It’s not what you want. It’s not what I want. It’s what’s best for your audience. This is a lesson I learned early on that didn’t even directly deal with my job responsibilities.
One of my team members had done some outstanding work in setting goals for herself and subsequently blew them out of the water. I was so incredibly proud of how organized and determined she was. She was an example for the entire team, which is why I chose to give her a public shout-out at our next team meeting. I was beaming as I listed off her accomplishments and attributes, hoping that one person’s leadership would be an inspiration for the rest of the group. The meeting ended and I felt good about offering a little public praise to my deserving team member.
It wasn’t until later that I learned I’d made a mistake. This team member was excellent in one-to-one sales and enjoyed small group socializing, but was a wreck when called upon or recognized in front of a large group of her peers. I had thought she’d appreciate the recognition, but it was the way the recognition was presented that negated my intentions.
My lesson: I did not consider my audience.
This life lesson translates in every aspect of our business at Graphic Solutions. The products and services that we provide all relate back to a valued audience, whether it is a group of employees, a segment of current customers or even a group of potential customers.
Take a simple pen purchase for example. Logo imprinted pens are almost a necessity for any small business, but there are so many product options to choose from. Honestly, where do you start? Rather than just look at cost, we at Graphic Solutions suggest analyzing the audience:
· Are you looking for your customer to keep the pen?
· Will your customer benefit from a pen without a cap?
· Is your customer a savvy tech user who would like a pen that doubles as a stylus?
These are just a few examples that will point your purchase in a more strategic and effective direction. Take it from me, your audience and their needs are way more important that what we think it the right thing to do!
