Marketing: People vs. Persuasion

So often I hear people talk about persuasion when it comes to marketing. There's even an entire marketing discipline associated with it now. And before we get started, let's create a definition we can some back to:

Tracy's Definition of Persuasion > The act of arguing, pleading with or reasoning earnestly with another to impact their course of action in alignment with something you desire.

With that in place, let's look at some of the common ways persuasion marketing is implemented by B2B companies (courtesy of Forbes)...and let's ALSO look at how a shift in focus to PEOPLE over persuasion might look.

Persuasion Tactic 1: Offer something to induce reciprocity

Most businesses frown upon bribes, but this is precisely what this tactic promotes. Give people something (a free trial, a free workshop, a free coaching session, a one-time discount), and that will encourage them to reciprocate by buying your thing.

Sometimes it works. But you always start the relationship by giving them something. And if you think that shifts the power dynamic in your favor, you're wrong.

How many freebies have you downloaded with no intention of buying anything?

For most people it's probably dozens, if not hundreds.

But it will be different for YOU, right?

In the Forbes article, it says you COULD get customers to convert. You COULD get them to convert. Maybe. And maybe they'll give you a positive review or refer you to a friend. Maybe. And in return, you get positive brand sentiment.

Maybe.

How much money are you spending on "maybe"?

People Tactic 1: Offer belonging

Let's say we DO offer a free thing...a free community to people. A place where people can enter into the conversations that help them achieve what they are trying to achieve.

Now, you might think this sounds the same. Offering a free community to induce reciprocity.

But there's an intention difference here.

Offering a free community to induce reciprocity...vs...offering a free community to create a place where people can belong.

One is about getting people to do something for YOU.

One is about you doing something for PEOPLE.

While the action might look the same, what people FEEL is the intention.

For example, I was once a member of a Facebook Group that was focused on Marketing & Sales. There was absolutely no posted rules about members starting conversations with other members, so I once asked another person in a chat in the comments if he wanted to continue our conversation on a call.

I promptly got DM'd by the owner of the group telling me that the group was HIS group to mine for clients, not mine. Even though the conversation I had been having wasn't even related to my services.

He created that group for HIM. Not for the PEOPLE.

And I promptly left it.

Your intentions and energy behind your FREE offers makes a difference. Are you making the offer for YOU first?

Persuasion Tactic 2: Let scarcity do the talking for you

Ugh, I HATE the scarcity conversations. Don't we all feel enough lack in our lives without someone creating MORE of it?

But besides the fact that I think the entire tactic is scammy, scarcity only works if people WANT what is scarce.

If I hate apples, I don't care that they are scarce (P.S. I personally love apples).

If I think my problem is sales, scarcity of a marketing solution seems irrelevant.

When you are selling a product or a service that is a big investment for someone, say, high-ticket coaching or huge digital transformation projects, people (and the companies behind them) don't want to admit what they lack.

While you poke and prod them with what you know they are lacking, THEY don't know it. They don't believe that THEY are lacking anything. So you must be talking to someone else.

Which doesn't actually create urgency for them. It helps them self-select out.

And while you might be able to bully someone into buying with a deadline, you're creating a transactional relationship. Less of an invitation and more of an ultimatum.

And how do YOU feel when you are forced to choose that way?

People Tactic 2: Inspire people towards more

On the opposite side of scarcity is abundance. Time. Money. Freedom. Peace.

When people (and businesses) make decisions from a place of abundance instead of scarcity, that's when you get into long-term partner potential.

Also, when we forget about creating scarcity among people, and we focus on creating the experience of abundance, something else happens.

People drop their guard.

Everyone wants to achieve something. Most people just don't believe they can. Whether because of budget, time, resources, what have you. But they WANT to believe it.

And if you believe it, there's no reason you can't believe it together.

We shift, "what happens if you don't?" to "what happens when you do?"

Feel the difference?

Now we're going somewhere TOGETHER.

That sounds like more than a transaction to me.

Persuasion Tactic 3: Get authority figures to vouch for you

Seriously, who wrote this Forbes article?

You know what happens in this scenario?

People think that the trust from the authority figure transfers over.

Except it doesn't.

If the authority figure changes their mind, or gets a better offer, you're out.

Plus, if you've chosen them purely on their authority and NOT on an alignment with your brand, you create an opportunity to break BOTH brand experiences.

Personally, I'll only vouch for people I know well. Which is hopefully the strategy these authority figures choose. But what if they'll promote whoever is the highest bidder? A HUGE spend could come with that.

And still...the market doesn't trust YOU. They trust the authority figure.

People Tactic 3: BECOME an authority figure

Each of us is an expert at something. And when your business puts the time, effort and energy into becoming THE authority figure in your industry, then who needs someone else 💡

Is this the easier path?

No.

But it brings the ownership of the experience back to YOU.

Not an outside authority figure. Not a scarcity tactic. Not a bribe.

Because all of a sudden, you don't NEED those tactics.

Because you've built a community of people who want to hang out with YOU. Who will buy what you're selling (when they're ready). Who will invite other people on the journey.

Because you're in it together.

And because you're YOU.

Persuasion works...

I'm not going to lie to you. The persuasion game works. If it didn't so many people wouldn't be practicing it.

But it's not actually sustainable. And it's not fun.

Because it's always you AGAINST the client.

An act of trickery.

A game of cat and mouse (which I played last weekend with my son and his friends, and let me tell you, it's frickin' tiring!)

We spend our time arguing, pleading and reasoning, which is mentally and emotionally exhausting on both parties.

Sales are more transactional (less repeatable and shorter term). Brands are generic and easily replaceable. Employee turnover is usually high.

These are the indirect costs that arise when the internal energy is tied to arguing, pleading and convincing others to come on what's NOT their journey.

...but it's not the only way.

The important takeaway from this article is that there is another way to do marketing.

One where we focus on aligning beliefs, solving problems, building relationships and supporting sustainable efforts.

And we can do it for a LONG time. Because it feels FUN.

And instead of being AGAINST the client, we are WITH the client. A team. A crew.

Peeps on the SAME journey, travelling together.

Bonus...you get this with your internal team as well 😉

People over persuasion.

That's what I choose.

If you want to choose that to, let's talk 💖