“When you cannot make up your mind which of two evenly balanced courses of action you should take, choose the bolder.”
— General WJ Slim, British Commander of the 14th Army in Burma
Ever get that feeling that you should have acted sooner? Smarter? Bolder?
Ever get the sense that your competitors have a leg up on you? Why is that? Are they better than you? Or are they simply doing a better job of promoting themselves?
How many business icons made their mark by playing it safe?
How many millionaires got there by saving money?
How many successful people distinguished themselves by blending in?
How willing are you to take the bold steps and promote yourself in a meaningful way that really excites others?
There’s no reason why you cannot go toe-to-toe with the “big boys.” That’s if you have the determination to up your game and bet on yourself.
I’m willing to bet on you.
If you genuinely believe you’re the right choice, then show them why. Not what you do and how you got here. But why it matters. To them. Deliver a smart message with professionalism and polish. Find your true voice. Use it boldly and share your passion.
And it’s okay to show a little swagger. You’ve earned it, right?
Never lose sight of how you do things differently and why it matters.
Get creative. Present yourself in a way that is clever and believable. Remember, you’re likely not the best there is, so get over it. (There’s only one “best.”) Instead, demonstrate why you’re the better choice.
And make it about them. They should be your focus, not you. When it’s time to blow your horn (remember, swagger), let your customers’ words do it for you.
You can’t be all things to all people. Put a stake in the ground and stick to your Brand Promise. Distinguish yourself in a way that moves your audience and makes them want to learn more. They want to be inspired.
You can be the one they think of first. The one they remember. The one they trust. The one they refer others to.
Does this feel like a gamble? The real gamble is in your inaction. How about betting on yourself for a change? After all, you control the odds.
“We all shine on. Like the Moon and the stars and the Sun.”
— John Lennon, Peacemaker
Now it’s your turn to shine.
You can do this.
We can do this together.
This is your best opportunity.
Still have cold feet over this? Sheesh. Then try this.
Related Posts
What’s in a Name, Anyway?
If your business is like ours, you don’t have a bottomless marketing budget to build awareness of a name that lacks clarity. We have to be more calculated and deliberate.
Keep the Change
Evolving technology keeps all of us on our collective toes, makes us more aware of our competitors and presents more opportunities to distinguish ourselves than ever before. Moreover, it adversely impacts those who fail to embrace it.
Are You Growing Your Circle of Influence?
Your circle of influence should not be confined to your immediate sales prospects. That’s not what marketing in the 21st Century is about.
Unclutter Your Marketing View
To succeed in marketing, we need to avoid the distractions and focus on the fundamentals. We need to pull ourselves out of the bubble in which we live to see ourselves the way others see us. It’s this uncluttered view that helps bring the clarity and objectivity that lead us to a sound strategy.
Three Major Hurdles of Business Naming
Business naming is one of the more difficult things we do. Aside from the creative challenges, there are three major hurdles we have to leap. For every name we present, there are, literally, dozens of candidates that never make the cut. The client never sees any of those.
Bringing Out the Best.
Greatness cannot be achieved within a vacuum. It takes vision, perseverance and a team of experts to make it happen. It requires an understanding of what your audience wants, even if it’s something that doesn’t quite exist. You aim high, learn from your failures and never say, “It can’t be done.”