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Do you remember having to write elementary school essays on what you did over the summer? I sure do. Even though I cannot recall the specifics of anything I wrote, the memory of those assignments is the inspiration for this month’s newsletter.
For three weeks last month, my wife and I travelled to Turkey with our friend and client Anthony Sandberg, founder and president of OCSC Sailing (the country’s best sailing school). We visited Istanbul and sailed along the country’s Western Mediterranean Coast. It was an amazing trip, and we fell in love with the ancient ruins, delicious cuisine, and spectacular scenery. Yet, it was the happiness and hospitality of the Turks that left the most vivid impression and provided insights for improving our personal and business lives.
Everywhere in Turkey, in city parks, cafes, and bus stops, people are engaged in animated conversations or playing games like backgammon and dominoes with friends. Of course, we saw plenty of cell phones and PDAs but Turks are much better than Americans in turning off their digital devices and interacting with one another. As a result, the Turkish people are some of the most balanced and content people we’ve encountered in our travels.
The importance Turks place on building strong relationships carries over to their business dealings. Every single traveler we met during our trip bought more than they had intended (ourselves included!). And, rather than buying cheap trinkets, many splurged for high-end, hand-crafted items like rugs, jewelry, and pottery. Most attributed a good measure of their shopping enthusiasm to the special way that the merchants treated them.
When you walk into Turkish restaurant or shop, you’re genuinely treated like a friend. For instance, it’s common for a restaurant owner in Turkey to stop by your table and ask about your travels or how you’re enjoying the food. More often than not, he or she will explain the origin and tradition behind each delicious dish. And whether it’s a simple or high-end establishment, the common practice is for the owner to thank you when you leave and offer to spray your hands with delicate lemon-scented water. In contrast, I can recall only one instance over the last year when a restaurant owner in United States initiated a conversation with me.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re shopping for an antique rug, a piece of handmade jewelry, or an inexpensive package of tea or spices, either. Turkish shop owners take a real interest in you. I can’t even count how many cups of tea that shopkeepers offered me when I lingered in their establishments for more than a few minutes. Yet, I never felt that Turkish retailers were interested in me solely because I might spend money on their wares. Rather, their questions and the intensity with which they listened convinced me that they were genuinely curious to learn about me and what I enjoyed about their country.
I’ve always believed that it’s often not the value that a specific product or service offers that clinches a sale. Customers will often decide to buy because they like and trust the salesperson. That explains why so many travelers leave Turkey not only with more stuff than they planned on purchasing, but also a feeling that they’ve forged real ties to Turkish people.
Relationships with shop owners can also lead to unexpected surprises. A woman in our travel group told us about a Turkish carpet merchant who befriended her in his shop in Istanbul while offering tea and charming conversation. This merchant, now considered a good friend by the woman and her husband, visits them in California every couple of years. He always brings his finest carpets and the woman invites her friends over for a “Turkish carpet party” that invariably leads to carpet sales. To show his gratitude, the merchant has gifted several beautiful pieces to the woman and her husband.
Why do I love this story so much? Because American companies spend billions of dollars every year trying to market their way to success. Yet, too few focus on ways to connect with the people coming through their doors. In contrast, the Turks offer convincing proof that developing strong personal relationships is a recipe for success in work and life, and it can be as easy as a simple cup of tea.
I just got a great response to this post via email from my good friend Ed Young that you should appreciate:
Hi Patrick:
My father always stopped by each customer's table to make a personal "connection." As a young man, I questioned him about that much time spent chit chatting when we had 1500 customers to tend to.
My Dad turned to me and asked "Would you like to know more about your returning customer or just take the money for a one-time only customer." I began to chat with each customer, after that.
Today, my business attitude is the same....learn who your return customer is, and let them decide whether they want to return or not!
Personal contacts, interactive "vibrations" are the reasons why people do what they do, year after year after year!!!!
Much of my international business is the most stimulating and rewarding. Many Americans tend to do business on a one-time basis only. Too bad! Our economy reflects that weakness, oversight, and deficiency.
Thank you for sharing your Turkish adventure, Patrick!
Ed Young
Posted by: Patrick Galvin | October 22, 2010 at 08:58 AM