What is Love in Business?

The #1 Google’d question in 2014 was:

What is love?

[According to New York Times in the Google: A little look at a big year booklet published on December 28, 2014].

Naturally, as social entrepreneurs the next question to ask ourselves is: what is love in business?

Surely, love doesn’t exist in a box that only has to do with romantic relationships, friends and family.

Have you ever bought something (even when you couldn’t afford it) and said to yourself “I love it, I have to have it”? Unless you’re one of the few people on earth that is fully in control of your emotions in those “I gotta have it” kind of moments, then you’ve likely pulled out the credit card at least once in an impulsive time when emotion overrides logic.

Love makes us do all kinds of crazy things. Have you ever heard of a chain of gyms called Anytime Fitness? I hadn’t until I read a BBC article claiming that more than 2,000 people around the world have their logo tattooed on their bodies. Anytime Fitness is the fastest growing fitness chain in the world, but it’s not exactly a household brand name. I would dare to say that the logo and the name itself is not exactly tattoo worthy either.

Except… that’s what people do when they’re in love. They commit for the long-term. They’re loyal. They could talk about you all day long and some even ink it on their skin.

Love is a force. Accordingly to a 75-year long study, which was conducted by a group of Harvard researchers, it showed that love is really all that matters.

The relationship between love and business is not a stretch when it comes to branding, because branding is all about the heart strings.

Businesses need love too.

How your business and brand can be more loving?

1. Imagine your customers was your lover? How would you treat them differently?

2. What would it take for your customers to love your products and services so much they would pay anything for it?

3. What would make your brand tattoo worthy?

While an opportunist may view this as something to be exploited, profited from, and fully optimized, I believe it’s our entrepreneurial duty to bring love to business in a way that is mindful of society and the environment.

If business is a vehicle for change, then love is the force that drives it.

The way I see it, representing a loveable brand is a true honour and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Instead of setting goals this 2015, I’m putting love at the center of it all.

“Bring love to business” is our theme this year.

Now I’d love to hear from you: What do you think? What is love in business? What does that mean to you? See you over on the BLOG where we can keep this conversation rolling.

Cheers to an abundant year in 2015 filled with grateful moments.

Andrea