You Had Me At Hello
In the movie Jerry Maguire, there was this wonderful scene where Jerry (Tom Cruise) and Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) were celebrating together after a game where Tidwell played well and almost received a serious injury. Another football player turns to Jerry's rival at his old agency and asks "Why don't we have that kind of relationship?" What follows is perhaps the most blatant fake hug in history.
Sometimes we forget how simple it really is. Listen to your customers. Talk to them. Show them that your human. It's not always about showing me the money, it's about showing me that you care.
Don't get me wrong, ROI is important and a good way to track the success of your efforts. But don't let it become an obstacle to connecting with your customers. Or you may one day find them looking at your competition and asking: "Why don't we have that kind of relationship?"
If they do, I recommend against the fake hug. It never helps.
Photo by CJ Sorg
