Frustration As a Sign of Commitment

Could it be that frustration is a sign of greater commitment from your audience or in a sale?

Stick with me here. But first a disclaimer: I don’t endorse the idea of intentionally frustrating your audience or potential clients as a sly tactic to deepen their commitment.

Now on with it.

I produce a lot of content, and occasionally receive messages from people who are frustrated. They had trouble finding an article, watching a video, or didn’t like the way I decided to produce the content.

It can be frustrating for me. But then I remind myself that they took the time to consume (or attempt to consume) my content, and they took the time to tell me about their experience.

I consider all of this feedback, and read all of these messages. I don’t necessarily implement it all, but it’s good to know how people are reacting, then adjust to it.

What it shows is a commitment from my audience. It shows that they’re closely paying attention to what I’m doing, and value what I produce. It shows that they care.

My goal is to give them all a great experience, but when it comes to creative choices or technical issues, I can’t be perfect or pleasing to everyone. That’s a given.

When you encounter frustration as a reaction to your marketing or selling, ask yourself if it shows commitment from your audience.

Frustration isn’t something to celebrate, but it may hint at a much larger truth: many of the things you’re doing are working.