It goes without saying that we all strive to distinguish ourselves from the competition. In this article I would like to introduce you to a concept called Authentic Awareness. It is the concept of creating an atmosphere where you begin to think of ways you can provide authentic, genuine joy to your clients and prospects. Yes, I said joy. Remember the last time that someone went out of their way to do something nice for you? We've all had those experiences. But how often have you had a business do the same thing?
We live in a world where many businesses rush to meet the status quo. This is unfortunate as it has created a world filled with complacency when it comes to service. So for the sake of argument, imagine an atmosphere within your organization where there is a keen awareness of your clients and prospects. A place where everyone is making an effort to know more about their wants, needs, concerns and interests. Your organization can create this atmosphere of Authentic Awareness and it can be even simpler than you think.
Where to begin. There are many ways you can begin to develop Authentic Awareness within your organization. Start with clients you have worked with or are currently working with. Spend some time thinking about your past conversations with them. You may be surprised at how much you know about them. If not, you've got some work to do.
Pay attention to the details. What if you were to start paying attention to your clients and prospects conversations - what their hobbies were, where they liked to eat or shop, how many children or grandchildren they had or who was their favorite sports team? Paying attention to the details of another's life is a compliment. It means you're listening and that you are genuinely interested in them.
Surprise and delight. Starbucks is one of the greatest success stories of our time. One of the things they credit for their success is what they call surprise and delight. Let me give you an example of what I mean.
Recently I attended a conference where I had the opportunity to share lunch with a litigation attorney. She told me her biggest challenge was the constant interruptions she had each day from clients that were calling to check on the status of their case. I told her to put herself in their shoes. It's not every day that people are involved in a lawsuit. It's a big deal. Knowing what is going on behind the scenes, even if it is nothing, is important to them. So I gave her a suggestion - what if she were to call her clients on a rotating basis every week or two and let them know the status of their case (yes, even if there was nothing to report) and tell them she would be calling them periodically with an update unless something changes? Not only would this give her more control over her schedule, but more importantly, would surprise and delight her client. The last time we spoke, that's exactly what happened.
Fill a need. Being keenly aware of the needs of our clients and prospects is critical. I ran across an excellent example of this not too long ago regarding a hardware store that sold chainsaws. This small hardware store had fierce competition from large box stores like Lowe's and Home Depot and was not able to offer a competitive price point. So this savvy business owner started paying attention to the women who purchased chainsaws. What he found was women hated to lug the chainsaw out of their car and hide it until the day of the big event. Not to mention the challenge of wrapping the darn thing. So he decided to create added value. With the purchase of every chainsaw he threw in free delivery.
But it didn't stop there. He also delivered it beautifully wrapped and complete with a log for cutting! Needless to say, sales for his chainsaws skyrocketed. His Authentic Awareness of the needs of his prospects turned an otherwise unprofitable situation into higher profits and stronger relationships with his customers.
Ask and ye shall receive. One of the easiest ways to create Authentic Awareness is to have a client follow-up system in place. Who better to ask than those that have experienced your services first hand? Your clients can offer a wealth of information.
Give and it shall be given to you. Sometimes just the smallest things can mean a lot. I love to read, so I often share books and articles with my clients or prospects they may find beneficial. That is why I offer so many free resources on my website. I love to share tips and tools to help others build a successful business. You can never give too much away. The more you give, the more you get back. Trust me on this one.
I cannot emphasize enough to you the importance of creating an atmosphere of Authentic Awareness within your organization. After all, we are in the service business because we love to help people and provide solutions. Practicing Authentic Awareness within your organization will instill loyalty, build long and beneficial relationships and will provide a constant stream of referrals.
Go to http://www.createabuzzmarketing.com to get more FREE tips and tools for service professionals from Cheryl Lohner. No hype. Just solid, foundational marketing principles to help you grow your service business.
This article may be freely distributed as is without any alternations and with all active links in tact.
Something You Don
No comments:
Post a Comment