Appeal

The Next Level Of Leaving Someone Out

Garth Beyer

It’s getting easier to write and design a creative opt-in subscription. It’s easier than ever before to target a specific market. Thanks to video sharing services, it’s now easy to get everyone “in” to watch a presentation.

What about the people you’re leaving out?

We already know target marketing is about prioritizing who you want to communicate with, but what about those at the bottom of the list, do we simply leave them out?

I don’t think it’s in our best interest to. Rather, it’s in our best interest to switch our hats, and once we’ve decided how to best appeal to the top of the list, decide how can we still – at minimum – satisfy the bottom of the list.

It could be as simple as writing and designing an opt-out portion of a pop up subscription. Or still sending a thank you note to all who made a purchase even though they might not match the target market. Or putting the video of the presentation on YouTube so anyone can watch and learn.

I like to support the mentality that marketers know how to prioritize, but that doesn’t mean we remember to give back to those who aren’t the target market.

If they interact with a brand we manage, we owe it to them (and ourselves, as marketers) to give back in some shape or form.

 

Stay Positive & Prioritizing Isn’t An Excuse To Leave People Out

They Will Be Pleased, Regardless

Garth Beyer

Don't Appeal To The Mass

When you make an effort to reach the masses, to please the majority, to advertise to all, you are inevitably creating a bitter experience for some.

You see this with retail stores quite often. Owners spend their time outside of the store trying to reach the masses, and in doing so, they neglect and devalue those already in it. It’s better of them to treat and please the customers already in their store if they wish for more newcomers.

We need to recognize people will want us to build an experience for the mass. The thought process of most is that one event that calls out to a majority is better than five events that call out to smaller groups.

Writing a book that is safe, that anyone walking around the bookstore will want to pick up, seems to be the most logical thing to do, but it’s not. It’s better to write five shorter books that target a specific tribe.

You may win the lottery, you may have a successful large event, but all who attended, all who bought your book will revert back to their search for the one that makes them feel most valued, most part of a tribe.

They will eventually be pleased, regardless of the decision you make because it’s our natural inclination to find a place where we have a consistent pleasurable experience, one that connects us with like-minded people, one that all who attend or purchase can give the same answer to “People like us ______.”

We can’t please everyone at once, so why bother?

But we can please everyone over a period of time/a series of events/a number of books by recognizing the tribes people are part of and creating a remarkable experience for each of them.

Thing is, you may find out that pleasing one tribe is all you need to do. Stephen King doesn’t need to write a book specific to a bunch of tribes. All he needs is one group to please.

Anyway, if one were to measure effort, I’d say it takes about the same to appeal to the mass as it does to appeal to smaller tribes. The results, however, are different… very different.

 

Stay Positive & Different Is What You Want

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What You Don’t Realize You’re Getting Paid For

Garth Beyer

Right now, as you’re reading this, you’re getting paid to ignore the trolls, turn your shoulder to the critics and shun the naysayers. Invite this belief into your world: you get paid to mute those who try dragging you down. I have yet to measure an action that receives more return on investment than ignoring trolls.

Concerned there’s an honest opinion that may help improve your work somewhere deep in the paragraph of disdain. Why not ask a friend to read the comment for you and let you know if they agree with anything. The thing about trolls is they will keep on trolling. The thing about friends is they can provide true, helpful criticism.

Ignore the trolls. Keep your faith, your motivation, your passion.

Listen to them. Lose everything.

It’s a downward spiral.

 

Stay Positive & You Can’t Please Everyone (Nor Should You Want To)