Partners In Crime or Brothers In Arms?

“… and though they hurt me so bad, in the fear and alarm… you did not desert me, my brothers in arms”
Dire Straits

As one year ends and another begins, I listen and read the predictions of the direct response marketing industry leading professionals (the kind of marketers that have been around for more than a decade, not the flaky “gurus” on Facebook) for the new year.

Specifically, I look for upcoming trends in what they reveal.

Trends to guide me in my business in the new year.

An always-good practice is to look for certain problems and shortages that your market is experiencing and come up with a solution and a unique approach you can incorporate in your business to stand out and differentiate yourself from your competitors.

You know what turns out to be the scarcest resource in businesses today?

Loyalty.

See, in this modern business world where everything’s cheap (or even free), and everyone seems to be an expert in something, loyalty is king.

How many times have you experienced unloyalty from an employee or partner?

How many stories of shady con men disguised as online consultants or experts?

I know I have.

It almost seems like honest businesses and business owners are nowhere to be found, and those who are honest and loyal are eaten alive.

These thoughts always bring me back to when I served in the Israeli army.

Back when I knew that no matter what happens – when the shit hits the fan – my brothers in arms got my back.

Going to war never worried us – as long as we had each other we knew we’d be OK.

The heroic stories of the legendary Israeli army commanders that seemed to have victory running in their veins always kept our spirits high.

You may say we were just kids dreaming of glory and pride in defending our country, but think of it this way –

What effect would that kind of morale have on your business?

That kind of “Brothers In Arms” spirit is what I always strive for in working with my clients, or as I call them – partners.

In a world where freelancers are notoriously known for being a mere “hired gun”, jumping from client to client, trying to amass as many as possible while being loyal to none,

Loyalty will get you a long way and will ring out in your marketplace like a sniper’s deadly shot through the dark.

How’s that for an original branding strategy?