Tell People Not To Buy Your Product

Tell The Market Not To Buy Your Product

At Commsor, we looked at our data and defined 3 criteria that indicate someone is not a good fit for our software.

Even if they’re incredibly excited and pushing to buy.

We even made a video telling you not to buy our product.

Being upfront about our criteria in sales conversations actually increased our conversion rate and we saved time on bad-fit leads.

You should do the same.

Be transparent and honest. Today’s informed buyers expect nothing less and will quickly dismiss vendors who overpromise or hide necessary information.

🔬 The Importance of Defining Your Anti-ICP

I don’t know about you, but when a vendor promises me unlimited ROI, more pipeline, and that my life is going to improve from using them, I’m skeptical.

And that’s never a great way to start a relationship with someone who is hopefully going to spend $10k, $50k, or even $500k with you.

1. Transparency breeds trust: Buyers expect transparency from vendors. Be open about who your product isn’t for – it signals to potential customers that you’re honest. This is the foundation for a long-term customer relationship.
2. Better Resource Allocation: By clearly identifying your anti-ICP, you save valuable time and resources. Your sales and marketing teams can focus their efforts on nurturing leads that are more likely to convert than churn. The days of booking a meeting for the sake of a meeting are long over.
3. Improved Customer Satisfaction: Selling to the wrong customer can lead to dissatisfaction, poor reviews, and high churn rates. When customers understand upfront that your product may not meet their needs, those who do choose to buy are more likely to be satisfied and become loyal advocates

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‍🛠️ How to Build an Anti-ICP

1. Understand Your Product: Truly (and deeply) understand your product’s capabilities and identify any potential weaknesses or areas where it may not perform optimally for certain types of customers.
2. Create Clear Messaging: Develop clear, honest messaging around who your product isn't for. This can be included on your website, in sales presentations, and within marketing materials.
3. Train Your Sales Team: Educate your sales team (and then educate them again and again). Encourage them to actually understand a prospect’s needs. They should share the reasons a customer might not be a good fit upfront with prospects.
4. Incorporate Into Marketing Strategy: Use your marketing channels to communicate your anti-ICP. Blog posts, social media updates, and even email campaigns can highlight scenarios where your product may not be the best solution.

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🌎 Real World Examples

Commsor

We defined three reasons someone would not be a good fit for Commsor:

1. Average customer value below $10k

2. No network to activate

3. A desire for AI to do everything for them

Amber Rhodes, Content & Social Media Consultant

Amber features a “Don’t work with me” page, directing potential customers to other creators and marketers she recommends, if she’s not the right fit.

The City of Oslo, Norway

The City of Oslo created the video below, “Is it even a city?” which was the inspiration for our own anti-ad at Commsor.

Embrace the power of honesty in your sales and marketing efforts—your customers and your bottom line will thank you.

Until next time,

Mac 🦕