The Lesson

Sometimes, the munificent universe feeds me raw material for The Baer Facts, and for my keynote speeches.

In San Diego this week, I hung out with my friend Don, who told me his car was recently rear-ended, and it took 6 weeks to get the car back. 

The next morning, I gave a presentation to 300 people who own Fix Auto collision repair centers!

The "Uncertainty Gap" is what I call the distance between what the business knows about how its operations work, and the what the consumer knows about the same.  

That gap is LARGE for the collision repair industry, as I told the Fix Auto attendees. I relayed Don's experience, and emphasized that one of their greatest challenges as owners is that consumers have NO IDEA how long it takes to get a car repaired at this point.

I asked them to consider how they can proactively educate consumers faster, and more thoroughly, therefore calibrating expectations and creating less disappointment.

But it's not just "how long will the car be in the shop?" that's bedeviling us as consumers. Even the most obvious and unspoken norms are being blown to smithereens all around us.

Last week, I went to a soccer match at Indiana University, where I was startled to discover that no cash is accepted. Not for tickets. Not for concessions. I'm Captain Tap to Pay, so I wasn't unhappy, just surprised. 

Next morning, off to Orlando. Stopped at a tiny, nerdy coffee shop. Here, they ONLY take cash. 

Within 18 hours, I made purchases at two places that had the EXACT OPPOSITE system for separating me from my money. 

Is it now the rule that we must be vigilantly prepared for all payments scenarios? Do I have to carry wampum? Bitcoin? Goats? Trinkets made from the teeth of my enemies? Thank you for the latte, please select something from inside this oak chest dowry I brought with me.

You probably think your customers have a pretty good handle on how to assess what you offer. How to buy. How to contact you. And all the rest. But they don't.

I can almost guarantee that they are frequently confused. We all are. Everything is changing, and FAST. 

If something as fundamental as payments is in great flux, the details of your own business are as well. The Uncertainty Gap is real, and it's a chasm that is growing larger, not smaller, in many circumstances.

Now is the time for you to perform a "Got It Audit". Can your customers and prospects figure it out, at all times? And if not, how can you explain and educate better? 

If you need help with a "Got It Audit" reply to this email and let's talk how I might be able to assist.

The Books Report

If you're even partially involved in creating content for business, you need to grab a copy of Prove It: Exactly How Modern Marketers Earn Trust, the new book from Melanie Deziel, with Phil M. Jone. 

What purpose does content and content marketing serve? Ultimately, the authors say, it's to create trust between potential buyer and the business.

I agree. After all, I'm writing you this newsletter twice per month! This is a fast, fabulous, and useful book. Releases officially on Tuesday. Pre-order now in case it sells out fast (likely).

Jay's Faves

After all these years, I've found my favorite shirt.

I received this Poncho Outdoors shirt for my birthday recently, and it is AMAZING. 

Freakishly soft and comfortable. Sun-proof. Built-in sunglasses holder. Magnetic pockets. Giant zippered pocket. 

It's ostensibly a fishing shirt, but I'll be wearing it (and the next batch of colors I buy) a lot of places. In fact, I'm wearing it right now, writing this newsletter on a plane. 

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