On to today's Adam and Eve lesson...
If you've read the account of Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis in a religious context, or even in a literary or historical one, you'll notice something very interesting. (If you're a marketer, it should make your ears perk up.)
After God asked asked Adam if he had eaten from the fruit (Genesis 3:12, 13), Adam replied:
"It Was the Woman You Gave Me
Who Gave Me the Fruit, and I Ate It."
Did you catch that?
"It was the woman You gave me who gave the the fruit..."
"The woman YOU gave me." Adam blamed Eve for his taking a bite of the fruit. (By the way, no where in Genesis is an "apple" ever mentioned.) Some might even say he was also indirectly blaming God.
Any ideas where I'm going with this?
Since waaaaaaaaay back in time, we've been looking for excuses to justify our own actions, inefficiencies, indiscretions, and what have you.
People are always looking for a scapegoat.
"But he did it first!" is commonly overhead in kindergartens everywhere when children are scolded for their bad behavior.
Pin the blame on the other guy... find a way to justify your own actions even if it means throwing someone under the bus. (Rarely, and I mean RARELY, will someone take a principled position and blame himself.)
For marketers and business owners, therein lies a golden opportunity. It's directing your audience (or reader) to shift the blame from themselves... onto something or someone else.
We do it because it works.
And what we do can be summarized in these 4 little words:
"It's Not Your Fault."
Once you use these words and relieve the person of the responsibility for their actions, you become their ally. Even more, they view you potentially as an advocate.
You readily gain their attention and trust.
Some Examples...
The "It's not your fault" justification is used in all types of industries. Can you use it in yours?
1. Bankruptcy Lawyer -- I did a direct mail package for a bankruptcy law firm about 15 years ago. In it, I explicitly and implicitly absolved the reader of his financial woes using "it's not your fault" at least a dozen times. Response was through the roof. In fact, the lawyer emailed me that the office had to immediately increase staff and look for a bigger location as a result of all the new business.
2. Weight Loss Clinic -- You see "it's not your fault" over and over in the weight loss industry. It's the evil sugar industry... it's the stressful life that causes us to overeat... it's our hectic and busy lifestyle that makes us a slave to McDonald's drive-thru, etc. Blame everyone except the overweight person.
3. Job Recruiter -- Of course you don't have a job yet! Look at all the competition in the workplace... look at all the dishonest recruiters who just want to make a buck and are using you as a pawn... look at all the foreign workers taking your jobs... look here, look there... it's not your fault! But we have an experienced and reputable staff that will work with you one-on-one and only gets paid when you're
employed...
4. Stock Investor Newsletter -- It's not your fault you're not playing on a level playing field --the government is hiding secrets from you and it's costing you money... it's not your fault you can't access top investment firms' market research -- they cater only to the millionaires. We'll get you research that's just as good as what the big boys offer... and much cheaper!
You get the idea. "It's not your fault" can be used everywhere and any time there's an opportunity to blame someone else in order to endear yourself to the reader. The concept dates back to Adam and Eve and will continue to be an effective marketing strategy.
It's simply appealing to human nature. And that will never change.
Whenever possible, try to apply it to your business... and then YOU become the solution.
