694. Selling Your Physical Products Isn’t Manipulation—It’s an Act of Service

Summary

Episode 694: Selling Your Physical Products Isn’t Manipulation—It’s an Act of Service

Overview

In Episode 694 of The Product Boss: Business Coaching for Product-Based Female Entrepreneurs, host Jacqueline Snyder delves into the often-daunting topic of selling physical products. Titled “Selling Your Physical Products Isn’t Manipulation—It’s an Act of Service,” this episode aims to transform the listener’s perception of sales from something manipulative to a genuine service offering. Drawing from her extensive experience in helping thousands of product-based businesses grow, Jacqueline provides actionable strategies and insightful reframes to empower female entrepreneurs to confidently market and sell their products.

Addressing the Fear of Selling

Jacqueline begins by addressing a common sentiment among entrepreneurs—the discomfort and guilt associated with selling. She acknowledges that many, especially women and creatives, feel that selling can be "pushy, salesy, or even, dare I say, manipulative." (00:02)

"Have you ever felt that way? Now, this idea that putting yourself out there, right, maybe talking about your product, sending that email, or posting that offer feels like you're being pushy, salesy, or even, dare I say, manipulative." (03:15)

Reframing Selling as Service

The core message of the episode is the redefinition of selling. Jacqueline emphasizes that selling, when approached with clarity and care, is not manipulation but a form of service. She posits that by not selling, entrepreneurs are doing a disservice to both themselves and their potential customers.

"Selling, when done with clarity and care, isn't manipulation. It's service." (06:45)

She explains that selling is about presenting solutions, feelings, connections, and transformations that customers are seeking. By effectively selling, entrepreneurs bridge the gap between their products and the needs or desires of their customers.

The Bridge Analogy: Customer's Journey

Jacqueline employs a powerful analogy to illustrate her point:

"Imagine your customer is standing on one side of a bridge. They have a problem, a need, or a desire, and your product is what's waiting for them on the other side. Selling is not dragging them across; it's building the bridge so that they can walk towards the solution on their own terms." (12:30)

This metaphor underscores the idea that selling is about facilitating the customer’s journey toward fulfillment, rather than imposing a product upon them.

Understanding Customer Needs and Creating Solutions

Delving deeper, Jacqueline discusses the importance of understanding what the customer truly desires. She highlights that customers are not buying the physical attributes of a product (e.g., soy wax, sandalwood scent, amber jar) but what those attributes represent (e.g., a calm space, confidence, a sense of belonging).

"Your customer doesn't wake up thinking, I need a handmade soy candle with sandalwood scent and an amber jar. No, they wake up thinking, I want my space to feel calm." (18:20)

By aligning products with these deeper desires and communicating them effectively, entrepreneurs can position their offerings as essential solutions rather than mere commodities.

Sincerity and Alignment in Marketing

Jacqueline stresses that authenticity is key to successful selling. She asserts that what truly sells is sincerity, belief in the product, and alignment with the customer’s needs.

"What actually sells is sincerity. What actually sells is belief and alignment." (22:10)

She introduces her program, Standout Society, which focuses on helping entrepreneurs align their brand and messaging with their ideal customers. This alignment ensures that selling feels like a natural extension of the business’s mission rather than an aggressive tactic.

Empowering Entrepreneurs through Standout Society

In discussing her Standout Society program, Jacqueline outlines how it helps entrepreneurs:

• Align Their Brand and Messaging: Ensuring that the business’s core values resonate with the target audience.
• Understand Ideal Customers: Deeply connecting with and understanding the specific needs and desires of their customer base.
• Create Specific Niches: Focusing on particular areas to stand out in crowded markets without needing massive followings or influencer statuses.

"When your brand is aligned and your messaging is clear and your product feels deeply connected to your customer's real needs, selling doesn't feel salesy. It feels like a service. It feels like a gift." (35:50)

This approach not only enhances sales but also builds long-term customer relationships based on trust and genuine value.

Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Jacqueline concludes the episode by encouraging entrepreneurs to shift their mindset regarding selling. She challenges listeners to view selling as an act of generosity and service, emphasizing that their products offer tangible benefits and transformations to their customers.

"What would shift if you stopped thinking of selling as performance or salesy or sleazy or whatever it is, and you started thinking of it as a practice of service? What would change if you truly believe that someone out there is waiting for what you sell, but they can't say yes until you show up and offer it?" (40:00)

She reaffirms that by embracing this mindset, entrepreneurs can confidently market their products without fear, ultimately leading to greater business success and personal fulfillment.

