Clarifying Your Vision - Defining Excellence for Your Business

“Start with Them, Succeed Beyond”

One truth stands tall in business: a confused mind says ‘no’. Whether it’s your team, collaborators, customers, or anyone curious about what you do, clarity isn’t just a tool - it’s your superpower.

But clarity is more than having a snappy “elevator pitch”. It’s about painting an inspiring vision that aligns with your goals and energizes everyone in your orbit to join you in making it a reality. And that journey starts with flipping the script. Instead of asking what you offer, ask: ‘How does this change their lives?’

Reverse Engineering Excellence

Simon Sinek famously says, "Start with why." We’re not talking about focusing on your why, we’re encouraging you to focus on the why of the people you serve. 

Imagine the world from the perspective of the people you serve - your customers, teams, and communities. By starting with their ideal outcome, you don’t just build products or services, you build movements.

Take Apple, for example. Their vision isn’t just to sell gadgets; it’s to create beautifully designed technology that transforms lives. By focusing on their users’ desires - ease, simplicity, and sophistication - Apple inspires loyalty, not just purchases (Zou, 2023).

What does this mean for you? 

Instead of listing features or hammering on price, flip the traditional positioning model of marketing. Start with these four questions:

1. What is the ideal outcome for your audience?
2. What story inspires them to see this as possible?
3. Who benefits most from this transformation?
4. How can you make their vision their reality?

From Good to Excellent: The Human-Centric Approach

Taking the traditional approach of positioning where you begin with your product and eventually end with the benefit your audience receives has kept businesses average. By flipping the script and applying this new mindset - where you begin with the benefit to your audience and end with your product you can elevate your business to excellence: the kind that transcends transactions and creates lasting impact 

The reverse-engineered model can be applied beyond marketing. Imagine what would happen if you used this people-first framework in every aspect of your business:

• Customers: Start by understanding their dreams. What do they truly want from your service (Haddad, 2016)?
• Team Members: Align their personal goals with your vision. How can you make their work meaningful (Leider, 2015)?
• Vendors and Contractors: Build relationships rooted in shared success.
• Referral Partners: Show them how advocating for you elevates their credibility (Calvert, 2023).
• Collaborators and Community: Envision a shared mission that inspires collective action.

When you focus on what’s in it for them, you’ll find their trust, loyalty, and advocacy following naturally.

The Emotional Connection: Why This Approach Is So Powerful? 

Picture this: A high-ticket professional meets a prospective client. Instead of rattling off credentials and deliverables, they begin with the client’s dreams: "What’s the life you’re working toward? What will success feel like to you?"

The client shares their hopes, their fears, and their vision. At that moment, the professional isn’t selling; they’re partnering and joining forces. By anchoring the conversation in the client’s ideal outcome they create trust. They’ve started with the benefit and from there, the journey to a shared goal begins (Miller, 2017).

This is the essence of clarifying your vision. It’s not about being flashy or persuasive; it’s about being deeply human. And when people feel seen, they’re ready to move mountains with you.

Take the Next Step

At YKC, we help high-ticket professionals refine and implement this people-first approach. In our workshop, Bridging the Strategy Gap, we’ll guide you through crafting a vision that connects, inspires, and motivates your audience to action.

Let’s make your vision unforgettable.

Join our 1-hour personalized workshop to start transforming your approach today.

Sources: 

1.  Simon Sinek. Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action.
2.  Jim Collins. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t.
3.  Donald Miller. Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen.
4.  Richard J. Leider. The Power of Purpose: How to Create Meaning in Your Life and Work.
5. Haddad, M. (2016). 21st-century FMCG consumer marketing: creating customer value by putting consumers at the heart of marketing strategy. Lulu.com.
6. Deb Calvert. What Does “People First” Mean in Business and Why Does It Matter? People First Blog
7. Zou, Y. (2023). Apple’s Brand Marketing Strategy: A Case Study on Brand Image and Customer Engagement. Download Article