The quiet ones matter most

Got this blog this morning from Seth Godin; the last line really hit home:

Not fade away

Most partnerships don’t end up in court.

Most friendships don’t end in a fight.

Most customers don’t leave in a huff.

Instead, when one party feels underappreciated, or perhaps taken advantage of, she stops showing up as often. Stops investing. Begins to move on.

No, I’m not going to sue you. Yes, I’ll probably put my best efforts somewhere else.

Just because there are no firestorms on the porch doesn’t mean you’re doing okay. More likely, there are relationships out there that need more investment, quiet customers who are unhappy but not making a big deal out of it. They’re worth a lot more than the angry ones.                – Seth Godin

 

I should be ashamed of myself because I’m IN MARKETING, and I know I’ve been neglecting my customers in these challenging economic times. I’ve got all the same excuses most of you have: not enough money, not enough time, stressed out…blah blah blah.

But you know what? Customers are just people like you and me. Heck, they ARE you and me. Feelings matter, professionally and personally.

I preach all the time to prospects and clients about how you can stand out from the crowd by touching people emotionally. People make decisions emotionally first, then back them up with logic. That demonstrates how valid feelings are – even in business.

So why am I neglecting my client’s feelings by not letting them know they are appreciated and valued?

I’ve given this some thought, and at first I thought it came down to money – or lack thereof. But does it really?

Nope.

What it really comes down to is feelings: I’m feeling embarrassed. I can’t shower my customers with regular “thank you” gifts like a nice mug or set of knives as I used to, but on the other hand, I’ve thought simple things like a card or something inexpensive but useful would scream out CHEAP – she must be broke! Therefore she must be a loser, right?

Embarrassing. *blush*

OK, I know – I’m not a loser. But I do think I’m a bit of a loser (OK, behaving like a bit of a loser) because it’s taken me this long to figure out that I haven’t been paying attention to my own preaching: feelings are just as valid in business as in our personal relationships. My friends understand things are tight and know I value them anyway – because I’ve made an effort to let them know in little ways. Your customers deserve no less.

And I do value my clients. More than ever because frankly, they’re saving my butt right now. I’m still self-employed; I haven’t had to go find a J.O.B. (shouldn’t that be a four letter word?) - yet. That’s huge for me personally. And I expect for you too. If you’re not self-employed, you’ve still got a job, right? Because of your employer’s loyal customers. (Or what’s left of them.)

I’ll share some ideas for inexpensive ways to show customer appreciation in my next blog. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions, I’m certainly open. Let me know what you’ve done or are doing to make sure your customers feel appreciated. If you’re a customer who’s felt especially appreciated by a vendor, let us know how. Share your ideas in the comment section below and I’ll add them to the next blog.