I read a book recently by https://www.michaelport.com/ (Michael Port). It’s called “Book Yourself Solid“. It’s a solid book (pun intended).
Bad customers go where?
Michael’s book is one of the first ones on “building your own empire” that I’ve seen recently – that talks – early on – about “firing your customers”, or “letting your clients go”. It was refreshing to me to see such a direct approach (and fast) to a problem I’ve seen and heard about from fellow marketers and business owners: Customers often think they own you (and your personal life too). I should be quick to mention that you control your destiny, but it seems that clients can be so intrusive into your own, that you can not only lose sleep, but your integrity and personal best along the way.
What you can do to train them to your best performance.
Here are some important bullets that Seth Godin talks about in one of his latest posts. You can train your customers, and make the relationship – and your productivity – the best. By rewarding some behaviors over others, by keeping some promises not others, by having some expectations instead of others, you get the audience you deserve.
Here’s a short list to help train your customers. Here’s what they can do:
- Be respectful
- Be patient
- Keep their satisfaction to themselves
- Be selfish
- Be focused on a superstar
- Demand personal service
- Be calm
- Never settle for the current iteration
- Be cheap
- Embrace acceptance
- Spread the word
- Expect pampering
- Demand free
- Be eager to switch brands to save a buck
- Value and honor long-term loyalty
- Be skeptical
The customers you fire and those you pay attention to all send signals to the rest of your group.
Related articles
- Customer Experience in 15 Words (customerthink.com)
- Train your customers (sethgodin.typepad.com)
- Customer Retention Strategies and Programs (demandmetric.com)
- Can Customer Service Be Too Good? (brighthub.com)
- Are Your Customers Smart or Dumb (frontofficebox.com)