Happy Bastille Day to everyone!

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it is politically incorrect to say anything nice about France, but let’s look at the facts and see what it means to you in terms of public relations. Yes, there is a point:

France gave us the Statue of Liberty, one of the truly great symbols and tourist attractions in the world.

France sold us Louisiana and lots of other land in what can only be called the second best land deal since the Native Americans sold Manhattan to the Dutch for $24 in beads.

France didn’t object when we falsely branded them with French Toast or French Fries. The gastronomic gods probably heaved a sigh of relief when conservatives renamed the foods Freedom Toast and Freedom Fries.

France gave us money to fight wars for American independence from the British, without which, we’d be spelling color and honor with “u”s.

We’ve never been at war with the French. We’ve been at war with England, Germany, Italy, Russia, Mexico, and Japan. We’ve been at war against crime, poverty, and even obesity.

France is just about the only thing we haven’t been at war with!

So what does this have to do with you?

France has a 200-year history of supporting the US but they did one thing to tick off people — they didn’t support the War in Iraq.

That one act wiped out 200 years of good feeling.

Now imagine your poor customer. You bend over backwards for years to give them every kind of service and benefit imaginable. But you mess up on one thing and what do they do? They cancel the service!

Sure, some customers have built a reserve bank of good will from which they deduct your faux pas. But others have short fuses and will run away from you.

Today’s message: you’re only as good as your last at bat. Don’t blow it. You have less credit in the favor bank than you think.

Dan Janal
Your Fearless PR LEADER
PR LEADS Experts Resource Network
www.prleads.com