MY THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY…
For some of my regular readers to my blog they know I have been missing most of this week because of a death within my family, but if you are new to my blog then you might have wondered where I have been so I decided to post today and share my thoughts. Death is a strange thing in that it is so final and there is no more time to say the things you wish you had or to spend a few extra moments telling the person how much you love them and giving them another hug. You start to make yourself go crazy with the “should of’s” and “what ifs” and “if only…” , but the reality is that none of us have a crystal ball and we are never certain of our day so the best we can do is live with the choices we make and love with all our hearts in this instant and know that for right now we are here and life is to be cherished.
So, what does this have to do with helping your business??? Nothing and everything.
A business, like life, is touched by what is around it. When you have a death in your family or you lose an employee who was a key part of the fabric of your team, your business feels it. If you are a sole proprietorship, do you have a contingency plan for if you get sick or you need to take some time off to make arrangements and attend services for a family member who passes away? Have you developed strong relationships with your customers so that if a tragedy hits your home and your regular business activities are altered that your clients still feel confident in working with you? I have a t-shirt that my friend’s company makes that has a great saying, “Adversity doesn’t build character…it reveals it”. Having been a cancer survivor and not unfamiliar to how life throws you curve balls when you least expect it, I realize that no matter what today brings you must always remain true to who you are and what you believe in. I believe in giving as much as I can to help enrich my life and those around me, both at home and in the office. I care deeply for my customers, their families and their businesses and in return that is the relationship they give back to me. If you are reading this and you have not developed a strong relationship with the customers you service then it might be a time to regroup and consider how you can develop a stronger connection with them. Get to know who you are doing business with and offer more of your self in return. Go out to lunch or coffee with them or take an extra few minutes the next time you are doing a service call to ask them about their life and to get to know more about them and share about you. Be more than just someone who sells them a widget….build a friendship and a true connection.
All my best to your success!
~Charlene
“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”
Tagged as Business Success, Customer Service, Success and Balance
Categorized as Business Topics
Well said…and excellent advice. Business is about relationships and if all a customer is to you is a cheque in the mail-you’re missing out.
Be well
Jason
Thanks Jason! I appreciate your post to my blog and your thoughts.
You’ve put into words what I learned when I was 25 and my 20 year-old brother died of cancer. The people you want to do business with will understand. None of us gets out of this life unscathed. I wish you all the best.
Tina
Thanks Tina! By the way, that is why your blog posts on your website http://www.yournorthshorehome.com is so well received. You see the “North Shore Area” through eyes that appreciates every day and you share that with your readers and customers.
Charlene,
Thank you for bringing this to everyone’s attention. So sorry for your loss.
I could not agree with you more, It is the little things that count in your day. If you only see dollar signs when looking at your customer you will not see the person and build a relationship. You also maybe watching those dollar signs fly away to another company that values the person and does not just see the dollar signs.
Hi Doreen…thanks for the post to my blog I appreciate your support!
Charlene – We missed you last week at NSBF — very sorry to hear of your loss.
Your blog post is so right on target. We don’t do business with companies; we do business with the people in those companies, and those relationships are key. It doesn’t take much extra effort to be human with your clients and learn something about them, their families, and their lives. That way, when a client is going through a difficult time, you can offer a kind word of support that may make all the difference in the world for that person that day. And if you should go through a similar difficult time, the clients you’ve built true relationships with will understand and be supportive of you in turn.
Take care,
Kate
Hi Kate~
I missed going to NSBF, too. It is funny how a business networking group can start to feel like your family and then when your actual family has a tragedy you see how truly blessed you are to have so many people who care about you.
Thanks so much for your post to my blog and for your thoughts about this. I was just working on a Press Release for a client this morning and BLUE PENCIL CONSULTING kept coming up in my brain. You have branded yourself well as the “Go To” person for any type of writing! Great job!!!
http://www.bluepencilconsulting.com [Kate's website in case anyone needs help with their own press releases or are struggling with a book project!]