When I was in college, every term in the first week we focused on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. I used to joke that if I saw it one more time I was going to quit altogether. What I didn’t realize is how vital it truly is to sales and marketing. 

With all recent events in the news, it became an eye opener to the world and how the world really is. On a smaller scale it was a wake up call to our marketing and how a lot of times we tell people or we create the story that I figured it out, so you can too. 

While I am the girl who only had $200 in her pocket and made my first investment, there is a reason that I was able to. 

The bottom two tiers of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs focus on your basic needs like food, shelter, and enough sleep. 

The first tier is the psychological needs that allow you to be able to move from tier to tier. 

While the second tier is your safer needs like enough money, and resources for your health. 

See, my story focuses on the fact that I had my basic needs met and while I was in the second tier of not having enough money, It would not affect my life. If you don’t know, I live at home with my dad. My shelter or life was not in danger. 

My story is a bootstrap story. It means that I was able to pull myself up by the bootstraps and do it. However, that is not the case for everyone. 

Your marketing and sales must be inclusive because it’s not always possible based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. 

This small but big realization was game-changing in sales. 

Let’s face it, sometimes we all need a little bit of help. As a service provider or business owner, you know the feeling of having just enough but not more in your businesses. While my marketing has a small tone of bootstrap, I recognize how that is not the case for everyone. 

Here is the thing, you are the CEO of your business. You get to make the decision. 

If your marketing and sales focuses on the idea that you could put on boots and pull the straps up, please revisit it. 

In no way am I saying that you need to scrap your brand story, all I am saying is that you can bring other inclusive strategies. I will not be changing my brand story, but I have learned other ways to help women grow their businesses. 

1. Add extended payment options with low entry points 

While this does not mean you take the current cost and split it up, you can add to the cost. This means adding options that allow low entry points for others when they don’t have the upfront investment and utilizing a longer than normal payment plan.

2. Creating free resources that actually create an ROI 

I know this is taboo in this space but stop creating crap freebies. The goal is to uplevel the space as a whole. This creates more women who make six figures. No one wants a freebie that is readily available on google if they look hard enough. 

3.  Scholarships in your programs 

Now, I am not saying to short yourself but when you reach a level where you are not missing the money, do it. You can create your process to allow others to receive your programs and improve their business. It’s not always about the money.