Calling me a casual soccer fan is like saying Seattle Seahawks All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman is understated. 
I watched the first USA match in the World Cup on Monday with my daughter. Of course, like everyone else I root hard for the home team. As a novice when it comes to soccer, I’m just guessing at what’s going on and know that when we score a goal that’s good, and when the other guys do, that’s bad. On Monday, we had just enough more good than bad!
I will continue to watch this monumental event that captivates the world for 30 days. And then I doubt I will watch anymore soccer again until maybe the Olympics or the next World Cup in 4 years. I’m just not a fan of the sport. So what compels me to spend any of my time actively participating? Two things ~ national pride and the stakes.
To get casual fans interested in these games, both are required. With only national pride and no stakes, it’s simply a novelty. While I would be happy with a USA win, I doubt I would do more than have passing interest when the news pops up on my iPhone. It would be very similar to my interest in pre-season NFL games and I’m a huge football fan. With only high stakes and no national interest, it’s invisible. If the USA weren’t competing in the World Cup, I might not even be aware it was going on. The combination of the two catapult it into my stream of consciousness and creates deep interest.
The same is true with your business…
In order for a casual “fan” to consider you an object of interest, you need to generate two things ~ emotion (i.e. national pride) and a valuable return on investment (i.e. stakes). Without both, you will be nothing more than a novelty or worse, invisible.
Too many business owners and entrepreneurs try to use logic as a base for creating interest and making sales. That’s a mistake. Logic makes people think. Emotion makes people act. People buy Mercedes cars, Rolex watches, and Prada handbags because of how it makes them feel about themselves, not becasue they are practical. Emotion is the first and foremost response you need to create in your target audience. You do that by showing dramatically improved condition.
In my marketing for coaching and mentoring business owners and entrepreneurs, I focus on my ability to help them rapidly realize an improved and more joyous lifestyle through accelerated sales and revenue, more discretionary time to do things that they enjoy, and increased peace of mind. I could focus on the methodology of getting there, but that’s boring. In the end, people want to be happier. What makes them happier is all individual, yet in my experience they tend to focus on money, time, and peace of mind. That’s where I focus my energy on the intellectual property (writing, speaking, presenting) I generate.
What about you? What is your product or service that improves the lives or conditions of people and businesses? Do you spend your time boring them with details or exciting them with how you make there life better? How can you assure that you keep that momentum rolling and sustainable?
I undoubtedly will never be an avid soccer fan, but I am certain to sustain my interest in the World Cup as long as I have a rooting interest and the stakes are high. The event has captured my attention. You have the great opportunity to do the same thing in your business. If you’re successful, then you will spend the foreseeable future with the ball landing safely in the back of the net.
© 2014 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
