Why Helping Beats Selling

In my book, Youtility: Why Smart Marketing is About Help not Hype, I ask readers to ponder a simple question: "How Can I Help?"

The thesis is that if you sell something, you make a customer today. But if you help someone (especially if you do so unexpectedly), you can create a customer for life.

Since I wrote the book (and gave about 300 keynotes about it - still do in fact!) thousands of companies use Youtility in their marketing, and it's taught in lots of universities. 

One of the components of the helping beats selling construct I love most is there are many terrific examples of how it works in the real world.

Joe Manausa is a Youtility all-star.

He's a Realtor in Tallahassee, Florida (and quick note to extend unlimited positive energy to all readers of The Baer Facts impacted by the recent storms in the southeast USA).

He focuses more on home sales than purchases. And historically, he's served the low to mid-market seller. 

What's often the case in that customer segment is that may not have a ton of upside equity in their homes. Thus, they think "Sure, I could sell my home with a Realtor and pay a commission. OR, I could try to sell it myself, and save the 5-6%."

What 99.9% of Realtors do is build a website that convinces sellers to NOT sell themselves. 

Joe? He does the EXACT OPPOSITE.

He wrote a 62-page course "Sell Your Home Like a Pro: A Comprehensive Guide to For Sale by Owner Success"

It is EVERYTHING you need to sell a home on your own. Process. Paperwork. Problems. He gives the guide away on his website, and links to it from his real estate Youtube videos.

I asked him the question you may have right now...."Joe, it seems to me you are providing everything people need to avoid hiring you. How does that make business sense?"

"Jay, what you don't understand is that people get to about page 13 and say "holy cow! It is way harder than I thought to sell a home myself! I'm just going to hire Joe to do it!"

This guide is his number one source of new customers. 

Not ads. Not direct mail. Not even referrals.

Just helping. 

I was mentoring a woman last week at an entrepreneurship event in Los Angeles. She does social media for an accident attorney, and was struggling with what to say in social. 

I told her the story of Joe Manausa and explained that a 62-page guide called "Why You Shouldn't Hire an Accident Attorney" would probably be a huge marketing win. 

I'll let you know when she publishes it. 

Youtility is about giving away what you know, a bite at a time. Like this newsletter, for instance.

It's about providing free information samples, so that people eventually hire you for paid knowledge meals.

What do you know that can start giving away?

The Books Report

I've worked with Seth Godin a fair bit over the years. I don't always agree with everything he puts out, but his new book, This is Strategy is a must read. 

You ever feel like you're just DOING and not really THINKING? Happens to me a lot. 

This book is the antidote. Forces you to consider the big picture and the real ramifications of your work. Anyone who runs a business should read this, especially if you're in any kind of services work (as many of you are).

And I'm happy to report (because people ask me sometimes) that Seth is a good dude in real life, too. He is exacting, but also unnecessarily kind. 

Jay's Faves

It's getting a little chilly in most places, so you may be pondering toastier garb. My favorite brand of sweaters and similar is Longwharf Supply. 

They don't know me, but my closet definitely knows them.

All of their items are made from a mixture of 5 recycled oyster shells (post-shucking), 8 recycled water bottles, and cotton/wool threads. The most comfortable and durable pieces I've ever owned.

Tell a Friend

That's it for now. Back in 2 weeks. 

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