I have just one thing to say to you: I love you.
Not literally, of course. That would be creepy. But did you notice what happened to you when you saw those three little words? Did you gulp? Did you want to read on? Did you want to hear more? Did you turn around and look behind you to see if I was talking to someone else?
This is the whole point of the PURA concept of marketing. PURA is an acronym for Promotion Using Reciprocal Affinity, which is just quasi-marketspeak for people doing business because they like each other. Admittedly, it doesn’t sound exactly a breakthrough in marketing when it’s put that way, but lately it does seem like most marketers have forgotten that basic principle.
Have you noticed? More and more, marketing has been reduced to nothing more than just delivery; getting hits. All marketers seem to care about is the miracle of technology, hitting as many people as possible with the latest gizmo. And hitting is exactly what it feels like. Not much thought is given to what happens when you do hit someone: it’s enough to just get in their face in a way that can be measured.
But when you’re in their face…well, then what? Somehow, after you’ve interrupted someone’s train of thought, they’re supposed to just buy what you’re selling simply because you’re selling it? Because you need them to so desperately? They don’t know who you are. You’re just a salesman. And the first thing they want you to do is get out of their face.
What’s forgotten is what our ancient ancestors from the Pleistocene of the Sixties once knew in their pre-WiFi bones, that building a business depends on a mutual admiration between merchant and customer; reciprocal affinity. We need to get back to those human basics. We don’t like each other because we do business together. We do business together because we like each other.
It works both ways. This is where the “Reciprocal” part of PURA comes in. It’s not enough that your customers like you. You have to like your customers. And you can’t just say you do. It’s not a slogan. People can tell if you’re a phony. They can tell if you really like them, regardless of whether you say you do or not. So you have to really like them, whether they buy what you’re selling or not. It has to be an Age of Aquarius Love Fest between you. You have to like them so much you want to marry them.
Not literally, of course. That would be creepy.