That quote is a direct adaptation of the popular quote:
“Don’t play the odds, play the man”
I first heard this quote from one of my favourite shows, Suits. If you’ve never watched it, the show is basically about the day-to-day operations of a New York law firm … how their employees go about winning cases, the internal politics and the struggle for power.
The movie is quite interesting (at least to me) and is full of really good marketing advice.
In one of the scenes, Harvey Specter (a hot-shot lawyer with a big ego who thinks he is above everybody) and Louis Litt (another great lawyer in his own right, but who feels like he is always behind Harvey) were the last 2 in a game of poker which they were playing to impress a potential client (Steven).
Harvey wins the game after bluffing to Louis and then the conversation goes like this —
Harvey: “Like I said, Poker isn’t about playing the odds, it’s about playing the man”
Steven: “I must say, that was impressive”
Harvey: “Well Steven, I didn’t beat him to impress you. I beat him because that’s what I do. I don’t follow orders … I don’t bend a knee … I win. So if that’s the kind of lawyer you want, good luck with your business. But if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got Louis’s money to take”
There’s so much marketing wisdom just in that conversation alone.
Anyway, here’s why I bring it up:
So many business owners/marketers today are trying to “play the platform” (i.e. they are looking for the perfect trick to double open rate, the secret FB ad formula, the ultimate webinar script, the almighty AI prompt) when all they need to do is “play the market”.
I.e. fully understand the market.
Inside and outside – knowing, internalising and empathising with every single pain, flaw, frustration, shame, guilt, motivation, success, desire, pride, pleasure, etc … that the market has.
Nothing is going to give you the same level of depth and connection to a person as fully and thoroughly understanding them.
And once that is done, your sales, response and close rate will automatically go up … even if you don’t have the technique to back it up. Not because you are a genius, but simply because will connect with them on a deeper emotional level.
Even more:
The most influential and persuasive people never go in with the mindset of “let me slap this beech with a technique”. They always go in to help. Even in your personal life, the people who influence you the most, usually succeed because they genuinely believe they are telling you to do the right thing.
It’s the same in business.
At the end of the day, all business is about people.
And you’ve got to treat your prospects like real, flesh and blood humans not like numbers in a spreadsheet. You’ve got to treat them with respect, fully understand them and then offer them the best possible solution to their problems.
And guess what?
Sometimes that solution won’t be your product. And that’s perfectly fine too. That’s just how it goes.
For more marketing and sales advice, visit: www.ikonmedia.net.
Fola.
