The Ben Ish Chai – on Marketing

Once upon a time, there lived a fine gentleman, who we will call Aaron. Aaron had carefully saved a nest egg over many years of hard work, and had amassed a small fortune.

When he reached his forty’s, Aaron did some careful thought about how to best store his savings for his golden years. After some research, he decided to take the money and buy a fine piece of artwork, which would be a good safe investment with which to make sure that his money stayed safe and even grew modestly until he would need it.

Aaron finally decided on a specific painting of an abstract work or art from a famous artist. He took his new painting and hung it up proudly in his foyer for all to see and compliment.

Several days later, just as Aaron was getting used to his new fine piece of artistic work and basking in the accolades of all that entered his home, something happened, which did not bode well for Aaron’s state of mind.

“Is that a copy of the famous painting that was auctioned last winter?” inquired Jacob, his neighbor, who had stopped by to borrow a container of milk. “What do you mean, a copy? Aaron said. “It’s the original!”

Jacob said “but take a careful look at the far right corner of the painting. Do you see that line on the painting? That is a damaged painting… i sure hope you didn’t pay more then a pittance for a painting with such a flaw!”

Aaron, upon hearing his neighbor’s words, took a careful look and realized that his neighbor was absolutely right. His entire fortune was not lost in a hole, swallowed up by his error in buying a painting without realizing its flaw. He was now suddenly left a destitute pauper.

Within a day or two Aaron’s now grown children noticed a major change in their father. He was now very moody and brooding, with his joy for life totally gone.

“Dad… what’s going on?” They asked him.

Aaron explained to them that he had lost his life’s savings, and that the painting which he was so proud of was a worthless damages piece of canvas, and not a priceless work of art. And nothing they could do could change his mood.

They made a festive meal for him (with pickles from the lower east side of Manhattan).

They hired clowns on tricycles to cheer him up.

They had an airplane fly over his home with a banner saying “Dad We Love You!”

They bought him the most expensive gifts. (I hear that they even bought him a gift membership to the Mustard of the month club!)

They went as far as installing an Olympic sized pool in his backyard. And knocked down the neighbor’s house to accommodate the zoning requirements to get it done…. and a racquetball court. (The kids were well to do, you see.)

But nothing helped. Dad stayed sad.

Suddenly, an old drunk chanced upon the carnival/parade/circus/show (or whatever you want to label this schmaltz of an affair). He walked over to the old distraught grandpa, and whispered something into his ear.

Suddenly, dad was all ears. Incredibly, unbelievably, somehow, the alcohol breath laced whisper had changed Aaron into his old happy self.

“Dad, tell us.” his children urged him. “Sir, tell us.” begged the pilot (of the banner dragging airplane), the clown, and even the gentlemen from the kosher pickle store that had been flown in from the lower east side with a vat of pickles.

Aaron smiled.

“All you folks, with all your hard work to cheer me up, were definitely trying hard. And I appreciate that greatly” Aaron said. “But you were all trying to treat the symptoms of why i was acting glum and miserable.” On the other hand…” Aaron said, and then paused for effect.

“What the old drunk told me was something different. He came over to me and whispered into my ear”….

“Before I became a drunk and beggar living on the streets, I used to be a major dealer and appraiser of fine art. I know the painting that you purchased… and I want to tell you, that that painting is not worthless at all, but the opposite. That thing in the corner, which you think is a blemish, is not a blemish at all… it is part of the signature style of that famous artist, and your painting is worth at least double what you paid for it…

And the moral of the story, as it applies to business and marketing?

Many times, we try to sell things to the client using imagery, showmanship, and certainly food to help us with the job of making the sale happen.

Were we to always focus on the core issue, the core problem or desire that needs to be fulfilled, and address that issue properly, wouldn’t we have a much easier time in selling, at a much lower cost and at a far greater speed of sale?

About the Ben Ish Chai

The Ben Ish Hai is the name of the most famous work of Rabbi Yosef Hayyim of Baghdad, who passed away just 100 Years ago. His stories and parables are amazing- and they are just “icing on the cake” for all his extremely scholarly and Kabbalistic works.