Don't Ignore This Reptile in Your Marketing

"Marketing is no longer about the stuff you make, but about the stories you tell."

Seth Godin

Takeaway: We cannot bypass connection for the sake of a "sale."

Here’s the text I received:

HI, it’s Brittany! I work closely with businesses to find reduced rates on health insurance. Would you be open to exploring options? Reply OUT to be removed.

My response:

OUT

The offer was a good one. So why was my response so viscerally negative? (We’re ruling out spam or phishing here)

The answer is simple. Our brains are literally not wired to accept an offer first. And yet, this company along with millions of others, do it every day. LinkedIn is a perfect example of this.

That’s why these companies must spend a stupid amount of time and money pounding on the doors of prospects who cannot hear them to make sales.

So, what’s the real problem?

Marketing Must Appeal to the Reptilian Brain

Also called the amygdala, this is considered a primitive part of the brain focused solely on survival.

If you don’t snuggle up and make friends with the amygdala, you cannot begin to build a connection with your prospect.

Why do you think scammers are so successful? They target the reptilian brain!

• Grandson stranded, needs mega money.

• True love partner in bad situation. Needs money!

• Computer infected with a virus and will be destroyed. Need money to fix it.

These are all extreme, nefarious examples of appealing to the reptilian brain. And sadly, the exploding number of scams speak to how well it works.

In marketing, we want to connect with the amygdala in a far different way because we want to effect positive change.

Here’s how it works.

Work With the Brain, Not Against It

In our culture, credentials rule, or so we think. Many health and wellness coaches make sure people know they are properly credentialed.

Yes credentials are important, but it’s not what’s going to get people to work with you. What they most want to know is, “Can I trust you?”

Building trust is the path to building connection, and humans are wired for connection.

That’s why your message is so important. You build trust when you talk about people’s problems, and you show them the way forward.

But there’s a deeper aspect to trust building that’s often overlooked, and that is sharing authentically, warts and all.

When we talk about our challenges, weaknesses, and bad hair days, would-be clients see us as the real people we are.

Being transparent and real fosters trust and credibility. So how do you do that?

• Make sure your messaging is clear and concise across all platforms. You’ll get tired of hearing your message more quickly than your audience will!

• Identify the key components you want to convey around your coaching philosophy, your methods, and your outcomes.

• Keep your branding consistent too! Same style, colors, fonts, and tone of the messaging.

• Use storytelling. The amygdala loves stories! That’s how we know you get us. It shows you understand the problem we want solved.

• Use the words of your audience. Leave your English teacher alone! Use the vocabulary of your audience and speak conversationally so we know you’re a real person.

• Share client success stories. I love this one! I love to share when my clients find success. It makes everyone feel good.

And there’s one more biggie.

You’ve probably seen people who share huge wins on social media. “I made $10,000 last week as a coach. You can, too!”

Meh. Maybe it’s real; maybe it’s not.

Either way, the amygdala will balk.

Why? Because it doesn’t seem attainable for your target audience. The reptilian brain may throw up roadblocks like, “Yeah, right.” “That’s too good to be true.”

Instead, share a win your client had that seems attainable. Allison Hardy of Emails That Make Bank does a super job of this.

In one of her emails, she shared this win from one of her clients. As you can see, the story is one we can all relate to--a family emergency and still needing to run a business.

The win this woman shares is certainly obtainable. And it’s one that a solopreneur or micro business can believe.

They can see themselves having the same success.

A Believable Marketing Story

I often tell the story of a young chiropractor who was tanking in a competitive market. She came to me because she was losing money.

So, I worked with her and crafted a very strong marketing message. She loved it because it captured what she did, and it spoke directly to her audience’s pain points.

The site was optimized for search, and 90 days later, she brought in an additional $9,000 and 10 new clients.

That’s $100 per day in additional income. Six months later, she had a viable business, doing work she loves.

If you’re a chiropractor, earning an additional $100 per day is doable. In fact, I went on to write another chiropractor’s website and he had similar results.

Why Did These Messages Work?

Because I didn’t ignore the reptile in the room. Both sites spoke to the pain their audiences experienced in a way that deeply resonated with them.

Then the message showed how these talented chiropractors could help them alleviate that pain.

That’s your work. Show up authentically. Be consistent. Speak your truth, and don’t forget to wipe the lipstick off your teeth.

Ready to show up authentically to your audience? Let's talk about how you can stand out in a crowded coaching space! Get a free 30-minute get to know you call now. I'll give you at least 3 solid tips on how to grow your practice without breaking the bank.