I love my barber. I love getting my hair cut because I get to sit and talk with Morris. He’s been cutting my hair for five years and although I moved a few months ago and he’s now 30 miles away, I still make the trip to see him.
He and I were talking this morning about gaining and keeping our best clients. He and I are in two very different lines of work, but not really.
We were talking about how little it takes to be above average. You do realize that just about everyone is average, don’t you? (that’s sarcastic, Jersey humor – which is redundant).
Yes, you need to be technically competent in your chosen profession. But that’s just admission to the game. If you don’t have that, you won’t be in the game for long. Buh-bye, thanks for playing.
By taking a sincere interest in your clients and would-be clients, you completely differentiate yourself from your competition.
Before you think that sounds too simple to be true, think back to your most recent amazing customer experience. Did it take you more than a few seconds to remember that? If so, you just proved my point.
Care more for people. I didn’t say clients, customers, or potential clients or customers. I said people. Treat people like people. Not customers.
Take a sincere interest in people by asking them questions about themselves. This is not difficult. It’s so simple, it’s amazing more people don’t do it.
Listening is an act of compassion. Ask sincere, thoughtful questions and then listen. Don’t interrupt, just listen. Don’t try to solve all their problems, just listen. Don’t see an opportunity to introduce your product or service. Don’t be a hammer in search of a nail. Be a caring human being willing to give the most valuable commodity in the world. Attention.
Listening is a sign of caring. And people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. It takes so little to be above average.