Purpose And A Story. It’s Not About Selling And Definitely NOT The Same. Making The Right Questions Is What Really Sells.

Read this tweet as marketing 101.

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.
Facts tell, stories sell.
What’s your story?”

We need to talk about this to avoid oversimplification and lose the forest for the trees.

That’s not necessarily true.

“They don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

This statement by Simon Sinek comes from the lens of purpose and it works in the context of building a cohesive brand, focusing on the long game of serving people. Not on selling a story.

Especially when it comes to price not being the determining factor.

We all have one purpose, to elevate ourselves by the elevation of others.

Not every business needs a purpose, though. On “They buy why you do it”, refers to being part of a culture (a “tribe”, if you will), to join it.

I wrote more about this in How To Build A Customer.

Them buying why you do it” happens if they’re looking for something that represents a solution/outcome to their pain points. If you go deeper, to the job to be done or the transformation they’re after.

However, if they’re price sensitive, they don’t care at all. They won’t care why you do it.

They’re moved by something more urgent than whatever you offer (your promise).

As soon as they find something cheaper, they’ll go for it.

Facts tell, stories sell.

Again, yes and no.

One thing more powerful than a story is a narrative.

A story is a collection of facts set in a way. Stories have a beginning, middle and an end. They’re different from a narrative: continuous.

A narrative is the interpretation of a collection of stories that has a transformation in mind, either coming as a reading the motivations and inspiration coming from a threat or opportunity to be achieved or overcome.

What REALLY sells?

Making the right questions and understanding the customer’s outcomes (future desired state, job to be done) to be achieved.

That, you frame your conversation (not presentation) as what they gain (because it’s always about them) and how you could help them get what they want.

🤘

Read this post and more on my Typeshare Social Blog