I recently finished reading "What Clients Love" by Harry Beckwith, which was actually pretty interesting. I post-it noted a number of pages with some concepts I thought very applicable to our photo-business world. While these may seem like common sense, it's always refreshing to see them right in front of you as a quick reminder...so here are my favorite thoughts:
People pay for what they love - plan around what you can predict: what people love
If everyone feels comfortable with your idea - it’s not an idea, it’s an imitation. Push toward the edge - to something so distinctive it resonated only with a few : avoid ‘nice’
to be heard : say something different, simple, visual
study everything that can affect people’s perceptions of your quality - and make each excellent
simplify everything
we always weaken what we exaggerate (Extraordinary! World-class! Superior! Award-winning!) - do not describe your business in superlatives
sell yourself FIRST, sell your price LAST
clients prize humility-reason to never go for the hard sell. Go softly and slowly---sell soft
give business relationships time and space to grow. If you wonder if you’re pushing a client too hard---you are. Hard sales lose business
Beware of saying anything that might be perceived as negative-accentuate the positive, avoid the negative
Your office and work space does more than project how special you are - it reminds your clients how special THEY are - watch you space
You business is NOT to perform your job brilliantly - it’s satisfying your clients deeply - Your task is not to perform, it’s to satisfy
8 rules of business manners
- always wait a split second after a person finishes talking before you speak
- listen with your entire body
- be positive
- speak well of others
- memorize names
- never try to impress
- praise, but never flatter
- always be kind
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1 comments:
awesome, thanks for that post, I can't wait to read that book! hope all is going well.
-jacklyn
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