You are not allowed to drag them down, EVER, no matter how close you may become. You are not allowed to tell them about your troubles at home, your struggles with employees, or ANYTHING that may dampen their spirit. They should leave every phone call or meeting with you feeling more inspired and hopeful than they did when it started. Period.
Is this fair? Who knows. Is it the way things are? YES. No matter what they tell you , your clients want to know that you are solidly going upwards… you are never faltering or doubting your direction. You may change course but you may not discuss WHY until you’re certain that you are.
I have a friend who owns a Title Insurance company and has been making a fortune these past few years; if you know anything about the Real Estate business you’ll know that profitability has NOT been easy of late. If you know anything about Title Insurance you’ll know that it’s not an industry many get rich in. Why is my friend Bob doing so well? Sure he’s smart and does a thorough job, but the REAL key to his success is that you are guaranteed a smile when you interact with him. He is ALWAYS upbeat, quick witted and he listens when you speak. He makes everyone he interacts with feel special, and he makes you smile. That’s it. People WANT to be around him. People choose to do business with him when there are hundreds of others in his area they could choose.
So think about that long and hard before your next customer interaction. Suck in whatever stress you have and save it for your best friend – make your customer feel like they mean something to you, and give them a smile. The ROI on THAT is immeasurable.
