It's not about customer service - it's about customer loyalty. It's not about brand awareness - it's about brand insistence. And, it's not about closing a sale: it's about attracting and keeping clients for life. Easier said than done? Not really, it just takes time, discipline, and, like anything else worth doing, a strong commitment. If done properly, you can live your dreams doing what you love. If done poorly or not at all, then you will be blindsided, sitting at your desk with your hand on your face asking yourself, "After all these years, why would my client/customer do business with someone else?"

It's not finance, not strategy, not technology that leads to big business. It's building a long-term, strategic relationship that is the ultimate competitive advantage.

I was driving back from lunch with a client the other day and he said, "Manny, I have met a number of speakers, consultants, trainers, and coaches like you in my life. Some of them with fees of $10,000 plus for a single keynote. Yet none of them, other than you, has followed up." He paused, and said, "Don't you find that odd? I am the person who can authorize an agreement, have the big check signed, yet nobody, except you, has ever stayed in touch." I said, "Sadly, I don't find it that odd. Unfortunately, I see that all the time, but I'm working on changing all of that!" We laughed, and he turned to me and said, "By the way, I loved the proposal you sent; I renewed it yesterday." Can you image all of the money we put into marketing pieces, lunches, dinners, gifts, hiring, training, rent, postage, and the list goes on, only to attract a prospect, close a sale, and then, never follow up? Sad, but true, this happens all the time, despite the fact that it takes seven times more money to attract new business than to build the business you currently have with your existing customers.

Below are five keys to becoming the rainmaker you were born to be. We will start with the key that no one should ever violate:

Key Number One: Trust

Great service, good pricing, and quality products in today's marketplace are expected. Great service, good pricing, and quality products are the minimum standards all companies must offer to stay competitive. Let's say you own a local print/copy shop. Think of yourself as a customer walking into your place of business. Now, ask yourself, of all the choices available to me, why should I do business here? If the person on the other side of the counter says, "We offer great service, good pricing, and quality products," you would laugh because the other five printing companies you walked into this morning to get bids all said the same thing. Look at your television tonight and watch car commercials. Every one of them claims to be number one, so, whom, do you believe? None of them. Customers buy based on trust. The buyer's decision is based on the integrity of the seller. Don't miss that - it is based on the integrity of the seller. Customers don't buy based on what you show them, they don't buy based on what you tell them. They buy based on what you show them, what you tell them, and whether or not they trust you. The product you're always selling is you.

Just as you can build equity in a home, you can build trust in your personal and professional relationships - it's a matter of time. I call it "relational equity." This equity is needed to acquire new clients and to retain or expand existing ones. You violate this trust when you ask for business too soon and value position, gain, or profit more than the relationship. Trust is built over time, and it starts when you do what you say you're going to do. Your actions must match your words. The camera and microphone are always on me as a professional speaker. I must be the same person on the platform as off the platform. So, as long as my words and actions are congruent, then, and only then, does trust continue to build.

Recently, while speaking in New Orleans, I saw one of my clients and his colleagues in the lobby of the hotel. After chatting with them a little while, some of the guys decided to go to a "Gentleman's Club". Of course, they extended the same invitation to me. I politely declined and excused myself from the rest of the conversation. The next day when I was speaking on values, the issue of integrity came up. Shortly thereafter, during a small break, my client came up and complimented me on holding my ground and not compromising my values the night before. He said, "That one decision you made has allowed me to trust you even more. Because had you said yes, I would have thought a whole lot differently about you." Needless to say, he didn't join them either. With regard to trust, let me close by sharing with you a quote from a recent testimonial letter. "Manny.you're a man true to your word in a day when few exist!" Now that's why the client brings me back time and time again.

Key Number Two: Listening

After a speech, as I was walking on the San Diego pier, I saw a sign on the door of a store. In big bold letters it read: "WE DON'T SELL ICE CREAM!!!" Immediately, I thought to myself, "If I were the owner, guess what I would be selling? Something - the name of the store, the area it's located, something - is making people think they sell ice cream. And, if people are coming in and asking for something they don't sell, they are missing a lot of business." Listening is difficult for me. In my seminar, "The Four Faces of Your Clients," I talk in detail about the four basic personalities we do business with. The Extrovert (which happens to be my personality) is the poorest listener. This is a skill that I had to work hard on, but it is essential for building strategic relationships.

I use this skill to listen for clues. For example, during a conversation once with a client, he mentioned his 35th wedding anniversary was approaching. I congratulated him when he said June 27th was the date. I didn't write it down at that moment, but, eventually, I wrote June 27th on the pad of paper that I was taking notes on. Soon enough, he received a special gift. As you can probably imagine, I was the only person other than his spouse that he received a present from.

