In business, vulnerability is often incorrectly viewed as a weakness.  Vulnerability is not a weakness but rather a way to build further loyalty with your clients.  At the end of the day vulnerability is about service.  Being more concerned about your client and their needs, than you are about yourself and your own needs. An example of this would be a salesperson willing to risk a short term sale or commission for the sake of a long term partnership. In runner’s terms, this would be training for a marathon instead of a 5K race. The word service shares the same root meaning as servant and subservience.  In order to build loyalty with your clients you need to serve them or more importantly, serve them better than your competition does.

While vulnerability builds loyalty, fear is what tears it apart. Fear can be a crippling emotion and can paralyze us from taking proper risks in business. Author Patrick Lencioni explains there are three fears that prevent us from building trust and loyalty with our clients:

1.       Fear of losing the business- We can become solely focused on not losing the business that we get sidetracked and our fear can become a barrier to providing the proper service to our clients.

2.       Fear of being embarrassed- We incorrectly think that if we are truly vulnerable with our clients and admit the limitations that our product or service has or if we don’t have an immediate answer or solution to their question or need, then we will embarrass ourselves. The truth is we can gain further respect and built further loyalty by being honest and forthright.  The one thing that most clients feel is the unknown. They don’t want to be surprised by something that they were not expecting and that will have damaging affects to their business.

3.       Fear of feeling inferior- We all at one time or another have felt a sense of inferiority. Of course we all want to be respected and not treated as those we are inferior to others. However, providing great service to our clients means that we do whatever it takes to help them even at the risk of feeling inferior.


 Being vulnerable with your clients is not telling them what you think they want to hear but rather telling them what you know they need to hear, no matter how hard it may seem at the time.  The loyalty and trust that you can build by being naked in front of your clients far outweighs the fears you may have. Go ahead, get naked!
Add Comment
 
 
There is no better time to realize the importance of “having a guy” than when you need something done.  If you have some electrical work that needs to be done in your house, most people would rather use a personal reference than gambling on an unknown company you found on the internet or phone book.  In business, “having a guy” is commonly referred to as having a network. For instance, if you are unemployed, you have a higher likelihood of getting a good job through networking that you do by simply filling out an application and hoping for a call back.  Networking however is not like a lawnmower that you can jump fire up when you need it. It requires time and energy and the building and maintaining of your network should be a lifestyle.

The question then is how can networking become a lifestyle when you are going a 100 mph as soon as the alarm goes off? In order for this to happen, networking cannot become just another task on our ever growing daily to-do list. If you view networking as something that you have to do instead of viewing it as a critical component of your success, you are missing the mark. Networking Expert Keith Ferrazzi‘s solution to combat this mentality is that “we must Ritualize relationship building.”  “We should create a system of simple activities that you can carry over time as habits and that become as natural to you as your morning cup of coffee.”  Keith gives five ideas that can inspire your own personal “Relationship Rituals:”

1.    First thing every day after you turn on your computer, ping one friend and one acquaintance.

2.    Every weekend, invite someone else into an activity that you normally do alone (walks, gym sessions, gardening, shopping trips).

3.    Pick a day for a weekly check-in with a colleague/associate/friend, during which you share a success, a challenge, and make a commitment for the upcoming week.

4.    Every Friday, send a broadcast – status update, blog post, Tweet, etc.

5.    Host a monthly dinner or happy hour. 

At the end of the day the rituals need to be customized to fit your specific networking goals and lifestyle.  The most important thing is that no matter what your rituals are that you act upon them every week.  Here are a few others that work for me:

1.       Bring two people together who you know want to do business together.  This will instantly bring value to both of your relationships.

2.       Utilize your commute time more effectively by talking to a friend or acquaintance.

3.       Use social networking tools such as Linkedin and Facebook as another vehicle to keep in touch with your current network and build a larger one.
Add Comment
 
 
If someone were to ask you what you’re passionate about, would your answer include your job or career? My guess is that for many, the answer would be an emphatic no! Is it even possible then to find passion in a job that is not necessarily your dream job?  The topic of passion or lack thereof in the workplace came to me on Saturday night as I was sitting amongst thousands of fans in an Amphitheatre, enjoying my own passion in life.  For me, it comes in the form of the rock band Rush.  There is so much joy in being surrounded by a group of people who share the same passion. I wondered what the impact would be if this same type of passion was shared in most workplaces. Passions can be hard to describe to others who don’t share the same passion.  They often seem to center around things we get to do or enjoy rather than things we have to do. This may be one reason why passion seems to be missing in the workplace. Whether you are in your chosen field or not cannot be the one determining factor. Sure, some jobs are more enjoyable than others but the question that remains is whether there is something in the workplace, preventing you from having this missing ingredient?

