Why Try To Get Out Of Your Box, When You Can Use What's In It?
The more competition there is, the higher the bar gets raised and the greater the return on the investment of those who leap.
The more adversity there is, the smarter we maneuver and the more strategic we get to set ourselves up for long term success.
The more people interested in the kind of product or service we offer, the more empathy and personalization and care we have to show up with.
Stay Positive & There’s Quite An Upside To Every “Downside”
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Blaming lack of traction on a lack of awareness certainly works for new brands or launches, but much of the time the real problem is getting people who know about you or what you offer to act.
For politicians, it’s not how many people know about them, it’s about how many show up to vote for them.
For your new app, it’s not about how many people have downloaded it, it’s about how many use it after downloading it.
You can certainly drive awareness and see an uptick in the bottom of the funnel – no doubt – but it’s a temporary increase.
At some point, all those for whom your product or service is relevant to might see it.
What then?
It’s my favorite question to ask clients who come asking to have awareness increased.
“Imagine we do it – everyone who matters knows about you. Then what will make them use what you offer and keep using it and tell their friends to use it?”
Oftentimes it’s that side of the spectrum that needs support.
Stay Positive & Knowledge Isn’t Power Until It Gets Used
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Of course, small talk is more than just small talk.
It’s connection sampling.
Depending on your POV, it’s a moment to decipher if there’s something in it for you or something there you can give. It’s prodding to see if there is any overlap in eachothers’ narratives.
It feels uncomfortable for anyone, but the moment a connection made, the talk doesn’t feel small any longer.
Stay Positive & Seek The Big Talks
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“Leaders strike down the proposal” reads much different than “Leaders forgo signing the proposal” which reads much different than “Leaders opt for a different proposal.”
None of the above is wrong; they’re all stating the same thing.
But words matter when working to inspire change or behavior or emotion.
Are the ones you’re using igniting your audience to react the way you hope?
Stay Positive & Choose Intentionally
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Do they have what they need to share it?
The words to use and the rationale?
Is it remarkable enough to be remarked about?
Is anything lost when they pass what you gave them along?
You want to set others up for success with what you offer, of course.
But you also want to set them up to share what you offered with others.
It’s the brands that build connection into their product or service that will win out in the connection economy.
Does what you offer get better as people share it? It should.
Stay Positive & Share Away
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You can check the boxes.
Others can, too.
But it’s usually what people have to write about outside the boxes that make the difference.
Like Seth says, pretty good is pretty good, but people aren’t going to drive across town for it.
Stay Positive & Go Beyond The Boxes
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The obvious truth, free isn’t better for your brand. Especially too much free.
With too much free, either you’ll run yourself empty of energy and resources or drive your business into the ground.
The unobvious truth is that free isn’t always better for your customer, either.
It might help with status (I can now brag about getting a free donut that my friends didn’t get) and it might help with being able to invest later (I got two months free of rent and that allowed me to stay in business so I can keep paying rent down the road), but those benefits are either superficial or temporary.
What’s more is that customers’ narratives, perceptions and stories that ensue from money exchanged for something will always carry more weight and travel further (through word of mouth) than anything that’s obtained for free.
Can you imagine how meaningless a piece of Banksy art would be if you got it for free compared to if you purchased it for 2.1 million dollars? Or what your date thinks about you when you open a bottle of wine that you got for free instead of one you paid $80 for?
If you’re considering giving something away for free, instead consider how to make the product or service you already offer better with the same amount of money. Better makes for a greater story than free.
Stay Positive & Better Is Better
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