Do people cheer for your brand... but don’t buy?

I was standing in line at Decathlon, clutching a boring pair of sneakers. Not because I loved them. But because they were... available.

Affordable. Comfortable. And most importantly — right there.

A few minutes earlier, I had walked past a Nike store. I stared at their display, soaked in their branding, replayed my favorite ad in my head.

But I didn’t walk in. Even though I loved the brand. Even though I talk about them in workshops. Even though I share their campaigns like fan art.

I still bought Decathlon.

And on the way home, I had this awkward realization:

You can love a brand and still never buy it.

That’s the moment it clicked. When I first started building Stupidpreneur, I was obsessed with admiration. I wanted applause. Shares. Respect from peers.

So I chased brand equity. I crafted a narrative. Built a vibe.

Created visuals that made people go “Nice!”

And it worked.

People reposted my stuff. Replied to my newsletters. Even told their friends about me. But my conversion rate?

Trash.

They clapped. But they didn’t click. I was building affection, not action. This is what I now call the Affection–Action Gap.

You’ll see it everywhere. People love Harley-Davidson. But buy a Honda. They admire brands like Patagonia. But still scroll through discounts on Amazon.

They cheer for Tesla’s innovation. But lease a Maruti. It's not about what they love. It's about what feels relevant right now.

Here's what I got wrong: I thought being known was enough. I thought brand equity would carry me.

But equity without relevance is like WiFi without internet.

Looks good.
But useless when you need it.

Relevance is the real flex. It’s not just about being seen. It’s about being picked.

You get picked when your offer, message, and timing line up with what your customer actually needs. In that moment. In their life. In their budget.

So if you’re wondering why people love your content, admire your aesthetic, and still ghost you at checkout?

Check your relevance.

Not your vibe. Not your story. Not your logo.

Ask yourself:

• Are you solving a burning problem?

• Are you clear on why now is the time to act?

• Are you aligned with what they actually care about today?

If not, no amount of admiration will turn into action. Here's the big truth:

Admiration wins headlines.
Relevance wins wallets.

Been here before? Hit reply and tell me what your affection–action gap looked like.

Or just do what most people won’t — take 10 minutes today to audit your offer for relevance. You’ll thank yourself next month.

This is specially for you!

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