Wednesday, June 18, 2008

What do you think of customers being drawn to you like a Magnet?

By Scott Nelson

Dan Kennedy is known in business and marketing circles as the "millionaire maker". His fame comes from his results. He takes his clients and shows them step by step how to take and idea and turn it into money.

Entrepreneur Magazine says Dan Kennedy has 101 money making ideas for any business owner. One of the things that make Dan unique is his ability to take his principles and apply them to any industry or business. He currently works with clients in over 50 different businesses, industries and professions. In any given year, he'll earn $250,000 plus in a single month just providing direct-response and direct marketing advice and strategy.

Kennedy's clients include everything from sole entrepreneurs to huge corporations. Here are just a few examples - there's the husband-and-wife couple who came to Dan with an idea, a mountain of debt, and failing advertising. Less than two years later, they have zero debt and a home-based mail-order business generating over 200 000.00 a month at about a 40% profit margin.

On the other hand there is Dan's marketing consultations with billion dollar information marketing company Guthy Renker. Dan helped U.S. Gold increase its revenues by millions. The list goes on and on.

Dan taught me the principle of total customer value. Basically, Dan stressed that it easier and faster and ultimately more profitable to focus on developing the existing relationships with current customers.

The thing that made the biggest difference in turning around our business was learning about what it meant to give excellent customer service and to set out to doing those things consistently. This means dealing with the customers in all states of emotion. Customers are just easier to deal with when everything goes the way they want it. The fact is that things don't always please them. So customer service is really about managing the times when they aren't happy. It is a much harder skill to master but with the potential for great rewards. The goal is to take the difficulty and grow customer loyalty by how you handle it.

It is no surprise that customers can complain about any number of things. It could be the product, prices, or your service. Also, even when all those things are excellent, some customers just find things to gripe about. Whatever happens, avoid the temptation to simply ignore them. Instead own up to the problem and calm the situation by:

Thanking them. Even if they made a comment in way which was impolite, thank them anyway. Do not play the victim and take any of this personally. Remain calm and composed.

Beginning your phrase with, "Let me see if I understand you completely." Then restate the complaint of the customer. This accomplishes two things. First, it gives the customer pause and a moment to calm down. Second, it shows that you are listening and taking their concerns seriously.

Finding at the very least one thing in their complaints that you agree with. It doesn't matter how unfounded their complaint is in your mind, you should pick out one major point you agree with. Build your response around that point. For instance: "Well, Mr. Johnson, I can totally relate to you being upset about the late delivery. I will make sure that it doesn't happen again. Now, about your other concerns. This shows them you are not defensive about the situation, and you are not interested in making excuses, but solving the problem.

Solving the customer's problem. The client picks a fight, not to fight, but to be heard and make you understand that there is a problem. It's your role to play along and stay locked in on solving the problem. These situations handled correctly are when true customer loyalty is build. Success here adds to your total customer value and your profits.

I will tell you without hesitation that these techniques saved my business. I knew nothing about total customer value and what it meant to my bottom line. The understanding of the importance of TCV will make you stronger in customer service all by itself. Dan's "Magnetic Marketing" is the ultimate resource for marketing principles that work to change the fortunes of your business, fast. It is these simple, low cost to no cost strategies, which make the biggest difference. Before Magnetic Marketing, I was ignorant to these concepts.

He lets the customer try the program for 1 year with a full money back guarantee with a promise that there won't be any hassles if it isn't for you. If you are just starting out, or if you have been at it awhile with dud results, it is well worth checking out. Maybe Dan Kennedy is the right teacher at the right time. He was in my case.

I am not a fan of trying to be a pioneer in a field where there is so much saturation of information and strategies. It only leave me shot up and full of arrows. When I picked the right teacher, the one who makes people money again and again, my fortunes turned. It totally pays to stop guessing and to simply copy the way people are making money.

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