And they shouldn’t be treated as such. I refer to those who contact me as “people who want to have a conversation about real estate.” Seth Godin decided that he preferred the term “citizens.”

Citizen recognized the power of this individual. Citizens are no longer the weak, isolated pre-consumers in front of a TV set in 1971, with few options. Now, citizens appear to be holding all the cards. It sounds a bit pretentious, but then, so do most terms marketers use.

When you stop calling people ‘targets’ or ‘prospects’ and start calling them ‘guests’ or ‘citizens’, you can’t help but become a little more humble and a little more respectful. Try it, it works.

Either way, one of the secrets to business success is treating people well. I’ve found the Golden Rule works.