Figure this deep reason out and everything changes. Find your Why.
What do your customers really want from you? Do you really know? Really? When was the last time you asked them and actually listened? When was the last time you sat down with one of them for an hour and asked them a bunch of questions about them? About their successes? About what they want? When was the last time you really made an effort to get to know them as well as a good friend would? Do you know where they see themselves going? Can you help get them there faster?
Do you know why your customers really buy from you? Really? You may think it is price. It almost certainly is not just price. They buy from you for these other far more likely reasons: they like you; they trust you; they feel like they know you; you’re their friend; they perceive you as an expert in your field; you’re always there for them when they need you; you help them troubleshoot problems; you’ve got answers when they’ve got questions; they like hanging out with you. Your customer has lots of other options where to buy. Yet, your customer buys from you. The person who can get closest to the customer wins. Therefore, get as close as you can to your customer. Keep the competition close, but keep your customers even closer to you. They are the lifeblood of your organization. Without them, we are no more. We exist for them. We exist to serve them. We are here to help them produce more and to profit more, even to enhance their lives. We are here to help them win.
Why does your organization exist? What’s your why? What drives you?
Never forget how important purpose is to your organization. Remind yourself and your people why you do what you do. It’s not just for money. There has to be a deeper, underlying purpose to the surface money. The money is important, but there’s more here. There is a drive that gets you out of bed in the morning and powers you through the day, powers you through customer problems, powers you through internal politics, powers you through the conference calls, powers you through the inbox. Find it. Find that why. Find the deep reason why you do it. When you do, your work and your perspective will change forever. You will have a new, genuine reason, a Charter, deep motives for professional action. “We are here today to…” Why? Figure out your why and everything changes.
Few people do this. Few people take the time out to really think about why they do what they do. Or, if they do, they end up with surface reasons, like money or fame or notoriety. There’s more there. Sure, you might be there to entertain, but you’re still taking care of people. Sure, you might host the party, but you’re still taking care of people. Sure, you want them to buy from you, but you’ve got to give them great service first. Sure, you want to sell them more of your new products, but your current ones had better be high quality. Again, the money is important. But what’s more? What’s the deeper drive to move people?
Finding out your true reasons for doing what you do is hard work. It is hard work that most people do not want to do and never take the time out to do. Yet it is important. It could be some of your most important work you do. You’re making deep connections between you and your life’s work and what you love to do best, perhaps better than anyone else. This is your true drive, what deeply motivates you. Isn’t it worth it to figure this out earlier for yourself and your customers? Once you do, you’ll have a great reason why certain people should do business with you. Because they’ll know no one can service them the way you can. True connections to your path ensure you stay on it through the tough times. If you were put on this earth to do exactly this work, your life’s work, how can people question it? You’re on the path to mastery. You care. You care about your legacy. You care about your impact on people. You care about where you’re going. You care about your mark on your field. You care that you make a difference in the lives of others. See, you’ve gone deeper. People who care that deeply are not only remembered, they get hired again and again. Their book of business is always full.
