“Marketing used to be about what you say. Now, marketing is what you do. What you make. How you act. The choices you make when you are sure no one is looking.” ~ Seth Godin
Seth has been an inspiration and a mentor to me for many years. I love the way he thinks. I love his clarity and short, sharp points that gets the mind ticking.
His quote above is something I absolutely believe in. Walk your talk. Key to personal brand success and now so very key to business success (though I think it always has been). There is nothing more annoying than people who tell you they are going to do things, promise the world and don’t deliver. Nothing turns me off a person or a company more than these empty promises.
Actions speak louder than words – in volumes.
Think about it, would Richard Branson be as successful as he is if he didn’t follow through on all of the promises he marketed for Virgin Airlines? He made it happen, even when so many people doubted him. He walks his talk and he walks his talk with his team.
Steve Jobs created his Apple empire for “all the crazy ones”. He delivered something different. He changed the game. The Apple brand is formidable. He did what he said he was going to do.
Warren Buffet is the same. One of the most highly respected and wealthiest men on the planet. He walked his talk and encouraged others to also.
There are many examples of people who do. And there are too many examples of people who don’t. You only have to look at our political arena for glaring examples of a lot of hot air expended for personal gain. Deceptive behaviour. However, you probably have examples in your own back yard. Friends, colleagues, business associates or suppliers who constantly over promise and under deliver or don’t deliver at all. It’s a big problem in the business world that has me really quite perplexed! I don’t understand why people choose to be this way when business is so competitive and the market conditions are difficult.
Are we too forgiving of this behaviour?
Perhaps the “hot air talker” is you in some respects? The one that’s always ‘gunna’ do something or says all the right things nearly wishing at that very moment it wasn’t said. Because you can’t follow through or you don’t want to.
Be brave. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver. Don’t promise what you won’t deliver. Have the motto – “I said it – I’ll do it.” Always. Unless you want to get into politics!