Yesterday, a potential vendor stood up our whole office for lunch.
No apology. No email or call to cancel.
No nothin’.
He’d set up the lunch-and-learn with us two months ago. But he didn’t show up.
I know. No big deal, right? We all got our own lunches and went on with our usual business.
But you can bet he won’t get another chance in the near future to steal another lunch hour from us. And most likely won’t get added to the next set of specifications that leave the office…
Don’t be like “No-Show Ned”
This minor annoyance reminded me of something I knew I had to share with you today. It’s a short, but crucial list of habits you NEED to have in your life to strengthen your relationships.
They come from one of my virtual mentors, Dan Sullivan, founder of Strategic Coach. I’ve heard him say these rules so many times — on his podcasts, his blog and in interviews — they’ve become ingrained into my everyday life.
As I said, they’re crucial (assuming credibility and trust are something you want your prospects and clients to think of when they think of you).
Here they are (my comments to follow)…
#1 – Show up on time. Always be on time. Better yet, get there five or ten minutes early, so you’re completely focused and relaxed.
#2 – Do what you say. In our industry — as you know — your reputation is something you need to vigilantly protect. That’s why, if you tell someone you’re going to do something, do it.
If you can’t. Get back to them and ask if it’s possible to rearrange things or come up with another solution. It’s the courteous thing to do.
#3 – Finish what you start. If you’ve promised someone you’ll do something, finish it — never leave it hanging. Gain a reputation for always finishing what you start.
#4 – Say please and thank you. One shows respect, and the other shows gratitude. A person who is respectful and grateful has enormous credibility in all their relationships.
Not too hard, are they? Dead-simple really. The best plans usually are.
And I’d wager you’re already doing most of these, right?
Here’s what you can do today:
Take an honest look at your week so far. Are you guilty of failing on any one of these?
Now, don’t worry if you have. It’s not too late. Your soul isn’t lost forever.
All you have to do is start following these right now. Today. This minute.
If it makes sense, apologize to whoever you feel you’ve failed on one of these four rules. It’s never too late to say I’m sorry and start mending the fences.
Remember, we architects are a fickle bunch. And if we get it in our heads you’re not going to come through on these simple rules. There’s no way we’re putting our own names on the line to specify you or recommend you to our clients or colleagues.
Make it a great marketing day!
Neil Sutton
P.S. Whenever you’re ready… here’s how I can help you start positioning yourself and YOUR business as an architect’s go-to resource they know, like & trust…
Work with me
If you’d like to work together on your business’ marketing, just send me a message and tell me a little about your business and what you’d like to work on. Then I’ll follow up with all the details of how we can get you rolling.
If we get started soon, you’d have your marketing back on target by the end of the year. And a marketing blueprint to plan out your 2018.
A suspiciously well-timed testimonial can be found below…
“… I absolutely recommend Neil because of:
1) His experience as an architect (he IS our target audience and knows how to write for an architect);
2) His extensive product research before embarking on writing;
3) His transparency and flexibility when putting a proposal and project plan together.
I thoroughly enjoy working with Neil and I look forward to a long-term business partnership.”