Being nice in the business world will actually take you farther. Folks gravitate toward pleasant people who offer smiles and handshakes, help and kindness – the things that really matter. Customers are the people you want to encourage, and what better way to do that than by being nice? What are some ways to be nicer?
Talk
Maybe you think chit-chat is unnecessary. Not so. That’s the way you get to know people. Start with “How are you doing?” and move on to specifics that matter more. Smile and laugh and get cozy with others, so that they like being around you. Take note of details that you can discuss. Go beyond the weather and ask about weekend plans. Tell them about the baseball game you are going to or the movie you just saw. No complaining, mind you – even though most people have quite a few items on their negative lists if you get them started. Instead, veer them in a positive direction with your positive comments. Encourage them to tell you more by listening and then asking a question. Just a few minutes of this can put a person more at ease. People will remember how nice you are.
Compliment
“It’s so good to hear from you!” Let people know you care. Be sincere about what you notice, and then tell them so. We don’t get enough compliments in this world of ours. Change that by being nice to others and focusing on what they offer rather than what they lack. Give people a boost in their day by making a favorable comment on who they are and what they do. Keep track of birthdays and the names of their spouse, children, and pets so that you can remember those. Add those special dates to your calendar and a reminder so that you can send a quick note or an e-card. People will remember how thoughtful you are.
Shrug
“I don’t know!” Now that may not seem to fit with being nice, but it does. When you don’t have an answer to a customer’s question, tell them so. Let them know that you will find one – you will ask, you will do some research, and you will get back to them. Mind you, if it’s something that you really should know, then you’ll need to find out more and be sure to retain it. When you don’t know some detail and your customers are asking, make good use of that. Turn it into a blog or add it to your FAQs or talk about it in your next presentation. Look at the topic with fresh eyes and then next time, you won’t need to shrug. People will remember how honest you are.
Offer
If someone needs help, offer to provide that. For instance, if someone is looking for something specific and you know where to find it, tell them. Or maybe a person has trouble figuring out how to use something, then show them how. Give them details. Provide training. Encourage them to learn more. Read, listen, and learn so that you can share more. Let people know when you are launching a new product or there’s something new up ahead. Customers like to be in the know. They also like to know how to make good use of what they have, so that’s where you can be of assistance. People will remember how helpful you are.
And that’s what you want. You want customers to remember you. By being nice to others, they will enjoy interacting with you. That’s certainly the way to run a business and to enjoy what you are doing.
We at Online Sales Pro certainly love what we do, and we’d like to tell you more about how we can help you connect with your customers. Reach out to us by clicking on this link, and we’ll tell you how we can make things nicer for you. And after all, isn’t that what we all want? For things to be nicer.
Speaking of that, OSP is based in Tucson, where a non-profit organization, Ben’s Bells, has Be Kind as its motto. Dozens of volunteers create beautiful bells that are hung from tree branches here in town to remind us to be kind when life is not kind to you. Click this link to see one, if you’d like. When one finds a bell, the person gets to keep it, and that sure is nice! Two on our OSP team have each found a bell and its faint tinkling in the breeze reminds us all to be kind.
