Hey guys, girls, everybody. Happy Tuesday night of day whatever we are in this crazy world we’re at the moment. Today’s live is brought to you by I broke two nails and can’t go and get a manicure. The tragedy. Honestly, it’s not a tragedy. I’m just being funny and a bit of a smart ass, really, because I’ve got the confidence to be a smart ass. That’s what all this is about really. What I wanted to talk about today was about how, in times like this, like right now, you can have confidence in your messagings. Oh sorry. That thing just got a bit skew iffy.
So what we’re finding at the moment is people are trying to change their messaging, pivot, turn, and kind of adapt to what’s going on at the moment. And it’s not always appropriate to do that. What is appropriate to do is be confident in what you offer and have the guts, the balls, the cojones, whatever you want to say, to actually stick, as I said before, stick to your lane. Now, you can pivot. You can change things, but the confidence has to remain. So how do you do that? Be true to you.
I saw a great example of this today. So it was an email that came through to me from Costume Box, so Emma from Costume Box. And they were talking about pre-orders for some hand sanitizer and hand wipes and products like that. And she said at the bottom of the email, and this is what I want to share with you, at the bottom of the email, she wrote this lovely piece about, “This is different for us, but our business has taken a massive hit. We have X number of staff. People aren’t buying costumes because they’re not going to parties. So we’re trying to add other activities and things that kids can do at home. And we also think this is a worthwhile product that people need. So that’s why I’m sharing it with you.”
Great messaging, great messaging. It did not make me want to go, “Unsubscribe, you idiot. Why are you selling something so, so far removed from what your core thing is?” And that’s what you need to do. So for those businesses out there that are just almost spamming customers from ages ago with what they did with no confidence in their messaging, they’re just throwing something out there, hoping … It’s like, you know when you’re at one of those games and you throw all those things and you just hope something lands? It’s kind of a bit like that with some of the messaging that’s out there at the moment. That’s not what we want. We want you to be true to yourself and confident in what you do, even if you are doing something a little left of center.
Now, I did a live the other day about how sticking to your lane is a really important thing in these times. And you may think what I’m saying about Costume Box today is like, “Well, they’re not sticking to their lane.” Well, they’re kind of not, but they’re doing, to me it felt really authentic. To me, it felt really genuine. And that might just be in the copy, but it also is the reality of a business that’s trying to stay afloat, which is what everyone’s trying to do at the moment.
So in your messaging, when you are sending something out at the moment, be real. If you are having a shitty day, let your customers know you’re having a shitty day. Now is not the time to pretend that everything is all okay. If you’ve lost customers, talk about it. If you’ve had to change something, talk about it. If you’ve had to go, “You know what? I used to run face-to-face flute lessons, and now I’ve gone to online. And this is how it’s making me feel. These are the difficulties I’m having. These are the great things. Oh my God, I get to stay home, put a top on, and stay in my pajama pants while I take these lessons,” share that, because all of that honesty that you can communicate at the moment with your customers or your prospective clients, your dream clients, whoever’s actually on your list, that open and honest communication will maintain your confidence. And will give, more importantly, will give them confidence in you.
So when I open something or read something and I think, “Oh my God, they’re speaking with integrity, and I know a little bit more about them,” I’m more inclined to want to buy from those people. So make the most of that opportunity. That sounds really bad. Make the most of this opportunity. You know what I mean. Be you. Be authentically you and remain confident in you and what you’re doing.
So, again, we’ll go back to the [inaudible 00:04:41]. She knows that the people on her email list aren’t buying costumes, but she also knows that the people on her email list have kids. They’re going to be stuck at home, and they’re going to be kind of interested in those creative kids kits that they, don’t say that too many times after lots of wine, creative kids kits that they’re going to be sending out later. And also knows that all those parents that normally buy costumes for their kids are at the moment not being able to buy hand sanitizer. So they’re going to see that and go, “Okay, great. You’ve obviously been able to buy some. I trust you because I’ve bought costumes from you in the past, or I’ve looked at buying costumes from you in the past. So, yeah, I’m going to buy that from you. Thank you. You’re helping me out in this time.”
So if, in your business, you can add something to your business like that at the moment, whether it be takeaway if you’re a restaurant, classes from home if you’re an expert in something, adding another product if you’re a physical product line. If there’s something that can be added that your customer is going to want, it might not be what you normally do, but if you think your customer’s going to want it and you can do it and you’re not going from selling perfume to cars I guess, then it’s okay to do. But when you’re doing it, talk about it in the way that’s keeps your confidence going, keeps you in your lane because that is really, really, really, really important.
What other example can I give you of that today? Actually, at the moment, I just know lots of people that are tweaking their business and adding other things into their business to help stay afloat. I know other people that are changing their office hours, but again, they’ve been really open and honest in their communication with their clients, which is keeping that confidence going. So instead of sending out at an email going, “It’s all gone to hell. We can’t afford to pay our staff. So we’re only going to be working three hours a week,” they’re saying, “We’re trying to do what we can. So in order to keep everyone here, we’re on reduced hours.” And that will maintain that confidence, because what we can’t do is have everybody just get upset about everything. And it is upsetting, so that’s tough. But we have to try and protect our, what’s the word I’m looking for, our chutzpah. We need to protect our oomph. The things we think about in this world, we have to protect that. And the only way we can do that is by protecting our clients by talking to them with confidence, even about the bad stuff, because you can do it. Okay?
So I want you this week, when you’re sending something out to your clients, to be really, really honest but do it from a place of certainty. When you’re writing that email, I want you to stand on your two feet, really saying to yourself … And I do want you to stand. Type the email, but then I want you to stand and think about it. And so think, “If I was having a conversation with someone face to face, and I was saying these things, would I feel confident? Would what I’m saying instill confidence in my client, sorry, confidence for my client to have in me?” That’s what you want to write. That’s what’s important at the moment. So have a great night. And I will see you all tomorrow (singing). Bye.