Let's Talk About This Camel
Imagine this camel wanted to be known for her ability to walk far without taking a sip. Is that what you see when you see her? (I don't know if she is a she, but go with me here.)
Imagine this camel wanted to be known for how tall she was. Are you feeling that? Nope – me either.
But imagine that this camel wanted to be known as colorful, as standing out from the crowd. Could you believe that? I could.
All she'd have to do is make sure that every day, when she went to pick out her clothes, she picked colorful stuff.
We both know she doesn't pick her outfits, but you get my point, right?
Are You Paying Attention to Every Touch Point?
If you and I have spent time together on a Zoom call, I hope you hung up and said, “man, that was a great call. I really appreciate his insight”
If we've hung out over drinks and you walked away thinking about the conversation, I hope you thought, “man, that conversation really helped me.”
In fact, even if we've not met in person or spent time on a call, if the only interaction we've ever had has been here on this blog, I hope you've finished an article with a new insight.
Each one of those interactions is a touch point – a connection you and I have shared.
And I step into every one of those with an agenda. Not an evil agenda. Just a focused one. My wife says I don't know how to be casual. She's probably right.
I've been called intense. I've been called strategic. I've been called intentional. And I've been asked to relax.
But I consider every touch point critical in the development of not only our relationship, but in the development of my brand.
Now to be clear, I don't sell a lot of things, so you might think the whole branding discussion is a waste. But I don't focus on brand development because I want to sell things. I focus on it for a different reason.
Owning Search Results In Your Mind
People who use the web (that's all of us, right?) know that if you type a term into Google's search engine, you'll see search results.
And if you want your site to appear high on the search results page, you need some search engine optimization (SEO). If you need help with your SEO, you get help – like from Pathfinder SEO.
So we're clear – this isn't a post about search engine optimization. This is an article about the corners of your brain. When you search for “frameworks” or “business strategy” in your brain, I want to be on page 1.
I know others will be there. I'm not saying I want to be first. I just want to be on page one.
Focus on the Big Idea
Let's get super clear on something.
The truth is that we don't remember things well.
I've told you before that people will forget most of what they hear in less than one hour. That's insane but if you think about it, you've likely experienced it.
If we want to take a corner in someone else's brain, you can't just do something once. Not even twice.
We remember things based on several iterations of exposure.
You need to find your “big idea” and then make sure you embed it into all your interactions. Strategy is one of my big ones. It doesn't matter if we're talking about product development, product management, managing teams, or writing. In every space I'm in, in every context, I want to make sure I'm focused on that big idea.
So How Do You Do It?
You already know what I'm going to say since I titled this post on consistency. But here are three tips.
1. Be intentional – I know people may call me intense. You don't have to be intense to be intentional. I know some very strategic people who come across as very relaxed. But don't let touch points go by unnoticed. Pay attention. And be fully present. Don't try to do two or three things at once. Be there and focus on the impression you're leaving.
2. Be generous – I find that people are far more likely to give up the corner in their brain when they feel like they're getting something of value. Additionally, every time you're generous, there's a desire on the part of the other person to reciprocate.
3. Be consistent – Most importantly, you need to be consistent. Generosity and intentionality come pretty natural to me. It's the way I'm wired.
But I'm not wired for consistency.
So I have to put programs, plans, or accountability in place to help me. If I want to write a lot of articles, I need friends that hold me accountable to writing daily. So find the ways that help you become more consistent in the delivery of your brand.