confession: i kind of hate selling things

A few weeks ago, the end of my driveway got repaved...but I didn't know that was going to happen.

I came home from work to find wet concrete, caution tape, and wooden stakes, all neatly installed at the end of my driveway.

In fact, this surprise happened throughout my neighborhood, with some people getting stuck, unable to leave their house, since their driveway was repaved with their car still in it.

The neighborhood group chat (yes, we have a group chat) was a buzz with different theories about how this happened, and the mystery was finally solved when someone heard back from the Homeowner's Association: the repaving had been scheduled, but someone had forgotten to email the residents to let us know it was coming.

The thing is, people can't know that your offer exists if you don't tell them about it.

Just like the repaving company, who really did a great job with my driveway.

All's well that ends well, and now my driveway is freshened up, but even one email could have made this all go a little smoother.

Which is a great lesson for Black Friday marketing - if you don't tell your audience about your promotion, they won't know your sale exists

I've got more to say about that, but first, a reminder about the format of my emails. Ready, Set, Connect is a value-packed newsletter all about using your marketing to connect with your audience.

Each email includes three sections:

• Ready...this section has tips/resources/strategies for shifting your mindset about business

• Set...this section has tips/resources/strategies for effective relationship-focused marketing

• Connect...this section has something you can do right now to connect with your audience

Ready...(a mindset shift)

Here's a confession: I kind of really dread selling stuff.

I know, it sounds ridiculous. I've been running an online business for 9 years and I've sold thousands of products. 

But honestly, anytime I plan focused marketing to promote something, I over analyze everything.

Thoughts like:

• was that too salesy?
• do I sound awkward?
• should I have used more emojis? or less?
• what if no one clicks the link?

Maybe you've been feeling the same.

Here's a mindset shift I've been practicing when I feel these kinds of feelings popping up:

Selling isn't about persuasion, it's about support.

I'll give you a second to let that sink in.

When you're selling something, instead of focusing on convincing someone to want your offer, shift to focus on showing them that the offer was built to support them.

That reframe has been slowly changing how I feel about selling, and hopefully it will bring you more clarity, too.

And just like my repaved driveway, your audience won't know your offers exist if you never tell people about them.

Set...(a sustainable strategy for your marketing)

Here's an easy format you can follow anytime you're creating promotional content:

Start with noticing. Identify things that are the reality for your audience. Sentences like "have you ever" or "have you been thinking" or "you've been feeling like."

Make the connection. Name the struggle out loud and connect. Sentences like "I've been there" or "I've felt that way, too" or "I get it."

Offer help. Introduce your product as a natural solution or support to the struggle. Sentences like "Here's what finally helped me move forward" or "That's what this is for" or "That's why I built" or "that's what we'll tackle in."

Just keep it simple and focus on the connection.

I'll model the strategy I just explained right here as I let you know about the Black Friday Toolkit I've built to help you make Black Friday super easy this year.

Here we go:

If the idea of running a Black Friday sale feels complicated or overwhelming, you're not alone. That's exactly what I developed the Black Friday toolkit to solve. 

The toolkit helps you plan your entire Black Friday promo in under an hour, with step-by-step guidance and fill-in-the-blank email templates.

Connect! (a quick challenge you can complete today)

Here’s something you can do today to connect with your audience:

Open your Instagram stories, take a picture of something nearby you, and type this prompt:

“I used to think [insert common myth your audience believes]. Here's what changed for me...”

Don't overthink it, just keep it simple.

If you try out this challenge, send me a message on Instagram @basicallyjamiejune and let me know how it goes!

Now of course, I have to tell you...

...if planning a simple Black Friday promo is on your to-do list...

...if you definitely don't have enough time, but you want to do something for Black Friday...

...or if you've never done a Black Friday promotion and you don't know where to start...

That's exactly what the Black Friday Toolkit is for.

The Black Friday Toolkit is a done-for-you planning system that will help you create a simple, confident, and effective Black Friday promotion using the products you already have.

It includes step-by-step guidance to take you through planning your sale from start to finish and gives you fill-in-the-blank swipes for emails and to make it as easy as possible to bring your sale to life.

P.S. If you skipped to the end of the email, let me recap:

• Quick reframe: selling isn't about persuasion, it's about support
• An easy format you can follow for any promotional content: 
  
  • Identify how your audience is feeling
  • Share how you can relate
  • Introduce your offer as a way to support the struggle
• If you want help making that happen for Black Friday, grab my Black Friday Toolkit

Keep an eye out over the next few weeks! You can snoop on the exact process I'm using for my own Black Friday promotion.

You’ve got this — and I’m cheering for you!

Jamie