You positive need to beginning with the basics minding your store from opening to closing and being polite and responsive to your customers and their needs. This will set the stage, and over measure you will naturally become a familiar and respected figure.
The general store in my small hometown of China Village, Maine had been owned and operated by the same man for 40 decades . Mack was a well-known figure in our town, almost a landmark. He was always at the store. Everyone in town had a close relationship with him and he always greeted every one with a smile. Mack was also a character and a wise-guy. He enjoyed cracking crude jokes and generating off color remarks to the customers but nobody seemed to mind. Mack was like family. He was an integral part of the Yankee charm of our town.

Mack finally retired and sold the store this past year. Another family who had moved into our small town a few years back took it over. Bob is the new owner now. He had known Mack for a while and Mack was relaxed turning the business over to him. At first, every body was real excited when Bob took over the store. He remodeled the place and added a sandwich bar and deli big doings in a small town like ours. Like Mack, Bob was always at the store from opening to closing. For some strange reason though, Bob decided it would be a nice idea to try and act like the previous owner too. He began creating rude comments to the customers and telling dirty jokes to anyone and everybody who walked in just like Mack used to do.

For some reason, this didnt go over so well...

Even long time customers we are very offended when the new owner acted in this too familiar manner. On a daily basis, you would run into everybody on the streets complaining about Bob and how rude he was. Needless to say, business began slacking off pretty dramatically.

Luckily, word quickly got back to Bob about how his attempt at keeping the spirit of the stores previous owner alive was affecting his business. He quickly toned down his persona and began to act simply polite. Now he greets his customers with a friendly hello, asks them how they are doing and if he may help them find anything. He still stays at the store from opening to closing. Customers are returning and Bob is now gaining a reputation as a respectable businessperson in our town.

Of course, the obvious lesson to be learned here is DONT BE RUDE TO YOUR CUSTOMERS - thats common sense. The more important point to be noted is that you really absolutely need to generate a solid reputation first, before you try and act too familiar with your customers. You positive need to start with the basics minding your store from opening to closing and being polite and responsive to your customers and their needs. This will set the stage, and over measure you will naturally become a familiar and respected figure.

When it comes to internet branding, it seems the same rules apply. Nothing turns me off and gets me to click the delete button or unsubscribe hyperlink sooner than receiving an email from someone Ive never heard of trying to introduce me to the latest code or product.

On the other hand, I am much more likely to ponder building a purchase or joining a new program when it is recommended by someone who has developed a relationship with me. There are several web site owners and ezine publishers who have always been quick to answer my e-mail questions and have provided sizeably good, useful understanding to me over time. You might be sure when I get an e-mail from them, it gets read and any offer they are marketing acquires serious consideration.

So remember, online as in offline, stick to the basics and focus on developing positive relationships. Dont try and act too familiar too quickly, no matter what the guy before you was like.

Then you can save your dirty jokes for the friends youve had for forty many years.