Secret Sauce


As a teenager, I can remember resolving not to nag my kids like I felt my mother did to me. Now, I’m pretty sure my stepson would say I’m a master at it. Funny how that happens.

Recently, I was reminding a client to send me the article for her newsletter. A few minutes later, I received an article titled “Nagging, Tracking, Monitoring and Control”. Once I stopped laughing, it got me thinking about the conversations I've had with other clients. One had said that she likes that we never back off from a deadline. Others have said they appreciate the accountability that our reminder process provides. It seems that one of my professional success factors is, in fact, nagging.

Our website says nothing about nagging. I never mention it when I’m talking to potential new clients; I’m quick to dazzle them with our expertise and to reassure them about our quality assurance process. It turns out that nagging is really what many of our clients want and need. Mom will be proud to find out that I make a living from it.

I bet you also have factors like this that you don’t even realize are contributing to the success of your company. Recognize the trends in what people are telling you, ask a few clients why they like working with you, and you might discover you've got a ‘secret sauce’ that you didn't realize as well. (Now I have to figure out how to add nagging to the list of services on our website.)


photo by findingthenow
Originally published in Work Better, Not Harder on November 19, 2013

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