How to Succeed

I just read Tim Sander's foreword to Michael Port's Book Yourself Solid. That book is about how self-employed service professionals can build their business, and get clients, and also experience self-growth, and joy.

In the foreword, Sanders (who wrote the book The Likeability Factor), says that Port's advice can be summed up as:

1. Make yourself emotionally attractive.
2. Live on the right side of the Law of Reciprocity

I think that these two rules will not only help you in your career, but in life itself.

"Make yourself emotionally attractive" is about making sure that your clients (and all people) who come in contact with you have a good, emotionally uplifting experience. It is not enough to just be technically skilled at your job. He says that the emotional brain is two dozen times more powerful than the logical brain.

This means, for example, that if you are a better car mechanic than Fred down the street, but Fred does a better job of making customers feel happy, satisfied, and taken-care-of, then customers will go to him.

"The Law of reciprocity" is that people reflect back the energy, value, and generosity you give to them. If you treat them right, and give them a lot of value, then they will stay your customer, they will support you, recommend you, etc.

If you use them, or give them a very basic level of customer service, then they will not be loyal to you.