The Freedom of Doing
It was a sunny day.
I was driving my Pontiac Aztek...don’t….don’t judge….I know….I have a thing for ugly cars. Ben, my brother-in-law Curt, and I, were all driving in a car while our wives rode in another. It was a road trip across South Dakota with our final destination being the Black Hills.
On the way, of course we had to stop at Wall Drug. There are a number of trinkets and all sorts of things you definitely do not need. But in a brash moment, to commemorate our trip, we bought ourselves some of those cheap plastic switchblade combs. You know the ones you can get out of vending machines or at a county fair as a prize?
What is the Deeper Meaning Behind Your Purchases?
Now before you judge, you have to remember I am the type of guy who drives a Pontiac Aztek. But there was something behind that purchase. Something deeper. You see we all were experiencing life on the road together. We were free. We were, for the 9 hours the trip took, unrestricted. The windows were down, the scenery was the open road and the air was fresh.
We all were feeling the same thing. We all were experiencing the same thing. We all were expecting the same thing. Freedom. And as an act of freedom and complete stupid male immaturity, we needed to do something to commemorate the trip - unhindered by the “No” from our wives or the “Why would you buy that?”
For us, we needed to DO something and that was to buy these cheap, plastic combs to remind us of the trip. And as stupid as it is and sounds, it has stuck with us over the years. So much so, that when we opened the business, Curt bought us the comb you see below as a gift and celebration of opening our business.
You see, just like we have been talking in the last few weeks about the 3 questions to ask, “What do we want people to Feel, to know, to do?” For us, this road trip highlighted those questions. Ben, Curt and I, felt the joy of being together, we knew this wasn’t going to last forever, but we needed to DO something to make it stick in our minds.
That’s exactly the reason why you want people to invest in your product, service or brand. Not because it is just a product, but because it helps people solidify an action that points to their expectations based upon the emotion and belief they hold.
So, What Do You Want People to DO?
What we want people to do is probably what you thought about at first before crafting your message. It is usually where a lot of people start, and that’s ok, but you need to ask the previous questions if you want to inspire them toward your action. This action might be to engage in your brand. Or to buy your product. Or to engage your services.
Whatever it is, make sure you define steps of the story-based pyramid and answer the three questions if you want to inspire people. Because, if you're honest, it isn’t just about selling something. It is about your own passion and drive to make the world a better place. And to do that you have something you want to let the world see. That is what you're selling, your passion. Your product/brand/service/ that is just the fruits of your labor.
So engage with people using the story based pyramid. Remind yourself of the 3 questions and see how that makes a difference. And I know that some have lost the energy or drive in their own professions. Well, this might help you rediscover that passion that drove you to your career in the first place.
