Here’s why I choose not to use “pain point” marketing tactics

The permission slip you've been waiting for.

On a recent call with a new-to-me coach, she suggested I rewrite my website copy to really touch on all of the pain points my potential clients may be experiencing.

She suggested that I hit them over the head with it; that I put these pain points above-the-fold and intersperse them clearly throughout every page.

Something about this advice didn’t sit right with me.

(No disrespect to her; she made some very valid points and I had other great takeaways.)

But for days, I debated whether this resistance was just my ego having a little moment, or if it was masking a new level of marketing mastery.

I realized: it’s both… and neither.

Here’s what I mean…

I’ve spent the last 14 years studying marketing. Between a degree, certifications, courses, books, conferences, and more, I’ve learned a thing or two about what works.

And marketing to peoples’ pain points works.

But (and this is a big but)

Just because a tactic or strategy has worked in the past, for someone else, doesn’t mean it’s right for you.

(And, just because a coach suggests you do something doesn’t mean it’s right for you.)

With every teaching or piece of advice, we must first run it through the filter of our own intuition and discernment.

Here’s what my intuition told me when confronted with this pain point marketing conundrum…

  • I want to stand for a new paradigm of marketing and business – one rooted in respect, integrity, and love.

  • I want to speak to your intelligence, not your fears; to the highest version of you and your business.

  • I want to meet you in a realm beyond mental and emotional manipulation. A realm where we walk side by side, co-creating the life and business of your dreams.

  • And… I want my website to feel like a sacred space, not a source of inadequacy or triggers.

And in this paradigm, pouring salt on the open wounds of your deepest pain doesn’t feel quite right.

That’s not to say I won’t highlight aspects of the discomfort you may be feeling to illustrate the (perhaps invisible-to-you) connection between some of your challenges and potential solutions.

But twisting the knife? Not my vibe.

Another big BUT…

I know it’s not “my vibe” because I’ve done the work on identifying my brand voice. I’ve done the work identifying what I want to be known for, and who I most want to serve. I’ve done the work of learning an incredible amount of brand, marketing, and business knowledge… and have discarded most of it in pursuit of what is most aligned for me.

So, all of this to say: if pain point marketing feels aligned for you because you’ve done the aforementioned work, then GREAT. Your marketing journey will be much easier than mine. 😅

But if it doesn’t align, take this as your permission slip to do away with it… and any other old-paradigm marketing tactics that don’t sit well with your spirit, for that matter.

Ultimately, it is you who gets to decide how you run your business. Not any coach or guru or expert or family member (😉). YOU.

My only hope is that you run it in the way that lights you up from the inside out… because THAT is the most magnetizing form of marketing one could ever do.

If you’d like my support in identifying the brand or marketing strategies most aligned to you, head to my (sacred, pain-point-free) website, or send me a message to explore ways in which we can work together.