These Marketing Secrets Can Explode Your Business Income and Make Your New Year the Best Ever!

Welcome to LifeByDesign360’s Thoroughly Business Thursday. This is the show for people who are done living at the mercy of employers, industries, algorithms, or corporate decision-makers they’ve never met. 

It’s for people who have been laid off… People who feel uneasy about where their job is headed…
Or people who are simply done trading time for money and want to build an income—and a life—by design. 

Today, I’m going to give you the truth about marketing. Getting the word out – and bringing the money in – fast! 

Not fluffy marketing.
Not “brand awareness.”
Not chasing likes, followers, or vanity metrics. 

We’re talking No BS marketing—the kind that actually brings in leads, clients, and income. 

 

This is Doug Reed, your host and here’s the truth most people never tell you and quite honestly, something I didn’t learn until later in my business career: 

You can have the best skills in the world…
You can be incredibly smart, ethical, and capable…
But if your marketing is broken—or unfocused—you will struggle. 

So today, I want to walk you through: 

• Why most marketing fails 

• Why big-company branding is a trap 

• What actually works for real people with new or small businesses 

• How to use Borrowed Influence to accelerate trust and authority 

• Plus: exactly what to do this week to move forward 

 

At the end of today’s podcast, I’m going to show you how to get your FREE, 9 Point Reinvention Kickoff Blueprint. This guide which is only available this January is designed to help you create a blueprint to a business you love with reliable monthly income and the fastest path possible to retirement and real financial freedom. 

That my friends, is what we’re all about here at LifeByDesign360. Low stress and a happy life you can be build that gives you, your family and others you care about the peace of mind to live life the way you truly want. 

And today’s secrets on marketing is the powerful starting point of everything, so let’s dive in. 

 

 WHY MOST MARKETING FAILS

Even the best marketing strategies fall flat when there’s no clarity. 

Most people aren’t failing because they’re lazy.
They’re failing because they’re unfocused—or following advice that was never meant for someone at their stage. 

Let’s walk through the biggest mistakes. 

 

Mistake #1: Being Too Broad 

Trying to appeal to everyone usually means connecting with no one. 

When your message is vague, people can’t see themselves in it.
And if they can’t see themselves in it, they won’t act on it. 

Life by Design is not about mass marketing.
It’s about meaningful alignment. 

Specific people.
Specific problems.
Specific outcomes. 

Clarity creates confidence—and confidence attracts opportunity. 

 

Mistake #2: No Clear Call-to-Action 

This one is deadly—and it’s subtle. 

People talk about what they do, but they don’t tell people what to do next. 

Marketing without a call-to-action is like giving directions but never telling someone where to turn. 

Every message should answer:  “What’s the next step?” 

One step.
One direction.
One decision. 

Leadership is clarity. 

 

Mistake #3: Expecting Perfection Instead of Progress 

Marketing is not a one-shot deal. 

It’s a system.
A feedback loop.
A process of refinement. 

The people who succeed aren’t the ones who get it right immediately.
They’re the ones who keep adjusting instead of quitting. 

Life by Design is built through iteration—not intimidation. 

 

WHY “BRANDING” IS A TRAP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 

Let’s clear something up—because this trips up a lot of people coming out of corporate life. 

Branding, as big companies do it, is poison for small businesses. 

Big companies can afford to spend millions on awareness.
They already have trust, distribution, and dominance. 

You don’t need people to remember you someday.
You need people to trust you now. 

Branding focuses on: 

• Feelings 

• Impressions 

• Recognition 

Direct response focuses on: 

• Action 

• Measurement 

• Relationships 

And this is where most people miss a massive opportunity—because they think authority comes from visibility. 

It doesn’t. 

Authority comes from association. 

 

BORROWED INFLUENCE — THE FASTEST PATH TO AUTHORITY

Now let’s talk about one of the most powerful—and underused—marketing accelerators: 

Borrowed Influence 

Borrowed Influence means you don’t try to build credibility alone. 

You borrow trust from people, platforms, and organizations that already have it. 

This is how you shortcut skepticism. 

Because here’s how people actually make decisions: 

“If someone I already trust trusts you… then I’ll trust you too.” 

That’s human nature. 

 

Technique #1: Be Referable, Not Just Good 

Most people say, “I just want referrals.” 

