Christine K. Bailey: Published Author & Freelance Writer

We’ve been telling stories as a society before we could read and write.  The petroglyphs scattered across the Southwest are only one set of reminders of our strong desire to share our experiences.

Whether it’s a shared anecdote between strangers, a familiar family tale repeated at the dinner table or a good book passed on to a friend, people connect and re-connect through stories.  These stories reverberate throughout our collective past and will continue long into the future.

Certainly, the way we share our stories is changing radically — through text messages, on Facebook, via Twitter and through e-Books, Web sites and on YouTube.  However, our desire to tell them, hear them and share them remains.

Good marketing tells a story, too. It paints a picture of your company and describes the experiences your customers are likely to have.  The strength of your story is evident in the way your customers flock to you.  But, it’s also evident in the stories they tell about you.

Are they saying what you want others to hear? If not, what are you doing about it?  Are you changing your message; crafting a better tale, both internally and externally through customer service training, better Web site content and and more customer-friendly sales and marketing copy?  Are you telling people not just what they want to hear, but the truth about what it means to do business with you?  When your customers get to your store or your Web site or call your toll free number (even more, when the arrive at your Facebook fan page, choose to follow you on Twitter or read your blog) do they experience the story you promised?

It’s now more important than ever to deliver on that promise and successfully fulfill your story — excellent customer service, fast response time or quality products — because it’s now easier than ever for your customers to share their stories about you — good and bad — across every media outlet (social & mainstream) they have access to.

Are your customers talking about your company in a positive way?  Are you?

Take a minute to review your company Web site, marketing materials and media efforts — do they accurately reflect your company’s story and is it one worth repeating?

One of the things I ask any new client is, “Who is your perfect customer?”

The response is often, “the paying kind.”  They’re right, to some extent, a paying customer is a pretty darn good one; however, it doesn’t make them perfect.

The perfect customer is one who loves you, your business, your products and services; they seek new ways to work with you; tell everyone they know how great you are and have an open line of communication with you about how you can better serve their needs.  And, of course, they pay you well and on time because they value and respect what you do for them.

So, how do you attract your perfect customer?

Be true to yourself and your business; let your passion shine through; showcase your talents; and let your personality out of the box.  There are people who want to work with you.  And not with anyone else.  They’re attracted to your business philosophy, customer service style and level of expertise.  They want the solutions you provide, in the way you provide them.

But, do they know who you are?

When they visit your Web site, read your newsletter, follow your blog or see your ad, your perfect customer should be able to recognize your solution as the one they’re seeking.  Your content and messaging needs to reflect your personality and style and effectively communicate everything they need to know about you and your company.  If your message is muddled or if your content sounds too much like another consultant or business, your perfect customers will pass you by.

What you’re saying and how you’re saying it will attract certain kinds of people.  Are they the right ones?

What are you saying to attract your perfect customers?