I recently had plastic surgery (no I don’t have a new face LOL) but I did have a lipoma removed from my upper back. 👩🏼‍🦳

I have never had any sort of plastic surgery before so I had no idea what to expect. I guess I expected the doctor and his staff to tell me everything I needed to know before it all happened.

Now I am all about the questions in these circumstances. I want to know how it all works, how long it takes, side effects, scarring, recovery time…insert question, question, question.

And I think it’s not unreasonable to ask them, right? After all, it is all about setting the expectation for me, the valued clients.😳

But the reality was very different. (Bear with me here, there is a very important message you need to apply to your marketing waiting for you)

Here is what happened…

❌ Date of surgery was set and I thought I knew everything I needed to know.

❌ But 3 days before the surgery, I had a call from my doctor’s team to book my post-surgery appointment for the day after. (my calendar was pretty full so this was not only info I have not been told but inconvenient to have to move other meetings). I explained to the staff member that I didn’t know I needed an appointment the day after, and she was quite rude in responding that of course I would need a day after check-up and she didn’t understand why I wouldn’t know that.

❌  Then I get a call from the doctor the day prior talking about not being able to drive for 24 hours after because I would have a drain in my shoulder (again new info) which they assumed I knew – Yet again!

❌ Skip ahead to the post-op appointment and was told I couldn’t exercise for a couple of weeks and that I had to wear a dressing (changed weekly) for 12 weeks. 12 weeks!!! WTF

Again information I had not been told and they had assumed I know. But why would I know??

It reinforced one very important point – that people don’t know what you know!

This doctor and his team assumed I knew all these things. But why would I? Especially never having plastic surgery before…It was a big assumption to make and one that didn’t provide a great customer experience. 😡

So when you are talking to clients, remember they do not know what you know. You live and breathe your craft, you go through the motions like it is second nature. You understand the process and the steps you need to take to get the end result. But your client doesn’t!

How does this apply to marketing?

Don’t make assumptions! Don’t expect them to know what you know. 😳

When you think about your marketing messages consider sharing your processes, the steps, and the small details that are important and will help your client.

You might think this is boring or uninteresting to a client but the reality is, to them it is not. They are curious, they are trying to learn what you know to help them, and they want to get inside your head.

Help them do all that.

Your messaging and content need to not make assumptions and it needs to help them know what you know.

Failing to do so, is going to leave a sour taste and impact the client experience with you and your business.