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Episode at a glance:
[01:37] Paul and Melissa share what's been consistent across all their successful businesses, and spoiler alert: it's not the latest marketing hack or trend. It's about genuine connection and meeting people where they're at.
"One of the things that we say inside of our own coaching program is we like to go deeper with fewer people. So we really like to get to know people. We like to get to know what's going on in their business, but also like, what's going on in their life, and helping them really build a business that makes sense for them, because one business for one person is going to look totally different depending on their life circumstances."
[04:21] While everyone's chasing AI automation and massive follower counts, Paul and Melissa are doing the opposite - and it's working beautifully. They explain why consumers want human connection, but business owners keep trying to avoid it.
"We're in a world now that AI is taking over. Everybody's trying to figure out how to game the social media. Everybody's seeking, you know, how many followers can I get? How many views can I get? How many subscribers can I get? But the interesting thing is: the trust economy is eroding. As a consumer, we don't want to talk to AI. We as a consumer, we don't want to be feeling like a number. But then, as a producer, like us, being business owners, we want the convenient, the high volume method."
[08:11] Paul and Melissa break down exactly what attracts freebie seekers versus buyers, and how your messaging is either calling in one or the other. Hint: it starts way before your summit even begins.
"If you look at your marketing, look at your messaging, whether it's organic social, paid, ads, emails, whatever you're doing, if your messaging is around more and more free stuff, you will attract freebie seekers. It's just how it is. If your messaging is around quality over quantity, if your messaging is around transformation, true transformation, going deeper with the resources and the things that you have, you will attract buyers."
[15:33] The reason that people feel uncomfortable selling during their summits has nothing to do with what most people think. Paul dives deep into the real reason, and explains why selling is actually an act of service, not taking.
"A lot of times, people will get on a summit, they'll get on a challenge or webinar, and they see the teaching part as the serving part, as the sharing part. And then there's this mental shift that happens that they think like, oh, now I'm taking from everybody the moment that I present my offer. And we have to understand is that sales is actually a process, not a point in time. The entire summit, the entire launch, the entire webinar, even when you believe you are teaching, you're actually selling in that moment."
[27:40] The way you deliver your offer matters just as much (if not more) than what you actually say. If you've ever rushed through a pitch or changed your tone when it's time to sell, this will transform how you think about making offers!
"When you make the offer, your pacing should be the exact same as it was when you were teaching. Your voice quality should be the exact same as when you're presenting the teaching parts of your summit. If it shifts at all, that's something that we have to change internally, because by being a better communicator, and by being more confident and comfortable pitching and talking about your offer, you'll have more people that will say yes."
[30:19] Finally, we end by talking about what actually creates transformation and why not making a strong offer is actually hurting your audience, not helping them. This reframe may completely shift how you think about selling during summits.
"If you believe in that one hour webinar that you actually are going to change somebody's life, or during that five day challenge, or that three day summit, that their life is truly going to be changed inside of that little, tiny moment, you just did all of those people a disservice. By not doing the selling part properly, and not leaning in and actually giving your offer enough breath for you to actually present it fully with normal pacing, you just did all of those people a disservice. But when you do show up fully for the pitch and tell them about your offer, you are serving them so much better."
About Paul & Melissa Pruitt
Paul and Melissa Pruitt are the husband-and-wife team behind the Adaptive Marketing Program and co-hosts of the Online Marketing Podcast and Memberships Mastermind Podcast. They help online entrepreneurs sell their offers using real-world business experience, smart marketing, and a deep understanding of human behavior. Whether on stage, Zoom, or in masterminds, they’re all about mixing strategy with heart to help people grow businesses they actually love.
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