Show them where the money goes

Most businesses feel faceless and soulless.

When we buy from them, it’s purely transactional. We get a product, they get our money, and that’s it. We rarely, if ever, have reason to think about the people behind that business, and how our purchase might ripple through their lives.

As creators and indie entrepreneurs, we often mimic this impersonal style. We make our sales and checkout pages look and feel like we’re some big official business entity.

But that’s a missed opportunity.

Because unlike big, faceless corporations, we get to tell a story—a human story—about where the money goes.

We can invite our customers and fans into our lives, and show them what they’re contributing to. We can pull back the curtain on our own hopes and dreams, and show how this one little transaction will play a role in a bigger story.

That way, they not only get a valuable product, but they can feel good about doing business with us.

The best example of this I’ve seen is Jay Clouse (who runs my favorite podcast on the intersection of creativity and business.)

Jay just released a new course on podcasting, and at the bottom of the sales page, there’s this little gem.

I can’t tell you how much I love this. Here was my reaction when Jay initially shared this on twitter.

There are dozens, or perhaps hundreds, of quality podcasting courses on the market.

But for people who already know and trust Jay, something as simple as this can eliminate the very idea of competition.

This one little gesture breaks him free from being a commodity in a noisy world. He’s extending a hand to play a role in his story (which is itself a reflection of what many of us creators want).

It’s a no-brainer value proposition.

So don’t be afraid to show them where the money goes. This little change might just result in your fans delighting in the opportunity to give you money.

P.S. I should take a dose of my own medicine here.

This year, I’m using the revenue from Ungated to finish paying off student loans (from a degree I never got). Not sure I'll be completely free from debt by year's end, but fingers crossed! 🤞🏼

And while I'm not doing anything quite as cool as buying my first house, I can promise a portion of all Ungated proceeds will go to this fluffy goober.