Category: Marketing

Derek Sivers tells the story of two candlemakers.

The first candlemaker proudly says:
“I use the finest wax and the highest-quality wick.
Every candle is crafted to perfection.”
And he sells… a few dozen.

The second candlemaker says”
“I make prayer candles, the kind you light while you’re praying.”
His candles are of lower quality.
But he sells thousands.

Same product category.
Different result.
Why?

Because people don’t buy products.
They buy purpose.

The second candlemaker connected his product to something deeper:
Meaning.
Ritual.
Emotion.
Intention.

While the first focused on features,
the second focused on the story people told themselves while using the candle.

This is the mistake many creators, makers, and entrepreneurs make.

We fall in love with our product.
We polish it, perfect it, add more features…

And then we wonder why no one’s buying.
The truth?

People don’t care how perfect your candle is.
They care what lighting it means to them.

So if your incredible product isn’t selling,
don’t start tweaking the ingredients.

Start asking:
What does my course/offer/product help people do,
become, or believe about themselves?

Because when you understand the job your product is being hired to do…
You’ll stop selling a candle.
And start selling a moment.

How to find your signature offer? I explain it here.

Subscribe to my newsletter.

Write your lead magnet in 5 days.

Eight creators joined me.
We kept it simple, one task a day.

By Day 5, we had finished lead magnets (yes, me too).
Mine is called “How to Turn Your Expertise into Income with a Paid Newsletter.”

And now… it’s doing something magical:
Building my list while I sleep.

You might be thinking:
“I’ve got downloads…
I must be getting sales
Coaching calls.

Here’s the truth:
A lead magnet is not an offer
It’s an invitation.

The lead magnet doesn’t close the sale.
It starts the relationship.

Your lead magnet builds trust.
Your newsletter deepens it.

And the sale?
That happens when you show up—consistently—with real value.

If you want to build a business around your expertise
and not just collect emails,
my newsletter shows you how.

One clear, simple action each week.

Come see what I’m sharing from my own experiments and lessons.
Here is the link.

An idea is what you want to create.
An offer is what someone wants to buy.
Big difference.

Having ideas isn’t the problem.
It’s turning one into something people pay for.

If you’re like most creatives, your notes app is overflowing.
You’ve got book ideas, course ideas, content plans…
But no real offer.
Nothing that’s bringing in income consistently.

A solid offer speaks to a clear outcome.
It solves a specific problem.
It’s easy to say yes to.

Your idea becomes an offer
when you shape it around what they need,
not just what you want to teach.

I teach you how to do that in my newsletter.
Subscribe here.

I learned the third most important marketing lesson from Justin Welsh.

He once wrote:

Promote yourself online every single day.

Somewhere.

Every day.

– Your work
– Your brand
– Your thoughts
– Your products

People will either:

– Love you ( and become your customers)
– Hate you (who cares)
– Join you (will become your network)
– Follow you (will spread your name)
– Ignore you (already are)

Your online footprint is your professional showcase—use it to attract opportunities and connections.

Your daily effort will ripple into a powerful network, boosting your personal brand.

I learned the most important marketing lesson from my daughter when she was just thirteen.

Looking for her first job, she approached the manager of a mobile phone shop in the local shopping center.

They were looking for someone to help them ease the pressure. So the manager invited her for an interview at the coffee shop next door.

Once seated, he handed her a pen and posed a challenge: “Sell me this pen.”

With youthful exuberance, she held the pen, examined it, and met the manager’s gaze.

Instead of diving into a sales pitch, she asked a simple yet profound question: “Are you in the market for a good pen?”

The manager grinned and exclaimed, “You’re hired!”

Even at her tender age, my daughter understood a fundamental principle of sales: you can’t sell something to someone who isn’t looking for it.

It’s a mistake many creators make, pushing products or services without assessing if there’s a genuine need.

Here’s the takeaway:
Identify Your Audience: Instead of casting a wide net, focus on finding people actively seeking what you offer.

Understand Their Needs: Dive deep into what your potential clients aim to achieve. Tailor your pitch to address their specific needs.

Help Them Avoid Common Mistakes: Seek out individuals making common mistakes that your product or service can rectify.

Show them how your product or service: Remember, you’re not just selling; you’re solving problems.

When you align your offering with the genuine needs of your audience, they become more than clients—they become satisfied customer.