Will someone miss you?
It’s a question with deep connotations. With the onslaught of COVID 19, more people are taking time to think through the big questions; assessing how they’ve been showing up in their lives and how they might want it to be different going forward.
And it’s a question that’s appropriate to the marketing of your business too.
I belong to a lovely, nourishing online business community. One time a few months ago, I got on a weekly group call scheduled for 1:00 p.m., and the leader wasn’t on yet.
At first, I thought it was a little strange. He's never late. I mean, never.
By three minutes after, the tension and expectation energy felt palpable, although we continued to wait in silence and contemplation. At five minutes past, someone finally commented in the chat box. Which prompted a flurry of responses - and a few theories - new technology? laptop repairs? Sickness?
Finally, 1:06 a support team member chimed in, letting us know the leader would be on in just a minute.
At 1:07, he joined the call, apologetic, and explained what had happened. The relief was palpable.
When he wasn’t there, he was missed.
And, not just by me, but by a whole community of people. This person’s been building his business and his community for over 20 years, but this is important for you too. Even though you or your business probably aren’t there yet.
Seth Godin talks about this in his latest book. He says you don’t have to have a roomful of people waiting for you to show up, all you need is just one or two. (And, I love this, he also says that it can even be someone who “doesn’t count.”) It could be your mom, a former colleague, your spouse, your best friend. Anyone, really.
You then use those one or two people to draw you into consistency.
Here’s how it works.
When you think of that one person (or two), you realize they’ll wonder why you didn’t post this week. Or they’ll notice if they haven’t gotten a newsletter from you recently. Or they’ll pay attention if you haven’t posted on social lately.
Knowing that one person wants to hear from you is what carries you forward, week after week. It can carry you through the times you don’t feel like posting, or aren’t sure exactly what to say. It can carry you through the times when you start to doubt and wonder if it’s all worth it. It can carry you through good days and bad.
Show up. Do it for that one person, or two.
And focus on how you can help, asking what is it that they need to hear. Right now. Today. And then offer them that message.
Concentrating on how you can best help and showing up with love and constancy is exactly what will draw people to you. And your dependability is, in turn, what forges the contract of your relationship. The fact that you show up, willing to help, no matter what. No matter how many people open your emails, or not. No matter how many people visit your website, or not. No matter your business is doing, you show up.
And then one day, likely without even realizing it and perhaps quite by accident, you’ll discover that if you don’t show up or if you’re late, you’ll be missed. And it won’t be by just one or two people anymore.
Your reliability and love will have created a whole community of people who depend upon you, who need you. Who’ll miss you if you don’t show up.