Our society is one of abundance. Most purchases – both consumer and business – are discretionary. Purchases fill “wants” rather than “needs”. Selling wants is much different than selling needs. Consumers buy a want because of how it will make them feel. If you want to sell a product or service, make people believe that it will make them feel different or be a particular way. Generally, people will pay to feel special, rich, sexy, loved, fit, beautiful, secure, smart, respected, happy, included, safe and free.
People are bundles of opinions and biases and they hold fast to them – even ones that aren’t supported by fact. Popular “change agent” Seth Godin, in his book All Marketers are Liars, calls these views and/or biases “worldviews.” He also says, “It’s a waste of time and energy to try to change people.” People just want to hear that they’re right, smart, insightful, etc.
People are bombarded with messages. Odds are they won’t notice yours – unless you are very creative in getting their attention. The most effective way is with something different – something that surprises – something that does not fit into the recipient’s view of the world.
People draw conclusions based on tiny bits of information. If you succeed at capturing a prospect’s attention, that prospect will quickly scan elements of you and your business in an attempt to quickly figure out “your story”. Anything could become the cornerstone on which their opinion is based, and their preference would be to conclude that you and yours are not worth their time and money. If you wish to influence the process, you’ll need to control the input – what they see, touch, taste, smell and feel – and ensure that it all supports the story you want them to tell themselves.
If you succeed in getting the attention of a member of your target audience, your best chance for keeping attention and developing a relationship is by respecting – or sharing their worldview. Better yet, allow them to express themselves – define themselves – by buying your products and associating with your company. In a competitive market, where the prominent worldviews are being “spoken to”, opportunity lies in the fringes – finding a neglected worldview that has an economically attractive number of members that will respond passionately to your story.
For example:
- A car that appeals to your desire to be “significant” (Hummer)
- A shoe that appeals to your desire to be “powerful” (Nike)
- A grocer that appeals to your desire to be “low impact” (Wild Oats)
- A cola that appeals to your desire to be “unique” (Dr. Pepper)
Launching a product without understanding your audience’s worldviews is like trying to pick a lock before you know whether it is a key or combination.
People communicate with stories. They have stories for everything – stories involving self, neighbors, co-workers, products, vendors, ball teams, etc. Similarly, people will not buy from you until they know YOUR story, like it, and identify with it on a deep level. You can either attempt to exert influence on the story they create or leave it to chance.
From a marketer’s standpoint, winning stories don’t teach anything new but simply agree with the existing views of their target audience. Winning stories simply reassure the target audience that they are right, smart and secure in feeling the way they do. In fact, when consumers buy, it’s a statement about the consumer, not the product – just as a vote is a statement about the voter, not the candidate.
Let your audience express themselves by buying your product or service. Then, give them a story to tell – a compelling one, about your product or company.
The facts of your product are irrelevant. What matters is what prospects believe the product will do for them. Before prospects actually experience your product, all they have is what they believe. So what prospects buy is the buying experience. What you are selling, then, is an experience – a story about what life will be like if they make the purchase. Your product is an entire experience – from attention-getting, story telling and selling, story reinforcing, relationship and trust building, sale closing and product delivery.
An interesting thing about humans, however, is that once they decide on something and buy, they will work incredibly hard to support that decision. They will resist information that might lead them to question the wisdom of their decision. Once the purchase is made, that customer will be much easier to maintain and keep satisfied.
People are leery. They will only buy from you if they are completely comfortable. First, your story must be consistent. If anything does not fit the picture (story) – a font, word, interaction, letter stock, business card, clothing, brick and mortar, smell, tone, etc. – they will withdraw.
Second, they must believe your story. The best way to be believable is to be true, genuine. Your story should be about who you really are. If you are not currently anyone remarkable, become someone remarkable. Paint a picture, tell it, sell it and be true to it.
Third, there is no substitute for warm, caring and reassuring personal interaction. This is where so many companies miss the mark. Relationships are not built by offering facts.
People don’t want to be told or sold. If you tell the story about yourself, they won’t believe you. You have to just give them the pieces and let them discover for themselves, like the punch line to a joke that drops into place after briefly considering the pieces. Great stories are subtle.
Profitable growth is generated from referrals. To get profitable growth for your company, your existing customers must send new customers. This occurs on its own if you win initial customers and give them exceptional experiences that fit into a compelling, must-tell story that is easy to repeat. People have a natural desire to do as others are doing. If your initial customers are particularly influential, the copy-cat impact will be much greater. People tend to mimic the behavior of those they admire.
More on Seth Godin? See www.sethgodin.com or visit his blog at www.sethgodin.typepad.com.
This article originally appeared in The Business Owner Journal, the periodical of choice for owners of small and midsize private businesses. All rights reserved, D.L. Perkins LLC. © 2012.
This publication is intended to provide general information on the subject matters covered. It is sold and distributed with the understanding that neither the publisher nor any distributor or advertiser is engaged in providing legal, tax, insurance, investment or other professional advice. The advice of a qualified professional should be sought before any reader applies a concept presented herein to his or her particular situation or business.
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