Seth Godin hit it on the head of the nail again. He posted a blog today and turned my thinking upside down, inside out, like no one ever has, on the subject of being a great client. “Is there such a thing?” you may ask. Of course there is. Having been on both sides of the table, trying to be innovative on the agency side, and trying to keep innovation flowing as a client, I’ve never thought about my role in the light of “fostering.” But Seth said it well, and here’s my reaction to his bullet points.

I have here counter bullets of what you’re supposed to do if you’re on the other side of the table — that you’re the innovator. I think these bullets will serve as great reminders for anyone who wants to stay innovative and to become your client’s favorite innovator:

Speaking with the general counsel of a large multi-national recently, I was struck by the number of opportunities that her external advisors had to impress her. Many law firms often complain that it is hard to develop close, long term relationships with clients because the clients only contact them when they have a problem; the “advisor of last resort”.

Call for the advisor of last resort?

I think there are two key points to consider here. The first is that this highlights the fact that lawyers are largely used to solve client problems. Now this might sound like a no-brainer, but there are millions of companies worldwide trying to sell goods and services for which the client need is not so clearly defined. If a client has a definite problem, then the law firm has a distinct opportunity to help them. Note that “help” is the critical word. Buying and using the legal service shouldn’t be difficult for the client, and if done right can lead to a real sense of gratitude from the client. The bigger the problem and the better the service, the truer this is.

The second point is that many of these problems can be nipped in the bud early, or indeed prevented altogether, if the client has the right advice upfront. Rather than waiting for the client to arrive with a problem, law firms can sieze the advantage and proactively go and talk to clients and prospects about this, rather than sitting and waiting for the phone to ring. Note however there is a big difference between initiating a dialogue with a client about a problem they are facing or may be about to face, and going to talk to a client to tell them about a service the law firm can sell them. It may sound like semantics, but in reality it is about ethos and intention, and the law firms that get this right, have the opportunity to build trusted and enduring relationships with clients that many other suppliers and advisors would envy.

There’s a common premise in advertising: the client is always right.

It worries me.

Being ‘right’ is a perspective, not an absolute

To some extent, clients will always choose the right answer.

But clients are people, and they have their own goals and ambitions.

And therein lies the problem.

What’s right for them, and what’s right for their brands, aren’t necessarily the same thing.

It’s the ideal excuse

“Let’s just give the client what they want.”

Sometimes, doing what the client wants is the right thing for the agency and its client relationship; you have to choose your battles.

But using this defense before we’ve proposed a better solution is just lazy.

It’s not easy to persuade someone to do something different to what they want.

But if we can prove – objectively – that our solution is more appropriate, we have an obligation to push that solution.

We’re failing in our commitments and our promises to our clients if we don’t.

Justify your love

Neil points out that the most common reason clients don’t go with the best answer is because we haven’t explained it properly:

Let’s face it: you just haven’t persuaded them that it’s a good enough idea.

Or worse, they think it is a good idea, but they don’t trust you enough to implement it without screwing it up.

In such circumstances, we need to rethink our approach.

Take time to identify their concerns, and also what they think makes an alternative better.

If it’s just a question of subjective taste, let it go; questioning someone’s taste is rarely constructive relationship-building.

Your task is to demonstrate objectively – i.e. beyond all reasonable doubt – which solution is best for the brand’s current context.

If their argument is based on valid rationale, but you’re unconvinced by the current articulation, identify ways to build on it.

It’s critical to remember that success isn’t about getting your idea into market; it’s about getting the best answer into market.

And if you still believe your solution is better, you need to prove why it’s in their personal best interests to believe you.

Who are you talking to?

Remember that your client is the first audience you need to persuade, and as with any other communication, success is always about them.

Show them how the best idea for the brand will also help them achieve their individual KPIs, and they’ll probably warm to it.

The trick is showing them why your right answer is the right answer for them too.

Then you can both be right.

I interview my friend, New York Times best-selling author and creator of Buying Facilitation®, Sharon Drew Morgen.  She discusses what Buying Facilitation is and her new book, Dirty Little Secrets: why buyers can’t buy and sellers can’t sell and what you can do about it:

Sharon Drew Morgen Interview

I encourage you to visit Sharon Drew’s website and grab a copy of her new book Dirty Little Secrets at either Amazon or the book’s website.

Client Service, Not Client Servility
By Charles H. Green

Most client-serving organizations I know make a pretty big deal about client service. For consulting, law, HR, IT, accounting, software, and salespeople in complex businesses—client service is right at the top of their list of virtues. And rightly so.

But—sometimes, things can get a little twisted.

What do you make of:

The administrative assistant who picks up the Officer’s laundered shirts and delivers them to him at the airport at 9PM. Regularly.

The project manager who hauls the whole team in on Sunday to re-work the slide deck. Regularly.

The senior officer who drops in on the staff meeting to “send a message about how much leadership cares,” but leaves early because “when the client calls, you know…” Regularly.

The salesperson who cuts price at the drop of the hat when the client demands. Regularly.

The VP who cancels his end-of-day wrap-up meeting with the new hire candidate on the final interview round because “I had no choice, the client changed our meeting date.” Regularly.

The manager who joins the training session late and slips out to take calls between blackberry-checks, because “we’re in the middle of a really tough client issue.” Regularly.

(The presidential candidate who, in mid-speech, stops to take a phone call from his wife on his cellphone from the podium. More than once.)

The key word is, of course, regularly. Any one of those examples can be held up as a case of client heroism. If, that is, it’s an isolated event. The problems come when it’s not isolated.

That’s when client service gets perverted into client servitude. And when we become servile, three things happen:

We continue to insist that we are in fact meeting the highest standards of service;

The client (or team, or associate) no longer respects us.

When respect is gone, our ability to be trusted advisors is quickly compromised.

Client Service Is Not Client Servitude

Great client service is doing things above and beyond; behaving in unusual ways when faced with unusual situations; and doing so selflessly, for the sake of the client.

An act of client service is an act freely chosen. In the long run, we do it because we believe in it as a way of doing business. But in the short term, in those cases where we might be better self-served by doing something else, and we still choose client service—that is true service.

Being servile is quite another thing. It means seeking out options to give faux service, so we can get credit. It means doing things not for their own sake, but for the credit it may garner us in the eyes of the client. It means getting our priorities wrong—seeing things as how we can help ourselves, not one’s clients or partners.

