Taking a Stand Is Good for Business

With 2012 just around the corner, it's amazing how many blog posts and news stories are about setting goals, being productive, going bold in 2012.

I'm not going to tell you anything like that. If anything, the world is less in our control than in any other time in history. It's out of our hands: from our House of Representatives deciding that they would best represent us by poking some fun at the White House by commissioning a bust of Winston Churchill to the fact that Pakistan, Ethiopia, and Ancient Rome have (and had) more equal wealth distribution than the modern United States.

Worse still, there are tens of thousands of blog posts insisting that you don't do anything except for live in the moment. We've been living in the moment for the last four years. And the moment sucks.

Running goalless through life is about as useful as that future bust of Mr. Churchill.

So instead of all that nonsense, I want to pitch to you some very simple business advice in the new year: Stand for something.

In the world of social media, it's so easy to be afraid of offending people. To lose your customers for taking a stand, oh boy -- that'd be bad. Especially since there's so many other businesses out there that customers can buy from.

Nonsense. Tell your story. Stand for something. Make it count.

There was a very popular clothier on Twitter. He stood for almost everything I abhor in politics. Whenever I saw one of his Tweets, I'd start foaming at the mouth, but I'm one of those people who tend to like getting my "facts" from both sides -- so I never unfollowed him.

I never gave him a dime. But I know several very prominent folks who shop religiously from him. And he's made enough money that he can use Twitter as both his political platform and marketing channel -- all day long.

He might be a jerk, but he sure plays the game well.

Find the thing you believe in, and tout it in everything you do. Make it a part of doing business with your company. It won't be for everybody, but for the people who like what you're doing it will win you customers for life.

Don't worry about new three-year plans or keeping your New Years Resolutions more than a month. Focus instead on making a difference in the world. Whatever you want that difference to be.

If nothing else, put down the laptop and spend a bit more time with the people you care about. That's the one place that no matter what you do, or who you are, or what you believe in -- you can make a huge difference.

You can find more from Nick Armstrong on Twitter and at his personal website.