I just got home from an amazing weekend at my aunt’s house where the annual family labor day BBQ party was at it’s all time best!
BUT…
On the ride home I started reading this blog post by Neil Patel, and my jaw kinda dropped. Before I say why, I want to make sure you know I’m not trying to do any trash talking whatsoever.
I have amazing respect for Neil and have recommended his blog/services to many people in the past. This post though, I just don’t agree with and here’s why.
You Have To Play To Win & Not Just Avoid Losing
Basically Neil is saying, if you are a business then you should run a plain blog that doesn’t take sides and only highlights your best news or qualities.
That’s true… If the date is 1954 and you are the biggest company in your industry.
In the old days there wasn’t massively crowded markets, you just had to tell people about your product and why it is so good. Today, however, you have 20 – 50 competitors just as big as you or bigger and they all say theirs is the best.
When everyone is selling virtually the same item and saying theirs is the best, the customer resorts to judging the seller instead of the product. Now it becomes a decision of “who should I buy from” instead of “what should I buy.”
If you are the plain Jane of the industry never taking sides or stances then you have not evolved. You are still the guy or lady just saying this is my product and this is why it’s so great.
Meanwhile, Michael Jordan is saying “If you buy my shoes you could be a champion like me” and Rachel Ray is saying “If you buy my cookware you’ll be a dinner/party hero like me.”
If you are operating in a crowded space, then you must standout. If you standout you have a chance to win, if you don’t you are invisible.
In order to standout amongst the crowd you need to identify the result your target customer wants to achieve and BE THAT RESULT. For example basketball players want to win NBA championships so they buy Air Jordans and house wives want a perfect house so they buy Martha Stewart & Rachel Ray products.
They do this because they have come to know, like, and trust that person. That person has demonstrated that they are who the buyer wishes to be. That person has shared their personality, given their opinions, and shared their stances on matters affecting their audience.
People buy from people they like and they like people who are like them, so show them how you are just like them. Then show them what you’ve used to solve the problems they are experiencing.
Do that and you’ll stand out and win even in the most crowded markets.
Go Bigger,
Justin Brooke
Internet Mad Scientist
QUESTION: “Would you rather buy from someone with no personality that just sells their product or someone that you can relate to that also proves they care about the same things you care about? Answer this honestly in a comment below…
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
You most likely no my answer – to me personality is probably 90% of what I got. Hopefully those (myself included) can back up that personality & actually have the chops in what they’re talking about.
My belief system is that if 99 people are walking in one direction & sound the same, look like robots… you need to walking in the complete opposite direction as them.
You’re going against the grain, might get some should bumps and definitely some haters (which i love so much), but at the end of the day you will have the most loyal following cause like you said – they can relate to you.
Good Marketing Philosophy. While there are many instances where the market buys from ‘unliked’ people, because, the product/service is known to be superior, or the price is to good to pass up, or it truly is the last one, etc, etc. Most consumers would prefer to buy from the ‘trusted and liked’. I guess the real question is,how do you get noticed in a crowded market? By attracting attention, telling a story, getting a response. That helps a consumer get into the flow. Great things can happen after that.
I agree Justin. I think it has to come naturally to some extent so “being yourself”is a great place to come from. If you’re trying too hard to be somebody else you’ll only attract more of these same type of peoplethat you appealed to and likely not end up liking what you are blogging about.Everyone has a colorful side to their personailty, they just have to find it. If you don’t know what it is, ask a friend what they like about you. Hopefully they don’t say that it’s your “vanilla”personality.
Answer: I think you know. Personality is a HUGE factor in what I buy.
Justin, you’re a prime example of doing exactly the opposite of Neil says (my jaw dropped while reading that post too) and you’re successful because of it. I’m not sure how I first came across you, but you’re not afraid to say that gurus suck and what they do sucks and their courses suck.
You’re not afraid to just say that people are ripping others off – even if they could’ve been JVs for you and probably made you a bunch of money.
You’re not afraid to tell it like it is and be genuinely helpful. You take sides and you let your emotions show. You always try to be awesome to your prospects & customers and you want what’s best for them.
Because of that, I love your stuff. I love reading your blog posts. I’m a lifetime customer and I’ve made multiple purchases from you and I plan on joining your mastermind program later this month (been putting it off cause I’ve been visiting family lots lately).
If you followed the advice in Neil’s post and you were just boring and never taking sides, I wouldn’t be here right now commenting on this post and I would just think of you as another one of those guys trying to sell me something.
I’ve pissed people off by taking sides and writing about controversial topics, but with the haters comes lifetime customers & raving fans who buy everything you release and tell their friends and family.
If people don’t like me when I’m being me, then I don’t want them as my customer anyway!
Shawn
Thanks for all the kind words and your loyalty Shawn. You are doing awesome out there yourself.
I’m always here for you if u need me
Great post here Justin! Do I smell a social media management e-course coming from this somewhere down the road a bit?
