How Savvy Marketing Is Like Taming a Cat (It’s All About Trust)

Have you ever tried rushing up to a cat that has never seen you before?  How does it react?  Doesn’t it immediately flee, viewing you as a threat to its safety?  That’s a natural reaction. Consumers have that same protective reaction when it comes to being “sold to”.  

They work hard for their money and are protective of it because it represents a comfortable way of life for their family.  So “in your face marketing” doesn’t work for entrepreneurs today.            

Therefore, how can taming a cat help entrepreneurs successfully market to your ideal customer? 

Rushing in does not work.  You know how much you hate it when someone bombards you with a sales pitch the very first time they connect with you.  So in your marketing, you can’t meet someone for the first time and be “selling.”   

Cats sense whether you’re relaxed or are tensed, ready to spring on them.  So it’s important that you begin your marketing with the right mindset.  Rather than desperation for a sale as your motivation, it’s better to focus on how you can be of service.  

Cats need time to get used to you, so quietly and slowly come down to their level.   If you can get yourself down on their level and quietly talk to them, the cat will get comfortable with your presence.  In marketing, you can let people get to know you without pressure by freely sharing valuable content that your ideal client wants to know. Your blog postings are a great way for them to get to know you. Or you can give free access to a video or webinar so that they hear your voice and see who you are.  

As the cat gets comfortable with you, hold out a treat in your hand so that they now start moving toward you.  You can do that in marketing by offering a free information product in exchange for their name and email address.  Once they trust you with that information, you can continue building the relationship with regular contact through newsletters or an automated series of emails.  

It may take a number of days consistently going through these trust building steps before the cat will allow you to touch and pet it.  In marketing it’s been proven that it takes frequent exposure before a person will buy from you.  So an entrepreneur must patiently keep putting out valuable content that will attract your ideal client.  Make sure you have a clear upsell that tells your ideal client what they need to do.   

When the cat fully trusts you, they will often jump in your lap asking for attention.  The same can be true with those customers who have come to trust you.  They love what you offer and want more.  So they’ll seek you out as a mentor or coach. They’ll join your membership site because they’re fully convinced that you have something of value to them.  

Whether it’s taming a cat or marketing to a prospect, it’s all about this sequence of building trust. You build trust by sharing things of value that attracts the attention of your ideal client and boosts your credibility.  When they see the value and view you as a credible source of information, they trust you, feel safe and are eager to buy from you.  

Do you struggle with how to create compelling content that will build trust in your ideal client?  Why not check out my ebook Leveraging Your Knowledge for Profit for some expert strategies and techniques that will maximize your marketing efforts.