Soar to Success February 2019

I remember years ago when I was just starting my business that one of my mentors, a seasoned business professional who was well known across Northwest Ohio, taught me a very valuable lesson. “Jeanne,” he said, ê<RXèOO EH PRUH VXFFHVVIXO DQG win more clients when you keep your ears open and your mouth shut.” That one statement has guided me throughout the \HDUV <HVåSLFWXUH WKDW me…. mouth shut, ears open. 2019 started off with another reminder of just how important it is to listen to our clients and let them tell us what they care about. Our company belongs to an industry peer group, and in January we had a chance to, once again, connect with these like-minded professionals for two days of intense learning and fellowship. We made the journey down from Ohio to Atlanta where it was very much warmer there. With temperatures in the high 20’s here, we were happy to make the journey to Peach Country. What happened next was eye- opening. Our group made up mostly of companies just like ours, discussed the importance of OLVWHQLQJ WR RXU FOLHQWV <HV å RXU clients are a wealth of information and knowledge. Time after time, we attend conferences and trade shows and listen to some speaker talk about things we should be doing as IT professionals. But rarely do any of them have the feet- on-the-street experience to know what’s happening here at home. Our clients do, and we should be listening to them and not talking to them. One of our peer group members discussed a game-changing book he ZDV UHDGLQJ FDOOHG ê7KH\ $VN <RX Answer” by Marcus Sheridan. Marcus, now a famous, sales trainer is also involved with a pool company in Virginia. 10 short years ago, By Jeanne DeWitt