One Size Fits All Fits No One At All

Today's Rule of Epic Engagement: One size fits all fits no one at all.

When I think about one size fits all, it's generally about garments. T shirts for sure, possibly the Snuggie. It's about the idea that anyone can wear this item and look fantastic.

Narrator: No. It doesn't.

Not only is it false in the garment world, it doesn't work with messaging either.

One size fits all. Work on one message and send it out to every single person on the list, regardless of past conversations or whether or not the person even needs the information. No personalization, aside from the perfunctory 'Hi, {firstname}!.

Everybody is going to get the same message and a few people might respond. Hopefully.

As audiences, we are sick to death of it. We are no longer interested in generic, bland, boring "buy my stuff/hire me" messages.

Listen, why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we do this to our audience? Is there even any point in approaching every single person the same way?

There are two reasons why we keep doing this even though we know our messaging isn't really connecting.

• It's what we're taught to do. So much so that most people aren't even aware that there are better ways to connect with your people.
• We've let efficiency become more important than effectiveness. Sending one message to a mass list is more efficient than segmenting the list and creating separate messages.

Conventional marketing says that no matter what the question, the answer is to build your list.

"Get their email address so you can market to them." That oft-repeated sentence makes me want to vomit with my whole body.

Here's the truth: I don't want to hear from you if you're going to give me the same line that you just gave someone else.

Why? I'm a person. I have different needs, beliefs, fears, desires, hopes, joys, all of those things. I don't want to be approached in the exact same way as everybody else in line. Especially when it comes to messaging.

Many of you have heard my story. You know that at one time I tried to fit myself into the conventional marketing box. I wore the one size fits all polo. I said all the keywords that Google told me I needed to say.

More, I said it in the way that Facebook told me I needed to say it. And I was driven by all of those formulas that conventional marketing says you must have.

Let me tell you a secret, Grasshopper. Lean in.

There is no formula. Particularly not one that is useful for every single business.

If we are trying to build relationships, why don't we treat people like individuals? Why don't we take a minute and get to know who these people are and what they want?

We don't because we're told that's not how marketing works. But let me tell you, our time is coming.

There is no better time in the world than right now to treat people like they are seen, heard and cared about. People are increasingly alienated by pitchslaps and buy my stuff/hire me messaging.

It's best to outreach without a club in your hand. One size doesn't fit all in messaging and it really never has.

There are plenty of messaging automation products out there. Most people don't use them well. If you choose to use them, know this: People don't hate automation. They hate thoughtless, insincere automation.

We'll discuss that later for another rule. For now, know what size shirt fits your exact audience. Know what color they love. Know what blend of cotton they want. Offer choices and customizations. Act on that, and your messaging will create valuable engagement.

That's all for now, Grasshopper. See you when I open the Book of Epic Engagement again.