The Currency Of Connection- Making More Money With Genuine Relationships
By: Sandi Krakowski
Business has changed. Period. If you don't like it, believe it, understand it….. it doesn't really matter. It's changed.
Gone are the days of building your big old Rolodex and building a network of trusted colleagues only goes so far. The real value of your company is now related to something far greater than your business connections. It's directly related to your relationship with your customers.
In a recent issue of Entrepreneur Magazine the change taking place in business was highlighted by several authors. I highly recommend you read through this archived issue on the power of connection.
Here's the bottom line for any and all business owners- CEO's of large companies should pay attention, small business owners should pay attention, SOHO and home based business owners. It doesn't matter how big your company is or how small, it is all the same. The lines have been removed, the barriers taken down. You can now compete with the big corporations as a small home based company. Connection is the currency of today's market.
Branding no longer holds people to your company. People are no longer loyal to brands or messages, they are loyal to those who have relationship with them. Those who connect more-make more. So the question today is, "How are YOU doing?"
To Tony Hsieh, CEO of 1.2 Billion dollar Zappos.com, it doesn't really matter what's being sold. He's quoted as saying,"What matters is the experience of selling it–and, of course, the customer's experience of buying it."
How is your experience as a business owner? Do you provide one to your customers?
This is where far too many internet marketers and direct response marketers are dropping the ball. And the results are obvious! No experience, no results!
Here's a lesson to learn from- Mac Cosmetics does not sell makeup. The key in marketing is knowing what we really sell. Check out their website. What do they really sell? They sell an experience that allows any woman to remake herself into anything she wants to become. Using makeup is just the way they get the experience accomplished, it's their tool. But they sell an unforgettable experience.
So when you create your company, blog and message, ask yourself this critical question: What experience am I providing my customers with? How do I want them to remember me?
Recently our hot water tank's thermostat went out on a snowy Thursday night. A blizzard was coming the next day with 10 inches expected. So we called Collier's Heating and Cooling. You can visit their website here: Trust Colliers.
While their website is really nothing to write home about *smile*let me share with you what happened. In less than an hour a technician was at our home diagnosing the problem. Yes, we were charged the off hour rate of $109.00 to diagnose. He couldn't really find anything wrong other than a possible thermostat shutting off. The only way to know if that was it would be to reset the thermostat and see what happens over the next few days.
Well, we took hot showers on Friday and were grateful for the $ 109.00 service call while the blizzard hit! Glad I didn't have to 'hope and pray' someone would drive through it to come help me! Then….. on Saturday morning, again after normal business hours, it went out again. Brrrrrrr…. taking a tepid shower was not fun when it's 18 degrees out!
We called Colliers and again, they came to our rescue in under an hour. Amazing. But here's where the experience gets even richer! The technician was here for over 3 hours fixing our thermostat. He had to drive back to the shop and get parts. This company was amazing. I was grateful he wore "work booties" on the hard wood floors. I was grateful for how thorough he was. I was very grateful he was a kind and happy person! BUT…… he gave me a bill for $ 94.00 for parts. That was it, sent me over the top! Then he added, "Oh ma'am, we don't charge any service fees when we have to come back out for something we already diagnosed. Even if it's on the weekend." I was floored!
This company has won my loyalty for the entire care of our new Geo Thermal system, our heating and cooling and more! Their experience won me! The price was great, the tech was amazing but the service sealed the deal! So much that I'm sharing it with the 98,000 clients on our list and on my website!
Don't know what kind of experience to create or how you want to serve? Start with good old fashioned values. It pays every time. It also pays to keep close attention to your ideal client and what they are already saying. It's like "reading their mind" when you do this. They are online sharing what they want every single day.
The currency of connection is enormous, will create lasting value and bottom line, impact more lives, including your own, if you pay attention.
Now…. go create an experience your customers will never forget! That's the new Business 101 so many business schools aren't teaching.
Sandi Krakowski is a "Back To Basics Step By Step Business" expert who currently serves more than 92,000 clients in over 136 countries. Her systems help the average business owner as well as big corporations get extra-ordinary results quickly. She has a track record for her 'bringing it into action' processes that company owners find easy to implement with quick results. She has been working online successfully for the last 14 years.
