Why On Earth Would I want to talk to someone about things other than ‘work?’
Ben and I both get asked variants of this question a lot.
Here is the best answer we both give when we don’t want to delve into a big, long speech about it. “Because nobody is as interested in your ‘thing’ as you are.”
It is a true. They aren’t but there is a secret even deeper than that.
ONGOING READERSHIP AND RELATIONSHIP
When someone isn’t in buying mode then it doesn’t matter how hard you sell, they aren’t going to buy. So beating them over the head with how great your product is and why they need what you have, isn’t going to get them to buy. In fact, it is going to reduce their willingness to read/listen/watch what you send them because they don’t want to be beaten over the head with “buy now, buy now, buy now.”
Keep this up long enough and eventually your customers will stop reading, listening and watching what you send them because they are ‘over it.’ “Here comes another pitch from…” Into the big round file with that. (Okay, so some rubbish bins are square but I hope you take my point).
Once they stop reading your newsletter you have no chance to sell to them…
By including information in your newsletters not about work, you can demonstrate that you have interest in them outside of selling to them. They are not cash machines waiting to buy from you. You are in fact a fun and interesting person who can help them outside of work. You are well read, knowledgeable and interested in making their lives better in as many ways as possible. All good reasons to keep reading your newsletter.
Knowing that they will be entertained and find useful information, increases the chances that they will keep reading your newsletter. And therefore buy something when they are ready to buy again.
Think about the repurchase times of some items. Dinner at a restaurant. That might be weekly or maybe up to every 8 weeks or more. Buying a house happens every 5-7 years on average. How much of those times do you think a customer is actually thinking about buying? Dinner at a restaurant may be thought about at most, a week in advance if they plan their meals weekly. Which means they are not really a buyer for the other 7 weeks.
At the other end of the spectrum people don’t actively think about buying a new house most of the time. Something happens to induce them to move at the tail end of that time frame. Do you think it matters what you send them in the mean time?
This is why you need interests outside of work to bond over. It builds ongoing readership and maintains readership when your customers aren’t necessarily in buying mode.
Stay tuned for part 2 next month.