#5 People Over Profit
Sinek’s video was very informative about how to sell things. At first, it made me uneasy because the main example was Apple, and how it uses what people believe in order to sell their products. That made me nervous, and almost made me feel cheated by them, as they are using extreme ethos and pathos by marketing ideas/movements in order to create a profit, which eventually became a billion dollar success and borderline monopoly.
However, when he started to discuss Martin Luther King Jr., I realized his technique applied to more than just business marketing: it’s about selling ideas, which is essential to any movement or social change.
One of the greatest examples of action in the past year has been the rise of the Women’s March on Washington and the movement that has arisen in its wake. Being at the Montpelier branch of the march, and then being able to see the other sister marches around the country filled up my heart and gave me hope about Americans continuing to stand up for what is good and right. After learning about Sinek’s model, I really think it aligns with his thinking. Those women and allies showed up for themselves, and were drawn to it because of a common belief and cause.
As a pitch for my issue, I might say: If you believe in the founding ideas of America, in which all men and women are created equal, show that you value it, by disengaging from the hate speech that harms your neighbors. Choose to not fly the Confederate flag.
Featured Image by Shutterstock
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Hi Sophie,
I enjoyed reading your blog post. The part about selling ideas struck me the most. I wonder how many people in Vermont or in the world focus on selling ideas rather than products. I wonder which one costumers/people listening find most valuable. It certainly seems like an effective way to make change as you said.
– Sydney
Thanks Sydney!
I’m excited to try to employ some of these strategies myself and see how our peers use them too.
Sophie,
Persuasion is powerful. My dad always said it was easier to catch flies with honey than a hammer. Your tentative pitch: “If you believe in the founding ideas of America, in which all men and women are created equal, show that you value it, by disengaging from the hate speech that harms your neighbors. Choose to not fly the Confederate flag” truly illustrates this honey approach. By first establishing that your audience is indeed interested or committed to the idea of equality, then providing them with a solution of treating individuals equally by not flying the flag, you are providing your audience with a choice. Of course, there may be some who might say that they do not believe that all people are created equal, but at least you have given them food for thought. Your pitch forces the audience to engage with the topic. Nice!