How to Simplify Persuasion With Marketing Ju-JitsuContent marketing and copywriting is all about crafty persuasion, right? We’re changing people’s minds so they see things our way and buy our stuff. Not really. Changing people’s minds can be extremely difficult. And when core beliefs and values are involved, it’s downright impossible. Let’s face it… it can be tough enough to persuade people to act when they already agree with you. Why make things tougher than they already are? You don’t want to challenge the core beliefs and values of your prospects, because they’ll tune you out. Instead, yield to the bundle of beliefs that are common among your prospects, and you’ll find it much easier to keep their attention and prompt them to action. The Art of Marketing Ju-JitsuJu-Jitsu (or Jujutsu) is a martial art in which a smaller fighter can dispatch an armored opponent by using an attacker’s energy against him, rather than directly opposing it. The art was developed by the samurai of feudal Japan for situations where the use of weapons was not feasible or permitted. Marketing Ju-Jitsu (a term I first heard from Clayton Makepeace) follows the same principle. You’re acknowledging and using the core beliefs and values of your prospects to persuade, rather than trying to change firmly set minds. Taking a Kung Fu approach to marketing these days won’t cut it. Your direct persuasive strikes are easily rebuffed by today’s heavily-armored consumers, and if you challenge core beliefs too strongly, you’re the one who’ll take a beating. But if you align yourself with the core beliefs and values of your prospect, then you have that existing momentum on your side. Rather than striking against today’s marketing savvy consumer, you employ their existing energy to take them in the direction you want them to go. To give an over-simplified example, which of these two assignments would you rather tackle if next year’s salary depended on your success?
Swimming against the tide of strongly held convictions is a quick way to sink. And it’s getting tougher every day, especially online. They’re Not the Enemy (and Neither Are You)Using a martial arts analogy for marketing may seem like prospective customers are the enemy, but nothing is further from the truth. What you want to accomplish is a level of empathy and identification that establishes that you are not the enemy. In most cases, this means that you prospect’s enemies become your enemies. Having a common enemy with your prospects is invaluable, even if that enemy is an abstraction. We live in a highly polarized world. People have strong opinions about anything that comes near their core beliefs and values, and the web allows them to seek out like-minded communities that further reinforce and insulate those beliefs. What this means is by identifying and aligning yourself with your prospects on this emotional level, you’re naturally alienating others. That’s ok… in this world, you create enemies simply by being of service to the group you choose. In other words, to be a hero to your tribe, you become a heretic to others. Effective Marketing Ju-Jitsu requires three things:
That’s a tall order, and it’s tough to manufacture. So why not seek out groups who already share your own core beliefs and values? Group’s you already belong to? Why make things tougher than they already are? About the Author: Brian Clark is the founding editor of Copyblogger, and co-founder of Lateral Action. Get more from Brian on Twitter.       |
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