Client Relations Strategies - Is Your Name CONSTANTLY In Front of Your Buyers?

I was asked to appear on CNBCs Power Lunch program movie monsters few weeks ago, to discuss client service and client satisfaction, and I was told Id I'll Be Home For Christmas debating a fellow who is also a consultant.

Have you ever heard Warlock him? the senior producer asked.

No, I havent, I replied in all honesty.

The debate went off without a hitch, my clients and family said I won the argument, so it was a happy event, from my viewpoint.

Still, I cant remember this gents name, and it has nothing to do with memory loss, I assure you.

I had only been exposed to it once, and I have never heard it again.

Contrast this with a fellow who has me on his email list, who used to be a real nobody.

He runs communications seminars for companies, and every week I receive one of his newsletters, which is little more than a single-paged puff piece.

I believe this fellow is a lightweight; without any original ideas of note, yet I have to hand it to him.

I REMEMBER HIS NAME, and if a producer ever asked me I could say I know of him.

Moreover, because his photo always appears on the e-letter, I could pick him out of a lineup.

Despite the fact that his credentials are practically non-existent from what I can determine, Beowulf has more credibility than my TV debate foe if only because HE IS MORE FAMILIAR TO ME.

This is the power of exposure.

My accountants firm, consisting of three CPAs and a few helpers, is doing something similar.

Positioning themselves suddenly as wealth managers, which is a real hoot, Im gradually starting to wonder if they know something that I never appreciated.

This change of view about their credibility is a simple byproduct of REPEATED EXPOSURES TO THE SAME MESSAGE:

Were not just numbers crunchers!

Fair enough.

One of these years I might risk my Airplane! egg and ask them for a little of their financial wisdom.

Interpersonal attraction theory is an area of research that asks a basic question that should be of vital interest to anyone in client relations:

Under what conditions can I attract people and influence them?

There are two ways: (1) Serendipity, and (2) Propinquity.

The former is based on luck, a haphazard crossing of ones path with another, as occurred with my TV debate partner.

Propinquity is based on the FREQUENCY with which we encounter a person and his message.

We can control the second through our efforts, alone.

Have your clients seen something positive about you today, this week, or this month?

If not, it can be corrected, and part of our consultancy is helping our clients to do just that.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the best-selling author of 12 books and more than a thousand articles. A frequent expert commentator on radio and TV, he is quoted often in prominent publications such as The Wall Street Journal and investment Week. President of Clientrelations.com and clientsatisfaction.com, his seminars and training programs are sponsored internationally and he is a top-rated faculty member at more than 40 universities. Dynamic, experienced, and lots of fun, Gary brings more than two decades of solid management and consulting experience to the table, along with the best academic preparation and credentials in the speaking and training industry. Holder of a Ph.D. from the Annenberg School For Communication at USC, an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management, and a J.D. degree from Loyola, his clients include several Fortune 1000 companies along with successful family owned and operated firms. Much more than a talking head, Gary is a top mind that you'll enjoy working with and putting to use.

He can be reached at: href="mailto:gary@clientsatisfaction.comgary@clientsatisfaction.com