The 8 Laws Of Customer Service!

"Endless Referrals" by Bob Burg, is a book about how to turn every contact you make into a "sky’s-the-limit sales opportunity." The book redefines networking – how to do it right and how to do it wrong.

As Bob explains in his Golden Rule:

"All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to,

those people they know, like and trust."

And he continues:

"The intent and theme of this entire book is to show you how to get people

to know, like and trust you."

Here, I’ll share with you Bob’s eight basic rules of customer service as they relate to networking.

1/ EVERY EMPLOYEE IS IN SALES:

Bob reveals why even those staff members in your company who are not

salespeople, really ARE salespeople.

2/ IF YOU THINK YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE NOT KING, TRY RUNNING

YOUR BUSINESS WITHOUT THEM:

Here, Bob tells why you must adopt a "the-customer-is-the-boss"

attitude.

3/ DON’T EVER TELL CUSTOMERS THEY’RE WRONG:

As I like to put it: Do you want to be right – or do you want to make

money? Here’s why it’s a mistake to win the battle but lose the war.

4/ DELIVER WHAT YOU PROMISE AND A LITTLE BIT MORE:

Here, Bob cites a true, personal story that ends with a restaurant manager

telling him, "Sir, if we were to deliver everything we promised on the

menu, we’d go out of business!"

5/ GOING THE EXTRA MILE, OR EVEN THE EXTRA STEP, IS WORTH

ALL THE PAID ADVERTISING IN THE WORLD:

Bob demonstrates why "people don’t care how much you know until they

know how much you care."

6/ YOUR RECEPTIONIST IS ONE OF YOUR MOST IMPORTANT

SALESPEOPLE:

Bob discusses why "you never get a second chance to make a good first

impression."

7/ RETURN TELEPHONE CALLS PROMPTLY:

Bob talks about how "some people are just TOO BUSY to make money."

8/ IT ISN’T NECESSARILY WHAT WE SAY BUT HOW WE SAY IT:

Here, Bob shows how it’s possible to say all the right things, but all the

wrong way.

The book also contains some fascinating techniques for learning to remember people’s names by creating word pictures in your mind.

For more ways to network your everyday contacts into sales, get Bob Burg’s book "Endless Referrals" by going here:

http://www.amazon.com

Tags: Jonathan Hook, niche marketing, affiliate marketing, internet marketing, internet marketing tips

Fake It Till You Make It!

When I started my coupon book business, I sometimes found it necessary to call on business prospects in person.

I would creep nervously into an establishment, introduce myself to the nearest staff member and ask to see the owner. Usually (big surprise), they were busy.

I’d sit down to wait, fidgeting with my briefcase. Often half an hour or more would pass.

This scenario took place regardless of whether I had an appointment. The owner would almost always keep me waiting an eternity.

Once, as I waited in a hotel lobby for nearly an hour, I saw the hotel manager stroll by casually, barely giving me a glance.

"Does she know I’m waiting?" I asked the desk clerk.

"Oh, yes," came the reply. "She’s very busy today. She’ll get to you when she can."

This reminded me of something a former boss once told me years ago. He arrived late one day to find several job applicants lined up outside his door for a job interview.

"Always keep ‘em waiting," he winked at me. "Shows ‘em who’s boss."

It was all one big powerplay.

The store owners kept me waiting because I was willing to wait. I needed them more than they needed me.

I thought about the service I was providing.

I was about to offer this hotel manager free advertising in my coupon book. Advertising that I COULD charge hundreds of dollars for. Advertising that would likely net the hotel thousands of dollars in profit. If she didn’t want to listen to my offer, plenty of other hotel managers would.

My frustration turned to anger. It was time for the power to shift.

"I’m sorry. I’ve got to go," I told the desk clerk.

"I’m sure she’ll only be a few more minutes," he said.

"Thanks anyway. I have another appointment," I said. "Have her call me."

I handed him my business card and walked out.

Now, you’ve got to understand that, in the beginning, it took a lot of guts for me to walk out on a potential deal like that. Especially when I didn’t really have another appointment lined up.

But I wanted to project an image of success. I wanted to prove that I didn’t need to jump through hoops to get business.

And you know what? It worked.

To my surprise, the next time I called on the hotel manager, she took me immediately (and she became a client, I might add.)

I made a decision right then and there. From now on, if the owner knew I was waiting, the countdown would start. If, after ten minutes, I was not face to face with my prospect, I would get up and leave.

Every time I did this, I got what I wanted – often right away. It never failed.

I found the confidence I needed to be successful by acting like I already was. And I discovered the secret of how to use, to my advantage, the old adage "People want what they can’t have."

Try this technique the next time you’re facing an apathetic prospect. Send your success stories to mailto:randy@randyruggles.com and I’ll publish them in a future article.

Or maybe I won’t.

Tags: internet marketing, Jonathan Hook, website optimization, internet marketing tips, niche marketing