The stirring phase of the legacy journey

I'm in that 'stirring' phase of a legacy journey where I'm seeking meaning.

Turning 54 this year and dealing with a new health issue has caused me to reflect on wanting my life to mean something. If you work in a legacy fundraising department for a marine conservation charity now's the time to talk to me.

But please don't ask me to request a Will guide or write a Will for free.

While in this reflective state of mind, asking for a guide is just too soon.

Yes, I want to be part of a future where coral reefs thrive again, but I need time for my identity in this belief to take shape so it can live on through me.

But if a marine conservation charity was to occupy and retain front of mind attention - gently - then I'll probably come looking for them.

Often, we're too keen to drive Will guide requests. It comes across too hard and we lose sight that when someone feels sold to, they resist but when they feel they’ve chosen, they commit.

Rory Sutherland explained this best. In a conference, he told a story of a car salesman who was incredibly successful.

The salesmen almost never sold a car to someone on the first visit. On the face of it, it looked like poor sales performance because most managers would assume you should “close the deal” on the first interaction.

But this salesman did the opposite. When a customer came in, he would spend time with them, understand their needs, show them the car, let them test drive it. Then he’d say something like “Don’t decide today. Go away, think about it, maybe look at a few other options then come back and see me.”

Many of them did come back. And when they came back, they bought from him. 

By not forcing the decision, the customer felt in control, the purchase felt like their idea, trust in the salesman increased and cognitive dissonance reduced.

If you've identified a target audience that enters your legacy journey in a reflective state of mind, open space for them to reflect even more, remove any pressure, give them time to think, discuss, and return later.

I understand that this approach is challenging. If you can’t easily measure performance, how do you put it into practice? That’s a fair concern. 

However, there may be a way to strike a balance: rather than focusing on offering a free Will guide, which feels too early, you could encourage the audience to access responsive comms to help them reflect more deeply.

Something to think about.

For me, I’d love to learn more about a charity that shares the same core belief as me. So marine conservation charities, I look forward to hearing from you, and while you’re at it, perhaps lightly build on the role I’m going to play in delivering this belief.