Please everyone and kiss your ass goodbye

Here’s a fabulous story which illustrates the point that you can’t please everyone. It is adapted from Aesops’ fable “The Old Man, the Boy, and the Donkey.” I often quote it (thank you Michael Port) to illustrate the importance of focusing eveything you say and do only on the niche you’re trying to serve, and on no one and nothing else.

The message in the story is so true. You’re making a big mistake if you aim your business offering and your marketing messages at everyone who maybe, possibly, somehow, could, might, or some day, have the capacity to buy your product or service. Take the message to heart and enjoy.

The Old Man, the Boy, and the Donkey

An old man, a boy, and a donkey were going to town. The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked beside him. As they went along they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding. The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.

Later, they passed some people who remarked, “What a shame! He makes that little boy walk.” They then decided they both would walk.

Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So they both rode the donkey.

Now they passed some people who shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey. The boy and man said they were probably right, so they decided to carry the donkey. As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal, and he fell into the river and drowned.

The moral of the story? If you try to please everyone, you might as well kiss your ass goodbye.