Start with Why

Phil Curtis, a well known health coach, discusses how knowing WHY you do what you do can inspire customers and the people around you.

Do you know;

Why I’m a Health Coach?

Why Marc is a mechanic?

Why Jo is an estate agent?

Why Jimmy sells kitchens?

Maybe you do. Maybe not.

According to Simon Sinek, we should START WITH WHY.

Most companies are focused on getting individual sales. To do this, they look to MANIPULATE their customers into action. By manipulate, I don’t mean in a deceitful way, I mean by encouraging behaviour with some sort of incentive;

– Price being an obvious one – 50% off!

– Fear – perhaps of missing out – hurry, only 5 spaces left!

– Aspirations – buy this gym membership and you’ll get in great shape.

The thing is – manipulation’s don’t inspire. Just because you got enticed to buy the gym membership doesn’t inspire you to go to the gym consistently.

Manipulations also don’t create customer loyalty.

People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. That’s what inspires loyalty.

Simon Sinek describes this principle with the Golden Circle.

Most companies market from the outside in. They tell you what they do and how they do it, normally followed by a call to action. Often they won’t even get to the why.

For example, I could say;

WHAT – I help people get in the best shape of their life for the rest of their life.

HOW – We achieve this change by taking things one simple step at a time, creating better habits, all with an expert coach by your side.

Call to action – Want to get started?

It doesn’t sound that inspiring does it?

When we market from the outside in, we talk to the neocortex / think part of the brain. The logical part. But the logical part doesn’t drive behaviour.

So what if we market from the inside out?

WHY – I believe everyone deserves the opportunity to live a healthy life in their own way; a way they enjoy, a way where they feel positively about how they look and don’t have to stress and worry and their long term health.

HOW – We achieve this change by taking things one simple step at a time, creating better habits, all with an expert coach by your side.

WHAT – And you’ll get in the best shape of your life along the way! Want to get started?

It’s a completely different message. It actually feels better. That’s because this talks to the limbic / feely part of the brain. It’s this part that is responsible for behaviour and decision-making.

WHY you do what you do will inspire loyalty amongst your customers.

What you do just serves as the tangible proof of the WHY.

So, think about why you do what you do and how you can communicate that better not only with your customers, but also with your fellow BNI members. Because if we all know why each of us does what we do, we can share this with potential referrals and help each other get lots more business.

Have a look around. Who’s WHY don’t you know? Go find out.