The Science of Customer Connections

The Science of Customer Connections

by Jim Karrh PhD
Released September 2019
Publisher(s): Career Press
ISBN: 9781632657794

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Book description

Engaging, practical, and immediately useful for any business and its messengers on how to talk about their business and connect with their customers.

The vast majority of word of mouth happens offline, in everyday conversations. In The Science of Customer Connections, Karrh offers simple concepts plus practical guidance for individual professionals, teams, and complex organizations to be part of those conversations in ways that grow their business.

With clear language and a sense of humor, Karrh guides readers step by step to create:

A message that is memorable, interesting to buyers, and built to share
A growing set of messengers who include your story in their everyday conversations
Management habits that build consistency and scale
Readers will be equipped to engage customers and employees, build trustworthiness, and grow profitably—without necessarily having to change their business model, offerings, pricing, distribution, or people. Instead, they can quickly elevate the way that everyone close to the business talks about it, consistently resulting in stronger cross-selling and upselling of additional products and services, higher customer satisfaction, and more consistent employee engagement.

Inspirational real-world examples are presented from entrepreneurs and career changers, growth companies, and large global organizations.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. CONTENTS
  5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  6. FOREWORD
  7. INTRODUCTION
  8. 1: YOUR MESSAGE CAN BE YOUR BUSINESS ADVANTAGE—If It Isn't Hiding Somewhere
    1. THE MESSAGING WORLD IS TURNING FASTER
    2. MESSENGERS AND MANAGERS ARE CHANGING, AND NOT ALWAYS FOR THE BETTER
    3. BUSINESS MESSAGING SITS ON A THREE-LEGGED STOOL
    4. WHEN IT GOES WRONG: CRICKETS, COWBOYS, AND COMMODITIES
    5. A PLAYBOOK APPROACH WORKS
  9. Part One: A MESSAGE FOR GROWTH
    1. 2: MAKING THE MESSAGE: What Can We Say?
      1. SOME WORDS GET USED A LOT
      2. SOME WORDS WORK A LOT BETTER THAN OTHERS
      3. PUT YOUR MISSION STATEMENT ASIDE . . . PLEASE
      4. WHY LESS IS MORE AND SIMPLER IS BETTER
      5. THERE'S A COMMON NOISE COMING FROM YOUR INDUSTRY
      6. THE VALUE OF AUTHENTICITY, OR WHY TRUTH AND TRADITION AREN'T THE SAME
    2. 3: GETTING RELEVANT: What Customers and Prospects Actually Want (and Need) to Hear
      1. THE PAINFUL TRUTH: MOST PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOU
      2. THERE'S CHEMISTRY: WHY IT FEELS SO GOOD TO TALK ABOUT OURSELVES
      3. SO LET'S GET ENGAGED (WITH OUR AUDIENCES, THAT IS)
      4. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE ENGAGED WITH YOU?
      5. DON'T WE ALL NEED SOMEBODY TO . . . TRUST?
      6. THE THREE STEPS TO BEING A TRUSTED PROFESSIONAL
      7. YOUR MESSAGE HELPS THE PROCESS
    3. 4: CRAFTING YOUR CONVERSATIONS: What Needs to Be Said . . . and How!
      1. YOUR CONVERSATION IS NOT A PRESENTATION
      2. YOUR CONVERSATION IS NOT AN INTERROGATION, EITHER
