What does value mean to you?
Anyone who has worked for an American Corporation company would tell you that 99% of the work they do adds very little value to their end users.
Are you shocked? Well, if you are reading this you probably already know what I’m talking about. Don’t you?
I also know what it is to work for those big companies, I’ve worked for a few of them myself, and I am here to tell you that what employees of those companies are doing all day long has nothing to do with trying to bring value the end user, but to look for their own behind. They are either trying to make more money, trying to advance or even making sure that everything in the company runs smoothly, but their goal is not to serve the end user.
Now, Why am I Talking about this in this Post?
I chose this topic today for this post because one of the reasons why people who start an online business, whether it’s affiliate marketing, having to write lots of content for their potential customers, or network marketing, having to learn how to help others how to follow a duplicable system, or even blogging, they are often having a hard time to understand what providing value really means. The reason why this is the case is that coming from their job at good old American Corp they were not used to provide value. They were just trying to go through their working day, giving no more than they were asked for.
Why Working for American Corp Doesn’t Teach About Bringing Value?
The sad truth is that there is a vicious circle going on with those companies. Managers don’t provide value to the employees and employees are very seldom motivated to provide value to end user. Unfortunately. This can be observed just about anywhere. Unless the individual has true intentions or a one on one relationship with the end user, they are not going to care much about giving value.
I believe that this is the reason why when new online entrepreneurs are told to create a blog and create good and free value (content) each week on their blog without trying to sell, they are not getting the point right away.
So, if you are new to online marketing world, and all you have been seeing so far is selfish bosses, careless managers, and fed up employees who have never really cared about delivering value to anyone, it’s time to leave all that mindset behind you, put your caring and loving hat on, and start understanding how you can provide good value to your readers and potential customers.
In order to do this well, you need to understand what your boss or manager was doing wrong and do the very opposite. Hum, this is going to be fun! So, let’s go…
You Boss didn’t Care if you Lived or Died
Except for a few exceptions, most bosses are looking after themselves. They do not worry about what you think and what you want, but more how much they are making. For them, you are expendable and they can totally replace you. I don’t care how much you are benefiting your company, they can still replace you, and they will if they have to or even if they want to.
Don’t be like your boss and show that you care about your potential customer and even your potential visitor. Unlike your boss, don’t think that you can replace that person so easily. Each visitor of your blog, each reader and each potential customer is precious. You want them to like you way more than you bossed like you, if you know what I mean.
You’re boss never even tried to build any type of relationship with you, but you want to do your upmost to build a relationship with your readers, followers and potential customers. Not only you want to do this, but you want it to be genuine, because most people can spot fake whether you want to believe it or not.
Build relationships and keep them alive. Show that you care and that you are willing to help, and do it because you want to and because you love it. If you can’t get to that point, you will only get to a certain level of success, but you will never achieve great success.
How can you be Generous with your Content?
May be you had a stingy boss like I used to few years ago, but as an online entrepreneur YOU want to be generous with your followers. The best and easiest way to do so it’s with your content. You can be generous with your content by listening to your readers and give them what they are asking for. But what do you do if you don’t have readers or followers yet?
If you don’t have a following to tell you what they like and want from you, the best thing you could do is go visit other quality blogs of your niche and observe what is going on in the comment area. This is the best way for a new online marketer to test the waters and learn how to give good quality content to their potential customers.
When you visit other blogs and see how people react to certain type of content, you educate yourself and you can duplicate the same type of work. You will notice that the more the blogger gives value the more visitors and followers they attract. The more followers they attract the more questions they may have to answer. Those questions will be answered by more quality content.
As an online Entrepreneur you need to learn how to act opposite American Corp companies to attract visitors, followers and ultimately, customers. There is no room for American Corp mentality to develop a customer pool from your blog and other Social Media avenues you may use for your business.
Your turn now! What are your thoughts on that? Did you have an American Corp mentality when you first started…?
Hi Sylviane,
wow, shocking statistics. They become even more shocking when we consider that most companies are pretending to serve the end customers while they’re just following their own agenda – which can be:”Don’t rock the boat.” There are many departments in a company whose job is exactly is: Make sure that the boat doesn’t rock.
The question is if online marketing is any different. People are people. Not everybody saying that they provide value truly does, they might just be the loudest and the most aggressive marketer. Is there such a thing as a Brave New World online ?
Thanks for sharing your insights.
Be blessed
Oliver
Hi Oliver,
Yes, we can see the same tendencies with online marketing, thus the purpose of the post to try to explain the reader how we can do better than this. We all have observed how companies work it’s up to us to do better than this.
Thanks for your input, Oliver
Hey Sylviane,
Most people and companies don’t care about their customers – we can’t blame them either. Our world is like that. We only care about ourselves and people we relate to (well, now that is also decreasing as the family relations are becoming much complicated).
That’s why I decided at an early age, not to work for anyone, not a company, but to myself.
I will build a company as a role model, a company that cares not only about its customers, but also it’s employees, because they are human too.
Employees these days don’t get any motivation from their bosses; they work for the money. That shouldn’t be the case.
