Sunday Newsletter - Change and Marketing in Uncertain Times (12th May 2024)

Hello and Happy Sunday!

How good is this weather! Living here in the forest, sunshine and a dry spell has been a rarity over the past few years. So I have been doing a bit of basking with my dogs, as well as a spot of gardening.

What are you up to? Hit reply and let me know.

I have a cup of Earl Grey and have just eaten a slice of toast. I don’t know why, but I love tea and toast. Especially with lots of butter. What is your favourite snack?

The forest has suddenly come alive with birds nesting and trees fully dressed in their leaves and blossoms. And with the sunshine, special evening light show and just a feeling of new life, I am loving it all.

It reminds me to count my blessings.

Change Ongoing

This week I have made massive progress on pulling together advanced resources to help entrepreneurs navigate the shift happening around the world.

Pulling on my experience as a trainer of Neuro Linguistic Programming and Coaching, my Intuitive Coaching work, my tech and financial experience, I hope to produce a support system that covers all of the boxes in navigating the revolution that is taking place in business, tech and culturally.

If you are resistant to change I would find a way to loosen up and learn to dance with uncertainty in the days ahead.

Three ways you can do that:

1) Journaling – focusing on positive outcomes and possibilities you may not yet have considered. Also, taking the opportunity to remind yourself of your resourcefulness and strengths.

2) Mindfulness – really getting in touch with your body, your internal state and growing your awareness of how you respond to uncertainty. Getting present and staying with the now moment as often as possible. Exploring the possibility that not knowing opens the space for miracles to occur.

3) Focus on what you can control – your response, your choices in the moment, your internal state, thoughts and emotions.

I hope to have more on my progress and the course/coaching soon.
If you are finding the current times a challenge reach out for a coffee and a chat. Simply hit reply and let’s book a time.

 

This Weeks Business Boost
The True Test of Great Marketing

Marketing is a tool for selling products and services. But like any tool, we can use it for either noble or nefarious purposes.

One might think that the test of good marketing is how effective it is in getting people to do what we want them to do. But this is a faulty test.

Consider Joseph Goebbels. He served as the Reich Minister of Propaganda for Nazi Germany under Hitler. Goebbels’ marketing was extraordinarily successful in terms of getting people to do what he and Hitler wanted them to do. But of course, their marketing scheme was designed to manipulate, spread lies, and promote an evil agenda. They were successful in duping an entire nation.

In the case of Goebbels, both the “product” and the methods for selling that product were evil, wrong, and immoral. As far as the product is concerned, we all think we’re pretty savvy when it comes to detecting a sales message that is “too good to be true.” But the nefarious marketing methods may be more difficult to detect.

Perhaps at one time, we’ve all succumbed to an ad selling a “snake oil” product, and as a result we learned our lesson.

If we believe that good marketing is merely getting people to do what we want them to, then we must admit that they did a great job at marketing when they tricked me into buying that cardboard pistol. If that’s what you think good marketing is, then I feel sorry for you and your customers!

But if you believe in a moral, ethical approach to marketing, then we must keep looking for a better test.

Characteristics of Nefarious Marketing Methods:

✤ Built on lies

✤ Misrepresent and mislead

✤ Spread propaganda

✤ Justify any means to obtain a desired end

✤ Evoke guilt and shame

✤ Manipulate through deception

✤ Describe what we do to people

✤ Consist of a “bag of tricks” to pry money from people

We cannot justify any of those nefarious marketing methods even if we are marketing the best product or service imaginable.

We might be able to fool the naïve or uninitiated once, but we’ll be repelling clients. Like the snake oil salesmen of the wild west, we would deserve to be run out of town.

If pure sales numbers don’t reflect the true test of good marketing, then what does? The true test of good marketing is that it must be people-focused.

Characteristics of People-Focused Marketing:

✤ Built on truth

✤ Represents products and services accurately

✤ Promotes positive testimonials

✤ Evokes trust and loyalty

✤ Appeals with transparency

✤ Describes what we do for people

✤ Gives away value before asking for the sale

People-focused marketing approaches selling with the genuine attitude that we have something very valuable to offer people that will improve their lives. We seek to serve others by providing them with some benefit.

