I cringe, really cringe, when I see messages some consignment, thrift, and resale shopkeepers send out on their social marketing media.

“Shop Local.”  “Support Small Business.”

Why? So what? Where’s the What’s in it for THEM? Why aren’t you letting them know the value to them? These messages (and feel free to disagree but you’d be wrong) are begging.

Don’t present your business as a beggar with empty hand outstretched.

Do you have any idea how many people walk past an outstretched hand without a thought, without leaving a coin or a dollar bill?

Well, neither do I, but I guarantee you the hot dog vendor in the next block, with his shiny aromatic cart telling folks

A wiener a day keeps the doctor away

or Homemade Polish sausage, get it hot right now!

or even, simply, My hot dogs are not only local and organic and good for you, but an incredible value

…. makes a lot more than the beggar. Because he’s telling them WIIFM.

Give your reader, listener, viewer, potential customer a reason to do business with you. After all, your business is to exchange something of value for something of value.

Don’t beg. Beguile.

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