GarthBox

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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Unless someone is trying to prank you or you’re selecting a haunted house to visit, usually good things come from sharing your authentic thoughts with others.

By sharing your reservations about an idea or event or tactic, you open yourself up to a real connection with the one you’re opening up to. And in a world where we are all human, you’ll be surprised to find just how often others share similar reservations.

By sharing your concerns, you not only create an opportunity for others to help you in addressing it, but in doing so, you work to prevent others from feeling the same concern you are. Someone has to go first, but damn is there a ripple effect.

By sharing your fears, you can then begin to move forward, dance with them, acknowledge them and do the work anyway versus letting them force you to stand still. (No decent work gets done that way.)

Share them with your clients. With your significant other. With your family. With your coworkers.

And if they discard them, ignore them or all the sudden invite you to stay at a haunted house with them, find better ones.

Stay Positive & Proactively Communicate

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What you do matters, no doubt. But how you do it, makes all the difference.

What you say matters, no doubt. But how you say it can be the game changer.

Say, for example, you’re interviewing someone for a project management role. They can list all their skills and historical experience, but if they don’t do it with an undertone of confidence, they’re likely to be scored lower than someone with a similar interview experience, but exudes confidence throughout it.

Of course, the how is that stuff that’s tough to measure and observe (especially if you’re trying to self-observe).

But that’s the stuff we need to focus on if we’re going to elevate our ideas, build a tribe and do work that has an impact on our culture.

Stay Positive & Let The Characteristics Shine

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