Loyalty

More specifically, customer loyalty. Another one of the recurring topics that we will touch on in these messages is about the world-class service we should all be providing our customers. And as we’ve discussed, it’s not about a satisfied customer…but a loyal customer.

One of my favorite motivational speakers and authors, Jeffrey Gitomer, wrote a great book with a great title called, “Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless”. You need this on your “to read” list if you don’t already own it (available here).

How does a company or a salesperson know when they’ve created customer loyalty? One way is when a person elects to tattoo your logo on their body, I would say that’s the ultimate customer loyalty statement.

“But Joey, I can’t get the billing department to get the customer’s billing right.” “But Joey, the service techs didn’t install the system like the customer asked them too.” STOP POINTING FINGERS about why you can’t provide world-class service! You do everything you can and provide world-class service to the customer. How?

q Treat every customer like a celebrity.

If George Clooney called and needed service you’d go crazy in serving him and falling all over him to make sure he was happy. Act like every person you talk to is George Clooney.

q Give your customers face and serve them to death.

When was the last time your Top 100 customers saw you? How about your Top 10? Is every visit an attempt to sell them something and they only perceive you as a salesman? Do you provide them marketing ideas, growth suggestions that you’ve seen in other companies or provide them other business partners who can mutually benefit from doing business together in order for everyone to succeed?

q Professionally oversee all projects.

Have all necessary pre-call calls; clearly deliver all –detailed– documents concerning your project to all necessary parties; confirm all deadlines to all parties in writing; follow-up, follow-up, follow-up!

q “Call out the Cavalry!”

I can assure you that when your customer has problems, the last thing they want is excuses, technical mumbo-jumbo or anything else that doesn’t resolve their problem. The only words they want to hear from you are:

àEmpathy (“Oh, that’s horrible!”)
àTell them “That’s my favorite problem!” You’ll amaze them when you say this.
àTell them the cavalry is in route to resolve their problem, and then make it happen.

Once the problem is corrected: follow-up with the customer, resell them on your company, and then resell them on YOU.

q Send business to your customers.
Become a professional netweaver. Help your client’s grow their business by partnering them with mutually supporting businesses so that everyone grows! When you start helping your customer’s grow, they’ll happily return the favor.

Be 100% focused on creating customer loyalty (Raving Fans!) in everything you do when interacting with your customers.

“Your company's most valuable asset is how it is known to its customers.”
~Brian Tracy

Have a great week and until next time, remember:

“Your Success Is My Business."™

Brand Identity, or not?

Brand Identity, or not?

We all recognize the businesses above. They’ve worked for many years to create their brand identity. When you look at their logo, you know exactly who the business is and most likely what they do.

Do you realize that you have brand identity as an individual as well?

That’s right. Customers look at you and they identity you with a certain level of service, a certain level of support, with a certain company and certain products.

But, thinking with a world-class mind and thinking as the CEO, let’s take this to the ultimate level!

Brand identity simply means that people know you exist and a little (maybe) about your company. You know the companies in the list above, just like many of your customers know that you exist. I’m not oversimplifying this to the point that it’s not important, as it is. But this is just the first step.

The next step in this then is brand preference. Just like you shop at many of the companies in the list above, many of your customerss shop with you for their purchases. They allow you to bid on their Request for Proposal (RFP), they call you in when they’re asking for quotes on a new products and they contact you to compete for their business when their company is looking into new solutions. But this isn’t enough!

What you need to focus on and develop is the world-class category of being BRAND INSISTENCE.

You want to provide your clients such world-class service & support, such great products, such a deep & powerful relationship with them and complete understanding of their business so that they simple insist on doing business with you and no one else. Even if they have to wait!

Brand insistence is the ultimate relationship you can develop in partnership with your customers. As the CEO of your business and with a world-class mindset, you can achieve this. How? Give them faces, completely understand their business and serve them to death.

Have a great week and until next time, remember:

“Your Success Is My Business."™

Sales People - Take Action!

Take Action!

I know each of you constantly think about how to work better, how to create more success and generate more wealth (for your customers and for yourself). Well, what it all boils down to---it’s all about attitude and how you think.

John Maxwell says, "We choose what attitudes we have right now. And it's a continuing choice."

So, here’s an important MILLION DOLLAR attitude question that I want you to answer: Are you a salesperson in business, or are you a business owner making sales?

When you think of your role as if you’re the business owner---act like you’re the CEO of your own company---then things will take on an entirely new perspective for you.

So then, let’s work on the mind-set change.

From this point forward, you should walk, talk, act and sell with a World-Class mindset as the CEO of your business.

Now that we’ve established our mindset, let’s work on our World Class thinking.

Why world-class thinking? Because you have to understand there’s a difference between you and your competition. What is it that seperates you from every other person offering the same products? The biggest difference from the client’s point-of-view is the difference they perceive in YOU! The difference then is, the competition is average and ordinary while you’re a world-class thinker! Here are (some of) the differences in average business thinkers and world-class CEO thinkers:

• Average thinkers don’t buy stuff for themselves to help them succeed if they can’t expense it out.
  World-class thinkers equip themselves for success, even if it comes out of their own pockets.
• Average thinkers wait for training until their company provides it.
  World-class thinkers have a personal growth program that is in conjunction with, and regardless of, their company’s efforts.
• Average thinkers are more concerned with activity.
  World-class thinkers are more concerned with results.
• Average thinkers provide customer service.
  World-class thinkers produce customer loyalty.
• Average thinkers are more concerned over the client’s cash.
  World-class thinkers are concerned about the client’s confidence in them.
• Average thinkers know everything about themselves.
  World-class thinkers know everything about their clients.
• Average thinkers avoid risk.
  World-class thinkers manage risk.
• Average thinkers love to be comfortable.
  World-class thinkers are comfortable being uncomfortable.
• Average thinkers hunger for security.
  World-class thinkers don’t believe security exits.
• Average thinkers sacrifice growth for safety.
  World-class thinkers sacrifice safety for growth.
• Average thinkers look for short-cuts.
  World-class thinkers know there are no short-cuts.
• Average thinkers handle work as it’s given to them.
  World-class thinkers work at growing their business.
• Average thinkers work on time management.
  World-class thinkers work on self-management.
• Average thinkers are reactive.
  World-class thinkers are proactive.
• Average thinkers work on getting the next sell from the customer.
  World-class thinkers work on getting all future sells from the customer.
• Average thinkers work on trying to sell the customer.
  World-class thinkers work on trying to serve the customer.
• Average thinkers work to increase the size of the transaction.
  World-class thinkers work to increase the amount of satisfaction.
• Average thinkers work to satisfy the customer.
  World-class thinkers work to amaze the customer.
• Average thinkers give criticism.
  World-class thinkers provide coaching.
• Average thinkers have reason.
  World-class thinkers have faith.
  
  Until next time, best wishes and remember that...

“Your Success Is My Business."