GarthBox

“It makes sense, but I don’t think people will buy into it.”

When there’s resistance to an idea based on the premise of simply not being ready (the market, the people, the idea), then it’s not a matter of sharing more proof of why it will work.

More facts and data and validation points simply wade people down. At some point the proof stops convincing and starts affirming their perception of it being too much.

Rather than give more proof, consider what you can do to make them more ready.

Imagine convincing someone to cross a road. You can tell them the walk signal is on. The lines are freshly painted. There’s gold on the other side. People before them have had the time of their lives walking across. That’s all proof the cross walk works, but the person still isn’t crossing.

So what do you do?

Go to them.

Put them in new shoes. Make them feel like a superhero. Walk with them.

 

Stay Positive & More Care, Not More Facts

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From a consumer’s perspective, it’s convincing to hear what a brand’s big picture is. What do they stand for? Why do they exist? What’s my (the consumer’s) role? Why should I care?

That’s definitely one story that brands tend to tell, some of which tell well.

The story that’s shared less often is the big picture for employees. Why should they work for you instead of the gal down the street? What’s my (the employee’s) role? Why should I care?

There may be a thread or two woven between both stories, but the big picture is different. If the employees don’t see it, how can a brand plan to stick around and share the other big picture story with the consumer?

The cycle is clear.

Invest in employees. Employees invest in consumers. Consumers invest in business.

 

Stay Positive & Do You Have Your Two Stories?

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Experts in your industry or topic of study will certainly have some great ideas.

But after a while you learn them all, they seem less great, they all start blending together.

Then what?

The answer isn’t to find better experts in your field. It’s finding experts in other fields.

Most new great ideas come from different perspectives; not shared ones.

 

Stay Positive & Go Chat

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Whenever my significant other calls, a picture of her smiling in a sun dress with a field of sunflowers behind her pops up on my phone. Oh, she’s also flipping me the bird. It’s hilarious and gets me smiling every time she calls.

When you break down your day into moments, it’s incredible how much control you have over what’s happening and, more importantly, how you feel.

Your morning alarm? It can be anything you want… maybe it’s the sound of your significant other telling you that “you are correct” which we all know is a rare occasion. Maybe you have a positive mantra taped up in your bathroom so you have something to read while you brush your teeth. Perhaps you have a poster at your work with a famous Chuck Close quote.

Options for happiness are endless. All it takes is for you to choose to control it.

 

Stay Positive & How Do You Set Yourself To Be Happy?

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Have you taken a moment to consider how much influence you can have on tomorrow?

Checking your schedule and mentally preparing for the set of tasks you can expect (and the ones you can’t). Maybe saving some of tomorrow’s willpower by picking out your outfit and packing a lunch tonight. Perhaps you check off a few of the easy to-dos that are on your list for tomorrow today so you can have more time to focus on the stuff that matters. Consider if you went to bed 30 minutes earlier so you can wake up earlier to meditate or do a light exercise–something you haven’t done in a while.

If there’s that much influence you can have on tomorrow…makes you wonder how much influence you can have on today.

 

Stay Positive & You’ve Got The Energy And Now The Rational

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People aren’t buying a product.

They’re buying in to a story your product helps them tell.

Recognizing that is the first step to marketing better.

The second is making sure everything else you do helps tell that story.

From the messaging on the door. To the types of glassware you have. To your email signature. To how people are greeted at the door.

 

Stay Positive & It All Adds Up

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Attention is expensive.

Even when it seems like attention was gotten easily, a lot of effort was put into the stunt or for those two worlds to collide or to steal a glance away from a competitor.

What I see so many brands fail it is this: You’ve got their attention… now what?

 

Stay Positive & Maybe Invest More In An Answer Than Attention

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