Well, we made it to November already, my how time flies! With the presidential election coming up I'm sure many of you have been inundated with phone calls at home much the same as I have. I'm ready for it to be over with and I'm guessing you are too. I'm still trying to figure out just what the various proposals really cover. Our nation is indeed facing some very critical issues and we do need to weigh in. Let's just hope we aren't totally overwhelmed by election day. With that off my chest let's move on to topics I'm a bit more versed in.

Today I was going to devote some time to two somewhat divergent subjects: intelligent mail barcodes or IMB and pressure sensitive labels. Yet after reviewing an article on the subject of "Why versus what" and a recent conversation I started thinking that perhaps this might be worth discussing.   The article referenced the book by Simon Sinek "Start With Why" and focused on the fact that it's important for our customers to know not only what we do, but why we do it.  At first blush I thought "really"?  However after mulling it over and thinking about it more, it made perfect sense.  It doesn't hurt that it makes perfect sense for marketing giants like Apple, Google and Nike as well.  The why seems to be the fuel that feeds the what.  It's like the Ah Ha! or the, now I get it! 

In life it seems that most of us do a pretty good job of telling others what we do, but far fewer of us delve into the why.  Too often I'm guilty as charged.  So as you might expect, most of you probably have at least some knowledge of what I do,  however you probably don't know the why behind it. Personally I do not do this just to earn a living. Even though I have to remind myself of that every now and then.  Yes money is important to me just as it is to each of us at some level. However as Earl Nightingale once said, "money cannot be sought directly, it is the reward for valuable service."  

Helping you achieve your business goals through the implementation of targeted marketing tools, unique printing technologies, corporate apparel and promotional products is the valuable service I provide. Asking questions about your goals and understanding your objectives is very important to me. I want to help you and your organization be as successful as possible. I like to be the person you call when you have a question that no one else can answer. I like to be the person you think of when you have a challenge to meet or a problem to solve. I want to be the person you trust emphatically and without hesitation. I don't like being a salesperson who tries to sell you some new product or service just because it exists, I do like to be the person you rely on to bring new products and services to your attention and together explore possibilities of their use for you.

When I think about my job description, I think about it in terms of service and value.  I think about helping others get what they need and want  I love to provide value. Value is paying the same cost and getting something more.  It's the little unexpected benefit, it's the something extra that makes it better.  I like helping people understand the why behind the what and then working together as a team to help them achieve the kind of results that only come through collaboration. That is exciting and rewarding!  

How about you?  Why do you do what you do?