Perceptions: Do your prospects see what you see?
Image via Unsplash+
Running a business can be kind of strange.
Here we are, doing this thing we do, selling that thing we sell.
Trying to get the word out.
Trying to get our product or service in front of our ideal customers.
It's a lot of work, right?
We're busy scurrying here and there, selling with soul, serving with passion, and supporting everyone who comes our way.
New prospect! Arrange a phone call — but wait, is the booking system connected, tested, and working?
New sale! Book time on the calendar — oh no, is it really three weeks before you can get to them?
New marketing thing! Buy a course to learn about it — but wait, will I really use Messenger Bots in my business?
New training program! Sign up, committing to 12 weeks of work and thousands of dollars — but wait, will this program really differentiate me?
Each of us is in our own glass jars, circling the walls, banging against the lid, spinning about, striving here, struggling there.
But wait a minute.
Where are our customers? Where are our prospects?
Image via Squarespace
They're not inside the jar with us.
They're on the outside, looking at our jars.
Looking at our labels. At our activities. At us.
Are they seeing the same thing we're seeing?
More important, are we purposefully showing them what we WANT them to see?
Are we carefully managing their perceptions?
Have we crafted the jar's label?
Or are we too busy working our a$$es off inside our jars, trying to get their attention?
What's the label on YOUR jar say?
Here's the thing.
Prospects are on the outside of our jars.
They're looking at some label.
But we can't read the label because we’re inside the jar.
Image via gapingvoidart.com
That is ... unless we're purposeful about what that label says.
We must be intentional about the labels on our jars.
Otherwise, people will label us however they want.
Take me, for example.
What does the label of MY jar say?
Freelancer for hire?
Hours for dollars?
Words for sale?
Writing coach?
Blogger?
Card deck creator?
At the moment, my label says Freelancer for Hire. That used to be okay because I used to be a Freelancer for Hire.
Today I'm not okay with that label. Today I want my label to say:
Editor (helping you create high-quality content)
Content strategist (helping you figure out what content to create, for whom)
Content marketer (helping you create that content)
Journalist (helping you tell your story in creative, effective ways)
Writer (helping put words together well)
Writing coach (helping you learn to put words together well)
Card deck creator (helping you with content ideas)
Yes, I’m a card deck creator. The Blog Post Inspiration Deck is my card deck: www.ineedcopy.com/deck
But changing a label isn't as easy as pasting a new label on top of the old one.
The change we're seeking has to happen first. THEN we can change the label.
Otherwise, customers will sense the dissonance between who we are and who we SAY we are.
And if that happens, they'll run.
So, go ahead; check your label.
If you don't like what it's saying, there's no better time than the present to change it.
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