Gurus On Marketing

• To create value for clients they present the following formula:
Insight x Collaborative Relationships = Client value.
• The attributes that represent insight are: selfless independence,
empathy, conviction, integrity, ability to think and reason,
ability to synthesise, and judgement. These attributes contribute
significantly to the professional’s effectiveness.
‘These are the qualities that foster the development and the insights
and relationships that lead to consistent value creation for clients,
and they are the characteristics that great advisers themselves have
intuitively developed. If you want, in short, to become an extraordinary
professional who commands unwavering client loyalty, you
need especially to develop and strengthen these attributes.’
The content of this book and the subject matter reflects the agility of
mind of Professor Sheth. He and his co-author have focused on clients
as opposed to customers. They write:
‘The distinction between a client and a customer is more than
semantic. Customers, for example, buy a product or service with
well-defined characteristics that match their needs, with little or
no negotiation and discussion between buyer and seller; the professional’s
relationship with a client, in contrast, has a consultative
aspect to it – there is a give-and-take to clarify needs, identify problems,
and recommend solutions. While there doesn’t have to be
a personal relationship between a customer and the seller of the
product or service, with a client there is typically a close, personal
relationship with a high degree of trust. Finally a professional offers
a client an authoritative body of knowledge and expertise...’
This book is very valuable in addressing the needs of clients – yet
another dimension of present day marketing.
EIGHT JAGDISH SHETH 123