PAGE 37
LOUISIANAAGENT
THE VALUE ADD By Heath Shearon June 3, 2021 | Agency Nation My favorite author right now and podcast host to listen to is John C. Maxwell. The last several months I have consistently listened to his podcast and added his books to my library. I love this quote captured below… “Most people don’t lead their life, they accept their life. People who lead their life intentionally add value to others.” ~John C. Maxwell This is something I have since taken and tried to apply to my everyday life. However, for the purposes of this article we will lean more toward this as a business principle. The first question you may be asking yourself is, “What do you mean by “value add?” In its simplest form, the value add is the ability to see your business through the eyes of your customer. This is something that for some may sound incredibly underwhelming and others hear this and are immediately overwhelmed. The fact of the matter is that this buzz word is one that is not going away anytime soon. Your customers are demanding more and more, and let’s face it, no matter what industry you are in, there is always someone else offering the same product
or service that you are, and your encounters with a they claim to do it better than customer, you are likely you or cheaper than you. missing additional opportunities to show them The first takeaway that I value. Whether the customer would give you on the art of is occasionally asking for tips the value add is or information, or if you are straightforward–have a actively contacting the conversation with your clients. customer, you need to record Each time you have an each of these encounters. encounter with your customer you should be asking Convenience is critical for your questions. Get your clients customer. So much of the talking more and you talking customer experience is more less. Sit back and listen, take about the experience and less notes, ask follow-up questions. and less about the price. The Find out what is important to convenience factor is very them, find out what makes transparent in most cases– them tick. Be very increase the speed you by conscientious of your body which deliver the kind of value language and tone of voice. people are willing to pay for. While they are talking, you Successful people know should always be engaged, everybody is impatient. A lean forward in your chair a person who didn’t realize that little bit, take some notes, ask they wanted your product or pertinent follow-up questions, service until today now wants when opportunity presents it yesterday. itself. People perceive a direct I would also encourage correlation between speed and keeping record of all the value of your offering. A encounters with each person who can do it for you customer, jotting down fast is considered to be a important conversations, better, more competent anniversaries, family person, offering a higher level information, anything you can of quality than a person who write down to jog your does it slowly, whenever they memory and keep up with get around to it. Customers these many conversations. If love convenience. Studies have you are not keeping track of shown that if they can get a
Continued on page 38
