For the past 17 years and counting, my INTJ mom has owned and run a designer consignment boutique in Manhattan—it’s where I first cut my teeth in business as a surly teenager and, that many years later, has been one of my biggest influences.
(That and a certain Email Player, of course.)
Even though English isn’t her first language, she has some of the deepest knowledge of polarization, infotainment, and repulsion marketing I’ve ever seen.
Here’s how:
In her expansion to add menswear, she posted the following flyer on her window:
—
MENS WANTED
Now taking high-end luxury menswear—inquire within.
—
When I first saw the headline, I started laughing. But, for the aging ladies-who-lunch and their equally annoying daughters-who-brunch in the tony, uptight neighborhood, it’s not so funny.
“Margoth, that’s HIGHLY inappropriate.”
“Is that… a personal ad?”
“Why did you make that? You’re giving the wrong impression!”
She even witnessed (and subsequently cast out) two old biddies discussing how “desperate” my mom must be, especially being a divorcee and all, well within earshot in the store.
And that’s not counting the men who’ve come in hoping to be my new stepdad (but obviously failing the reading comprehension portion of the entrance exam).
But, despite all that, she’s gotten more eyes on her store (and foot traffic into it) than ever before—even in these notoriously slow summer months. And, a good chuckle out of those who end up consigning the high-value merchandise and, more importantly, those buying them.
And she did it by outright smashing the hottest of buttons—dating and other indoor sports—in a way that would get women clutching their pearls and men coming in to sell AND buy.
Now, I’ll freely admit (with some awe) that this kind of marketing comes naturally to her.
But, even if it doesn’t, it’s not exactly hard.
It comes from understanding your market—what they want, what pay attention to, and what makes them tick (or ticks them off).
One of the ways to grab an audience’s wrist and feel for their pulse is through personality typing. Specifically, in understanding how an emotional market’s thought (or feelings) process works, both good and bad.
Something I teach in the bonus Biz Typology Masterclass, Season 1 is Biz Typology, The Series, as well as in the upcoming season called Typeholes, where I go over the “shadow side” of each personality type—or, what most typing test results don’t tell you.
For more (mens optional), go here: