Receptive vs penetrative marketing (there is a gentler, more inward way for sensitive souls to share online)

Something that many women tell me, is that they would be quite happy just offering their service, art, creations etc, if they could just be organically discovered and not have to worry about the whole marketing part. 

Yet I have come to discover that this is often because they relate marketing to a very outward, direct approach that requires them to share their business in a way that feels forced and unnatural to the way that they intrinsically prefer to be.

The female creatives/entrepreneurs who are drawn towards my writings and work are all at various stages of reclaiming their more feminine aspects, essence and modes of expression- a path that is often reflected in a strong misalignment between the masculinised norms of marketing a business, and their desire for a softer, more organic approach. 

If this is something you have felt, you may have noticed the way a lot of overwhelm, self doubt and inaction arises, as you struggle to reconcile how you’d like to share your work with the ways you think you are ‘supposed’ to share your work. 

In much of business (particularly in the online world of marketing), very direct, consistent, penetrative, authoritarian (position yourself as the expert) communication is the norm. There is an underlying philosophy of convincing, converting and gaining the quickest and biggest results.

On the other hand, the women I work with prefer a more receptive, relational and connective mode of communication. They are often sensitive souls who value a soft and quiet life, and feel overwhelmed with marketing platforms that demand they always be ‘on’ and intaking lots of people’s energies, opinions and beliefs. They prefer a mode of communication where they can be in their inward energy more, with a focus on drawing people in and truly connecting with the right people for their work at a pace that feels natural and unforced.

What I have seen though, is that the more penetrative approach is what we are taught to aspire to in the marketing realms. Yet if this approach does not align with the nature of how we prefer to communicate, then it will feel heavy and hard to action. It will mean constantly presenting a forced version of ourselves in order to ‘get ahead’ in the business/entrepreneurial realm- something that is exhausting to the soul and can lead to deep burn out and a reluctance to create and express.

I became gently passionate about this over the course of my own business creation, as I discovered ways to cultivate this more receptive approach. I learnt that instead of forcing myself into this penetrative mode of marketing, I felt naturally inspired when I found ways to share my work that didn’t involve me having to be so direct and outward (and didn’t involve me having to be on social media platforms that were based on a very penetrative, interruptive style of sharing).

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If you are like many of the women drawn to my work, who are seeking out a softer life and business, then a more receptive style of marketing will probably inspire you more- and as a result, encourage you to share your business.

A receptive approach has more of a ‘leaning back’ energy to it, where you are creating the foundations for those who are right for your work to discover and explore your business. It is not about doing nothing, and just waiting for people to find you and for your business to grow, but is instead about finding approaches that work with, not against, your more receptive nature.

This type of marketing not only feels more natural for many of the women I work with, but it also feels safer for those of us who are creating and sharing more soul-led businesses that feel more vulnerable and personal to our hearts. With a more receptive style of marketing, there is a sense of connecting rather than convincing, which feels so much more inspiring to our hearts.

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While the specific marketing approaches you take may vary depending on who you are and what works best for your type of business, the important thing here is to discover ways of sharing your business that actually feel natural and easeful for you to action. rather than thinking that you need to do what the loudest, most outward entrepreneurs/businesses to be successful.

In an online business realm that glorifies direct, penetrative and outward, it’s more than okay to soften into softer, more receptive marketing approaches that feel aligned with who you are. Approaches that allow you to create, express and share authentically and gently, while creating a consistent flow of people who are interested in what you offer through your business. 

(And if you’re interested in learning about how I market my business in a way that feels softened, natural and safe to my nervous system, as well as supporting my desire for very little time online, head here).

Belinda x 

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other posts you may enjoy:

Choosing Not to Sell Your Feminine Soul on Social Media to Grow a Business

Why the feminine does not need to be entirely understood (and letting go of the safety of masculine expression)

Connection vs extraction in business (and how this impacts your results, and your feminine heart)

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