Sincerity
“The key to business success is sincerity. If you can fake
that, you’ve got it made” --Bob Hope
During a recent elementary school performance I was
near a cafeteria serving line where the check out had a computerized voice
which told the patrons, out loud in a computer-sythesized voice, their food
bill total. Once payment had been entered the computer would say
“thank you” in it’s digitized voice.
At first I could not fathom a more insincere system
than a computerized voice that told patrons “thank you”. If the living,
breathing, human being who was standing there, taking your money, and entering
the prices of each item into the computer couldn’t muster the sincere appreciation
to utter those words, what meaning did they have coming from a computer generated
voice?
But the kicker came after about five or six patrons
went through the line. The computer, it turns out, was programmed
to tell every seventh customer “Have a nice day”. Naturally, when I
heard the computer tell patrons to “have a nice day” I almost choked on my
diet soda with sincere laughter.
For the rest of the afternoon I pondered which is
worse: apathy or insincerity. Is it better to hear a computerized
voice telling you how much it appreciates your business or is it better
not to hear any thanks at all? Is it better not to return phone calls
than to return them with heavy sighs and a sarcastic attitude?
I still haven’t determined for myself which is worse,
apathy or insincerity. I gave up on the question when I realized that
neither of them is required. In fact, I think that real success demands
sincere concern for our customers and clients.
Oh sure, I know that you can generate money through
deception. I even understand that there are schools of thought that
suggest that the ruder you are to your customers and clients (within limits),
the more they respect you. I simply don’t choose to run my business
that way. I legitimately enjoy helping people and I like hearing people
tell me how easy I am to work with. I enjoy emotional rewards in addition
to financial rewards.
This is not to say that my work is completely altruistic
either. I expect to be paid for my services and I try to structure
my business for profits. A few perfect examples would include the monthly
column I write for “The Linking Ring” Magazine, the monthly newsletter I
create and distribute for free (subscribe by clicking HERE or visiting
www.JulianSpeaks.com), and the free articles I post on my website (like this
one).
I do not get paid for any of these things and they
are definitely work. It is work to write a new article each month
for a magazine that has a fresh, valuable business ideas that apply to all
the various performers who read the magazine (from children’s birthday party
performers, to full-time trade show workers, to Cruise Ship entertainers,
and everyone in between).
My monthly newsletter is also difficult, because
I don’t want to repeat anything that I’ve written for the magazine, nor
do I want to repeat anything that I write in a WEEKLY subscription service
I offer called “52 Weekly
Steps to Success”.
That is a lot of creative writing that has to take
place, most of it unpaid and I have to do it all while still performing
100 or so library programs each summer, 250-350+ school show performances
each school year, 100-150 birthday parties during the weekends of each year,
and a few dozen corporate gigs, trade shows, scout banquets, and miscellaneous
engagements throughout the year. Not to mention the marketing that
has to happen to make all those shows a reality.
Now, as much as I love to get e-mail from people
who appreciate my articles, newsletters, and web site postings, my goal
is still to make money.
Don’t get me wrong, I am still sincerely interested
in the success of each of my readers. If I weren’t, it would reflect
in the quality of my offerings and readership would drop instead of grow
as fast as it has over the past year. I have a very real interest in
your success.
I figure that if you get some valuable and profitable
advice from one of the writings I offer without charge, then you will be
more likely to see the benefit of one of the programs, books, or audio programs
available on my products page. I am open and honest about my profit
motive. It doesn’t invalidate the sincerity of my writings.
As I mentioned above, it actually supports the sincerity of what I offer.
The more money you make from my advice, the more money you have to spend
on more of my ideas and marketing programs!
So to each of you I say “Thank you”
And to every seventh reader I say “Have a nice day!”
Julian Franklin is a marketing consultant, behavior modification specialist,
and author who develops creative ways to stimulate growth in your business.
For more information, including the opportunity to subscribe to his free montly
e-newsletter, you can visit www.JulianSpeaks.com