How marketing is overrated and why we need altruistic marketing

Although it is true that marketing is part and parcel of running a business, it seems that most of the marketing courses targeted at first-time solopreneurs and small business owners are cliched, formulaic and manipulative.

The trainers would often repeat certain phrases like well-trained drones:

“Yes, or yes?”
“Successful people take action.”
“Money loves speed.”

Usually, it is because they have been taught the same way by their own coaches, mentors and trainers, who themselves are also products of their teachers.

While I don’t dispute the fact that many of the established marketers are “accomplished” in their own fields, the question is how they got there.

Is it by playing psychological mind games to get quick results?

Why am I saying this? Here’s the reason.

There is a group of people in the market demographics who I believe are sick and tired of being fooled by the media propaganda.

We are increasing in numbers in this day and age as our societal system crumbles in the wake of the global awakening, especially during the pandemic.

We are questioning the narratives imposed on us by various authorities — whether they be the educational system, religious doctrines or corporate gurus etc.

Many of us have seen what it is like to be on the underside of the empire, being subjected to discrimination, oppression and injustice in the system, which resulted from the illusion of separateness and superiority.

Some of us may have also been subjected to the same injustice in various ways, such as being discriminated by our peers/colleagues, or subjected to some kind of misfortune, such as being retrenched.

Hence, we have become wary of being hoodwinked or manipulated when we sign up for courses to learn marketing, which we are learning for the first time since we have been trained to be skilled professionals and content providers.

When it comes to internet marketing, it is understandable that many of us are concerned about scams and frauds, either due to bad personal experience or reading about others’ unfortunate experiences.

But even for those marketing courses and trainers who are legitimate, honest and reliable, many of them unwittingly employ some form of manipulation to guilt-trip us into taking the kind of action they want them to take.

I believe it all boils down to intention.

For example, if you are a trainer or business owner, consider this:

When you ask your potential customer or client or student to do something, is it ultimately to benefit them or yourself?

Is your training course people-centric or business-centric?

When you send us a friend invite on social media, is it to try to win our favour in the hope to eventually sell something to us to profit your business at our expense, or is it to endeavour to add value to our lives without any string attached?

When you offer a freebie, is it solely to upsell something for the sake of your business or for the sake of your client’s well-being?

Perhaps these are not easy questions because most, if not all, start-up businesses and beginning solopreneurs want to make money just to survive or break even, so that they can sustain their business and continue to offer their services to help their clients.

Most of the time, it seems to be a grey area, as it is often not a straightforward case of “either-or”, but rather “a little bit of this and a bit of that”, or “sometimes this and sometimes that”.

There is perhaps a perpetual tension between “am I doing this to benefit my business only” and “am I doing this to benefit them only”?

Maybe one way to reconcile such tensions is to simply focus on adding value to people’s lives instead of being concerned about the so-called “return on investments” (or ROI).

As a biblical principle (which I believe is universal rather than religious) goes:

“One sows and one reaps, but God gives the increase.” (1 Corinthians 3:6)

In other words, when we focus on building up people and sowing seeds of compassion when doing business, God or the Universe (or whichever name we ascribe to when referring to a benevolent higher power) will give the increase.

God/Universe will make sure that our supplies will come to us somehow, somewhere — whether directly from our clients (who can afford to pay us) and/or from some other sources in due time.

So, the conclusion I have arrived is this:

Simply do your best to help others and trust God/Universe to supply for all your needs.

“Thanks be to God who supplies all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

I acknowledge that marketing has its place, but it must be authentic marketing or altruistic marketing that is reader-oriented or audience-centred.

(I am using the terms “authentic marketing” and “altruistic marketing” carefully as I think these terms can be easily hijacked and commodified for mere commercial gain.)

There should be no manipulation that causes the reader to be short-changed or deceived or exploited or beguiled into taking action that ultimately do not benefit them as promised by the sales copy.

Instead of resorting to using fear or guilt, or being fixated on merely returns on investment, let’s focus on making our products and/or services truly beneficial to the intended audience.

And let’s rest in the grace and goodness of God/Universe, who is faithful to provide for us and keep our business sustainable.