// This is long, so feel free to skip it. //
To know… scratch that.
To even get a glimpse at the mass mind is no simple matter. To interpret what to do with that insight? Well, that is a bigger challenge yet.
As everyone here at krisp loves a good challenge, here’s our 2¢ on some of the things that will matter in 2017.
The new-new race.
Drop out of it. 🛀 Instead, be like Jeff Bezos, aka CEO of Amazon, aka titan of the modern business. Jeff starts every project with this question: “What isn’t going to change?”
Before he started Amazon.com, he asked himself that question. The answer: Folks are going to continue to want you-name-it delivered as fast as possible.
Don’t just see now. See what doesn’t change.
Design.
Here’s one thing that will not change: Folks think with their eyes.
Want one more? You bet: Folks make snap judgements.
Good design is a thief: it steals attention. And then stashes it into our memory.
If your brand looks good, folks will naturally be primed to both see it and judge it in a better light.
Partner. 🏆
Partnership = a one-word ‘secret’ behind ALL successful businesses.
Case in point: Tesla. It’s great at designing cars. You know what Tesla is not great at? Audio. This is why they, like other smart car makers, partner with companies like Harman Kardon, JBL, Bose, etc.
Even if your dreams are not yet as big as Tesla’s, you’ll still need to partner up. Because if you’re anything like most business people nowadays, you barely have time to feed yourself, no? 🍕
Bottom line: Know what you’re not good at. Pick the things in the world that matter most to you. Then, for everything else, find a great partner.
Be focused and selective. If your current manager and/or business partner is not a great fit, find someone else.
Fair warning: a great partnership is a two-way street. You’ve got to hold up your end.
Have a primary channel for your broadcasts, both internal and external.
Listen, it’s your time and money, so do as you please with your marketing dollars. If you want to be everywhere, go for it.
In our experience, however, most businesses never actually get even a single channel of communication humming between themselves and their audience.
Chunkify.
Nothing beats a good story.
But even a good story has to be told in a way that folks prefer to see it. Today, that means that, more often than not, you need to chunkify your stories.
Practically speaking, write short paragraphs, and use bullet points/lists to make your stories more scannable. Effective, too.
Mind your tone.
Many opportunities in life are lost by tone of speech only.
Because the meet-and-greet aspects of many important decisions are now done online, please make sure that your ‘digital’ tone of voice represents your brand in the best possible light.
Listen and respond. 💝
Look around: folks are craving to be heard. The general lack of meaningful, trusted, and valuable listening opportunities is leaving people feeling more isolated than ever before.
Be like the brands folks love: invest in listening. If you’re a big-hearted entrepreneur, this is an opportunity to set in motion the impact you were born to make.
Share as you go in 2017. And beyond.
Think like Coca-Cola: if you have something to give, share as you go.
Fact: Coca-Cola runs the most popular business page on Facebook. By a wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide margin.
Almost all of Coca-Cola’s posts are invites to enter a contest, watch/see something fun, and so on.
Bottom line: Learn from the happiest Facebook page on Earth — share as you go. 🎉 Then share some more.
Thank you for reading. If you read this far down, here is a hug. (>^-^)>