Why I Trust People to Find Me Instead of Hooking Them In

This is part 5 of my 8-part Projector business experiment series where I’m ditching strategies that drain me and rebuilding around my Mental Projector design.

The Problem with “Hook” Marketing Strategies

For years, I believed the marketing gospel: craft the perfect headline, create irresistible offers, leverage urgency and scarcity. Every marketing mentor preached the same message—hook people in at all costs.

But what actually happened when I tried those tactics: they felt fake. Instead of calling people forward authentically, I was tugging at them desperately. Rather than being recognized for my expertise, I was begging for attention.

As a Mental Projector, I know the difference between recognition and attention.

The “Ethical Marketing” Myth: Still Manipulation in Disguise

Many marketing mentors claim they’ve moved beyond “bro marketing,” yet they still employ fundamentally manipulative tactics:

Instagram Growth Tactics That Miss the Mark

• The 1-second hook rule: Capturing attention through trickery rather than genuine resonance
• Buyer psychology manipulation: Using specific sentences to trigger different personality types
• Seduction-based selling: Leading people into offers through emotional manipulation rather than authentic connection

The Real Cost of Manipulation Marketing

When you manipulate people into buying, you create:

• Unsatisfied customers who don’t get real results
• High churn rates requiring constant re-manipulation
• Burnout for business owners who feel inauthentic

My Pregnancy Research Revelation: How People Actually Buy

When I was pregnant and searching for the right midwife and practitioners, something important happened. I ignored social media completely. Instead, I:

• Conducted thorough internet research
• Read practitioners’ content deeply
• Evaluated their approaches carefully
• Made decisions based on genuine fit, not flashy marketing

The practitioners I loved most? I found them through research & recommendation, not hooks.

This experience taught me a crucial lesson: When people truly care about solving a problem, they research deeply. They don’t need manipulation—they need authenticity.

Authentic Activation vs. Manipulation: The Key Difference

Manipulation Marketing	Authentic Activation
Pulls people out of themselves	Draws people deeper into their truth
Targets all potential buyers	Attracts ideal clients naturally
Uses psychological tricks	Embodies natural archetypes
Creates dependency	Builds genuine connection

My Authentic Copywriting Process (And Why It Works Better)

Forget the rule “it’s not about you, it’s about them.” Authentic marketing is absolutely about you—and that’s exactly why it works.

My Content Creation Method:

1. Follow energy: I write when ideas genuinely energize me
2. Speak authentically: Using my natural voice, not manufactured personas (Human Design and my Identity First Branding & Marketing helped me huge with this)
3. Go deep: Headlines answer real questions and explore topics thoroughly
4. Enjoy storytelling: Sharing what I genuinely believe in
5. Solve real problems: Combining alignment with practical value

Important Reality Check

I don’t subscribe to “just be aligned and money flows effortlessly” thinking. Authentic marketing still requires:

• Offers people actually want to buy
• Solutions to real problems
• Strategic consistency
• Professional expertise

Building a Trust-Based Business: What It Actually Looks Like

Daily Practices:

• No panic posting: Trusting consistency over frequency
• Long-term SEO focus: Building authority through valuable content
• Pinterest optimization: Creating discoverable resources (yes, mine needs work!)
• Confidence building: Maintaining strategy even without immediate results

The 3-Month Rule

SEO and authentic marketing often work like this: months of consistent effort, then sudden business growth. It requires faith in the process.

Why This Approach Works Perfectly for Projectors

Social Media vs. Search Intent

• Social platforms: Built for entertainment, fighting for scattered attention
• Search behavior: People actively seeking solutions with clear intent
• Authority recognition: Instant credibility through valuable content

Recognition vs. Attention: The Projector Advantage

We’re not here to prove anything. We’re here to:

• Be our authentic selves
• Leave discoverable traces of our expertise
• Allow the right people to find and invite us in
• Build businesses that feel sacred, not performative

Real-World Results: Client Success Stories from Authentic Marketing

The most satisfying client relationships I’ve built share common characteristics that validate the trust-based approach:

How My Best Clients Find Me

Through Organic Research: These clients discovered my content while actively seeking solutions to specific problems. They weren’t scrolled past my content—they deliberately searched for expertise.

With Immediate Recognition: They felt instant resonance with my approach and messaging. No convincing or persuasion was required because alignment already existed.

Ready to Invest: They contacted me prepared to work together, having already made mental commitments based on my content and approach.

Seeking Mirroring, Not Manipulation: These clients wanted their existing wisdom reflected and expanded, not their minds changed through psychological tactics.

The Compound Effect of Authentic Marketing

This trust-based approach creates business momentum that manipulation cannot match:

• Higher client satisfaction because expectations align with reality
• Stronger referral networks built on genuine success stories
• Reduced sales cycle length with pre-qualified, ready prospects
• Increased business sustainability through relationship-based growth

The clients who found me organically became my most successful partnerships because they chose me for the right reasons.

Your Next Steps: Moving from Hooks to Trust

Ready to try authentic activation instead of manipulation? Here’s how to start:

Immediate Actions:

1. Audit your current marketing: Identify tactics that feel inauthentic
2. Focus on your natural voice: Write from genuine energy and interest (and if you don’t know what that is anymore, let me help you remember that again)
3. Create valuable, searchable content: Help people find you through research
4. Build for recognition: Attract people who already resonate with your message

Coming Soon: Authentic Business Mini-Courses

I’m developing practical resources to help you build authentically, you can keep an eye on them over here:

• “How to Be Authentic in Your Business and Still Be Successful” ($55-ish)
• “How to Build an Authentic Brand (and Stop Feeling Fake)” ($55-ish)

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Join the Conversation

What marketing tactic have you tried that felt manipulative? I’d love to hear about your journey toward authentic business practices in the comments below.

This approach isn’t just about marketing—it’s about building a business that honors who you are while serving the people who need you most.

Ready to ditch the hooks and build on trust? Your ideal clients are already looking for you.