Chops or Fangs?

Whether it was performing on stage, singing or other creative pursuits. If one was told they had "chops" it was a great compliment. And then they practiced and honed the skill until it sparkled with impeccable talent! They exhibited undeniable proof that they truly delivered what was anticipated of them.

Fast-forward past the economic landslide into this time of small marketing/designing businesses clamoring and clawing up a steep mountain of melting Jell-O; having chops is not as important it seems as having fangs long enough to drain the lifeblood of a competitor. It's harsh here in SW Missouri, people! Established and respected agencies and design firms are being undermined by the unscrupulous rantings of chest-beating wannabes who have no conscious about selling a drag-n-drop template website for thousands of dollars. Where's the integrity in that? Oh, right...that's not important to the Fanged Ones. They need that money for dental bills, no doubt! In the meantime, clients' nervous voices are getting drowned out by the howling declarations of being the "biggest"; the "best"; the "only"...the _____________(you fill in the blank).

Sound bitter? Not at all...this behavior is actually good for my business. I get calls from those confused clients who are promised one thing and delivered another by the unscrupulous. Don't these fanged vamps have any forethought? Or is it their goal to suck the trust out of every cell of believing clients who have been mesmerized by the well-rehearsed promises? Now that's definitely a bitter tasting morsel of truth!

It simply seems to me in this time of economic struggle that a more honorable, more realistic competition would be better appreciated by those who fork out a lot of money for public exposure and professionally designed presence in the market. They deserve firms with chops; not fangs. They deserve integrity, not ego. They deserve to be appreciated and taken seriously...and listened to. They deserve what's best for their business. And yes, they deserve a healthy group of competing design firms and marketing agencies from which to choose. That will help us all.

T.
AAF Has Chops