We are firm believers in branding and our customers notice and appreciate the fact that every Globe Guard box we make has our logo proudly printed on the bottom for all to see. However, every once in a while we are involved in a packaging application that really makes us think about the non-business messaging we communicate to others.
Sennco Solutions Custom Printed Tape
Chris Marszalek, the president and co-founder of Sennco Solutions, has become a close friend as well as a valued customer. Anyone who has ever met Chris will tell you he is a savvy business man, a loving husband and father, and an incredibly hard worker, but what is most notable is that Chris is a devoted Christ follower. His faith and God are important to him and he does not hesitate to allow his faith to influence his business life, in fact he would be the first to tell you, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
That is why we were not totally surprised when Chris told us he wanted to print one of his favorite Bible verses on his box sealing tape. Proverbs 16:20 – “Blessed is he who trusts in the LORD”. Certainly a request we don’t hear every day but one not totally unexpected from a man like Chris.
Sennco Solutions is a leading designer and manufacturer of retail, anti-theft devices so you could say they are in the business of keeping honest people honest. If his new tape was going to communicate a marketing message, he could have easily selected a different Bible verse directed at dishonest behavior or even printed the quite appropriate Eighth Commandment on his tape – Thou shall not steal. That would have been clever and eye catching, but this was not about marketing or being clever, it is about communicating who Chris is and what he believes.
Who Are We?
Chris’ step in faith has made us think about who we are and what message we communicate to others.
My wife Lenora and I accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior years ago, long before we met Chris and way before we started our company. We are far from perfect people and I admit my personal behavior does not always reflect the presence of God in my life, though in business we are adamant about dealing honestly and fairly with our vendors as well as our customers.
Those who are closest to us and people who know us personally are aware of our faith and beliefs but the real question is – is it obvious to even the most casual business acquaintance that our faith is important to us? In the age where “transparency” is trendy is our faith as apparent as it should be, or as transparent as Chris has made his?
It is not a contest or competition, and the most faithful are typically the most humble, so rather than make a series of promises I may not be able to keep, I would rather make a personal commitment to make my faith more evident in my daily business life. I’m sure it won’t always be easy and in some cases it may even be unpopular, but if that is who I am and we are as a company, we have an obligation to communicate it consistently; day in and day out, regardless of the situation or business climate.
Rather than just being firm believers of messaging and branding, we should follow the example Chris has shown us and insist our messaging and branding reflect the fact that we are firm Believers.
