Appreciation Marketing – It’s All Marketing

Recently I had a conversation with another business professional, and we agreed that we are marketing from the time that we wake up until we go to sleep. We are marketing to everyone that we meet or to others with whom we never even have a conversation. Sounds like we were focused on our business and our marketing messages, doesn’t it?

We all engage with others whose lives we want to impact in some way. In fact most of the people with whom we come in contact each and every day are those whose lives we want to influence in some manner. From our spouse, to vendors, clients, prospects, family, friends, even total strangers, we want to engage in a pleasant, mutually rewarding process with everyone. Even our pets, neighbors, or drivers on the road, everyone is someone with whom we want a comfortable, rewarding relationship, if only for a moment or for a lifetime.

Isn’t our behavior towards these relationships just marketing, making other people approve of us or what we say or what we do? Is there anything wrong with trying to influence others in a positive manner? Sure we want others that we meet to behave in a manner that is positive to us, but how about we try to do so in a manner that results in mutually positive results? You have to agree that it is basically marketing, but it sounds like Appreciation Marketing to me.

From the time that your feet hit the floor in the morning until you doze off at night, you are marketing, trying to influence others to listen to what you have to offer and hopefully believe that they need what you are offering. Marketing is every word out of your mouth, every action that you take, and every movement that others see, hear, or feel. You are attempting to influence everyone with everything that you say, all that you do, or whatever feelings or emotions you convey to others. These influences may be positive, or they may be negative.

If you drive down the street with your business name all over your car and you engage in road rage in some manner, that is negative marketing. If you hold a door for someone to pass through it, that is positive marketing. If you thank someone for what they do for you or someone else, you are practicing Appreciation Marketing, positive marketing at its best. If you never thank your clients for doing business with you, you are practicing selfish marketing, negative marketing at its worse. Which do you believe will gain you the approval, and cooperation, of those with whom you come into contact each day?

Do you think that it is better to practice Appreciation Marketing, letting everyone know how much you appreciate whatever they do, either for you or for others? Or do you believe that we should just plod through life, taking advantage of everyone, looking only for what we can gain by using those whom we meet or with whom we do business, running over everyone? Whatever your former manner of living, and doing business, why don’t you try Appreciation Marketing? See what it can do for you in everything that you do during the day; after all, everything that you do is marketing. You might as well make it positive.

Whether you agree or disagree, leave me your comments about your marketing and whether you believe that it is everything that you do. You can also call me at 360-314-8691, or email me at Jim@SOC4Now.com. Since Appreciation Marketing is my passion, and what I teach to others, I look forward to your comments and a discussion about this subject. Who knows, we probably will form a networking relationship that will benefit both of us.