How to Make It Count- Everything

Many have heard the term “pay attention to detail.”  Problem is, in this fast-paced world, it gets harder to do that on a consistent basis. In the workplace, there are systems in place to ensure the quality of deliverables.  However, how much attention to detail are we giving our everyday encounters?  Are you paying enough attention to fine details of the service you are providing or the interaction you are having with clients and friends? 

In your professional and personal interactions, the attention to detail is crucial for strong connections.  

I have written about the importance of remembering someone’s name for forming solid connections.  However, there are other details that people will also pick up on. 

Depending on the person, that detail may be the most crucial in determining whether or not they trust you and want to be connected with you for personal or professional reasons. 

A lot of times when we interact with others we have our own agenda, and that is fine. However, don’t let that agenda get in the way of a good connection. You never know what is going to make a person connect with you or not connect with you.  Therefore, you should try to Make Everything Count.  Maybe it’s the way you answer the phone, or the way you say hello or good-bye.  Each person you meet has their own likes, dislikes and pet peeves. 

I know that my sticking point is that I want to be acknowledged when I walk into a place of business or a social situation.  In my mind, it is really easy to take a second and say “Hello, I will be right with you.”  I have held many jobs over the years. Most of these jobs required me to have some kind of interaction with clients/customers. An important lesson I learned in the retail industry was to “Connect” with the customer as soon as possible. 

Just saying “Hello” as soon as they walk in the door reaps great rewards.  You can see an emphasis on this practice in some of the fast food restaurants and home supply chains.  They have a greeter at the door to welcome and guide you. This gives the customer the feeling that they are important and that their needs will be taken care of in that store.  This enhances their experience and will encourage them to come back. 

This idea can translate to your personal life too. I am a very social person and attend all kinds of events.  I like to acknowledge people as soon as I see them, even if I am currently in a conversation.  I will look their way and either wave or shake a hand and let them know I will catch up with them as soon as I can.  This of course is only my personal way of Making Everything Count.  There are plenty of other details that you can work on to strengthen the connections that you make. 

Some helpful tips to think about :

Think of every interaction as a chance to strengthen the connection you have with that person.  Look at it as your opportunity to impress someone that you want to do business with or get to know better on a personal level.  This will motivate you to put your best foot forward and engage that person.

Listen to others. You will hear this advice in every Sales 101 class.  Listening to others will allow you find out what is important to them.  Once the important issues are identified, act on them and a strong connection will follow.

Make people’s lives easier.  If you have the power to make something easier for someone, do it.  This will strengthen any connection you make and will encourage them to give back to you or even others in the future.

Make someone else feel special.  A couple of kind or encouraging words go a long way.  I learned that a long time ago from my cousin Michael.  Everyone LOVED Michael.  When I was about 14, I asked him what his secret was.  He said, “Just say something nice to the people you meet.”  It was so simple yet so life changing for me.  Michael passed away in 1992.  Those words meant so much to me that I still live by them to keep his spirit alive and keep him with me every day.

By paying attention to the small details and Making Everything Count, you can improve your connections with people in your professional and personal life and in turn your overall big picture in life.

Written by Paul Ledebur for Engchik.