Establishing Yourself as an Expert in the Eyes of Your Customers

The most important aspect of a successful business is developing the correct mindset toward your customers. And this is not the over used phrase The customer is always right. Actually the correct mindset we are referring to here is to always think in terms of benefits for your customers. The highly successful businessperson thinks of ways to show interest in their customers even before they come into their store.

They endeavor to educate the customer on the benefits of their products and services. They make their products and services stand out in their customer's mind. Some marketing experts think of this in terms of a USP or Unique Selling Proposition. Or what are the unique selling characteristics that separate your products and services and make them stand out from your competition. Here is an exercise I suggest you do and then repeat at regular intervals.

Ask yourself the following questions and then write down in a list all the answers that you can think of.

  • In my relationship or interface with my customers what items am I currently doing or could I be doing which provide benefits to my customers?

  • What area of my relationship or interface with my customers which if I could improve would provide additional benefits to my customers?

  • Is there something in my relationships with my customers that they may dislike?

  • What special services do I provide my customers that benefit them?

  • What benefits do my customers receive from the products I sell?

    Now from the list of benefits you create from questions 1, 4, and 5 above. Pick out the best benefits and compile them into a one-page sheet.

    This sheet will serve to educate your customers how you stand out from your competition. You can do a lot with this sheet. You can create a plaque, which you hang on the wall for your customers to see. Have copies made and available for your customers to read and take home.

    Tip: Try to think of the hidden benefits or benefits that may not be readily apparent. For there can be true riches in the hidden benefits. You might even ask one of your better customers you know well the following: I am doing a survey with some of my most valued customers and I highly value your opinion on the following question? What are the main benefits that you feel you derive from doing business with me?

    This accomplishes two purposes. One it lets the customer know you highly value their opinion which makes for a more loyal customer and two they will reveal benefits they receive from your business that you hadn't thought of.

    And you can even add these benefits they provide to your list.

    By operating in this fashion you will develop a big edge over your competition.

    In fact even your ads should be oriented toward benefits to your customers, not just on what you are selling.

    Nick A. James offers informative tips and information on nutrition, health and working from home. Get the Exclusive Free Report! -6 Steps to Simplify Your Life, Improve Your Health & Give You Dynamic Energy! His many years of Internet Marketing expertise puts him in unique position to help others starting a home business.

    For free advice, health blog, and cutting edge info contact him at: http://www.health-goji-juice.com

    In The News:

    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.daltondailycitizen.com/local/local_story_286233458.htmlcid=1257101478ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNEeiwLV3FkBfNByqsYAxl6XJC8QLAReed wants to use technology to improve bcustomer service/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Daily Citizen,nbsp;GAnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1“I’m hoping to use technology to help improve bcustomer service/b,” she said. Real estate records are kept online for people to view without having to go to b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%2520News/1936770/cid=1254444536ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNE_BoxvReTS0wYCh0yH8TDyE-DBOABRIEF: Comcast launches bcustomer service/b improvements in Greeley/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTrading Markets (press release),nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrOct 11, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Comcast recently launched several bcustomer service/b enhancements in the Colorado that will improve the way the company serves Greeley, according to a Comcast b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%2520News/1926543/cid=1254444536ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNG8mBrwRfod6eukcz5YBmQnvkJmkQHard times, but furniture makers not sitting tight/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTrading Markets (press release)/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%2520News/1935565/cid=1254444536ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNH8ZKSWzHJ6M_uimPg7Twn9UItwuQAs utility rates increase in Duluth, Minn., so do number of shut-offs/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTrading Markets (press release)/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1254444536hl=ennobrall 192 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.insideretailing.com.au/articles-page.aspx%3FarticleType%3DArticleView%26articleId%3D3797cid=0ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNEuWAEprnoW2ipsG5flyNIYHb1LYgNEW POST - Does YOUR bcustomer service/b measure up?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fInside Retailing,nbsp;Australianbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The entire organisation (using the 7-S framework) is designed to deliver bcustomer service/b – in its structure, in its systems – in totality./font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,24484561-36418,00.htmlcid=1257023258ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNEdZgObAhkVq1_SbJjVMlt728GiDARBA rate reduction praised by small business/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Australian,nbsp;Australianbsp;-/font nobr16 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Industry experts say the tightening economy is putting pressure on bcustomer service/b. In fact, consumers are being warned not to take out their frustrations b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://onlineathens.com/stories/101308/uga_343342668.shtmlcid=0ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNEXJlYC4cSRSj1tuj75qnOyLFVHEwParking bservices/b wins bservice/b award/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fOnline Athens,nbsp;GAnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1University of Georgia Parking bServices/b won a Governor#39;s Award in bCustomer Service/b for Team Excellence. Parking bservices/b won the award for taking several b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.courant.com/business/hc-att1009.artoct09,0,351759.storycid=1255565140ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNEnQQ9lwl5pUvYLgsl18HZw5Z7wSQState Criticizes AT amp; T Plan To Move bCustomer Service/b Jobs/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHartford Courant,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobrOct 8, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By LYNN DOAN State officials, fearing that ATamp;T#39;s bcustomer service/b will suffer, denounced the copany#39;s plans Wednesday to relocate 60 bcustomer service/b jobs b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.myrecordjournal.com/site/tab1.cfm%3Fnewsid%3D20157037%26BRD%3D2755%26PAG%3D461%26dept_id%3D592709%26rfi%3D6cid=1255565140ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNE1w7lqcxh0yIWOaoJykt6zlTNC9AATamp;T lays off 60 workers/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrMeriden Record-Journal/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.norwalkplus.com/nwk/information/nwsnwk/publish/News_1/DPUC-ordered-to-include-AT-T-closure-plan-in-its-review-of-AT-T-quality-of-customer-service-cases2523.shtmlcid=1255565140ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNGW2_IGJIYQNZWhxl3UZJqBsx61bwDPUC ordered to include ATamp;T closure plan in its review of ATamp;T b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrNorwalk Plus Magazine/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp%3FS%3D9145675%26nav%3D3YeXVeidcid=1255565140ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNFsXONL0wXGajaEd9FgCPDhTRPTlQATamp;T cuts 60 jobs in Conn./a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWTNH/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp%3FS%3D9145675%26nav%3D3YeXcid=1255565140ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNGzKMD4RyiQrW5-9-ivnB42mBSr-gnobrWTNH/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255565140hl=ennobrall 47 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.broadbandreports.com/comment/1434/71065cid=0ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNEEZL2txw2G7LqF6WrYi4KiesXKoAquot;Great bservice/b amp; value, I won#39;t be switching any time soonquot;/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBroadbandReports.com,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The 3rd time I e-mailed bCustomer Service/b. After a while they responded that all was well on their end. My speed came back up so no problem. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.newssun.com/business/1012-Dan-Alley-txtcid=0ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNG7AKrMosxc9DqCUZTSJm2tLmhRTAAlan Jay Nissan welcomes Dan Alley as new bservice/b manager/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNews-Sun,nbsp;FLnbsp;-/font nobr16 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Highlands County#39;s newest quot;Hoosier,quot; Alley possesses a total of more than 15 years of bcustomer service/b experience. His commitment to excellence is evident b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6604541.html%3Fdesc%3Dtopstorycid=1256844725ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNH9wR3a4ubWsF_i9pSj6csq4nsRWgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=idbsWzs2HSYJimgurl=a330.g.akamai.net/7/330/2540/20081012120033/www.multichannel.com/articles/images/MCN/20081012/coverstory_1013.jpg width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Multichannel News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6604541.html%3Fdesc%3Dtopstorycid=1256844725ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNH9wR3a4ubWsF_i9pSj6csq4nsRWgCover Story: Tales From the Trenches/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMultichannel News,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr17 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Cable technicians, working with the bcustomer/b-bservice/b department, have never been more important as the key link to customers. “Many times, that premises b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/10/mayor_says_city_is_monitoring.htmlcid=0ei=n9_ySPnGCKbU6gOE3pnaAwusg=AFQjCNEBRJ6RMQKA1K5evLt47SW20DLAZgMayor says city is monitoring its bservices/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fStaten Island Advance - SILive.com,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr13 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1A lot of businesses use them to monitor and improve bcustomer service/b. Secret shoppers patronize stores, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    customer service - Google News