But referrals don’t come from being good.
They come from being clear. 

People refer you when they can easily explain: 

• Who you help 

• What problem you solve 

• Who you are not for 

If someone struggles to describe what you do, you’re not referable yet. 

LifeByDesign360 teaches this intentionally:
If you can’t say it in one sentence, you can’t scale it. 

 

Technique #2: Align with Adjacent Experts 

You don’t need competitors—you need collaborators. 

Think about people who already serve your ideal audience before or after you do: 

• Coaches 

• Advisors 

• Accountants 

• Therapists 

• HR professionals 

• Community leaders 

When you align with them: 

• You borrow their credibility 

• You gain warm introductions 

• You avoid cold marketing entirely 

This is leverage, not hustle. 

 

Technique #3: Borrow Platforms Before You Build Them 

Most people think, “I need a big audience.” 

No—you need access to someone else’s audience. 

Borrow platforms by: 

• Guesting on podcasts 

• Speaking in communities 

• Teaching workshops 

• Being featured in newsletters 

• Co-hosting events 

You don’t need millions of followers.
You need relevant rooms. 

 

Technique #4: Use Affiliation Language Intentionally 

Words matter. 

When you say: 

• “I work with…” 

• “I collaborate with…” 

• “I’m referred by…” 

• “I’m affiliated with…” 

You’re signaling trust before you ever pitch. 

This is not exaggeration.
This is ethical positioning. 

Authority is often contextual, not absolute. 

 

Technique #5: Become a Connector 

One of the fastest ways to gain influence is to give it away. 

When you connect people to: 

• Opportunities 

• Resources 

• Introductions 

You become a hub. 

And hubs are powerful. 

People don’t forget the person who helped them move forward—without asking for anything in return. 

This is Life by Design leadership in action. 

 

WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS — DIRECT RESPONSE + BORROWED TRUST

The real magic happens when you combine: 

• Direct response marketing and clarity 

• With borrowed influence credibility 

Now your message doesn’t feel risky.
It feels safe. 

People don’t ask:
“Is this real?” 

They ask:
“How do I get started?” 

That’s momentum. 

 

ACTION STEPS — WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK

Step 1: Clarify Your Referable Sentence 

Write one sentence that explains: 

• Who you help 

• What problem you solve 

• The outcome you create 

If someone can repeat it—you win. 

 

Step 2: Identify 5 Borrowed Influence Targets 

Make a list of: 

• People 

• Groups 

• Communities 

• Organizations 

Where trust already exists. 

Your goal is alignment, not permission. 

 

Step 3: Build One Simple Collaboration 

One guest appearance.
One referral partner.
One co-created resource. 

You don’t need ten.
You need one intentional step forward. 

 

Here’s the big takeaway: 

You don’t need to be famous.
You don’t need to be perfect.
You don’t need to do this alone. 

Your Life by Design is built faster when trust is shared. 

Borrow influence.
Build relationships.
Lead with clarity. 

 

If today’s episode helped you see marketing differently, subscribe, leave a review, and share this with someone who’s ready to stop grinding—and start designing. 

Just like I promised – Here is how to get your Free 9 Point Reinvention Blueprint for January: 

This guide will help you: 

Completely and totally eliminate stress, anger and the volatility of a job loss and financial uncertainty. 

Create the fastest Blueprint possible to get the job you need now and build a bridge to an income you can’t ever get fired from with a business that gives you reliable monthly income that grows to whatever amount you choose. 

 

It will also help you integrate the plan for retirement into your business so you can enjoy real financial freedom and peace of mind faster and better so you can  take care of yourself and your family and be able to live life on your terms, not somebody else’s.  

It’s the best way to create and enjoy lasting financial freedom in the fastest and securest way possible based on your personal situation. 

 

Go to: go.lifebydesign360.com/9-point 

 

This is your year to rise! 

Hurry, because at the end of January, this guide free goes away.  

Again that’s:  go.lifebydesign360.com/9-point, now so you can fast track your comeback story. 

Tomorrow, I’m going to share with you stories of others that actually did it. Started small, created awesome businesses and are now financially free. You don’t want to miss it. 

Until next time—
Build intentionally.
Lead boldly.
 

And design a life you can’t get fired from. This is Doug Reed signing off for today. I’ll see you tomorrow.