I'm in the public relations space, and as of last count, there are more than 48,000 other PR firms in the United States. A large number of them compete with my agency in the five central cities where I operate. However, mine consistently ranks among the highest in those cities – Nashville, for example.

Is it because I know my industry better than my competitors? Because I have more placements for my clients? Because my team is more talented or my network of connections more extensive? As much as I'd like to think I'm running with the front of the pack based solely on the quality of my services and the effectiveness of my methodologies, I'm much more likely to earn good reviews and generate REFERRALS from my clients because of two words: personalized attention.

More specifically, my team and I go above and beyond to create one exceptional customer experience at my firm because I've learned over the years of running my own business that it's the customer's impression of you that matters most—it's what informs all other aspects of the customer relationship, drives all other customer decisions and determines whether they will stay with you or not (even more than short-term results).

Even in the digital age we all inhabit, with so much automated the productivity tasks and tools that populate our workplaces, by customizing the professional is a surefire tool for customer retention and satisfaction. Here are five practices I follow regularly to make the most positive impression on my clients that I can.

1. Get a copy of your client's organizational chart

When you understand structure of your client's business, you understand who does what, who reports to whom, and in turn, you know who to turn to for what. Not only is this a huge time-saver—so you don't fill people's inboxes unnecessarily with work that doesn't belong to them—but your clients will also appreciate that you've done your staff homework .

It's much more impressive to send a note that says, “Would your team like to see this before we send it to Jeremy?” or “I believe Bettina has the ultimate mark here” rather than “Are you the right person to contact about this?” And notice the use of actual nouns here – learn First name of all those you will work with takes you to the top faster than you think!

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2. Use correct grammar and punctuation

Make sure that all your communications with your client – and, more importantly, all communications you prepare on their behalf – are written correctly. Yes, it takes a little extra work to eliminate bugs. Still, it's absolutely worth the effort when you consider how much just one typo can damage an entire project (ever seen “pubic” instead of “public”?) and how much incorrect grammar can reflect on the quality of production, level of education and target attraction. audience.

While it may be true that language standards are slipping in America, that doesn't mean no one is noticing the poor copy quality. Some people still notice and care. If your client is one of them, you'll earn bonus points for knowing the difference between a “compliment” and a “complement” by not allowing “San Antonio Riverwalk” and “San Antonio River Walk” in the same publication. Use your grammar checker. Always do a spell check. Reread everything you produce. And if you don't have a language staff to serve as an in-house proofreader, hire an affordable one independent worker which can ensure fast turnaround times.

3. Select video over audio

Whenever possible, schedule video calls and video conference meetings over phone calls and meetings. The day and age of in-person dating is fast becoming obsolete. However, there will never be a replacement for face-to-face interactioneye contact, observing facial expressions and showing your customer with every nod and eyebrow raise that you are following what they are saying and following your conversation closely.

During the pandemic, cultivating one-on-one relationships over Zoom and Teams became the new norm, and most people are perfectly fine leaving it at that! Interacting on a screen instead of a conference table is simply more convenient, time-effective and environmentally friendly. However, we cannot afford to lose the “one-to-one interaction” part of the business relationship. Remember the old Bell advertising slogan? Well, video is the modern-day equivalent of “the next best thing to being there,” so leverage your camera as often as possible to “see” your customers, not just talk to them.

4. Mark your calendar!

Mark birthdays, business anniversaries, baby due dates. Keep a record of your big client meetings and participation in the conference. On those days, send a text or email from person to person. And the more specific the better, such as “I hope the Jersey coffee product launch went well and the traffic wasn't too bad on the Parkway!” Or “Congratulations on baby Elliot. That was my grandfather's name and I hope it serves your new son as well as it did him.”

Including the personal in the professional, which is a pillar of my approach my company, customers value your role more because you've actively tried to become a part of their lives, not just an appendage to their business. In other words, when you add a personal touch to your communications and conversations, your customers can't help but think of you on a more human level rather than just a professional contact they can easily cut ties with.

Connected: 6 Strategies for Making a Good First Impression During Business Meetings

5. Walk the line between personal and professional, but use both — often

On a related but separate note: As much as I say weave personal connections into your day-to-day dealings with your customers, you never want to go too far. You can use humor, but not colorless humor. You can show weakness, but you don't want to appear weak or indecisive. You can ask questions and admit what you don't know, but be strategic (not lazy) about trying to solve problems yourself before you come to your customers with them. And be yourself, absolutely always be your true self, but don't expose so much that you cross the line into overintimacy or inappropriate disclosure.

By imbuing your customer interactions with an individual touch while maintaining proper decorum, you'll put a personal face on your business name. And that name will make more of an impression on your clients precisely because of your skillful balancing act between the personal and the professional.

Part of making a meaningful impression on your customers is consciously putting your best face forward every day, in every way. Don't let them see a messy office behind you on Zoom, but let them talk about their child's tonsils for 10 minutes if necessary. Don't mistreat other customers or point the finger when things go wrong, but get to know each other well enough that you'll want to grab a drink the next time you're in town.

Take every opportunity you can to show your clients—and then remind them often—that “business as usual” for you means being prepared (as in learning an org chart), producing quality results ( that has been proven), to schedule face-to-face meetings, observing special occasions in their lives and sharing your authentic self, who happens to be a multi-faceted, wonderfully flawed human being who is also a complete professional and a true pro at what you do!