Synonyms for servile include sycophant, brown-noser, suck-up, flatterer, lickspittle and toady. Adjectives we use to describe the servile include obsequious, smarmy, devious, slimy, flattering and fawning.

We suspect those who are servile of dishonesty—of speaking falsely in an attempt at self-aggrandizement. Their motives are therefore bad. And ironically, their servility costs them in terms of respect from the very people they are most trying to impress. We don’t trust such people. And we don’t respect them.

We don’t respect them because they seem to have a low estimation of their own worth. They seem to need the approval of others to feel good about themselves. And if someone doesn’t value himself highly, then they could be wrong either about their worth—or wrong in their estimation. Neither is good.

What client takes advice from someone who doesn’t respect the worth of his own advice? What team member believes a senior who always subordinates all other value-adding activities to servility, calling it “client service?”

Clients take our advice for various reasons, but basically because they believe in our expertise, and they believe we have their best interests at heart. Being servile destroys both of those: because it is clearly self-motivated, it draws into question even our competence. After all, if our motive is client approval, might we not shade the data?

Most clients don’t want servants, they want partners. They want professionals who have self-respect, who have the courage of their own convictions, who can be trusted to speak the truth because it is the truth, not because it will get them approval.

It’s not that client service is unselfish. If I’m honest, there’s always a tiny touch of servility lurking around the edges of most client service I perform. It’s hard to be unaware of the value of being perceived as client-serving

The trick is to not be overcome by a need for recognition as one who serves clients. If we become slave to that recognition, then we have to that extent abandoned client service.

To be client service oriented is to do the next right thing, and to be detached from the outcome; particularly whatever benefit might accrue to me from doing the right thing.

This is the heart of it, I think. Client service is doing good for the client. We are not surprised when we get credit for doing it. But expecting good from it is Station One on the slippery slope, where the End-Station is doing it only in order to get credit for doing it.

Charles H. Green is founder and CEO of Trusted Advisor Associates. The author of Trust-based Selling and co-author of The Trusted Advisor, he has spoken to, consulted for or done seminars about trusted relationships in business for a wide and global range of industries and functions.  Centering on the theme of trust in business relationships, Charles works with complex organizations to improve trust in sales, internal trust between organizations, and trusted advisor relationships with external clients and customers.

Thoughts about WIIFM
by Jonathan Farrington

When we agree to an idea or proposal, it’s because there’s something in it for us. It’s hard to influence people who can’t see what’s in it for them. Sounds one-sided, but it is true. Call it self-interest, selfishness or whatever. It is only human nature to ask, ‘What am I getting from this?’

People will say yes to your ideas if they meet their needs or match their view of life in the following areas:

• Principles and values
• Beliefs and opinions
• Needs and wants

So Give People What They Want & Need:

People agree to ideas and suggestions that match their needs or views of life. Underpinning all our lives are certain principles and values that we hold to be true. These become guidance for how we conduct our lives. They influence and mould our behaviour. They can differ greatly from person to person and successful influencers always take principles and values into account.

But how?
• Notice what principles and values drive other people
• Ask questions and invite comment and reaction
• Check with those who know them well

Some examples of principles:

‘Integrity and fairness are an integral part of business dealings.’
‘I think that older people deserve courtesy and consideration.’
‘Moral behaviour is part of the fabric of daily life.’

It would be unproductive to spend time attempting to dislodge these deep-seated principles. Instead, harness them to add leverage to your suggestions.

Beliefs & Opinions:

Beliefs and opinions can be transient or short-term. Remember when you used to believe in Father Christmas, the Tooth Fairy, giants and witches? Proof can easily dislodge a belief. So too can time.

An early step on the road to influencing others may include having to change lingering beliefs or convictions before you can proceed further.

‘I think that BubbleClean washing machines break down more often than the Tumblingsystem range.’
‘I think that all politicians are corrupt.’
‘I never make decisions on the 13th.’

Each of these beliefs can be dealt with by logical questioning or providing proof or data.

Needs & Necessities:

These are fundamental requirements – they have to be met if you are to influence others. Typical needs include: reliability, security, achieving a deadline, meeting a budget, keeping up to date.

‘Because of increasing competition, it is essential that we maintain an image and at the same time keep up to date.’
‘My team members are under great pressure, so it important to maintain their morale.’
‘The system must not only be reliable but secure, as well.’

Having uncovered needs, you may have to mould or reshape your ideas to dovetail with the requirements of others. Often, people have a hierarchy of needs, so it may be important to discover and use this:

‘Which is most important to you – reliability or security?’

Wants & Wishes:

Wants and wishes are not essentials, just a wish list: ‘Wouldn’t it be lovely … if only’. But their fulfilment can be the cherry on your influencing trifle, placed on top with a flourish, after the other person has agreed to your proposal.

Depends What’s On Offer:

Question: How will your suggestions benefit the other person?

The person or people you are influencing will interpret the benefits of your suggestions in different ways. Some will be interested in the features – the fine details, the nitty gritty of ideas. Others will say ‘How will I benefit?’ Others will seek out the advantages of proposals – how the benefits are different.

Features, Benefits & Advantages:

No doubt you are familiar with the differences between features, benefits and advantages, but it is worth re-iterating.

Features:

These are built-in aspects of your idea or suggestion – timing, costs, resources etc. They will remain locked up in your idea whether the other person agrees or not.

Benefits:

These are far more important than the features of your proposal. They translate boring old features into exciting statements which show clearly how others will gain.

‘This new hardware is made in Germany (feature) which means that we will save time and money on spare parts (benefit).’

Advantages:

These are comparative benefits e.g. – increased revenue, greater savings, and faster turn-around.

In Summary: The Benefit Balance Sheet

Most people do not agree whole-heartedly to an idea. There is usually something that niggles, however well you’ve addressed their concerns.

In the end, when we finally say yes to a proposal, it is because the benefits outweigh any disadvantages.

As you plan and prepare your influencing case, list all the benefits and advantages of your suggestions.

Use them to tip the balance in favour of yes.