No sir, sorry I don’t plan that far in advance. Was just in the moment when I wrote this and wanted to genuinely tell people what works and what doesn’t.
I also had a killer Labor Day BBQ with family and friends – good times!
Years ago, before I quit my job and started doing this full time, I was the classic impulse buyer. Thinking back, I don’t even know why I bought products from certain people, but these days things are very different.
I need to be impressed. I need to sometimes have a laugh when reading the sales page (that’s always a selling point for me). Someone who talks like me would be saying “Stop whining because you’re not the only person in this world trying to make this work.” And it’s that cut throat, no excuses attitude that usually sells me.
Reputation is another factor. Why am I leaving a comment on your post right now? Because I’ve purchased products from you before. Because I look forward to your emails and I trust that you are continually thinking outside the box. I’ve yet to hear an ill world spoken of you or your wifey and that goes a long way in my books.
Most importantly, I know you’ll read through every one of these comments
Cheers,
Elijah
I appreciate “real people” not just someone that is just trying to sell me something. I just wrote to Rachel R. earlier to thank her for being a real person and not just a marketer trying to sell me something. I am so sick of the marketers that are just trying to write voodoo copy to suck money out of my wallet, and sell me some junk that they just threw together claiming that it contains the missing link and that as long as you can send an e-mail, you too can be making five figures a month in 30 days or less!
I appreciate your realness Justin, and I agree with your opinion of being who you are and not being afraid to stand up and share your real thoughts.
Two different worlds going on here. I understand where Niel is coming from. He’s saying (IMHO) that people shouldn’t mess up a company blog with negative emotions, rants against competitors, etc. Basically common sense really. Don’t put your foot in your mouth type advice.
Justin, you’re talking about being a leader and being outstanding via expression of a personality others want to be like. This creates rapport, respect and a sense of friendship and belonging.
I think you’re both right in the areas you’re talking about. I don’t believe thou, you’re both talking on exactly the same topic.
Thank you for your differing opinion and sharing your thoughts…
I still disagree though, because we are talking about business and business runs on sales. In order to make a sale you need to make a customer know you, like you, and then trust you. What Neil is teaching will work, heck it’s worked for hundreds of years. What I’m saying is an evolution has taken place where a newer better way to make sales has been formed.
It’s being done in markets all around us, the more personable and likable brands are winning. Not just by a little bit either, they are beating long time leaders.
To each their own style, but my experiences and observations lead me to stick to the relationship marketing style over the colder more scientific method.
I know when you see my name your gonna know my answer to the question. I go for the trusted personality and the relationship when buying. I have been where I think most have been, when first starting out, chasing dreams by buying this and that, when most of it sucked big time. When I look at the money I spent with stuff sitting on on my hard drive – however, that is the cost of knowledge in this arena.
As I my knowledge base got bigger I could see who were the rip off merchants, and also which so called “Gurus” (I like to call them ScruU’s) tripped themselves up in their “So Called” story and opted out of their lists. Now I am only on 1 list – yours, and man am I chugging along! Also I think the face of getting customers has changed now with things like facebook and twitter etc etc, and lists can be a bit “Old Hat”, in my circle all have opted out and follow certain people on facebook only.
Trust and relationship marketing is what it is all about.
Lets face it would you buy a used car from an unknown salesman, with white shoes, black tie, and checked suit, looking a bit shifty, telling you it only has one owner, a little old lady, who only drove it to the shops and church on sunday? haha
Anyways, great to read all other comments, love to you and Chaunna, take care,
Love and Light
I buy from somebody I know, like, and trust. Every single time.
In fact, it sounds strange saying this, but I will even buy a slightly inferior product if I like the guy who is selling it enough.
Isn’t this the essence of “Attraction Marketing”?
I can’t believe any body successful in business would suggest the Plain Jane approach. One must have a hook and a unique voice to stick out. In fact, I prefer slightly controversial and contrarian.
This is why I’m down with all your stuff Justin.
Cameron
Justin, as usual you hit the nail on the head, I have spent the last 2 years studying internet marketing and like many I have been guilty of the “subscribe to anyone who makes a lot of money” technique but some people still stand out – you for instance. You clearly care abut your market and you are a breath of fresh air.
This ability to empathize with the average punter makes you a person to trust.
keep up the good work and I will keep reading, maybe I’LL STOP BEING SILENT !
Lots of marketing get caught up in trying to sell rather than connect to their customers first, I’m guilty of this. I’m working on it
(might be double post, didn’t look like my last one worked)
Dear sir,
From our country Bangladesh it is not possible to pay any amount online by using our credit card. more over we cant open pay pal e mail address cause my country is not listed on pay pal system.How can i join with your system?can you arrange earnings and deducting your amount from the generated income.
Thanking you
Jahangir m abdullah
I’m sorry but we stopped making special payment arrangements. We tried it for awhile with a few cases and everyone of them ended badly. I’m not saying your case would but we’re just no longer making special payment arrangements.