Those of you who’ve followed along for a while know I have a weakness—Idol dramas from Asia. We all need a way to relax and unwind and this is one of my favorites. Right now I am watching one from Taiwan (I will withhold the name to protect the guilty) that is like bad homemade soup; they threw in everything but the kitchen sink. The writers decided to use every cliché ever known in these shows.
Birth secret-check, girl dresses as a boy-check, clingy childhood sweetheart-check, family business-check, brothers fall for the same girl-check…you get the idea. Sadly, using every single trick in the book has not made this program good, kind of interesting in a weird way, but not good. And a good story does not have to be complex, just compelling.
Your business and career operate the same way. A simple and compelling message is far more effective than a complicated and cluttered mess that hides your identity, brand and purpose. Consider this…
- If you try to be everything to everyone—you won’t look like an expert but a fool
- You should spend time clarifying your personal brand—be able to state it simply and clearly—brand makes you stand out from the crowd
- Letting your web designer fill your website with every trick s/he knows may be good for her/his portfolio but doe it serve your customers?
- Filling your marketing materials with jargon might make you feel smart, but it won’t generate sales
Remember the appeal of the simply beautiful. Examine your business strategy, your resume, your life. Are there places where you can scrape off junk to reveal the simple beauty underneath?