Jonathan Farrington is a globally recognized business coach, mentor, author and sales strategist, who has guided hundreds of companies and thousands of individuals around the world towards optimum performance levels. He is Chairman of The Sales Corporation, CEO of Top Sales Associates and Senior Partner at The JF Consultancy based in London and Paris and the author of the Jonathan Farrington’s Blog for sales leaders at http://www.thejfblogit.co.uk.  Best of all, like most of my guest authors, he’s a good friend of mine with a sharp mind and a great deal of sales and sales management wisdom.

How do you handle cold calls when you get them at home or the office?  Although I haven’t bought anything from anyone who initiated their contact with me through a cold call in years and years, I accept almost every cold call that comes into my office.  No, I have no intention of purchasing whatever the product or service they are selling is, but I’m curious to find out how the seller on the phone is going to try to gain my attention and what they will do with it once they have it.

One of the things I’ve noticed is how many sellers seem to be unable to distinguish between a question, an objection, and a statement ending the conversation.

My observation from dealing with hundreds of sellers on the phone—and please don’t assume this is a cold caller issue alone as a great many sellers make these mistakes whether on the phone or in-person although they seem to be more prevalent in phone conversations—is they cannot distinguish between a straightforward question about their product or service, an objection to purchasing, and a direct statement ending the conversation.

This doesn’t mean that all sellers handle these situations in the same manner, but there does seem to be two primary schools of thought—two primary reactions—in how to deal with questions, objections, and conversation ending statements.

The “OK, I’m outta here” school:  The first method of handling these situations seems to be to simply fold up the selling tent and end the sales interview immediately upon getting what is perceived to be any resistance what-so-ever. 

Ask a couple of honest questions about the product or service and the seller seems to become discouraged and simply gives up.  State an objection to purchasing and they are ready to get off the phone.  Make a direct statement indicating you want to end the conversation and they can’t get off the phone fast enough.

They do not differentiate between probing questions to discover more information about their offering, an objection to making a purchase that could possibly be dealt with, and a desire to end the sales interview.  To them, they all indicate resistance and resistance means “no sale.”

The “I can’t hear you” school:  The opposite method of handling these situations is to also treat them all the same, but this time instead of rolling over and giving up, the seller presses on, ignoring the questions, ignoring the statements, forcing the prospect to either acquiesce to the sale or to finally hang up on the caller.

These are the sellers who have been trained that a ‘no’ never means no.  An objection is something to be ignored because it is nothing but a delaying tactic.  A statement seeking to end the conversation is nothing but an objection and objections are to be ignored because they are nothing but delaying tactics.  If you’re a really a good salesperson, you ‘lead’ the prospect to make the decision that is right for them, which is, of course, to make the purchase.

Why are these sellers so oblivious to the obvious differences between a question an objection and a desire to end the conversation?  Why do some see everything as resistance and others never see resistance?

Certainly, a great deal of this has to do with the sales training—or lack thereof—these sellers have received. 

Those who give up easily have probably had little or no sales training.  Product training, maybe; but I doubt they’ve had much training in how to sell.

Those who push forward no matter what have been trained very well—trained to ignore, to push, to bully, to demand until the prospect either buys or finds a way to end the conversation which probably means resorting to cussing out the seller or hanging up on them.  These sellers have been taught well in the sense that their trainers have instilled the desired behavior in them, but they certainly haven’t been taught to be professional sellers.

I think both of these groups of sellers suffer from more than just their training or lack thereof.  I think there are a number of sellers that suffer from a serious lack of communication skills.  They don’t listen.  They can’t assimilate what the prospect is communicating.  They really don’t know how to respond to what they perceive to be unwelcome or unexpected responses. Their focus is only on getting the sale which means for some what they say is the only thing of importance, what the prospect says is nothing but a distraction; while for others once they’ve made their case, they have nowhere else to go.

Communication has always been at the heart of selling and is becoming ever more critical as our prospects have more and more alternatives to acquire the information and guidance they need to analyze their problems and issues and to develop solutions to those problems and issues.  Our prospects now have as much information at their fingertips as we sellers can ever provide them.  An increasing number are deciding they don’t need a salesperson at all—ever.

If we sellers want to be relevant to prospects, we better learn the communication skills that have always been one of the hallmarks of the top sellers.

Lesson #3 from the Wedding Industry Trenches

Sometimes even the best intentions can backfire. We all want to make the client happy, and take pride in knowing our work is top notch and appreciated.

But there seems to always be that one client each wedding season. No matter what we do, how far we go, it just isn’t good enough.

Here’s a personal story, from a Fantastic Florist, who recently dealt with this exact client. It’s made him really think about how to counteract these types of situations, with civility.

‘I had an initial consult with this bride to be about 4 months before her May wedding date. May is a busy month to begin with, and this was another Saturday wedding that I added to my roster to accommodate her.  

She presented her ideas & wants. Most were quite elaborate, included huge pieces to adorn the arch, stringed petal pieces for the aisle, and large displays of flowers for each guest table, of which there were 10. She also had 4 bridesmaids, 4 groomsmen, 2 flower girls & a ring bearer. Pretty standard sized wedding party.

The clincher? Her budget was $600. And she was adamant about not going over one penny.

Now, I’ve worked with budgets this small before, and always take the time to educate the bride on the overall cost of flowers in general, and the pieces that she’s gung ho about.

I put together some great ideas to capture the mood she wanted, but using flowers that were much less cost, than say roses or orchids.

She was somewhat abrasive, a bit pissed off, but this is pretty normal when you break the news that all their wants don’t fit their budget. One item that was completely tossed out was the stringed petal pieces for the aisle. She decided to do something with tulle instead.

Within a week she sent in a deposit to hold the date. I didn’t think anything more about it.

I ordered the flowers a week before the wedding, and went to work on other event orders.

I received a call from this bride to be, in tears, 5 days before her big day.

She hadn’t been able to locate enough tulle at a fabric store in the blush pink she wanted, and was looking for some advice. I felt really bad for her, and offered to supply a complimentary runner, to dress up the aisle. She was elated!

The flower arrangements turned out beautifully, and I dropped them off, completed the set-up of the larger pieces, and displayed the aisle runner the day of the wedding. The presentation was really stylish, and I knew the bride would be pleased with how everything turned out.

At least that’s what I thought.

The following Tuesday, I received a handwritten note, that was FULL of insults + petty threats. It really took me aback, and shook me to the core.

She stated that the aisle runner was of poor quality, and not the color I’d promised {I’d only ever said white}, she wondered why her bouquet only had 8 additional stems of flowers beyond that of the bridesmaids, why was there only 1 bag of petals for both flower girls, and on and on.

