LAME PICK UP LINES THAT TRY TO GET IN YOUR WALLET
That overwhelming annoyance when you feel like you’re being sold, too? Yeah, I feel it, too. I mean, how did we end up being so turned off by so much of the sales and marketing we see floating out there in the land of social media? The worst part is that many of the products and services are good ones we would probably LOVE, but we can’t get past the annoying sales post to see it.
At some point, studies around sales psychology led companies to focus on using specific scripts and language to create sales and cash quickly. You may have heard of the term “bro marketing.”
Bro marketing refers to self-serving, short-term gain sales tactics used to disempower clients so that they can be easily manipulated into buying a service or product. Unfortunately, it’s become a cornerstone of the marketing and sales we’ve seen and learned over the last few decades.
Why? Because it works. It makes money, and as business owners, that’s kind of important, right?
So what happens is we, as women small business owners, see this and think, “Heck, if it works for them, it’s got to work for me, right?” And so we inadvertently continue the bro marketing cycle simply because we don’t know any alternatives!!!
But lady, you’re not a bro. You were meant to sell this way, which is why it probably feels icky as hell to you.
The good news? Bro marketing has become less and less effective – especially with women (and thank GOD for that).
What worked even a few years ago to create interest and sales no longer works. People are wise to common phrases like “Don’t let this opportunity pass you by, “This is the game changer,” and countless other phrases you’ve heard on repeat. In fact, you’ve probably started to tune these words out altogether. Why? Because you’ve invested in enough hyped-up sales posts that flat-out failed to deliver.
How often have you been drawn into a slick sales post only to find out later that the service was half-assed or the lackluster product fell short of the built-up promises? Bottom line? You have a hard time trusting, and subconsciously, you’re on BS alert the second you hear a bro sales pitch. Either that, or you roll your eyes and completely tune them out.
The truth around sales? No one wants to be talked AT and told how to think or feel. You see a headline saying, “Do you want to feel fit and fabulous?”
Your conscious thoughts say, “Well, yes, of course I do!”
BUT YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS thoughts say something entirely different.
- I’ve heard this before
- The solution never works
- It won’t work for my life
- It will be too hard
- I can’t fail again
- I’m so ashamed of how I’ve let myself go
We don’t want to be told how we feel – we want to feel UNDERSTOOD. That, my friend, is where CONNECTION happens.
Let’s rewrite that headline and see how you feel?
“I’m READY to feel confident about my body again.”
There is an entirely different energy between those two headlines. Now, these are just headlines, and much more goes into storytelling, BUT I wanted you to FEEL the difference when you read those two statements so that you can start to see where I’m coming from.
Stories have ALWAYS been what connects people. There’s absolutely nothing like connecting with another person who gets it. Someone who has not only been through what you’ve been through but also understands and has valuable insight. If you’re going through a divorce and hear someone talking about every challenge you’re facing now? MUSIC TO YOUR EARS!!!
Here’s where storytelling has really come back into play with modern-day marketing. After months and years (in some cases) of Covid lockdowns, it’s clear that people are seeking more connection. Both visual AND written storytelling is once again the star of marketing and sales. Why? BECAUSE IT WORKS – IT ALWAYS HAS!
And even though bro marketing technically does work, the beauty of storytelling and connection is that not only does it work, but…
- It’s sustainable. It doesn’t work and then peters out after people get fed up with inflated promises.
- It doesn’t feel fake. Sure, it can feel scary or awkward when you begin, but, like with anything, the more you practice, the more confident you feel. And it’s only going to get better because you’re sharing YOU and connecting to the clients who care about the same things you are passionate about and have solutions to help them!
- You’re a human being with a life. If you sell a service or product, you have experience with it. You embody that work, and when you tell and show people that embodiment, the right people FEEL IT. Those people become your dream customers.
- You will have endless stories to pull from. Unless you live in a box, the stories will keep coming.
Rather than just ending here, I’d like to leave you with some things to consider…
- Have you ever tried to use “bro marketing” to sell? NO JUDGMENT HERE!!! MOST OF US HAVE DONE IT! If so, can you jot down a few examples?
- How did you feel putting out those sales posts? Did they feel difficult to write? Did you feel like “you” when writing, or did it feel awkward?
- Try to think of a time when you spoke about what you did with such confidence and conviction that it was pouring out of you. Who were you speaking with? What did you say? How did you feel when you were speaking?
- What is essential for your potential customers to hear to understand how you can help them?
Number four is a tough one, so I’ll elaborate:
When I teach sales strategy to my Green Dress Project clients, they must understand that any sales and marketing they’ve tried up until now that has yet to give them results IS NOT their fault. Many women business owners didn’t start their business with a sales background AND, even if you did, bro marketing has been cooked into most of what we’ve learned about marketing and sales.
My content must show that there is a way to make sales that feels much lighter and still produces results. To do this, I share personal experiences of how stories have shaped my success as a corporate marketing and sales professional and an entrepreneur.
So maybe you’re thinking, “YES! God, please! This is exactly what I’ve been looking for, but I have no idea where to start.” Good news, I didn’t either in the beginning. I knew what needed to change in my sales approach but needed to figure out how to go about it. I eventually figured it out with some trial and error, but if you’re looking to arrive there a lot quicker, here’s a peek at what my clients and I work on together around sales/branding strategy…
- Pinpointing exactly what your clients care about (and what they don’t) regarding your product/service. Who is the person excited to speak to (and talk to for hours), and why?
- Understanding what the subconscious mind is and WHY it plays such a crucial role in purchasing decisions
- Learning how to bypass the conscious mind and speak directly to the subconscious mind (aka the game changer) to connect directly to the clients you love and are happy to pay you for what you do
- Learn exactly what to write and what images to use to make your posts resonate and click with all the right people.
- Find out how storytelling can work for you – even if you don’t feel like a writer.
- Write, get feedback, and create fantastic sales posts that will start bringing you sales! We’re doing this together – you don’t have to figure this out alone!!! Most of us aren’t born copywriters, nor do we have to be. You need to understand precisely the customer you’re speaking to and how to speak to them!
If you’d like to learn more about working together, CLICK HERE to contact me!
Til next time, Jackie
