I'd like to give you a sneak peek at the TV commercial that SDI will unveil during the Super Bowl. Except...um...there isn't one.

It's not because we don't like double entendres, performing animals, and all those things that make Super Bowl ads what they are. It's not because we don't have 3 million-plus dollars to spend for airtime. (OK, maybe it's a little bit because of that.)

I'll take my tongue out of my cheek and come to the point.

We build our business in much the same way an individual technical communicator does. We start with a value proposition: that good documentation, and good processes for developing that documentation, are good for the bottom line. We tell our clients that we want to provide their customers with a good experience when they use the client's product or service.

Then we work to deliver a high-quality product at every stage of the process -- first draft, second draft, and so on. In so doing we earn the trust of product developers, engineers, support staff, marketing and sales people , managers, and ultimately customers.

Like a technical communicator, SDI doesn't need a Super Bowl ad. Our customer relationships aren't built within 30 or 60 seconds. They're built over time, bit by bit. We offer a value proposition, and the better we can articulate it the more persuasive it is. Then we have to deliver the value we promised.

Whether you'll be watching the game or the commercials (or going out for dinner in an uncrowded restaurant) I'd like to hear from you. What specific things do you, as a technical communicator or as a business owner, do to earn trust and build business relationships?