Are you over having to “Sell the Sizzle”?

We’ve all seen it right?

“Hey guys, just thought I’d pop on and let you know, I only have 1 spot left for this month so you better get in and book now!”

Or…

“I have just the template or secret formula for you, and it’s going to blow your mind and up level your business/mindset/personal growth!”

Or, this little chestnut…

“I can help you grow your following by x% and show you exactly how I grew my clients social media following from nothing to hundreds and thousands in x amount of weeks!”

These things all sound amazing yeah?

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

I’m getting right up on my soap box here…

This new wave of preying on individuals and businesses insecurities or pain points and over-selling the sizzle, is getting a little bit nutso over here!

I’m here to talk about my 3 top pet peeves swirling around on social media and in the business world at the moment.

Because I’m certain that if you’re reading this, you’ve seen one of these examples – or let’s face it, probably ALL of these — circulating within social media platforms and business groups.

Maybe you’ve thought some of the same things as me…or, if you haven’t, I truly hope I can help you see through some these, because to me, they’re just smoke and mirror tactics.

#1 The Download that Promises the World

Here’s a great example.

A few months back I purchased something from a small business, that was being sold as a “downloadable template” for a bit of social media planning.

I’m thinking — “Yes! Template…drag and drop. Easy!”

But after handing over my cash, I get a Word document, that looked like something my 10 year old son could have put together.

Something’s not right here?

I mean, it was only a small investment but what I got was a far cry from what I believed I was getting.

#2 What about these Social Media superstars?

You know the ones.  You see them when you’re scrolling your feeds.

They’ve grown hundreds and thousands of followers for their clients, and you think ‘Ooohhh…they’re worth a follow’.

So, you head on over to their page and they have 300-400 followers?

Every time I see this I cringe just a little.

Because my brain automatically thinks, “Wouldn’t they have a bigger following of their own if they’ve grown their clients base SO large?”

Surely if they are a whizz at social media, the proof should be in the pudding?

Their social media following should be indicative of the sizzle they are selling, shouldn’t it?!

No?

I get it that everyone has to start somewhere. Heck, I look back to my work from the first five years in business and bugger me, I have come a long way.

But, in those days there’s no way I would have advertised I could enlarge my prints, if I hadn’t tested them myself beforehand. I was confident to promote my business being able to sell enlarged prints, because I knew I could — because the proof was in the pudding.

#3 QUICK!!!! Book NOW!!!

And, lastly I am here to debunk one of the most seen and most cringeworthy hard-sell tactics.

The ‘Book Now Before You Miss Out’ posts!

Yep, sure! There are certainly companies out there who really are sold out or booked out, but I can tell you now, most of the time they aren’t shouting that from the rooftops.

Honestly, when was the last time you clicked on an advertisement that said, we’re sold out but come and look at the products you missed out on?

You get to their website and see they are sold out and go on their wait list!

9 times out of 10, the ‘Book Now or Miss Out’ businesses are praying on the current epidemic, which is the FOMO epidemic!

Urgency gives people a reason to finally bite the bullet and overcome inertia.

Don’t buy into it.

It’s likely you’ll be disappointed. Because you didn’t just book in with the company you first started looking at!

You got distracted by the bright shiny lights – the company preying upon FOMO. Their lights were shining in your eyes because they are really good at nailing the algorithm!

So, where do these sales tactics lead to?

I am happy to stand corrected if these aren’t justified thought processes I have had about these peeves.

The thing is – popularity doesn’‘t make you good at what you do.  

Preying on people’s serious FOMO makes you really great at marketing, and heck if it works, go for it – you do you!

However, it is my humble opinion that these kinds of sales tactics are misleading and will eventually end up coming round to bite your business ass in the butt, probably in more ways than one!

I am here to encourage YOU.

To believe that running your own business should be more than just bottom lines and targets.

It should be more than just a popularity contest or a way to get “instafamous”.

You don’t need the cringeworthy marketing tactics

This is a career you’ve chosen for your foreseeable future, emotional investment in business is what will get you through the tougher times, (that Lord knows we have been having and will have more of into the future).

Emotional investment and passion are always the silver lining, the driving force behind why you do what you do. The passion I have for my business is seeded deep within my very being.

If a farmer, who relies solely on the weather, only ran his business based on bottom lines and targets, there would be no generational farmers, they all would have given up! PASSION is the only thing, that gives them hope for the next year!

Do what you do – not because you have to, not because it’s what someone else is doing or thinks you should be doing!

Do it with passion, honesty and integrity.

No-one’s saying it’s going to be easy, but I promise getting through the harder times will seem just that bit easier if you do.

And…remember, You selling You, is how you will sell what you do.

(You like that?! I came up with that one)!

You won’t need any of those cringeworthy marketing tactics, you won’t need to be over-selling the sizzle and serving up rump steak when you promised people it was going to be rib eye. 

Simply because you will be operating your business from a soul-led, passion-led and heartfelt place and that will always see you though. 

So…will your ideal clients be on your waiting list or blinded by the lights?

ARTICLE BY

Lydia Kalleske,
For ABEL Photography