You know I love doling out business advice on my podcast, but, today’s message also works if you’re a consumer. Right now, you’re getting promoted to left and right. It used to be that advertising was just coming out of your TV or your radio, but with the birth of social media came a new era in marketing.
And now it isn’t just big corporations promoting to you but the chick you went to high school with too. But did you ever take into consideration the 3 pillars of what draws people into purchasing from a particular person or “influencer”? Let’s break it down…
Press play, Freedom Fighters!
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Hi, it’s me. But did you ever take into consideration the three pillars of what draws people into purchasing from a particular person? Or, quote, influencer?
It is essentially the vibe their brand exudes when you click onto their page. Maybe not on a conscious level, but on a subconscious level. You’re definitely drawn to that person for a reason.
So let’s break it down, because if there’s one thing I’ve been hearing a lot of lately in my DMs is that people feel as though there are a ton of social sellers out there, if you will, that are selling snake oil.
And that’s most likely because these folks have been entrapping you with two out of the three pillars. So one obviously is my favorite pillar, right?
Just like in your health, I want you to have a clear informed, consent mindset when it comes to what and from whom you’re purchasing on the Internet.
Exploring the Three Pillars of Attraction Marketing
Pillar 1 of Attraction Marketing – Extreme Wealth
The First Pillar that people can choose to build a brand around is extreme wealth. The extreme wealth category.
- Understanding the concept of extreme wealth as a branding strategy
- Differences between real legacy wealth and exaggerated displays of wealth
- Importance of looking beyond gross income and considering expenses and taxes
And you know, these people, they’re the ones that are always flashing their car, the jet setting around the world first class, telling you how much money they’re earning online, the handbags and more.
But as I’ve mentioned in previous podcast episodes, the ones that have this real kind of legacy wealth don’t actually flash their money around like these folks are seeing online.
I would know because both my husband and I have had the opportunity to work with and for true billionaires. Yes, that was the letter B. And did you know that some of these accounts that I was talking about, they actually rent the clothing or the planes even for the day, to pretend that they really have that kind of wealthy access?
Can you even imagine? I just find that so embarrassing. But people really do that. And as a business owner, there’s nothing that irritates me more than the person who’s flaunting their gross income before their expenses, their taxes, et cetera.
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I made a million dollars in six months. Okay, sis, but what about your ad spend? How many assistants do you have? Now, granted, these are all write offs, but still, there are so many people out there telling you can earn XYZ in one to 2 hours a day without giving you the full picture.
And personally, I can smell those frauds from a mile away, and I encourage you to use your intuition to do the same. This isn’t to dim your light on your dreams, but rather give you the reality check that truly, if it was that easy, everyone would be doing it.
Am I right?
Pillar 2 of Attraction Marketing: Extreme Knowledge
The second pillar many online business owners and influencers will fall into is the extreme knowledge category.
- Role of knowledge in attracting consumers
- Critique of influencers using complex language to appear more knowledgeable
- Value of being well-informed about the products being promoted
Have you ever seen those reels on Instagram that are filmed when the person did a podcast episode and they’re literally talking in circles and they’re using language that makes them seem like what they’re talking about is more important than it actually is?
You know what I’m talking about, right? It’s so important to talk in a language that everyone can understand. Some of the most successful people I know aren’t, quote unquote, book smart at all, but they know how to network.
They have grit, perseverance, plus they have the ability to relate to anyone and everyone they encounter.
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Now, don’t get me wrong, I do believe there is value in having knowledge on the product you’re promoting. There is nothing worse than someone who struggles to answer the basic questions about said product they’re talking about in their stories or their feed.
For example, the influencer has no insight on the ingredients that go into the particular product they promote, and instead they read off whatever the affiliate cue card is that they’re sent for that sponsored campaign.
Did you know that they get those? Yes, they are told what to say and many times, even down to the hashtags they must use. I’ve referenced this in a previous podcast episode with my good friend Shauna Bligh where we discuss how these propaganda tactics were used to encourage people to go out and get the new shot and boosters.
