Episode 468: Are you growing or shrinking your trust bank? – #tashmas Day 7

Quick warning – I’m going to use a word that you don’t all love, but there’s no better word to describe today’s podcast, because… it is so juicy. So so juicy. It’s hot gossip and a bit of a contentious conversation, based on a listener question (they’ve even asked to remain anonymous because it’s so juicy). So my apologies to everyone out there who doesn’t like it when I use the word juicy because that’s the only way I know how to describe this conversation today!

We are talking about the trust bank that you build as an online business owner, and some of the strategies that put your audience’s trust in you at risk. And because it’s Day 7 of #Tashmas, there’s also a gift!

Wait… What is #Tashmas?

I do it for both my birthday (1-12 March) and pre-Christmas (1-12 December) every year! Every day from now until my birthday on 12th March, there will be a new daily podcast episode, with a hot tip or practical strategy as per usual… but you ALSO get a gift! I love sharing the birthday vibes, and what better way to do that?! The daily gift could be a freebie, a special offer, a competition… but there will be something for YOU every single day.

Today’s gift is a super-special discount on one of my favourite self-study courses.

Let’s dive in!!!

EPISODE 468: Listen using the player below, or click the links to your fave platform to subscribe and listen over there:

Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on SpotifListen on YouTube

Origin story – Listener question

Today’s episode comes from a listener question. They’ve asked to remain anonymous, as it will become clear once I dive into their questions. This was in response to a Facebook live I did last year about agitation and admiration marketing. I also included it in my regular newsletter in the CEO spot for a couple of weeks, where I talked about fear-based and admiration-agitation marketing strategies and why they weren’t a consent-based practice. I explained the impact these strategies can have on your audience.

If you missed all of that, I won’t go into detail about what agitation and admiration marketing are and all the risks and benefits. There’s another #Tashmas episode of the podcast coming out soon that dives specifically into admiration and agitation marketing in more depth, so keep an eye out for that.

Admiration and Agitation Marketing

Just so we’re on the same page, in a nutshell, admiration and agitation marketing is built on two core principles in your content.

Admiration: You might share your results, lavish lifestyle, perfect relationship, or amazing photo shoots in designer clothing. It’s all set up so that you’re positioning yourself as one of the “haves”, someone who has it all figured out and this amazing lifestyle that everyone should admire and wish they had as well.

Agitation: You’re pointing out how painful life is without having things figured out like you do. You’re agitating their current feelings, really dialling up their pain points. We’re not just talking about speaking to people’s pain; we’re talking about really agitating their pain and making it feel like it’s going to be like that forever, or it’ll only get worse if they don’t buy from you.

The question: Isn’t it worth it?

Our brave and plucky listener who I’ve already replied to and praised for their honesty and vulnerability in asking this question, contacted me after my previous content about admiration and agitation marketing. They said, “Look, Tash, I understand what you’re saying, but I’m desperate to make money right now. Even though I can see that for people who don’t buy from me, I’m making them feel less comfortable by agitating their pain points, isn’t it worth doing it for a little bit to make sales?”

Basically, if you can’t beat them, why not join them?

I’ve built a lot of trust with my audience

Not only did the lovely listener talk about their own marketing, they posited that I had enough trust to ‘get away with it’ as well. The listener said that given I’ve been in recovery from my surgery in 2021 and dealing with chronic illness, my audience would forgive me if I resorted to these tactics for a short term. They said, “We’ll forgive you. Don’t you think it’s worth it to use some of these for a short-term gain? 95% of us would forgive you, Tash.”

I have to admit, this email brought up a few things for me. First, it was very ego-boosting to feel my audience trusts me and appreciates the content I share. But, there’s a conversation my partner Davey, and I have actually had before. He said that in three months, using all these dodgy tactics, we could make millions and disappear to live a beautiful life off the grid.

Time to be honest: I’ve felt the same way at times

Yes, I agree that I could get away with it. But, I choose not to engage in that style of marketing because of the trust bank. The trust bank works like a regular bank account. You make deposits and withdrawals. Creating helpful content, being of service, and being reliable can build the trust your audience has with you. But some actions take away from the trust bank, like constant promos or promoting someone untrustworthy.

Sometimes, sharing a specific offer adds to people’s trust because it demonstrates your work and processes. Creating content isn’t always adding to the trust bank. Watching a webinar that didn’t deliver on its promises can erode trust. I found myself sitting through a long-winded sales pitch that didn’t deliver what I’d been promised. It was such a big withdrawal from the trust bank that it’s closed. I’ll never spend a cent with them.

I’ve been building my trust bank since 2013

In June 2025, I will have been in business for twelve years. You don’t achieve such longevity and momentum by taking short-term approaches. I could use admiration and agitation messaging to generate a huge spike in income. But it would come at a cost to me and my business, not just my audience. Thankfully, I’m in a position where I can afford not to resort to trickery because my business income is consistent, still recovering, but growing.

I acknowledge that you’re not alone if you sometimes have thoughts about doing the dodgy. But for me, the impact on my audience and using agitation in marketing isn’t worth it. It’s like how keyboard warriors can be cruel online but wouldn’t dare say such things in person.

Think about the in-person equivalent

Would I speak to someone this way if I saw their pain being agitated in real life? That’s not who I want to be. Instead, I aim to grow the trust bank, focusing on long-term sustainability and looking after my audience.

There’s long-term benefit to growing your trust bank

I also know that my consistent growth in sales, audience, podcast listenership, and leads is because I don’t resort to short-term, coercive tactics. Consent-based sales mean I have lower unsubscribe rates and refund rates than industry peers. Some brag about webinar conversion rates, but they are far lower than mine. A popular program that teaches launch strategy tells students to expect up to 25% unsubscribe rates during their launches, while mine is minuscule in comparison at under 1%.

With lower churn, I build long-term relationships with people, have higher conversion rates in launches, and lose fewer people from my audience. My overall spend on growth is lower. Consent-based practices are not just good for values alignment but better for my business.

It’s better for everyone, including me

Ultimately, I make more money than if I used churn-and-burn strategies. That might not be true in a short period, but it’s definitely true long-term. I haven’t had a million-dollar turnover year, but I don’t believe it’s due to choosing consent-based marketing. There are many factors involved, like not consistently investing in mailing list growth due to interruptions.

My business, my values, my motivation

My business is recovering from my health challenges and disruptions, but because of my trust bank being so strong, it has paid its way, paid my team and myself. I am so grateful that I prioritised trust, because my business has sustained itself over this time, and I think it has a LOT to do with trust.

I chose to prioritise my values, ensuring long-term sustainability and trust using consent-based marketing. It energizes me more than it drains me.

Your #Tashmas Gift

If you value consent-based approaches and want to build skills to sell using consent-based marketing, I would recommend my online course: Skyrocket Sales. It’s a six-module self-study program. It walks you through sales processes, consent-based sales, and buyer psychology to skyrocket sales.

And you can get it for just $50 by using coupon code: TASHMAS  (coupon valid to 12th March 2025) at link: tashcorbin.com/skyrocket

Until next time, I cannot WAIT to see you SHINE.