The ABC's of Living and Giving

The ABC's of Living and Giving

26 Ways To Attract and Keep Customers and Friends For Life
20 Sep 2001

No matter what industry you find yourself in, and regardless of which company you work for, even if that company is YOU, Inc., the common denominator of all types of relationships, both personal and professional, is people. In light of this inescapable fact, it becomes necessary and vital to the growth and development of your businesses and relationships, that you become keenly aware of the role that you play with your customers, clients, employees, associates, spouses, family, and friends. Relationships and reputations should not be taken lightly. How often have you heard someone say that it takes years to build a friendship…..and seconds to destroy it? As you read The ABC’s of Living & Giving, you’ll notice that this idea is particularly emphasized.

We can spend our lives working to build something great, but if we are careless with our words, thoughtless with our actions, and mindless with our attitudes, we may lose the very things we hold dear to us. I have spent years studying and applying principles of better human relations, realizing that the key to personal and professional success in our society is having the ability to get along with other people. One of the selling points I always mention when I am interviewing for a new job position is my ability to get along with just about anybody. I sell them on my positive attitude, which I have found to be a tremendously marketable skill. A genuinely positive attitude, combined with a willingness to learn, can take you a lot further than you might expect.

In creating The ABC’s of Living & Giving, I began with the objective of finding ways to build strong relationships with people. These people could be your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, or siblings. It could also extend to your co-workers, bosses, employees, customers, and clients. An attitude is not like make-up. We shouldn’t "put on a happy face" when we feel it is convenient. An attitude should be what remains when the mask comes off. The real essence of your personality. The way you truly interact with people on a daily basis. I encourage you to incorporate these ideas and attitudes into your daily living, and notice the results – increased sales, stronger relationships, deeper trust and mutual respect, and more customers!

The following are 26 ways to attract and keep customers for life. You can also use these principles to build and develop personal and professional relationships.

Attentiveness

Everyone loves attention. In fact, most people crave it. When you give your undivided attention to another person, you will instantly win a friend. Give others the attention they deserve, and you will make a positive, lasting impression.

Beyond Expectations

Always give them more than they expect. When you do this, they will tell their friends and come back for more. In such a competitive world, you can’t afford to be just average or deliver just the standard. People want and expect more.

Credibility

Be honest and truthful in all your dealings with people, and you will gain a reputation for reliability and dependability. Credibility takes years to gain and seconds to lose.

Do a little more

Develop the mindset of "What more can I offer to my customers to show my appreciation for their patronage?" Always look for that opportunity to give sincere appreciation by "going the extra mile."

Eager to help

Your attitude is everything when dealing with others! Showing an eager willingness to help your customer will make the difference between a one-time deal or repeat sales.

First…The Customer Comes First

Most successful companies try to instill in their employees the importance of placing the clients’ needs first. Emphasizing the needs of the customer will shape your priorities and improve the quality of your service.

Give without expecting in return

When we operate out of a sense of service and a genuine desire to help people, we will give without hoping for immediate gain. When you give without any strings attached, you will get rewarded in the long run, if not sooner.

Help Your Customer

The essence of customer service is being helpful to others. The predominant question in your mind should always be: "How can I make this person’s experience as painless and enjoyable as possible?"

Initiate conversation

Take an immediate interest in your customer by striking up a conversation and showing your concern. This will build an instant rapport between you.

Juggle tasks well

The ability to organize, prioritize, and get many things done simultaneously will make you more effective when trying to serve your customers. It will also make a positive impression on them.

Know your stuff

Learn as much as you can about your product, company, or service. Aim to be the best in your field. You will become a valuable resource in your company and industry. People will seek your expertise for advice and information.

Listen

Do what most people fail to do. Genuinely listen to others. You will learn a lot about yourself and your customer in the process. People will tell you what a great conversationalist you are!

Make them happy

No matter how you do it, see to it that you satisfy your customer’s needs. If you make mistakes, be sure to correct them quickly and offer to compensate for your error.

Negotiate

"Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate."
-- John F. Kennedy
Presidential Inaugural Address, 1961

Give your customer options. Let them take ownership of ideas, even if they are your own. Be willing to bend a little, and you will usually find yourself in agreement with the other person.

Out of the box

Open your mind to new possibilities. Don’t limit your options by being close-minded. Always find ways to be innovative, creative and different.

Plant seeds of good will

Doing small good deeds over a long period of time to many people will reap unexpected and unimaginable rewards for your business and your relationships with others.

Quality products

Seek out quality in everything you do, every product you sell, every interaction you have with others. Let QUALITY become your cornerstone.

Respect for ALL

Treat everyone with the same level of dignity and respect. Apply the "Golden Rule" in all situations and encounters with others.

Sell your ideas

Generate excitement about your ideas and products! Focus on how other people will benefit from them. Tell them "what’s in it for them."

Take action

"Action is eloquence." -- William Shakespeare

Become known as someone who gets things done. Let "productivity" become your middle name. Solve problems quickly. Admit mistakes immediately.

