Marketing: Manipulation or Influence?

A question all business owners should ask themselves, especially if they do their own marketing, is this - is my marketing manipulative or influential?

In order for you to make that distinction, you have to know the difference between the two.

Take a minute to think about what your business provides for people. Are you giving your clients things they want and need and things they can benefit from? Or, are you just convincing them to buy anything from you because you need to make money and it’s what’s best for you – with no regard for what will benefit them the most?
If what you’re doing convinces people to do something because you believe in your heart that it can benefit them, then that’s influence. However, if you’re just convincing people to do things because it benefits you and not them, then that might be manipulation.

These are a variety of things to consider in your marketing strategies. When you have your product or service and you’re considering how to go about marketing them, think about the benefit it provides your clients. Ask yourself if this is something you would use for yourself because it would help you solve a challenge or issue in your life or business. Maybe it’s not something you would personally use, but when you consider this question really think about the usefulness it might have for someone else. The key component of that being does it add value to the life of the person who would be investing in it.

If you can’t think of any ways your product or service benefits others you’re probably using manipulative marketing techniques to generate sales. Believe it or not, this may make it harder to market your product because you’re looking at it from the perspective of how do I sell this to make money and what do people want to hear?

Your main consideration should be how does this help people and how can I show people how this can help them.
Remember, how you market, and what you market, are part of the value you add to yourself and your business as well as to the lives of your clients and prospects. If people feel like they’re being manipulated or that your product is of little use to them, you’re going to lose out on an opportunity to build relationships with them.
Don’t manipulate your clients into buying from you. Instead, see the benefit of what you’re providing and share it, or influence them to see how it can benefit them as well.

In marketing you will almost always use influence so you can share what you have to offer to help your clients – to make their lives better, and at the same time, you win too. That’s what good marketing is all about!