Hello Entrepreneur
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The WORST marketing strategy you could ever use

Rachel Rodgers

9 Feb
3

You’ve heard of Social Media Marketing. Direct Mail Marketing. Email Marketing.

But do you know about…

Drama Marketing? (*insert suspenseful, scary music*)

Drama Marketing is when you:

  • Talk trash about your competitors

  • Spew negativity online

  • Stir up petty drama, sometimes with folks in your industry

It can sound like:

  • “Don’t waste your time with [competitor].”

  • “The entire [industry] is toxic and broken.”

  • “There are so many [service providers] who are so disappointing. They take your money and honestly don’t care about you. Who can relate? Has this ever happened to you? Post below!”

  • “Other [specialists] claim to have all the answers. Spoiler alert: they don’t.”

Sounds familiar, right? I’m sure you immediately thought of at least a few brands or influencers who’ve said these exact things before.

In a nutshell, Drama Marketing means that instead of focusing on your clients and the excellent results that you get for them, you focus on tearing other businesses down.

But why is this so common?

Why do SO many business owners engage in Drama Marketing?

Well, the answer is pretty straightforward:

They want attention.

Now, getting people’s attention is great. Your business needs that to survive.

And it might feel like Drama Marketing will give you the kind of buzz your business needs.

But I gotta be honest with you…

This kind of attention rarely turns into sales — which is, ultimately, what you want.

When you post something cynical or controversial, you might be “rewarded” with a flurry of comments. Lots of people may chime in to say “Preach!” “OMFG” or “LOL.” The attention might feel good.

But the truth is, these people are gathering to cackle and add their own snarky comments, not to purchase.

If you’ve found yourself wanting to dabble in a little drama to promote your business, or maybe you’ve got tangled up in it before…

Think about why. Why do you want this kind of attention?

Are you feeling insecure about your business?

Do you not feel confident enough to sell your product or service without focusing on what other business owners are doing (or not doing) to sell theirs?

When you don’t feel secure in your own abilities, you might feel compelled to knock somebody else down a few pegs.

But trust me, my dear reader, this isn’t the way to go.

So, if Drama Marketing doesn’t work, what does?

1. A product/service that delivers excellent results.

Create something that’s so good, people will rave about it to their friends.

92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family more than they trust marketing or advertising messages, so tap into that power by creating an offer that’s too good to not talk about.

2. A delightful customer service experience.

Companies ranked as having a “superior customer experience” generate nearly 6 times more revenue than their competitors.

Think of all the restaurants or stores you frequent, just because of their attention to good customer service. Now think about all the other people who are also repeat customers there for the same reason.

You can use that to your advantage in your own business. It’s hard to go wrong once your customer is satisfied.

3. A positive message.

One study of 1,576 consumers who watched more than 1,000 commercials — with negative, neutral, and positive messages — found that the consumers strongly preferred the commercials with positive themes and saw those brands in a more positive light.

People want to feel inspired, encouraged, uplifted, powerful, confident, and hopeful. Focus on creating marketing materials that generate those emotions.

Here’s the bottom line, my dear reader…

Drama is fun when it’s on HBO or Showtime. But it should not be part of your marketing plan. Mary J. Blige sang it best… No more drama.

Drama Marketing brings temporary (negative) attention — and it’s not a good long-term strategy. It creates a poor reputation for your company and isn’t effective in driving sales, either.

What’s more effective is getting your clients results. And then, talking about the results that YOU got, not other businesses.

Whatever you sell — fitness coaching, financial advising, jewelry, hair products — create a phenomenal product that delivers results. Then go share rave reviews and case studies to describe the excellent results that your future clients can expect.

This is how you get a consistent stream of clients who can’t wait to hit: Purchase.

If you’ve got a stellar offer but you’re not sure how to get it out into the world and get the right kind of attention that will drive sales…

If you know you’ve got that entrepreneurial spirit, but you’re still struggling to identify a product or service that you can make money with…

Get on the waitlist to join We Should All Be Millionaires: The Club — a community of business owners from all walks of life at all stages of business, from beginner to 7-figure, where you’ll get the tools, strategies, and support you need to turn your side hustle into a full-fledged company.

The Club doors are closed right now, but stick around. There may be a special opportunity just around the corner…

xo,

R

________________

TL;DR: The people who love drama are usually not the people willing to pay you. Consistent, positive marketing will always beat drama.

3

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3 comments

  • Brooke Mac Pherson
    Your reference to evil stepmothers seems unnecessary. It adds to the social norm that stepfathers are saviors while stepmothers are treated like they are less than human. As if women don’t deal with sexism enough as it is across all other avenues. You …
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    • 13 w
    • Author
      Rachel Rodgers
      Thank you, Brooke, for your feedback! I agree with you that the evil stepmother trope perpetuated by society is ridiculous and wrong — I myself am a stepmother! My intention was certainly not to tear stepmothers down. Every day we all have to work on d…
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      • 13 w
  • Shavonne Pounders
    Essentially I understand the message in this post, BUT there are times when I don't necessarily think it is drama marketing as much as a need to call out specific industries and brands. When I first entered the online arena of Entrepreneurs, there were…
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    • 13 w
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