Sometimes we take appearances for granted in our business as creative freelancers.
One of the best lessons I ever learned about this came from an unlikely source: a story my dad reminded me about a small town fire department.
When I was a kid, my dad managed a tannery in a small town in Buford, Georgia. Unfortunately, it burned down. The fire was so hot that it melted brick. The brave firefighters had their hands full just trying to contain it.
As my dad looked on helplessly, a giant of a man walked up to him. It was the fire chief. He was as large as a mountain, and he had the aura of a man used to handling emergencies. He placed a meat hook of a hand on my dad’s shoulder and rumbled,
“Son, you can see here that our guys are trying to put this fire out. But I’ll tell you one thing: this fire ain’t gonna be put out. It’s too hot. The best we can do is just let it run its course. Now you see all these people here?”
He gestured to the crowd of bystanders who had gathered early in the morning to watch the blaze. They were mostly on foot, people who lived near the tannery. The orange glow in their faces showed a mix of fascination, concern and fear.
“There’s only one reason me and my guys are still here. And that’s so these people know that when there’s a fire, we’re gonna show up and do our best to take care of it.”
I love that story. And I know that my dad took it to heart, and he still loves to tell it all these years later, because it rings true with how he’s run his own businesses.
Now, I know I talk a lot about results. And results are indeed important.
But sometimes the results that are most important are fuzzy around the edges because they have more to do with perception. (And don’t we all see a little bit differently?)
It’s important to let your customers and clients know that you have their back.
That when they need you, you’ll be there with the solution they’re looking for.
It’s also important for them to SEE you living out your stated mission with integrity.
Because when they see you helping other people like them,
it’s the best marketing you can possibly do.
– Mike Glen Roy