Imaginary Relationships

A marketer was telling me how people used her product. I actually do use her product (not that she asked), and I sure don’t use it the way she said “they” do.

She told a helluva story. It was much more colorful and important than the way I use it.

I kinda wished I had a need as important as the one she portrayed.

Of course after that I wasn’t going to tell her how I used it. Lord, we are no longer worthy.

As I was driving home, I was puzzling why they were failing with such a better offer? I mean, I liked the product going in and I still like the product.

Then I thought, “What if all her users were like me...not using her product to her full potential?”

The things you convince yourself by listening to imaginary users can have a long-lasting effect, influence decisions way down the line, especially when that imaginary user becomes strewth!

I remember the first time I heard about focus groups. I thought, “Why would I pay people who won’t use my product to tell me how to change the product so they still won’t use it?” Never figured it out.

Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like reality.

Check out Rainmakers, things you wish you’d said yourself!