“I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

While that makes for one of the greatest movie quotes, it’s certainly not the kind of business we strive for. I don’t know about you, but the businesses I work with would much rather make an offer their customer wouldn’t want to refuse.

While Don Corleone has a deep understanding of what’s worst for his audience, they strive for a deep understanding of what’s best for their audience. Don Corleone’s offer is made out of a position of power while their offer is made out of a position of relevance. While he uses force, they rely on resonance.

The crucial difference is free will. Telling a story that resonates so strongly that people will want to come along eliminates the need of force. Ultimately, if your work really does make a difference, then resonance might even be the stronger force.