With so many choices streaming into our multimedia-infused lives we have become accustomed to ignoring interruptions. Back when I started cleaning windows marketing was still considered a numbers game. The idea I had about marketing came from the old television era. Remember being interrupted to watch Mike eat a bowl of Life cereal? The idea back then was simple. Reach as many people with your value proposition as you can afford to whether they care to hear from you or not.
I remember walking into a northern MI jewelry shop where I was canvassing all morning.
Since I was the only one in the place at the time I assumed that the man behind the counter ought to give me a moment of his time to make my introduction. As a young man, my gumption at times exceeded my manners. In the middle of my unsolicited 30-second “elevator pitch,” the elder man contorted his face and scoffed at me for “interrupting his serenity’.
Imagine my surprise when a few weeks later, that same man, none other than John Reusch (Reusch Jewelers) realized that the windows at his home were not satisfactory for the occasion his family was planning. Mr. Reusch must have realized that I might be useful and when I was able to accommodate his schedule because his tone became more than pleasant. Still, that experience taught me to slow down and seek quality experiences over quantity.
Today we call this “white hat” marketing, which just means a) respecting other people’s valuable time and space as much as our own and b) being transparent about the how we create and deliver value.
Successful marketing isn’t complicated. The question in a prospects’ mind is what makes our window cleaning company different than some others. The answer is that we submit ownership to the Lord. Our mission then is to blaze a path that facilitates our stakeholders’ continuous growth, not just ours, and not just filling a physical need in the marketplace. It also means admitting that we don’t have all the answers but we gain counsel by facilitating feedback and by being transparent and accountable for our stewardship (we believe in an open book policy). In sum, we embrace our lives as both servants and leaders. Marketing is about numbers but numbers don’t have to be all performance indicators. The more people we can have a positive impact on, the better. This is what makes us, Happy Window Cleaning LLC, truly happy.