Are people hearing you?

Are people hearing you? If not, ask the question the other way around. Are you hearing them? Because if sales matter, that’s what really counts.

Try this. Think of a song in your head. A song everyone knows. Happy Birthday or something like that. Now tell someone you’re going to tap out the rhythm by tapping your finger on a table, and see if they can guess the song. Go try it. For real. This article will sit here and wait.

They probably didn’t guess it.

The odds are overwhelmingly against you. When Elizabeth Newton conducted a study with just this scenario, less than 3% of the people guessed the song. But if you’ve been the tapper, then you probably know it feels like they should get it. It’s almost obvious. You can hear every note in your head as you tap away. “How can they not hear this?!?” In fact, half of the tappers predicted the guessers would get it.

And that’s the differential between what you say and what everyone hears. The Heath brothers call it the “Curse of Knowledge” in the book Made to Stick. And it isn’t just about tapping. When you’re in the know, you see everything differently.

What happens when you ask someone to guess something? It’s never as easy for them as it seems like it should be. Because knowing the answer ahead of time means every clue points to the same conclusion. But not knowing it means every clue could point to anything.

Are other people not getting your pictures? Are they not getting what you have to say about what you offer? Take a step back and evaluate. Hear what you’re telling them, not what you think you’re telling them

What’s important to remember is that persuasion doesn’t happen when you tell people what you think. No one cares what you think. Persuasion happens when you show them how to care, and that starts with caring yourself.

So think about their experience. Think about their connection, their reactions, and why they’re listening to you at all. Are you keeping it simple? Are you connecting on an emotional level? Are you keeping them interested? Are you letting them understand more?

Most people are only going to purchase photography a couple or few times in their life. If it’s their wedding, it’s probably their first time ever. They’re not photographers, they’re not in on what’s hot and what’s not. They might know what they like, but they probably won’t know what it stands for, what it means to the industry, and why it’s either the best thing since sliced bread or so wretched you want to barf. And, none of that really matters to them. Because in the end, if you want to make your business work, it’s not about other people seeing you as you want them to see you. It’s about seeing other people they way they want you to see them.