You Need Champions in Life but Not the Kind that Win Trophies

Certainly, companies benefit when they go all-out to please the customer, but having people who love you and are willing to tell everyone about it, goes beyond just customer service. You can also create raving fans during the marketing and selling processes.

Instead of "fans," I call them "champions."

Champions are people who champion you and your cause. They love (professionally, of course) you and your company. They are your fans, the people who would run through a brick wall for you. They could be personal friends, distant admirers, current or former clients, current or former referrers. They could also be influencers of past clients who you converted in champions.

Even if you have a lot of champions, you could still use more. Those organizations that have engaged champions and sent them out into the world do more business. A large group of champions on your side is like having a huge marketing and sales staff without having to pay the salaries and benefits.

But champions don't just appear out of thin air. They are developed. They must be created and then maintained. That means an organization should have a part of its marketing plan focused on how to deliberately develop and maintain champions. Part of that plan would be an on-going communication plan for champions that would include mailings, electronic communications, phone calls, and most importantly, personal visits.

To convert someone into a champion, you need to make him or her feel very special. When you are in front of a person, make him or her feel that nobody else in the world matters more. Spend time with key people socially, congratulate them on their successes, and help them celebrate their victories. Don't let a moment of truth - an opportunity to strengthen a relationship - be wasted. Jump on that opportunity and grow that relationship.

It also helps when you surprise champions with valuable information when they're not expecting it. Send them referrals whenever you get the chance. Go out of your way to introduce or connect them to interesting people. Treat them with respect and demonstrate integrity consistently.

If you do these things, you will develop a network of champions who will protect you and your company. As the old saying goes, "you can never have too many friends." The same thing applies to champions.

Since we are approaching late summer and therefore nearing football season, allow me to illustrate the importance of champions with a short passage from my book, Selling Saturdays: Blue Chip Sales Tips from College Football.

In 1980, the University of Nebraska recruited the future Heisman Trophy-winning, All-American running back Mike Rozier out of Camden, New Jersey. Rozier was not immediately eligible to enter the university, so Nebraska's coaches "placed" him at Coffeyville Community College in southeast Kansas.

Nebraska made an agreement with Coffeyville's coach that no other major college football team would talk to Rozier while he was there fulfilling his academic requirements before transferring to NU. Knowing that Rozier was a phenomenal prospect, the coach at one of Nebraska's chief rivals tried to force his way into Rozier's dorm. The Coffeyville coach literally stood in the door and physically blocked the opposing coach from entering.

Now THAT is a loyal champion. I'd love to have that guy on my side.

Jeff Beals is an award-winning author, who helps professionals do more business and have a greater impact on the world through effective sales, marketing and personal branding techniques.  As a professional speaker, he delivers energetic and humorous keynote speeches and workshops to audiences worldwide.   You can learn more and follow his "Beals Motivation Blog" at www.JeffBeals.com.