Yes, you heard that correctly. Go listen to that episode if you haven’t already. And you’ll be able to sniff out these folks pretty easily, because they’re usually the ones that don’t truly buy into whatever it is they’re selling and they just follow the money from product to product or paid campaign to paid campaign.
The Reality of Making Money Online:
“And personally, I can smell those frauds from a mile away, and I encourage you to use your intuition to do the same. This isn’t to dim your light on your dreams, but rather give you the reality check that truly, if it was that easy, everyone would be doing it. Am I right?” — Maren
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One of the things that I truly hold myself accountable for is knowing what I’m promoting in and out, because I don’t like looking like a fool. So I want to make sure I have as much information as possible so when someone does ask me a question, I can answer it pretty quickly.
Or if I don’t know the answer, I can get back to them relatively fast because I know where to look and I know a big general overview of whatever it is I’m talking about. Same thing with my network marketing company.
I’ve been with them for ten years, so I think that when someone aligns themselves with a particular company for a long time, you can see that they’ve truly bought into whatever it is they’re promoting. And I’ll give you another perfect example. Right there’s an app I use to earn some extra cash towards my grocery bills.
Hello, have you seen the price of eggs lately? Every little bit helps.
All right. Anyway, there are several different companies on this app that you can create content with by publishing a reel for them. And you get paid for it. So the companies will tell you, like I said, what hashtags to use that are centered around that said campaign and what kind of reel they’re looking for content wise.
And then what you’re required to do is to create an original reel and then keep it on your page for 90 days. They pay you out in about 24 to 48 hours. And you can post this on your Instagram or TikTok or even you can try to monetize on both platforms. It’s a no brainer if you’re starting out and wanting to improve your social media skills.
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First off, they’re telling you what to do: promote this product, this flavor, whatever it may be, so you have direction. And not only that, but you’re learning what works and what doesn’t as far as trending sounds, what kind of content people want to see and they engage with, and you’re getting paid for it.
So many times content creators are getting frustrated because they’re not seeing a true ROI or return on their investment for their time online right away. That’s one of the biggest hiccups I hear in network marketing is, well, I’m spending more time than I’m earning money.
You hear that a lot. And I always say, well, are you dinking around online or are you actually trying to learn and grow and build content? But I digress.
So with this app, even if it’s $20 here or $40 there, you feel like your time on social media is somewhat, quote unquote, worth it, right? And it’s a no brainer for the companies on the app because they’re essentially getting free marketing for whatever their new campaign is for that week, month, or quarter.
And because many people will get that kind of blood in the shark’s mouth, so to speak, when they get their first payout, they’re more apt to try either new brands that they’ve never used before, which is a win for those companies, right?
That’s a new customer, but also maybe it is a brand they’ve already used, but they’ve never tried said flavor or whatever it may be.
And these are smaller payouts. So for me, I use products that are already in my house, right? So I’ve already purchased it. But some people, like I said, want to just keep trying to monetize little by little, and so they’ll go to the store and purchase it.
So the cost of goods sold, delta for the company that gets smaller and smaller, right? And discovering this app for me has been huge because I need to have daily content up anyway, right? It keeps my page engaging.
It helps me reach new followers once they see me talking. I’m talking about… it’s a snack, right, that I’m creating content for with this app, they find my page and then all of a sudden, because of the algorithm, other stuff that I produce starts showing up in their feed.
And maybe they are drawn to my network marketing company because they want to get in shape or they see the skincare line that I represent and they were looking for a new clean line. So it just helps me build my brand.
But it’s also important for me personally to work with companies that I already know, like and trust and I value and I use in my home.