Conclusion

Episode 694 of The Product Boss masterfully redefines the act of selling for product-based female entrepreneurs. By reframing selling as a service and emphasizing authenticity, alignment, and a deep understanding of customer needs, Jacqueline Snyder provides a roadmap for entrepreneurs to overcome their fears and confidently grow their businesses. This insightful episode serves as a valuable resource for anyone looking to transform their approach to sales and build a thriving, purpose-driven business.

Transcript

[A]

Hi, I'm Jacqueline Snyder and this is the Product Boss podcast. I've helped launch and grow thousands of product based businesses, even one of my own. And over the last 20 years, I've seen behind the scenes of businesses just like yours. Whether they are makers, manufacturers, artists, or food and beverage businesses. I have spent so many hours studying it all. I've discovered what makes them successful, what mistakes they could have avoided, how did they turn their ideas into successful business, and what are the strategies that they have used to make more sales and be discovered by more customers. And this is what this show is all about. Whether you're just starting out or you're looking to become a million dollar product boss, I'm here to give you the permission to chase your dreams, no matter how big or small. All you need is the right mindset, a little courage, strategy and support, and you too can be the next million dollar product boss. Let's do this. Oh my goodness. Friends, if you are anything like me, you probably spend more time running errands than running your business. Am I right? Like, everything needs something, we gotta run around. And I knew that this was like a major issue for me back in the day, which is why I decided to get help where I could. And I decided to let Instacart handle all of my grocery shopping. So I no longer had to worry about running all the errands and having to run out and get more almond mil for my lattes. Rather, I was like, you know what, we're just gonna let Instacart handle that. So I want you to imagine skipping the store and getting back to designing packaging, orders, making, or maybe actually taking a break, even a nap. Remember those? Okay, so with Instacart, you can get groceries and essentials delivered in as fast as an hour so you can focus on growing your business without sacrificing a meal. Plus, less stress and more focus. And here's a tip. I've actually used Instacart before to order gifts from my daughter's friend's birthday parties because I haven't had time to run out and get presents. And I've been able to get the packaging, like the gift bag and the g, like hello, Sephora, delivered to my house while I was in the middle of coaching sessions so that I could have the present right. It's like having a personal assistant without having a personal assistant. So if you want to do what I do and get the help where you can, you can try it now if you head to the Product Boss.com Instacart welcome back to the Product Boss podcast. I am your host, Jaclyn Signer, and I am so glad that you are here today. So today we're going to talk about something that I know weighs on so many of you. I've heard my students say it. I mean, I'm live multiple times a week inside of my programs coaching our students, whether they're in the sales accelerator or in the standout society. And this is something that comes up over and over and over. So if you feel this way, you are not alone. And it could weigh on you whether or not you realize it or not. So that's the idea of selling. Feeling icky, as I would say, right? Like, selling feels sleazy. Selling feels icky. Have you ever felt that way? Now, this idea that putting yourself out there, right, maybe talking about your product, sending that email, or posting that offer feels like you're being pushy, salesy, or even, dare I say, manipulative. And I want to take this episode to reframe that for you. Because selling, when done with clarity and care, isn't manipulation. It's service. And if you truly believe in the product you've created, if you know it helps someone delight someone, solves a problem for someone, then not selling it, that's actually the disservice. So where does this fear of selling come from? Maybe you grew up being told not to be too loud or too proud or too promotional. Or maybe you watched people sell in ways that felt slimy or aggressive and you decided, I am never going to do that. Especially as women, as makers, as creatives, there's this quiet belief that if something is good enough, it should just sell itself. But honestly, that's not how it works. Because we're not just selling products. We're selling a solution. We're selling a feeling, a connection, a transformation, something that we desire. And no one can experience that if you are hiding, if your products are hiding. So, my friend, I want you to imagine this. Your customer is standing on one side of a bridge. They have a problem. Maybe their carpet is dirty and they need a new vacuum, right? Or they have a need. I need a sponge that cleans my cast iron pan. Or I need makeup that doesn't fill into my wrinkles. Or they have a desire. I want that bag or that piece of jewelry because I just want it. And I think I'll look pretty and I'll feel a certain way about it, right? So imagine your customer is on one side of a bridge and they have a problem, a need, or a Desire and your product, that's what's waiting for them on the other side. Selling is not dragging them across. Selling is not running across them and battering them in the face of your product. Right. Selling is building the bridge so that they can walk towards the solution on their own terms. Selling isn't pressure. Selling is permission. So when your message is clear, when your energy is aligned, when your product is rooted in real service, when your product is rooted in knowing what your customer wants, in knowing the niche that you can fill, in understanding the brand and the messaging and how to market it, selling actually becomes a form of helping. So here's the part we forget. Your customer doesn't wake up thinking, I need a handmade soy candle with sandalwood ascent and an amber jar. No, they wake up thinking, I want my space to feel calm. They're looking for ease. They're looking for confidence. They're looking