While I was on a coaching call with one of my executive clients, she mentioned former President Bill Clinton. It didn't matter if it was poking fun at him or something serious about him, she loved all his stuff. When his memoir was released on a Tuesday, she had a copy by Wednesday. What did that cost me? It doesn't matter because three years later business is still coming in from her. The old adage is right. People don't care what you know until they know that you care. Give them the gift of attention and take lots of notes. Yes, listening is an art. It takes time and energy to master. But once you get all the technical stuff down, such as eye contact and good posture, it really requires you to drop your agenda and make the conversation all about them.

Key Number Three: Attitude

When I first read that statement, I thought "How clever! What a great shortcut!" When I speak on teamwork or customer service, the word attitude always comes up. Audience members almost always ask why attitude is so important. If you want to be a memorable rainmaker, you must have the right attitude. We have all heard it before. There are people who just light up a room when they walk in to it and others who light up a room when they leave. A positive mental attitude and a good sense of humor are by far the most contagious and essential skills you can develop for social and professional settings.

A few years ago, I went to a medical clinic because my toe was hurting. The nurse said, "Manny, take your clothes off, put on that gown and go behind the curtain. The doctor will be with you in a minute." I said, "I will be glad to take my shoes and socks off, but I see no reason to get naked. The problem is only in my big toe." She raised her voice at me and said, "Listen, son, everyone who goes in that room takes off their clothes, finds an empty bed, closes the curtain and waits for the doctor." I said, "Fine!" in an upset voice, picked an empty bed, closed the curtain and started to complain out loud. "Man, she has some nerve. Who does she think she is? I have rights here." Suddenly, a voice from the other side of the curtain yelled out, "I know what you mean brother; I am here just to fix the phone." Attitude - some people get it, others just don't. I wish I could carry t-shirts around and hand them out when I see people who are supposed to be in the people business rendering bad service. The t-shirts would simply say, "It must be awful to be you." There is an adage associated with the computer age: garbage in, garbage out. While that might be true for computers, it doesn't work for human relations. Or if it does, we shouldn't be exposing our minds to garbage. So my question for you is simple. Is your attitude garbage or is it worth catching?

I was in the mall yesterday and saw a mother and daughter walk into a shoe store. Shortly after they came out, the mother was visibly upset. She looked at her daughter and said loudly, "Did you see the look that salesman gave me?" Her daughter simply smiled and said, "Yes, mother, it was the same look you went in with." On a private note, I was six years old when I had my first surgery. Little did I know that I would have surgery every year from that time until now (sometimes, multiple surgeries in one year). As of this writing, I'm 35. I have spent more than three years in and out of hospitals, had two years of chemotherapy and eight months of radiation. I am absolutely convinced that had I not had a positive attitude that painted a picture of hope for me, my future would be different, if it existed at all. Don't underestimate the power of a positive attitude. I deeply believe it can extend your life.

Key Number Four: Service

Early in my relationship-building process, I share the above statement with my clients. I make it crystal clear that I am available to be of service, not the other way around. I set the tone for the rest of the relationship with those words. Excellent teamwork and memorable customer service are almost as rare as this chapter on relationship building. However, you can't build a long-term and rewarding relationship unless your whole team buys into the same concept and acts on it, especially when you are not present.

For example, if I preach "attitude is everything" and I use this principle to build a solid relationship with you, my client, and one day you call my office only to encounter a rude staff member, then all that I have done to build relational equity doesn't matter. You may want to do business with me, but if you know you may have deal with a rude staff member, chances are you will start to consider other providers and no deals will ever be made. I simply mention this to make a case for how it all works together. It's no different from when you go into a restaurant only to encounter poor service. The food may be great and the owner may have a rainmaker reputation, but if the staff is not up to par, you won't go back.

Key Number Five: Laughter

Laugh often and laugh much. We are going to make some mistakes, and laughing at ourselves as we seek forgiveness is vital to business success. At the same time, remember to have mercy and compassion when your clients make a mistake. I often tell my wife "Thanks for loving me even when I have been unlovable." And I am so thankful we can laugh some things off. Life is short; laugh a little more often.

Bonus: The "A" List

Hollywood isn't the only one with an "A" list. This is a list of past, current, and potential prospects who get goodies from me. The secret is to do things first class. The "A" list is more than sending birthday cards - it's more detailed than that. Just remember, style without substance is a charade and substance without style is unmemorable. If you want to know how I run my "A" list, e-mail me with "A" list in the subject line, and I will share in detail how you can become a rainmaker with your own list.

At your service - Manuel Diotte.

Manuel Diotte is an author, speaker, trainer, consultant, and executive coach. He helps companies grow towards a more favorable future, by developing human capital. People First. Call him at 210.404.1185 or visit him online at www.manueldiotte.com