If we create for “someone,” we imply that it’s not for others.
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Notes
Enrollment = acknowledging that we’re on the same journey, with agree-upon roles, rules, time frames.
Before people are enrolled, the focus is on “butts in seats, reassuring the masses, primping up the benefits of your offer.”
Once people are enrolled, the shift is from “you” to “we.” The enrolled are easy to lead; they “know what it’s for.” You can play your music, paint your painting, lead your company.
To the unenrolled, “It’s not for you.”
Thoughts
The previous chapter was about how “sales” works, which I guess is the “getting butts in seats,” etc. That set of actions, before enrollment, had a weird flavor in this chapter, though—”reassuring the masses, primping up the benefits of your offer.” That sounds unpleasant, and that’s kind of weird after a chapter that said the sales is “where the juice lies.”
But effective sales—the kind that generously targets the needs or desires of an audience—leads to enrollment, and that does sound a lot better than “sales.” I don’t think I have anything to add to my previous comments about Amanda Palmer and how her audience is clearly enrolled. So I will move on to the next chapter which, as the previous did, begins where this one leaves off: “Sorry, it’s not for you.”
This series is meant to capture my thoughts as I work through Seth Godin’s The Practice. It’s a book with over 200 (very short) chapters, which I hope to work through and, I further hope, to implement over time.
If you’re interested in more of Godin’s ideas, or my thoughts about them, you can check out this collection of posts. Note that if you’re more interested in the former, you should probably get Godin’s book and read it yourself; my notes will be both incomplete and idiosyncratic, and my thoughts will relate to my own experience.
But if my thoughts resonate with you, or if you think I’m just silly, I welcome your comments.