Match.com: selling or dating?

Online dating has become extremely popular in the past few years. If it was previously seen as the last resort to finding love only for the "desperate" ones (let's be honest, we all thought of it that way at some point), now thanks to apps like "tinder", "okcupid", "datemyschool", and many more, online dating has become the most popular way to meet people. Does this mean we are all DESPERATE? Absolutely not. The 24/7 connected world that we live in now allow us to use our smartphones for pretty much anything we need. They are no longer just phones, they are an extension of ourselves. Starting with myself, I never leave my phone somewhere; my iPhone is always coming with me to school, work, bathroom, train, and even bed. Ever watched the movie "HER"? We may be laughing at the idea but that is our life. 

This post though it is not about the world of online dating or smartphones; I used them as metaphors to analyze a deeper thought, which is the one of persuasive thinking. The online dating world is the perfect example of how people must sell themselves successfully in order to find a matching significant other. In her Ted Talk in Atlanta, Sally Hogshead really explains how this situation relates to business and I highly suggest taking a couple of minutes listening to what she has to say about selling yourself and fascination. 

I was so captivated by her speech that I decided to spend the $40 and take the fascination test and understand how the world sees me. My result was "the maestro"; others see me as ambitious, focused and confident. After reading the entire report (which is not just one page, which made feel better about spending the money) I felt that the results were not only just accurate but I was coached on how to use my fascination skills to sell myself in the marketing world when interacting with recruiters and potential clients for my business, and who knows maybe in my love life as well. 

Bringing all of this back to business, just last week I was extremely inspired by the idea of "people don't buy WHAT you do but WHY you do it" by Simon Sinek. Deeply understanding this concept is crucial for businesses to succeed. Though this is where the connection with Sally comes in; you could be making the best product out there, with the deepest thought process behind it that can catch your buyer's heart, but if you don't know how to persuade the other person in front of you and fascinate them with WHY you do it, it will not matter at all. 

I worked in the fashion industry for a few years and as much as I loved and hated the idea that "dressing the part" was a big factor in wether I actually "got the part", the way you present and sell yourself is crucial. Research shows it takes 9 seconds to catch someone's attention; this thought is terrifying but true. Anytime you are going to present something think about what you are going to communicate in those 9 seconds. 

Recommended sources:

Sally Hogshead

http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxAtlanta-Sally-Hogshead-How;search%3Asally

Simon Senik

http://new.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action

Think Different

The first time I heard about "Design Thinking" I did not know what to expect. According to Tim Brown, design thinking is a "methodology that imbues the full spectrum of innovation activities with a human centered design ethos". If this definition sounds cryptic to you, welcome to the club. The best way I understood this concept brings me back to Brown again citing Thomas Edison; his genius laid in the ability to conceive not an electric lightbulb, but an entire marketplace. He envisioned how people would want to use his invention and he engineered toward that insight. 

Innovation seems to be the word of the century. Companies spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to redesign websites, stores, and advertising campaigns. But is this innovation? Recalling from my last post, content is king. The design of the content definitely determines whether your content will be clicked on more than your competitor's, but again it is what you write that makes the difference. You are what You Publish. 

Human beings are innately tinkerers; although the journey can be long and painful, eventually we get it right. In 1899 Charles Duell, the Commissioner of the US Patent Office stated "everything that can be invented has been invented". Aside from the irony of the quote and its source, aren't we all glad for design thinkers? Would we have computers, smartphones, and watches where we can store our entire life in and talk with entities like "Siri" without them? 

Paula Scher said that the best way to accomplish serious design is to be totally and completely unqualified for the job. The whole reason why I decided to pursue a higher education in integrated marketing is because I live by innovation and design thinking. These are mindsets that people do not understand you don't necessarily need to be born with. Design thinking can become your mindset even if you believe you were not born creative. The key is to push yourself.  We will never achieve change by doing things the same way we did yesterday. Up to a few years ago, I did not consider myself a creative person, but I have always thought ahead and approached things with what they call "a beginner's mind".