Jiwa, a global authority on storytelling in business and marketing, is the author of eight renowned books on the subject, with “Marketing: A Love Story” her most easy-to-digest book yet. That’s because it’s a compilation of short but powerful blog posts lifted from her website, thestoryoftelling.com. Each blog post underlines a critical point: the importance of mattering to our customers. Jiwa contends that while marketing has become a necessary evil for all companies, we can look at it in other ways: marketing as solving problems, marketing as a way of seeing the world through our customers’ eyes, marketing as a means of understanding what people need and want, marketing as a way of doing better work. The bottom line: forget analytics and quick wins, seek connection before you seek results!

#1: Don’t tell customers what you do, even if you do it really well.

The biggest mistake marketers (and product developers) can make is focusing too much on the product or service they offer and not enough on the customer. This mind-set has to change. Appreciate what your customers’ wants and needs are, and do your best to present solutions. Customers are no longer interested in what you are offering them (even if it is the best); they are interested in how your product or service makes them feel. They need to know that you understand what matters most to them.

#2: And in line with that, your competitive advantage is what your customers believe – not your product/service.

Competitive advantage is an intangible thing; it’s not about the unique feature your product offers or your cheaper rates. It’s not what you tell customers. Jiwa puts it best: “Customers don’t often pay for the actual value the product delivers. If they did, $4 cups of coffee wouldn’t exist, and people wouldn’t buy Macs even though they cost more than PCs. People pay for the intangible value, for what they experience and what they care about.”

#3: Don’t confuse awareness with impact.

In a world where it’s harder to get attention, gaining mind share is a priority for every company. The misconception is that if you can get a few more people to know about your company, you’ll be set. But instead, better to approach it by thinking, why will one person care that you are there in the first place? As Jiwa states, “What’s more important than building awareness is what you plan to do with it once you’ve got it, because top of mind is not the same thing at all as close to heart.”

#4: Don’t fear the competition, be the competition.

Companies obsess too often about what the competition is doing. Instead, channel this obsession to your customers. Obsess over what your customers are doing and then determine how you could help them do it with more ease. According to Jiwa: “Becoming the competition doesn’t always mean using the same old rules to beat others at their own game. Focusing on the tiniest gap in your customers’ desires might be a better strategy.” The message: act as if you are a market of one.

#5: Sell your story.

It’s not difficult to come up with a great idea. But it is, however, difficult to articulate clearly why that great idea should matter to the right people. As a place to start, simply fill in the blanks: “We do _________ so that you can do/feel/be _________.”

Whether creating products or services, or marketing products or services, always ask yourself one critical question:

Why should your customer care about this?

You need to give people a reason to stop and listen to your song.

“What if, instead of spending all that time and money on deciding how to tell customers who we are, we spent more time and money on being who they want us to be?”

We hope “Marketing: A Love Story” gives you a new perspective on what it means to be a marketer. Share with us your favourite wisdom nuggets from the book! And, lastly, support a local bookshop by buying it here: https://bookshop.org/.

In his book, Simon Sinek teaches an important lesson that all business leaders should know: in order to be successful, you must lead with your why. In this 250-page book, Sinek answers the question: why are some people and organisations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? He looks at the evolutionary reasons behind human behaviour, draws on real-life stories and points to examples of some of history’s most inspiring leaders who have been driven by their why (think Steve Jobs and the Wright Brothers). Additionally, Sinek provides a clear and proven framework for how people and companies can become more purposeful in what they do. This book is therefore perfect for anyone who wants to inspire others and have long-term success with their businesses.

#1: Why is more powerful than what or how.
Why you do something is more important than either what you do or how you do it. It’s those products or services that are infused with and based on the why of a company that are more successful than those that are based on the what or how. Therefore, the world’s most influential and inspired leaders lead with the why (belief), follow that with the how (actions) and then address the what (products, services, etc.). All must be in harmony in order to be a truly authentic brand. This is demonstrated by The Golden Circle, a framework upon which organisations should be built.

#2: To have real impact and garner loyalty, you need to consistently communicate your why.
It’s critical that you consistently communicate and refer back to your higher purpose, cause, or belief as part of your messaging. Those with similar values will be able to relate to, buy into and align with the greater cause you are pursuing. As a result, your message will have a more lasting mass market success, as it is vision and charisma that ultimately attract innovators and early adopters (aka those people who will pay a premium and be loyal to you in the long-run).

When your why is clear, those who have the same belief can help you bring your cause to life and make it a lasting success.

#3: Inspiration is more effective at influencing human behaviour than manipulation.
Manipulative techniques are often used in sales and marketing. These can include dropping the price, running a promotion, using scarcity or peer pressure to get people to buy, etc. Manipulative strategies come at a cost (especially when you lower prices) and do not result in long-term success.

On the other hand, inspiration talks directly to the limbic brain, which is the section of the brain responsible for feelings and that controls decision-making. It is your limbic brain that is more powerful and drives your behaviour.

In order to apply the principles set out in this book and find your why, answer the following fundamental question:

Why do you exist beyond making profit?

Put the answer to that question at the very centre of The Golden Circle. From there, address the how and what: how do you do what you do? How is it different or better than others? What do you do?

With the answers to these questions, you’ll be able to determine what makes you unique, who can support you and bring your vision to life, what products and services you can offer, and more. But do take heed – ensure your answers always touch back to and are consistent with your overall why.

"Very few people or companies can clearly articulate WHY they do WHAT they do.
When I say WHY, I don’t mean to make money—that’s a result.
By WHY I mean what is your purpose, cause or belief?
WHY does your company exist?
WHY do you get out of bed every morning?
And WHY should anyone care?"

Have you read “Start with Why?” We’d love to hear your feedback and what your why is – in business or in life. Support a local bookshop by buying your book here: https://bookshop.org/

Stay tuned for future reviews and have a purposeful new year!