May 1, 2020

Trading Post

Sent by Jonathan Stark on May 1st, 2020

Anytime you ask someone to join your mailing list or subscribe to your podcast or accept your project proposal, you’re asking for a trade.

This forces the other person to ask themselves some variation of the same question:

“What’s in it for me?”

“How will I be better off after this is over?”

“How will this improve my condition?”

Whether you’re asking for an email address, or twenty minutes of attention, or $100,000, the person on the other side of the table is making a calculation as to whether or not the trade is a good one.

To increase the number of people who are willing to trade with you, clearly state right up front what’s in it for them.

Yours,

—J