Caring Is Caring

Sometimes it can be hard to care. About work, about people, about life. Caring about those closest to you is hard enough. After all, there is only so much of you to go around. So why spend time caring about your clients? Why should you take the time to care about their life and their needs instead of just taking a check and hoping they stay on a few more months?

Because it turns out that caring leads to trust. Caring creates great discussions and more opportunity. Caring brings compassion and empathy. Caring commands respect.

If you care about your client - what drives them, what challenges they face, what makes them happy - they’ll care about you. They’ll care about the value you bring, the collaboration you provide, and the opportunities you offer.

I don’t mean fake care. I mean real care. Fake care is when you ask dumb questions like “how’s the weather?” or “how’s it going?” Both have answers that require zero thought and effort. You gain nothing and miss out on an opportunity.

Try to engage in all conversations as you would a close friend. Ask questions. Be genuine. Ask about their family, their hobbies, and their passions. It’s about listening and connecting, not selling.

Slimy Sales People Aren’t Fun

Oftentimes salespeople come off as disingenuous because they have an alternative agenda. They want you to buy. They don’t want to know about your life. They want to make a sale.

Just recently I bought a new car. As I’m sure you can imagine, the experience was awful. The salesperson didn’t ask what I did for a living, what hobbies I enjoy, if I have kids, what I plan on using the car for, or even what was important to me in a car.

He asked what I wanted my monthly payment to be. He jumped to his needs rather than listening to my needs. He tried to maximize the amount of money he could get versus hearing my needs and providing me with options that would best suit me and my family.

I immediately shut down. I knew this guy was full of crap. He wanted my money, not to provide me with the best option and to guide me smoothly through the buying process. He was looking to make a quota.

My dad has had three cars over a 20 year period. He always buys new and he always goes to the same saleswoman every time. He calls her up directly, waits until she’s in the showroom, walks through the door, and hands her a check for a new car. Why? Because the very first time he walked through the door, she treated him like a human. She got to know him, asked him questions, and provided him with options that suited his lifestyle, not options that suited her paycheck. She built a customer for life on one afternoon’s interaction.

When you get right to business, you’re telling clients that you don’t care about their needs. You’re not building trust and you’re not building a long-term relationship.

How to Care

It’s a delicate balance and it’s hard to teach. Some folks don’t want to share too much information. Some folks will tell you more than you want to know. You’ll have to feel it out to provide the appropriate level of conversation, but you won’t know until you start asking questions.

Put yourself in the mindset of your client. Think about the things you care about most and how it makes you feel to talk about them. This is how your clients feel as well.

If you can unlock empathy and try to see the world from their perspective, it will help you care more about their passions and interests. And that leads to better opportunities for everyone.