It is not hard to tell who possesses this ingredient in your job. It is clearly evident in their actions and how they interact with their co-workers and customers. They don’t have to tell us about their passion because their actions tell the whole story. They are not concerned with title, status or power. Instead, they find joy in the little things that most people miss. Having someone who is passionate about what he or she does is the best marketing strategy that a company can have.  Unfortunately, the opposite of this is also true. As a consumer, we can all think about a time that we have interacted with someone or a group of people whose passion was clearly not in their job.  However, it may not always be so easy to spot. I have a close friend who feels stuck in his current profession. He is very good at what he does but feels that his work is so often just shuffling papers around and filling his time with activities that will be deemed meaningless in the future. He has mentioned many times that he finds no passion in what he does. One could ask why not quit and find a job in an industry that you are passionate about? In many cases it is easier said than done, especially if one has responsibilities and a family to provide for.  What then can one do to find passion in their current job?

Here are some ideas that may help you find this missing ingredient:

1.       Volunteer- Volunteering at something you enjoy can provide you with an alternative source of passion, which you may not find in your current job.
2.       Choose To Be Happy- Sounds simple but simplicity is often difficult to put into action.
3.       Do Something You Love Every Single Day- If you can find something you enjoy doing every day, your job won’t seem so bad after all.
4.       Take Charge of Your Own Professional and Personal Development- Don’t wait for your employer to provide this.
5.       Ask For Feedback- Don’t wait to hear from your boss or your co-workers. If you are not getting the feedback you need, why not ask for it?
6.       Avoid Negativity- This includes negative conversations, gossip and unhappy people as much as possible.
7.       Make Friends- Building friendships at work can provide a much happier work environment.
Add Comment
 
 
Looking for a way to stand out against your competitors and peers?  How often do you have a great experience as a customer but never say anything? If you are in sales, how often do you follow up with your customers? The vast majority of those who do respond when they have a great customer encounter or an experience that stands out will follow up with an email.  The problem is your email probably gets lost in the ocean of emails that person receives or becomes another action item they must deal with.  Also, you may never know if they actually read it and you lose the opportunity of creating a memorable experience for them.  As a society we have transformed from an analog to a digital society and thus have forgotten the power of receiving a greeting card.  It is one of those things in life that can have a dramatic impact on others but often gets overlooked.

Andy Horner, who is the Chief Architect at Jeffrey Gitomer’s Ace of Sales describes these moments as “Greeting Card Moments”. Those moments when you catch yourself saying “I should really send a special note” but the reality is that we rarely do. Instead, we most often send a more contrite email message and the opportunity to make a real connection or a memorable experience is lost.  Why do we ignore these “Greeting Card Moments?”

1.       I’m too busy.

2.    The special moment with the person was far more special to you.

3.    He or she will ignore 75% of the 100 emails they get daily.

4.    When the person promises to get in touch with you, they won't.

5.    Sales occur after establishing relationships. 

The beauty of sending a greeting card is not only will it be a surprise when it lands in their mailbox but you can be sure it will be the only one they receive that day! You will instantly stand out in their mind as someone who cares enough to take the time to go the extra mile and create a connection that others most often overlook.  Andy Horner highlights seven tips to help you capitalize on your “Greeting Card Moments:”

1. It's all about content. Your recipient will put as much thought into the card as you do. If you write a canned, two sentence "thanks," they'll roll their eyes and toss it. If you tailor a heartfelt message to the recipient with enough specifics to make it count, they'll show it around and prop it on their desk right next to the pictures of their family...for the week at least.

2. Follow this pattern: Start by reminding the recipient of the event you're writing about. "Bob, it was terrific to get to know you at ‘Cabo Fish Taco' on Friday!" Then include a casual comment. "That photo you showed me of the marlin you and your son caught was amazing! There's a big fish story you don't need to exaggerate." Continue by expressing your sentiments. "On a more serious note, I'm very grateful for this new project you've entrusted to me. Thank you for giving me this opportunity." Finally, use a traditional close like "sincerely" or "best wishes." 

3. Know your recipient. For more analytical contacts, include your thoughts without a lot of fluff. If your recipient is more relational or creative, feel free to express your feelings, excitement, and emotions. 

4. Add humor. Inside jokes, playful jabs, and witticisms are perfect to include right before your expression of sincerity. Humor will do more than make your recipient smile. It'll prompt them to write back with their own quip. Remember, the humor must originate from the conversation with the recipient. No random joke telling!

5. Add real value. If you're thanking a customer for a first order, substantial purchase, or referral, add a gift card. It's the guaranteed way to get a response back.

6. Send referrals. Make memorable events out of your referrals. First, make sure your referral is on board. Then send a greeting card to your customer with the referral's contact info and a note that they are expecting a call. It'll be a big win for your customer and you!

7. Personalize it. Take a photo when you're with your customer. Personalize the front of your greeting card with the photo. The worth of a personalized greeting card is 100 times that of a stock image.

I challenge you today the next time you experience a “Greeting Card Moment”, don’t miss the opportunity to actually send a greeting card.
2 Comments