Stop Chasing SALES and START creating stewardship!
I know it is tempting to read “stewardship” and think it means being nice. it does not. it means being clear, being honest, and being willing to lose the wrong sale. that is hard at first, especially if you are under pressure. but here is the part people miss, stewardship is also self respect. it is you deciding that your work deserves the kind of customer who will use it well. you do not need a perfect brand voice to do this. you need one clean promise you can keep, and a few lines that protect people from buying the wrong thing. if you feel stuck, do not try to rebuild everything. pick one lever, clarity, guardrails, proof, packaging, selling, or feedback. then do the smallest move that makes the next decision obvious. you are not trying to win the internet. you are trying to earn trust from the right people, and then keep it. start small, stay honest, and let it compound. 1. Define stewardship in one sentence (so you can actually measure it) Principle: Stewardship means you treat trust like an asset, not a tool. Strategy: Pick a clear “win condition” that is not revenue. Revenue matters, but it is a lagging signal. Your stewardship win is something like, “customers feel safe, supported, and proud they bought.” Why it works: When you aim for trust, you reduce churn, refunds, and regret. You also build referrals, because people share things that make them feel smart. Example: A service business chooses, “clients finish with clarity and no confusion about next steps.” That forces simpler onboarding, clearer scope, and better handoffs. Common mistake: Calling anything “stewardship” while still optimizing for pressure. If your marketing makes people feel rushed or small, it is not stewardship. Starter move: Write your stewardship promise as a sentence that a customer could agree or disagree with. Do this now: Finish this line, “we know we are stewarding well when customers say ______.” 2.Build guardrails before you scale (so growth does not break trust) Principle: Your offer needs boundaries that protect the buyer and protect you.