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You probably went to a lot of parties and social gatherings over the holidays. And, like me, I expect you met quite a few people you hadn't met before. And, it's probably fair to say that some of the people you met you liked immediately, some you weren't sure about, and some'well let's just say you'd be quite happy if you never came into contact with them again.

Strange, isn't it, that we so readily make up our minds about someone in one brief meeting. We rarely stop to consider why we like or dislike them. Some primeval instinct kicks in, and we make up our minds, right there and then.
But is there more to this 'like' and 'dislike' instinct?

You bet. It's one of the biggest reasons your customers don't buy from you. And it has everything to do with risk.

When we dislike someone, we tend not to trust them. And, when there's no trust, our instinct tells us to stay away. We humans just don't want to run the risk of being fooled, cheated, or made to feel inferior. So, it stands to reason, that if we sense risk, of any kind, we won't buy a particular product or service. Take away the risk, and we're only too happy to part with our money. Right?

But hold on a second. Let's think about our own buying behavior.

Apart from spilling it down our shirts, is there risk involved when we buy a cup of coffee? We know, give or take a few pennies, how much it's going to cost. And, although some people will disagree with me, most coffee shops serve similar tasting coffee. So why then, do so many of us drive a few extra miles to buy coffee from Starbucks when there's often another (perhaps better) coffee shop close by? What is it about Starbucks that compels us to seek them out?

Starbucks reduces risk.

We choose Starbucks, because it's familiar. We know exactly what each shop looks like; know exactly what we're going to get, and know exactly how to order. We're used to the surroundings. The decor makes us feel comfortable. We like Starbucks. There's no surprises. There's no risk.
So here's where it gets tricky.

How can you make your customers like you?

A lot depends on who your customers are. But, there's one thing that always wins people over: personality.

Starbucks has it. The animated gecko, 'image' of Geico Insurance has it. McDonalds has it. Coca Cola has it. Heck, even Google has it.

And you need it too. Whenever you can, you have to make your company, your product or your service interesting, appealing and likable. You've got to have some pizzazz. You got to have some WOW.

So what if the product you sell is dull. (By the way, there are no dull products: only dull advertising.)

So what if your company's services seem boring or mundane.

So what if your product is the same as dozens of others on the market.

You need to make sure yours stands out from the competition, attracts attention, and appeals to your target audience. Otherwise, consumers will pass you by like a ship in the night.

That's not to say you need to rush out and hire a celebrity, create a gecko-like 'image' or indulge is some wacky promotion. It means you need to give your product or company a unique, likeable, personality, and convey that personality to your customers time and time again. Reality is that, given the choice, people will choose 'personality' over 'product' every time.

Of course, it doesn't hurt if you provide great service, employ friendly, courteous staff, and send customers thank you notes, chocolates or gift certificates once in a while.

It's all about like and risk. The two are intertwined. Take good care of them both and your customers will be loyal forever.