Let's talk about steaks...er, I mean "stakes"

Steaks should never be well-done.

But stakes—in your marketing, I mean—should always be done well.

You’ve got to remind customers, “Here’s what’s at stake if you don’t use our product or service. And here’s what you stand to gain if you do.”

Stakes make us pay attention. 

Screenwriters know this. That’s why every hit movie includes juicy stakes.

In the Taken movie, for example, Liam Neeson’s daughter Kim gets kidnapped. If Liam can’t find her in time, she’ll be auctioned off to sex traffickers!

Talk about stakes!

But suppose the plot had been, “Liam’s daughter gets taken to her Tuesday piano lesson by her mother.”

What’s at stake there? Mom and Kim getting stuck in traffic? Kim playing the wrong notes?

Trust me: Nobody is watching that movie.

In a similar way, you need to spell out the stakes in your marketing.

• The CPA needs to say, “As Tax Day approaches, are you dreading the weekend (or two) you’ll lose trying to decipher a blizzard of incomprehensible IRS forms?”

• The personal trainer needs to say, “Give me 90 days, and I’ll have you feeling confident and proud when you walk into your high school reunion.”

• The financial planner needs to say, “In a bear market, many investors wallow in worry, and make unwise decisions. You don’t have to live that way. We’ve helped hundreds of clients weather economic downturns and reach their retirement goals.”

Steaks should always be rare.

Not stakes. You always want them well done.