Marketing lessons while riding the train

A few years ago I was on NJ Transit headed to New York City for a conference and I had the strangest learning experience.?

I encountered 3, I presume homeless men, asking for money.?

The first gentleman merely had a hat out while he slumped against a wall as people walked by.?

The second gentleman was on the train and asked directly for money.. “Hey man, you gotta an extra dollar?”?

And the third gentleman, walked slowly up the aisle of the train cars. He sang a song of woe, of what his troubles were and how your dollar could help him.?

Guess which one received the most cash??

The singer of course.?

Surprisingly, I enjoyed listening to him. His song was beautiful. You felt his pain and the gratitude he expressed each time someone gave him money.? He gave you something in exchange for what you gave him.

Which reminds me of what every business owner is striving to do with their marketing messages and sales conversations:?

Create emotion and connection.?

That’s why people buy from you, because you’ve made them feel a certain way.?

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”? -Maya Angelou

Your marketing is supposed to be meaningful, disrupt thought patterns and be authentic. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to market with super slick headlines and promises of transformations that you know aren’t real.?

Connect and close your client with emotion and give them value.?

All people want is to know that as they move through whatever change you help them with, that someone out there cares.