#2 in a series: From “Love and Selling”:
In business, love is often thicker than water. When customers love their sellers, personal loyalty often trumps loyalty to a product or service. They justify emotional decisions with logic and data. They even put vendors through empty RFP processes where the decision has already been made . . . in their hearts.
Sellers, have you ever been told to “build walls around your customers”? Well, I have news for you—YOU CAN’T. You can’t prevent competitors from calling, you can’t prevent customers from entertaining other options, and you can’t stop them from leaving, even if you have a contract.
But customers who love you? They build walls around your business. They don’t take your competitors’ calls, they don’t entertain other options, and they don’t care about contracts—they have a personal contract with you.
Even if they are forced to entertain other options, loyal customers will give you inside information on how to win, help you from the inside, and give you the “last look”—an opportunity to save business at risk.
If you want to keep the business you have, start with LOVE.