Bosses should encourage their employees to work better. They should encourage their workers to get good exercise, sleep and be healthy (all these things influence the work they do). The healthier they are, the better their work will be.
Hope I can build my own company with all these “definitions”.
Anyways, thank you for the post, Sylviane!
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I love that comment Jeevan!
You are a very smart guy and if half bosses and managers out there were that smart the world would be different for lot of people.
Managers think that they are smart but they do the most idiotic things on a daily bases. And my experience tell me that they have very little insight too. I don’t think that they are trying either.
Hey Sylviane,
I know you’re right because a lot of us that come online have never had the entrepreneurial spirit. To me that consists of taking chances and doing what it takes but for those of us who came from the employee mentality have no idea what it really takes.
That’s why personal development is so crucial so that we can understand not only that we can accomplish what we set our minds to but also that we need to help others before it will come back to us.
All of that combined can lead to a productive and successful business venture. I’m so glad I’ve not like any of my past bosses or even co-workers for that matter. You are so right, they just don’t really care about adding value at all. What a shame too!
Thanks for sharing this topic with us Sylviane and you enjoy your week.
~Adrienne
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Ah Adrienne,
I’ve never liked my bosses and co-workers either. It’s like we are from a different planet, but yet again I’m not surprised and I’m sure you aren’t either!
As you said a lot of us are coming from a non entrepreneur mentality but most of us sure know how to develop it or what it always there? I think it’s the second option 🙂
Thanks for your valuable input, Adrienne 🙂
It’s sad to see how the corporate world is. They tend to promote the idea that they are all working toward one common goal…BUT…that tends to be in the favor of the corporation and not in favor of those that have helped the company get to a successful point.
In the end, the employees and the customers are mere pawns. It’s all about profit margins.
It’s no wonder why there are so many people out there looking for an alternative to make a living. However, as with anything else, choosing to build an online business requires learning new skills and a new mindset.
And, I agree, that it often includes a change in perspective. To change from self-serving to self-sacrifice. Instead of consuming…to creating. And in the end…the one who provides the most value WINS.
Great comment, Freddy!
Yes, those big companies forget just about everyday of their existence that without the employees and the customers they’ll be nothing at all what so ever. Great point and thank you so much for adding it here 🙂
I agree completely with all. I left corporate years ago and worked as a consultant. I found corporate to be cut-throat and a few years ago when I discovered network marketing, I knew and understood the change of perspective that Freddie talks about. A good read. Thanks for sharing.
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Hi Barbara,
Thanks for coming by and I am glad that you could relate with this post, especially coming from corporate. Definitely, starting to work online calls for a change of perspective.
Sylviane we have discussed this before and you know how I feel about this. Mindset is something that you have to train yourself with and if you do not take the time to do it, then you will be stuck in the dead end trap model. The two thought processes that you get from working for a business and then working for yourself 999 out of a 1,000 will not be the same. One will be how far can we cut back and still turn a profit, while working for yourself is more about how can I help as many people as I can today because that is what matters the most. It is the start of the customer relationship and frankly out of those two who would you want serving you? Great post by the way.
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Hi Gen,
And nice seeing you here on this post. It’s so true, when you work for a boss you always try to do the least possible (lots of us anyway), when you work for yourself you are going to do the most possible. So different thinking, indeed!
Hi Sylviane,
I am not shocked to know the real figure of what companies are upto.Everyone is here to make money but they forget that they can only get it if their customers are satisfied with what they are providing.
To give an extra amount of information will cost them nothing if they one really has to stay in the market.Its like taking advantage of others to be at the top.Its the agenda of almost every company out in the market.
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Hi Aditya,
Yes, right? Most people wouldn’t be shocked. It’s true that we all have an agenda, but the bigger the company the more heartless they are going to be. This is simple fact.
Thanks for your feedbacks, dear 🙂
“The Bigger the Better quote has now changed to “The Bigger the Bitter”
They think that they rule the world but they forget that the world is from us not them alone.Its not their fault everyone when on top treats everybody like this.
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Hey sylviane,
After long time great to see you,
The customer should be satisfied well because they make existence of the company so company should give value to customer and make them good feel.they should deliver value to your potential customers.
customer are very valuable for a company. Thanks or sharing this good one.
Enjoy!
Hi Bushan,
Thanks for giving your input. Indeed, companies need to remember to give value to their customers because they are the very life line of their business.
Hi Sylviane,
Good that you agree on this that customer are life line of a business.body need blood for life so this is like that.
Thanks for this best post.
Hi Sylviane,
So true about bosses. In my experience all bosses were just looking after themselves and their own success, it wasn’t about growing and learning. That’s why I work on my own right now and love it.
MAriella
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Hi Mariella,
Can’t blame you, I totally agree that most bosses think only about themselves and don’t care about their employees, only a few exceptions here and there.
Hi Sylviane
I know most people who work in corporate Australia fall into the same stats as the US
.
From my own perspective I have had my own businesses or been a part owner since my late 20’s. My dad was self employed from when I was very young so I grew up and understood service and value. My dad in fact gave too much value and did not charge enough for his services.
