Fun

Those of you who know me understand that I believe that everyone should have fun in everything that we all do, including work as well as play. If we are not having fun each and every day, we should take a look at whatever it is that we are doing and fix the problem of the lack of fun. If we all are having fun each and every day, we are doing something that is good for us as well as for everyone else.

If our business is fun for us, and for our employees and our co-workers, is it fun for our clients? Does our customer base believe that their day is richer or more enjoyable for having done business with us? It doesn’t matter how much their purchase from us makes their lives better. When they come to us and make a purchase, does that process makes them feel better, smile, maybe laugh, and believe that they enjoyed the process? Do they have fun?

It doesn’t matter what we have available for our prospects. It doesn’t even matter if they make a purchase or not. Do they enjoy engaging in the buying process with us? Is the process fun, or does it brighten their day? Of course, if they actually make a purchase from us, our day is brighter and we enjoy the process more, but just the interaction should be enjoyable and even fun for both parties. That should be true even if no purchase is made.

Do our employees or co-workers have fun? Do we as business people have fun during each and every day? If not, why not? Maybe we should take a look at our operations from the outside, like our customers and prospects do. Maybe we should look at what our clients see and how it makes everyone feel. Perhaps we should ask our clients, who give us repeat business, as well as our one-time customers, what they see and experience.

Do our prospects enjoy the role of prospect or do they endure the process, looking for the exit door from the buying experience? Does the one-time customer grit their teeth, buy what they have to have, and get out of the experience as quickly as possible? Asking them for their honest opinion would be a good start to answering the question of why we are not having fun ourselves.

One of the principles of Appreciation Marketing is to look at our business processes from the viewpoint of the client or prospect. Only then can we realistically see what we do and experience how it is for that person to do business with us. Do we have the type of relationships with our prospects or clients to gain that information in a usable format? Do our prospects or clients believe that they can be honest with us?

How about our employees or co-workers? Do they have the level of relationship that allows them to be honest and objective with us? Do we have the type of relationship with ourselves to do the same? If all of us aren’t having fun and enjoying our work, it becomes a death march to failure as business people and as a business.

What do your clients and prospects have to say about your business? Do they have fun in dealing with you? Do your co-workers or employees have fun and enjoy the process of business with you? Do you? Does everyone, including you, enjoy the buying process and experience, or do they endure it, looking for it to end as soon as possible? Do you appreciate doing business with you? Please leave me your comments, or email me at Jim@JimTeasley.com, or call me at 360-314-8691.