How many “shoulds” related to your marketing have you told yourself during the last month?

If you’re like me, you’re constantly thinking about things you want to change.

I should create more videos.

I should start updating my website more often.

I should be more consistent in my outreach to prospects.

Sure, desires like these are great when they actually happen.

Yet when you fall short on “shoulds,” you usually don’t feel too disappointed. After all, you likely knew the chances were slim you’d stick to your goal.

So, the question worth asking yourself is:

What if your “should” became a “must”?

When this happens, you suddenly raise your standards. You stop tolerating what comes your way, and instead make success the only possible outcome.

This shift – when the thing that should happen has to happen – is key to creating change in the way you market your business.

In the words of Tony Robbins, “Any area you are not getting what you want is because you haven’t raised your standards.”

(I’m briefly venturing outside the marketing world – so hang tight…)

The problem is, too many people live by standards they developed long ago. Many of us determined what we believe – and what we’re capable of – way back in childhood.

It doesn’t take much thinking to realize you’re nowhere near the same person you were back then. You aren’t even the same person you were last year.

So, it’s critical to keep raising your standards.

Sure, this applies to your marketing – but it can also relate to your finances, relationships, environment, appearance, and even your profession.

Your standards are usually lower than what you can achieve.

Keep in mind, too – because your standards are reflected in so many areas of life – that even simple daily actions (e.g., how you dress, the way you communicate, what you eat, etc.) send messages about how you feel about yourself and others.

Of course, people pick up on these messages… Usually without you even knowing it.

Whether they sense high or low standards, you’re judged accordingly.

The good news is that setting high standards immediately raises your expectations of what’s possible. You instantly expect more from yourself and others.

And with higher expectations comes a willingness to do more to get the results you want, which naturally raises your performance.

As a result, you attract better opportunities and people into your life – simply because you show more certainty in your actions.

Now, as you’re planning what you’ll do different in your marketing moving forward, here’s something worth considering:

Content is becoming more and more of a commodity.

These days, just about everyone is sharing helpful information. And although this type of content is still a necessity, it’s no longer a differentiator.

You must now include insight your prospects can actually take action on…

Give them at least one or two steps toward a desired goal.

You see, prospects searching for information usually aren’t convinced they can achieve their wanted outcome – so you need to be the one who proves to them it’s possible.

If you provide a step forward, you put yourself in a prime position because…

They’ll associate progress with you.

Even better, they’ll often come back craving more.

Now (of course), don’t stop using your content to answer questions, share mistakes, and address misconceptions. This type of content is still necessary.

But you have to up your marketing game moving forward…

Demonstrate your expertise more than ever.

Prospects aren’t satisfied with just consuming information anymore. They want to take action on it.

Watch for this shift as we move forward through 2019 and beyond.