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Small Business Ethics – Gaining the Trust and Respect of Consumers

June 30, 2011 :: by Linda Jo Martin

Every small business owner should include a section on business ethics in their business plan. I know there’s at least one book that says there’s no such thing as small business ethics, but that’s because it condenses all ethics into one important philosophy, the Golden Rule. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” That’s definitely the basis for ethics, and something almost every religion has included in their scriptures.

Ethical behavior in business transactions is vitally important because once you’ve lost your reputation it is very hard to get it back. Rumors and complaints from dissatisfied customers spread more easily than the much-craved word-of-mouth advertising everyone talks about. Treating people fairly, compassionately, with kindness is the best way to show that your business is people-oriented, approachable, and trustworthy.

You might not think that small business ethics deserve a place on this site next to small business accounting and marketing, but it is essential to responsible business ownership, and something every business person needs a grasp on or you will find your customer base diminishing and drying up. When prospective clients or consumers view you as honest and trustworthy, and even kind and generous, they’re more likely to want to patronize your small business.

Therefore I recommend that we all come to important decisions in formulating a small business philosophy that encompasses business ethics and the Golden Rule. In doing this small exercise in business planning, you’ll be doing your customers a favor, and doing yourself a favor too.


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About Me

Hi! I'm Linda Jo Martin, an artist in training. Formerly I was a xhtml/css web designer. This used to be my webdesign business site. Since I retired I've preserved the old articles about webdesign business issues but transformed the site for my adventures in creativity. This includes art, writing, and whatever else comes up in the creativity sector of life. I also review books. I'll review art books here, but my main site for book reviews is Linda Book Lady.

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Hello – I’m going to use this corner of the universe to tell you how happy I am that you stopped by to visit my site. This website has been a long-term project for me. I started my webdesign business back around 2002 and used it to supplement my meager income while my children were growing up. What a joy it was to be able to earn some money and help support the family! However now my children are adults and I’m retired. I still live in the Klamath River Valley here in far-northern California. My heart and thoughts have turned to art, something I saved for my retirement years. I call myself an artist in training, but truly, I think artistry training should never end.

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