A couple weeks back I told you I was going to start giving some weekly marketing tips… well after our trip to OZ last weekend (see “That’s Going To Leave A Mark”) I decided I better get started.

In my business our clients and their guest’s are of the greatest concern for us, even at the price of losing financially if we have made a mistake in our agreement.

That simple sentence contains some mighty important words, lets say if again, only using different, yet the same, words…

When we get a gig, the customer and the audience concerns us, only if it’s not going to cost us in the end.

Ah, the turn of a phase, makes a great deal of difference, wouldn’t you agree? Now, I’ve never been to any of the Disney attractions however I read a lot about their customer, excuse me, guest services and the experience they provide. Before I started hearing detailed specifics about Disney however we had already adopted what I felt was more appropriate verbiage in reference to our business.

According to all reports Disney has us and everyone else beat in the the area of guest experience and they truly do everything possible to be the “Happiest Place On Earth!”

Here are just a few of the things we do, using verbiage to subconsciously perhaps, build great relations in our business.

Calling a customer a client, adds to the experience in regards to their importance. Let me ask this, would you rather be a customer or a client? What sounds more important?

Obviously a client sounds more professional, after all when you see a professional such as an attorney or health professional, you are refereed to as a client, walking into a store, most often you are merely a costumer. Where do you feel like your treated better, in a law firm or the check out at the grocery store?

Again, the audience or the guests of the client? Guest sounds much more important wouldn’t you agree? What makes you feel better, being an invited guest at a function or merely an audience member, just a face in the crowd?

And last, our agreement, sounds much more like friends then the cold term of a contract. Are we in agreement on this new car, or sign the contract agreeing to pay for it?

There are times when in a business situation you may want to use the term “contract”, it can be used as a positioning tool, however in most situations you want to be friendly, more at ease and comforatable… just agreeing on the facts.

Words are important, words can move people, words are full of emotion, they can scare people, or make them feel all fuzzy inside, words can make you laugh or make you cry, make you angry or motivated to do great things.

From a marketing standpoint, choose your words carefully, they will help to build solid relationships with your clients and their guest’s for years to come.

Have a great weekend and a profitable week. – Rick

You know right about the time you think everything that could happen in your life, something new appears around the bend in the river of life.

Saturday morning at 1:45 am, we got hit with a F2 (up to 135 mph) tornado. I woke up, (yes, it’s true) to the sound of a freight train at full throttle headed right for the bedroom, I got Sharon and Muffy to the basement, just as it hit the back of the house.

Three days latter things are returning to normal, with sever storms predicted for tonight.. little sleep if that’s the case for me tonight, I’m a little jumpy.

Sharon and I were fortunate, it hit the back yard, jumped over the house and picked-up across the street. I must admit however, it was a scary experience.

I did a little documentary of some of the damage in our area…

For some reason, I could not get the video to load on Goggle Video, so in order to get it to you, I uploaded to YouTube.

Sharon and I are moving at the end of the month, so with packing and all, things may be a little erratic the next few weeks with my postings, be assured we’ll get back to normal as soon as possible.

Have a great and profitable week. – Rick