Why Marketing Is Like Dating
Unless your relatives of friends set you up with blind dates or an arranged marriage, if you want a relationship you have to find someone to date, get to know them sufficiently to see if you’re right for each other, THEN pop whatever question is right for both of you.
Marketing is like dating; attracting clients and customers has a similar process to courting.
You need to help people find you. Then you start making relationships with them. Finally, you help them buy.
Just like you wouldn’t ask someone to marry you whom you just met at a party (unless you’re in Las Vegas), you don’t hammer people to buy from you before you get to know each other.
The good news: your website (well, okay, what YOU post on YOUR website) can do a lot of this relationship work for you.
Let’s start with how to help people find you.
You need some kind of web presence. I always lobby for you to have your own website first. You own it, you maintain it, you can change it. You won’t fall victim to a social media platform changing how it works (or shutting down altogether, like Posterous and others) and making your work homeless. But if you can’t afford a website (try Squarespace before you decide), you can use Facebook or Instagram as a stopgap.
Then you need to start helping people get to know you.
Austin Kleon, a bestselling “writer who draws,” advises creatives to Show Your Work. Start there. People who’ve decided they aren’t creative always want to know the answer to this question: How Do You Do That?? Tell them by blogging, making photos, videos, newsletters, Facebook or Instagram posts, tweeting, giving speeches, or whatever else draws you.
Then, help them buy.
To help them buy, tell the creation story of each thing you make. Answer one or all of these questions:
- What were you doing when you got the idea to make this?
- Describe the process of making it.
- Describe your thoughts and feelings while making it.
- Say what’s important about the creation and/or why it’s important to you.
- Describe your thoughts and feelings now that it’s finished.
We’re storytelling and connection animals. We want to know what motivates you, what makes you tick, so we can make a connection. It’s less risk if you go first.
Need help with any of this? Email me or leave a comment below.