I always keep my antennae up for quotes that trigger thinking. Here’s an example, a quote from Andrea Fishman, BGT Digital Experiences Solutions – “Brands must compete by delivery experiences that matter”. We dwell on this thought for our June Morsel.

Ok. Let’s establish you are the Brand (yes, you). Brand, per my favorite definition, is someone else’s gut feeling about who you are and what you do. So your job is to connect with this “someone else” and provide something that matters to him or her. It fills a need, but it also is a tool for you to establish a relationship. You can’t survive long-term in business unless you have the ability to understand where the other guy is coming from, and to win trust and loyalty every chance you get. When you are constantly sensitive to discovering and understanding needs, it becomes second nature to deal with issues like product or service development or customer service skills. This segues into some key tips to make sure your customer service is at the top of your list when it comes to building relationships that matter.

• Meet and exceed expectations. The old adage of under-promise and over-deliver really works. n Listen – People want the respect of knowing you are listening to them. You also learn and understand better this way.
• Focus on the relationship, not the sale. Fulfill the need. Create satisfaction. The money will follow.
• Ask for feedback. A good business grows with knowing what the customer needs. The best way to do that is to ask.

View previous monthly morsels on our Free Marketing Advice page.