✨ the SPARK 221 ~ When in Doubt, Do Better
When marketing feels like a carnival ride, it's time to get off
You know that moment when you're shopping online, and suddenly you feel like you're being squeezed through a carnival of upsells?
Yeah, let's talk about that.
I recently had this experience while shopping for a simple bracelet (the irony of which you'll appreciate in a moment). It was a $58 piece with the word "enough" engraved on it. It was simple and meaningful—exactly what I was looking for.
Then came the checkout process... 🙄
(Some of you may have read my more in-depth post about this in my other newsletter; bear with me; I’m not repeating it all here).
First, they suggested I spend more to get free shipping (even though the shipping would cost less than the additional spend). Then came the "mystery gift" offer (because apparently, I need to pay extra for a surprise I didn't ask for). But wait, there's more!
They offered a "Fast Pass" (yes, like Disneyland, but for... shipping?), protection for my shipment (isn't that just... shipping?), and—my personal favorite—a "Buy Now, Pay Later" option for a $58 bracelet (no judgment on a buyer who uses this, but the BNPL movement is hurting more people than it’s helping).
The whole experience felt exhausting. And more importantly, it felt unnecessary.
Here's what struck me: This brand took something simple and meaningful – a bracelet with the word "enough" – and surrounded it with messages that screamed "more, More, MORE!"
Can we just... not?
I had a similar smarmy experience this morning with a company selling liquid collagen.
You get a 14-day FREE trial (try before you buy), and you just pay shipping. In reality, this was a “we’ll place a hold on your card,” so you’re essentially buying it, just getting charged two weeks later.
This was after they proudly stated, “No trial sizes here, we ship you the full size!”
And let’s just say OMG with the upsells. I don’t want to click through FIVE upsells before I get to the checkout.
It felt like a bad ClickFunnels webinar where they showed me the “amazing stack” of bonuses that would usually cost over $15k, but today could all be mine for only $2995! I should be so lucky.
*Side note: It’s not surprising that High Level has taken so much of their market share. The last Funnel Hacking Live is happening this week and I’d say the crowd is at least half the size, if not smaller* (from the few pics I’ve seen online).
The Beauty of Doing Better
What if – and hear me out here – we just focused on doing better? Not more complicated, not more aggressive, just... better.
Better looks like:
Treating customers like the intelligent humans they are
Creating genuine value instead of manufacturing urgency
Building trust through consistency rather than manipulation
Offering solutions that actually solve problems
I've been in this space for 17 years, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that the most successful businesses I've seen aren't the ones with the cleverest upsell or the most aggressive tactics. They're the ones who consistently show up, deliver value, solve a real problem, and treat their customers with respect.
It's really that simple.
Think about it: When was the last time you felt genuinely good about making a purchase that came with six different upsells? When was the last time you thought, "Wow, I'm so glad they pressured me into buying that!"?
(And yes, we’re all grown adults making our own buying decisions, but still…)
Yeah, me neither.
A Different Approach
Instead of asking "How can we get people to spend more?" what if we asked:
"How can we make this experience better?"
"What would actually add value here?"
"Would I feel good about selling this to my best friend?"
For that jewelry brand, imagine if instead of all those upsells, they had offered:
A cleaning cloth to keep the bracelet looking new
A gratitude journal to complement the "enough" message
A simple guide to styling minimalist jewelry
See the difference?
These additions would have enhanced the original purchase rather than just trying to extract more money.
The Truth About Better Marketing
Something magical happens when you focus on doing better rather than doing more. You don't just make sales – you make connections. You don't just get customers – you build community.
And the best part?
It's easier than the alternative.
You don't need complex funnels or aggressive tactics.
Is it the fastest way to make a quick buck? Nope. Is it the best way to build a sustainable business? Absolutely.
Because, at the end of the day, good marketing isn't about being clever or pushy. It's about being helpful, being honest, and yes – sometimes just being human.
When in doubt, do better.
It really is that simple. 💫
SPARK Spotlight 🔥
I know Descript isn’t new, but I gave their new AI generator a spin, and it’s got some potential! Use your ChatGPT account to spin up quick videos. You have a few styles to choose from (Whiteboard doodles, 3D, Plasticine, and Watercolor & ink).
Start with a chat—tell the AI what you're thinking; it will generate a script in seconds
Scenes and visuals, with AI narration—all set up for you in minutes
Refine it your way—edit anything and everything, any way you want, in Descript
A Little Brainpower 🧠
YouTube’s built-in video editing and creation feature is getting an upgrade. Imagine it, create it: Veo 2 is coming to YouTube Shorts.
A great perspective from
. “Starting Something New at 62 — Why It’s Never Too Late to Build Something Great.”If you’re interested in Substack but don’t want to charge for a subscription, read
’s “How I Built a Profitable Substack While Keeping My Content Free.”Tool Time 🛠
I’ve had Opus Clip for a while, and it just keeps getting better. Here’s a quick video of their 15 new features!
AI SEO: Turn weeks of SEO work into minutes with the most advanced SEO AI Agent. Try Writesonic AI SEO agent free here.
Forms: Create beautiful form pages in minutes. Perfect for collecting leads, signups, or feedback. Try ezpa.ge free here.
WordPress: Advanced workflow automation - right in WordPress. Get rid of Zapier and do it all on your WordPress site. Check out Bit Flows here.
Audio: Use your voice to write 3x faster in every application: AI commands, auto-edits, 100+ languages. Download Wispr Flow free here.
HAHA… We’ve all been here 😂
So, I *think* my next ‘visual guide’ will be easy.tools.
I shared this tool last week and got a product set up fairly quickly; just need to iron out a few wrinkles.
It’s another ‘all-in-one’ platform (to a certain extent, depending on your business model) if you sell digital products, want affiliates, or even offer courses.
Stay tuned for more on that soon.
Have a wonderful day,
Kim
Oh those upsells and click thrus are SO YESTERDAY! Simple - ez - done. Love what you’re saying here. And can’t wait to try a couple of those tools! You always find the best ones!!
Thank you for the shoutout here!