Water to seed is like social credibility to a sale.
And everyone down to preschoolers knows that when you plant a seed, you have to water it.
Seeds need moisture.
They absorb it from the soil around them, and it sets off a series of amazing biochemical reactions that result in germination.
But they don’t need too much water.
While there are plenty of exceptions like rice and aquatic plants, the vast majority of the crops we plant also need their seeds to have air.
Soil that is saturated with water (mud) leaves no room for gases to exchange, and without enough oxygen, the young seedling drowns.
Your opportunities can also drown in too much social credibility.
If what you’re offering is so new and innovative that people have never even heard of something like it, there’s little chance of their interest germinating.
From the moment you make that initial seed offer, there has to be a connection to the brightness of the future – and the evidence that what you’re offering can help them get there.
That could be through testimonials, case studies, demos, trials, or just a little differentiation or improvement on something folks are already familiar with.
But don’t overdo it. And don’t plant in a saturated space.
You can provide so much external evidence that you don’t leave room for emotional connections and the unique personal desires needed for that opportunity to grow.
Something could also be in such demand that people actually back away from it. Think about the last real estate and crypto bubbles, for example.
How much social credibility do you need? How much is too much?
Like anything, it depends on what you’re planting.
But every sale starts with a seed in a moist environment.
