In the hussle and bussle of running a thriving business it’s often hard to take sufficient time to reflect on life. Wouldn’t you agree?

I’ve improved in this area over the last year or so … but I must admit it’s hard. Especially when your brain is wired for continous improvement and on-going development.

There is a wonderful story about business and living life. If you’ve heard it before, I doubt you will have forgotten it. Nevertheless, it’s the kind of story that you enjoy reading from time to time. If you’ve never heard it before, I think you’ll enjoy it.

It goes like this …
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It’s Canada Day today.  That means it’s a holiday for most.

Wikipedia describes this day as:
” Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada), formerly Dominion Day, is Canada’s national day, a federal statutory holiday, celebrated on July 1 annually by all governments and most businesses across the country; the date, though, is adjusted in cases where July 1 does not fall on a working day. Canada Day observances take place not only throughout the nation, but also internationally. ”

Best wishes to all.

Michael Zipursky

I received an email from Jordan. He asked that I elaborate on the last part of my most recent post.

(If you didn’t read the last post, you can check it out here: Post: The Fastest Way To Gain Your Business Advantage)

I’m happy to do so Jordan. The reason why keeping your customers happy is so powerful is because your current customers, the ones that have already made a purchase from you, are many times more likely to purchase from you again.

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Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference.

Today’s topic is very dear to me. In fact, I recently wrote a book that holds today’s subject at its core, Profitable Relations.

Communications, Expectations,
Relationships, And Profit

Business books, articles, seminars , and other products filled with  promises to help you grow your business may teach you an array of ideas, theories, techniques and strategies…

…But even with all that, business owners often forget one
crucial ingredient.

Differentiating your business, whether big or small is critical to success. I’m not going to write more on that topic today…we’ll leave the importance of USP statements, vision planning and all that other good stuff for another day.

You see, even more important than your mission statement, your advantage, your selling strategy, distribution plan, or marketing materials…is one single concept so powerful and easy to use, yet it is often neglected and completely misunderstood or forgotten.

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On two occasions now, the president’s of two large companies have attacked me.

No silly, not by physical force. But they were genuinely concerned.

Turn on the TV, check the front few pages of any newspaper, listen to the radio and no doubt you’ll be bombarded with a chess match of mentally developed and not-so-understandably respected folks yelling at each other “recession-this” and “no-recession-that’”.

“A financial crisis here” says one lady, while the other ‘just-as-wise’ smiles her best smile, looks you in the eye and tells you “there is no financial crisis, this is a time of opportunity.” And just then, ten other well-greased analysts, and a couple of bow-tie clad economists declare there is no opportunity. Everyone must cust back and cushioned their rear-ends in preparation for the big loss.

What’s happening really isn’t anything new in my view. Sure, parts of this dramatic play “have never been seen before”. But the economy, since the beginning of time, as had its ups and downs, its sidesteps, trips, hops, jumps and falls…

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