Think about some of the words associated with marketing…. Juicy, sizzle, 6 figures, launch, effortless.
What do you think when you hear these words?
I know what I think. Hype.
It’s to the point that you might think that in order to have a successful online business you have to be willing to market yourself with hype.
In fact, I read an article recently that said you should use hype marketing because it works. Well, I don’t agree. In fact, I think there are some big drawbacks to marketing with hype. Here are my top 5…
1. Attracts the wrong people.
When you market with hype, you’re going to attract the people who want the effortless, easy fix. Do you want your business filled with people like that? Think about it. Chances are they’re not that serious about doing what it takes to be successful.
They’re going to be disappointed when they realize there is no magic pill, and they’re not going to want to do business with you again. And you know as well as I do that it’s far easier to sell to existing (happy) clients, than to have to find new clients.
2. Instant loss of trust
People are becoming much more savvy and catching on to the hype. What do you think when you hear… there are only 10 home study programs available — and they’re digital programs. Reserve your spot on the webinar as the seats fill up fast — and it’s an evergreen webinar. Earn 6 figures in 6 weeks, lose 30 pounds in 30 days — yeah right. As anyone who’s been lied to knows, once you’ve lost trust it’s really hard to gain it back.
3. Bad news spreads
Social media is like a gossip mill on steroids. And people are using social media (and other online forums) to call out the hypesters. Just look at a hypey Facebook ad and read the comments – you’ll see the anti-hype machine at work.
4. It dilutes your brand
Your brand is how people experience you and your business. So if you market with hype, you’re giving them an experience that leaves a bad taste in their mouth, and a bad impression of your brand.
No matter how great you are at what you do, marketing with hype dilutes your brand. It’s just not worth the risk, even if you think it will increase your sales. And it won’t.
5. It doesn’t work
Hype marketing is all about the easy fix and overblown promises. You and I both know that business – and life – don’t work that way. And people are getting way too smart to fall for the quick fixes. They’re figuring out that cookie cutter solutions leave you with nothing but crumbs.
So if hype marketing doesn’t work, what does?
You can market with heart vs. hype. Marketing with heart honors you, your clients and your community.
It creates a meaningful connection with people, adds real value and builds strong relationships. It expresses your authentic message — including who you are and what you stand for.
If you want a meaningless hook up, go for the Tinder world of hype marketing. If you want marketing that builds solid relationships of trust and connection, then embrace marketing with heart.
Want to learn more?
Click here to get your free Authentic Brand Guide and Training Video
Very well put, it is the why, not the what that people buy. They will buy the product but most will purchase from the person that has the “why I do what I do” rather than the “used car salesman”.
Do you know what I mean?
There are plenty of marketers that understand ethics to purchase from. You don’t need to worry that the “slick” guy is the only one selling that thing you want.
Great point David. Thanks for sharing that. Here’s a little rule of thumb I like to use. Ask them why? If a mentor gives you some advice and they can’t explain the reasoning behind it, then it’s likely that they’re regurgitating what they learned from someone else without really understanding it.