I certainly wasn’t going to respond in a handwritten note – so I sent a polite email, reviewing what the original order was, what the contract contained, and that they aisle runner had been a complimentary item.

She responded with an email message that said:

 “I know important people. I will submit reviews, post on message boards, and blog all about this. Unless, of course, you provide me with some kind of refund.”

This blew me away. Never have I been ‘threatened’ before. I thought long & hard about the situation, and at first blamed myself. But, then it dawned on me. This was classic Bitch Bullying Behavior.

Even if I remedied the situation with some kind of refund, or whatever – this was the type of disgruntled client that would blog, review & the like in spite anyway.

I politely sent her a final email, stating that the contract had been fulfilled, that I was saddened by her words and innuendo, and that I wished her & her new husband the very best.

And you know what? I’ve never heard from her again. Nor did she EVER do any reviews, blog posts, etc.

It took me standing up for what I’d done {providing a quality product & a complimentary service}, to end the bully mentality. I’m now more confident after dealing with the situation head-on.

Lesson Learned:

• Kill them with kindness, but keep your own self respect. Take a step back, and let them make the next move.
•  Stick to the facts, and remove the emotion. Veil threats are just plain ugly. Don’t give into them.
• Always remember – You are a business owner. You know in your gut if you failed in presentation or product delivery. If that’s not the case, don’t let bully behavior create self doubt.
• Hash it out with another trusted vendor, and get some feedback.

Lesson #2 from the Wedding Industry Trenches

Careful what you pay for.

What do you do when your client’s contract isn’t fulfilled by another vendor, the day of the wedding?

This puts you in a difficult position, makes you feel like a bit of a tattle tale, but your loyalty lies with your client.

Here’s a personal Vendor story, from a Coordinator in Seclusion:

Even with all her preparedness, she had no idea what was really in store for her.

‘My client, a brilliant & detailed couple, had paid many extra fees at their chosen venue .

It’s a highly regarded, and sought after space, due to its ‘blank canvas’ appeal. I was very excited to work at the space, given I’d only heard fabulous things – and seen gorgeous pictures of past weddings.

Here’s how the Wedding Day went down…

What transpired upon my arrival was stunning. To say the least.

I arrived promptly @ 2pm, to help the event assistant my client had paid additional $ for. Her décor was rather intricate {hanging 30 paper lanterns, large soft seating lounge area, personalized linens, signature photo area}.

She’d also paid for the use of a digital camera, projection system, sound system, etc.

The entire layout had been planned by her + the staff, and she’d asked me to provide supervision for the larger décor jobs. She wanted to make sure the layout was done to spec.

Upon my arrival, I was confronted by a Venue Manager who stated that the Event Assistant would only be available for 1 hour, and that putting all the hanging lanterns together in clusters, tying them with fishing line, and taking them down at the end of the evening {from a 20 foot ceiling}, would be my responsibility.

She stated that the Bride + Groom hadn’t paid for that.  

Wow. Talk about shock. I’ve planned & coordinated over 25 weddings, at all different kinds of venues, and never have I been so shabbily treated.

It was however, perfect preparation for the rest of the evening.

The venue provided my client with 2 Part Time staff for the evening, who were continually overwhelmed with all of the technical aspects of the evening {though this venue BOASTS about its capabilities}.

They were unable to get the slide showing going at the appropriate time, the digital camera projection screen didn’t function the entire evening, and the sound system went in & out several times.

In fact, the venue staff were out of sight for most of the evening, tucking themselves away in the kitchen eating whatever they could {including cupcakes not yet on display}, and even drinking a beer.

I was completely flabbergasted. I’ve never seen behavior like this before.

 All the last minute details of the wedding were completed just in the nick of time, mostly due to the quick & swift action of the caterer, who assisted with multiple aspects of décor…. no questions asked.

I mean, we’re all working this event to make the client’s wedding day special, right?

The icing on the cake?

The venue staff insisted I ‘sign off’ on the final checklist of services provided for the bride + groom.  I reviewed it with a fine tooth comb, and found that they had charged for multiple technical items, décor assistance, and additional staff – none of which were provided. I asked for a full copy of the ‘checklist contract’, and signed with a notation that an updated addendum would follow.

I forwarded a copy of the checklist to my clients a week after their wedding. They were able to resolve all of the issues with the venue, after requesting an in–house meeting with a manager.  

My due diligence resulted in a lovely, unexpected tip in the mail. Now that felt great!’

Lesson Learned

• Even contracts can’t completely protect you on the day of the wedding. Be prepared for whatever can be thrown at you, or scenario that could go wrong. 
• Assume that the outside help provided will be of little to no assistance. This will give you a greater sense of control from the beginning.
• Make sure you & your client have ALL the facts straight about the contracts they have signed.
• Be an advocate for the client, and a team player with the other vendors. It’s your client’s wedding day, not a trial run.
• Report back to your client about the issues unresolved, and have them review their contract. Just do it AFTER their wedding!!

Lesson #1 from the Wedding Industry Trenches

Now, we all know, this is an industry that’s based on relationships. It’s how you can grow your business, look for like-minded business owners, and create a great referral network. It’s based on mutual adoration and respect.

Unfortunately, there are clients that just don’t see it that way. There’s nothing ‘long term’ in their minds. They just want what they want, when they want it. Seeing someone else go down in flames doesn’t make them miss a beat.

Upon reflection, you’ll see there were Red Flags surrounding this ‘bad behavior’ client. It’s your job to really take notice, and keep the fire extinguisher close at hand.

Here’s a First-Hand Account from Planner Incognito:

“I had a client that was very sweet, flexible about meeting times, open to design suggestions, and had a great personality – initially. We got on well, and she hired me for full wedding planning. I started the process by providing her a list of selected vendors {3-5} for each category she requested.

She wanted to review the vendor’s websites, product line, prices & aesthetic.

She chose an invitation designer initially, and I made the appointment for a consult. Now, this invitation designer has also become a friend of mine. She’s talented, intuitive, and creates gorgeous graphically designed pieces. These are not amateur products by any means.

This is how the meeting went…

My client arrived late {20 minutes}, with no apology, or comment on the time. She slammed her purse down on the table, gave a slim smile to each of us, and proceeded to the coffee line.

