Connecting the dots

I realised a little while go, while I was challenging myself to simplify the way that I describe what I do, that I connect the dots. I listen to my clients’ pain points, I think about what might help, I do some research, I ask them questions, I think outside the box (that’s a given) and I usually have an idea of what might work next.

Sometimes that next step involves me, and sometimes it doesn’t. I don’t ever pretend to be an expert at everything. That is an impossibility that I wish people would admit. I definitely fall into the category of ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ and I am totally OK with that. Namely - pun intended - because my son is called Jack, but also because of the influence my father has had on my work ethos. He’s an expert at several things, and he’s hugely knowledgable. He has studied a wide range of topics and explored an incredible number of things that qualify as work, with some spectacular photos to match. But the one thing that really stands out to me when I think about what Dad is good at - what his wheelhouse contains - is his ability to problem-solve, do his due diligence and... connect the dots.

Connecting the dots is not about taking Marketing or Comms principles 4, 7 and 9 and applying them to every single client that walks through the door. It’s about listening, patience, a willingness to understand, and the desire to help for the right reasons. Not to win awards or because you think you can help everyone with ‘these 5 easy steps’.

Connecting the dots sounds a little too much like painting by numbers, and I can’t decide if that’s a good thing or not, but it’s a helpful way of describing what I do. Jess of all trades, master of none, helping businesses stand out from the crowd for all the unexpected - and perfect - reasons.