What's more important than marketing?

Well that question gets lots of answers when I ask it?

I get to ask it when I run a number of training events - I use it to get the converstaion going.

Here's the top 5 answers which always crop up:

1. Having a great product or service that people want.
2. Having good financial planning and reporting in place
3. Having a comprehensive business plan
4. Having a good website
5. Investing in a professional image

And they are all right answers - I can't argue with any of those and in fact one of the biggest reasons businesses go bust is that no one wants what you have to offer. It may seem a great idea to you, but sometimes the reality is, you are the only one who believes it to be of value.

All the others above if not in place will hinder success - and ultimately lead to failure.

But there is one thing that is more important than all of these and that includes whether or not you have a good idea or not.

And its got nothing to do with what you are offering - Its got nothing to do with how much money you have, though the more money you have the less of this you need in the short term - but over the long term if you don't have this you will eventually end up with nothing.

Do you have the biggest asset in building a business?

In short the most important thing you need is the ability to build relationships with people you don't know. They have to enduring, based on trust. They have to be generous and not self serving. Relationships with your staff, suppliers, old and new customers, friends, neighbours, delivery people, dustman, in fact everyone have to be positive and life enhancing.

If you can't build a positive relationship on the phone with a complete stranger in less than a minute, and then work hard at making that relationship stronger, then unless you have a lot of money to waste, your business will fail.

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