Are you the kind of salesperson that your clients never forget? Do they consistently recommend you to their friends who need your products or service?

If they don't, there are some practical steps that you should take to become a master at being memorable.

As you read these three steps, instead of viewing them as interesting suggestions that may or many not apply to you, ask yourself: "How can I make each of these action steps real in my own life?" I have proven their usefulness for myself many times over in my own service business as well as my public speaking career, and I believe they'll work for you too.

1. Create a Practical Philosophy

The first, and perhaps most important, step towards being remembered is creating a practical business philosophy for yourself. Decide what you stand for, what your primary values are. How are you going to treat your clients?

My father was a highly successful real estate agent for over forty years in England. His philosophy was: "Don't concentrate on making a lot of money. Concentrate on being the kind of person people want to do business with. Then, most likely, you'll make a lot of money."

Stanley Marcus, chairman emeritus of Neiman-Marcus specialty stores, learned from his father, "Treat our business like a valued member of the family." My client Sam Ross, who started Fantastic Sam's haircutting franchises, has a plaque on his wall, "God is Watching, Give Him a Good Show." He told me, "I'm not a particularly religious person, but it makes it easier to make business decisions with that plaque on the wall."

By creating your own philosophy, you will find that it is much easier to make memorable decisions as well. You will be clear up front how you intend to treat your clients so they never forget you. Never make short term decisions that will compromise your long term values.

2. Create Higher Visibility For Yourself

As a sales person or entrepreneur, one of the most important ways to reach your sales goals is to meet large numbers of people and be remembered by them. After all, you are responsible for creating your client base.

The buzzword these days for meeting people is "networking." All that really means is getting out to as many meetings in your community as possible and letting people know who you are and what you do. Go to the Chamber of Commerce, various clubs and associations, seminars and networking meetings.

Be active in these meetings so people get to know you. If you feel shy about starting a conversation with strangers, I would recommend reading Susan RoAne's bestseller, How to Work a Room. Why not volunteer to be a on the greeting committee or registering people at an event? If you are shy or new to an organization it is the fastest way you can meet people.

Always act like the host of a party, talk to people standing alone or introduce them to people you are already talking to. Always wear your name tag on your right shoulder so it is easier for people to see when they shake your hand.

I have a basic philosophy that says ‘there's no point in going anywhere if people don't remember you were there.’ I've discovered that one of my best marketing tools is the way I dress. Whenever I go to functions I wear an unusual hat. Even months later when I go back to the same place, people say "Miss Fripp, how could we forget you? You're the woman with the great hats."

Ask yourself what is distinctive about the way you dress. What little touch would set you apart from the other people? An interesting piece of jewelry, flower in your lapel, hat or fabulous tie are things that can be a conversation starter for others.

There is another kind of networking that you will find useful. Get together once a month for breakfast with a few people in similar but non-competitive industries who are looking for the same type of clients as you are. It's like having your own board of directors. In his book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill calls this kind of meeting a Mastermind Alliance. You can trade leads with these people or you might each put $10 in a pot for the person who comes up with the best marketing idea or sales technique each month.

Take the time to make yourself visible, even when you're busy. Prospecting is a never- ending task.

3. "Wow" Them With Service

Once you've done your work finding the clients you need, the next step is to give them truly memorable service. Don't just give them good service but as Tom Peters says, "Wow them!" Sometimes if your price is low people will do business with you, but if your service is not superb they will never recommend you to their friends.

A friend of mine told me he interviewed five real estate agents prior to choosing one to help him sell his house. Each of them was well dressed and well-groomed. Most of them came with business cards and one or two brought a brochure on their firms. He said, "The focus of their conversations seemed to be on (1) how much they would like to list my home; and (2) how easily they felt my home would sell in today's market."

"The agent I selected, Leigh Whitten, seemed different. She was bright and cheerful and was the only one who wanted to see every nook and cranny of my home. After careful inspection of the house, we sat down to chat and she presented me with a package." The package he was given was a standard "Market Portfolio" that her company makes available to agents. She spent a number of hours customizing the book for him. It had details of the entire process of selling a home. She had taken a complete set of color photos of his home and done comparables on the prices of other homes in the neighborhood. She got the tax and deed information from the title company. She spend a long time discussing all the details with him.

It was so obvious to him who had done their homework for this initial meeting, that she got the job. She sold the home in just four days.

He was so impressed that he shared the story with me and showed my the book. I called her up to find out how she stood out in a crowd. She said, "I told him about my company and their resources, his house and neighborhood, myself and what I could do for him personally. You have to sell yourself. Good Collateral material is useless if you just sit there like a blob. When you come this prepared, you do appear knowledgeable." She knew more about the details of the house than even the owner could remember. You may think that she was a fifteen year veteran of the business. In fact, she had only been in it for three years. But her philosophy of extraordinary service above and beyond the norm allows her to get the listings she wants.

I think it's very important for you to take your clients by the hand and help them through the transaction, as Whitten did . No matter how many homes someone has bought and sold, it's always a bit nerve-wracking for people. Don't be impatient with them. Explain the technical terms and exactly what's going to happen at each step. Tell them what happens to the money in escrow and what a title company really does. Don't be an "expert" who uses fancy words.

Talk to them in simple language that takes the mystery out of what's going on.

Make it fun to do business with you.

Published: October 27, 1998

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Editor's Note: This article reflects the opinions of Patricia Fripp only and not necessarily the views of this or any other publication, organization or Website owner.

Patricia Fripp is a San Francisco-based professional speaker on Change, Teamwork, Customer Service, Promoting Business, and Communication Skills. She is the author of 'Get What You Want' and Past-President of the National Speakers Association. Contact her at PFripp@aol.com, or 1-800-634 3035