  • Wind Chimes and more...

    Windchimes for great gifts!

    Ten Ways to Help You Improve Your Customer Service

    1. Stay in contact with customers on a regular basis.... Read More

    What Type Of Software Is This?

    The other day while at the book store, I came... Read More

    Find Out Where Your Firm Stands in Today?s Customer

    Looking For Ways to Improve Sales and Customer Relationships?Find Out... Read More

    The Number 1 Rule for Businesses - Be Professional

    Have you ever walked into a store and things looked... Read More

    Dealing with Disgruntled Customers

    No matter how hard you try, in business you simply... Read More

    Wholesale Buyers Versus Retail Customers

    Are wholesale buyers and retail customers really different? Frankly, there... Read More

    Minimize The Pain of Check Recovery

    $350 million in bad checks are written each and every... Read More

    Losing Angry Customers

    This article offers five ways to help you deal with... Read More

    Customers - Hold Onto the Ones Youve Got

    You probably spend a great deal of your time looking... Read More

    CRM = Customers (dont) Really Matter

    CRM was supposed to bring companies closer to their clients.... Read More

    Why Communication Skills Dont Work In Customer Service

    Every time my firm conducts communication skills training, we know... Read More

    5 Golden Online/Offline Business Rules To LIVE Or DIE By

    Whether online or off, if you plan on running or... Read More

    3 Special Benefits Every Customer Wants

    Every customer looks for 3 special benefits when they do... Read More

    Difficult Customers - Theres No Such Thing

    A couple of years ago I had a call from... Read More

    The Art of Giving Great Service

    Sales is tough to get right, and depends on retaining... Read More

    Aint We Wonderful!

    It may come as a surprise to you to discover... Read More

    Dont Work with Jerks: How to Recognize a Difficult Client Early

    Five minutes into the call I knew this client was... Read More

    All of the World of Business Is a Stage

    One of the basics of acting taught to me in... Read More

    Customer Service and Marketing that Works

    Go into many businesses today and try and get service,... Read More

    Mastering Challenging Service Situations

    During the course of everyday business, many of you encounter... Read More

    Importance of Good Customer Support in Online Computer Peripherals Shops

    Looking for hi-fi computer peripherals? Finding it tough to decide... Read More

    E-Business?s Best Friend: eCRM

    From Ebay to the smallest home-operated start-up, e-businesses of all... Read More

    Keeping Clients Happy Keeps them Coming Back

    Whether you are a seasoned small business professional, or you... Read More

    Finding Out Why a Potential Customer is Calling On You

    Our challenge as the business owner/sales person answering the telephone,... Read More

    Your Number One Asset

    Customers put you in business, keep you in business, and... Read More