Do You Really Value Your Time and the Time of Others?

Hey folks,

I was asked the other day what I thought was the BIGGEST mistake that people made when they are marketing their businesses... and the answer that came to me was NOT what I expected... it actually surprised me, and yet I realised how profoundly true this was.

The BIGGEST marketing mistake that people in business make is RESPECT... or more accurately... lack of respect... and it is glaringly obvious when you stop long enough and consider how much of your clients time you waste and in wasting their time... disrespect them...

Now you may not agree with me... but we almost always forget that our businesses, our schools, homes and every organisation on the planet is made up of people... people... people...

NOT systems, operational or marketing, compliance strategies... etc... but people... and if we don't consider people... their needs, wants, dreams in our marketing or other business strategies... then we are failing ourselves and them.

I'd like to share this story with you, because it resonates so profoundly with me, particularly with the way the world is today… and the way we are NOT considering the human element in our interactions.

I for one have always appreciated other people’s time... particularly since, to me, every communication is so very important... more so today... and I have always thanked people for sharing their time with me… whether they understood why or not…

Perhaps this post will shed a little light on why your time will always be important to me… and to others... and why respecting your clients time will be important to you.

The telephone rang. It was a call from his mother. He answered it and his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday."

Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

"Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important. Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered.

Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture... Jack stopped suddenly...

"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.

"The box is gone," he said.

"What box?" Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said.

"I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox.

"Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

Early the next day Jack went to the post office and retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.

"Mr. Harold Belser" it read.

Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope.

Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.

"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filled his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.

Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:

"Jack, Thanks for your time! -- Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most was my time!"

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days.

"Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with the people I love and I care for," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet, thanks for your time!"

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.

Think about this.

You may not realize this, but it's 100 percent true.

1. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.

2. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.

3. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.

4. You mean the world to someone.

5. If not for you, someone may not be living.

6. You are special and unique.

7. Have trust... sooner or later you will get what you wish for or something better.

8. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good can still come from it.

9. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a hard look: you most likely turned your back on the world and the people who love and care for you.

10. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.

11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.

12. Always tell someone how you feel about them; you will feel much better when they know and you'll both be happy.

13. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great.

I don‘t particularly care if you share this, that choice is yours...

But if you do, you will certainly brighten someone's day and maybe, just maybe, change their perspective on life...for the better.

To everyone who read this just now....

*"Thanks for your recent conversations with me and your time."*

Blessings...

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