The invitation designer & I just shared glances, and I covered it up by saying she was probably under pressure from work. You see, this client had told me {more than once}, that she had a VERY high pressure/important position, and just didn’t have the time to plan a wedding, and work. Completely understand that.

So, the meeting proceeded, with my client perusing the invitation designer’s book of past creations, while the designer talked about her process, and asked a few questions of the bride to be.

None of them were answered.

She just proceeded to look at the invitations in the book, slammed the book closed, and stated “These just aren’t the quality I’m looking for. They’re nice, but I feel like I’ve seen them so many times.”

That was it. I was dumbfounded. She was late, curt, and then insulted the vendor. The meeting lasted all of five minutes.

I was so embarrassed, and felt like I’d led the invitation designer {my friend} to slaughter.

I intervened with thanking the designer for her time, and sharing her gorgeous work with us.

I walked my client to her car {biting my tongue}, talked about the other options out there, and bid her a good day. She didn’t comment once on her attitude, tardiness, or lack of couth. Clearly, this was normal behavior for her.

I then ran back to the coffee shop. I was in full apology mode. My working & personal relationship with the invitation designer was in jeopardy, I felt.

We talked about the shock + awe of the whole meeting, and in the end, she was very glad to not have this bride as a client.  She knew that she’d be a continual headache.

All she said was, ‘You’ve got to pity the groom.’

That’s for damn sure.

Lesson Learned

• Trust your gut. Not every client is going to be a good fit.
• Don’t be desperate. Walk away if you need to. Self respect is never for sale.
• Refer a client elsewhere. Be purposeful, and choose to work with the clients that respect your time, your connections, your professionalism, and other vendor’s creativity & product lines.

High School behavior is just not acceptable.

Last week I bought a package of 25 bubble tools for my two year old.  The container had all kinds of cool looking pipes and wands and I have to admit, I think I was more excited about this than my son. 

Well… turns out that most of these complicated bubble pipes and wands made horrible bubbles, if any at all.  The best ones in the bunch were actually these miniature wands, that just had a bunch of straight forward bubble holes on them.  These wands made hoards of perfect little tiny bubbles.  And they were efficient.  You could blow time after time without redipping them into the soap.

What does this have to do with small business or graphic design?  Well… those little bubble wands are like small businesses.  They’re not complicated – at least not in the same way a big firm is.  Generally, there are only a few people making the decisions – often only one person.  The lack of complication makes them more efficient.  Things get done.  They move forward.  I know when I’m working with a small business that I am working with the decision makers, rather than a go between.  And I know that the feedback on my work is really coming from the person whose opinion matters.

I also think small business people are more authentic. They don’t have someone in a marketing department telling them who they are.  They know what they’re about – it’s why their business is there.  They sell it themselves and they believe it.  When you meet a small business owner or entrepreneur, you know what you’re getting.  They’re not a crazy bubble pipe with strange little bits coming off the sides – that ends up blowing more air than bubbles.

What do you like about small business people or entrepreneurs?

Keeping in touch with prospects and clients can be a daunting and time consuming task.  Phone calls, newsletters, direct mail pieces, and emails can cover most of our communications, but sometimes a well crafted  card is the appropriate stroke. 

But where can you find high quality cards designed for the business community?

No, don’t worry; this isn’t another solicitation suggesting you view a video about SendOutCards.  I’m not trying to get you to become a member of my downline.

SendOutCards has their advantages—they’re easy to create and easy to send.  Someone else does most of the legwork for you.  Just point, select a design, construct a message, pay for it, off it goes.  But SendOutCards has its downside also.  They’re relatively inexpensive but they look like they were machine created, which, of course, they were.  For many sellers the ease of use and low cost overcome the obvious machined look of the ‘personal’ message and signature.

However, for some sellers and professionals, a mass produced image just won’t work.  They need the highest quality paper stock, the finest printing, the most professional image possible.  The inscription and signature must be genuine.  The message implied on the front must communicate the proper image while capturing interest.

A small company I’ve discovered that specializes in business cards of the highest quality is Corporate Papers out of Williamstown, MA.  The company has somewhere in the neighborhood of 175 to 200 designs in various categories such as Business Essentials, Golf Links, Sympathy, Thoughtful Notes, and others; most blank inside although a few do have an inside message and you can order the cards with your own message.

If you’re looking for high quality greeting and thank you cards designed specifically for business that will communicate the high end image you are seeking, take a look at Corporate Papers.  They aren’t going to be all things to all people, but those seeking the right image and who understand the critical need to truly personalize, they just might be a great source.

When you enter a retail shop, you expect to be served within a reasonable time frame and with common courtesy.

When we are not served, and have to stand around waiting, we become angry. This anger is the result of us being made to feel irrelevant, because we are obviously not important enough to be asked if we need help. This perceived ‘snub’ may lead us to walk out, whether we wanted to purchase something or not.

As they say, you only get one chance at making a good first impression. Our first impression of this particular shop is not brilliant, and we are therefore unlikely to return.

If we became angry after only waiting for one minute, then our expectations were extremely unrealistic to begin with (the ‘blue rinse set’ come to mind). However, if we had waited for five minutes without acknowledgement that we even existed, then our firmly declared vow to never return is perhaps justifiable.

Whether we are the salesperson in the retail shop, or the prospective customer, we should manage our expectations of what constitutes good customer service and what does not. For some, being approached within a minute of walking into a shop means the salesperson is ‘pushy’, whereas for others it is ‘slack’.

This is where being able to read body language is extremely useful. If someone enters your shop and immediately begins looking around for someone, rather than casually looking around, then it is safe to assume they expect to be served immediately.

For such a person, a one minute wait seems like five minutes, and they will insist it has definitely been five minutes already!

However, if they slowly stroll in and lazily look around, then an immediate approach could be annoying to them.

For salespeople it is critical to be able to ‘read’ your prospective customers. As a customer, it is also important to realise that our expectations may indeed be unrealistic. For example, to enter an extremely busy store and expect to be served immediately is obviously unrealistic, however it is annoyingly true that many people expect ‘VIP’ service no matter what the circumstances!

What if salespeople could ‘manage’ customer expectations? How powerful would it be if they could change our expectations of them?

Their secret is to under promise and over deliver.

