The Baer Facts Issue 84: Why helping still beats selling
Why Helping Beats Selling
In my book, Youtility: Why Smart Marketing is About Help not Hype , I ask readers to ponder a simple question: "How Can I Help?"
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The thesis is that if you sell something, you make a customer today. But if you help someone (especially if you do so unexpectedly), you can create a customer for life.
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Since I wrote the book (and gave about 300 keynotes about it - still do in fact!) thousands of companies use Youtility in their marketing, and it's taught in lots of universities.?
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One of the components of the helping beats selling construct I love most is there are many terrific examples of how it works in the real world.
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Joe Manausa is a Youtility all-star.
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He's a Realtor in Tallahassee, Florida (and quick note to extend unlimited positive energy to all readers of The Baer Facts impacted by the recent storms in the southeast USA).
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He focuses more on home sales than purchases. And historically, he's served the low to mid-market seller.?
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What's often the case in that customer segment is that may not have a ton of upside equity in their homes. Thus, they think "Sure, I could sell my home with a Realtor and pay a commission. OR, I could try to sell it myself, and save the 5-6%."
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What 99.9% of Realtors do is build a website that convinces sellers to NOT sell themselves.?
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Joe? He does the EXACT OPPOSITE.
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He wrote a 62-page course "Sell Your Home Like a Pro: A Comprehensive Guide to For Sale by Owner Success "
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It is EVERYTHING you need to sell a home on your own. Process. Paperwork. Problems. He gives the guide away on his website, and links to it from his real estate Youtube videos.
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I asked him the question you may have right now...."Joe, it seems to me you are providing everything people need to avoid hiring you. How does that make business sense?"
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"Jay, what you don't understand is that people get to about page 13 and say "holy cow! It is way harder than I thought to sell a home myself! I'm just going to hire Joe to do it!"
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This guide is his number one source of new customers.?
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Not ads. Not direct mail. Not even referrals.
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Just helping.?
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I was mentoring a woman last week at an entrepreneurship event in Los Angeles. She does social media for an accident attorney, and was struggling with what to say in social.?
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I told her the story of Joe Manausa and explained that a 62-page guide called "Why You Shouldn't Hire an Accident Attorney" would probably be a huge marketing win.?
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I'll let you know when she publishes it.?
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Youtility is about giving away what you know, a bite at a time. Like this newsletter, for instance.
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It's about providing free information samples, so that people eventually hire you for paid knowledge meals.
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What do you know that can start giving away?
Growth Ninja ?? | Master of Mobile Marketing ?? | User Acquisition & Retention Guru ?? | Turning Conversions into Die-Hard Fans ??
2 周This is such a strong example of building trust by offering real help instead of just pitching services. Sharing expertise without expectation flips the usual approach and naturally draws people in when they realize the value. Helping first always wins in the long game!
Owner, Altima Millwork, Altima Homes and Altima Kitchens And Closets | Transforming Spaces with Precision and Style | Elevating experiences with Commercial Millwork
2 周Such a powerful example of how genuine help builds lasting trust! Love how Joe's approach flips the script and proves that giving away value upfront can be the best sales strategy. Thanks for sharing, Jay—always learning from "Youtility"!
President & Co-Founder ? Father ? Entrepreneur ? Payments ? 2x Inc. 500/5000 List ? Helping Small Businesses ? Connector
3 周Investing in others' success cultivates unwavering loyalty. When you prioritize helping, you forge relationships that stand the test of time.
Expert Customer Experience Management Training ? Mystery Shopping & Business Assessments ? Event Services
3 周This is a great way to get clients. Thanks for sharing.