Appreciation Marketing – What Is Your Why?

For years I have believed that anyone who is serious about their business must be professional, passionate, and personal in their business. It does not matter if they are the business owner or an employee, they must believe, and practice, these guidelines if they want to succeed and better themselves. Of course, if they don’t care about their own self-improvement, well, you know some people like that, don’t you?

Professionalism is a must in being successful. You must be professional in your business, including your customer service and your employee relations. The easiest way to define being professional is that you always “do the right thing”, not whatever you contracted to do, but the “right thing” for the circumstance in question.

You must be passionate about what you do. Don’t be the person with multiple business cards for different professions. Pick something, give it all of your passion, and succeed. It’s like having multiple spouses or romantic friends; you cannot be successful in the endeavor until you pick one and center all your attention on that one. Be the person that everyone thinks of when they think of your business industry.

Finally, but not least, you must be personal. “Personalize” your business. Get to know your customers, what do they need, who are they, who are their family members, and what are the events in their lives. Then do the same for your employees. Your business will run better, your sales will grow, and your customer retention will improve. In addition, your employees will work like they own the business.

Behind all of these points is the question, “What is your why?” In other words, what is the reason that you are doing whatever it is that you are doing? Why did you start your business, why did you want to enter the industry in which you are working, why did you pick your business name, if you did, and what is the why behind everything that you do or have? If you have any trouble defining your ‘why”, then you must rethink everything.

Your “why” must come from your heart. It must be something that you can “feel”. If your “why” is that you just “fell into” whatever it is that you are doing, you may not be dedicated to your business, you may not care about your customers or employees, and you will find yourself “just getting by”. Everyone will know that your level of commitment to people is questionable, and this situation is not conducive to long term relations.

If you can believe in your “why” and you reflect that “why” in being professional, being passionate for what you do, and dealing with customers and employees in a personal manner, then you will succeed. Your business will reflect what you are and how your business and personal lives intertwine. People will know you for what you are, someone with whom they wish to do business or with whom they want to work.

The next time someone wants to market anything to you, ask if you would work for that person or be in that person’s family. Good business relationships are like family relationships. Can they last over the long term, or are they just “good enough” for the short term? Please leave me your comments here, or call me at 360-314-8691, or email me at Jim@JimTeasley.com. Maybe we can discuss the “why” we do what we do.