Making a Greater Service Imprint: Key Takeaways from Michael Barnett's Presentation

On Thursday, October 16th, 2025, the Inland Empire chapter of the American Advertising Federation had the privilege of hosting Michael Barnett, founder of Six-Sided Service, at Back to the Grind Cafe in Riverside. Michael delivered an insightful and actionable presentation on customer service excellence that challenged attendees to move beyond theory and into practice.

The Core Concept: Imprinting®

Michael introduced attendees to his signature concept of Imprinting®, which he defines as "hyper-customer loyalty that produces fiercely faithful followers." This isn't just about satisfied customers; it's about creating experiences so memorable that customers become advocates for your brand.

The session emphasized that exceptional service isn't just good business ethics; it's a strategic advantage that:

• Increases revenue by 17%

• Makes price objections irrelevant

• Differentiates you from competitors who become mere "vendors"

• Simplifies customer attraction, acquisition, and retention

• Energizes team members with purpose beyond their paycheck

• Boosts employee engagement, motivation, productivity, and happiness

The #1 Service Obstacle

Perhaps the most striking insight from Michael's presentation was identifying the biggest barrier to exceptional service: organizations believe they already have it. This complacency prevents brands from investing the necessary resources to truly differentiate their customer experience.

Michael challenged attendees to shift from an "I know that" mentality to an "I do that" approach, emphasizing that knowledge without implementation creates no value for customers.

Creating "Relational Velcro"

One of the presentation's most practical frameworks was the concept of "Relational Velcro," the ability to create more meaningful customer interactions that make your brand stick in customers' minds.

Michael shared 10 actionable ways to create this connection:

1. Send a video 'thank you' - Personalized video messages create stronger emotional connections than standard emails

2. Personalize the experience - Use customer data to tailor interactions to individual preferences

3. Connection before content - Build rapport before launching into your agenda

4. Be present - Give customers your undivided attention during interactions

5. Be a gift giver - Find thoughtful ways to add unexpected value

6. Provide free value - Share expertise and resources without immediate expectation of return

7. Refer often - Connect customers with others who can help them, even if there's no benefit to you

8. Take a greater interest in people than in their money - Genuine care builds lasting relationships

9. Give people time - Don't rush interactions; allow space for meaningful conversation

10. Solve problems as an act of service - Go beyond your defined role to help customers succeed

The Six Imprinting® Practices

Michael outlined six common practices found in every brand known for exceptional service:

1. Find a way to make their customers' day (Relational Velcro).

2. Enlist and empower Service Architects - Identify and empower team members who champion service excellence.

3. Develop a customer-centric mindset - Make customer needs central to all decision-making.

4. Treat brand and service as inseparable; recognize that your service IS your brand.

5. Nurture the culture:  Systematically build and maintain a service-oriented culture.

6. Steer service with systems: Create processes that ensure consistent, exceptional experiences.

A Generous Offer

True to his message about being a gift-giver, Michael concluded with a remarkable offer valued at $10,000 for attendees who act before November 20th:

• Free copies of his book "Customer Relationship Imprinting" for entire teams

• Free one-on-one consultation to discuss specific service challenges

• Free 30-day access to his on-demand Imprinting® course

• Free Imprinting® Accountability Framework

The Bottom Line

complicated strategies or expensive technology. It's about genuine human connection, consistent execution, and an organizational commitment to putting customers first.

For marketing and advertising professionals, the message was clear: the best campaigns in the world can't overcome poor service experiences, but exceptional service turns every customer into a marketing channel.

The challenge Michael left attendees with was simple but profound: Where will you invest your time, talent, and treasure? Are you truly obsessed with ways to provide greater service experiences? And most importantly, are you actively applying these practices daily in your organization?

For those interested in learning more about Michael's work or taking advantage of his limited-time offer, visit SixSidedService.com.

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The Inland Empire chapter of the American Advertising Federation thanks Michael Barnett for sharing his expertise and Back to the Grind Cafe for hosting this valuable professional development session.