I’ve been listening and learning this weekend at the Writer’s League of Texas 2009 Agents and Editors Conference. Aspiring authors are an interesting, eclectic group of people. They’re also small business owners in a sense; owners of their book idea. That makes authors marketers.
There are some pretty cool book ideas being pitched here in Austin. We’ll probably see a few of them on Amazon in the next year or so. There are also many that will make you scratch your head. Begging the question, “Why do they think anyone would read that?” It’s a question you should ask yourself before you pull the trigger on new products or new marketing campaigns. “Why would anyone buy that product or believe that claim.” To help you decide, invoke the Most Normal People Rule, which asks: "Will most normal people like this?"
The Most Normal People Rule has two parts:
- You are not most normal people – Just because you like an idea and a concept doesn’t mean everyone else will. No matter how enthusiastically you pitch it.
- Empathy – You must be able to step into your customers’ shoes and understand what they’re thinking, what they’re likely to purchase, and what they’re likely to believe.
In the book, Tuned In, authors Craig Stull, Phil Myers, and David Meerman Scott say that “Your opinion, although interesting, is irrelevant.” Before you launch a new product or service, or do any marketing, run it by the Most Normal People rule. Better yet, run it by most normal people. Talk to people, but don’t ask them if they like your idea, because most people will say yes. They don’t want to hurt your feelings. Instead get to know your customers. Ask yourself what idea or product would resonate with them.
It’s probably best not to introduce a new idea from the comfort from your office. Get out and talk to customers and potential customers. Put yourself in their shoes and find out what most normal people think.
How do you stay tuned in to most normal people?
For more on tuning in to most normal people, check out these articles:
Tuned In
Forget What You Know, Because You're Cursed
Keeping Customers: The Key to Customer Retention
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2 comments:
Thanks Jay. This is one concept that was drilled into my head in school, "Not everyone is like you." In fact, most people are quite different from you. Being in the job and industry that we are, it is hard for us to stop thinking like marketers. In fact, can I safely say that once you are a marketer, you can never solely think as a "normal consumer" again? I think so.
Because of this, it is SO critical that we listen to what our customers are saying. That's one reason I feel social media is so important. It makes it easier for us to listen to what our consumers are saying, to hear their opinions, and to see how a consumer views us.
Thanks Jay for a thoughtful post. I totally agree that most people probably won't think the same way you do, especially if you're a marketer. I often try to think of normal people I know that would fit into the demographic that I'm targeting. Then I ask "Would that person like it?"
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