PPB June 2016

V – VISIT.

In an effort to

be productive and prof-

itable you’re naturally

going to watch where your time

is invested. As a professional,

your time is in demand and it’s

expensive. However, there is no

other form of communication

that can generate the same ener-

gy as being in the same room as

your customer. Therefore, sched-

ule quality time with your cus-

tomer.

I – INCORPORATE

HUMOR.

Let’s not

interchange “humor” with

“casual.” Professionalism and

competence are cornerstones in

your relationship. Keep in mind,

though, that you’re speaking to a

human being. Addressing stress

or chaos head-on by injecting

some positivity and humor can

help you connect at a more

human level. We say we’re busi-

ness-to-business but in fact,

we’re human-to-human.

G – GETTOTHE

POINT.

Making the

audience search for your

point or have to wade through

other pieces of information to

find your point is a great way to

lose them. Instead, be direct. Use

words and terms that help them

quickly grasp your message. If

you’re sharing multiple points,

number them or let your

reader/listener know that there

will be more than one point. Ask

for a specified amount of time in

advance. Less is more.

O – OPINION.

How do

you know what your cus-

tomers are looking for if

you haven’t asked? Surveys are

valuable to keep up to date on

your customers’ needs and com-

munication styles but asking

simple questions in your email or

blog can be great learning expe-

riences.

R – RELEVANT.

remember the days when

the 100-percent white

cotton XL t-shirt was the go-to

gift. The problem? It fit only a

handful of the recipients so it

was relevant only to a small per-

centage of the audience. It was a

lesson learned not only with pro-

motional gifts but with commu-

nication in general. Get to know

your audience and deliver

insights, specials, articles, spec

samples and gifts that are rele-

vant to that specific client.

A – ALWAYS BETRUE

TO YOURWORD.

You

might be thinking, “What

does this have to do with effec-

tive communication?” Being true

to your word has to do with

absolutely everything. If you say

you’re going to send a sample,

send it. If you say you’re going to

respond to a quote request by a

specified date, respond. If you say

you’re going to support a cause,

attend an event, make a referral

introduction, offer a guarantee,

answer a survey, write a testimo-

nial or anything else, commit to

it and do it. Be true to your word

and be consistent.

T – THINK LIKE

YOUR RECIPIENT.

When you talk “at” peo-

ple, your communication is likely

all about you. When you talk “to”

people, you’re empathetic. You

have a much better chance of

being heard and invited in when

your communication is designed

with the recipients’ needs and

lifestyle in mind. Recently, I sug-

gested temporary tattoos to a

customer for a new program. She

said, “I don’t want to do tattoos

because I don’t like tattoos.” My

comment back was, “With all

due respect, it doesn’t matter

whether or not you like tattoos

because you’re not the target

audience.” The tattoos won. A

word of caution: Be sensitive to

your customers’ flood of commu-

nication and deliver your mes-

sage in a way that makes it fun

and easy to do business with you.

E – EDUCATE.

Communication is

always about adding

value. Every piece of communica-

tion should have a purpose. Your

recipient should, in some way,

have the potential to do more,

have more or be more as a result

of what you share. Including

some research, a quote, a case

history, a behind-the-scenes look

or education component

enhances your point and paves

the way for better understanding.

While no one form of com-

munication will be effective for

all audiences, if you remember to

always INVIGORATE your

customer, you will improve your

chances of winning their busi-

ness and prime them to want

more.

JUNE 2016 •

PPB

• 57

Jae M. Rang, MAS

, is chief inspiring officer of Oakville, Ontario-based distributor JAE Associates Ltd. (UPIC:

J561178) and author of

Sensory Media

, published in 2015. JAE Associates Ltd. is a full-service promotional

marketing agency helping business leaders around the globe build relationships. Rang has won a number of

national Image awards for creative campaigns, is past chair of the Promotional Product Professionals of

Canada (PPPC), chair of the PPPC Scholarship program, 2011 inductee in the PPPC Hall of Fame, 2014 recipi-

ent of the PPPC Humanitarian Award and most importantly, William’s mom.

“While no one form of communication will be

effective for all audiences, if you remember to

always INVIGORATE your customer, you will

improve your chances of winning their busi-

ness and prime them to want more.”

SALES