Marketing and saying “no”

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Marketing is storytelling.

With every strategy and tactic we execute as marketers, we are telling a story. We are communicating to the audience about who we are, what we do, what our values are, and who we serve.

Sometimes these stories might require us to do some hard things. Saying “no” is one of them.

“We have premium pricing because we have a premium product. We make you feel things, and we increase your status. We give you things to talk about with your friends and family. We build relationships, and we care about you.

If the price is a decision-making factor and all you want is the bare minimum, then sorry, we are not for you. Because that is not who we are.

But here is another business that can do this for you and whose worldview matches yours. Please do reach out to them.”

The ability to say no, because it is not aligned with our positioning, is essential.

Everything we do and every step of marketing we take needs to be aligned with the story we tell ourselves and the people we serve. Sometimes that is hard, but it is fair.

This is marketing.


(Originally written on 25 Apr 2022)

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