TL;DR: Your marketing feels hard because you’re focused on selling. Instead, dedicate 80% of your effort to giving value and telling your true story. Use the remaining 20% to invite people to the next step. This builds deep trust, making the “sale” feel like a natural, helpful conclusion to a real conversation.
You post. You follow the trends. You use the right hashtags. But when you look at your results, it feels like you’re shouting into an empty room. It’s exhausting, and it rarely leads to the meaningful growth you want for your business.
What if 80% of your marketing wasn’t about selling at all?
What if it was about building something real, something that lasts?
The problem isn’t your work ethic; it’s the model. We’ve been taught that marketing is about being loud. In reality, the most powerful marketing is about building trust. And trust isn’t built with clever ads; it’s built with generosity and honesty.
The Three Jobs of Your Content
Before you write another post or record another video, ask yourself: what job is this content supposed to do? Every single thing you publish should have one of three clear goals. If it doesn’t, you’re wasting your time.
- Generate Leads (Attract): This content is for people who don’t know you yet. Its only job is to be interesting or helpful enough to make someone stop scrolling and pay attention. It’s a friendly wave from across the room.
- Nurture Leads (Build Trust): This is where the magic happens. This content is for the people who have waved back. You build a relationship by sharing your knowledge, your values, and your stories. You’re not selling; you’re showing them who you are and why you care.
- Convert Leads (Invite): Once someone knows you and trusts you, you can invite them to take a step closer. This could be downloading a guide, booking a call, or making a purchase. It’s not a pushy demand; it’s a clear and helpful next step for someone who is ready for it.
The 80/20 Rule of Trust
Here’s where it all comes together. To make this system work, you need to follow the 80/20 Rule of Trust.
Spend 80% of your time and content on Nurturing.
That’s it. The vast majority of your effort should be focused on generously giving value and building that relationship. This is where you teach, inspire, and connect. It’s where you prove you’re here to help, not just to take.
Spend the other 20% on Generating and Converting.
Use the remaining energy to attract new people and gently guide the ones who trust you toward a solution you offer. When you spend most of your time building a foundation of trust, the “ask” feels easy and natural. You’ve already done the hard work.
How to Find Your Best Marketing Asset: Your Story
The fuel for this entire engine is your story. Facts tell, but stories sell because they connect with us on a human level. People might forget what you do, but they will remember why you do it.
Building your Story Inventory isn’t complicated. It’s about taking a quiet moment to remember. Grab a notebook and ask yourself these questions:
- The Origin: Why did I start this business in the first place? What problem made me so frustrated that I decided to solve it myself?
- The Struggle: What was the hardest moment in my journey? A time I almost gave up? What did I learn from it? (Vulnerability builds immense trust).
- The “Aha!” Moment: When did it all click? What was the breakthrough that changed everything for me or a client?
- The Values: What do I stand for, no matter what? If I couldn’t mention my product or service, what would I talk about?
These stories—not your list of features—are your greatest marketing assets. They are what you will use for that 80% of content that builds trust.
Putting It All Together
Your marketing can stop being a source of stress and become a source of connection.
- Build Your Story Inventory: Spend an hour with the questions above. Don’t edit, just write.
- Follow the 80/20 Rule: For every five posts you plan, make four of them about sharing a story, a lesson, or a helpful piece of advice. Let one of them be a clear invitation.
- Assign Every Post a Job: Is this post to attract new eyes, build trust with current ones, or invite action? Knowing the goal makes the creation process clear and simple.
This isn’t a trick or a tactic. It’s a more natural, sustainable, and human way to grow a business. You stop chasing algorithms and start building a community. You stop selling and start serving. And in the end, that is what creates a brand that people not only buy from, but believe in.
Feeling stuck building your brand’s story?
Sometimes you’re too close to your own journey to see the most powerful parts. At UNQA, we help businesses uncover their unique narrative and turn it into a powerful, natural growth strategy.
Let’s have a real conversation.