Magic is a word that connotes a feeling of excitement when just saying it or hearing it. The definition is simple: magic is the "power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces." Women entrepreneurs are in the business of executing magic!

Every start-up entrepreneur I have ever worked with has the desire to create something special for her clients. Whether it is a service or a retail business, she is ready to provide an experience for her customers that they have never before in their lives tried. The experience which she proclaims to arrange is offering the customer exactly what she wants with no fear. Fear is an element that often isn't talked about from the customer experience. We all know that the entrepreneur fears rejection, not believing in herself or her business, and needing to be perfect in everything she does. But, the customer also has fears. The customer worries that the product or service she wants will not fulfill her need, that the experience will take too much of her time and that no one is really looking out for her best interest.

This is where magic is the key to every entrepreneur's business! As a consumer, and a business coach, magic is the secret sauce an entrepreneur has if she chooses to use it. Let me explain. The customer's first priority is always time, and we all know that time is money. The point is no matter how much a customer is talking about money they are really talking about time. In other words, if a customer takes the time to shop with you she is looking to get whatever she is looking for as quickly and seamlessly as possible. The best way to explain this concept is to bring up the most painful shopping experience I know...dealing with the cable companies. One would think that they have it on good authority that wasting customer's pressure time by a run around will make them happy and buy more. You know, as well as I, that this is not the case. But, I digress. The most important customer need is that their time is not wasted. This is a simple message: customers don't want to waste time shopping for something you, the entrepreneur are uable to deliver! This is not less important for service businesses than it is for retail businesses. In other words, to thyself (or thybusiness) be true! Know what you can and cannot deliver to your customers. Get to know them so well that you know what they want and/or need before they do - that is magic! Or at least it will seem to be to your customers.

Let me demonstrate this simple concept with two stories from my personal experience. First, I went into a boutique that I frequent often enough for them to know me. When I chatted with the owner (entrepreneur) for a while, letting her know my need, she was quick to point me to exactly what fit my event and my size. She didn't hesitate or even provide me a choice. She knew me well enough to know that this is what I needed and if I didn't want it she wouldn't waste my time trying to sell me something else. I bought the outfit. For me it was magic! I had no wasted time or money on gas looking for an alternative that probably in the end wouldn't have felt right. The second scenario happened in a big box store. I entered knowing exactly what I wanted to buy. I was escorted to the salesperson on duty (or perhaps next in line to serve). He asked all the right questions, but didn't seem to listen to my answers. I was directed to a choice of several models of TV's of different sizes, prices and brands. I continued to tell him I didn't want to hear about the technology hype for each, but he seemed to be getting high on his own knowledge. I finally thanked him for wasting my time and took myself to a small enterprise who located exactly what I wanted and needed for a little more money. I was there for less than 30 minutes and I purchased and planned delivery for my bounty. Yes, this entrepreneur worked magic in getting me what I wanted and making it easy for me to move onto my next event for the day.

Hopefully, you now understand the concept of magic in selling and customer service. When your customer walks out, or hangs up, singing your praises and feeling as though they have just been paid the highest compliment...respect for her time...magic is exactly what you have performed.

So, start today learning the magic tricks that will keep customers coming back for more!