I had three conversations this week that have changed my perspective on business and life. Pretty profound, huh? Fifty-three years, three phone calls and BAM! I’m seeing things in a new way. (To be fair, the following three things actually solidified my point of view and serve as great reminders about facts we take for granted.)

Let me explain.

• The first conversation happened with a man I’ve known for a while but we were talking about Harmonia Media helping his company grow. He said he hadn’t really put much effort into his digital marketing strategy because he thought his business was about “who he knew” and relationships. Could a great website with compelling content really make a difference in terms of who he knows?

         You never know until you try.

• The second conversation was with another prospective Harmonia Media client. But this time around, he knew he absolutely needs a digital marketing strategy. The company has a decent website but they are doing very little to drive traffic. When I asked him to tell me more about his company, he started in the best possible way. He said that the company’s philosophy is that it doesn’t matter what you sell, it matters how you act before, during and after you sell it.

How you treat people is the most important thing.

• The third conversation was a bit different. On this call, I was the “customer.” I was asking someone to get me something I needed. You would have thought I was asking him to help me move! I needed him to email me a photo he had taken the day before. On the first attempt, he sent me a screenshot that was very low resolution. I asked again. He replied saying he deleted the first photo. Didn’t offer to take another shot. So, I had to ask for a replacement. He sent me Photo No. 2 – it, too, was not usable. When I asked if there was any way he could figure out a way to help me, he told me his phone can’t do any better.

         Like phone, like an owner.

So, what did I learn from these three interactions that changed my worldview?

• Everything and I means everything, is about relationships.Who you know…who you can assist…how — with a little help from your “friends” – you can succeed. I explained to my new friend that great digital marketing strategy can help spread the word about the fact that he is someone worth getting to know and that his service is well worth knowing about. I believe this to be true about everyone.
• How you treat people is your calling card.When you talk the talk, people want to walk your walk. When this prospect described his company as “client-centric” instead of telling me about his products, I had a very clear understanding of who this man was and what his company stands for. I went to the website and made a purchase. We are all the sum of the company we keep. I want to surround myself with people who are doing good — for the right reasons.
• We can’t expect people to be better than they are. This guy spent a lot of time telling me how he couldn’t get anything done. Something simple. If he wasn’t able to come up with a solution to grainy photos, he is likely not someone I want to have to rely on for much, if anything.

Bottom line, some people are just jerks. Stay away from those people. There are plenty of people worth knowing. And, I guess, in this story, two out of three ain’t bad.

At Harmonia Media, we want to get to know you and your company! When you have a message you think is worth sharing, we can help! Take advantage of a FREE phone consultation because we are worth knowing.