Back On Schedule

For regular readers, thanks for tolerating the absence for the last few weeks. Our move to Sacramento is complete and we now need to dig our way out of the mountain of boxes and other stuff that is not put away as of yet.

That said; let’s move forward with applying Gratitude Marketing to our business and personal lives, reaping the benefits of the great karma that results from making customers, clients, prospects, friends, and family understand that we actually care about them and treating them well.

Exactly what is Gratitude Marketing? It is marketing our businesses in a way that makes our customers know without a doubt that we believe in customer service, performing in an ethical, honest manner, and “doing the right thing” whenever we interface with anyone. Does this mean that we “give away the store” when the customer complains? We should evaluate any communication from a customer in a fair manner, standing behind any promises or guarantees made, but making decisions based on common sense and the relationship between the customer and our business.

Obviously any business can stand behind their fine print without any deviation, but that may not be the best adherence to Gratitude Marketing. The first rule for any business is to stay in business. Selling products or services at a loss cannot be made up in volume. A fair profit is necessary for any business to succeed and stay in business. Any customer or client that wants to continue to have a relationship with any business should understand and agree with this philosophy. However, common sense also means that a rule may be adjusted for the right situation.

Can a business continue to succeed without a relationship based on Gratitude Marketing? If a business wants to be constantly searching for the next new customer, ignoring the current ones that it has, it may be possible to maintain a business operation. However, the stress of that constant search, always replacing customers with new ones, is stressful and not a stable basis for any business. Why not treat your customers in such a manner that they become your unpaid marketing advocates, telling everyone that you are the business with which they should explore a relationship.

Notice the use of the term “relationship”. We all establish relationships with others, either in business or our personal lives. What is the basis for those relationships and what is the result of maintaining them? Is there mutual benefit from the relationship, and can we say that the relationship is one of which we are proud? We can if the relationship is based on Gratitude Marketing.

So let’s restart our journey together, exploring this philosophy of Gratitude Marketing. Let’s learn how to base our lives on treating everyone as we would want to be treated. Let’s turn prospects into customers, customers into clients, and family, friends, and business relationships into networking partners who practice karma, benefiting everyone. Let me have your comments, or call me at 360-314-8691, or email me at Jim@SOC4Now.com. Maybe we have some of the same ideas, but maybe we have new ideas that can help each other. Let us practice Gratitude Marketing.