It was 2021.
Amidst the stillness of the COVID-era, I reached a pivotal moment.
I had just quit a job I loved to pursue an entrepreneurial dream.
One that would give me the flexibility and freedom to be more present with my kids -
Yet still fulfill my career ambitions.
Resting my fingertips above the keys of our family’s tired, old laptop -
I felt like I was on the edge of something big.
I was about to make the single, most important purchase that would launch this new chapter.
→ The Apple Macbook Pro.
At this point, it wasn’t about the gigabytes, the retina display, or even that iconic Apple emblem that sold me.
It was the unspoken promise.
A promise suggesting the moment I clicked “buy now”, my universe would alter.
I wasn’t buying a piece of hardware.
I was investing in a dream.
“Click.” 🖱️
To me, The Macbook Pro isn’t just a laptop.
It’s a portal.
An entryway into the dreams I harbored.
You see, Apple got me.
In their quiet genius, they understood this.
They sidestepped the jargon of specs and the allure of aluminum.
Instead, they offered a sensation.
It was a gateway where career goals began to crystallize.
Ok… let’s pause for a moment.
[Insert quick costume change]
Exit: Storytelling Dani. Enter: Marketing Dani. 🙂
I’m sure you can relate, right?
How many products have you purchased that bridge you to the ideal person you want to become?
Your favorite coffee mug? Less about the brew it carries and more about the morning conversations with your spouse.
That oft-used journal? Beyond its tactile leather lies a diary of daily musings and introspections.
Those running shoes? They’re not bound by their laces but by the paths they’ve journeyed and milestones achieved.
Your well-worn basketball? Less about faded markings, and more about the work - the misses, the makes, the team, and the relentless drive to improve.
This is the heart of marketing.
It’s not about the tangible. It’s about the transformative.
And it isn’t a secret held close by giants like Apple.
It’s a perspective, a shift, and yes, a bit of an art.
So how do we do it in our business?
We’re calling this the D.R.E.A.M. Framework for Selling Transformation
D.R.E.A.M: A Marketing Framework for Selling the Transformation
D - Desires
Understand your customer’s deepest desires and aspirations.
What fuels their dreams?
Here, you’ll uncover the transformation they seek.
Your product then becomes a bridge to fulfill these desires.
A stepping stone on their journey towards their dream self.
R - Relate
Create stories that resonate with your audience.
Think of real-life stories, testimonials, and scenarios that show the transformation they’re after, too.
It’s not just a feature; it’s a real person’s journey.
One they can relate to.
E - Experience
Focus on the overall experience your product or service provides.
From the moment a customer hears about your product to after-sales service, every touchpoint speaking to the transformation they desire.
A - Activate
Your marketing should act as a catalyst, activating the latent aspirations of your customers.
Through workshops, webinars, or interactive content -
Help them visualize their transformed selves through your product/service.
M - Mobilize
Create avenues for your customers to share their transformative experiences.
Be it through community platforms, events, or campaigns -
Let your customers’ stories be the torchbearers of your brand’s promise.
_
So there you have it.
A super long newsletter that I tried to cut shorter but just love the topic so much I had to share it all. Ha!
I’ll close with this:
Your products are the vessels, but the journey and destination they promise are what truly resonate.
Dive deep.
Uncover the transformation and most importantly, believe in it.
Just as I believed in that quiet promise of a Macbook Pro.
…and here I am, using that very Macbook Pro to type you this newsletter. 🙂
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