Why Products and Services Don’t Attract Customers
Hi, welcome back to Inspired Method Marketing, your Edmonton business coach. I’m Karen, this is Trevor, and today we’re going to talk about this:
Products and services don’t attract customers.
What?!
I know! Let’s rewind. Gary Vaynerchuk says:
“Your number one job is to tell your story to the consumer wherever they are—and preferably at the moment that they’re deciding to make a purchase.”
50% of all Canadian businesses will go out of business in the first five years, and 42% of those failed business owners list a lack of customers as the reason for their failure—making it the most common reason for business failure.
Wow. As a business coach in Edmonton, that makes me sad. It really does. That statistic is why we exist. That’s why we’re in business. We want to help people beat the odds. We want to help you.
Word of Mouth Isn’t Enough
I’ll share a quick story here. Business owners often think word of mouth alone is enough to grow their business. I see it so many times with new owners saying, “Oh, people will put in a good word for me.”
But you wait forever for someone to do that—and get those customers. It’s just not realistic. It does happen, but it’s so rare that you run out of money before you get the number of leads you were promised. That’s just the truth.
Will an Outstanding Product Attract Enough Customers?
I wish that were true. I really do. But it’s not—because then you wouldn’t have to advertise, right? It’d be so easy. You could just make an amazing product in your basement and people would come running.
Does that ever happen? No.
You have to tell somebody about it. Whether you’re telling one person at a time or thousands through marketing, it still needs to be communicated.
And if you want to sell enough to make a living, hire people, and make a difference—you need marketing and advertising. There’s no way around it. You’ve got to sell.
Is Referral-Only Business a Myth?
I hear it all the time—especially from tradespeople:
“All my business is built on referrals.”
Unfortunately, that’s a fast track to bankruptcy. It’s not sustainable.
Being a business coach in Edmonton, I get to see a lot of different companies. The most rewarding part is watching people take action, apply what we teach, and start seeing results.
But the truth is, even your grandma can’t give you enough referrals to keep your business going—and your grandma loves you more than anyone.
Seriously. I can’t even think of one referral I’ve gotten from my dad—and he cares about me.
That’s just the way it is. Take it from someone who’s seen it over and over.
Do Referred Customers Still Search Online?
Yes. Even when someone says, “Go check out my buddy Bob. He’s a great plumber or electrician,” people still search you on Google.
Why? Because they want proof. They want credibility. You might’ve done a good job once, but they want to see reviews and a consistent track record.
We humans are skeptical. I want to believe the best in others, but I still double-check. And I know a lot of people are the same way.
If Referrers Don’t Leave Reviews, What Happens?
Their referral doesn’t carry as much weight. They’re recommending you to a friend but won’t leave a review online?
That’s not really helping.
They could tell everyone by posting a review. Instead of one person, they’d be reaching all future customers searching for your business online.
When they don’t leave a review, they’re not maximizing the impact of their recommendation.
Will Prospective Customers Review You Online?
Yes, they’ll look at your online content.
Maybe not your whole site, but they’ll definitely hit your homepage and your team page. Those are the top two.
That’s why we tell people to write 6,000 words before launching a website. Be ready. Have your content dialed in.
Why Word-of-Mouth Alone Doesn’t Cut It
There’s just so much marketing noise out there. The volume of information dilutes the power of word-of-mouth referrals.
That one-on-one referral is great, but it still needs to be backed up by a strong online presence and a story that stands out.
You can’t be one of a million. You need to be one in a million.
How Many Times Do People Need to Hear About You?
The numbers are surprisingly high. There’s something called the Rule of 7. It takes at least seven times for someone to notice your ad, and another seven to take action.
That’s 14 to 18 touchpoints before someone becomes a customer.
So you have to play the long game. Not the short game.
A lot of people come in saying, “I need leads today. Help me this month and I’ll pay you.”
But it doesn’t work that way. Unless you’re selling a one-time product, nothing happens instantly.
And I can’t in good conscience promise otherwise. I know how it works, and I won’t let you burn through your budget for unrealistic expectations.
Why You Need Marketing Systems (Not Just Networking)
Think about how much time networking takes.
If you attend events 7 days a week, that’s a ton of time. Travel, mingling, follow-ups—and maybe you meet one person who might lead to one customer.
Or, you could build a marketing system that works 24/7/365, reaches thousands, and brings in leads consistently.
Networking is good, but it can’t compare to an automated marketing system.
Should You Market to Existing Customers?
Absolutely. It’s easier and cheaper to sell to someone who already knows you than to find someone new.
They’ve bought from you before. They had a good experience. If you’ve got something new to offer, go to them first.
It just makes sense.
Why Emotions Matter More Than Logic
This is what I love about marketing—people buy with emotion. They imagine themselves with the product.
The wind in their hair, sleek design, curves of the road…
They fall in love with the feeling first.
Then, they use logic to justify the purchase.
So you’ve got to lead with emotion and close with logic. That’s how people buy.
Final Thoughts
Thanks so much for joining us today on Inspired Method Marketing, your Edmonton business coach on YouTube.
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We’ll talk to you next time!