by Annette Hatton

Created on: June 10, 2010   Last Updated: June 12, 2010

KISS Me First Six Persuasive Profit-Making Strategies

Want to know a truth about selling for a profit? Ninety-nine percent of all the people in this world are either actively or inactively selling a product, idea or opinion. You are selling yourself.

People do not buy products or services. They buy friendships, good feelings and relationships. They want to feel important and appreciated. Treat a customer as appreciated friend, someone special and important, they will do business with you.

In the seventies, when the Japanese began exerting decisive influence in the world commodities market they reintroduced customer service, a repositioning from high-pressure tactics to a customer service sales force.  All work for the good of the business and represent the business when at work or not. At the core are two axioms. One: do business only with people you know, like and trust. Two: develop the relationship first.

Kiss Me First, then I will do business with you is what customers demand. “Any successful relationship, whether a personal or business relationship, is unique to every pair of individuals and evolves over time.” Ivan Misner, Business Network International. It is time well spent. 

You and your staff are a team with one purpose, business success. Incorporate these Six Steps to Customer Service KISSing.

One: Contact Skills

* Network for profit is more than collecting business cards. Getting the card is the first step. Bob Burg, in his How to Cultivate an Endless Supply of Networking Referrals workshop said, “The successful networkers I know, the ones receiving tons of referrals and feeling truly happy about themselves, continually put the other person's needs ahead of their own.” Networking is finding how you can help another person or another business build their business.  You do that by building relationships, friendships and customer service.

* Remembering names and faces of your customers is a no excuse necessity. Greet your customers by name; make them feel accepted. You appear more caring, more professional. What you demonstrate is, “Our initial interaction with you was important enough for me to remember you.” Adding a bit of personal information, “Did you surprise your wife on her birthday?” tells the customer that he is important enough to you that you took the time to remember a conversation. Harvey MacKay's profiling outline can help.

* Introduce customers to new personnel. 

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