Is Being Liked Enough?
No, you have to be loved. What do I mean by this? To be loved, you must provide exceptional value to your customers/clients. What you offer needs to translate directly to something your customers/clients appreciate or benefit from in some way that is important to them. When they benefit from your product or service and its perks, they’ll love you. They’ll be happy to tell others and want to continue doing business with you.
Here’s an example from when I was in Portland over the December holiday season. Twice, I visited New Seasons Market, a local high-end grocery store on SE Division Street. The store boldly claims to be the friendliest store in town. What caught my attention was the gated area outside at the front entrance. This area is set up for “four-legged friends”. While it is designed for the safety of customers and staff, I believe it goes beyond that.
This grocery store is located on a busy street so having a special safety area for dogs is a great bonus. Let’s face it, if you are a pet owner, you love your pet. A retailer who is inclusive of your pet as part of your shopping experience is likely going to appeal to you and motivate you to keep coming back. This is where the exceptional value and the love intersect.
Love is that sweet spot where the value you provide and the way in which you provide it makes all the difference for the customer/client.
How much of your heart is part of the value you offer your customers/clients?