Yes, You CAN Remove Manipulative Tactics From Your Business And Still Sell
And the benefits can add up. Learn how here!
It can be so tempting and easy to go off what you see everyone else posting. To go off what everyone else is saying when promoting their offers, launching a program, and selling in the captions or the targeted ads.
And even if it is tempting, because we need or want to create income, what if we don’t like how marketing is being done?
When you feel at a loss of how to show up for your business and let people know where you’re at, it can be tempting to go into the… *minor* but *still present* manipulation. We’ve all been there because it’s what we were taught.
You know… the “using your pain,” “you have no choice,” “wow my life is better, don’t you want this too?” vibes that everyone and their mother utilizes.
But what if it gives your tummy a weird feeling? What if you’re not vibing with the way these people are doing things, yet you feel the temptation to do so? How do you abstain? And what is the other option?
The good news is — another truth exists. The one that needs us to put our best human foot forward to truly use the right energetic methodology.
Related: Relationship Marketing For Introverts
Sales and marketing don’t have to feel icky or manipulative if we operate from a place of considering people as full-ass humans.
Don’t fall for the quick fix, folks. Some of these tactics have been copy-pasted from the “what works” old white dude or Bali boss babe manual and we’re here to say that it’s no longer permissible for us in 2021.
People are savvy. People are tired. And people are, most of all, humans over dollar signs.
If you abstain from the urge to use that “quick fix” way of selling, here are some benefits:
Less pressure on yourself and reliance on external validation. When people sell from a place of “need” and lack, where they fence in their customers with these subtle ultimatums, they aren’t coming from a place of self-trust. And if we also come from this place, we put more pressure on ourselves to hit certain goals that we tie to our worth. Then, we end up more attached to our business and that is not the sustainable juju to build the momentum to keep going forth.
No more shame and more consent culture being incorporated into business. People can feel they have FREE WILL so their yeses are that much more powerful. They don't feel tricked! And that’s amazing.
Pain points not being stepped on or co-opted. Instead, you can have a co-collaborative process with your clients where there isn’t a weird power dynamic that you have over their vulnerabilities. They’ll feel more trust (because you’ve earned it) and thus more relief and flow can be present in the business exchange for you both.
Less urgency for the client and yourself. Less or no pressure or rush decisions. If there is a cart closing deadline, you can gently let them know, but you don’t have to rush people or make them feel they need to decide now. You will also put less pressure on yourself and learn patience in the process when you don't feel the anxiety of affecting someone by rushing them.
More freedom to try the things you want to and be less tied to the results. Escape the worry and try a bunch of things until they work! Business owners that end up successful are okay with the experimentation process. If you’re trying to do sales the old-fashioned way, you’ll likely be coming from a place of “this is the only way that works.” Thus you’ll be fencing yourself off from other things that might be more aligned with what you want, such as a soft launch, or a random giveaway, or an alternative way of explaining your program or mission.
More transparent conversations as affirmation and connection. Don’t you love connecting with clients that also feel like friends? Instead of trying to convince someone, you can be in the energy of showing them and feeling closer to you in the process, and their process. And It feels so much more aligned when you’re talking to people that are excited about your work. Even if they don’t buy, doesn’t it feel nice to hear them affirm they believe in your products and your mission? That can be an energizing route to keep going the course of running this business.
More client referrals from more organic relationships. If you rely on building a true rapport with your clients/potential clients, they’ll end up trusting you more (again, because we’ve earned it). And it will establish your presence in the entire network too for more abundance to come in. Word of mouth is powerful. Word of mouth through less fear and more excitement? Yes, please.
Well, now that we’ve listed some benefits that are making us feel ready to go forth and sell, how can we market with less manipulation?
You can start weeding those vibes out of your marketing business by:
Creating content that falls in line with what you do in your actual program/service and create clarity around your approach and process. Rather than teasing it for people and trying to artificially drum up participation, you can lead with the approach you’ve created or adopted, clarity in the process of your offer, and your values. This can organically make people curious and feel satisfied without feeling obligated or trying to tune out your pressuring them to buy.
Not making assumptions (i.e. not asking “which option do you want?” after pitching on sales calls). Listening to people more and validating their concerns without bypassing them has big human-to-human vibes. You can face any protests clients have or any unforeseen concerns your target demographic has, by being curious instead of talking over their story. If it’s the right fit or time, it will present itself.
Refusing to rely on FOMO. Truth be told, your client probably doesn’t *need* your product. And if they do, let them figure it out for themselves. You can show your mission and your methods without trying to let them know they’ll be really missing out on solving their problem if they don’t go with your program. It’s an invitation!
Removing binary language, especially with literal gender. No one likes assumptions, and when they happen, often it’s exaggerated and put in a binary. “If you don’t do this, then you’re this.” “This is for anyone who wants to succeed; otherwise you’re (insert bad thing).” Just as there isn’t just one gender, we also want to get out of a mindset that things are “either-or” for anything in our business messaging.
Avoiding ableist words that are hyperbolic at best and invalidating at worst. Let’s not call anything, “crazy,” “stupid,” or “dumb.” ( And the list goes on and on.) Instead, let’s focus on empowering language that shows people what’s possible and gives them the choice to figure out what can work for them.
Not writing anecdotes that are only “success stories” as flexes. Not framing them as one-size-fits-all results. You can explain different lessons you’ve learned, and show your human side. Start conversations. Don’t go overly dramatic with your copy, and bemoan your previous life before you ‘glowed up’. Instead, focus on your human side and hone deeply into your experience, the only one you can speak of really. People don’t want false promises you can never guarantee (even if you’re certain, you can never know 100%). It’s important to not set yourself up to fail and set them up to resent the investment.
Thinking about your copy and language as how you’d speak to a friend and being clear. You don’t spend all of your conversations trying to convince people to do stuff with you when you’re out and about. You don’t have to be anyone but yourself in real life. Think about how you would explain this to someone you know so you see how clear you need to be for future clients to feel invited and also find the options transparent.
Emphasizing awareness over agitation. This means you can highlight a problem someone’s had without going into extreme, excruciating detail. Or overly fixating on their insecurity while bypassing lived experiences and systems of oppression. Don’t be too descriptive because this can be extremely traumatizing for some people trying to manage their emotions. Asking questions, overstatements, in your copy can make a big difference.
Not making it about what they’ve done wrong. Present a challenge they’re facing without making them feel shame and guilt for not having found the solution. If you’ve spoken to past clients or done some research, you probably are aware of some specific patterns with the people you help. Present that awareness and the ability to hold space for the problem as well as be part of the solution. People are more than their problems and so is the work you’ll do with them.
Examining what’s worked and fits your energy levels. Amplify. You know better than gurus. If you find methods that feel natural and ‘unforced,’ chances are, they will also feel smooth and not lead to you using language that feels really forced. People don’t talk like they sell in real life. So go with your gut. If you’re truly acting like yourself and spotting the parts of your business where you feel aligned, it helps you get clear on how to just be yourself and sell in a human-centered way.
It is possible for your business to be successful without resorting to unsavory tactics.
And you don’t have to be perfect to reduce harm. Even baby steps can help create the business culture we do want.
Listen to who you’re working with, but not just your “ideal client”, your community as well. People will let you know how they want to engage and when it feels off to them. And if you’re interested in knowing where you can cut manipulative marketing practices (again, we’ve all been and could still be there without knowing it!) from your business, check out Run the Tape, a marketing replay and review designed to discover what’s working in your business to create more results and honor your capacity. There we can go through and help you remove these tactics!
