Morning…

So let’s talk about collective intelligence…

As all of you who are community members know, this is something SMARTY has been touting from the beginning. IE, “the more you know, the more we all know, so let’s talk about it” kind of thing.

If this is true, then I have a question for you (one that keeps being asked of me.) Why wouldn’t I offer myself, as well as other experts in the network who have something to give, into an online group setting where individuals pay some reasonable monthly fee to have a twice a month virtual get-down on small business insights, marketing mastery, communications clarity, selling strategies – why wouldn’t I? Maybe I would. Everyone else seems to offer this model. Maybe you could tell me if you would like this – at say $200/month – two Mondays of every month – key strategies, with time for one-on-one work where needed?

Here’s my resistance (I want to be convinced otherwise, by the way)…it just feels like everyone does “group coaching” and when everyone is doing something, my first reaction is to invent and imagine something better. Do you ever feel that way? We all have our virtual models and ways of capturing customers in a way that front loads costs but rewards itself in numbers, but I can’t help this reaction – that it just feels so formulaic. There’s something unoriginal in it. But am I thinking too hard? Am I aiming too high? Maybe it’s possible to offer something that might SEEM like the average, but really be far above it?

I’m contemplating.

Let me hear from you – reply to this if you have a thought – because I want (and need) to believe!

This is a feeling you’ll recognize to the degree that you’re connected to your gifts and talents. For better or for worse, the more deeply you understand your contribution to the world, the more this thing pains you.

So here’s the tension.

There’s what you know how to do in your business – your general IQ on how to build it, run it, communicate it, position it. And then there’s what you know is missing, even if you don’t know what it is. The wider this gap, the more it hurts. 99 percent of us have a limitation to the resources we want to or can spend on getting our work out into the world. We do the best we can, and fumble, and succeed, and do it all again – all in a days work. But what happens when this goes on for too long? Do you quit? Is the effort worth the rewards that feel far and few?

Living on this edge is what most of us do. We imagine that something will come along to change things, to interrupt a stagnant cycle, or to at least bring inspiration that could lead to turning something around. And those things do happen – but not usually to the point where we see big financial rewards. And that’s ultimately where we want to see the love – on the balance sheet.

There’s no question to each our gifts and skills. That’s not up for debate. But what is in question is how we deliver those to the world. One talent does not lead to another, and when it comes to marketing, it is the only packaging we can (as consumers) rely on to determine if we like you, or we don’t care. If too many people don’t care…well that math is pretty easy to do.

Identify people who get you, and can communicate for you. There’s too much incredibleness out there to be hidden in average copy, mediocre video, mainstream messages…and if you think I’m talking to you, well I am – but I’m also talking to myself as much as anyone. This applies to each of us, just in different ways.

The world needs you. Remove the static and present yourself.