“It’s so hard to sell myself.”
Have you ever said that?
I was having lunch with a new friend yesterday at a conference when he uttered those very words. It’s something I’ve struggled with for years, so my heart went out to him.
There is something inherently difficult (for some) when it comes to touting the benefits of your product or service. It’s not that you don’t believe in what you’re selling. It’s not that you don’t think you’re good at what you do. It’s not that you don’t know that you have the cure to someone’s problems. It’s just that selling can sometimes feel… well, icky.
As long as I’ve been in business, I’ve always felt that ickiness creeping in when I ask for a sale. However, for as long as I’ve been doing animal rescue, I’ve never once hesitated to ask for a donation.
Not only have I never hesitated… I straight up have no shame when it comes to the animal rescue. I will ask anyone for absolutely anything I need to help my furry friends. Don’t believe me? I once cornered the owner of a car dealership at a charity event (the event was not for my charity, mind you), and asked him to donate a van so we could transport our fuzzies around town.
Now, I never said that I GOT everything I asked for, just that I had no problem asking for it.
But if that van was for me? If I was asking him to give me something for my business or buy something from my business… totally different story.
So, what’s the deal? And what do we do about it?
Let’s start out with the problem. Why is it so easy to “sell” something or someone besides yourself?
Well… because it’s not you. Tweetable, isn’t it?
But seriously, when we have a product or service, it becomes an extension of who we are. Possibly even a tangible representation of ourselves. This means that if our request for a sale is met with a “No,” they are not only rejecting your product or service, they are rejecting YOU.
Ouch.
Why does that hurt so much? It’s not a physical attack. There won’t be any blood or bruising.
Because humans have an innate desire to belong. We can trace this back to our caveman roots. When you have a pack or community around you, you’re probably going to be safe. If you’re on your own… you’re probably going to be dinner.
If your product gets rejected, you get rejected. If you get rejected, there may be something fundamentally unworthy about you. And, if you are unworthy, you will be forced out of the tribe, you won’t have anyone to protect you, and you may pair nicely with a Chianti.
Yes, my anthropology professor from college just got a horrendous migraine and can’t figure out why. (Sorry!)
However, if I walk into a restaurant or store asking for a donation for the animals, and the owner says no, I don’t feel rejected. Actually, I just assume the person doesn’t like animals (meaning they are pure evil), I vow never to shop there again (unless they had a really good reason for not donating), and I move on to the next place. I wasn’t rejected so I’ll be safe from the sabretooth tigers.
Why are we even talking about this? I’m not suggesting you shut down your business so you can spend your time requesting donations on behalf of a charity. You’d be unable to pay your mortgage within weeks.
I’m suggesting that utilizing a Cause Marketing strategy in your business could actually create a loophole to avoid the fear of rejection.
Check out this short excerpt about the other benefits of Cause Marketing from my forthcoming book Do Good to Do Better: A Small Business Guide to Growing Your Business by Helping Nonprofits and then well discuss more.
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Going this route (Cause Marketing) isn’t necessarily the fastest way to bring in a customer. However, if you’re looking to establish a positive brand for your company and forge long term relationships with loyal customers that become an army of raving fans, this is the way to go.
Let’s talk about brand, baby! (I’d write some Salt n Pepa lyrics here, but I don’t want to get sued.) Remember how we discussed that the goal of marketing is to get your brand in front of people? I’m about to blow your mind so I hope you’re sitting.
All of your years in business and on this planet, you’ve probably looked at brand as how a business wants to be seen.
Buzzer sounds: WRONG
A brand is actually how your audience sees you based on your actions.
Go ahead, comb your hair back down and take a deep breath. I know, it’s a lot to sink in.
Brand is not what you decide you want to be known for. Brand is what your customers decide you’ll be known for.
So, what exactly are the benefits of Cause Marketing? For now, we’re going to discuss the benefits to for-profits (we’ll focus on nonprofits a little bit later).
Improved Brand Awareness
Now that you know what a brand really is, Cause Marketing is a great way to not only get your name out into the world, but to have a deeper purpose associated with it.
Attract Your Tribe
Do you enjoy doing business with people you don’t like?
I know I don’t. The beauty of building a business is that as you get busier, you have the option to filter out the customers you don’t want to work with. Maybe they have drastically different political views (and spout them unnecessarily), maybe they have different morals than you, or maybe they’re just a PIA.
On the flip side, isn’t it easier to work with and communicate with people that have similar beliefs, concerns, interests, etc.? When you find that common ground with someone, a new level of relationship blossoms.
