OK, class, take out your paper and pencils for a pop quiz.  Everyone ready?


Part One

1.    Name the past five winners of the Super Bowl.
2.    Name the winner of the Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in 2004.
3.    Name the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2008.

Pretty easy stuff.  These winners were at the top of their game, well respected by their peers, and honored with extensive media coverage.  They were invited to the White House to meet with the President, received large cash awards, and gained the right to use an impressive credential to advance their careers. 

Now let's turn to some lesser-known people.

Part Two

1.    Name someone who was kind to you when you needed a friend.
2.    Name someone who helped you through a difficult time in your life.
3.    Name someone who taught you a valuable life skill.

If you are like most people, Part Two was much easier to answer than Part One.  The recognition in Part One is flashy and gaudy; the recognition in Part Two is personal, and intimate.  The names of the winners in Part One soon become lost in the general accumulation of trivia, while the people in Part Two have their names burned into your heart and soul. 

What does this have to do with your business? 

If you want to make a lasting impression with your clients, you must reach them at a personal level.  Awards and accolades are impressive, but long-term success in business comes from the personal touch.  As Harry Beckwith wrote, "You buy products based on your feelings about the product; you choose your services based on your feelings toward the providers."

To connect with your clients, you must understand their concerns.  You must respect their time and their needs.  You must learn to Think Like a Client.

Review every interaction that you have with your clients.  What changes must you make to enhance your client's experience at that interaction?  Your opinion doesn't matter.  View the interaction from your client's perspective.  What would your client love? The following may give you some ideas on where to begin.

• Does your office present a warm and inviting environment?
• How is your client greeted when she arrives at your office?
• Are telephone calls answered professionally?
• Do you return your telphone messages promptly?
• Do you dress in a way that instills confidence in your abilities?
• How can you better understand your client's needs?
• How can you better package your products or services to meet your client's needs?
• How can you more effectively tailor your products or services to resolve your client's most pressing concerns, the ones that keep him awake at night?

As you begin to focus on your business from your client's perspective, you will be amazed at how many ways you can improve your services.  You may feel overwhelmed with all the changes you need to make, but if you work consistently and steadily on improving your client's experience, you will transform yourself and your business.

Think like a client, and your business will boom.



Answers to Part One
Super Bowl Winners:  Pittsburgh Steelers, 2009; New York Giants, 2008; Indianapolis Colts, 2007; Pittsburgh Steelers, 2006; New England Patriots, 2005.  Academy Award Winner:  Renée Zellweger in "Cold Mountain". Nobel Prize in Literature:  Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio.


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Download my new e-book, "Ten Fatal Mistakes That Business Owners Make (And How to Avoid Them)" at http://www.gfrlaw.net/firmpublications.aspx.  The book is free, and you are not required to give any contact information.  Feel free to pass along copies of the e-book to anyone who might benefit from it.  Avoid the Ten Fatal Mistakes, and your business will boom.


Who is Scott F. Gibson?  For 23 years, I have practiced business law in Arizona, the past ten as the managing partner of Gibson Ferrin & Riggs, PLC.  We help businesses and their owners meet their business and personal goals.  My practice focuses on the intersection between intellectual property law and employment law.  I help businesses prosper by properly managing their intangible assets. 

You can learn more about me on Martindale Hubbell, Avvo, or gfrlegal.com.  Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn.