Traditional marketing can suck, and here’s why.
If you want to do marketing a different way, we don’t blame you.
Most of the ways we were taught to think about marketing are (Surprise!) straight out of the cis-gendered white man’s perspective.
If you’re thinking about doing business in a different way, you’re not alone, and it totally makes sense.
Traditional marketing was not really made for you and me. We were made to assume we’re “supposed” to like certain things or behave in certain ways that the industry often sells to us. We have been told we MUST fit in a box to achieve our goals or even exist in this society.
Let’s dig into why this is harmful…
We’re not all older, cis-gendered, hetero, white dudes. (In fact, most of aren’t)
For years, this demographic has dominated the marketing and advertising industries. And as a result, most of how it frames perspectives, audiences, and language are from a limited viewpoint. A point of view that oppresses and sees innovation as a threat to this limited perspective.
No shade to the disruptive straight white dudes doing the work of challenging the status quo, but the idea of equity, diversity, and inclusion in your marketing is hardly popular in traditional marketing. They tend to paint issues or desires as very one-dimensional. Without the contributions of marginalized voices in power, it’s no wonder we’ve often felt dissatisfied with the way we’re sold to.
Related: Marketing for Introverts
It’s often based on what you “have to” or “should” do.
Who likes feeling forced to do anything? But often, marketing likes to frame things as “there’ll be consequences if you don’t buy our thing.” You’ll never get the “dream body” (errr who’s dream tho?), dream partner, dream car, dream whatever… if you don’t get this one thing.
Marketing tactics often prey on people’s need for external validation and security by insisting that you’re really missing out if you don’t do what they’re explaining you need to.
“If you don’t, then you’ll be punished or you’ll be miserable still,” is the icky feeling most people want to get away from when they’re considering your product.
It’s based on “practicality,” not community.
Businesses like to insist that it “makes sense” and is “logically the only way” for you to use their products.
But when you don’t sell in that way, you earn trust with your clients. Traditional marketing often treats us as money dispensers, as opposed to complex human beings with needs and experiences and dreams and desires that often vary.
We don’t like feeling like our intelligence or decision-making is being questioned by people who obviously aren’t considering what we've been through or are longing for. Thus, the anti-traditional marketing core is to create reciprocal and meaningful relationships, and perhaps even proactively emphasize referrals over cold pitching.
Getting value usually entails a *sneaky* price.
We love sneak peeks, trials, and freebies — but as humans, especially these days, we’re skeptical consumers. And for good reason! The way traditional marketing can sometimes lull you into a false sense of security, and then insist on you opting in your money before you feel comfortable “or else” — we don’t jive with that.
No more, “Get this for $999 or else you’ll miss out on everything!” selling. Non-traditional and more consent-based marketing takes into account that not everyone has the budget even if they’re interested. Thus, giving a good balance of insight and content to customers so they get to benefit from you early on will really give your business a boost and put it in a real good vibe.
When we’ve been pressured into buying things at the moment out of fear, the experience and results have suffered because that relationship started out of dominance, authority, and fear.
The best client sales we’ve made have been with calm, pressure-free discussions and explanations of how the product is with no subtext that “you need to buy and you’re not allowed to be curious.”
There are sooo many expectations of what you should have to “seem” legitimate.
You don’t need a virtual assistant, a fancy funnel, a newsletter, a website, 10K+ Instagram followers, Facebook advertisements, etc. to be a “business.” You can have those things, but need them? Nah. Traditional marketing does have some noteworthy structures that can make things effective, but you don’t need to stake your identity on those things to scale appropriately for your goals and capacity.
But often, the narrative is you have to shell out on these things before you’re taken seriously. Honestly, anyone who is selling that you NEED XYZ before you can do business isn’t considering where we’re at and our capacity. Your business evolves and so does how it’s presented in the world.
Rebelling against the harmful aspects of traditional marketing to us means co-creation that considers your voice, your longings, your current situation, your social location, and your vision for the future.
Then co-creating a marketing game plan and messaging that reflects that moment in time with plans to evolve. (See why your messaging can and should change!)
We believe in romancing clients slowly and playing a long game if we have to, not a “buy now or else!” vibe. But that still means offering what we have to support rebelliously innovative humans and companies because that’s what we’re here to do!
If you’re stoked to explore some ways to do business that’s better for everyone and still achieves your goals, check out the Biz Without the Buts membership.
A monthly membership for people who run businesses and want to challenge the status quo and create a more ethical economy through sustainable business practices, marketing without manipulation, and a global community.
