12 Simple Yet Effective Ways to Show Prospects and Customers That You Genuinely Care
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” ― John C. Maxwell
That quotation above is certainly true, not just for people, but for organizations too. To this day, I’m still amazed at how many business owners and organizations I meet with, that go for the sale without evening knowing the pain points and desires of prospects and customers. Certainly we all want to make the sale, but hearing what the other person has to say is more important than delivering your sales pitch instantly.
If you want to grow your business through the acquisition of new customers or tapping current customers spend, then start genuinely caring about them. This is (in my opinion) one of the best ways to achieve this goal. Every brand or organization is playing the lifetime value game. And you only get there by owning the emotional equity.
Below are 12 simple yet effective ways to show prospects and customers that you genuinely care . I have used all of these in my consulting practice, but it’s also important to note that they also fit our culture.
- Use your permission asset. Send a personal email thanking or checking-in on them. This creates top-of-mind positioning which is invaluable in a cluttered world.
- The way to a prospects heart is through his or her stomach. Buy a gift card to their favorite place to eat. Or do a lunch and learn catered by their favorite eatery. This shows that you listen to the things that interest them.
- The sale is in the details. Compliment them on something they may not often acknowledge. I make it a point to acknowledge a group or an individuals passion, energy, or enthusiasm.
- Ask the most important question in business. “What can I do to help you today?” This is my motto: “The only relationship-building that matters is helping people achieve their goals, doing it reliably and repeatedly, so that over time people have an interest in helping you achieve your goals.”
- Don’t be a fault-finder. See their potential, and encourage them to pursue their dreams.
- Turn your expertise into a relational tool. Offer them your skill for free. This not only establishes trust and rapport, but showcases your expertise with the ability to be generous, other-centered and helpful.
- Acknowledge the unrealized gift. Say thank you for something they don’t realize they gave you, like motivation for the day, or inspiration to seize every opportunity, or the courage to go outside your comfort zone.
- Their day, not yours. Ask how their big day went—whatever that big day may have been.
- Help their heart and soul. Look out and be a resource for someone they love. On numerous occasions I’ve helped clients by referring sources to help their kids with college and even their spouse with special projects.
- Follow-up with their thoughts. Remember something they said that they thought you didn’t hear.
- Use your platform. If you blog, write or record something they inspired, make sure you dedicate it to them. I’ve done this and the great thing is that post last forever.
- Add your own. What do you do to show that you genuinely care?
I encourage to take two-three of these ideas and implement them today into your marketing. One more interesting thing is that social media has now made caring scale-able. Use technology to your advantage in communicating that you care with your target market.