The Importance of Aligning Beliefs with Promoted Brands, Gaining Trust, and Verifying Credibility
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So it’s everything from the clothes I wear to the food and snacks our family eats. And I’m not going to try and monetize off a brand that I don’t align with because it’s very important for me to actually speak to what I’m promoting, which circles back to what I was saying earlier about people knowing if you actually believe in what it is you’re trying to sell, so to speak.
And if you’re just getting paid to do so, they’ll be able to feel that out. And it’s so important to have the facts because that’s what builds trust with the audience. And as a sidebar to this, it seems like everyone and their mom is a guru these days. But show me the receipts, homie.
What have you actually done to gain that credibility? While I do believe that we all need to start somewhere, it’s wild to me how many exaggerate their experience in the mentorship space in order to earn a dollar at someone else’s expense.
If there’s one thing that I have always prided myself on in the ten years I’ve been an entrepreneur, it’s that I had five years of coaching experience before I ever stepped into the online mentorship arena.
I know that I can practice what I preach. So if you’re looking for mentorship, please make sure you vet the people you’re looking to possibly work with. Check their reviews, and don’t be afraid to reach out to those who have worked with them in the past.
Get the good, get the bad, get the ugly. Then do your own risk benefit analysis, just like you would for making a medical decision.
The third pillar is my favorite and the one that I encourage you as a business owner to lean into first and foremost. Now, is it the sexy one? Probably not. In fact, it’s probably the hardest one to master because a lot of people don’t like to do the work that’s involved.
Maren [00:12:32]:
Pillar 3 of Attraction Marketing: Authenticity and Consistency
The work it takes to get to this level is hard and can be downright ugly. But true authenticity can resonate with people exponentially.
- The need for influencers to genuinely believe in and use the products they promote
- Discussion on the use of affiliate cue cards and scripted content
- Importance of building trust and credibility through consistent promotion and personal experiences
It displays the person’s genuine character, and it will create a meaningful connection that will serve both them as the business owner as well as their audience or consumer, however you want to coin it, but this will be mutually beneficial to both of them.
Long term authenticity also leads to attracting a like minded community. The first few years of doing network marketing, I was honestly scared to do this and to be real. It was never taught to me.
In fact, I once had a mentor of mine tell me to wear my hair down more and show more skin so that I could get more engagement on social media.
No, I’m not kidding. This is literally the polar opposite of who I am as a person. You know me as the girl who shows up with a top knot and no makeup, not the put together blonde with a full face on and a beige aesthetic home in the background.
Mine’s actually gray and oat tones, but you get what I’m saying. I am a mess sometimes, but I own it because it’s what makes me me. But putting this idea in my head messed me up. Okay?
I’m not going to lie. It even started to bleed into how I saw myself as an ideal spouse for my husband.
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And now we all know that sex, quote unquote, sells. But at what expense? Your values, your personal respect, your relationships, your relationship with yourself. Now, I know it sounds weird to think that you can show up as a business owner, as anything but your true 100% self, right?
Like, keeping it 100. But in fact, it’s very easy to go along with the crowd. Many business owners, they see what’s working for one person and they think, well, I’ll just duplicate that. It’s working for Susie. It’ll work for me.
And I know in my network marketing company, we have a weekly call where partners from the network come on and they share what’s working for them.
But one week, a partner can say one thing, and then the next another partner can lead with the total opposite idea and concept. It can be extremely confusing, and it leaves many new entrepreneurs feeling stuck in neutral and not taking action to move their business forward.
This is one of those things where I go against the grain and do not encourage my team members to listen to these calls unless I know there’s a specific person or topic that they individually need to hear from.
This is where I’d like to say, I’m not a regular mentor. I’m a cool mentor. If you understood that reference, you’re my people. There’s also a possibility that you, like I was, are worried about what people will think.
And I know that might seem crazy, especially if you’re listening to this today, to even think, Wait, what? Maren was at one time worried about what other people thought.
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If you know, you know I talk about a lot of hard truths and many times those hard truths come with a lot of scrutiny. It’s taken me years of self reflection to really hone in on what brings me joy, what makes me tick, why does it make me tick?
