I’m not entirely sure what was curated about it as all the signs of NYC fancy bar were not on the menu. There were no special in-house mixers, no foreign spirits I couldn’t pronounce, no fancy home-distilled liquor, their ice program was nothing to write home about and the bartender <whispering> didn’t even have a beard.

That is not a curated menu in this town.

Sure it was a great drink, and certainly so dirty it’s mother would send it home for a bath, but I felt a little robbed all the same. It seems in NYC this year, everything is curated… except it isn’t always. Andthat’s letting your clients down. In this case me and my $16 martini.

And you can see how it happened, ‘curated’ is definitely a word of the moment. It’s one of a list of words that I talked about in the Marketing Language module for my Mastermind training program this week.

For instance, I very carefully curate my Mastermind Groups.

And I asked some current clients how they knew that was true (always ask clients questions like this, so helpful). They told me that it was clear from the moment we had our first consult.  If you were one of my clients, we’d have a 30 minute conversation just talking about how you learn and achieve your goals. We’d discuss if you’re an introvert or an extrovert and how you assimilate information best, if youlike making lists and if you’re best motivated by the carrot or the stick. We’d go deep into the sort of person who lights you up and the sort who instantly demotivates you.

At the end of our chat, I’d know you so much better and be able to place you into a group where you’re going to shine. Where you can help others and your goals and talents mesh with what other people need and crucially – where you need a bit of support, they’re strong.

This, THIS, this is curation. There’s care and concern and careful blending. This curation means thatpeople in my Masterminds are placed in the right place and know they’re in safe hands from the get go.That matters.

Take action!

So, I have two questions for you:

First, what are you curating to this level in your business?

• And how can you make sure your clients feel that right from the get go?

And second, where are you letting them feel a little let down?

• Because it is just possible that the head of that bar has spent thousands of hours choosing the perfect rim to depth ratio on his glasses and insists his bar staff are clean shaven so there is no possibility of adulterating hair in the drinks. But if it’s happening, I didn’t know about it. And as a customer, I really should have.

Where can you tweak your website so that your love, and your careful curation is clearer?

• I know I can do a better job of this, and I’m going to be upgrading Rethink Central over the coming weeks.