The collective experience suggests that far too often hypocrisy, hidden motives, and self-serving interests shape much of what is promoted and sold in the world.
People seldom believe in what they “sell” or promote.
When personal benefits depend on successful promotion, belief can become secondary to results. Incentives and social pressure work to pull belief and behavior apart.
That’s why people are wary of “being sold” and skeptical of the advice from those incentivized to give it.
They are slow to adopt products and services they have not experienced directly, and they stand guard against any claim not backed by a mountain of data.
They want proof that the advocate believes, but that evidence is typically hard to come by. Unless that belief is manifest in action.
Believing in the advice, products, recommendations, or services others advocate for is much easier when the other party practices what they preach.
When someone asks you to donate to a cause, they are far more persuasive when you learn they have donated to the cause themselves. Advocates for just about anything are more convincing when they can prove they have “skin in the game.”
And the skin that matters most is shared experience.
When someone lives within the same constraints, accepts the same tradeoffs, and faces the same risks, their message carries a different weight. It no longer feels self-interested. It feels tested.
The best advocates follow their own advice, use their own products and services, and operate under the same conditions as the people they want to persuade.
They know words alone can inform, but shared experience convinces.
Take a hard look at what you, your team, or your organization sells, promotes, and advocates for. Does everyone in the organization eat their own cooking?
If not, it’s time to fix that.
Taking your own advice and using your own services and products transforms claims into commitments.
When an advocate visibly practices what they preach, it lowers resistance and strengthens credibility. It says they stand behind their advocacy with their own choices and actions.
There is nothing more persuasive and convincing.Ultimately, having skin in the game is about shared consequences, too.
Whether through time, money, reputation, or shared experience, if things go poorly, the person advocating feels the pain as well.
Everyone knows that words are inexpensive and engagement is costly.
That’s why the best organizations in the world insist that every leader, team member, and advocate live by their own rules and swallow their own medicine.
Matching deeds to declarations lays the groundwork for persuasion.
Without living the proof, advocacy is just another sales job.
