My Philosophy with Any Business Relationship

I cannot tell you how many times I had a call from people saying their web person did not have the capability they claimed to do the job. I know how difficult it can be when a potential client asks you, “Can you do this?”

If you are totally honest and say you cannot, you risk losing the job. Too often, I have heard, “Sure, I can do that.” In reality they cannot. This business is not like being in school, cramming for big test the night before.

Three Elements Are A Must In Any Business Relationship:

1. TRUST

2. COMMUNICATION

3. HONESTY

You MUST have ALL three for any relation to survive. Let me clarify: A healthy relationship. Lose any one of these characteristics and the relationship will eventually erode away to something not as you expected.

One may ask “What about respect, etc.?” You need TRUST, COMMUNICATION, and HONESTY before any other element can really take hold. For example you may say someone respects you but they show you very little or no trust. Ask yourself, “How can that be?”

Never more so in this business is TRUST, COMMUNICATION, and HONESTY essential.

You need to evaluate yourself and what you can offer. Be honest with yourself and know your limitations. I suggest making list of what skills you have, a separate list for skills that need to be improved upon, and those skills you do not have.

This sounds like a simple undertaking, but it is not. You must be COMPLETELY honest with yourself. It is more difficult than you believe. Let me gave you an example how this assessment of yourself can be accomplished.

Let us say you are good in HTML and basic Dreamweaver. You are familiar with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and basic FLASH. You do not know about PHP, MySQL, and ActionScript for FLASH.

So, you start your lists similar to this:
Skills I have:

• HTML/XHTML – I can meet the standards established by the W3C.


• Dreamweaver – I understand the basic features Dreamweaver to create a functioning web site.
  

Skills I need to improve upon:

• CSS – I understand the basics of CSS, but not much of the advanced features for creating a web site in pure CSS.


• FLASH – I can use the basic FLASH to create animations and simple web sites.

Skills I do not have yet:

• PHP


• MySQL


• ActionScript for FLASH

My goals and things I need:

• CSS
  
• I need to practice using more CSS when creating web pages


• View online tutorials and books on CSS


• FLASH
  


• Take class in future


• Network with some who knows MySQL
  
• Maybe Joe



• ActionScript for FLASH
  
• Take class in future


• Network with some who knows ActionScript
  
  
  
  • Maybe Jane
  
  

This is only a simple example, but I you get the general idea.

My most paramount rule in conducting yourself with a client or potential client is ALWAYS BE HONEST with them.

If cannot do something, no matter have difficult it might be, say so. That is why I say evaluating your skill level is essential. If are not strong or do not have that skill, find somebody who is.

This will increase your reputation and creditability when you say; “We can do that for you.”

I want to pass along a quote said to me when I first started:

“You cannot wear all the hats in this business.” ~ Professor Al Fichera

You cannot be an expert at everything. Find areas that you are strong and find somebody else to network who is strong areas you might be. You will find this a “Win-Win” situation.

Since I broached this topic, I might discuss Business Ethics during my next post.