GarthBox

Many want to begin their marketing strategy by focusing on awareness.

They believe success is guaranteed by getting eye balls, paying to be placed on influential blogs, and having their good side shown on TV.

Better, I believe, to show the customer you care first.

Think about what more you can give to your target? Instead of a media kit, what would a customer kit look like? Instead of advertising to get a longer line at the door, why not invest in making it a greater experience for the few who have shown up?

 

Stay Positive & Care First And More Will Come

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We’re accustomed to avoiding situations that fill us with fear, most often of which: failure.

The interesting bit about our brains is that we’re primed to feel a greater sense of calm when we think through the possible failures than if we convince ourselves that everything is uncertain.

There’s greater stress in not knowing than in knowing things might turn sour.

 

Stay Positive & Think It Through

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If you charge a little more, what do you do to make it more valuable?

If you subject an employee to a consequence, what do you do to reward the others?

You can’t get away with only doing things one way, one-sidedly for long.

Either you find a way to push both ends of the spectrum and keep an equilibrium as you grow or let it snap back and bring you down to equilibrium.

 

Stay Positive & It’s Only A Matter Of Time (And Effort)

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Logically, you can be right, but not move a person to commit, buy or change their worldview.

Logically, we’re illogical human beings that rely on emotion more than we know.

Being part of the narrative the customer is telling himself, having empathy toward him, and making an emotional connection with him will trump the facts day after day.

 

Stay Positive & Listen With Your Heart

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The more we do business, the more often we act as if we know what the customer wants.

In doing so, we immediately jump to what we’ll offer, assuming the reasons why.

When, in reality, it’s not the offer that matters, it’s the ability to communicate that you understand and have listened to the customers desires.

 

Stay Positive & Prove You’ve Understood

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By default, when you work to start a business, you’ll be having conversations with a lot of smart(er) and already-successful people.

The soul purpose of these conversations will be to discover how they can help you.

You’ll be asked it a lot. “Great. I love your idea. How can I help?”

Will you have answers?

Unfortunately, “I don’t know what I don’t know,” doesn’t quite cut it.

Here are two actions to take so you’re not frazzled when asked how another can help and, more importantly, you get the help you need.

1) Most new meetings come from references. “Have you talked to Kevin over at X Business? He’d be a great guy to chat with.” Now you have a name, but it’s your responsibility to ask more. Something like, “Thanks. Where do you think his expertise is in relation to my business?” Essentially, you’re asking the person referring Kevin what they think Kevin can help you with. There’s your answer when Kevin asks you how he can help you.

2) Put the person you’re meeting in your shoes by asking them, “With the experience you have now, if you were starting my business, what would you focus on? What would you make sure that you would do?” When you put them in the driver’s seat, they’ll focus on doing right what they already know how to do right.

 

Stay Positive & You Don’t Always Need To Have Answers, But You Do Need To Have Questions

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There’s a man who is a successful doctor, but he doesn’t want to remain a doctor. His heart has shifted. He’s now in love with the piano even though he has never played the piano, or any instrument for that matter.

A situation like this isn’t uncommon.

There are more people with the urge to change their profession than ever before, but they always ask, how?

The answer is the same way the man became a doctor in the first place: studying and practice.

Genetics, friends who are already involved with a hobby, a parent who does what you want to do all help, but they are not essential. What’s essential is studying and practice.

 

Stay Positive & The True Test Of Passion Is Your Willingness To Do Them Consistently

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