How Dale Carnegie Techniques Can Enhance Customer Acquisition and Retention [Video]

Latin Biz Today advisory board member Chuck Garcia, kicks off a six-part video series for business owners to secure and retain more customers.

In part one Chuck makes the connection between customer success and three Dale Carnegie techniques to both acquire customers and sustain client loyalty. More insights on this six-part series: Warren Buffet, also known as the Oracle of Omaha, is arguably one of the greatest investors off all time. He is followed closely by the global business community, which also regards him as an extraordinary mentor. Although he has offered countless stock recommendations that made many wealthy, Buffet’s most valuable advice speaks to the heart of anyone striving to climb the ladder of success, “The best investment you will ever make is in yourself.” When asked about the education needed to become one of the world’s richest men, he responded. “You will not see my University of Nebraska nor Columbia University diplomas hung on my office wall. The only one is from the Dale Carnegie Institute.” When asked to recommend a book that had an immense impact on him, he enthusiastically endorses Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. Published in 1936, this self-help book has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of the biggest sellers of all time. As stated in a February 14, 1937, NYTimes Book Review, “The truth which this book lays down, and the precepts it offers, are as simple as humanity.” Although written 75 years ago, the tenets are powerful, accessible, and timeless. Given hundreds of career advice books I have read, internalized, and practiced through the years, this is my career bible. Although I started in sales and ascended to various leadership roles, the key to building my business was keeping customers happy and ensuring they came back for more. I religiously follow the Dale Carnegie principles for treating clients with reverence as a path to earning their trust. And I recommend you do the same as it will pay dividends time and again. Listen to news today compared to that of the 1930s and there is no doubt the world is radically different. However, read the book, and you may conclude, as I do, that human nature has not changed nearly as much. What Carnegie proffered then still applies now. While I am no fortune teller, the probability that three generations from now this book will be on the shelves of the world’s most successful people is high. Although I have read dozens of books on human behavior, this is the only one I’ve read five times. With each turn, I joyously rediscovered another tactic needed to improve my powers of influence and persuasion. To provide a taste of the book’s absorbing techniques, consider my favorite three as a guidepost for acquiring and sustaining client loyalty:

1. Arouse in another person an eager want.
2. Be a good listener and encourage others to talk about themselves.
3. Start with questions that will guide the other person to say Yes.

I am so enamored of this book that I teach the subject matter at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Engineering. While engineers may not spend their time acquiring businesses and keeping customers happy, Carnegie’s guidelines speak to the power of how transferable these skills are across careers. My students understand the power of these tactics and quickly make the leap that we are all in the people business. Learning the art and science of getting along with others is without question a critical career development technique you will always carry in your toolkit. I am so excited to offer this “What’s old is new” book and encourage you to read every word of it. Once you understand the power of its 30 tactics, read it again. As some of my friends do with the King James Bible, keep How to Win Friends and Influence People in your backpack and/or briefcase and break it out often. You are never too old, too smart, or too successful to learn from Carnegie the notion that Maya Angelou often communicated throughout her brilliant career: “I have learned that people will forget what you say, they will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Although Dale Carnegie shined a spotlight on the importance of building credibility, trust and respect, his book doesn’t just explain it. It tells you HOW to do it. This is the first of a six-part series on customer acquisition and retention, and next week we will examine some key practices from the book and integrate practical tips to help improve your business through the power of winning friends and influencing people. Related content:

Customers, Not Money!

Winning Customers By Calming Fears

Understanding and Serving Your Customers