The longer I’m in business the more people I seem to come across who, for lack of a better way of putting it, just don’t have their shit together. Do you know who gets the work? It’s the person who answers their phone/e-mail or responds to the RFP. Do you know who business owners want to work with? They want to work with the enthusiastic service providers and contractors. If you think you can cancel meetings, show up late and still win someone’s business. You’re probably wrong. If you constantly “flake” out on potential business-to-business partnerships, the chances of them sticking it out are slim to none. There’s a reason for all this.
Successful people are movers, shakers, can-doers, creators, and action takers. They are genuinely passionate about what they do, and don’t have time to waste on people who don’t share the same burning desire to make things happen. They see value in being professional, organized, responsible and timely. More importantly they see value in other people.
Did you know that in the four years I’ve been a marketing consultant, I’ve worked with 25 businesses. All but four of them, came to me by way of referral. (Three I reached out to, and the fourth came by way of a one-time Facebook advertising campaign.) I don’t suspect my clients would pass my name along to people if they didn’t feel I respected their time and appreciated their business. What about you? Are you the kind of service provider people talk about? Or the kind they give up on?