A few weeks ago, I was flipping around the satellite dish when I found one of those movies that will always stop me in my tracks. No, it wasnât The Shawshank Redemption â although I always stop on that one as well. No, it was one of the best worst movies of all time: Road House starring Patrick Swayze. After the movie was done, it reminded me of a blog I wrote four years ago about the business lessons that can be learned from movies I love â especially this one. So, in that spirit, here are some updated business lessons from the greatness that is, Road House.
If youâre not familiar with the movie, the protagonist (Dalton, who is played by Mr. Swayze) is a professional âcoolerâ who is hired by bars seeking to take control of their unruly patrons. By training and directing the bouncers, Dalton is usually able to clean up the establishment and increase profits for the owner. In the movie, Dalton is hired by the owner of the Double Deuce in Jasper, MO. During his initial training of the Double Deuce bouncers, Dalton shares his three rules that are critical to success. These same rules apply to the world of promotional products as well.
âNever underestimate your opponent: expect the unexpected.â
The promotional marketing industry has changed in ways that couldnât have been predicted just ten years ago: clients expect immediate communication, the use of social media as an extension of your brand, and continual margin pressure from internet providers. Truly successful distributorships expect the unexpected. These are the distributors that express concern about Alibaba while wondering how the competitive landscape will shift should Amazon enter the marketplace and begin delivering branded merchandise by drone. Focusing on the future - and the possible ways that future might change the industry - allows successful distributors to stay one step ahead of their competition.
âTake it outside.â
With the easy access and anonymity of social media, it has become too easy to vent against suppliers, other distributors, or even regional/national associations without taking real responsibility. If you have a problem with someone within the industry, resist the urge to broadcast your dissatisfaction to the social media masses. Venting publicly will only exacerbate the problem and will result in a loss of respect from your peers due to the lack of professionalism. Instead, do as Dalton says and take your issue outside and deal with it directly and respectfully.
âBe nice.â
While it seems simple, many people are just not consistently nice. It doesnât cost a dime to be nice to people and it will generally bring you more goodwill than you can imagine. Smile, make someoneâs day by paying for their coffee, write an unsolicited endorsement on LinkedIn, or go out of your way to express your gratitude to a supplier who helped you close that sale. Being nice to others doesnât burn any more calories than it does to be surly, and the benefits are far greater.
Three very simple â but powerful â pieces of advice: be forward thinking, keep disagreements private, and decide to consistently be nice. While Road House may not win any awards, heeding these three lessons will allow you, your company, and your brand to flourish.
Bill is president of PromoCorner, the leading digital marketing service provider to the promotional products industry, and has over 18 years working in executive leadership positions at leading promotional products distributorships. A featured speaker at numerous industry events, a serial creator of content marketing, president of the Regional Association Council (RAC) board, and PromoKitchen chef, Bill has extensive experience coaching sales teams, creating successful marketing campaigns, and developing branding that resonates with a target audience. He can be reached at bill@PromoCorner.com.