Comments on: Successful Business Advice: Love Your Customers

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:55:00 +0000

You really know what you what you are talking about! Join the http://www.sbtv.com community and share your thoughts on small business.
At sbtv, Small buisness is our only business.

By: John, Vancouver Real Estate

John, Vancouver Real Estate — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:45:19 +0000

Our real estate business is very much people and relationship oriented. Of course we spend much time keeping up with the ever changing conditions of our market (new interest rates, new laws, etc.). However, at the end of the day our clients must both like us and trust our competency before they’ll feel good about the job we did for them. The payoff for us is a referral based business!

By: Dawud Miracle

Dawud Miracle — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:45:37 +0000

Stephen,
So true. Provide each customer with an unforgettable experience and not only will they remember you, they’ll remember to tell their friends about you. Gotta love word-of-mouth marketing.

By: Stephen Wolfe

Stephen Wolfe — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:43:36 +0000

I think this goes along with the mindset that if you give the customer an experience they will never forget… they will never forget it! Profound I know, and it can bite us in the tail or can raise us to the clouds. Of course the destination is up to us and the experience we give our customers.

By: Dawud Miracle

Dawud Miracle — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:15:12 +0000

James,
It’s true. A site should look cared for. Hard to think the information, products or services are worth much if the site looks uncared for.

Simon,
Oh, I’m not talking about making people feel good and selling them useless crap.

But think for a minute, what moves you to buy? You can’t deny that how you feel about something plays a roll. Now how does that change if we’re talking about what you feel about the person you’re buying a service from?

By: Simon Slade

Simon Slade — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:47:30 +0000

Yes, it’s important to make people feel good, but delivering a solid product or service is a big part of the puzzle in many industries, more than intangible “feelings.” Making people feel good is important, so is delivering a competitive product or service – I don’t see one as inherently more important than the other.

By: James at Coinadrink

James at Coinadrink — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:50:22 +0000

This applies to website design too. I definitely do my shopping at sites I like the look of.

To be honest if you have never heard the name of the company before this is the only thing you have to go on.

By: Dawud Miracle

Dawud Miracle — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:50:52 +0000

Mari,
No worries. I’ve done much odder things in front of many more people.

kelly,
I hear things like this all the time. I think it’s intrinsic that we want to build relationships with people around us. That just shows human nature.

The question is how to use those natural tendencies to develop and grow your business. I’m not talking about manipulating. What I’m talking about is allowing something natural to take place in the relationship.

Thoughts?

By: Kelly @ Pass the Torch

Kelly @ Pass the Torch — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:35:39 +0000

More and more I’ve been able to see what a difference the relationship makes. I notice it in my own dealings with salespeople. I’ve been with the same insurance agent for 23 years. And I’m not even sure I’m getting a good deal – I just don’t feel like leaving him.

By: Mari Adkins

Mari Adkins — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:59:31 +0000

This is why I try not to read blogs this early in the morning. I don’t do day well…LOL I realized the link was there after I sent my comment. Thanks again.

By: Dawud Miracle

Dawud Miracle — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:57:30 +0000

Mari,
You can use the link in my reply above to visit Andy’s site.

By: Mari Adkins

Mari Adkins — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:44:53 +0000

No, I’ve not seen that book, Dawud. But I’ll keep an eye out for it. Thaks for the recommendation!

By: Dawud Miracle

Dawud Miracle — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:24:35 +0000

Mari, Have you read Andy Sernovitz's book on Word of Mouth Marketing? Gives some great tips on how to be an active part of Word of Mouth.

By: Mari Adkins

Mari Adkins — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:39:36 +0000

Dawud: How are you using word-of-mouth marketing to promote Apex? I’d bet that most of our WoM is accidental – such as we’ll be standing in line somewhere discussing something and someone overhearing will invariably ask questions. Or we’ll be wearing Apex alien head t-shirts and someone will ask questions. And we’re always ready with answers and business cards. (Good business cards are important! I found this out real fast)

Too, our friends and supporters don’t hesitate to do much of the same – and we return the favor. All of us make great use of blogs and message boards to spread the word, as well.

I recently signed Apex up for Utterz and Twitter, too, but haven’t quite gotten into that groove yet, but I’m getting there.

By: Dawud Miracle

Dawud Miracle — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:16:23 +0000

Mari,
How are you using word-of-mouth marketing to promote Apex?

communicatrix,
Sure, I can go with you on the customer service bit with Apple – and Microsoft setting the bar so low, but how does using your Mac make you feel? I mean the experience of it.

Gene,
Do you think your friend’s perspective is based on their perceived experience? And if they had a different experience – with customers returning – would that change their perspective?

medical,
Big question, really. But how about trust, caring and honesty. Basically, remembering that we’re all human and treating people as people not as commodities.

pokeren,
So how do you establish the relationship?

Jonathan,
I hear you. Why do you think that is? Wouldn’t companies have figured out long ago that sales happen naturally when people like people?

By: Jonathan Frank

Jonathan Frank — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:54:08 +0000

I feel like most sales people don’t give any personal service anymore. It seems like you can see the greed and the need oozing from most sales people. Very rarely do I find good old fashioned sales techniques that leave you feeling good and smiling after a transaction. You would think that with all the “work shops” and “training” that this would be improving. Just my opinion.

By: pokeren

pokeren — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:32:44 +0000

It’s all about customer relations. The guides to affiliate marketing emphasize the need to establish a relationship with your customer to ensure loyalty

By: medical alert

medical alert — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:00:46 +0000

I never have the kind of experience. But I want to be a good salesperson to sell products, services, even myself to the company to gain one good position. What kind of feeling should a salesperson give to his clients?

By: Gene Damschroder

Gene Damschroder — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 05:16:11 +0000

I can’t tell you how true this really is! I experience this all the time in my offline business.

I was telling my friend the other day who is in a “service” industry, that this is incredibly important. But he feels a client is a “one shot” deal. So he doesn’t really care how they’re treated, as long as they “close”.

Personally. I think that’s a load of bull. I’ve had clients come back over and over for years and years.

By: the communicatrix

the communicatrix — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:55:00 +0000

What’s the old saw: All things being equal, people would rather do business with people they know and trust?

Really, I think it’s just icing on the cake if we *like* them. I’m thinking of several small biz owners, doctors and dental hygienists (sp). Maybe the appropriate, more inclusive adage is “The devil you know…”

RE: Apple, I would argue that the loyalty they’re accrued stems from stuff other than spectacular customer service. Compared to Microsoft, yeah, they rule, but come on, that bar is abysmally low. I like Apple because the products are better, and easier/more fun to use. That’s why I pay my extra money, and that’s why I’m an evangelist.

I’ve actually found the customer service at the stores to be pretty surly and unhelpful (”Genius” Bar, I’m looking at you!); it’s certainly no Nordstrom’s. But they’re the best game in town so…

Well, you know the rest.