If you, as a customer, are annoyed at not being served and the salesperson knows they cannot serve you for another five minutes, they might tell you it will be close to ten minutes. Your initial anger could be overcome with some empathetic line such as “I realise this is very annoying for you and I do appreciate your patience, and apologise for the inconvenience’.

Having stroked your ego and manipulated you into expecting a ten minute delay, they then approach in five minutes time saying something like “I made an effort to see to you as soon as possible as I know you are in a hurry. How can I help you?”

Now, not only has your initial expectation of being served immediately been turned into a ten minute wait, but now the salesperson has ‘over delivered’ by seeing to you earlier than they had promised to.

By manipulating customer expectations, the salesperson can make these expectations work for them.

When you ask for a delivery date for something you just purchased, a good salesperson will add two or three days to the lead time. If you then complain they might offer to ‘speak to the manager’, and then return to say they have reduced this by a day. They have now won your admiration and made you feel as though you have received special treatment.

Then, when they call you the next day to let you know your item can be delivered a day or two early, you are now thinking that this is the best salesperson ever!

As a customer you need to be aware of these games that salespeople play, but the good news is that not many salespeople are actually good at their job, so you are unlikely to encounter such ‘manipulation’. Just in case you do though, at least now you know!

Customer expectations? As customers our expectations are naturally extremely important, but for salespeople they are just an opportunity to make them look good!

By Wendy Burge

It used to be that having a website URL address was the way to show you were hip to the new online movement by having a web presence for your business. However, things are changing rapidly and with the help of newly emerging, user-friendly technology, it is much easier to establish more ways to build good customer relationships. The Internet can offer more than a place to host your website for your business. It can also give you more powerful and creative ways to engage and communicate with your customers. Here are the top 3 hot ways to infuse online communication into your marketing toolbox. 

Blog – Be Read
 
Web logs otherwise known as Blogs are a journal type website. Their structure is quite different however from traditional websites. Blogs allow people to post their ideas, thoughts, expertise, and commentaries on an open site which they can set up through one of the many free, blog hosting sites where people around the globe can read it. Blogs are web-based journals written by anyone and everyone with an opinion to share.

People who write blogs are known as Bloggers. Blogs are often written by only one person and are usually intended to share a point of view about a particular subject. Unlike an on-line magazine or other forms of journalistic commentary, blogs allow the everyday person to take a position in it-globally!  Newbie bloggers be warned, do not post ideas that aren’t your own because active blog readers will let you know they caught you. Just remember that when deciding to create a blog, authenticity is key. Also, not everything you read should be believed. Bloggers are not journalists, but people openly offering unsolicited opinions, much like people standing on a street corner sharing their ideas and latest experiences. It is up to you to stop, listen, and believe or not believe their credibility.
 
Blogs are finding their way into the business world by means of bloggers who post opinions about businesses, products, and services. This can be a good thing as their posting act like testimonies and can be used to actively drive traffic, the prospective customers, to a business. On the flip side, a small business owner who blogs can easily create an expert position by posting about their business ideas, intentions, and desires in a way that positions them with a transparency for viewers to read and learn more about them. Likewise, as a blogger, yourself, you can post feedback on other people’s blogs that are relative to your industry and or target market of customers as a means of positioning your expertise.

Readers can post commentaries, when allowed, and interact within the co-creation of their experiences with your business by offering their feedback. Blogs can easily allow for customers, prospects, and the world, in general, to discover more about your business in a less “salesie” way. 

Podcast – Be Heard
 
Broadcasts of audio that are downloaded to listening devices like an iPod, the most common, are called Podcasts. Podcasts are sound bites of audio content that are broadcasted to people through a subscription service. People can receive regular updates of audio created by the host person or podcaster. Podcasters can create unique “talk-radio” content on any subject with which they have experience– lasting anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour-long show.

Like having your own radio station, podcasts allow a person to create “radio shows” that people can listen to at their own convenience by downloading show segments to their computer or other listening devices like an iPod or MP3 player. With a few pieces of equipment; a computer, a mic (microphone), and the Internet, anyone can create a podcast. These small sound bites of audio, or podcast shows, are then uploaded on to iTunes. (That’s right–you do not need to be a band, book or movie to get on iTunes.) People can then subscribe to your podcast show. New podcast segments are finally uploaded to the hosting distribution site and are sent to subscribers who can download the podcast to their preferred listening devices.
 
Podcast are equivalent to blogs, in the same way that they are open to anybody who wants to talk about a topic of choice. Small business owners can easily convey their expertise by broadcasting their knowledge through their own podcast shows. This is a great way for small business owners to update and offer timely topics of interest to their followers.
 
Podcasts are great for people who prefer talking over writing; however, some planning and prep work should be done before hitting the mic. Spontaneity can be okay, but, tightening up on a topic with a scripted show outline allows for clearer content to be communicated. URL links to your shows are generated and can be posted on your website, blog, Twitter, Facebook, and within email marketing pieces to your customers.

Podcasts are great “calling cards” in positioning your expertise. Once podcasters are up and running and their shows are getting exposure, it is common to be asked to be interviewed as a guest expert on other podcast shows related to your industry. You can not find better PR than that! 

Video – Be Seen 
 
Web video is probably better noted through sites like YouTube. However, it is slowly making its way as a new, hot online marketing strategy. As advancing technology makes it easier to create video clips and upload them to sites like YouTube, video allows people to capture content with relative ease for others to see and for the videographer to be seen. While we have all seen the stupid-person antics caught on video and posted on YouTube, video as a communication media is catching on with other people besides the amateur, candid-camera enthusiasts. Again, with just a few pieces of equipment– a computer, a video camera, and the Internet, anyone can create simple video clips to convey their messages.
 
The business world is starting to catch on that this simple tool is great for delivering personalized messages about updates, product enhancements, and promotional offers. Some organizations are going as far as creating a themed series of video clips, often humorous in nature, in hopes that these small mini-videos go viral, and will be sent by viewers to each other around the global-net to see. They are often relatively inexpensive to make and offer a flexible way to create non-written content on a weekly basis to share with consumers.
 
You do not need to be a large corporation to take advantage of this new communication tool, either. Because of the reasonable cost, mostly in equipment, it is easy for a small business owner to start creating video clips about a topic specific to their industry. By posting it to a YouTube account, they can offer links to customers through a very personal and interactive media that goes beyond the written word or voice-only recording. This is great for businesses and organizations which naturally don’t lend well to the other formats above. Because it is so easy to create, it is used for product demonstration, speeches, and sales training.
 
