By Isabelle Mercier
The truth is that people don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it. See, we all know WHAT we sell and most people know HOW to sell it, but very few people know WHY they are selling it. Being clear on the WHY (the real cause/emotion behind the WHAT) is what truly drives people to line up to buy a phone from a computer company.
For example; What does Nike sell?
Before I answer this question, let me tell you what they don’t sell. They don’t sell sneakers, socks or sports apparel. Now, I can already hear you saying, “What? I’m wearing Nike sneakers right now!”
So…what does Nike sell?
Nike sells athleticism and victory.
If you watch any Nike commercial, you will find that they don’t talk about how long the laces last, how they manufacture the soles of their shoes, and they never mention the durability of the leather.
So what DO they do? They tap into the emotional connection with inner drive, our profound desire to push past our limits and achieve something great. What you will see in Nike commercials is a group of kids in the street playing ball with a stick for the love of the game; a basketball player hitting a three point shot on the buzzer to win the championship; or the look of determination on the early morning runner’s face as she blazes through her town.
The tangible product or service we all sell is the catalyst that addresses the deeper emotional need.
So dig deep and ask yourself: What do I really sell?
