Treat your customers like dogs.

10X Business Letter
San Diego, Ca
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Dear 10X Business Builder,

What is love?

There are many different definitions.

Some say it’s a feeling.  Others say its an emotion.  While still others contend it’s a verb.

Whatever it is… it’s powerful.

A plethora of songs, books, poems and sayings have been written about this potent word.

There have even been wars fought and people murdered in the name of love.

Love comes in many forms and variations…

From the simplest uses like Hannibal’s one-liner, “I love it when a plan comes together” to the more complex form, like the love a parent has for a child.
Having never been married, and no children, besides my family the greatest love in my life has been without a doubt my dog — Niko.

Niko was a super smart boxer and he meant the world to me.  I couldn’t have asked for a better buddy.

He was with me during some the of the most pivotal times in my life.

… my first true heartbreak
… college years
… buying my first house
… he even traveled across the united states with me while touring with the Anthony Robbins organization

The most heart ache, the most suffering I have ever experienced in my short life, is the day I had to put him down.  Saying goodbye to my canine companion was like saying goodbye to child. (I still get choked up just writing about now)

It’s nuts to think that you can develop such a bond and kinship with an animal that can’t even speak your language.

But why is that?

After thinking about it I think it’s simply because I “took care of him” and he depended on me — I was his care giver.

You take care of someone long enough and it’s impossible not to feel some sort of bond.  Doesn’t matter if it’s an 80 year old stranger or a 3 month old infant, the longer you “care” for them the more you develop a bond… and the more you care for their well-being.

That is why you hear people like Jay Abraham and other “gurus” talk about the key to growing a thriving business is to “fall in love” with you customer.

It’s true.

And it translates into: “take care of your customers because they depend on you”.

Essentially the relationship with your customers is no different than the one with your family pet (I know that sounds a bit absurd, but bear with me).

If you provide for them (care for them) and look out for their best interests (they’re depending on it), they will reward you with their loyalty — their un-wavering loyalty.

Think about a brand or company that you seriously admire.

Do you have loyalty to them?…

A good example of this is Costco.

How many times have you heard someone say, “purchase if from Costco, because if you want to return it, you can.”?

Costco enjoys this kind of loyalty and word of mouth recommendations because they are taking care of their customer’s needs first and looking out for the customer’s well-being.

And in return — we give them our loyalty.

In your business, you must adopt the “care giver” mentality.

You must “feed them” — by giving them what they need to improve their lives.

You must “protect them” — by being their advocate and protecting their best interests.

And finally you must “acknowledge them” — by letting them know how much you appreciate them and their loyalty.

If you do this you and your customers will develop a unique kind of love.  The kind of bond that is not easily broken.  That special bond that only a pet and his “care giver” enjoy.  (Let’s just hope you never have to put any of them down)

Jeff Paro
Editor
10X Business Letter