The Nose Knows

This might surprise anyone who knows me well. I am currently enrolled in a stand-up comedy class. Don’t laugh. It’s not because I’m funny or that I ever hope to be especially funny. That’s probably not in the cards. Quite simply, it’s THE most uncomfortable thing I could think of doing, and that maybe because of that, I would grow as a public speaker. I was right about the uncomfortable part.

What happens when we invite the uncomfortable moment?

In yesterday’s comedy class I rolled out a concept that has informed my marketing of late. It goes like this. Thanks to the long reach of technology, there really are no boundaries. I’ve been envisioning prospective clients all around the world. They’re like my imaginary friends; good company, except that they haven’t signed up for any workshops yet.

Recently it dawned on me that perhaps my most promising leads might be right under my @#$%! nose.

The R.U.M.*.N. marketing strategy had been born.

Within minutes of this realization, flipcharts filled with post-it notes were proliferating all over my studio.

This productive shift from a far- to a near-sighted perspective has since played out in various parts of my world; both professionally and personally. Unfortunately I can’t share specific examples here on account of confidentiality, plus as I discovered last night in my class, it’s hard to riff on business language like “organizational dynamics” or “client needs assessment”.

Or maybe that’s right where the answer is.

If I was able to find the humor in that kind of consultant-speak, perhaps I can make even the driest seminar a little more palatable.

Try it. Sketch out a current challenge. Ask yourself questions like:

Who do I know who can point me in the right direction?

What is the physically closest resource to help me with X?

If I knew the answer, what would it be?

Discover what blindingly obvious solutions might be right under your nose.