Law

In my opinion, a successful business revolves around its individuals building strong, long term relationships with its customers. As Robin says in her comment, her best customers know all about her (as she has built strong relationships with them).

This actually then makes conducting business far easier because it pushes the “transaction” into the background and it almost becomes secondary to the relationship.

Jay, there are a lot of very smart people out there who deal with brands and marketing on a daily basis. However, I’ve always been a little skeptical of how much a brand can really do. It troubles me when companies adhere so strongly to their brand that they forget their relationship with their customer. And it doubly troubles me when individuals use branding in their own professional marketing (see T. Peters’ Brand Called You). Bottom line: you’re right. I’m more forgiving of a friend than a stranger. Tell me who you are and I’m likely to let go of a bad experience. Stay consistently on-message to your brand and I’m likely to say goodbye.

Rosa, I’m glad you came out and were genuine in the use of your name. I can’t imagine the authenticity of MWA paired with a pseudonym. Wouldn’t work for you or your readers. They read your writing, learn your personal story, and simply know that you are the person they need in their life and career. It’s what we want in a coach, in a manager, in our colleagues, and the list goes on and on…

“What you’re saying here Chris is revolutionary, because you’re effectively saying to the companies ‘I am a client, and I prefer personality over consistent branding.’” — Jay “It’s always been my belief that people want to work with a liv…

I’ve had people tell me I’m crazy to be exposing so much of myself through the writing on my websites, with my name imbedded in my email addresses and urls, in the name of my company, and in my book. It is a risky world to operate in to some degree. However after I made the decision to write MWA with my real name and not a pen name (which my extremely spotlight-shy family would have preferred) there was no going back, and I have to say how grateful I am for that. I can see no other way to build a community — and a business in today’s market — other than complete and total authenticity. The sense of overwhelming mahalo I have for the customers who come to me because they feel they know me, and they trust their vulnerability with me is profound, and it impacts me daily.

If you have a willingness to put yourself out there and trust that the aloha spirit does indeed live within people, and that your own aloha needs to thrive and prosper within you, magnificent things happen. Relationships with others, including your customer, become exceptionally rewarding for both of you.

Thing is, a company culture CAN be created and engendered where this is not only the hallmark of its leader. I’ve never flown with them either, however if Jet Blue is indeed successful, I can guarantee you that David Neeleman’s example is being followed in the rest of his company.

Great post Chris. I am in complete agreement with Robin’s and Jay’s sentiments; mahalo for writing this for us today.

What you’re saying here Chris is revolutionary, because you’re effectively saying to the companies “I am a client, and I prefer personality over consistent branding”

This is great news! Thanks for the post today

This is why I expose myself. Why I offer my readers (and perhaps potential clients) at least 100 things that show the type of person I am. Why I decided to start up The Menagerie of Frivolous Fascinations. The more we know about a person, the more we know whether we want to work with them.

And knowing you, you’d be my first choice of photographer if I ever need someone while out there in Hawaii. The more you know, the easier it is to trust.