Video is also popping up as an add-on to blogs as it is easy to create and upload along with a posting-of-commentary about the topic covered for the viewers to also read. It conveys more personality than just the written word alone. This is called Vlogging, short for video blogging. And like a podcast, video content can be added to iTunes and this is called Vodcasting. Again the idea is that each video is created, uploaded, and sent to subscribers who download it to watch at a more convenient time.
 
As you can see above, the numerous words bolded constitute a whole new vocabulary developing to explain this wonderful, marketing phenomenon which we are finding and creating online. Become familiar with them and their meanings because your customers and clients are learning them, too. 

© 2009 Wendy Burge – Radiant Edge Consulting.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Radiant Business & Marketing Coach Wendy Burge publishes the On the Edge! weekly ezine–Where business, marketing, and lifestyle meet. If you’re ready to have radiant marketing, make more money, and have more freedom in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.RadiantEdgeConsulting.com

Come on in, the water's misleading

So I’ve been seeing these commercials for Orbitz with their offer “if you buy a ticket from us we will charge you no booking fees and guarantee your price so that if someone else books a ticket cheaper than yours we will refund you the difference.”  Fine. Sounds like a deal. Yeah right. It’s a deal all right.  Should’ve known there is a catch. See, what they don’t tell you is that when you supposedly choose seats, Orbitz does not send that information over to the airlines. It’s a ruse.

Yesterday, being a thorough and organized travel (or so I thought), I checked to see if the tickets I purchased last month were selling for less. No. Ok. So then I checked our seating assignments on the Northwest airlines site and found that I could not choose our seats even though we had secured seat assignments over a month ago.  So I called Northwest Airlines site directly.  I found that I did not have a seat assignment on the flight but my traveling companion did.  I tried to choose a site but the only seat that I could get was at the back of the plane in the center.

I discovered that when you choose a seat on Orbitz that they do not even send that information over to Northwest.  Orbitz purchases tickets in bulk and only pretends to offer you the opportunity to choose your seat.  What they don’t tell you is that you may not even be confirmed on the flight.  Unless they tell you in the small print somewhere, I don’t remember seeing anything about that. And Northwest? Refuses to do anything to help. Period. Airline policy. Whatever.

So, I called Orbitz and spoke to a lovely woman in India whose command of the English language was, well lets say interesting.  Nothing she could do. Then after much gnashing of teeth on my end she claimed that she was able to seat us together in 9A and 9B.  So, I went to the Northwest site, and again, only one seat confirmed the other with no assignment at all. Did she lie to me?

We called again and got a gentleman with better English and much compassion but no seat assignment.  We were told that the airline might be able to assign our seats together at the gate.  If we are one of the 30 or so passengers to arrive at the gate first.

Our lesson.  I find it crazy that with airlines and air travel in the tank that 1) Orbitz would mislead customers and 2) that Northwest would offer such crappy service.  Even though I was told by the NWA agent Northwest controls 70% of the seating arrangements online or over the phone I would still have to go to the airport no more than 24 hours before the flight in order to confirm a seat assignment.  So much for hanging on to customers and encouraging Americans to travel again.  So, the bottom line: 1) no seat assignment or confirmed seat as of today, 2) $35 in handling fees for 2 checked bags and 3) If I’m lucky, one of us gets to sit at the back of the plane between two strangers.  Am I being unreasonably picky? Our tickets are just under a thousand dollars round trip.  I don’t think so. Is it unreasonable to want to sit together when the chief part of the travel experience is to enjoy the exploration together?

What do you think?

A small example, but one that is illustrative of how we approach our client relationships.

[If you'd like a full-size PDF version of this presentation, contact me at marketing (at) onprocess (dot) com and I'll be glad to send it.]

–sk

Sales Presentations—Nine Ways to Jazz Them Up
by Jim Meisenheimer

Most salespeople are strong conversationalists when sitting down and talking with customers. When asked to deliver a presentation standing up, the dynamics can change dramatically for you if you’re not prepared. You can easily make every stand-up presentation a conversation with your audience, regardless of size. Here’s how.

The two most memorable parts of a stand-up presentation are the beginning and the end. The four easiest and most powerful ways to begin and end your presentations include:

1. Start with an exciting quotation that you can link to your presentation.

2. Begin your presentation with a compelling statement. Seven years ago, I gave a sales presentation titled, The 12 Best Ways To Increase Sales, Earn More Money, And Have More Fun. I began my presentation with, “There’s not a single thing I can do for you today, to show you how to increase sales, earn more money, and have more fun. Not one thing ladies and gentlemen, I’m going to share 12 creative ideas with you today.”

3. Start your sales presentation with a rhetorical question that creates a transition into your presentation.

4. One of the best audience grabbers is to start your sales presentation with a short story. Beginning your presentation with a success story that involves someone in your audience is even more powerful.

The next time you’re preparing how to begin and how to end one of your sales presentations consider one of these proven approaches.

Now, here are nine ways to jazz up your stand-up presentation skills. These nine tips will take your public speaking skills to a new level. Here they are:

1. Always prepare and rehearse the first 25 words and the last 25 words of every presentation. Practice your spontaneity until it sounds spontaneous.

2. Start with your expectations. Tell them specifically what the take-aways will be early in your presentation.

3. Never read your presentation. Never. No exceptions. It’s the quickest way put your audience to sleep.

4. Show that you’re alive by being animated. Remember it’s easier to be yourself than trying to impersonate someone else.

5. Pay attention to your hands. Nothing will make you look more awkward than unnatural hand movements.

6. Keep slides to a minimum. They should emphasize and reinforce your key points – not tell your entire story.

7. Use large type, so everyone in the room can clearly see what’s on the screen. Darken the screen as often as you can. You want the audience looking at you – not at the screen.

To darken the screen hit the letter “B” on the keyboard. Hit the letter “B” again to turn the screen on.

8. Don’t worry about making mistakes. Actually, mistakes make you human. Have fun, sharpen your sense of humor, and be sure to tell stories. Your stories are the quickest way for your audience to connect with you.

9. After every presentation ask yourself, “How can I do it better next time?” Then next time, be sure you do it better.

Take it from someone who gives a lot of sales presentations, and had to overcome a fear of public speaking, these nine suggestions really work.