      3. A LITTLE TENSION CAN BE OKAY
      4. THE BACKSTORY ABOUT STORIES
      5. WAIT . . . THERE'S MATH? HOW TO USE NUMBERS AND STATISTICS
      6. HOW ABOUT THAT ELEVATOR PITCH?
  10. Part Two: A LOT MORE GREAT MESSENGERS
    1. 5: WE ARE ALL IN THIS: Customer Conversations Really Are for Everyone
      1. EVERYONE IS A SALES REP
      2. THIS IS FOR MORE THAN JUST A FEW EMPLOYEES . . . OR EVEN JUST EMPLOYEES
      3. ALMOST EVERYONE HAS MESSENGER POTENTIAL
      4. THE OPPORTUNITY IS EXPONENTIAL
      5. GOOD CONVERSATIONS HELP EVERYONE
      6. THE SHARING GENERATION AWAITS YOUR MESSAGE
    2. 6: SOMETIMES, THE MESSENGER DOES GET SHOT—and Deserves It
      1. MESSAGE MISTAKES HAPPEN. WOW, DO THEY HAPPEN.
      2. RECOGNIZE THE MANGLED MESSAGE—AND HOW TO PREVENT IT
      3. SOMETIMES THERE IS AUDIENCE MALICE
      4. THE TENDENCY IS TO TIGHTEN, OR TURN COAL INTO DIAMONDS
      5. HOW TO RESPOND IF YOUR MESSAGE GETS MANGLED ANYWAY
    3. 7: NOT EVERY MESSENGER IS CREATED EQUAL (But Nearly All Can Be Effective)
      1. IS THERE A GENERATION GAP IN COMMUNICATION?
      2. THE THREE THINGS YOUR FUTURE MESSENGERS NEED MOST
      3. KNOWLEDGE: WHAT DOES EVERYONE NEED TO KNOW?
      4. SKILLS: SAY IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT
      5. MORE SKILLS: LEND THE WORLD YOUR EAR
      6. CONFIDENCE: “I CAN DO THIS”
      7. WHAT ABOUT YOUR PASSIONATE CORE?
  11. Part Three: A NEW SET OF MANAGEMENT HABITS
    1. 8: YOU CAN BE A CONVERSATIONAL LEADER (And Probably Need to Be)
      1. ISN'T THIS THE CEO'S JOB?
      2. YOU CAN GET EVERYONE AROUND THE ROADBLOCKS
      3. THE INFLECTION POINTS THAT NEED YOUR ATTENTION
      4. HOW TO GET CHANGE RIGHT
      5. THE AMAZING (AND FREE!) AMPLIFIER OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT
      6. YOUR MESSENGERS WILL APPRECIATE THE GUIDANCE
      7. GETTING READY TO RUN
    2. 9: KNOW, GO, AND SHOW: How Great Leaders Become Great Coaches, Too
      1. “DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO” DIDN'T WORK FOR OUR PARENTS, EITHER
      2. PUT ON THE UNIFORM
      3. MEET THEM IN THE MIDDLE
      4. IS YOUR HELP JUST-IN-TIME OR JUST-IN-CASE?
      5. THIS ISN'T HIGH SCHOOL: HOW ADULTS LEARN
      6. DO THEY REALLY WANT YOUR FEEDBACK? YES, THEY DO
      7. NOW YOU'RE READY!
    3. 10: BUILD MOMENTUM AND ENJOY THE BUSINESS IMPACT
      1. KEEP GROWING THROUGH GENERATIONAL CHANGE
      2. ACCELERATING THE GROWTH OF YOUR GREAT IDEA
      3. GETTING EVERYONE UP TO SPEED FASTER
      4. MAKING A RADICAL CHANGE IN PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY
      5. WHEN YOU'RE JUST GETTING STARTED
      6. STORYTELLING TO BUILD IDENTITY
      7. “SOMEONE WHO'S DOING IT RIGHT”: BIG SUCCESS WITH A ME-TOO PRODUCT
      8. WHAT WILL BE YOUR NEXT MESSAGING MOVE?
  12. BIBLIOGRAPHY
    1. CHAPTER 1
    2. CHAPTER 2
    3. CHAPTER 3
    4. CHAPTER 4
    5. CHAPTER 5
    6. CHAPTER 6
    7. CHAPTER 7
    8. CHAPTER 8
    9. CHAPTER 9
    10. CHAPTER 10
  13. INDEX
  14. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Product information

  • Title: The Science of Customer Connections
  • Author(s): Jim Karrh PhD
  • Release date: September 2019
  • Publisher(s): Career Press
  • ISBN: 9781632657794