Sense & Sensibility

I learned an important business lesson this week.  Like all hard-won lessons, it has left me smacking my forehead:

Businesses flourish when their leaders focus on customers who genuinely share their sensibility.

We have been energetically test marketing our new platform.  Classic “Crush It!” coaching tells you to, well, crush the market with your persistence.

But I realized this week that I can determine well before I get the “he’s just not that into you” response whether someone will respond to our platform.

Here’s the “Sense and Sensibility” message for today: you’re either “into” the 37 Signals, Web 2.0, transparency model or … you’re not.

If you’re a hustling huckster, I have no problem with you.  Rack up the Tweets.  Use “magical” methods to “get hundreds of followers a day!”  I wish you well, and I know that you will create your own community.  But I’m just not that into you.  And end of the day, you’re not gonna be that into me either.

What’s your sensibility?  Are you more Seth Godin?  Or are you “long” Chris Brogan?  Into Gary Vee?  Who are you trying to attract?  Who’s already attracted to you?  And how can you serve them better?

Stop counting followers and fans — take a page from Jane Austen and start concentrating on your business soulmates.

Image credit: Cover of “Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict” by Laurie Viera Rigler