Make a Positive Clatter

Originally Published in The Red River Buzz, December 2005

I’m in the story-telling business. My stories are about people, companies, organizations, products, services and causes. Some are short,
some are long; they last 30 seconds or 2,000 words. In all I strive to do one thing: sell by making prospects hear the footprints.

Before I get to that, here’s a little story…

When I was a wee piker, we had a great Christmas tradition. We kids received presents stacked under our tall, festive tree in the living room, but we also received gifts from Santa. They were from my parents, too, of course, but we didn’t know that.

Each year my folks enlist a friend to deliver Santa gifts right about the time we’d finish opening family presents. “Santa” always made a racket of the “Arose-Such-A-Clatter” variety, and we kids would run out back hoping to catch a glimpse. One year, I noticed fresh footprints in the snow leading to and from a stack of presents on the top step. The clatter and footprints, presents and candy canes, toy soldiers and racecars all jumbled my excited head. I ran back inside and blurted, “Santa was here! I heard his footprints!”

Obviously, no one hears footprints. But here’s the thing – to sell anything, you have to enable your prospects to do just that. You need to tell stories that develop a positive image of your company, your product, your service. It has to be something they can get excited about. (Look at St. Nick. Even after millions of tellings, his story still elicits anticipation and exhilaration while remaining so…believable).

Anything you do – ads, brochures, direct mail – should create a positive impression in your prospects’ minds. Leave a footprint so when they think about buying in your category, your brand will be the first thing they hear. That’s top-of-mind, and that’s what advertising and marketing is all about.

Tell your story in as many different venues that make sense as often as you can. Tell it well and, like a moment touched with Christmas magic, your prospects will hear your footprint.