YOU CAN’T MAKE THEM DO IT!!!
Monday, April 6th, 2009I was engaged in a fiesty brain storming session this morning with a friend of mine who is also a business and marketing strategist. We were “wildly spewing forth” ideas in rapid fire succession. Our mission was to determine WHY a particular product was not selling as we felt it should have been. In what I would call a “battle of the mouths and minds” we went at it for about fifteen minutes, back and forth, reciting every marketing rule we had ever learned, whether through a book, a class, the school of real life business; the rules came out of our mouths one by one:
1. There should be a compelling offer
2. There should not be anything other than one thing to do on the “squeeze page” or “one banana”
3. There should be a CALL to action
4 There should be the easiest , most simple, and clear place for the client to check out.
On and on, we recited all the rules….an then as if I she were stung by a bee, my friend stopped her reciting to let out the loudest gasp, followed by a long ohhhhhh!! I immediately asked, “Are you ok?”
“Oh my gosh,” she replied. “I can not believe I did this.”
“Did what?” I asked, not sure whether she was talking about our conversation or some other thing that might have just happened on her end of the phone. I waited for her response.
“I can not believe that I did not see this until now, ” she said.
“See what?” I asked.
“Well, let me explain. ” she began, “You know as well as I do that we can tell our children to do something because it is in their best interest and often times they DO not choose to do it. There is often times negative consequences associated with their choice. We KNOW what would be best for them…but it is up to them to choose to do it…WE can NOT MAKE them DO IT!!!”
I could see right where she was going with this. “Yes, I understand what you are saying., ” I replied.
I will summarize the concept here:
When we tell our customers that a specific product or service will benefit them…it THEIR CHOICE whether to accept and initiate or decline and DO NOTHING.” and worse yet…IF you were in front of the WRONG clients, those that absolutely have NO interest in your product or service, or anything new, they will NOT be the least bit interested and your product, regardless of its remarkability, will not appeal to them.
Save your time…save your effort…and PLEASE… save your tears…If you are in front of the WRONG crowd…don’t give up thinking your product and business is wrong…move into the “right neighborhood” so to speak, and see incredible results with your offering! It puts the FUN back in business because you have people interested in your offering….and they are LOOKING for the right CHOICES for their business and life.
You know what…business and fun go together….so go enjoy!
Blessings for a “playful” day in your business!
Jennifer
