So, it was our 19th wedding anniversary on Monday. We’re not quite heavyweights yet but certainly not bantamweights either! Still in the ring though! (Metaphorically speaking.)
I have invested nearly half of my life in one person and I don’t regret it. It’s a bit like any investment. If you sell your stocks or shares at the first sight of a storm you will lose out in the long run. Financial advisors worth their salt will advise you to stick with investment and ride it out.
So much has come from this investment of time, money and energy and my life has been changed for the better. I’d love to share with you how some of the lessons that I have learnt in my marriage have helped me in business.
1. Commitment
I made a decision to love my wife and stick by her. When we got married we had no idea what lay ahead but the decision to be committed to each other has kept us on the same path, whether it’s rocky or smooth.
I have found that meeting people and committing to relationships, investing time in getting to know people and walking alongside them, shows me how I can better serve their needs. Maintaining relationships, even when it takes effort and commitment, is the essence of doing great business. When people need a service, who do they like to do business with? People they know.
2. Trust
Over time, I’ve developed a belief system about my wife. She is faithful, fiercely loyal and she sticks to me like glue.
It’s all about being consistent over a time period, being who we say we are and doing what we say we’ll do. Trust can be shattered in an instant by inconsistent actions. When a corporation does something that is not aligned with their value system they lose out on trust. We want businesses to do good as well as to make money and when they show themselves to be ruthless and purely money-motivated we start to mistrust them and look for an alternative. Have a look at becoming a B-Corp for success in this area. Become a company that respects people, purpose and planet.
When my wife married me she took on my name and with it my reputation. Does your company have a great name and reputation? Nothing beats doing a great job and getting referred on.
3. Humility
We all make mistakes. Anyone who tries to be or look perfect will eventually realise that it is impossible. Saying sorry and asking for forgiveness is the cement to the bricks of my home – it’s part of a healthy marriage.
Mistakes happen, it’s how you deal with them. Whether it’s a spelling mistake or an unsent email deal with it straight away, don’t allow things to fester. Have regular open and honest communication. Having this attitude in your working life can be a great support to others.
4. Faithfulness
This one is really important. My wife means more to me than any other woman and I don’t want to lose her.
Always act in the best interests of the client. If someone comes to me asking for an all singing all dancing website and I realise that what they actually need is just a simple brochure site I won’t try to sell them something that they don’t need just to make more money for myself. That’s being faithful in business. It goes a long way.
5. Consideration
If I don’t consider what my wife needs from me she starts to feel unloved. I need to know when my wife needs a time out, almost before she mentions it.
A successful entrepreneur will know their customer well enough to know what they need before they do. Henry Ford made this statement,
“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” A brand marketing agency must ask the question, “Is there a better way?” It anticipates the audience’s needs. Consideration is having empathy and knowing how to add value. The secret ingredient is insight.
If we treat our business relationships with care and invest time and resources into people, the result is going to be lasting friendships and repeat business. Our Bristol-based brand marketing agency Cre8ion has flourished thanks to relationships that have grown through networking with Introbiz, Executive Foundation, Natwest Entrepreneurial hub, LinkedIn and our clients.
If you need any help to communicate better with your customers and show them that you care we’d love to offer our assistance. We can make a proposal that would be hard to refuse.