What do oysters and feedback have in common?
A few weeks ago I went to an oyster feast with dear friends.
The lines were long and the food delicious…in fact, so delicious that we kept going back over and over again.
Because that’s what you do at a buffet, or all you can eat; you eat way past the point of being full
because you can
because it’s there
because it’s worth it
because how is it possible too have too much of a good thing?
No matter how good and healthy the food is, over indulgence is never a good thing.
Kinda like feedback, which can be delicious, but hard to digest when there’s too much of it.
Almost on a daily basis, I will see in many of the Facebook groups I’m a member of someone asking for feedback around something.
The most recent that comes to mind is a lovely woman asking for feedback around her logo design (3 different styles). At last count in the comment thread there were no less than 67 comments; I’m sure there are more by now, I stopped checking.
What was fascinating is that some commenters just choose one, while others gave insight into why they preferred one over the other. So there were perspectives from all different areas of expertise: marketing, branding, design, style, those who may have been potential Ideal Clients, and those who just offered their opinion.
And the choices (and reasons) were all over the board.
I’m sure that this woman’s head was spinning as she was reading through the comments…I know mine was and I had no vested interest whatsoever.
It’s great to get feedback; in fact it’s crucial when your purpose is clear.
However, I wonder how many people ask for feedback with no clear idea of what they want to get out of it; especially in a groups of over 2,0000+ members
“Hey guys, what do you think of my logo?” is not a strategy.
Neither is “help me choose my logo, which one do you like best?”
Decisions like these are not to be taken lightly and without a clear understanding of what you want out of the feedback.
Past a certain point, feedback becomes a liability because it starts to interfere with your focus and you become distracted with over analyzing the feedback, second guessing yourself, and it becomes an energy drain.
This can be extremely counter-productive for those solopreneurs who don’t yet have a clear handle and foundation on some inner brand elements such as
core values
mission
vision
ideal audience
brand promise
This is also where you must exercise discernment around how you evaluate and process feedback. What’s applicable and what is not?
A much more effective approach is to gather feedback from past clients and a small group of trusted advisers and mentors who will offer thoughtful feedback because they have knowledge of your goals and vision.
Choosing your audience carefully is key to effective feedback as well as making your expectations clear from the outset.
And of course, most importantly, is listening to the most important voice of all…yours.
You are the only one that can deliver on your brand promise in your unique way.
just because you can doesn’t mean you should…with oysters or feedback
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