Why Try To Get Out Of Your Box, When You Can Use What's In It?
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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No, JFDI isn’t an airport acronym, though it can help you get places.
It’s short for just fricken do it.
Is it something your audience will appreciate? Asked differently, does it add value?
Does it align with the core truths that you want to exude?
Then just fricken do it.
No need for reassurance. No need to wait for someone to partner with. No need to research and validate it.
Do and then learn from it to the point that you’re motivated with another idea.
Then just fricken do that one, too.
All the while, you’ll build brand awareness and loyalty and start to connect with many smaller tribes who will support you.
Make a book of poems from your brand. Create surprise and delight boxes. Start a TikTok account, a blog, a Venmo tip jar. Do a pop up event at a place no one would imagine you would do one at.
Try it, and if it doesn’t work, try something else.
The truth no one talks about is that if it’s something that doesn’t quite work, no one cares much. They only care about what they care about. They subconsciously ignore what doesn’t. Go ahead, take a poll of your customer base or audience if they remember you trying that one thing six months ago?
Mhm.
Stay Positive & If You Don’t Try, You Fail
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They might be asking for advice, but what they need beyond that is to know you’ve got their back.
They might be asking for a specific piece of work, but what they need beyond that is validation to their boss that their ask is the right one.
They might be asking for you to share a social post, but what they need is to know that you support their efforts and trust them.
There is always more to the ask then the ask.
The professionals, the ones who care, deliver on the ask and give others the backing they need.
Stay Positive & A Little Reassurance Goes A Long Way
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