People want to do business with other people they like. Period.
You can show me all the analytics you want, but nothing will convince me otherwise. I go out of my way to support my favorite local businesses because of the relationship I have with the owner or the story behind it.
People genuinely want to feel good about where they spend their money and enjoy the experience they receive when doing so. When was the last time you spent money at an establishment where the owner or employees were unfavorable? If it happened, I guarantee you only let it happen once.
The tale of two tacos.
Back in my New York days, I frequented a taco shop that was on my way home from work. The food was good and they were cheap, and how hard is it to make a taco, right? Grabbed a couple of steak tacos, street corn, and I was on my way.
One day a buddy of mine let me know of a new taco joint in town that had the best tacos he’s ever tasted! Of course, I had to see for myself and sure enough, they were amazing! I never thought steak could taste this good! I started to go through their whole menu and I never had a bad meal there.
I became friendly with the owner and he started to tell me his story. How we learned to cook from his mom and spent years learning the restaurant biz from his mentor. He never wanted to skimp on quality and you could taste it in his tacos, but it was also reflected in his pricing.
His tacos were 50% more expensive than the previous place I visited, but I didn’t care. I enjoyed the restaurant, his story, his commitment to quality, and all he did for the community he was a part of. All of those factors together make up his brand and I fell in love with it.
You are the reason it all works.
I want you to take an hour or so and write down your story. What inspires you to do the things you do? Where did you come from? Who taught you the craft that gets you out of bed every morning? Get that all together, write it up, and share it with the world.
Add it to your website under the infamous “About Us” page. Remember when you created that page as filler? Believe it or not, it has now become one of the most visited pages on a company’s website because people want to know who you are. I am ashamed to tell you that I lost an account simply because I DID NOT have an “About Us” page. Yes, no bullshit, it did happen.
The human factor.
Marketing is not about the product as much as it is about the story. You want to connect with your audience and become part of their lives, and that’s not an easy thing to do. Time is precious and people hate wasting it, so when they take the time to inquire about you, it has to be worth it.
Make sure every person that comes in contact with your business feels your passion. If done correctly, people will never consider the price. Rather, they’ll consider the cost of letting it pass them by.
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