Small Business Marketing Solution For Getting Attention by Using Fear

As Seth Godin points out, "Fear is a powerful driver ofI talked with a fellow I'll call Sam. I have these
decisions. Without fear, no one would use seatbelts...conversations a lot. A new client for him is worth
you don't use them because they're fun, you use themabout $25,000 in profit in the first 30 days. I suggested
because you worry about what would happen if yousome ways he could get some more new clients that
crashed without them."would cost him about $600. Pretty good return.
As numerous studies have shown, "pain" (whichBut, Sam wanted to know...needed to know...was
leverages the fear factor) out pulls "gain" (the benefitsdesperate to know...was would what I suggested he
that someone will get by doing something) by a widedo work? "Who else has done it?" "What returns did
margin.they get?" "How quickly did they see results?"
Obviously fear is easy to overdue, with the result beingNothing inherently wrong with the questions, but they
that one sounds like a deranged Chicken Little.underscore Sam's complete inability to accept risk.
However when you are preparing your sales letters orMaking prudent decisions is one thing...doing your due
marketing emails and you are debating on whether todiligence can never be faulted...however, that's different
be the Sounder-Of-Good-News or thethan not taking action unless the results are
Deliverer-Of-Dire-Warnings, you're going to get a farguaranteed.
better response if you dawn the cloak of the GrimAnd a lot of business owners and consultants never
Reaper.take action on implementing a marketing system
But you probably heard about fear as a motivatorbecause they're afraid. "It might not work, so I'm better
before. What I really wanted to write about today isoff doing nothing."
how FEAR turns otherwise confident business ownersThe reality is that if that is your attitude you're only
and consultants into incredibly wimps when it comes togoing to travel down the well-trod road, and the
marketing.rewards aren't there.
And what made me think about this was an article IIn fact that's precisely why most of your marketing
read recently about poker. Now in all candor, I'm not adoesn't work. It's been done before. Lots of times. So
big poker follower, but the interview with Annie Dukeby the time you finally decide that it's "safe" enough to
who apparently is both a good poker player anddo something, guess what? Your market isn't
astute business person (got to the finals in one ofinterested in that approach/message anymore.
Donald Trump's Apprentice programs if that's any sortBut you try anyway with the "proven" system. The
of criteria) made a comment that really resonated withone that everyone else has used. And guess what?
me.You don't get the response you wanted. Which (in
"People want to be right. They are afraid of beingyour mind) reinforces the concept that marketing is too
wrong. It's not about being right; it's about being rightrisky and doesn't work. But you miss the real lesson.
often enough. If you make a $1000 investment and theIt's not that it doesn't work. It's that you waited too long.
return is $10,000 you need only be right 10% of theAnd decided just to repeat something that's already
time. Shrug your shoulders when you are wrong. Greathad its day in the proverbial sun.
players free themselves from the worry about beingRather than trying something new. Perhaps a
wrong."marketing approach that works really well in another
I think you get the lesson, but in case you don't allowindustry but hasn't yet reached your niche.
me the opportunity to hammer the obvious stake intoBut that requires COURAGE. Something that's in short
the already dead cow.supply for a lot of business owners.