career development
face display a range of emotions that prospect, you open up a line of trust that “Connecting takes time, it takes
reflect that you’re paying attention, and causes the prospect to want to buy from effort, and it means putting others
acknowledge what the speaker is saying you,” explains Kuzmeski. “And the before yourself,” Kuzmeski states. “But
every so often with an “Uh-huh” or a more you know about your prospect, the it’s worth every second of time and
“Sure.” better you’ll be able to provide him with every ounce of energy. Your relation-
Most importantly, remember that a product or service that is exactly tai- ships will be more prolific and reward-
you’re there for the speaker, not the lored to his needs. Chances are, he’ll ing, and you will be more successful.
other way around. Your job isn’t to jump come to his own conclusion that he sim- Don’t let yourself settle for a position on
to conclusions or one-up the other per- ply must have what you’re offering— the fringes when you could dwell at the
son with a story of your own! without you ever having to ‘sell’ a thing. epicenter of productivity and suc-
“Because so few people truly prac- “ cess...even now!”
tice the art of listening, it’s the most
effective way to make lasting connec- Be referable. (And if you’re
tions with others,” confirms Kuzmeski. not, find out why.) About the Author:
“Being a good listener sets you apart! It When your clients are reasonably Maribeth Kuzmeski is the founder of
makes you very likeable because others satisfied with your services, they ought Red Zone Marketing, LLC, which con-
will feel comfortable and valuable when to agree to endorse you to others. So sults to Fortune 500 firms on strategic
they’re with you. Cultivating this skill why don’t they do it? Wouldn’t it be marketing planning and business
will bring you satisfied customers, con- amazing if your clients were so growth. Maribeth has personally con-
tent employees, and trusting supervi- impressed with your company that they sulted with some of the world’s most
sors. Guaranteed.” voluntarily shared you with others? It’s successful CEOs, entrepreneurs, and
not outside the realm of possibility. professionals. An internationally recog-
Make it personal. If you’re not currently receiving the nized speaker, she shares the tactics that
When you meet with a client, you’re amount of referrals you’d like, don’t businesspeople use today to create more
there to talk about your product or serv- assume that you’re not referable. sustainable business relationships, sales
ice, right? Wrong. You’re there to talk Chances are, there is simply a discon- and marketing successes.
about the client and what’s important to nect between you and your clients that Maribeth is the author of four books,
him. Think about it: When you focus all is affecting the number of referrals you including, The Connectors: How the
your energy on selling something, the receive. After all, the insider perception World’s Most Successful Businesspeople
meeting is about you. But when you of the business is not the same as how Build Relationships and Win Clients for
make it about the other person, ask clients actually see things. In order to Life. She has frequently appeared on TV
questions, and show that you care, you develop the kind of customer loyalty and radio, and has written articles on
differentiate yourself by connecting that lasts forever and acts as your most marketing strategies for hundreds of
with the buyer emotionally—and more valuable marketing tool, your company publications including BusinessWeek
often than not, the sale will close itself. must be the type that is visible and cred- and Entrepreneur. She regularly speaks
Instead of extolling the virtues and ible in the eyes of customers—and it to audiences on topics relating to busi-
advantages of your product (which must always exceed their expectations. ness development, marketing, and sales
implies that the prospective buyer has “Develop a ‘Client Delight Survey’ strategies.
made the wrong choice in the past), find that covers every detail of the client’s Maribeth graduated with a degree in
out what’s important to her. Ask ques- experience,” suggests Kuzmeski. “Ask journalism from Syracuse University
tions and actively listen to what she about the client’s perception of quality of and has an MBA from George Washing-
wants. Try to understand where she’s communication, time spent on the proj- ton University. She lives in the Chicago,
coming from as completely as you can. ect, response to problems or setbacks, Illinois, area with her husband and two
Kuzmeski calls this technique asking willingness to go the extra mile, and what teenagers. HNM
“heart questions.” For example, instead stood out. It sounds simple, but if you
of simply presenting a numbers-based take this feedback to heart, you’ll gain
About the Book:
plan, a financial advisor might first ask awareness of directions you can take for
The Connectors: How the World’s Most Successful
Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for
questions about his prospect’s family: increasing referrals. Moreover, your
Life (Wiley, September 2009, ISBN: 978-0-470-48818-
8, $22.95) is available at bookstores nationwide, major
How many children does she have? clients will feel that you’ve truly taken
online booksellers, or directly from the publisher by
What is her personality like? How does time to form a relationship with them, and
calling 800-225-5945. In Canada, call 800-567-4797.
she handle money? they’ll want to tell everyone else about
For more information, please visit www.redzonemarket-
ing.com and www.theconnectorsbook.com.
“By connecting emotionally with a how unique you are!”
34 Celebrating over 15 Years of Embracing Diversity WWW.HNMAGAZINE.COM
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