Client or Customer?

The basis of this blog comes from an article that appeared recently on http://www.salesmarks.com/. What follows is my take on that article for your review.
Websters Dictionary defines a customer as a person who buys goods or services from another. On the other hand, a client is a person or group/company that uses the advice or services of a professional. Examples of the professional would be a lawyer, accountant, ad agency, or business coach.
If you are a professional services provider, shouldn’t you want clients rather than customers? If you agree with Webster’s definition the answer is clear. The client relationship is all about relationships that are ongoing. These are relationships that allow and ask you to share your expertise. It is about a formed relationship that is predicated on how you help them not on how you handle them. It is about the quality of the relationship and the process, not a transaction.
If you think this is about splitting hairs, think again. It isn’t a simple case of semantics. It is about your mindset and how you approach people. Are you willing to develop and grow a relationship in which your expertise becomes indispensable because of what you know, who you are, how you can pragmatically or practically help and the feeling that people have about the interaction. If you do this you will build a true client relationship that will last.

Public Relations and Marketing Lessons Learned

Do you want to have better pick-up and coverage on your press releases? Consider this. Use some art work, video and visual elements to assist you in telling and selling your story. Here are some ideas that you can try:
· Photographs
· Pie charts
· Diagrams
· Drawings/illustrations
· Screen captures
· Video testimonials
Remember what you heard once upon a time? A picture is worth a thousand words. If you think about it, there is a good reason that this old cliché has been around since we were kids… because it is true! Having relevant artwork and visuals will help distinguish your news release from others. It will help you capture the attention of the reporter, editor and should significantly increase your chance of successful pick-up and coverage.