The Passionate Investor

At a recent networking function, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with a colleague from the special events industry. I do not know him well although I do know that his small company is very passionate about their work and their clients. His is a caring attitude, one not focused solely on making a quick buck (but still remaining profitable) as it is on investing in the client and guest experience.

At the networking event my colleague was both sponsor and volunteer, and was, of course, running about ensuring all requisite pieces were in place. I noticed that he managed to take precious time to greet everyone that knew him - and there were plenty. Later, he remarked to me that he has enjoyed the best year, ever: business is great, more clients are knocking, and many proposals have been awarded to his firm in spite of their going head to head with “the big boys”. He seemed very surprised by this last detail but it made perfect sense to me. After all, he treats people with respect, volunteers his time for noble causes and functions, and rolls up his sleeves to get the job done correctly. While determined, he is not at all an “aggressive sales guy”. Obviously, he derives much enjoyment from his business pursuits. So while he seemed taken aback by his recent successes, I wasn’t the least bit surprised.

We read a lot these days about getting back to basics when dealing with friends, clients and colleagues. Why treat others any differently that we would expect? Certainly, the instantaneous channels of communication we now enjoy can fortify or ruin a reputation in a second. This must not be the motivation behind treating people well or taking on a project, however. Success will come from a combination of hard work and humanistic values, from knowing what it is that you do well and how that will assist others.

Believing - and investing - in the adoption and practice of respectful, collaborative, and humanistic attitudes comes with a price. I know - I’ve paid for it on occasion. That's fine by me. As my colleague proved the other evening, the initial price yields huge dividends.

Accounting 101 - Customer Service

Last week I had a meeting with my accountant. Now, I’m no big ticket client, however there were a few items requiring discussion that would have been almost impossible to clarify via email. Besides, my accountant prefers personal meetings with clients, especially because they occur annually and this gives her a chance to catch up.

After dispensing with the financial stuff, we turned to my career, which is in transition. Our chat was really enjoyable and refreshing, not at all what I had expected. We discussed a previous position of mine (in print advertising), one that I recall fondly. Noting my years of experience in sales and marketing, she wanted my opinion. As a client of a local B2B publication, my accountant was treated poorly. The rep never made an introductory (or follow up) sales call to the office, for example, and all communication was done via email. There was no follow up call when the campaign was over (except by email to ask for a renewed contract!) and, when my accountant called about a mistake, neither the rep nor the sales manager called back. She was ignored by both her ad rep and sales manager who, it would appear, were interested only in ad revenue and not in the providing of excellent client service and value. Understandably, she cancelled all further advertising. While I had no part in the situation, I felt terrible. As a Marketing Director and an Account Manager, I have sat on both sides of the desk and I really can appreciate her frustration. And so I took over as ad rep.

I explained many things to her, including the concept that advertising is not all about an immediate ROI, i.e. a flood of calls that convert overnight into clients (if only it were that easy!); advertising is more about creating a recognizable profile over a period of time. In the case of print media, a regular campaign builds confidence and recognition so that when the time comes to find that new accountant, for example, your prospective client will think about ‘that company’, the one whose ad has appeared weekly/monthly etc. I know: pretty basic stuff. My accountant then remarked that she wished someone had taken the time to explain this to her as she really never considered any of this before. I was astonished! This is basic information to me but critical information to her - information that should have been part of a personal, direct client meeting.

My accountant appreciates the complexities of advertising and marketing better than she realizes: after all, she has an excellent understanding of client relationships. In the middle of tax season, she took time from a very busy schedule to engage in a friendly conversation with me. She will continue to get my business and the future loyalty of any others I know that may require her excellent services. As for the B2B publication that lost her business? Let the ad rep email to her heart's content. She’ll never benefit from the loyalty earned through a personal conversation or meeting.

Sometimes, there really are a few items requiring discussion that are impossible to clarify via email.