Adopt these as your own and I’ll bet your next stand-up presentation will stand-out!

What Do Your Communications Say About You?
by Paul McCord

What are you doing with those prospects that are in your database that aren’t ready to purchase yet?  Are you in the process of establishing trust and good will—or are you demonstrating that you aren’t trustworthy or that you really don’t have anything of value to offer?

Or what about your existing clients?  Are you teaching them to pay attention to you because your communications bring value, or are you teaching them to ignore you because you simply waste their time with worthless, self-serving junk?

Whether you’ve considered it or not, everything you send to a prospect communicates your value—or non-value and your trustworthiness.  Everything you send.  No matter how small.

Most salespeople, professionals, and companies will put their long-term prospects into a database and keep in touch with them on a semi-regular basis.  They’ll send a monthly or quarterly newsletter, a “how ya doin, ya ready to buy yet?” email or letter on occasion, and make a phone call once in a blue moon.  Some will inundate the prospect with so much junk mail and junk email that the prospect wonders how to get rid of them.

Either way, the prospect is learning about the salesperson or company.  The question is what are they learning?

Let’s look at the three most common negative messages prospects get from salesperson and company communications:

You Aren’t Reliable:
Reliability is a major trust factor and what you send and when you send materials to your prospects will communicate to some extent whether or not you are reliable.  If you promise to send information, do you send exactly what you promised, when you promised?  If not, why should a prospect trust you?

Do you send a monthly or quarterly newsletter?  Is it on time, every time?  If the date on your newsletter is May and it arrives in June because you were too busy to get it out, what message does that send?  Think people won’t notice?  I received the Jan/Feb newsletter from an interior decorator—in April.  Is that how she handles all of her commitments?

You Don’t Value My Time
Are the items you send of real value to the prospect?  If it isn’t of value, why do you send it?

What people will send is amazing.  I get newsletters with recipes, gardening tips, and other information that might be appropriate for some salespeople, but not from the people who are sending it.  Recipes, gardening tips, household tips, etc. might be appropriate in a REALTOR’S newsletter, but not an accountant’s, or financial planner’s, or insurance agent’s, or from an auto repair shop.  If I get something from an accountant, I expect it to have some relevance to my financial needs.  If I get something from an auto repair shop, I expect it have something to do with automobiles.  I don’t expect an attorney to send me an article on how to give a massage (yep, got one). 

What can you send of value?  There is a ton of stuff.  Articles relating to the area you address; special offers; new services and/or products; major company news; and other pertinent information.  All of these items are likely to be of interest to a majority of your prospects.

The key is not to waste your prospect’s time.  Of course, not everything you send is going to be of interest to every one of your prospects.  But if your information is good, all of your prospects will find value in your communications—just not every prospect for every communication.  I get a number of emails after each edition of my newsletter.  Many praise a particular issue; others are indifferent.  But some of those who were indifferent to one issue may email me an issue or two later raving about the latest issue, while the one who was enthused about the first issue emails me to let me know I missed the mark with them on the last issue.  I, like you, have to aim to bring lots of great material to the table, knowing that each reader is at a different place in their careers.  What appeals to one, may not appeal to another.  However, if I bring enough diversity to the newsletter, I can hit everyone’s needs, just not in every issue.  You must aim for the same goal—bring substance to the table, and overtime, you’ll feed the lot.

Every time you communicate with a prospect or client, even with your mass communications, you are teaching them to pay attention to you because you value their time and give them value—or you are teaching them to ignore you because you are nothing but a time waster.

You Don’t Know Your Business
Sending out-dated or erroneous information also will be noticed by many prospects.  If you fail to review and carefully examine your information to make sure that it is up-to-date and accurate, you run a serious risk of convincing your prospect that you simply don’t know what you’re talking about.

The articles and other materials you send, whether written by you or others, must contain current, accurate and trustworthy information.  Never assume that yours is the only information the prospect is receiving about your subject.  Your object is to inform, not confuse.  Your goal is to impress, not show your ignorance or laziness.  Errors are especially easy to miss when dealing with statistics and factual matters of record.

This isn’t to say that you can’t send items that may challenge conventional wisdom.  You certainly can—and if you can back your information up, these may be your most potent communications.  For instance, I work obviously in the areas of sales and sales management.  Most salespeople and managers know there are a great variety of training methods and theories.  Controversy and going against convention isn’t an issue in this industry.  As a matter of fact, many are well aware that many conventional ways of doing things simply don’t work that well.  Consequently, going against convention and finding better ways is welcomed. 

But in other industries, for example, many sectors of the financial services industry, bucking convention many not only raise many eyebrows, but your very competence may be questioned if your ideas are not well documented by independent sources.  Does this mean that you can’t present non-traditional ideas in these industries?  No.  It simply means that you must go out of your way to document their validity because you know upfront that you’re dealing with a subject where innovation is going to be questioned—not just by peers, but by many prospects also.

In addition to sloppy work, overstatements and exaggerations are another red flag for prospects.  It is perfectly permissible to make strong statements about your products and services as long as you are not the author of those statements and you can identify for your prospects exactly who made the claims about your product or service. 

If you use superlatives about yourself, your product/service, or your company, they cannot be from you and you must fully identify the person who made them—meaning they can be checked out.  If you make the claim yourself, you lose credibility.  If you attribute the superlative to someone who is not fully identified, you lose credibility.  If you use an authority in your particular field and give full identification, you gain credibility.  If you use an everyday customer with full disclosure, you gain credibility.

Examine your prospect communications in light of these three most common mistakes.  Don’t allow yourself to lose credibility while trying to build credibility.  Every communication you have with a prospect or client is just as important as your initial communication with them.  You’ve worked hard to gain their trust and respect.  Don’t blow it by teaching them that you’re nothing but a time waster.

Paul McCord, a leading Business Development Strategist and president of McCord Training, works with companies and sales leaders to help them increase sales and profits by finding and connecting with high quality prospects in ways prospects respect and respond to.  An internationally recognized author, speaker, trainer and consultant, Paul’s clients range from giants such as Chase, New York Life, Siemens, and GE, to small and mid-size firms, as well as individual sales leaders.  He is the author of the popular Sales and Sales Management Blog (http://salesandmanagementblog.com).