for belonging. They're looking for beauty. And your product, your product is the thing that will deliver that. But only, only if they understand what it does for them. And what it does for them is not the soy wax, sandalwood scent, amber jar. That's not what it does. Hey, friends. Okay, so I don't know if you wrote anything like me, but sometimes it feels like my self care routine is slipping through the cracks. Because when I'm juggling and wearing all the hats in my business and doing all the things, I mean the last thing I have to do is like really fulfill that self care routine that my daughter's talking about. She's like, mom. So listen, so when it comes to running a successful business, you can't really pour from an empty cup. And a lot of times that self care is like one of the first things to get yourself recalibrated. So that's why I want you to meet Glossy. Now Glossy is my favorite daily beauty supplement designed to transform your skin and gut health from the inside out. And I'm actually an investor in this business because I so believe in this idea of science backed ingredients for digestion and skin hydration. And Glossy makes it really easy to look and feel your best without that whole 10 step routine in the mirror. The thing I don't actually have time for, all I have to do is simply mix the stick into my water and I'm good to go. So if you want to try this because I so believe in this business, I think it's amazing. It's done so many wonders for my skin and my gut, which are two things that I need help with. And you want to simplify your wellness and your beauty, all you have to do is click in the show notes and you can use the code Jacqueline Snyder. So it's my full name. Use the code Jacqueline Snyder and I'm hooking you up with 15% off your order. So cheers to glowing skin and a thriving business. So selling is really helping people see themselves in what you offer, see themselves in a future state that when they own the thing that you have, their dog hair will be cleaned up off the carpet and they will feel confident in their home so that when their mom comes over, she doesn't say something. Right. It means that they will apply skin care to their face because they feel like they will be able to prevent wrinkles and age slower or age more beautifully. It means that they will be able to have a home that smells a certain way, that makes them feel a certain way. So when they're in that house, they feel at home. Right. It's helping people see themselves in this future self. And if you're too afraid to show up or you're worried about being annoying, I don't want to send an email. I don't want to ask them for their email address. I don't want to market to them. I don't want to post on social media. I don't. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Right? If you're too afraid, then your customers will never get the chance of that future self that they so badly desire and want and dream of by using your products. So here's what I've learned. What actually sells is sincerity. What actually sells is belief and alignment. This is what we teach in standout society. We teach about aligning your product with your ideal customer, aligning this brand, and messaging with your ideal customer. So when you show up with energy that says, this product was created with purpose, it's helped people like you. I know it can help you too. Right? It's helped so many people feel a certain way, desire appear a certain way, and people will feel that it's aspirational and it's aligned, my friend. You don't need to be loud. You don't need to be aggressive. You just need to be clear and committed. You just need to be focused and know who you're selling to, what they want, how you can meet them, where they are, how you can build that bridge. You are not bothering anyone. You're showing them what's possible. So what I want to leave you with today is what would shift if you stopped thinking of selling as performance or salesy or sleazy or whatever it is, and you started thinking of it as a practice of service. What would change if you truly believe that someone out there is waiting for what you sell, but they can't say yes until you show up and offer it? Clearly. So many of you in the last week or so have signed up for Standout Society. It is a program that was the very, very, very first program that I launched last year. It's how to stand in a crowded market. You don't need followers. You don't need to be an influencer. We don't need thousands and thousands of people, right? You just need to know how to connect, how to understand that ideal customer, how to connect with them and be in a specific niche. Not to sell everything, but to really hone in and focus on how to create a brand that really deeply resonates. And marketing and messaging, right? It's all this stuff that I see blocking my community, my students, product bosses out there from actually selling and accelerating their sales, right? Because that's the work we do inside of Standout Society. So yay to my new students, right? Sos. Yay to all of you who have just joined. I'll drop a link down below if you're interested in learning more. If you want to join, there's depending on when you're listening to this, there, there's some awesome bonuses that are going out and all the things. But here's what we do in there. We don't just fix your marketing. We fix the way you see your business. We fix the way your customer sees your business. Because when your brand is aligned and your messaging is clear and your product feels deeply connected to your customer's real needs, selling doesn't feel salesy. It feels like a service. It feels like a gift. So if you're ready to step into that version of your business, right, one where you stop hiding and start standing out and finally start selling in a way that feels good, in a way that's aligned, in a way that feels like a gift to your customers. I want to remind you that you're not being pushy, you're being generous. And that matters. All right, my friends, I will see you in the next one. I hope that this resonated deeply with you. Show up and sell. Stand out in those crowded markets. Make the connection, that invisible bridge with your customers between the customers, customers and your product. I'm so excited for what you're going to do and I'll see you in the next episode.