I feel a shift slowly taking place in the way we market our businesses, which feels exciting to me.
Automated sales funnels, trip wire products, upsells, conversion metrics and of course the old faithful 'free webinar plus the pivot and pitch moment' have been the cornerstones of many marketing plans in recent years.
...but I sense collectively we’re growing tired of these tactics?
Just like 90's cargo trousers and crop tops, things come in waves and there has been a cloud of largely masculine energy dominating marketing in general for many years now.
I’m not just talking about the above tactics or pushy "bro marketing techniques" here. I’m also talking about the cookie cutter approach and the generally upheld view of the ‘best way’ to market your business.
It's no wonder that it feels like everyone is starting to sound the same...
How do you stand out in a world where everyone is doing the same? Not by doing more of the same, that's for sure. Maybe a different approach is called for now...?
It feels that maybe it’s time for a touch of the feminine in our marketing to return to balance?
What might feminine marketing energy look like?
Feminine energy is free flowing, creative, intuitive and not bound by rules in the way of masculine energy, so it might look a bit like...
Harnessing intuition and acting in response
Embracing our humanness in our business
Marketing in a style that feels authentic to you
Celebrating true individuality and self expression
Nourishing the person behind the business
Sound good so far?
You're my kind of person! Let's explore!
Leaning into intuitive marketing
We’re not robots but it feels like we’ve been operating as robots when it comes to automated sales funnels and conversion metrics.
Behind those conversation metrics are real people, with real stories and lives. Real hopes and dreams.
Yes, there is a place for webinars, trip wire offers, lead magnets and all of that (I love a lead magnet!), but maybe it’s also time to lean more into intuition?
To feel into what people need to hear in the moment?
It’s our superpower after all, but we’ve been so intent on setting up processes and systems that sometimes we forget that there are people on the receiving end.
I'd love to see heart-led branding and marketing becoming more of a thing.
Being human and embracing all of your self
Is it a cliche to say ‘you are your niche’?
Probably.
I’ve heard this expression banded around for years and it feels a bit overdone, but I wonder how many people are actually fully embracing this sentiment?
Because fully embracing ‘you are your niche’ means bringing all of the sides of you to the fore. It means dropping the mask of what should be done / said and feeling into what is authentic for you.
And that's really bloody hard.
Easy to say. Not so easy to do.
‘You are your niche’ means being open and vulnerable and human. Most of us aren’t really up for that because we're worried about the consequences.
What might happen if we were...? That's an exciting thought!
Marketing in a style that feels authentic
The more I get to know Human Design and the Gene Keys, the more I believe these systems hold so much goodness when it comes to building and marketing a business based on your individuality and self expression.
I believe they could be the key to bringing more of you into your brand and to understanding what people are looking for from you.
I get that some people (my husband included) can be sceptical about things that might require a leap of faith and trust in something bigger; in my experience some people are just closed off to certain things in life and that's fine.
There’s no changing their view…until they want it changed.
The accuracy of the charts speak for themselves if given a chance.
Now I love a bit of woo, but it has to been substantiated by something and it has to have a practical application.
And this is where Human Design ticks my boxes and gets me really excited, because I can see huge potential here for bringing greatness to your brand if we can only harness this power.
Rest assured I’m not going to be going into the science here, but please know that the roots of these systems lie in quantum physics.
There are so many ways that Human Design & Gene Keys can inform our marketing, but today I want to touch upon the Brand sphere line numbers.
When it comes to marketing style, the Gene Keys identify 6 distinct lines and we each have one of these based on the details of our charts. This informs our marketing style and frequency.
Isn't it interesting to know what people are looking to you for to that you can tailor your marketing approach accordingly?
If you're a Line 1
People are looking to you to showcase yourself as the expert. Your marketing style is with boldness and conviction. When you lead with boldness and conviction people will feel secure and have confidence in you and your business.
If you're a Line 2
People are looking to you for your natural passion and enthusiasm. They want to feel swept up in your dance. Your passion and pure authenticity is what inspires passion in others. People are looking to you for an example of how to be truly and uniquely yourself.
