🌧️ The Umbrella Story: Why Sharing Your Offer Is the Most Loving Thing You Can Do
Mar 17, 2025“Marketing is helping. You’re not bothering them. You don’t need to change who you are—you just need to show up with service, generosity, and trust.”
— James Marland
Let’s get honest.
Most therapists, coaches, and helpers I meet don’t hate marketing because it’s hard—they hate it because it feels gross.
They’ve seen it done wrong:
- Pushy tactics.
- Flashy promises.
- Manipulative scarcity.
And because they never want to become that person, they quietly hold back—even when they know they have something good to offer.
But what if we’ve been looking at marketing all wrong?
What if marketing, done right, is one of the most generous things you can do?
☂️ The Umbrella in the Rain
Imagine this:
You’re standing outside during a rainstorm. You’ve got an umbrella. You’re dry.
Next to you is someone drenched to the bone. No umbrella. No shelter.
Now picture this: you turn to them, lift your umbrella slightly, and say,
“Hey, you don’t have to stay soaked. There’s room under here.”
That’s not sales.
That’s service.
That’s what real marketing looks like when it comes from the heart.
✋ Why We Stay Quiet
If you’re like many mission-driven people I work with, this is what’s going on inside:
- “I don’t want to bother anyone.”
- “I don’t want to sound salesy.”
- “What if no one wants what I offer?”
So you pull back.
You “wait until it’s perfect.”
You keep your umbrella closed—while people around you stay in the storm.
I get it. I’ve done it too.
But here's the truth that changed everything for me:
You’re not forcing anything. You’re inviting people into shelter.
💡 Marketing = Invitation, Not Interruption
You don’t have to convince people.
You don’t have to chase them.
You just have to let them know you're here, and that what you’ve built could help.
That’s it.
Think of your blog post, your podcast, your lead magnet, your course—not as a product to push, but as a doorway into hope.
You’re not adding noise.
You’re offering clarity.
You’re not making a pitch.
You’re making a path.
🔄 A Gentle Reframe
Instead of asking,
“How do I get people to buy?”
Try asking,
“How can I serve the people who are looking for me?”
Because here’s what I believe with my whole heart:
There are people out there who need what you offer.
And they need it in your voice.
With your story.
In the way only you can say it.
But they can’t find you if you stay silent.
✨ What to Do Now
- Think of one small thing you could offer to help someone take the next step—maybe a tip, a story, a free worksheet, or a podcast episode.
- Share it. In your way, with your voice. No pressure, just presence.
- Remember: If someone doesn’t need it, they’ll scroll on. But if they do need it—you just gave them shelter in a storm.
That’s not selfish. That’s love in motion.
👂 Want More?
This is the kind of stuff I talk about on my podcast. Genuine, honest reflections on building online courses, email lists, and a mission that matters—without becoming someone you’re not.
If this resonates with you, take the next step:
- Listen to the Podcast Episode STP #107: Learn to Love Marketing: 3 Reframes to Make Selling Feel Less Gross
- Start telling people who you help and why.
- Get clarity on what you can do to help by Downloading my free guide: 15 Ways to Package Your Experience Into A Coaching Product.
Whatever you do, don’t stay stuck in the storm.
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