Even when I was an employee I think I was different from so many others and thought of the business as my own.
I do totally understand though that most people come online after being employees and it is a shift.
Being generous with content is an interesting topic. Some people are afraid to give too much away as they then are not sure how to charge for information. It is a balance to do it so you that you give but you must also remember you are in business.
Great post Sylviane.
Sue
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Hi Sue,
Your dad sounds a lot like my mother 🙂 It was not the service that was lacking it was more not charging enough. Since we learned so well, my brother and I did the same thing. But I’m learning to be a better business woman now.
How fortunate of you not to have to work for a boss most of your life 🙂 Thanks for your input.
Hi Sylviane,
I agree with the phenomenon of American companies ’cause fortunately I’ve worked in one situated here as my first experience. I’m fortunate, ’cause I’ve got to know about American working culture here. Though our standards different here, American companies apply their own rules in-house.
But usually, our local companies value employees more than that. It’s truly awesome and you don’t believe that people earn money with no hard work at all. Anyway there is a downside and some industries absolutely need hard work. However here people are not under-valued when it comes to local companies but opportunities are limited. I think there’s no big difference in working at home vs working in a local company.
When it comes to value, it’s here. The priority goes to people not money like American companies do here. But still people wanna go after ’em due to reputation and some people in those companies understand value of people too. However mostly they are forced to get work done by employees. Anyway I’m glad here we have enough free time, respect and value for people 🙂 If those compliments come from bosses, hard work is nothing but a gift as I feels.
Cheers…
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Hi Mayura,
Well, I’m glad to see that some people are better treated than here 🙂
What you said reminded of my country, France, where workers are still better treated by governments and company rules. For example, here in the US you can work as a temp employee for several years, and you would still have zero payed vacation. This doesn’t happen there, every worker has at least the right to take his earned paid vacations.
Thanks for you input, Mayura 🙂
So true, people in corporations certainly think differently than small business people or the self-employed. There are a lot of people working in a corporation so the responsibility is dispersed and most people don’t have the contact with customers that we do. People in big companies have to do their job, which is just one little piece in the big picture. We have to do everything sometimes! And we certainly have to be aware of our customers and how we treat them and what we give them.
I think a lot of people could use a lesson in giving value, even people outside of corporations. Sometimes people think doing business on the internet is so easy, they’ll just start a blog or put an ad on a site and make money. But it’s just as much work as any other job.
You made an excellent point: people need to educate themselves. Look around, see what other people are offering, see how people react and pay attention. It’s a learning curve and smart people learn!
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Hi Carol,
I know you that you know what you are talking about when you think about small businesses. You are so much more in direct contact with your clients that you pay more, way more attention.
There are also people online that have not learned to give any value to potential customers or even acquired customers that is true too. They need to learn, indeed. Thanks for your entrepreneur’s feedbacks 🙂
Great topic Sylviane!
I have so many clients that are working for Corporate America…especially the Wall Street gang. Oh my it is shocking how they have to live their lives. A while back, I was doing psychic readings for a company (I cannot mention) to raise money for a cause.
I was there until 8 pm and noticed people were still working.
When I asked why, the answers all came from fear that they will loose their jobs. I’m sorry but I call this slavery!
American Companies need to get on board otherwise they will be continuing their “downsizing” process. I have been following a few large companies that have opted into the go-giving process on line. They are the ones who will win.
Great topic and thank you for addressing this issue.
I do work with many people to create what I call a “back door” for their freedom. One of my clients is selling T shirts on line while still at her job. Waiting for her business to take over so she can leave it. Another is a teacher who had to quit because she works in a public school and was hit a few times by students. She is now teaching online to home schoolers.
Where there is a will there is a way! I believe that when pushed in a corner, anyone can be an entrepreneur! All they need is a bit of leadership.
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Wow, Donna, so sad to hear t that some people will work late into the evening out of fear to lose their job for no pay. Yes, the last time I checked it was called slavery. And that happen right here in the US!
I love the fact that you are helping people to get out of the food chain and try to make it on their own in this world. God bless them to make such decision and seeking help to get it done 🙂 What a great purpose you are serving, Donna 🙂
Yes, I agree, it’s very easy to get into a mindset and not really recognise that you are in that mindset. Sometimes we have to leave our learned patterns behind and try something new. I love the value you offer here and always try to maintain a standard on my own blog. Working together will help us all to understand what is required and help us to meet the needs of our readers. Great post, thanks for sharing!
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
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Hi Mandy,
Blogging is an eternal challenge. To me it never gets boring for sure as I always try to do better on that post than the previous one.
Thanks for coming by 🙂
I read this article 3 or 4 times before I had to laugh because it reminded me of several organizations I worked for. Thankfully, my present boss, me, wants smart, helpful content. I started my blog because I was in the aging process and wanted to fight it with everything I had. In my research I learned so much about how to eat, exercising, make-up for the mature skin, care of the………I can go on and on. I had to spread this knowledge around, hence my blog. I have so much I want to share and to help us all to look and feel our best and I get better with every blog, article, etc. And with a good deal of your help. Thank you.
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