Unleash your charm

Let your enthusiasm radiate from within. Share your passion for your product with others. You will find it to be contagious.

Validate their concerns

Forget about who’s right or wrong. Acknowledge the concerns of your customers and learn from them. Place value in what they say and how they feel.

Win-win

Find results that will be mutually beneficial for you and your customer. Make sure they leave feeling satisfied. Leave the doors open.

X-ample is everything

Set an example for others to follow. Conduct yourself with integrity and honesty in every transaction and conversation with your customers.

You...not me

Take the attention away from yourself. Place it on your customer. You’ll be much more likely to "close a sale" and win your customer's trust and favor.

Zone in on your customer

Make your customers your number-one priority. Make them feel special and important by letting them know you care. As Zig Ziglar says, "People don't care how much you know until they know much you care."

These 26 principles are all centered on one theme: being of service to others. Develop a "service orientation" toward others, and you will increase sales, profitability, and good will.

How to Recreate Your Life

Have you recently come to the abrupt realization that your life isn't anything close to what you wanted it to be? Whether it's spurred by a mid-life crisis, a near-death experience, a psychedelic epiphany, or a painful separation, here's how to change the direction that your life is heading.

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Steps

1. Remember what you've always wanted. What did you dream about being and doing when you were a child? Or an invincible teenager? Or an idealistic college student? At many points in our lives, when we encounter obstacles, we tend to settle. What have you settled for? What did you give up on when you settled?
2. Be honest with yourself. Pretending that your life is great when it's really not is only going to make things worse. Sure, you've got plenty to be grateful for, but there's nothing wrong with seeking more growth and fulfillment. Don't ever feel that by wanting more, you're forsaking what you already have.
3. Write down your goals. Where do you want to be in 5 years? 10 years? What do you want to accomplish before you die? Make lists and timelines. Keep them close to you, and read them every day, preferably when you wake up.
4. Consider making a big change. Switch careers, move to a different area, or end a relationship that's bringing you down. Stop your life from becoming one big routine.
5. Expand your comfort zone. Do something that's completely out of character. Shave your head, wear a miniskirt, try karaoke, do a cartwheel barefoot on the grass, etc. Be spontaneous and daring. Even if it has nothing to do with your goals, stepping out of your comfort zone will help you get used to facing your fears, especially people's reactions when you do something they'd never expect you to do.
6. Remember that it is your life to live and so you should choose what is best for you.

Tips

• The key is to stay focused on your dreams, no matter how far you may be from accomplishing them. If you don't remember what you want out of life, it's awfully easy to lose your way.
• Focus on what matters the most to you and pursue it unmistakably to the point of being able to grasp only a moment.
• It is better to have experience than not.
• Don't ever think "It's too late," or "I'm too old." It's never too late, and you can never be too old to find happiness. Read Maria Shriver's book "Just Who Will You Be?"
• Visualize yourself as being the way you want to be. See yourself being congratulated, or hugged for what you have done.
• Visualization is very powerful. If done often, it can work.
• Don't hang out with people that bring you down no matter how close to you they are (family, old friends, etc).

Tips

• Be yourself, be yourself, be yourself. It is extremely important. Don't try to be someone you're not.
• Love yourself!
• Have Fun! Don't let anyone put you down on the way you look or act!

Steps To love life!!!!!!!

1. Be optimistic. Think of life in the best way possible, look at the glass as half full, and find the better side of every situation. You would be amazed at how much more there is to life than the negative.
2. Live every moment to the fullest. Don't waste a single second being sad, bored, or lonely. Get out there and dance, and sing as if no one was around. You never know how much longer you have to do so.
3. Be selfless. Give more than you receive, and share with others. Do less for yourself, and more for the people around you. Also when you do the right thing you get a fantastic feeling inside.
4. Laugh often. This is possibly the most important point in this how-to guide. Laughter is the number one most important thing in life. Laugh much, and smile often.
5. Live in the present. Forget about the past, as there is nothing you can do about it. Don't worry about the future, as what is to come is to come, and if you forget to live in the moment, you would be surprised at how quickly time can slip.
6. Be yourself. Live up to your own standards, not anyone else's. Who cares what others think about you? Who cares if you can't sing, can't dance, or if your clothes don't match. Do what you want to do, and be who you want to be.
7. Be kind to everyone. Kindness is the key to unlocking your own happiness and joy. If others notice your kindness, they will gratefully return it. Make as many close friends as you can, and help them when they are down, as you never know when you will need them to catch you.
8. Stand there. Sometimes just standing somewhere quiet or peaceful and get thinking about what you have achieved, what you are about to achieve, or what you want to achieve, and sometimes just sometimes it will hit you... a feeling of utmost respect for life.
9. Do what you enjoy If you have always wanted to learn something, or feel like improving on something you already do, go for it! Don't let anyone stop you from doing what you love, and if you feel comfortable doing it then don't hold back. If you do, you're going to regret it.
10. Encourage Others to love life If you have followed the above steps above you are on your way to living a better life, now start to encourage others around you to also love life and spread your message. Michelle Curtin does this at ILSTU.