The Best Thing I Ever Learned

New series!  Would love your help on this because we all have `em. You know, those wonderful little things you've picked up along life's path that really helped you, that you use every day, the precious gems that should be shared with everyone.

I'll start, but please send me yours or add it here on the blog as a comment!
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The Best Thing I Ever Learned #1:
While shopping with my daughter for shoes, many moons ago. From the very nice, older shoe salesman.  He said, "Whatever happens first, and last, are the things people will remember."

He was talking about his marriage, and why he felt it was a success. But it applies to just about everything in life as well. He believed that the most important things in life and relationships are what happens first and last. Like, in the morning when he and his wife got up, they tried to make sure the first thing that happened was pleasant, and the last before they went to sleep.  A kind word, a shared moment, a smile, a hug.  I tried it, he was right.

Years later I was reading a book about marketing and the author said the same thing. That the first and last contact you have with a customer, a client, a potential client are the most important. That's what they remember.

It's quite true, it works. So, when a client of mine told me that a friend had advised him to inundate his mailing list with emails because "It's not like they're customers, it's only email, they can always delete it," I protested and explained, "That little email is your first contact with a client or a potential client. It may be your last. They'll remember it.  Do you want to alienate and insult them by basically stalking them with email? Is that what you want them to remember most about you?"

Years ago, when I was an event coordinator for a restaurant I taught my staff the same thing. We were young, we made a lot of mistakes, but we really tried to make sure that our first and last contact with customers and clients were positive.  It's amazing how forgiving people were of the mistakes, and how they remembered those first and last encounters.

Okay, so what's YOUR gem?  Send it on over and we'll share it here so we all can benefit.

All my best to you and yours,