Trimming the waistline, or trimming the wallet?

Here’s an interesting thought for anyone who’s ever tried to lose weight – and failed.

When we make a decision to lose a few pounds, what do we do? Hire a trainer, join a gym, sign up to a weight loss program? Our judgment is so clouded by the pain our weight increase has given us that we’re about to do, and pay anything to make it go away. Then after a few weeks (if we last that long), our resolve fades, we’re not ’so bad’ now and anyway who cares if your a tad cuddly, your partner likes you that way anyway… It’s not the diet that didn’t work (it’s a proven method), nor is it the trainers fault (after all you can only flog a dead horse for so long), it’s just that continuing in ‘diet mode’ just is not conducive to your lifestyle, and it’s hard work and sometimes soul destroying.

This approach to dieting is much like the advertising campaign. The methodology works, in fact you do have an increased awareness of your business, and even increase in turnover, but it’s not something you can afford to keep up with, both financially, and timewise. It just doesn’t suit your business to do it for life!

Now imagine if you start changing little things in your diet – a few hours exercise a week, swapping sodas for waters, then cutting out the absurd amount of butter you usually apply. What happens? Though you don’t see instant results you see people start to notice you. They comment on how great you look, you find you need a smaller pair of pants. Sure it didn’t happen overnight, and you haven’t been astounded by the change in your appearance, but the key thing is others start to notice. What’s more your wallet hasn’t taken a big hit. In fact it will probably be saving you money, what with spending less on soda, butter and the rest of what you used to consider a necessity.

That’s right, now we’re talking about branding. Figuring out what it is you want, and then taking small, achievable steps to get there. Not painful, not scary and not involving a large time committment. Just small changes, heading towards the big goal of more business. You may not notice the change but I can assure you, others will.