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
