There are many new and innovative ideas for business that advertising agencies will take advantage of in the new year.
But with technology dissemination and knowledge sharing occurring at ever-increasing speeds, like the examples above, it’s easy for agencies to forget they (hopefully) already possess a proven, timeless technology at their disposal: genuine interest in their clients’ success.
The warm, caring approach is the antithesis of dealing with a grumpy client who barely makes eye contact with you, while acting like they would rather be anywhere else at that moment. While it may seem old-fashioned, cheerfully greeting your clients with a big smile on your face and showing a sincere desire to help them achieve their marketing goals is the easiest way to overcome these kinds of interactions.
My bank reminds me of the value of this old-fashioned approach every time I visit. I’m greeted warmly once at the door (often opened for me) and again when I walk into the lobby. One of the staff will ask me if I want coffee, and then take me to the Keurig machine to make sure I pick a great blend.
My local restaurant took the time from the very beginning to learn my name and my wife’s name, while gradually remembering our favorite drinks and entrees. The servers — even the managers — greet us cheerfully every time we visit. Needless to say, we’ve developed a strong loyalty to this restaurant.
I imagine you’ve begun to think back upon some prime examples of being shown this same amount of care. You know that something special is happening when it occurs.
Think about this for a few minutes: How would you rate the interactions you have with coworkers, clients or prospects?
Try to judge this realistically. If you’re having trouble, ask a trusted advisor for their opinion. It’s important for your business to be completely honest with this assessment, because things can only change with a truthful look in their mirror. Is their experience memorable, or do they go away mumbling and grumbling to themselves, or worse, to others?
All it takes is one bad experience to place their interactions with you on the “back-burner” of priorities.
Remember, this is not just applicable with prospective customers, and clients, but your existing client base as well. Just because they’re with you now doesn’t mean they always will be if they felt they’d be treated better somewhere else. There are plenty of competitors out there for your customers, and it is likely that someone is embracing this old-fashioned philosophy that would just “love” to have that customer and revenue.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with embracing and investing in new technology. Just don’t let that make you lose sight of old-fashioned tried-and-tested success tactics like interpersonal technology.
What are some examples you have of being truly taken care of by a company? What do you do to show your clients you’re invested in their success?
