Be mindful: in life and business, once others form a perception of you, it is hard to change.
“Positioning is not what you do to a product. Positioning is what you do to the mind of the prospect.”
— Al Ries & Jack Trout, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind
I did not expect to be reminded of that quote this week. I am writing from Atlanta, where I travelled to pay my respects after the unexpected passing of a close cousin.
While I was there, something unexpected occurred that offered a broader lesson I would like to share.
On Sunday, we gathered at my cousin’s home. During our conversation, a relative who has followed my articles said, “Morton, you’re the storyteller, share a motivational, inspirational story for us.”
Although several relatives had read my articles, the request surprised me. I shared a story about taking a risk and stepping out in faith.
This sparked a vibrant discussion, with others sharing their own experiences of financial and personal risk.
The conversation repeatedly returned to one theme: be careful whom you share your dreams with, and be prepared to take risks to achieve your goals.
I learned a great deal about my relatives that day. My first lesson was that openness encourages others to share, too.
But that wasn’t the main lesson.
One cousin I am especially close to is a Pastor. Due to his role, he has presided over most of our family’s funeral services. When someone passes away or becomes ill, the family calls Gordon.
Being asked to share a story while sitting beside him made me realise something important. My second lesson was that, within my family, I am associated with motivation, inspiration, and storytelling—not business coaching or speaking, but storytelling.
This reminded me of one of my favourite business books: Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout.
The authors argue that you should strive to be first in your customer’s mind, as that perception is difficult to change.
Consider Waitrose, one of the UK’s major supermarkets, which is viewed as high-end. In contrast, Aldi and Lidl offer value and quality, but they will not be perceived the same way as Waitrose, regardless of their efforts to reposition.
Similarly, Toyota maintains separate brands because the Prius will not be seen as a Lexus.
This raises a broader question: where do you stand in your client’s mind? When was the last time you surveyed or spoke with a client to understand the value they associate with your work?
How do you truly stand out to them?
If you’ve read to the end of this week’s issue, I want to ask you one question: what value do you place in this newsletter, where do you position me in your mind?
Until we meet.
Morton
