For instance, I recently went to my car dealership to have my car realigned. The scheduler had informed me of the cost ahead of time and told me how long it would take to complete. The price I paid was exact and the timing spot on. So now I am a content customer able to check that chore off of my to-do list. I’m not inclined to share the appointment with my friends and neighbors, nor would I post on Facebook or Twitter. But, to my surprise, I got escorted out to my car, which was under a covered exit, and the mechanic opened the door to my impeccably washed car. So I got to check two things off my list, and I was able to pay it forward with my next appointment because I was able to arrive on time. (I am not too motivated to post this online, but I am sharing the experience with you, right?)
Trivial example, I know, but the lesson is, the more memorable you can make the experience (good or bad), the more exposure it will receive. As advisors, we should look for opportunities to strengthen our client relationships, deepen loyalty and deliver exceptional experiences. More important, we need to improve our performance on those attributes that may undermine loyalty.
In addition to developing these practices, you have to consider how those talking about their experience with you are using their words. There are many different communication methods available today, and with the speed of development in technology, I am certain that number will continue to grow. Many studies find women doing more “affiliative speech,” such as showing support, agreeing or acknowledging others’ comments. We do this by blogging, completing surveys, rating a shopping experience, “liking” a post. The methodologies have never been so convenient! With the vast array of social networking options, your audience becomes infinite. If the experience isn’t powerful enough, it gets lost in the “information overload” and vanishes from memory over time.
Of the many presumed differences between the communication behaviors of males and females, some are real, some are found only inconsistently, and some are wholly mythical (or sexist). It didn’t surprise me that in my own research on gender and language, I quickly surmised that to understand who talks more, what they repeat and who is more effective in disseminating their thoughts, you have to ask: Who are they? What’s the situation? Why are they using those words? Studies and evaluations of communication initiatives addressing gender issues are thought-provoking, yet the key lesson is less about female versus male and more about adopting ways to reduce the negative experiences of your clients and enhancing the positive ones that are hopefully worth repeating, however they get repeated.
Catherine M. Seeber, CFP, is a Principal and Senior Financial Advisor with Wescott Financial Advisory Group, with offices in Philadelphia, Boca Raton, Miami and San Francisco. She can be reached at (215) 979-1642 or via e-mail at [email protected].