The Influence Your Customer Has on Others

Everyone knows 250 people in his or her life that they can influence with their opinions and experiences-250! And that’s probably the bare minimum. This means that if you see 50 people in a week, and only two of them are unhappy with the way you treated them, at the end of the year there will be about 26,000 people influenced by just those two a week. Can you afford to have just one person come to see you and leave sore and unsatisfied? Not if just an average person influences 250 others in the course of his or her life. Not if a lot of the people you deal with every day deal with a lot of other people everyday.

I don’t care what you really think of the people you deal with. It’s the way you act toward them, the way you deal with them, that is the only important thing. When you turn away one, just one, with anger or a rude remark, you are running the risk of getting a bad name among at least 250 other people with money in their pockets who might want to give some of it to you. This is a business like attitude that you had better develop and keep in your head every working hour of every day. If you don’t then you could be wiped out by Girard’s Law of 250.

No matter what line of work you’re in, every time you come in contact with a customer or client you’ve sold something to, or entered into a business agreement with, your goal remains the same—add a layer of glue to your relationship. Never take them for granted any more than you would a spouse, or you will surely lose them. And, yes you have to work at it. Everyday life may never be as grand or as beautiful as that wedding day, but you must never forget the promise and commitment you made, whether it’s personal or professional. Stand in front of what you said you would do.

When I shook the hands of my customers as I gave them the keys to their new vehicles, I complimented them on their purchase decision and reminded them, “Today you also bought Joe Girard”. I made a promise to them right then and there that I would be there for them if they ever needed anything. I knew what the power of a promise could do for my future relationship with a customer. I also knew how it could backfire on me if I ever violated that trust.

The message here is that you can’t afford to jeopardize even a single customer or client because of the influence each person has on 250 other people. They will remember how you treated them and will tell everyone they know! If it’s a bad impression or experience, it will spread like a contagious disease with your name on it. The image others have of you when you treat them in a personal and caring way is what counts. Constant reinforcement is the key. Let them know how important they are and that you are thinking about them. Take nothing for granted. That’s how lasting success is achieved!