Authentic Marketing for Female Entrepreneurs: Ditch the Ick!

Ditch the Ick: Marketing Your Business as an Act of Genuine Connection

Right, let's have a real chat, shall we? How many of you lovely ladies out there get that slightly icky, squeamish feeling when you think about "marketing"? 🙋‍♀️ There was a time when the mere thought of self-promotion made my stomach churn. I vividly remember trying to create a "professional" Instagram post about my coaching services, only to end up deleting it five times because it felt so forced & inauthentic. I'd spend hours crafting the "perfect" caption, agonizing over every word, & still, it just didn't feel right. It was a classic case of overthinking & ultimately, it just didn't connect. Looking back, I realise I was so caught up in trying to sound like a "marketing expert" that I'd completely lost my own voice. The lesson? Authenticity trumps everything. Always. Especially when you're connecting with other women.

Don't worry, I've totally been there. Picture this: me, attempting a "professional" Facebook Live, desperately trying to explain the power of mindset to my audience, all while my toddler decided it was the perfect moment to stage a dramatic protest against wearing trousers – complete with theatrical sobs & a refusal to budge from the floor. Meanwhile, Espresso, our hyper-energetic Miniature Pinscher, saw the whole thing as an invitation to join the performance, barking excitedly at the "drama" & trying to "rescue" my toddler by licking her tears. Talk about a marketing meltdown! 😂

But what if I told you that promoting your business doesn't have to be some slick, salesy performance? What if it could actually be… enjoyable? A genuine way to connect with the amazing women who need what you offer? Because honestly, that's what it should be.

See, I’ve learned a thing or two over the years (from selling sweets on the playground to navigating the corporate jungle at Apple to now running my own business and tackling a PhD – all while raising four kids, might I add!), & one of the biggest lessons has been this: authenticity trumps everything. Especially when you’re talking to other women.

We can smell inauthenticity from a mile off, can’t we? So why try to be someone you’re not? Forget the pressure to be the perfectly polished "business babe" & let's ditch the icky business promotion tactics. Let's talk about building genuine connections instead.

Beyond the Buzzwords: Why Connection Matters

My PhD research constantly highlights how vital community is for female entrepreneurs. We’re juggling so much - businesses, families, personal growth – it can feel like a lonely road sometimes. & let's be honest, the "hustle harder" culture can be exhausting. Who has time for that when you’re also trying to decipher toddler language and prevent your teenage daughter from turning her bedroom into a biohazard zone?

That’s why genuine connection, not aggressive promotion, is the key. When you focus on building relationships & providing real value, you're not just attracting clients; you're creating a tribe. A supportive network of women who understand your journey & celebrate your wins (because honestly, sometimes a finished cup of tea without a toddler interruption IS a major win!).

Aligning Your Message with Your Values: Marketing from the Heart

Here at Femmeprenista, we talk a lot about the Business Flourish Framework, our holistic approach to building a thriving business and a fulfilling life. This framework is built on five interconnected pillars: FOCUS (Mindset), FLAIR (Marketing), FLOW (Systems), FUEL (Wellbeing), & FUSION (AI Integration). & guess what? Authentic promotion fits right into that. Authentic promotion helps us embody FLAIR, our marketing pillar, because it’s all about expressing your unique brand voice & connecting genuinely with your audience.

Think about it: if your promotion feels forced or misaligned with your personal values, it's going to show. It will drain your energy & feel inauthentic to your ideal client. It feels misaligned to our value of authenticity.

But when your messaging is an extension of your passion & purpose, it flows effortlessly. You’re not selling; you're sharing. You’re not performing; you're connecting.

Here's a quick exercise (because I love a good practical tip): Take a few minutes to reflect on your core values. What truly matters to you in your business & life? How can your outreach reflect those values?

