10 Solutions To A Massive Messaging Mistake

Today I am sharing not one, not two, but 10 ways to fix one of the biggest and most common messaging mistakes.

I am passionate about this topic because I know changing this one thing can be transformative. You may have seen me discuss it on MarieTV or in the downloadable gift you receive when you sign up for my website. In this blog I am going deeper.

What’s the mistake?

Allow me to share an example.

Often people ask for my opinion on a new book, product or campaign. Before they share it with me, they typically tell me everyone loves it. Then I ask who everyone is. It’s usually their friends, family and colleagues.

That’s completely understandable. I get it! I am just like you. It’s easier and more comfortable for me to run an idea by my sister than it is to go outside my trusted crew.

But here is the problem. While your immediate circle may mean well and sometimes gives you valuable feedback, you only find out if your message is really hitting home with a wider audience by speaking to people outside your go-to group. I am talking about people who don’t do what you do for a living, don’t already know your story or don’t think the way you do.

Most people don’t do what I just described and that’s the mistake. Or if they do do it, it’s not early and often enough.

When I suggest to test outside your circle, the next question I am often asked is about where to find test subjects. Today I am solving this problem.

I’m giving you 10 specific destinations to test-drive your ideas. Let’s see how many you can hit!

They are in no particular order. Here we go:

1. Dine and Discover at a restaurant. Chat up the server, host, chef or the people seated next to you.

2. Party prowess. A party is a perfect place to test your strategy on Uncle Joe or a perfect stranger.

3. Communicate while commuting. Whether you are a city dweller like me or not, at some point you must take a train, bus, plane or taxi. Yes, (deep breath) I am actually suggesting you talk to the person next to you!

4. Shop and speak. Working with a salesperson? Make it a two way street. See if they follow your delivery.

5. Kick it with your kids. If you have kids, you have a ready-made testing community of parents who likely have a variety of professions. Use it!

6. Beauty Bonanza. Hair cuts, manicures, massages, tweezing and even waxing! All those services take up a lot of time. Make it count.

7. Gym Greatness. We all know the gym is great for your body and your soul. Now it can improve your messaging too. Talk to the person on the machine next to you or in the locker room.

8. Dating double duty. This one is for all the single folks. On every first date you share information about yourself with someone you just met. Gage their reaction and learn from it.

9. Networking groups and courses. Here you will find a pool of people who already raised their hands to grow. Be of service to others before you ask for help.

10. Social media, patients, clients & customers. Whether you make a dedicated effort or not, you are messaging every day while you work. Commit to making every interaction as successful as possible. When you post on social media, watch for the reaction and adjust. And don’t forget your one on one interactions. For instance, if you are a doctor, strive to make every patient appointment better than the last. How can you listen better, be clearer, more visual, more empathetic and make a greater impact?

These are just 10 ideas and I bet that more than half apply to you. Stay tuned for future blogs where I explain how to maximize these interactions, but for now, I just encourage you to get started.

If getting started sounds scary, I understand. Begin with the least intimidating venue and build from there. You can do it! The more you try, the more you will see the benefits and love it. The world is filled with opportunities.

By the way, I am not saying you shouldn’t run ideas by friends and family. Of course you will! It’s natural! I’m just asking you to open your circle because I know it will help get you where you want to go.

Now I want to hear from you!

If you found this blog helpful, please email it to a friend or share it on Facebook and Twitter.

Please tell me about your testing experiences and add more testing locations in the comments below. I can’t wait!