Smoke & Mirrors

Smoke and Mirrors

I remember a friend’s father telling me a story about how he opened a produce store that he started from scratch in the early 70s. He didn’t have the funds to fill all the shelves and bins, so he created what looked like an abundance of fruits and vegetables by filling 3/4 of the containers with bunched up newspapers. With fresh produce practically spilling over the brim of every box and bin, he designed a convincing display of colorful, fresh picked abundance.

It was a new concept at the time and customers loved it. Business was brisk. It was so successful in fact, that he decided to continue with the mirage, rather than invest in more product or new display containers to add substance to the brand he was building. It worked for a while, but soon after the cardboard boxes started to break down and as customers realized they were being tricked, they stopped choosing his store as their preference for produce. The business rose beyond expectations for a couple of months and then fell sharply and closed after its first year.

Staying true to your mission will attract others who share your values. That also means potential customers who don’t feel aligned with your brand, won’t likely want to do business with you.

Do your communications reflect who you are and why you do what you do?

Maybe a blog or newsletter would do the trick. How about adding new profile headshots and quotes from leadership and staff to your website? Do you send holiday, birthday, congratulations and thank you cards to remind people with shared values that you are thinking about them? 

In a world that is often disconnected, we are all looking for ways to feel connected in all areas of our lives, including business. It’s time to clear the smoke, look in the mirror and reflect on how we want to be seen.

“We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience.”
— John Dewey, American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer whose ideas have been influential in education and social reform.
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Honoring Life, Through Stories

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Pickles and Truth