Perhaps you prioritize sustainability, like I do with my family's move towards more conscious consumption. Or maybe you champion diversity & inclusion. Whatever your values, let them be the compass that guides your messaging. &, let’s be honest, it helps you stand out from the crowd. As the saying goes, “People don't buy WHAT you do; they buy WHY you do it.” – Simon Sinek

Femmeprenista Female Entrepreneur Support: Find Your Purpose

Crafting Messaging That Resonates: Attracting Your Tribe

Now for the practical bit. How do you actually craft messaging that connects deeply? Here are a few "Juggler's Shortcuts" (because who has time for complicated strategies?):

• Speak Her Language: Really get inside the head of your ideal client. What are her biggest challenges? Her secret dreams? Her everyday frustrations? Speak directly to those. (For example, I know many of my clients, especially those in the "Foundation Builder" and "Scaling Leader" stages, struggle with the guilt of balancing business & motherhood. So I talk about the “beautiful chaos” I experience in my own life with four kids, & how it's possible to build a successful business without sacrificing your family. It’s about integration, not balance, because let's face it, perfect "balance" is a myth, isn't it?) This insight is informed by my ongoing PhD research, where I'm exploring the unique pressures faced by mother-entrepreneurs. Finding your tribe means speaking their language, using their words, acknowledging their reality.

• Share Your Story: Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. Your journey, your experiences, your lessons learned – they are your superpower. They are what make you relatable & build trust. (Like that time I was presenting a marketing strategy to a potential client on a Google Meet call – remember those?! – & my six-year-old wandered into the frame, completely naked, asking for a snack. Thank goodness for the mute button! 🤦‍♀️) Sharing stories like this, even the slightly embarrassing ones, humanizes you & makes you relatable. It lets your audience know you're not some distant guru, you're right there with them in the messy middle.

• Focus on Value: What problem are you solving for her? How will your offer transform her life? Make that the centerpiece of your message. Rory Sutherland brilliantly says, “Stories are the PDF files of human information.” Share your story & tell a story about your value. What tangible difference will she experience after working with you? Paint a picture of her transformed reality. For example, will she finally be able to take that family vacation she's been dreaming of, without the constant stress of checking emails? Will she have the confidence to finally launch that online course she’s been putting off? Will she feel less overwhelmed & more in control of her business & life? Focus on the feeling, not just the feature. This approach helps address the deeper emotional needs & aspirations driving her desire for change.

How We Work / Business Flourish Framework

Shifting Your Mindset: Overcoming the "Ick"

One of the biggest blocks I see with female entrepreneurs is the fear of being "salesy." We’ve been conditioned to believe that promoting our businesses is pushy & manipulative. Research from Clutch (2023) shows that 85% of women feel uncomfortable with traditional sales tactics. But what if we reframed promotion as an act of service? As a way to empower other women?

This is where the mindset work becomes crucial. If you believe that outreach is about genuine connection, it stops feeling icky. It becomes an extension of your desire to help, to serve, to make a difference. As the talented Adrieen Weriner says, "Objections are not the problem. Your response likely is." I know this firsthand because I used to cringe at the thought of "selling." It felt so inauthentic, like I was pushing something on people they didn't need. But after my MBA, and particularly during my coaching certification (which, by the way, I did while pregnant with my third daughter!), I realised that true "selling" is about understanding what someone needs & offering a solution. It's about empowering them to make a choice that aligns with their goals. It's about building trust, not pushing a product. That shift in perspective, from seeing selling as a pushy transaction to an act of service, changed everything for me. It made my outreach feel authentic, and, honestly, so much more enjoyable.

Here’s a 3-step checklist to help you reframe “selling”:

1. Focus on the Transformation: What positive change will your client experience because of your offer? Visualize her success & let that be your motivation.

2. Lead with Curiosity: Instead of trying to convince, get genuinely curious about her challenges & aspirations. Ask open-ended questions & listen deeply.

3. Offer a Solution, Not a Sales Pitch: If you genuinely believe your offer can help, present it as a solution, not a hard sell. Give her the information she needs to make an informed choice.

If you're a "Visionary Leader" ready to scale your business to seven figures & beyond, our Ascend Executive Coaching program provides the strategic partnership you need. This high-touch, personalized experience focuses on exponential growth, team leadership, & building a lasting legacy. You can find out more, right here: Ascend Executive Coaching.

Ready to Connect?

Building a thriving business based on genuine connection is totally possible, even when you're juggling all the things. I see it happen every day with the women in our Femmeprenista community.

Ready to take a small, smart step towards ditching the icky promotion & embracing the power of authentic connection? Join Femme:Connect Today It’s a space for support, encouragement, & celebrating the beautiful chaos of our entrepreneurial journeys together.

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Carlene Nisbett

Founder & CEO, Femmeprenista (Coach, Mentor, Speaker)

Wife, Mother of four, Business Owner, PhD Researcher, Pet mom, Plant mom, 5'0" tall Passionate Multitasker & Wine Lover, You get the drift

P.S. This workbook is just the beginning!

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