Step 1: You need distance
Caption: The view is always better after a grueling hike up a mountain without water, wearing boots that cause blisters.
Ready for a quick assignment? I’m looking at my watch, so get ready: You have 30 seconds to tell me all about why you love your pet. What’s your meeting story? What kind of fur or feathers or fins do they have? What treats do they go crazy for? What do they love to do? How do they make you feel? How much hair do they leave on the sofa?
Or, if you don’t have a pet, tell me about your best friend! Same things — How did you meet? What do you like most about them? What are your favorite things to do together? What’s their superpower?
GO!
(30 seconds goes by in a flash. You’re still talking. I’m getting teary because you’re describing that amazing day at the animal shelter when your pet chose you and not the other way around.)
Thank you for doing that. Now I’m resetting the timer.
Your new assignment: You have 30 seconds to tell me all about YOURSELF.
GO!
The clock’s still ticking.
Come on, give me something. Anything.
(Ding! 30 seconds is up. So far, I know where you were born and — if you’re from St. Louis like I am— where you went to high school. I might know your marital status and a bit about your children if you have them. But this is nothing I couldn’t get from googling and certainly nothing that leaves me with a FEELING.)
Do you see where this essay is going?
It’s incredibly hard to talk about your own self. Just like it’s hard to communicate what matters about your own business. It’s really hard. (I know, I tried with my old brand, which was my name and it just wasn’t fun or inspiring for me.)
Do you have trouble getting the distance to communicate in ways that spark emotion?
It’s tough to get important messages across when the subject matter is YOU. The reason is — you’re just too darn close to it.
Like when you’re a tourist, I know you’ve bought tickets to (fill in the blank) the funicular or the tower, or the monument, or you’ve driven the scenic overlook that takes you miles out of your way. Why? Because you wanted the best view. To get the most AHHHs and the best pics, you always need to climb that massive hill or take the scary elevator to the top of the skyscraper.
The same is true in business: To create great communications, you need to hire a writer. One who isn’t you.
At Content Cafeteria, we have the distance to create materials that tell your story and get all the AHHHHs. Your audience will be entertained. Educated. Driven to action. Inspired.
And the best part? We don’t shed.