If you're a Line 3
People look to the line 3 for your wisdom. Your life will be a series of trial and errors, of testing and experimenting but there are no such things as failures, only lessons. You see life as a game and it’s important not to be too serious in your marketing message. Your hindsight is what people are drawn to, because this is the foresight for others.
If you're a Line 4
This is all about heart-led branding and marketing and putting the feeling back into business. Line 4’s are here for the joy of being in service to others and they are the natural community builders and networkers. People are looking to you to lead with heart and inspiration through your reflection of personal experiences and vision of how good things could be. This line is about openness and honesty.
If you're a Line 5
People look to your for your inner wisdom and simple, practical solutions to their problems. Your marketing message needs to mirror this so cut out the extra fluff! You are a natural leader with an inherent ability to see the practical answers and to communicate these simply. You need to become adept at listening in order to create the right solutions for the right people. You are aware of feelings, but you don't lead with them.
If you're a Line 6
People are looking to you for your greater vision and role model energy - you are a natural educator and guide by helping people to help themselves out of the trenches rather than by telling them what to do as a Line 5. You have an inner vision of what is best for people in the long term, which is magnetising to people when you share it.
I'm a line 4, which is all about community and voicing stories from the heart. I definitely notice that when I market my business from this place, I generate more engagement and leads
I wonder if you resonate with one of these specifically? It would be interesting to see if it tallies with what your chart says.
You can check by downloading your free Gene Keys profile and heading to the life’s work / brand sphere where it will show you the line number.
You can also find this information from your Human Design chart by looking for top black sphere on the RHS and noting the number which follows the dot (ie. 46.4 means my line number is a 4).
Identifying your prime gifts and working with them
Leaning into the feminine in your marketing means sharing more of your gifts with the world.
The first step in expressing your gifts is obviously identifying them, but the truth is that we can’t always see the woods for the trees when it comes to what we’re great at.
Luckily our prime gifts are right there in our Human Design charts along with the shadow work needed to unlock them, which is a truly beautiful thing for those open to discovering it.
When you can spot your core gifts in a line up, it makes expressing them SO much easier!
These are the natural gifts that make you magnetic to other people, and they might not be what you are currently talking about in your marketing…and I’d say that’s untapped potential right there.
Looking after the person behind the business
I can’t talk about a feminine take on marketing without raising the elephant in the room.
Slaving way until your battery is exhausted may have once been heralded as the epitome of dedication, but it’s swiftly fallen from grace.
If you're going to shine bright, then you need to plug yourself in occassionally, but the speed of life will have us believe that time for ourselves is a luxury.
The pressure to be 'doing' is real and for me it's been one of the corporate hangover habits I've learned to kick, but which has taken a time.
Your business is an extension of you, after all, and a healthy business means you need to look after and nourish yourself first.
Sleep, nutrition, exercise and time for yourself may form the pillars, but Human Design also gives us clues about the individual self care techniques and grounding routines that help us to show up as our best selves for our work and clients.
This differs from person to person and you might be surprised at what comes up!
And that’s the beauty of it. We no longer have to create a cookie cutter business and market it like just everyone else.
How liberating is it to know that we have the freedom to carve out our own niche, lean into our gifts and approach marketing in a way that feels aligned.
And not only that, but in doing so your business should flow with more grace and ease.
Finding the balance
Obviously this is a balance because we also need to implement the structures, processes and marketing foundations required to grow a thriving business.
I have a special interest in how we can practically combine the gentle nuances of Human Design with the basics of great branding (such as clear messaging, a solid visual identity and compelling website) to craft a business that helps us to thrive whilst calling in the right people.
I am totally onboard with this experiment and I’d love to welcome anyone who is open to join me. If you'd like to find out more about any of the above feel free to reach out in the normal channels.
With heart,
Lucy
About Lucy:
I'm a brand designer, photographer and Wix website designer based in the UK. I help wellness & creative businesses build their brand and online presence through photography and web, brand & human design, so that they can create positive ripples in the world.
Sign up to my email list to join my inner circle and for help on creating impact in your brand.