Make Marketing Suck Less

Have you ever said to yourself, “I’m bad at sales.” Or “I'm just terrible at marketing. I suck at it.” I asked this question on my Instagram the other day and 97% of the people who responded said, yes, they have said these things to themselves. This means that we've got amazing business owners (and that means you, my friend) thinking they suck at marketing that they're bad at sales. 

But are you really? That's the question. Because I think no. And not just no -- HELL no.

And there's a good reason for why you think this harmful-to-your-business-and-your-ability-to-make-money thought. And that's what we're going to dive into today during this episode of the Rebel Uprising Podcast. So let's do this. 

You’re listening to the Rebel Uprising Podcast. This podcast is dedicated to helping passionate business owners become recognized leaders who make more money and impact the world by turning their messy, complicated ideas into thriving thought leadership businesses.

I’m your host Dr. Michelle Mazur, and I’ll be your no-BS guide in the art of building a business that gets noticed. Each week, I share strategies, tools, and insights on how to turn your complicated ideas into great messaging and solid business structures.

Are you ready to create an uprising in your industry? Let’s do this.

During my workshop, Bro Marketing Overthrow, one of my amazing students had an a-ha that rocked me in the best way possible. She said, “I have many times said ‘I'm terrible at sales,’ and I'm reframing that as ‘I'm terrible at bro marketing ‘cause it feels like shit.’” Amen, Tara!

Here's the truth: the vast majority of celebrity coaches out there teach one way of marketing -- the bro way. It's based on scarcity, manufacturing authority, and weaponizing liking. And to make it super easy, they give you a template to fill out to help you spread the message. Just add words and -- voila! -- instant bro marketing.

And when you look at those swipe files, how do you feel? How do you feel about those words they're telling you to say? And if you were reading those words as a person who is a part of your community, how would you feel? Would you feel terrible? Guilty? Doubting yourself?

Of course you would! But then you think, “Ah, it's my fear. I'm playing small.” So you send the email, you post the copy to social media, and guess what? It doesn't fucking work, right? It just doesn't work because it is not aligned with your values, your ethical principles, and how you do marketing. And honestly, my friends, if swipe files worked the way we were promised it would work, we'd all have multi-million dollar businesses.

So we listen to these celebrity entrepreneurs tell us how we should market our business. And when it doesn't work, you blame yourself. You think you suck. You give yourself a big old “F” on the marketing report card. But it's not you. It's not you at all.

Because the rebel truth is, you're not bad at marketing. You're not awful at sales. You're a terrible bro marketer.

And frankly, I'm happy about that fact. But let it sink in. What if the story that you've been telling yourself about being bad at marketing and sales just isn't true? You're just bad at this one type of marketing and sales? Because the online business world teaches us one way to do this -- the bro way! That's it. Almost every program out there that I know of is steeped in bro marketing tactics.

And I actually had a conversation with someone the other day who said, “But Michelle, it is the only way to market and sell.” I'm like, “Oh, hell no. Just hell no.” Let's think about Microsoft. They are definitely not Patagonia when it comes to leading with values and ethics. But do you see Microsoft using scarcity tactics, manufacturing authority, using social proof and atypical testimonials and curated vulnerability to sell their products? No.

Do you see Apple doing that? No. How about Patagonia? No, of course not. Hugely successful companies don't market this way. They market in a very different way. And I've been inside some of these companies and how they market, and bro marketing is not a thing for them. Bro marketing is actually in the same league as a timeshare salesman. ‘Cause I've been on those tours. And I'll talk about that in a story one day, but they use these exact same tactics. And do you want to sell like a timeshare salesman? No.

So there's another way to persuade, another way to market and sell it is based on research, it's effective. It's how bigger businesses do it. And that way is very much based on your ethics. A message that grabs attention and moves people, influences, persuades people with logic, reasoning, and story towards making a decision to work with you. And then what you do is you take that message and you apply it to your marketing strategy and tactics. 

That's the new way of marketing. Ethics. Messaging based on logic and reasoning. And storytelling that moves people to act while still giving them agency. And then applying that to your market. And this is a way that gives your potential clients freedom of choice while also advocating and making a great argument for why your work is the best next step to them. 

This is a way that is built on empathy instead of poking at pain points and making people feel so bad that they give you their money so you’ll just shut up. This is a way that creates relationships instead of a transaction and a way that is aligned with your values and ethics. And, frankly, feels a whole hell of a lot better. And it's going to sound like you, and it's not done through a swipe file or a template.

Now I've created that way in my work with my one-on-one clients. Like the messaging work I do is based on this alternate way of marketing and messaging. And this is what I also teach in the Marketing Uprising Workshop, which by the way, I'm going to be teaching again the first week of March.

And this is one piece of the puzzle for marketing in a new way, because it's all about creating a plan that connects to your sales so that you can show up and market consistently. And on your own terms. If that sounds interesting to you, you can always get on the list at drmichellemazur.com/workshop to be notified when I'm teaching it again. 

Because you don't have to be a bro marketer. And really, bro marketing is the reason you think you're bad at marketing. You can embrace this new way and iterate on it and make it aligned with you. This way will be imbued with your values and ethics. It creates messaging that resonates and converts.

And, hey, I've been beating around the bush saying this, but you need a message that works in your marketing in order to make money. Messaging plus marketing equals money. It equals sales. And once you have the messaging, you put it in a marketing plan that's easy to follow. And even if you don't have your messaging nailed yet, you can still put it in a marketing plan and treat it like an experiment to see what works and what doesn't. 

And finally, ask yourself: why do you think you're bad at marketing? Actually, pause this podcast right now, take out a piece of paper, and write down the reasons you think you're bad at marketing. 

Alright, you're back now. You've done that. Right? Cool. Now I want you to look at the list of reasons you wrote. And ask yourself, is bro marketing at the heart of any of those reasons? Because if you're answering “yes” it means you suck at bro marketing. And frankly, I am happy that you suck at it because it means you care. You care about how your potential client feels during the sales process. You care about your audience. You want to help and serve and not manipulate and coerce. So celebrate sucking at bro marketing and sucking at sales in the bro way!

Because at the end of the day, it's not you. It's how you've been taught. And now, you know, there's a better way. And if you want to dive in deeper, please join me for the next Marketing Uprising Workshop, because this is a piece of the puzzle for how to market in the new way. And I'm so excited to share it with you so you can sign up for the waitlist at drmichellemazur.com/workshop. And until next time, remember, you don't have to market the way they tell you to market. You can do it in a way that feels aligned.

Thank you for listening all the way to the end of the show. Your support means the world to me. Did you know the Rebel Uprising Podcast has a quiz that can help you pinpoint your number one way to build an audience of superfans while staying true to your unique personality? We do! And it’s called What’s Your Rebel Roadmap to Exponential Impact and Influence? And you can take it at therebelquiz.com.

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Until next week, remember: your ideas matter. Now get back out there and start an uprising in your industry. You’ve got this!