“OMG, you’re from Long Island? I’m from Long Island!” “No! You love puppies? I love puppies too!”
What if you had a surefire way to filter out the people you don’t want to work with and attract more of the people you do?
In Tribes, Seth Godin (a marketing genius) discusses the importance of attracting like-minded people to you. “A tribe is a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea.”
The idea is that we can fix a societal problem. When you attach yourself and your business to a cause, you attract like-minded individuals. People you actually want to work with.
It’s Now Expected
Love them or hate them, Millennials are not going anywhere. They are consumers, they’ve entered the workforce, and they want to change the world. In fact, Gen Z is close behind them and they want to work for and buy from, businesses that are making a difference in our communities. (More on these groups in a bit.)
According to Deloitte’s 2017 global Millennial survey:
– 76% of Millennials now regard business as a force for positive social impact.
– 88% of Millennials say business, in general, around the world is having a positive impact on the wider society in which it operates.
The Cone Cause Evolution Study found that:
– 80% of Millennials believe companies have the obligation to help people or take action to improve issues that may not be related to their everyday business.
– 85% of Millennials will seek out responsible products whenever possible.
And it’s not just Millennials. According to the 2018 Edelman Brand study: Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of consumers around the world will buy or boycott a brand solely because of its position on a social or political issue, a staggering increase of 13 points from last year.
(https://www.edelman.com/news-awards/two-thirds- consumers-worldwide-now-buy-beliefs)
Differentiate Yourself from the Competition
When I work with a website client, one of my first questions is always “What makes you different than the next (fill in the business)?”
The first round of answers usually goes something like this:
“We focus on customer service, really going out of our way for our customers.”
or
“We have high-quality products.” or (my personal favorite)
“We are very communicative. We respond to emails, phone calls, FB messages…”
Have you ever spent any time in the online dating world? I have, and while there are some quality folks out there, I could write a book about the Island of Misfit Men that I’ve met through those sites.
Let me give you an analogy: Saying that your business is focused on quality, customer service, and actually getting back to people is like putting “I have a job, a car, and I no longer live in my grandma’s basement” in your dating profile.
This. Is. The. Bare. Minimum.
If your customer service is a joke, your product is terrible, and you don’t respond to phone calls or emails, please put down this book and go fix your business. No amount of working with a nonprofit can help you if you suck.
Phew! Sorry to get a little hardcore on you there but it had to be said.
Now, assuming that your business does not suck, what makes you different?
I recently ran into my friend Bryce at a pet event where he had a booth. He is the founder of No Kill Las Vegas and has dedicated his life to protecting animals. Bryce is also the Las Vegas Realtor to the Dogs… and their families. (www.realtortothedogs.com)
I stepped to the side when a woman stopped to snag some swag off his table.
“Do you have any friends that are looking to buy or sell a home?” he asked.
She didn’t even look up. “I do. But I also know about 25 realtors.”
“Do you know any that will donate $500 to the animal rescue of your choice?”
Now she looked up. “Seriously?”
Bryce nodded and the woman took a handful of his cards.
I spend a lot of time networking and if I got a dollar for every realtor, insurance agent, Network marketer, and business coach that I met… I could retire to Maui in a few weeks.
There are hundreds of people who do what you do… so what makes you different?
You, my cause marketing friend, stand for more than just business. You have a greater mission. You support a cause and that, is your selling point.
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There are many other benefits to utilizing Cause Marketing in your small business, but for now, just imagine the freedom of taking the pressure off yourself. You are not just selling your product or service… you are supporting a cause close to your heart.
Your offering becomes a way to help the charity. You are officially selling warm fuzzies instead of widgets.
Overcome the fear of rejection and stand for a cause. Your business will improve and so will your community.
Do Good to Do Better: A Small Business Guide to Growing your Business by Helping Nonprofits is due out November 2019. To download the first few chapters free, please visit: www.dogoodtodobetter.com
About the Author
Sheryl Green is a New York native living and thawing in Las Vegas since 2008. After years of begging for money to support animal rescue, she discovered Cause Marketing and her life was forever changed. She now brings her knowledge of storytelling to non-fiction and content writing, working with businesses and individuals who want to position themselves as experts in their field and differentiate themselves from the competition. She is also the co-founder and president of the Cause Marketing Chamber of Commerce.
Sheryl is the author of 4 books and serves as the Director of Communications and Cuddling for Hearts Alive Village Las Vegas. Learn more at www.sherylgreenspeaks.com.
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