How Helpful Are You?

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else.” - Charles Dickens    

Ask a member of a Boy Scout Troop what the Scout law is, and he will immediately recite “A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.”

At every Boy Scout weekly meeting, the members of the troop open with a recitation of the Boy Scout Law. It is the guiding principles by which a scout is to live.

I believe it can and should serve as the guiding principles for a business owner, as well. There isn’t a point in the entire Scout Law that doesn’t serve an entrepreneur well, either as a business or as a person of integrity. Today, I’d like to focus on the third point – Helpfulness.

Being helpful applies to prospects, clients, colleagues, and superiors. It applies to your industry & chosen marketplace. It even applies to those who may not have direct buying responsibility or who may not have the ability to be of direct help to you.

Being helpful comes from your inner core, your character, your values. It's an outward expression of who you truly are.

It's caring about other people as much or more than yourself. It's putting the interests of your prospect and clients ahead of your own. It's checking your ego at the door, so they can shine & be the hero. It's listening with focus, actively seeking to understand, taking a consultative approach. It's preparing yourself so that you are ready, willing, and able to help when the opportunity or circumstance presents itself.

This means continual improvement – acquiring the knowledge, skills, and Bullet list abilities to be of ever improving help & service to the marketplace.

Here are some ideas on how to demonstrate helpfulness:

Provide exceptional customer service: Be available to answer questions, address concerns, and provide solutions in a timely and friendly manner. Train your employees to do the same.
Offer valuable resources: Create informative blog posts, how-to guides, and tutorials that provide useful information to your customers. Share these resources on your website, social media, and email marketing campaigns.
Personalize your approach: Get to know your customers and their unique needs. Use this information to tailor your products and services to their preferences.
Solve problems proactively: Identify potential issues before they become major problems. Offer solutions and preventive measures to mitigate any negative impacts.
Provide incentives: Offer discounts, loyalty programs, or referral bonuses to encourage customers to continue doing business with you.
Be transparent: Communicate clearly about your business practices, pricing, and policies. Build trust with your customers by being upfront about any potential issues or challenges.
Give back to your community: Sponsor local events or charities, volunteer your time, or make donations to causes that align with your business values.
Provide training and support: Offer training and support to your employees, so they can provide knowledgeable and helpful assistance to customers. This can include training in customer service, product knowledge, and sales techniques.
Anticipate needs: Anticipate your customers' needs and provide proactive solutions. For example, if you run a restaurant, offer children's menus and highchairs for families with young children.
Offer flexible options: Offer flexible options to customers, such as customized orders or alternative payment methods. This can help accommodate their specific needs and preferences.
Collaborate with others: Collaborate with other businesses and organizations to provide helpful resources and solutions to customers. For example, if you run a gym, partner with a local nutritionist to offer healthy eating tips to members.

Being helpful is a mindset – having the compassion, empathy and desire to serve when called upon. It should be a core value of your business, not just a marketing strategy. By prioritizing the needs of your customers, you will build a loyal customer base that will support your business for years to come.

Our FREE book will help you build the business the way you want it to be, to help you live that principle of helpfulness. Go to https://www.swbizcoaching.com/ and enter your email to get you on your way to heightened success.

Adapted from a LinkedIn post by Bruce Kirk, https://www.competitiveedgeselling.com/

Still Waters Business Coaching

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Fredericksburg VA 22401