As business owners, we're often told to focus on the customer and serve them. But what exactly do we mean by "serve"? It has become a cliché. Yes, of course, I serve my customers. Service is at the heart of what I do. However, can you truly articulate what it means to serve rather than sell?

When I was going through pre-marital counseling required by the church we got married in 30 years ago, it was this very idea that stuck with me. The pastor advised us to look at what we put into the marriage and our partners rather than what we were getting out of it. To me, this is what it means to serve as a business owner, and this is true love. My mission as a Christian is to love others, and I can best do this through a business where I serve others.

​Obviously, you will need to charge people to survive and be able to serve more, but put in the forefront how you can serve.

How does this look on a more practical basis? When someone comes to me with a question or for help, my first thought shouldn’t be, “how can I make them a customer?” or “How can I ‘convert’ them?” Instead, it should be focusing on their needs and how I can help them with their needs where they are.

This helps build trust. The fastest way to destroy trust according to the trust formula is to appear self-seeking. This is the number one reason people distrust salespeople. I know my own perspective when I run into a ‘sales’ person; I immediately put up a barrier to be on guard in how this person wants to get me.


In “To Sell Is Human” Daniel Pink tells the story of Atlassian, that made a revenue of $100 million without a single salesperson (affiliate link). Instead, their employees offer support. People who can explain the product and how it solves a problem. By intentionally not hiring salespeople, they are focusing on serving, not selling — how to help the customers’ problems rather than how to get the customer to buy.

It isn’t just a wordplay, but it is a mind shift to start looking at how you can help people. As you help people, they see your value and start to trust you. As soon as you shift to what you can get out of this relationship, barriers go up and trust declines. You are less likely to get people to part with their hard-earned cash once they lose trust in you.

The novel ‘Go-Givers’ (affiliate link) demonstrates the ways in which a very successful businessman serves others in his community. He puts others first rather than his own success, but by putting them first, he has garnered their trust and become very successful.

In my personal training in conducting a sales call, I learned that the goal was not for me to ramble on about my product, but to go deep into listening to the other person. They should be talking more than me, and I need to learn more about their problems so I can identify how to best help them. (This podcast talks about a similar process)

Serving them may also help them make the decision to buy from you. I do this by making my pricing clear and offering ‘fast action bonuses’ or other time-limited bonuses because some people are tortured by indecision. If I think my services will help them, I give a time-limited offer to help them make the decision.

​I don’t want to push or cajole or trick people into buying from me. I want to feel good about helping and serving people, and I want them to want my services and feel that no matter how much they are paying, they are getting a good value.

Here are some practical ways you can prioritize serving your customers, leading to a more impactful and freeing business for you, the small business owner:

1. Do it as if they are paying you a million dollars.

Mel Robbins recently popularized the Terry Crews interview in which he talks about sweeping floors as if he was being paid a million dollars. If we consider serving each customer and potential customer as if they were paying us a million dollars, we would probably serve them extremely well! This mindset elevates every interaction and encourages you to go above and beyond, not for the money, but for the inherent value of service.

Examples:

Systems that support this mindset:

2. Provide value rather than discounts.

Rather than slashing prices to attract customers, consider what else you can offer them. This doesn't mean never having a sale, but it shifts the focus from price-cutting to value-adding. Your female business owners are looking for solutions, not just cheap options. They want to escape the "tyranny of the urgent," and true value helps them do that.

Examples:

Systems that support this approach:

3. Make it easy for your customers to work with you.

Many business owners find themselves bogged down by friction points, wasting time on back-and-forth communication. If you want your customers to feel free and empowered, start by making their experience with your business effortless. Consider from your customer’s point of view:

Examples:

Systems that support ease of doing business:

4. Provide free content.

Have articles, videos, or freebies so that customers can get some help and value from you before they buy. Let them see how helpful you are by solving some of their problems before they ever pay you. This builds immediate trust and positions you as an authority.

Examples:

Systems that support free content delivery:

Many systems overlap and offer a combination of these different features so that you can limit the amount of software you are subscribed to (and then have to try to link together).

5. Offer a money-back guarantee.

I know there is a lot of debate on this one — especially for online content and coaching because customers have already benefited. However, by offering a money-back guarantee, you are building trust, and you are going to make sure you are serving your customers. It will hold you accountable and keep your eyes on what is helpful for your customers. I have a graphic demonstrating my promise on my webpage header to keep me putting my customers first. This demonstrates your confidence in your service and minimizes perceived risk for your clients.

Examples:

Systems that support a guarantee:

6. Ask your customers!

Make sure you regularly ask your customers what they want. This ensures you focus on solving your customers’ problems instead of what you can get money for. This is crucial for staying aligned with their ever-evolving needs and ensuring your services remain relevant and impactful.

Examples:

Systems that support asking and listening:

By integrating these strategies and systems, you can move beyond simply saying you serve your customers to truly living it, building deeper trust and fostering a business that thrives on genuine connection and impact. This approach will free you from the cycle of constant emergency response and allow you to focus on the strategic, important work that truly serves your clients and moves your business forward.

I will spend 90 minutes diving into your current systems and needs and give you a customized report with my top recommendations specially for your business needs.