Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Go the Whole Way
Many times in business, there comes a choice between the risky way and the safe way. The temptation is to choose the safe way.
It's easy to think that we're better off by playing it safe. But that's almost always the way that leads to business failure.
Who are your customers more willing to trust? Someone who plays it safe, or someone who goes above and beyond and takes a risk to please them? Are they more drawn to someone who looks for ways to simply get by, or someone does things with passion and commitment?
Pleasing people always involves risk. They might not like what we do and reject us. But when we simply sit back and wait for them to take the first step, they'll take that step—right past us and on to the next business owner who shows a willingness to extend themselves to them.
Half measures don't work. Neither do safe ways out. Be willing to let people take you or leave you on the basis of what you are, not on the basis of trying to play it safe. Granted, it feels a lot safer to craft a carefully controlled, manufactured image out there.
But playing it safe and failing to trust yourself or your product doesn’t inspire confidence in visitors. And if we can’t inspire their confidence, they won’t buy.
Jeff
Many times in business, there comes a choice between the risky way and the safe way. The temptation is to choose the safe way.
It's easy to think that we're better off by playing it safe. But that's almost always the way that leads to business failure.
Who are your customers more willing to trust? Someone who plays it safe, or someone who goes above and beyond and takes a risk to please them? Are they more drawn to someone who looks for ways to simply get by, or someone does things with passion and commitment?
Pleasing people always involves risk. They might not like what we do and reject us. But when we simply sit back and wait for them to take the first step, they'll take that step—right past us and on to the next business owner who shows a willingness to extend themselves to them.
Half measures don't work. Neither do safe ways out. Be willing to let people take you or leave you on the basis of what you are, not on the basis of trying to play it safe. Granted, it feels a lot safer to craft a carefully controlled, manufactured image out there.
But playing it safe and failing to trust yourself or your product doesn’t inspire confidence in visitors. And if we can’t inspire their confidence, they won’t buy.
Jeff
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