Perfection Creates Distance, Imperfection Builds a Bond
Being able to relate to a person, a business or a piece of content is something that makes or breaks how we feel about it.
With this in mind we are constantly looking for something we can relate to, but in return are bombarded with images of perfection and impossible to attain goals.
Why is this the case?
Because until very recently brands were focused on selling you the hopes and dreams of what you could attain. Not what you really need.
The hopes and dream people have are based on a false reality and a false reality we have allowed these brands to create and place on a pedestal for us.
The problem with this pedestal is it does not help people feel good about where they are at nor does it give them the confidence they need to be happy with themselves. It provides the idea that we're never good enough.
The fitness world is a prime example of this kind of marketing. We always see people with perfect six pack abs, eating the exact foods they need to eat and smiling with those beautiful pearly whites.
Now, this might seem like it'll sell anything to people who want to look like that, but when we look into the way people respond to these images and this information we find that they become intimidated very quickly and from that become frozen in fear.
This is how comments like this come about:
"I could never do that"
or
"that's too serious for me"
Now the way we can fix this problem with perfection is to showcase imperfection in what we do or the regular people who are part of our brand or who consume our product or service.
Rather than the perfect smile, white teeth and meticulously chosen outfit we need to showcase the regular people involved in what we do and what their lives look like.
For example, if you target moms, it's not the perfect mom that's going to connect with other moms. It's the mom who has frazzled hair, is late for work and hasn't slept in 3 days that creates a connection.
Because that's ultimately relatable to them, it'll make them laugh, solidifies the fact that their problems are common and it encourages them to want to share this content with other moms who experience the same thing.
In essence, you need to work to build a culture of common experience around your product or service with the consumer by telling a continuous story to them.
This story needs to encompass the roller coaster of life. The fun times, the sad times, the ups and downs and everything in between. Because in the end, you want them to watch or read what you put out and say:
"That's totally me and I need to share or tag all my friends in this"
Why?
Because they want their friends to share the experience with them and to continue to build on that culture of common experience. This is why social media is so powerful. We are able to not only interact with our friends but also feel as though we can connect with a world that gets us based on what we like and follow and from this, we inherently want to share what we see and tag those who can engage in it with us.
As a take away from this start working to understand the lifestyle of your ideal consumer, map out the struggles, the good stuff and the in-between and learn how to showcase that in a way that makes them feel connected and part of your story.