A little intellectual gymnastics – with possible real-world application to the commercial freelancing business….
So, I was clicking through a few links I found on a writer friend’s web site the other day, and came across this guy, Simon Sinek (pronounced, unfortunately, “cynic,†though he’s anything but that…), whose site is “Start With Why.â€
Very provocative stuff, methinks. Check out the video on the home page of Simon speaking (next to the words, “The Golden Circleâ€). It’s 18 minutes and change, but well worth it for the mind-buzz factor…
Simon’s philosophy can be summed up in this statement on his site:
All organizations and careers function on 3 levels. What you do, How you do it and Why you do it. The problem is, most don’t even know that Why exists.
True enough. And when you have a powerful “Why,†it drives the “How†(the actions taken to realize the “Whyâ€), which in turn, yields the “What†(the tangible end results). Along around minute 11 of the video, he says the following (aggregated from several places in the video):
People don’t buy from you because you have what they want; they buy from you because they believe what you believe. People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And if you talk about what you believe, you’ll attract those who believe what you believe.
I like it. He cites Apple as a company with a core belief in innovation and being first, and predictably, appealing to similar “firsters†(i.e., the people who stood in line for hours to buy the first iPhones at $600 a pop – with bugs and all).
Now, this stuff goes beyond features and benefits. Though, let’s be clear. If you run your copywriting business focusing on benefits (i.e., those things that matter to your clients), NOT features (i.e., those things about you and your business), that’ll generally be enough to set yourself apart from most of the pack.
But, he’s going deeper here. Now, I’m not saying this is The New Answer for the commercial writing field. Rather, that there simply may be some cheese down this tunnel for folks like us. So, how is his philosophy relevant to us? Well, mapping it on to what we do…
Clients don’t buy what we do (i.e., writing services); they buy why we do it (i.e., ________??).
What might be that compelling “Why†for us to share with our clients and prospects? Sure, we could all have ones specific to our businesses, but nothing wrong with a little brainstorming. So, what would be a powerful belief on our part that would draw to us those who share that belief and do business with us as a result?
Would it be, “I believe in the power of words to dramatically influence buyer action� Too superficial?
Maybe, “Writing has changed history, so it can certainly change minds.†Closer, but perhaps a bit obtuse?
How about, “Speak honestly and the world will listen to you.†Better, though a bit lofty. Thoughts?
Could this strategy be a way for commercial writers to set themselves apart from the pack?
Do you have such a core belief for your business?
If so, how do you share it? Is it outlined on your site? In marketing materials? Shared in meetings?
If not, what core belief or “Why†could you come up with for your business? Or for commercial writing businesses in general?