I’ve always known my values and what I stood for, but I had to decide and put a line in the sand. Am I willing to go on the front lines to speak out on these things and ultimately face the backlash?
But if you don’t know who you are, you fall into that whole group-think mindset and you’ll follow or copy everyone else. You’ll never stand out in the online space and you’re just going to blend in with the white noise.
But when you know you, then you can stand in your truth, think about your favorite people to follow online and who you interact with. I think it’s really important too that I say who you interact with.
A major red flag for me is when people are one way in their stories but a totally different way in their DMs. And a lot of times that happens because one of two things either they have someone who is curating their content and doesn’t really know their voice, there’s a major disconnect there, or they have an assistant that is answering their DMs, right? You can tell.
So make sure that when you are interacting with these folks online, are they answering your DMs, what’s their voice like? Make sure you look into that. But the ones you do like, chances are there’s something that sets them apart from everyone else that you follow that is in that same particular niche.
Learn more about how I am helping those I mentor stand out effectively online while creating financial flexibility.
Using Intuition and Being Informed as a Consumer
And my biggest advice is if you’re a consumer rather than a business owner when it comes to all of this, make sure they also don’t flip flop on their values. I’ve seen way too many people in the last three years go in the complete opposite direction from what they were preaching a few years ago.
Now, I agree that we all have the ability to change our minds on a particular subject. Obviously, the more you know, the better off you most of the time are, right? But you can tell the difference when someone is doing a 180 because they think it’ll serve their business and or engagement versus oh, they really did take time to do some reflection and they do feel this way now, right?
You can feel when something is true and genuine versus not. And I encourage you to keep the receipts on these people. There’s a reason why everything you post on the internet is forever, right?
And these three pillars of how to draw people into your online business, literally, this is just the tip of the iceberg of what I have to share with you.
Ultimately, network marketing has taught me more about business in ten years than I have had my entire college career, which is a BBA in finance and an MBA. So all of that combined, it accelerated my professional trajectory by allowing me to create the schedule that I wanted decades faster than I would have needed to climb a corporate ladder.
I mean, here I am recording this podcast to you at almost 11:00 at night because I’m getting ready to hop on a plane with my family and travel for two weeks, right? So that flexibility time. That time flexibility.
And remember, time is the only resource you can’t get more of. It’s also opened my eyes to other ways to diversify and expand. It allowed me to network and meet some of the most powerful leaders in this space that have poured into me selflessly.
And yeah, sure, could you watch the YouTube videos, read the books, buy the $7 course, or $497 whatever they’re promoting these days, right? You could even go to college and take all the classes like I did.
“Ultimately, network marketing has taught me more about business in ten years than I have had my entire college career.” — Maren
So tens of thousands of dollars, years of your life. Or you could skip the line. And let me show you how network marketing can teach you the skills that you would normally need to put in well over a decade with if you’re interested at all.
If any of this piqued your interest in just learning more about working with me or what it could be like to build your own online storefront, so to speak, I encourage you to go to marencrowley.com/influencer and we can talk more about what partnering with me is like, what mentorship with me is like.
And we can go from there and be authentic. Me, I’ll be real with you. Yes.
Did it cost me friendships? 100% my job in the golf industry? Yes. Did it draw in the trolls? Yes. I see you Reddit. And of course, it got me censored from social media, but it also helped me gain true relationships.
It strengthened my character, and ultimately, it created growth within my own online health and wellness business because I attracted the right people and stayed true to my messaging.
And it made me feel good showing up online because I knew I could be me and I was talking to my people. Yes, people might have called me crazy. Some still do, but I’ll die on that hill because I’d rather speak the truth than bend to a world that’s full of lies.
If you wanna get more of this type of content, make sure you follow me on Instagram at @macrowley. And if you love this episode, let me know by tagging me on IG or even leaving a podcast review. See you next week.
