Not Far from the Tree

A Guide to Using Personality To Build Your Business Online

September 5, 2008

Issue # 5

Cut Through the Boring

For those who don't know, I like to climb mountains. Specifically, I like to hike 14,000 foot mountains in Colorado. There are between 53 and 58 14,000-foot mountains in Colorado (the disparity has to do with the definition a person uses). Many people (myself included) make it a goal to climb every 14er in Colorado.

As long as you consider breathing optional (there is little oxygen at 14,000 feet), some of the mountains are relatively easy. Some are very difficult. Some are absolutely gorgeous. Some are boring and rather plain.

Two weeks ago, I climbed three (or four depending on that elusive definition) of the boring ones. The mountains I climbed are named Mt. Democrat, Mt. Lincoln, and Mt. Bross (and Mt. Cameron, but who is counting?). With all the absolutely beautiful places I have been, you might expect that these three boring mountains would quickly fade from my memory. But you would be wrong.

I started out at 5 a.m. and climbed Mt. Democrat first. I arrived on the summit at about 6:30 a.m. Then it was back down and over to Mt. Lincoln (crossing Mt. Cameron in the process). The view was great from the top of the mountains, but the hiking was not very difficult nor was the scenery extraordinary. These are class 2 mountains, among the easiest to climb. I was on the summit of Lincoln by 8 a.m. and turned to make my way back down Lincoln to cross the saddle over to Mt. Bross (recrossing the shoulder of Mt. Cameron).

And there it was--the unexpected object--the foreign-to-the-environment thing that will cause these three uninteresting and straightforward mountains to forever remain a part of my personal mountain-climbing memories.

Can you imagine what I saw? Think of something completely foreign to the side of a mountain and you will get it. Keep reading if you want to know.

The whole point of your marketing (of whatever type) is to make connections so that your business thrives. The unexpected is the path to the ears of your audience. When you are marketing your business, writing your website, or producing your eNewsletter, you must remember that one of the best ways to make a connection with your audience is to use the unexpected to help your listeners sit up and take notice.

Often, the service or product you provide is not that different from your competitors. When you take the unexpected route to communicate your (perhaps commonplace) message, your audience will hear that message in a whole new way. And they will associate you with the message, making a stronger connection with you.

Bottom Line--sometimes as business owners we need to strike beyond the pale conventions of our competitors, becoming a PATHFINDER for our audience. After encountering the unexpected between Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Bross, these commonplace mountains will always stand out in my memory. When you help your clients experience your message in unexpected way, the message will stick out in their memory. The greater the impression, the more likely you are to build a connection that leads to more business.

Now I wonder...did you catch what I saw? If not, you can check it out on my website. I put a picture up for you.