With Shannon Droeske

Ethics and marketing. Sometimes we struggle to reconcile the two especially as we mindlessly scroll.

With the rise of the Internet and the boom of social media as a marketing platform. We are bombarded with messages every single day. These messages and the tactics used to push them can be expertly crafted, and based on psychology to target people in unethical ways, often exploiting vulnerabilities. And I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sit well with me.

Today’s guest Shannon Droeske, has spent nearly 15 years in the marketing industry, she is on a mission to create a more ethical and inclusive online business culture. And she refuses to engage in tired sales and marketing strategies devised by the good old boys, and is committed to cultivating new paths that raise the standard of what it means to do business as usual.

I am so excited to chat about ethical marketing with Shannon today, you have no idea I need a different word because exciting isn’t a good enough word anymore. This topic has swept me off the ground and I could literally talk about it for days.

In this episode, Shannon talks about:

• How she came to be a marketing expert and the types of clients she serves. 2:51
• What it means to be an ethical marketer, using that power for good, and the psychology behind it. 5:48
• The harm of “Bro-marketting”. 10:08
• Emotional decision making and how traditional marketing plays on that vulnerability. 11:26
• Protecting ourselves from harmful marketing and the role of shame. 15:17
• How to sell in a way that’s ethical. 20:09
• Advice for people as they navigate a toxic self-help industry and the marketing that supports it. 23:00
• How to further in understanding marketing and use it for a force of good. 40:21

Take a step back, give yourself a minute, and then connect back to why am I doing this in the first place? Why this product? Why this service? And what’s that ripple effect?

Shannon Droeske

I think we can all remember a time when we’ve individually been suckered by unethical marketing techniques…like that pretty dress impulse purchase that graced my scroll and arrived at my doorstep looking absolutely nothing like it did in the cute video of the tanned model twirling and the return shipping cost as much as the dress so I was stuck with a pile of cheap fabric and a garment that looked like a… I won’t get into that.. .  but, it doesn’t feel good to be on the receiving end of sneaky marketing tactics so why would we use these same techniques in our own businesses?

Our businesses are our greatest tool to create change, and building this change-making machine requires marketing… and that is okay! Ensuring that our marketing efforts are focused on helping people and not just lining pockets will ensure that our message is authentic and truly resonates with people who would buy our products anyway… they just need to know they exist! 

It is a beautiful thing to help another human. I think it is safe to say that, if you are listening to this episode, you have a product or service that you can feel good about marketing to the world because you know it will help someone. And I know you’re here because you care more about that than the money anyway. I mean, we live n a capitalist world, so money is great, but the REAL currency in life is the quality of your relationships, in my humble opinion. I would love to know if you agree.

I really love Shannons advice of defining success for yourself, and not what is showing up on your Instagram feed, curated by people who are trying to define success for you. So, pay attention. When you see a fit body, fancy car, handbag or house, in your scroll, I challenge you to dig a little deeper before you decide this is the true picture of success.

In a world where hussle culture is doing more harm than good, Shannon recommends that we take a step back and re-connect to our why. Don’t lose touch with why you started this business of yours in the first place. And remember, your legacy is not your paycheque.

We might have to continue this conversation in a part two, I could talk quite literally about this topic for days.

Connect with Shannon:

Websites: https://shannondroeske.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannondroeske/

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Click here for the transcribed version of this podcast.