What’s your reputation worth?
I ask this question rhetorically so you can think about what follows. My story gives you serious clues to how you should conduct your business.
Many years ago (in the mid ’80’s) I got into a business where we were forced to do everything backwards. We violated all the rules of basic marketing through sheer desparation. You see, we had a product and no market for the product.
Rule #1 is “Find a need and fill it!”.
We had the need alright… and had to find customers FAST to sell our product.
That’s not the way things are done. You’re supposed to figure out what people want (but don’t know they need) and then create a product to fill that desire.
Long story short… We made up a big stack of business cards and began passing them out. When someone agreed to accept one business card, I’d give them two or three, and generally I’d write the first persons name on the back of the card.
About three years later, I got a phone call from someone who received one of those cards. It had gone through at least three different folks, before being given to someone who “needed” my product. Now, at the same time, we were doing a lot of “marketing” (that’s different from advertising). They had seen either our truck, or our product, and were giving us a call.
Most recently, I’ve been contacted by a gentleman I met five years ago.
He had been recommended to me by a business associate in Australia. He was looking for an “online business coach” and had contacted a program owner who knew me.
I worked with this guy for a couple of weeks, and then things took a different turn in his life and we ended the sessions. This was in 2003, and in the “online world” that’s like pre-historic times.
A couple months ago, I got a call from him. Mind you, I’ve moved twice since then, including an interstate move. I’ve changed phone numbers, but have always maintained my Internet presence, even though I now consider myself semi-retired from Internet Marketing.
Again, long story short… this guy found me. I’m now coaching him 1 hour a week and he’s making excellent progress, as circumstances in his life have made the time right for him.
I really believe these two success stories are the direct result of having a good reputation. In my first business, I could be checked out, with references provided in the industry. In the second case, I’ve maintained an online profile. While I live many miles from the nearest town, I can be found by someone intent upon finding me… and because of “search” can be cross-checked for consistency.
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Comment from Jenn
Time July 17, 2008 at 4:21 am
That is one great success story! I like that “find a need and fill it” quote. I think it will be applied in anything, business or not. It’s one great quote to live by. Thanks for sharing.