Greet Customers Like a Dog

Posted by Deborah Chaddock Brown on October 23, 2009 under Connecting Moments, Greeting | Be the First to Comment

Yesterday I was sharing Jeff Nischwitz’s thoughts on networking to build relationships in which he said it is more important to be INTERESTED than interesting.

I was reminded of that fact when thumbing through an old, worn copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, copyright 1936. In the section Six Ways to Make People Like You, the first chapter is called Do This and You’ll be Welcome Anywhere:

“Why not study the technique of the greatest winner of friends the world has ever known? Who is he? You may meet him tomorrow coming down the street. When you get within ten feet of him, he will begin to wag his tail. If you stop and pat him, he will almost jump out of his skin to show you how much he likes you. And you know that behind this show of affection on his part, there are no ulterior motives: he doesn’t want to sell you any real estate, and he doesn’t want to marry you.”

Imagine if we greeted every prospect, every customer, every new connection as if we were a happy dog wanting nothing more than to please?  Put yourself in the shoes of the customer.  How would it feel to be greeted so warmly and with such genuine interest?

Dale goes on to say:

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

Give it a try today.  Greet the next person you meet with enthusiasm and see if it isn’t contagious.  Remember, people buy from those they like and trust.