Ethos: From Merriam-Webster: noun: the distringuishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution. Examples: 1. The company made environmental awareness part of its business ethos. 2. They are working to keep a democratic ethos alive in the community.
What is your business ethos?
Do you know? Have you even thought about it? Do you care?
Maybe you’ve never thought about it in terms of a “business” ethos, but you should. That’s what people really care about. That’s what your customers care about.
Let me put it this way: If your customers are competing for your services based on price? Then you have NO business ethos. There are no guiding beliefs of you, or your company. And that hardly inspires people.
If you have an ethos they care about, and can get behind, they not as worried about the little things, and will remain loyal, and will forgive a bad day here and there. In fact, if you have an ethos they care about, they will support you when negative stories present themselves.
And they will be willing to pay a higher premium to be a part of your mission…
My ethos? I try to inspire my clients to be intrepid marketers as my business ethos. I want my clients to be fearless, bold, willing to take risks, to go for what they really want.
What do you stand for? What is your purpose? What is your cause?
Making money? Well, sure. That’s a goal. And that’s not a wrong answer. But let’s be honest. It takes more than revenue to inspire people. And it sure as hell takes more than that to inspire people to talk about you, to share your work with others.
No, you need that distinguishing character. That guiding belief. That sentiment that motivates people, that gets them jazzed up, and wanting to be a part of what you are, a part of what you’re doing. To be a part of your story.
You think Apple and Nike don’t care about their ethos?
That’s what I thought you said…
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[cartoons by hugh macleod]
