What a fucking hangover.
I spent the evening talking marketing (and drinking too many lemontinis) with Carlitros and an interestingly powerful man who owns a pineapple plantation, a beach front hotel, a brand new, gorgeous condominium complex and some other entities. How many fuckers do you know that own a pineapple plantation?
Exactly.
(I have, of course, arranged a tour of the pineapple plantation for next Thursday–I’ll have to shoot some video for you to see. Pina coladas will undoubtedly be involved.)
We were talking marketing because pineapple man’s new mission is to sell these amazing condos he’s built (seriously, I want one)–except, he’s no good at selling. So naturally this is where the fun begins; another round of lemontinis are ordered, as I get all sorts of hot about marketing ideas, practically sliding right off of my seat with giddiness.
Finally, he looks at me and says, “YOU. I want YOU to sell these condos.”
To which I responded, “Impossible.”
To which he responded, “You can’t?”
To which I responded, “No one could.”
To which he responded, “What do you mean?”
To which I responded (amist another sip of martini), “You can’t sell condos because you aren’t selling condos.”
To which he responded, “Yes I am.”
To which I responded, “No you aren’t.”
To which he responded, “Está loca.”
To which I responded, “Why do people come to Costa Rica?”
To which he responded, “To experience nature, to enjoy the weather, to relax, and to unwind.”
To which I responded, “Then, that’s really what you’re selling, isn’t it?”
The point–as you’ve probably heard me say before–is that THE PRODUCT ISN’T THE PRODUCT. THE SERVICE ISN’T THE PRODUCT. THE EXPERIENCE IS THE PRODUCT.
And the experience is what you need to focus on–when you’re selling yourself, when you’re selling your ideas, when you’re selling your projects, when you’re selling your products, or when you’re selling your services–or anything else.
At the end of the day–even when you’re selling the most basic of products–the customer is buying it because it will, in some way, make their life better. That’s always the underlying motivation.
That said, as a part of Intoxicate 2012, I want to challenge you to now think about how you’ll sell your product/service/idea/project–even if it’s in selling it to yourself.
Because, frankly, you could have the best product in the whole wide world, but if you can’t sell it, then it doesn’t matter. And that doesn’t just mean physical products–that means your ideas, too. Even if you’re setting a goal to travel the world, say–you still have to sell the idea. To yourself. And to the people that matter to you.
Identify what you’re REALLY selling–because, just like pineapple man, he isn’t selling condos. He’s selling the experience of Costa Rica.
And that’s what he needs to focus on–not the condos themselves.
INTOXICATE 2012, BABY. C’MON. TAKE OFF YOUR SKIRT. LET’S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD. AND LET’S SELL THE HELL OUT OF IT, SHALL WE?
And now…off to show pineapple man how to sell some real condos.
Thank god for aspirin.