This week, I had a conversation with Kristen Achziger about how people who are truly mentally subscribed to your content will seek you out. There are people who don't show up in my feed and I think about what they are up to. I will search their names and consciously and intentionally consume their content. I have innately subscribed because they write with intention and not for content’s sake. 

In this sales culture of manipulative language, a negative view of the marketing industry is created, and in consequence, the existence of unethical success. 

Catching the Red Flags 

There’s this sneaky and awful tactic of making somebody think that they have a problem. People will feel like they really have to fix it and pay this person to help them. Here are some unethical practices that marketers might be doing in their sales materials but may not even realize.

• The Countdown Timer

I see this as marketers creating a false sense of scarcity and pressure to get others to make a decision in a short time frame. But quite frankly, it's none of our business. If someone needs to consider their budget, that's their right. If your offer is only going to be cart open for a week, where you are putting a two-hour countdown timer on new website visitors, that to me, is unethical. Give people the space to make those decisions.

• The Hidden Cost

There’s a lot of people who will hide the details of prices until you get on a call. But start thinking about this. Would you take even 30 minutes out of your day to have a discovery call with a stranger if you didn't know the price? Think of yourself in that situation. What would you need to feel safe? You want to understand the cost so that you can budget before you get on a call with a stranger. I don't want to make anybody feel pressured to work with me. I want them to really love working with me.

Marketing the Guilt-free Way

If you’re reading this and you're feeling guilty, but you’re also willing to move forward, here are the baby steps to start creating a more empowered sales situation.

• Display the Hidden Information

What do people need that you're not telling them? Before they get on a call with you, put these in words that they can easily understand. Be that somebody who prioritizes and serves by telling your prospective clients what they need to know.

• Create a Valuable Inclusions List 

Share what your ideal audience needs to know. Are they getting services for life or only if they are a member? Is it for people with a certain education or for beginners? This may sound basic, but knowing this information is very powerful for people who are “window-shopping”.

So, here’s some talk on tough love. 

If someone sees your price and doesn't want to buy, they were not going to buy from you anyway.

The people who want what you have at the price point that you set, but can't afford it, are the people who are going to. It is totally within their rights to prioritize their budget.

And tell you what, even if they don't buy, they will send referrals to you so it’s going to be such a beautiful ripple effect you'll be amazed.

We go more in-depth into this on Episode 53. Here is the link to listen.