Story Telling

In order to market with a focus on people, we need to identify with people in both their pain and pleasure. One of the best ways to do this is through story-telling. Stories offer a great way to connect with people. A story, especially about ourselves, humanizes marketing. Through our story-telling, we communicate, “People like us, do things like this.”

In your marketing, be real and authentic. Tell people why you care about what you do. Keep people first. Your business exists to solve others’ problems.

Value-First Marketing

Another great way to communicate your integrity and genuineness to others is through value-first marketing. This involves literally giving away some of your best stuff for free. Some may cringe at reading that, but the truth is when you give away stuff for free, people think, “Wow! If this is what you give away for free, the stuff you charge for must be really valuable!”

The other thing that happens when you give away some of your best stuff is that people have an opportunity to “test-drive” your products and services. Following their “test drive,” they go into a purchase with their eyes open. They know they’re not being duped. They trust you, and that’s worth a lot!

Finally, when you engage in value-first marketing, you have a legitimate reason to ask people for their contact information.

Value-first marketing is a great way to build your client list. And because you’ve already given them something valuable, they feel they can count on you to continue to deliver good stuff.

Maintaining a people-focus is the true test of great marketing. In people-focused marketing, everyone wins!

Choosing Happy Podcast Update

The news is that my live videos (on Rumble and YouTube) will be added to my podcast.
I am giving some good info and I thought that a pure audio version would work well for those who like to listen while doing other things. They are never very long so consider them ‘sound bytes’ with useful exercises you can test out in your life and business. I’ll be adding them in the next week or so.

It’s the 66th Episode of the Choosing Happy Podcast this week, and you can access it on Wednesday 15th May 2024 – This week’s episode is all about Self-Awareness for a Happier You. Practical steps to build into your daily life.

All previous episodes are available…
You can listen on your favourite podcast host or on the website at www.choosinghappypodcast.com

Also before I go, 2 quick things:

 

#1 – A reminder - I have set up a special coaching offer for May 2024 to help anyone who feels like they need a breakthrough or a clarity session around now. You can find out more here:
May Coaching Offer

#2 –I am launching the ‘Just Results Accountability Mastermind’ this week. If you want a simple, yet powerful way to stay focused, know what’s important and get remarkable results in your business over the next 12 months, irrespective of any crisis, then look at for the email coming soon.

If you can’t wait, drop me an email if you’d like to have advance notification.

That's it for this week!

Remember be amazing, appreciate the small things and make time for yourself.

I wish you peace, creativity, laugh out loud moments, courage, resilience, and protection during these days.
May love, and healing surround you.
May your families and friends be safe and well.

The coffee and a chat offer is always there, I am only an email away. If you want to chat with someone who has a handle on the enormity of the truth, I'm here.

I hope you have a week blessed with opened hearted compassion, high vibes, joy and sun filled days, amazing health, prosperity, grace and ease!

Heather

Heather V Masters

Chief Coach, Trainer and Facilitator of Magic

Taking Your Business Online and Choosing Happy Podcast

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

P.S. Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:

#1: I just launched a new Coffee and Catchup Live on my YouTube and Rumble Channels (Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning – 11 am – live). I'm putting a ton of energy into creating heaps of valuable live content that I think you'll like. It’s my aim to create a healthy habit of live content that serves you. Come check out my channel, and give me a like and subscribe.

#2: Strategy Calls

As entrepreneurs, sometimes we just need an hour with another like-minded person to figure out what to focus on next. And to keep it simple. And to identify our next, impactful, action steps.

Sometimes you’re too close to figure that out for yourself.

How often do you take time out to move away from the doing in your business, and focus on the big picture, reviewing the dream and getting to the nitty gritty stuff that niggles you every day?

In the 1-1 strategy sessions I help you cut through the fog and get crystal clear on your next steps toward next level results - more clients, more sales, more effective marketing, tech clarity and simplicity – whatever it is for you.

If you are interested, drop me a message and I will send you full details and how to apply.

#3: Follow me on LinkedIn for more Tech, strategy, systems, marketing tips, and happiness-building.

P.P.S.

If you have something you want to ask, drop me an email and Let's get your questions answered.

Email: [email protected]