Make Money

If you asked a business person what business are they in, what would be the response;  marketing, build homes, engineering, retail. This question was asked at a presentation I attended. I thought I knew the response the presenter was seeking, I’m in the business of meeting client’s needs. But no, the response he was after was to ‘make money’. “You’re in business to make money”. The presentation was called Evolve or Die, the presenter had real at the coalface, money coming out of my pocket experience; this was a former CEO of Driza-Bone. He stressed you do whatever it takes to make money. I didn’t disagree, it’s hard to run a business without making money, but is it as black and white as that. Does a business attract customers with the catch cry of we exist to make money. Can’t imagine it being successful and haven’t heard of any business using that as their slogan. Even if you hid behind another customer friendly corporate catch cry but clearly demonstrated a make money only priority would you be that successful, especially in this social media age. Customers would eventually see through it and tell their friends in seconds. No Mr. Ex-Driza-Bone you might get the sympathetic ear of your audience with this motto, but in most cases, especially with small businesses, there is an intrinsic trigger for being in business.  A business is like an onion. There are layers, peel them away the branding, customer service, store ambience, etc., and you’re left with the core; its purpose, its values. Most businesses start with a dream, they believe they could improve on things, do something that gives them and their customers satisfaction, do good. For local businesses to succeed in the digital marketplace they need to start being more transparent about their ‘core’ and what they support in the community to reflect their values. Your local market needs to know more than what business you are in and the brands you sell, that’s no longer unique enough, they want to know what you stand for. Visit www.ring.org.au and click on local business profiles tab to see what how some local businesses are becoming more transparent and how you can join them.