According to a British study, dairy cows given names by their farmers produced close to 4% more milk that those that were simply herded.
It’s likely, of course, that naming itself was not the operative factor. Instead, it’s probably the extra attention that the dairy farm workers give to cows treated almost as pets. The cows are happier. Happier cows apparently make more milk.
Sales people (and persuaders of all stripes) know of a similar approach – the use of the customer’s name – in improving sales. You know this, too, as your name is undoubtedly your most favorite word.
You should be using this same approach with your colleagues, referral sources, hospital administrators and patients. They’re not colleagues, they’re Bob and Sally. They’re not referral sources, they’re Jack and Ruth. They’re not hospital administrators, they’re Alan and Melissa. And they’re not patients, they are Dan and Barbara.
It seems so simple.
The beautiful part is that it is.
