I’ve written many times about the importance of making communications personal. I often follow my own advice. And sometimes I don’t. Here’s a tale of a failure on my part, including what I did to attempt to rectify things. Perhaps you’ll find it a useful template (the rectifying part, not the failing part).

I’m on a Southwest flight at the time of this writing, where employees are known for taking creative license with the more mundane aspects of the job, including on-board announcements. The flight attendant who just delivered the usual stuff prior to takeoff did something we should all do.

There’s a “modern” communication tool that’s become really popular in recent years. You’d think I’d be too old to appreciate them (although I learned from Wikipedia that they actually date back to the 80s, so maybe not). Instead, I’m enamored of them. Humor me for a moment while I share the trust-building applications of … GIFs.

Think about the number of meaningful relationships you’ve had with clients over your career. There are likely hundreds. Now think about how many you’ve reached out to in the last year. Probably considerably fewer, and probably not enough—especially since they’re your best and easiest source of leads if you’re in a services business. Read on for a simple and important way around this relationship problem.

Whether you’re selling a product, service, or idea, you’ve likely felt impatient at some point to get somewhere—known in conventional sales training as “closing.” That might be driven by your strong personal desire to problem-solve or be helpful, or it could be fueled by external pressure to generate a result, or both. Whatever the source, its problematic.

Every so often my systems and support structures fail me (or more accurately, I fail them) and a tip doesn’t get written for the week. This is one of those times.

The phrase Always Be Closing has positive connotations in some circles. It was taught for many years in the well-regarded Xerox sales system as a reminder to constantly explore customer needs. More often than not, though, “closing” draws down on trust—whether you’re selling a product, service, or idea. Here are three reasons not to do it.

Last week’s tip about shifting out of “order-taker” role got me thinking about a telling experience I once had with a tech support person. He fell into a classic trap, which I’m now sharing with you because it’s one we’re all vulnerable to.

A few tips ago I wrote about why it’s critical, as a services professional, to see your own value as more than just a trusted problem-solver. I shared the four levels of relationship as a framework to help. Recently, I’ve been revisiting a variation of that model that a colleague and I created specifically for anyone in a shared services (or internal consulting) role. It provides a way to re-think your value, and find proactive ways to consistently be seen as more than just an order taker.