A few days ago I was clearing out some of the old BS paperwork in my file when I came across this little gem.
I’m not sure who originally wrote it or where I even got it – but whoever it was really knew what they were talking about.
So here it is for you in full glory, 50 Things Your Customers Want You To Know – plus some of my own comments scattered around here and there.
Try to look and see what areas you’re failing at with your own customers. Chances are, if you just tweaked what you’re doing a little differently, you’d reduce refunds, sleep more comfortably at night and make a whole hell of a lot more money.
#1. I don’t need you to be perfect, but I do need to know I can rely on you.
Greg’s Aside: In fact, my experience has been that you get BETTER responses from customers when you openly admit flaws and confess shortcomings. The more “real” you become to them, the more tolerant they’ll be and the more likely they’ll buy again from you in the future. An important part of marketing is managing expectations. If your service is shit but your product delivers as promised, you won’t get any complaints if everybody understands the deal up front.
#2. Telling me what you don’t know makes me trust you.
Aside: People get suspicious of the man who has all the answers. They’ll think you’re hiding something and unless you’re God Himself, they’re probably right. It’s a lot better to explain what you’re NOT the best at, and then turn it around with a statement like “…but as long as that doesn’t apply to you, I can help with X…” Then they’ll be far more likely to go for it.
#3. It means a lot when you take the time to thank me for my business or a referral.
Aside: Don’t be an ass and skimp on this. Make a real phone call. Send a real honest-to-God thank you note, handwritten on physical paper. Do NOT Hallmark this. You’ll be shocked silly when you see the response.
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Ask any successful person about the people they admire and they’re sure to fire back more quotes from those personal heroes than any well-adjusted human brain could possibly handle.
"Better than Cosmo! Others just recite facts, but I like your posts best because of the in-depth analysis."
"Great work! Your stuff is a sight for sore eyes in this wash of dumbed down crap for the masses I see all the time on the internet."
"Greg is a dapper gent, intelligent, and easy to hang with. He made me feel right at home in his film noir-esque lair. We talked at great length about books, influences (we both write), and on a broad range of topics that might cause one to raise an eye brow while pondering. He was great fun to roam the city with. I'm looking forward to another round of pursuing art exhibits and deep dialog over late night coffees the next time we cross paths."
"Greg! Thank you so much! I will not forget this! Your help will make it easier for me to secure a job when I get back home from Switzerland!"
"Dude I hate to write you about this again but those nutrition tips you sent me were a fucking godsend. Anyway, I do appreciate ya... you're a good egg."
"Dear Mr. Greg: You are creative and amusing... two things I find irresistible. If I didn't live so far away, I'd go after you myself! Thanks for all the laughs."
"Hey thanks for all the stuff on girls and relationships. I was up reading last night for like 3 hours. We had an earthquake not too long ago here in California, but man, some of the stuff you wrote shook me more than the quake!"
"I have to say, you provided several hours of entertainment for me just now. It is a great thing to know there are other people with similarly twisted senses of humor and intelligence. Thank you very much Greg Thompson, and good luck with the woman of your dreams. Should you ever feel the need to entertain me again, please feel free to do so, I'll take it any way I can get it."
"He may not have the following like many of the guru's out there, but I'd bet my bottom dollar that Greg is one of the best copywriters in America today."
"You're a very quotable man, Greg. I loved some of your bits of wisdom so much I posted them on my Facebook! It's easy to tell many of the things you say come from a place of true experience."
"Greg did work for our tour company for several years. What impresses us most about him is his ability to combine the technical know-how with the creative side of advertising to produce results faster. Instead of hiring a copywriter, artist, and web guy, we can get all of that and more in one savvy individual."
"The best thing I like about your writing is how I feel the presence of your heart among the words. You say what you mean and do what you say. I admire the authenticity of your beliefs even though I don't always agree completely."