“Please don’t skip this first step”.

Do you notice this:

You buy a book, or sign up for a training program, they outline the 5 or 7 or 28 steps you need to follow… and what do they say right after explaining the first step?

“Please don’t skip this first step”.

Why does everyone say that?

I think it’s because the first step is often either boring or hard (I’m 100% guilty of this).

Boring, like:

• Read the community guidelines
• Create a blank document in Google Drive
• Open a separate bank account

Or hard like:

• Write down your “why” 🙄
• Find 10 past clients to interview
• Watch this 30min intro video

The first step is necessary, but I think that’s just it. The “necessary” step is the thing in the way of the fun/beneficial/important steps they signed up for in the first place.

It’s like stretching before a game. I know I should… but if there’s a step I’m likely to skip, it’s stretching.

How do we make sure our buyers actually take that important first step?

You could try:

• Making the step fun
• Putting a more interesting or easy step right before it
• Make the step part of a bigger next step they’re more likely to do

In my gym classes, the stretch (that I’d likely otherwise skip) is usually a game. Eg: we pair up, one holds a broomstick upright, then drops it “timber” style while the other person lets it fall as close to the floor as possible before catching it.

We do that a bunch of times and without noticing, we’re warmed up and ready for the workout.

What have you seen?

I’m trying to figure this out myself, so would be keen to see and share how others gamify that first step.