Unique, Remarkable, and Human

Today I started reading a book that has been on my book pile for a number of months now - probably longer than I care to admit - however, like all great books, it makes you sit back and say, "Huh" or if you're Homer Simpson:

 

 

 

The book? Linchpin: Are You Indispensable by Seth Godin. The statement? "Consumers are not loyal to cheap commodities. They crave the unique, the remarkable, and the human". ...and, boy, did that really get me thinking. In fact a smile broke out on my face.

 

A few pages earlier he makes this statement, "What we want, what we need, what we must have are indispensable human beings. We need original thinkers, provocateurs, and people who care.... salespeople able to risk making a human connection". That my friends is a powerful vision of what we should be doing! Making human connections. This cannot be done via the phone, or text, or email. It takes face-to-face interaction.

 

Salespeople who are valued are:

1. UNIQUE: They set themselves apart by breaking stereotypes. They choose to be memorable and risk ridicule and abuse by their peers. Their customers know they are different by their actions and execution.
2. REMARKABLE: They do what they said they were going to do. Promptly! They do not make excuses or toss other Associates or their Company under the bus. They realize that, to their customer, they ARE the company. They appoint with a purpose. They show up on time. They're prepared and organized. They follow a system.
3. HUMAN: They connect. They listen. They discern and read between lines. They show they care by asking great, and sometimes risky, questions. They are able to make the other person feel that they, not the salesperson, are the most important person in the room. They are real

Make a human connection today! Something to strive for...