I guess it’s fair to say, using the language du jour, that we exist in an action-focused world (and industry).
Can you blame us?
In the beginning, action is a jolt of serotonin.
It’s the “Here we GOOO!” up the rollercoaster as you can feel your heart pounding before the real fun begins.
In a perfect world, you take action, the whole universe (and your customer base) rises up to respond, you rock their faces off, and everyone lives happily ever after.
But we don’t live in a perfect world.
And action can also feel, uh… bad.
‘Cuz sometimes, that climb up that first rollercoaster hill?
It grinds to a complete halt juuuust as we throw our hands up in their air to enjoy the ride.
Obstacles Can Be Incredibly Useful Data
People don’t purchase at the pace we hoped. (And even if we frantically adjust the pricing, it’s still a “No.”)
Prospects start to ghost or say “not right now.” (And, empathetic humans that we are, we back down immediately so we’re not seen as “pushy”.)
Our message doesn’t seem to be landing. (And we convince ourselves we must be big, silly failures.)
So we put our arms down.
And all too often, we step off the rollercoaster and call it a day — believing this is a sign it’s time to give up.
I’m by no means dismissing the emotional toll of challenges like this when your heart is on the table in an experience as vulnerable as sales and visibility.
But the reality is: obstacles in the sales process aren’t there to make you feel bad. They’re incredibly usable data.
And if you let yourself give up, you miss out not just on additional sales, but extremely precious information about your market, AND a chance to test strategies for tackling challenges.
Failure Isn’t a Bug. It’s a Feature.
So I’m here to ask you: instead of giving up, get curious.
This is a pattern you see in ALL The most successful humans.
Failure isn’t a bug. It’s a feature.
They accept the fact that sometimes you have to let things NOT work to find what DOES.
And thus, an obstacle becomes not a death sentence, but a creative challenge.
If people aren’t buying as fast as you’d hope, give yourself the grace to see what happens through the end of the launch anyway. Add a fabulous bonus for extra urgency, make personal invitations — start pulling levers that are NOT frantically adjusting price point.
Find out WHY the folks who signed up did, and use that to inform the rest of your messaging. Go on a helpful rant, share screenshots in your DM’s (with permission) speak DIRECTLY to objections you’re getting, in public.
Be kind, but unafraid to stand up for the “why now” you know to be true.
And, even if you didn’t quite make your numbers? You serve the HELL out of the folks who signed up, and make ‘em brand evangelists.
Don’t Give Up!
If the launch still doesn’t go as you wished? You’re not a failure.
Maybe the product/market/price point wasn’t quite a fit.
Maybe the offer felt too intimidating, or too basic, for the target market.
Maybe the timeline was too intense.
But those are all questions you CANNOT ANSWER if you don’t see the whole process through to the end.
Please don’t abandon yourself. Adjust.
And whatever you do: don’t give up.
Give yourself time and space to find the answers.
Because by golly – we need you here so badly.
Keep going.
H
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
