Keeping It Personable in an Impersonal World
by Mari Peckham

I'm not a compulsive shopper. But I am very personable. As I 
walk through the aisles looking at the little tables of 
carefully handcrafted items lovingly created by the man or woman 
sitting there, smiling at me from behind the table...well, I 
have to buy their stuff. 

I can't go to craft shows. I spend too much money.

"So what does this have to do with business?" you ask. It has EVERYTHING to do with business. 

Because I DON'T LIKE CRAFTS. No matter how nicely crafted the work may be, it's just not my thing. My decor is 40's and 50's, very neutral, with not a goose to be seen in my kitchen.

I'm not a compulsive shopper. But I am very personable. As I walk through the aisles looking at the little tables of carefully handcrafted items lovingly created by the man or woman sitting there, smiling at me from behind the table...well, I  have to buy their stuff. Not because I can't live without a hand-sewn pot holder with the dreaded goose on it. 

I buy because I relate to the person sitting behind the table.

My hope is that the nice person WON'T be behind the table. Or, better yet, a rude person. Make it easy for me to walk away.

The same goes for the Internet. If I ask you a question and you respond with a real answer, I'll appreciate that. If I can tell that you have put time and effort into  your website, and that you operate your business with a sense of pride, I'll respect that. I'll WANT to do business with you, because I will feel  that you will give me the same attention and care.

Too many websites make it easy for potential customers to walk away. Unprofessional "throw it together and stick 5 banners on it" type of sites show lack of pride in their business and give the impression of a person who won't take good care of you as a customer, either. Very professional "not a human to be seen around here" type of sites can make customers feel as if they  are dealing with companies and not people, taking away that personal touch. We need to look for a happy median.

Work your very hardest to build a site that screams professionalism, but at the same time, let your customers know that you are a human being. There are too many options out there. Unless you can make your potential customer feel that they are dealing with a REAL person who CARES about their situation, chances are they will continue to surf until they find the same thing somewhere else.

Although the anonymity of the web has enticed so many people, we are all still looking for that personal connection. Studies have shown that the number one reason that a person returns to any business is the connection that they feel with the people they deal with. The service itself comes in at number five.

By showing your customers that you care about their opinions, their needs and wants, their concerns, you are building relationships that will last the lifetime of your business. I beseech you to keep quality above quantity. Five good customers  today that will return tomorrow will be much more valuable than 100 customers that you will never see again.

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