The royal wedding this morning was a spectacular occasion. I was struck by the throngs of people who camped out ahead of time and waited and waited and then stood outside the church and waved flags during the ceremony. All of those people wanted to be a part of something special. They didn’t have to get an invitation to sit on the front row. They just wanted to be near the event so they could enjoy it and say they had been there. People go out of their way to be associated with something special that makes them feel good.
What small businesses can learn is that going the extra mile to make people feel good can set them apart from their competition. This means that you make your customers feel like, well, royalty. In a world of superstores with little service and long checkout lines, you can offer the people you come in contact with something that everyone wants – you can make them feel special.
You may be thinking, “Don’t you do inbound marketing on the internet? How can you make anyone feel special online?” That’s a good question. This is a where social media comes in! Social media allows you to get to know people that you could never have met otherwise. You can like what they say, ask questions about what is going on with them. Making people feel special all comes down to showing them that you care – that you authentically, truly, honestly care. This isn’t something you can fake just because you are not communicating in person.
My daddy used to say, “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” I know that quote didn’t originate with him, but it is one of the things that he said that is very important for business people to keep in mind. By the way, caring about people who are not your potential customers is just as important. Showing you care only about people who are your potential customers is not very authentic and really just kind of tacky.
Treat people like royalty and make them feel good, and you have given them something very special, indeed. People naturally want to be associated with things that make them feel good and special. What can you do today to make someone feel special?
