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How can you maintain the interest of your prospective and current customers so that, when the need arises, they will think of you as the provider of choice of your product or service? How can a small business hope to compete with the Wal-Marts of the world?

The answer to these questions lies in the fact that people like to do business with other people, not institutions. This means that you need to build and maintain a relationship with your prospective and current customers through frequent communication. One type of regular communication is a newsletter. There are many other types of media that can be used, mostly with customer permission, that are suitable for personalized communications, including faxes, voice broadcasts, blogs, sales letters, emails and more.

In order to build a personal relationship, your personality has to come through. We know that "you" is the most important word in personal selling, but "I" is also important in personal relationship building.

Your marketing communications should regularly include your personal "story". Everyone is conditioned to enjoy hearing stories, especially when they can personally relate to them. If you've ever read How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling, you know that Frank Bettger started as a major league baseball player. He suffered an injury that forced him to quit, and he started working collecting payments for a furniture company on a bicycle. Finally, a friend suggested that he try selling life insurance. After a very discouraging start, he finally discovered how to build a successful career in selling, and did it.

We can all identify with Frank's story, and it endears him to us.

In successful novel series, like Harry Potter, Anne (of Green Gables) and James Bond, the characters have a history that is referred to. We see them grow. We care about them. This is the same way that soap operas develop loyal viewers.

You need to do the same thing in your communications with your prospective and current customers.

A great way to build interest and communicate a point in public speaking is to share a relevant personal experience. It can be effective to use the "fish story" technique – use some "poetic license" and exaggerate, add some entertaining details for dramatic effect. The most important thing is to drive home a point that will benefit your listener. The same technique can be used in your written communications.

By projecting your personality in your communications on a regular basis, you will be establishing the uniqueness of your business, because you are unique.

For more details about this subject, consider investing in Dan Kennedy's mini-course, "Personality In Copy". You can order it at www.dankennedy.com.

Now you have a secret weapon. Be sure to include some personal story elements in all of your communications with prospective and current customers.

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