I heard an interview with Alex Trebek recently and he said, “Early in my career I told the announcers on my program, on the shows that I hosted, never say ‘here’s the star’ or ‘here’s the host.’ Just say ‘Ladies and gentlemen, Alex Trebek’, because I never wanted to be thought of as the star. I wanted the contestants to be the star.” He said, “People are more likely to watch the show if they see me as the friendly guy who just wants the contestants to do well.”
I apply the same philosophy in my business and I urge you to do the same. I always make sure that my clients know and feel that I’m on their side. I want them to know that the success of their business is always in the forefront of my mind. I work to be the big brain in their game – that means coming up with new ideas for their business or new ways to promote themselves through aggressive representation. I teach them to reach out to the public in ways that makes them feel like they’re not trying to sell something. They are perceived by their customers as a trusted advisor who wants to add value to their life.
I sometimes have to tell my clients things they don’t want to hear, but I always let them know why I’m suggesting the things I’m suggesting, urge them to give new ideas a try; but at the end of the day, I know they know their business better than me and they have to feel confident in what they’re doing regardless of what I think about it.