How much do you L.O.V.E. your customers?
Love is defined as an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment- at least according to Wikipedia. I prefer to define it as an acronym:
L-loyalty, O-over-deliver, V-vigilant, E-entertain.
Always showing loyalty to your customers is the easiest way to demonstrate your devotion to the working relationship. Seems obvious right? Unfortunately, many of us fall into the trap of failing to reconnect after the event has ceased and/or that post-event thank you card is sent. This is why I think practicing how to over-deliver is so important. Over-delivering allows business professionals to under promise. Therefore the love comes from satisfying your customer’s direct needs and the invisible needs (the ones they didn’t know required satisfying until you fulfilled them). Being vigilant on the other hand is not so simple. Stay attentive and have a careful watch over their account, their orders and more importantly their personal lives.
One of the biggest lessons I learned in the past came from talking strictly business with a client. They kept sending me signals they just needed a vigilant friend to listen closely enough. If I knew then what I know now, I would have saved myself a lot of frustration and time including obtaining the contract earlier in the process. Finally, entertain your clients. Whether it’s a silly off the wall request, special occasion or wild idea you’ve never heard of before and can’t stand the thought of creating that proposal, do it anyway!
Entertain their ideas and creativity, by letting them know you understand and how much fun it could be, before providing them with the harsh reality that it’s just never going to fly. Sometimes listening and providing alternatives is all your customer needs to keep coming back over and over for the love and support you offer their events!
