Actions Speak Louder than Words

If ‘a picture is worth a thousand words…,’ then actions should be considered priceless. In Internet marketing, actions are especially more telling than words. I’ve found that there’s no substitute for taking time for your customers and truly caring about them.

I work hard to let my followers know that I’m there for them by staying in personal contact through blogs, social media and personal emails. It’s made a huge difference in my business as compared to those Internet marketers who don’t care and are only interested in the bottom line – money.

We’ve all dealt with online sites and individuals who promise riches and happiness in your life if only you’ll buy or try out their products. Then, the customer service and all the promises fall as flat as a pancake, leaving you frustrated and taking another chunk of your trust in all marketers.

Think about the brick and mortar stores and service industries that have let you down in the past. The most serious of these that comes to my mind are the airlines. The prices are high, the trips itself is crowded and uncomfortable and you can forget customer service if something goes wrong.

Most of us need to use airlines once in a while, but if one airline isn’t giving you the customer service that you desire, you may begin to book your trips on another. It’s the same with a brick and mortar store that you visit to make a purchase. If you have a bad experience, you’ll move on to another.

Online, it’s especially important that you have a good connection with your followers and customers. Here are a few ways I keep in contact, attempt to develop a personal and business relationship with those who visit my site and/or blog and those who have the same interests as I:

• Offer Help – This blog is one vehicle I use for helping my followers. I really, truly care about them and want them to succeed and enjoy their lives and what they do as much as I.

• Honesty and Integrity – Each and every move I make for my business or my personal life is weighed in my mind to make sure that it’s the honest thing to say or do and that integrity is involved in every word I write or say.

• Care – I care enough about my followers and customers to really listen to what they have to say. I may not always agree with them, but I appreciate their thoughtfulness and the time they took in telling me what they think. I also care enough to ask them for advice and to let me know how they view a certain product or idea.

• Attitude – It’s difficult to be in a good mood or have a good attitude 24/7, but when dealing with your customers it’s imperative that you reach deep inside and find the good attitude that means so much to your followers. Always think positive rather than negative and you won’t go wrong.

• Personal Service. Don’t replace personal service with technology or automation. Your customers will know the difference (from experience) between an autoresponder message and a true, heartfelt message from you. There are times when autoresponders are needed, but know the difference between those times.

• Respond – Responding to your customers in a timely manner will build a reputation for you that will keep them coming back time and again. A personal response is much appreciated, and the time you take to give this feedback will come back to you tenfold in loyal customers.  Also, check out: Ideas to Improve the Quality of Your Customer Service
  

Your future business success depends on how you treat your customers, and it’s imperative that you take the road less traveled and make your actions speak louder than just empty words.

The Wall Street Journal published an article just after the Hurricane Sandy disaster that spoke of the difficulty that banks were having in servicing their customers. The only way to keep in touch and access accounts involved the was the old-fashioned method of pen and ink.

Some banks were almost unreachable, with canned telephone answers and the desperate customers impacted from Hurricane Sandy were left to their own resources. Those who made the most impact and gained the most trust were those that reached out to their customers, asking them how they were faring and offering help such as waivers and donations. They’re the banks who will realize overwhelming success after the storm because of the trust they’ve generated by a few personal touches.

This is one of the best examples of actions speaking louder than words. If we can incorporate that attitude with our own business, we’ll come out ahead every time. I don’t know about you, but I’m committed to action.