This Is a Little Fishy

Krystal of Seattle, Washington sent me an email. She wrote, "I'm in radio sales and want to stand out from all the other account executives trying to earn the business of a limited number of possible clients. How can I become the person that clients want to work with?"

Humans don't like to be sold, but they do want to buy—they want to buy what they want and need. I assume you have the best interests of your clients as your top priority. Even if it means not making the sale, always do the right thing.

With that out of the way, here is the best advice I can give you to stand out from the crowd.

In the early 2000s, I trained organizations on The Fish! Philosophy. I had the opportunity to help corporations make significant changes and salespeople take their careers to the next level.

The Fish! Philosophy originated at the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, Washington. The fishmongers greeted strangers like old friends and strived to serve them with exceptional service.

I have carried The Fish! Philosophy into every business venture I've participated in—I've also built my life around it. The best humans strive to leave others better than before they met.

Do your clients like meeting with you? Do your clients rave about you to their friends? Do your clients refer new probable clients to you?

They will when you offer a great experience.

Here are the four practices of The FISH! Philosophy...

• Be There

  • Be emotionally present for people. It's a powerful message of respect that improves communication and strengthens relationships.

• Play

  • Tap into your natural way of being creative, enthusiastic, and having fun. Play is the spirit that drives the curious mind, as in "Let's play with that idea!" You can bring this mindset to everything you do.

• Make Their Day

  • Find simple ways to serve or delight people in a meaningful, memorable way. It's about contributing to someone else's life — not because you want something, but because that's the person you want to be.

• Choose Your Attitude

  • Take responsibility for how you respond to what life throws at you. Your choice affects others. Ask yourself: "Is my attitude helping my team or my customers? Is it helping me to be the person I want to be?"

Find out more about The Fish! Philosophy here... The Fish! Philosophy

What would happen if you applied this to your sales? What would happen if you applied this to every area of your life?