I was waiting for the tapioca pudding. In the same way many of
us wait for customers.
We were having a great conversation with some friends over
dinner, but I have to admit, I was a little distracted, thinking
about the tapioca pudding we were going to be having for dessert.
If this happens among friends, imagine what your customers are
thinking about while they are reading your marketing. And, it
might be a whole lot more distracting than tapioca pudding.
One of our friends had been a filmmaker for years, and had worked
in marketing with the major Hollywood studios as well. And then
gave it up to become a very successful naturopathic doctor
specializing in helping people who have cancer.
He told us, "But I'm doing the same thing. Telling stories, and
listening to stories. Because I've become clear that's where the
real healing comes from."
He explained how he had been telling stories through film for a
long time, but never got to interact with the people watching
the film. Now he sees patients every day, and listens to their
stories. "It's incredible to watch how much healing and relief
comes in when people get to tell their stories."
I asked him: "Does it matter whether someone is telling their own
story, or can you tell their story to them, and get the same
effect?"
His answer: "It doesn't seem to matter. As long the story gets
told, and the person recognizes it as their own, the healing
takes place."
That rang true for me. I've watched movies, and seen echoes of my
own life in them, and felt a real relief and spaciousness open in
me. I've also heard from clients who have expressed tremendous
gratitude just at having their stories validated- "You mean, I'm
not the only one in this situation?"
This has profound implications for your marketing. Your marketing
doesn't have to be merely a prelude-- your marketing can deliver
the tapioca of your business, and stimulate tremendous healing
for people.
Tell your customers' stories in your marketing. It may only be a
few sentences. It may be longer and more dramatic. But capture
the essence of the difficulty they are facing, and their
emotions, needs and desires. And, in the telling, they can
experience profound relief and gratitude.
When someone feels profound relief and gratitude, they feel safe.
Not only do they feel happier and more whole, but they tend to
stick around longer.
Keys to the Healing Power of Marketing
* You have to know who you are talking to.
You've probably heard me beat this drum before, but how can you
tell someone's story if you don't know who they are? And, one of
the most elemental pieces of their story is their name. In a
marketing context when you don't know the customer personally
(yet), their name is your target market. Who you are helping,
and What you are helping them with.
* You need to see things from their perspective.
When I was a paramedic, it was all too easy to talk about
someone's problems from a clinical perspective, and I see
business owners do that all the time as well. In order to
effectively create connection and healing, you need to drop the
impersonal 'professionalism' of clinical talk, and climb into
their shoes and feel their pain. Then you can show real empathy.
* Take it a step further.
Many times, just naming them and their pain can create a huge
amount of relief. But, take it a step further, and you'll be that
much closer to creating a real, long-term customer relationship.
Give them a solution.
The Heart of Business example: [Identity] For people who got into
small business because they really want to make a difference,
[Problem] but are now facing the reality of needing to make a
profit. [Solution] You can be profitable, without losing the
heart of why you got into business in the first place.
Ahhhh.... big sigh of relief. You can expand this into an entire
story, with many more details, according to the context.
And, once they connect- don't forget to offer them the tapioca
pudding. They just might buy it from you.
Bon appetit,
Mark Silver
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