The Challenge of Being Chosen

I've always said of SEO that I don't want to be searchable, I want to be found. Similarly, we don't want our businesses to simply stand out, we want to be chosen.

It's not enough or satisfying for that matter if someone simply searches for or notices our business. Neither put money in the bank. We want to be chosen.

What's the biggest challenge to be chosen today?

A) There are so many choices

B) People no longer compare apples to apples

This is something the luxury market has known all along. When money is not an obstacle, your buyer has a world of choices available to them. Also, as a luxury brand, your brand stands out so far from your peers that few people in your industry are your competition. Think Cartier and Tiffany versus Bob's Jewelry on Main Street.

I knew this as a portrait photographer for the affluent families I served. I was so out of the league of other photographers, I never had to worry about them. I had to consider where else might my clients and potential clients might spend a comparable amount of money. Perhaps a piece of fine jewelry? A weekend away? An apples-to-apples comparison was never even a possibility.

Today, all businesses need to consider this apples to everything else comparison. Quality, customer service, experience....all easily matched by any business in your industry that chooses to do so. All things that are also in the eye of the beholder. They are not what's going to get you chosen. You may not even stand out.

To be chosen, gain the business, put money in the bank, and grow your business, you have to stand out not only in your field but in all the places in the world where your customer could spend a comparable amount of money. Now that's a tall order!

But good for all of us! That means there's a higher standard to be met. In a world of many choices, only those that are truly exceptional amongst ALL the choices the world has to offer will win and be chosen. Be like any binge-worthy series on Netflix in a world with seemingly no attention span. "No attention span" may be an excuse for not being exceptional.

Beyond being the best in your field. More than excellence. To be exceptional is to rise above all the choices, be seen, and be chosen. This is the new call to greatness.

While it might seem at first that being exceptional has everything to do with your deliverable, it has just as much to do with who you are as a business owner, leadership, and brand image. More on that in a future newsletter.

What's your Diamond Edge? If you have a story or an example of exceptional service, customer relationships, or luxury marketing, comment on this newsletter. You just might get invited to be a guest on my podcast!

Be sure to subscribe to the Diamond Edge newsletter to keep the conversation going and raise the standard of how business is done.

Diamond Edge- Sharp, precise, intentional, and cuts through. All necessary elements to be exceptional in business.

Few people can speak about the luxury market and high-standard customer service better than Jeffrey Shaw. Having been a preeminent portrait photographer in the U.S. for 40 years serving the most discerning clientele, as Jeffrey says, "I don't just know this market, I was in their closets."

A speaker who lights up an audience with innovative marketing and branding ideas, offering a whole new perspective on common business themes to motivate business owners and luxury brands to implement proven strategies, grow their businesses, and raise the bar on the impact of business in the world.

The author of LINGO and The Self-Employed Life, a TEDx speaker featured on TED.com, host of the popular podcast, The Self-Employed Life, and Founder of The Self-Employed Business Institute.

For more information about Keynotes and Coaching- www.jeffreyshaw.com