Small Business & Video Marketing » relationships - Small Business & Video Marketing

I am always stressing the importance of relating to the human aspect and how it relates to business as well as the importance of relationships. Today I experienced, once again, why this is so important.

We are all in the same boat when it comes to doing a zillion things at the same time and rushing around in the hopes of getting to even half of our daily to-do list. Not too long ago, I wrote an article called "Think you are in a Slump? Think again! What Really Matters in Life? that touched many hearts in the same way it came from mine.

Not unlike all of you, I juggle many balls at the same time. One in particular, is submitting my articles to the many available submission sites. However, because of time contraints, I have been somewhat lax in my submissions. So last night, I decided I needed to play a little catch-up and start submitting. Which site did I choose? The one that had a name associated with the "editor" title in the generic emails we receive when our articles are accepted. Many months ago, Dr. Jay Stockman, Editor in Chief of Aricle Niche Directory, sent me an email that said "Great articles". I was a little surprised and of course pleased that he appreciated what I wrote. That is all it took to create a connection – one email with a name attached and a personal message. So Article Niche Directory is the site I chose. I submitted a whole slew of them – I said I had been lax and I wasn't kidding!

Today, to my pleasant surprise, I received an email from Dr. Stockman notifying me that my article was chosen as the "editor's choice". Of all the articles I submitted, the one he chose was the one that is closest to my heart because it came directly from my heart. In this crazy world we live in, when something we do touches another person's heart, it might not bring us any money – but it sure does bring us a strong sense of personal accomplishment and for that, there is no price tag.

If you would like to share my day in the spotlight, go to: Editor's Choice, Julie Weishaar.

As consumers we are continually bombarded by ads, emails, mailers, and phone calls about the latest and greatest. How do we decide which ones to pay attention to and which ones to ignore?

In the same vein, how can the small business owner expect his/her marketing message and value proposition to stand out amongst the masses? The answer lies in using effective marketing techniques and differentiators in order to be as unique as possible. The higher the competition of a particular industry, the more difficult this becomes. One would be hard pressed to find many industries that are not saturated these days, unless it is a very unique and highly targeted business.

In addition to using creative and innovative messaging, small business owners should keep in mind the value of the relationships they build. The Internet and the use of social media have created a totally transparent society in that what one does and says is more often than not, broadcasted across the World Wide Web – especially if it is something negative. As the old adage states: “Bad news travels fast”. Reputation management has become an increasingly important area of concern for business owners – as it should be.

It is pretty much accepted by all that people like to do business with people they know. Think about it. How often do you ask people you know to refer you to a doctor, hair dresser, painter, or landscaper? How often do you hire someone to perform a service you need because you either know that person or know someone else who knows that person?

So, in the end, who gets the business? The person you know – either directly or through someone else. If you ask many self-employed folk how they found their first customers, you will find that most of them are from people they know.

Even in a world where technology is advancing at a rate close to the speed of light, basic principles of human nature and business prevail. Reputation and relationships matter.