Why the end is really the beginning
Ending any relationship is difficult and it creates emotions that most of us don't know exist.
But at the end of any relationship whether it is with a supplier, client, employee, friend or partner, is really the beginning of something new and exciting. It just sometimes takes people longer to get over the last relationship than needed.
But at the end of any relationship whether it is with a supplier, client, employee, friend or partner, is really the beginning of something new and exciting. It just sometimes takes people longer to get over the last relationship than needed.
Recently, I ended a personal relationship. It was actually something good for both of us. It quite simply was not meant to be. Different values and too big of an age difference. What worked, worked really well, and what didn't, was unfortunately a deal breaker.
Both parties will be happier and better for the experience in the future.
Sometimes you can continue on as friends, but usually there needs to be a certain amount of space to get to this point.
Other times, when someone does something that directly hurts another, it is far more difficult.
In business, its the same. If you decide to use one supplier over another and have to end a relationship, there will be times when you 'wished that you hadn't' or 'were happy that you did'.
Client relationships are more tricky. We never want to end a client relationship but sometimes people's needs change. Sometimes the client needs a differen type of service or perhaps they don't understand what you are offering to fully appreciate the value of it. Sometimes the agency (in our case) knows that what the client needs is a different service. Perhaps, it is just PR that the company needs rather than the holistic marketing service we provide. Or maybe its not cost-effective for us to have that client because they take up too much time with not a decent enough ROI.
Relationships are hard but when they end, there is always a silver lining. Its an experience that 'we have to have' and it brings us hopefully closer to understanding our needs and that of others around us.
When did you last have a 'break up' and how did it help you moving forward?
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comments ( 2 )
Brittany
28 Feb 2012If one fears failure then this in effect limits change.
ReplyIf you stay in a relationship, either business or personal, just because of the fear of regret or the unknown, we limit ourselves.
As daunting as change and the unknown can be, in life we must take risks and implement change otherwise we may miss opportunities.
Making a big decision such as ending a client relationship is hard to make, yet settling for an average relationship is just as tough.
Ending chapters in our life isn't the end, it just starts a new chapter and new opportunities. Whilst this may be hard to decide, it is inevitably yourself who determines your future.
Anabela
25 Feb 2012Dealing with clients is not always an easy task. Sometimes as marketers we must accept failures. However, failure is not the end to all. Failure motivates us to find a better solution and it can even bring us closer to our clients. As Michael Jordan once said "you fail over and over again in your life, that's why you succeed". So failure should not stop a marketer from achieving certain outcomes but instead, it should drive them to succeed. There is always a strategy to every situation and we should therefore never fear failure.
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