Free Donuts Part 1
A few weeks ago at the recent P.A.C.E. Conference, there was a conversation in my marketing class about why people aren’t staying after church for free donuts and coffee.
In the limited amount of time, I feel I did not answer this correctly. So here it is:
It’s very common that we try to get people to do what we want them to do. But it’s very important that we use empathy to put ourselves in their place and understand why they don’t.
Maybe they don’t want donuts.
Maybe they don’t want the guilt they feel from eating donuts.
Maybe they are going out to eat and don’t want to spoil their appetite.
Maybe they don’t want to socialize.
Maybe they don’t want to take the time for whatever reason.
Perhaps donuts aren’t the point, just the bait.
Perhaps we’re not stating the bigger promise that gives them a story that draws them in.
Perhaps we could find out what they do want, and provide that.
Perhaps we should ask “how will this make them a hero?”
Generous marketing is helping the people we serve get to the place they want to be.
It goes WAAAY deeper than this. More next week…