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Treat Your Clients/Customers/Prospects Like You Treat Your Pet 0

When we work with clients on developing their natural talents as part of their personal brand, we see trends.  Personal branding is about the emotional quotient you trigger to get clients/prospects in action to get to know you and work with you.   The best emotion to trigger is joy.  We ask clients what daily activities bring about that sense of joy for themselves.  We ask for two reasons:  1)  so that they can do the activity over and over again for their own benefit AND 2) by doing this activity and having joy/happiness, you develop a strong personal brand and attract people who want to be around you, be like you and do business with you.

One common trend in responding to this question is that most clients really find being with their pets (ie, walking their dog, playing with their pets) brings them joy and peace. You should see the look on their faces as they describe the activities they love to do with their pets- their faces light up and they relax and have a sense of ease and grace about them.  Clients don’t often make the connection regarding what the joy they have with their pets has to do with their business and personal brand.

I also have a dog.  The sense of innocence and love and joy my dog has when I come home is indescribable.  Not only does she make my day, she resonates from a very genuine, pure and innocent state of being herself- no agenda, no plan of action, no thought for what’s to come. She is just being present to being with me and happy to see me.

So, what if you related to your clients and prospects from the same place you relate to your pets?  Now, please don’t take me too literally. I obviously don’t mean to treat people like animals.  But I do mean to view all clients and prospects as if they:

- have no agenda when they see you;

-are truly happy to see you, even if their actions don’t resonate this;

-have true intentions to be with you and give their best to you.

In return, relate to your clients like you do your pets, by:

- being completely present to them;

-not reading too much “meaning”  into their words and actions;

-accepting them as they are- the good, the bad and the ugly.  Just as you do with your pet.

Posted on: 03-5-2012
Posted in: Behavior, Business Brand, natural talent, Personal branding, prospects

Should I have a slightly different “brand” depending on who I am talking to? 0

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Last Friday at my strategic branding workshop, I received the question, “Should I have a slightly different “brand” depending on who I am talking to?”  I think this is an excellent question. I’m going to answer it to benefit those of you who were not at the workshop.

When I’m working one-on-one with clients, I often get inquiry into whether I am asking a particular question with respect to their personal life or business.  My answer is always the same- there is no distinction in my world of personal branding.

Let’s start with my constant premise that initially people buy people and NOT products or services.  Therefore, YOU are the critical brand that I am buying. If this is true (and I say it is), then your personal brand is always going to be the same and a constant because of who you are.

Now, there are two things that need to be addressed off of this premise:

1. You change over time due to circumstances- We do reviews of clients’ personal brands at least on an annual basis because it is clear that as humans, we are dynamic and will evolve.  Thus, our personal brands evolve. So we do need to look at who we are with fresh eyes within the context of our target market and business.

2. You have to assess your audience and read THEIR personal brands well. Once you do so, you don’t have a different brand with them, you interact with them with your personal brand, but in a manner that resonates with the other person.

Here’s an example: Suppose you are a journalist and an avid skier and sports fan.  You are at a networking function where you meet another journalist who may be able to send some work/referrals your way.  Plus, it’s always good to know people in your profession.  You ask the critical questions to find out about them and realize they know nothing about skiing. You are not going to attempt to “connect” with them about skiing, are you? Of course not!  You just keep seeking out something unique about you that may interest them and that you both may have in common.

So in short to answer the question: No, you don’t have a different brand depending on with whom you speak.  But you do show the varying sides of your dynamic and flexible personal brand so you can connect and resonate with the other person always.

Posted on: 09-12-2011
Posted in: Behavior, Business Brand, Networking, Personal branding

Effective Personal Branding and Customer Service- Southwest Airlines Case Study 0

I was recently with a client of mine who travels  a lot for work.  We were talking about her favorite airline and she mentioned how she loves Southwest.  As she started talking about Southwest, her entire demeanor changed- you could totally see her excitement and passion for the airline.  She was smiling and saying how much fun it was to fly again now that she had “found” Southwest. She had stumbled upon them when her preferred, major airline had left her stranded and given her no options or assistance. She had literally walked over to the Southwest counter, where they had booked her in about 5 minutes to her destination AND made her laugh.  After that, she was hooked. She gave up her zillion mile status and her first class seats- all to travel on Southwest and enjoy her constant trips.

To me, this is the perfect example of how the Southwest personal and business brands are a success.  It is all because of customer service. Southwest recently celebrated 40 years of business.  If you look at their mission statement (which my client knows by heart!)- it is a dual statement.  One part of the statement is devoted to clients and one to employees.  The client mission statement is:  “dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit.”

Southwest has literally taken this mission statement and translated it into developing a personal brand for each employee that caters to customer service built on fun and quality.  This personal brand of “fun and quality service” is what my client, as well as many other travelers, remember most about Southwest.  The personal brand is very unique and sets apart the airline from competitors.  Who wouldn’t want good service and fun these days?

As we always say here at Puris, every successful business needs a personal brand that has a unique community service platform.   In terms of personal branding, Southwest has the community service component covered well, also.  According to their website, in 2009, Southwest Airlines employees volunteered more than 45,000 hours to charities across the country. To support these passionate employee volunteers, Southwest Airlines launched the Tickets for Time program. For every 40 hours their employees volunteer for a nonprofit organization, the benefitting nonprofit organization is eligible to receive one complimentary, roundtrip ticket on Southwest Airlines for fundraising or transportation needs.

According to my client, Southwest is “well-designed, yet casual and always has fabulous service”.  On their blog Southwest says that they are in the customer service business and just happen to fly planes.  This says it all, doesn’t it?

What does this mean for your personal brand and your business brand?  Nothing resonates louder for your personal brand and that of your employees than quality customer service done only to serve and create fun and joy in the lives of your customers.  Do you and your staff enjoy servicing your clients?  Is it fun or is it difficult?  Do you all put on your game face and “pretend” to be happy or do you mean it?  We can all see through any insincerity.  It never works.  Hire staff who really like what they do for you and your clients.  I hope you are running a business that you really love, too.

My client is a perfect example of how a business traveler with many options would leave the comforts of first class, priority boarding and extra legroom for good customer service and fun.  Is your customer service fun and effective?  If so, then so is your personal and business brands.

 

Posted on: 07-10-2011
Posted in: Business Brand, Community Service, customer service
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