A Lesson In Marketing
Intrigue
Let me tell you about Harvey. It’s one of those honest moments when “get a load of this guy” fits some perfectly.
After moving to Boston, one of my regular actions for finding employment was pursuing networking meetings, either meetups or one-to-one coffee chats. I found a group on Meetup.com and would show up when my cold emailing would go dry.
I met some lovely people there. I met the founder of a house-visit senior care company. I met a dude who had done a road trip across the US and knew Pomona, CA by name and place. I pitched PRONTO’s first book and author. It was a lot of fun.
We all exchanged business cards. Even Harvey. And this is the point. Opening that moment, it was clearly a moment that proved a theory of mine: intrigue is the best marketing tool.
I handed my card to others at the meet up and watched their eyebrows raise with interest. “Can you tell me about this?” “What’s PRONTO?”
This is the ideal response. I contrast it with Harvey here:
This maniac’s card is a fever dream’s candy shop. I still have it. It is a souvenir in the most total sense of the word.
It reads “Job and Business Opportunities” at the top with “Part Time & Full Time {18+}.” Then a random picture of a handshake, then Harvey’s name and then “Harvey Enterprises.” Under that image, follow a few “categories” of things (it’s unclear if these are businesses that Harvey owns or things he offers or what):
- Health Nutrition: website
- Makeup: website
- Responsive Websites: website
Then a phone number with a Yahoo email address starting with “Connections”. Then, finally, another category at the very bottom of the card:
- Shop Online & Get Cashback: website
Handing mine to him, he commented: “Founder? That’s it?” He flipped the card over. My card is blank on one side and simply says my name, company, “founder,” and the contact info. Nothing about what PRONTO is or more of my role. That’s deliberate.
Harvey says, “What kind of card is this? I have no idea what you do or who you are?”
My brother, I have no idea what you do either.
The point of intrigue as a marketing tool is that it clarifies who is or who is not one of your people.
PRONTO was a mission-driven book publisher. If seeing my card or hearing the name were enough to make you ask, “what’s up with that?” you were probably someone who would end up buying a book. If you found it confusing, that was also the answer I was looking for.
More soon,
Trevor