No BS Business School

#279: Bro Marketing vs. Ethical Sales: How to Identify and Avoid Harmful Sales Tactics in Your Business

Jan Ditchfield Season 3 Episode 279

Imagine this: You’re trying to sell your amazing service or course, but something feels off. You’re pushing, using all the tactics you’ve seen other successful online businesses use, but deep down, you’re uncomfortable. It feels manipulative, and you’re worried it might be turning off your audience. Sound familiar?

Well, you’re not alone. In today’s episode, we’re diving into the world of bro marketing—a set of tactics that might get you quick sales but could cost you trust and long-term relationships with your audience.

I break down what bro marketing actually is, the four common tactics you need to avoid, and how to replace them with ethical sales strategies that will help you build a sustainable, values-driven business. Trust me, you don’t have to resort to sleazy sales tactics to be successful—you can sell with integrity and still make bank!

In this episode, I walk you through:

  • [03:45]What bro marketing really is and why it’s so common in the online space.
  • [08:15] – The sneaky tactic of false urgency and why it damages customer trust in the long run.
  • [12:30] – How shame-provoking language manipulates people’s insecurities to force a sale (and why you should never use it).
  • [17:05] – The false authority trap: why exaggerating your expertise or credentials is harmful to your business.
  • [22:15] – Marking up payment plans: how this unfair tactic exploits customers needing flexibility—and what you can do instead.
  • [28:40] – How you can shift from bro marketing to ethical sales today and start building trust with your audience.

By the end of this episode, you’ll understand the difference between bro marketing and ethical sales, and more importantly, how to make the shift in your own business so you can build long-term, sustainable success without compromising your values.

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 Ready to learn how to market your business ethically and still make money? Join my Online Marketing Kickstarter Bootcamp, where I’ll teach you how to sell with integrity and build a sustainable, trust-based business. It’s completely free, and we’re going to dive deep into creating offers, sales strategies, and systems that work for you, not against you. Head over to janditchfield.co/bootcamp to sign up today! 


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