

When my clients complete a session with me, many times there is a "Whewww!" like finishing off at the gym with a personal trainer -- 90 minutes later! They are sore for sure. But better. Better equipped and better prepare for the competition and success. Each month. Twice a month. A few hours each session. It takes time. It's an investment for me and for my client. An investment that pays off.

So why am I writing this? Just how serious are you about your success? Is it business as usual for you? Or do you strive for something better, something superior -- whatever your reason for more success, you have to know deep down inside that what you are doing matters. It matters to you, to your family, to your future. If you're flying blind and just going with the flow, hanging with the crowd, then find a new crowd.

Avoid the "can't do it", "never been done," "that's too difficult," "we tried it before and it didn't work" group -- instead, find those like-minded people who want to build their business, build their future and create a legacy NOW.

How serious are you about your company's success and long term future? What have done lately to prove this? How does your team feel about it? Everyone on the same page? Would your customers know?

Every month I see my clients progressing towards their goals of seriously high customer loyalty and increased sales. How about you? Start today. Start with the Business Schedule I provide you each week. Just like the one at the top of this eZine. You read it. 5,000+ other people like you read it. And then go from there.

Just like me, you can do it too.

™© 2007 All Rights Reserved Perception Lab, Inc.

Thrilled in 90 Seconds

Would you believe me when I say that it is actually the seemingly small things that make all the difference to customers?

How about this: have you ever noticed that many of the businesses you enter do very little to win you over? It is like they are saying, "We're here if you need us; if you don't like it, well, there is the door. Take us or leave us. We're fine either way." What a chilling reception! I can almost feel the Arctic air blowing through me now just reliving a few of those encounters. Can you relate to this? Whenever I enter a new business (to me), I am excited anticipating the treatment I am about to get. Okay, I get disappointed a lot too (you probably do too!). We only get one chance to make a first impression and win the client over for future business. So our "first contact" is super-duper critical.

Following are a few tips on how to thrill and NOT chill your customers within 90 seconds of entering your business.

Chilling: Ignoring everything as you sit behind the desk playing with your text messaging cellphone.
Thrilling: Within 30 seconds of entering the business, greet and release the customer with eye contact and with a genuine warm "Welcome to and smile. Take control and set the tone early on.

Chilling: After 10 minutes, approach the customer while keeping your personal space well intact.
Thrilling: Warmly greet the customer, "Good morning. By the way, I'm Mark ... and you are?" Why? Just to be personable and friendly. People really appreciate the personal touch, even if they don't show it initially. And, it also helps you to remember their name the next time you see them. Ideally they should ask for you the next time they return.

Chilling: Ask the customer, "What do you need?"
Thrilling: After introducing yourself, offer the customer something - soda, coffee, bottle of water. Then begin to chat with whatever it was that brought them into your business. Why? Power of reciprocity -- you offer to give them something of value and they feel a little bit on the hook to at least give you a chance.

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Think About This: What steps has your competition taken to thrill your customers away from you?
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Chilling: Point the customer to a flip book, secured (that is, chained) catalog or dusty computer monitor to browse.
Thrilling: Provide opportunities for easy dialog - interactive displays, audio/video catalogs and kiosks -- personally show the customer what they seek while getting to know them better. Keep it professional and very friendly. Customers can tell if you're faking it.

Chilling: Always make the customer stand.
Thrilling: Provide opportunities to sit and relax (especially those dragged along!) - chairs, couches or simple ottomans. (Good example would be Macys)

Chilling: Answer the phone with the standard, "Yeah?" or "This is Mark" or "."
Thrilling: Warmly answer the phone with, "Thank you for calling < your company;> this is Mark. How may I help you today?"

Read this list again. Pick all the ones that apply to your business. Consider how you can being implementing the customer-thrilling tactics immediately. Share with your team.

™© 2007 All Rights Reserved Perception Lab, Inc.