People are always asking for things.  Whether it’s for help, whether it’s for business, there’s a lot of people who have a lot of wants, needs or desires.  They’re looking for jobs, clients, customers, or whatever else.

However, many of these people are not successful in their quests, mainly because they’ve missed a key point in appealing for favor or help.  And herein lies today’s marketing lesson.

You need to outline how helping you… helps them.  The reality of the matter is that the most effective way to get someone to donate to your cause, back your business, or otherwise push things along is to make sure you’re appealing to them in ways that fulfill them.  When I was originally looking for VC funding, and helping others get it, I realized that it was much more about what the investor’s fulfillment as opposed to what the entrepreneur wanted or even what made nuts ‘n bolts economic sense.

For instance, I think many times the “emotional” pitch for many non-profits didn’t work because it was emotional or caring – coincidence, not necessarily causality – but because it hit the buttons of people that got them to take action.  Whether it be guilt (a very strong motivator), everyone’s doing it (or peer pressure – part of why Twitter and social media is such a good tool at raising money) or a shared experience (a very strong motivator, the idea that “we’re all in this together”).

I remember the story I was told of a very rich man who wanted to start a foundation.  He was sure that his friends would of course donate – after all, they had plenty of money, and commonly donated to philanthropy – and, he reasoned, they were his friends.

But when he got going, he realized that none of his friends wanted to donate.  The cause he had selected appealed to him, but not to others.

With consumers, quite frankly, scared to do very much – you’re going to really need to be able connect with them on a direct level that makes clear consciously and subconsciously your product or services’ value.

So the next time when you’re looking to move people to action, especially now with the economic climate we have, make sure to do your homework ahead of time and that by helping or hiring you you’re fulfilling their needs on whatever level that particular person needs filled.

Then, and only then, take that message to the streets or tweets.