Episode 474: What is consent-based marketing?

When Marketing Crosses the Line

Thinking about the types of marketing and sales activities that aren’t consent-based, I want to give you a few examples. If you’ve ever received unsolicited promotional emails, direct messages, or texts without explicitly giving permission—that’s not consent-based. Maybe someone’s added you as a friend on social media pretending to be interested in your business, but quickly changes tack to try to get you to buy from them. Someone may send you a message about “loving your business” or asking how things are going, but you soon realise they’re just fishing for whether you might be a fit for their offer or simply go in for the hard sell.

A final example is that you may have signed up for a freebie, giving permission to receive emails occasionally, but then found yourself flooded with messages.

Coercion-based marketing is on the rise

I’ve definitely noticed this more in the last 18 months: you sign up for a free webinar, and end up with 16 emails before it’s even happened. Or you attend a webinar and, at the end, if you don’t buy the offer or upsell, you leave feeling panicked about your business, or sad and hopeless because you can’t invest at that time. Maybe you’ve felt pressured or made to feel wrong for wanting to ask questions or needing to think about an investment.

Once, I was pitched a $25,000 year-long mastermind. When I said I needed to talk to my partner, I was made to feel less than—told, “I thought you were a financially independent, empowered business owner.” I never said I needed permission—just that I wanted to discuss it. I didn’t end up buying, because I was being pressured and made to feel that way for not saying “yes” right away.

You might not even realise

But perhaps you’ve bought something you were excited about at the time, but later wondered why you purchased it at all. Buyer’s remorse sets in and you’re not 100% sure what you were even THINKING buying this thing… you end up blaming yourself for being too frivolous with your spending. Has that happened to you?

Persuasion is still taught as ‘how it’s done’

I’m willing to bet that you haven’t just been sold to this way, you’ve also been told to do these things to others—being told to email cold contacts, friend-request strangers, DM people who like your posts, send very frequent emails, and not give away too much for free in your webinars lest people won’t buy from you. You might have been told you must “close the sale” on the call, or that a “no” or an objection is just one step closer to a yes if you use the right script or strategies.

It’s a total turn-off

With these kinds of strategies still taught as the norm, it’s no wonder that heart-centred entrepreneurs shy away from the marketing and sales side of business. When I ask people about sales skills or strategies, most say things like, “I just want my work to speak for itself,” or “I don’t like doing the hard selling,” or “I just focus on creating good content.” For many heart-centred, soul-driven entrepreneurs, that means making fewer sales, not building up sales skills, and ultimately leaving the biggest successes to those who use manipulation, coercion, or trickery.

For so many of us, these methods feel misaligned. We start holding back on marketing altogether, or we just create great content and hope for the best. What ends up happening? The people using manipulation fill the online business space. Not great.

These feelings and experiences are a big reason why I’m so passionate about talking openly about consent-based marketing.

The Magic of Consent-Based Marketing

So what actually is consent-based marketing, and why is it a game-changer?

Consent-based marketing isn’t just about ticking legal boxes, though that’s important. It’s about considering the impact of your marketing and sales strategies on your audience, not just your intent. It means asking for permission every step of the way, being transparent about what’s coming, and taking responsibility for the impact you might have—even (and especially!) on people who don’t buy from you.

In the current online climate, audiences are more alert than ever to coercion and manipulation. They unsubscribe quickly, or just check out mentally. But when you build a marketing strategy based on consent, you actually get higher conversion rates, more engaged email readers and webinar attendees, and less churn. Instead of endlessly needing to grow your audience, you build real, long-term relationships with people who trust you.

The Four Layers of Consent-Based Marketing

So how do you actually do it? I break it down into four core layers:

1. Legal Compliance

Of course, you need to be legally compliant: following anti-spam and privacy laws when collecting or using someone’s information. This is the bare minimum, not the gold standard.

2. Seeking Permission

Go beyond the basics. Ask for permission at every step, and don’t assume someone wants more just because they gave you their details once. For example, if someone asks for a resource, say, “Is it okay if I email this to you?” Or before sending a DM, “Would you like me to send that info here?” Same with hopping on a call—always ask, always get the yes.

Here’s the thing: Lots of coercion-based marketing is built on the fear that if you were upfront (for example, by saying, “This webinar will end with a sales pitch”), no one would stick around. If that’s the case, shouldn’t we work on building more value into the webinar instead of tricking people into staying?

3. Transparency

Don’t just hope people know what’s happening—tell them directly. At the start of a webinar, I always lay out, “Here’s what we’re covering—A, B, and C. At the end, I’ll share details of my Take Off program—if you don’t want to hear about it, you can leave before the pitch. You won’t miss out on any of the juicy content; I’ll have finished the workshop by then.”

Doesn’t that risk everyone leaving? Maybe! But if they do, maybe I haven’t made a case for the program—or maybe it’s not the right fit. I’d rather know the truth than pressure someone into something misaligned.

4. Responsibility

This is the most nuanced (and, honestly, revolutionary) bit. It’s not enough to just follow the rules or mean well. Take responsibility for the impact of your words, offers, and strategies—even if you didn’t mean to cause harm. When someone points out language that’s ableist, I own it: apologize, update my knowledge, and change my behaviour. If a webinar might cause someone to feel hopeless because they can’t buy, I tell folks upfront that they’re welcome to leave before the offer, and I make sure everyone walks away with something valuable.

It’s not just about the people who buy—it’s about everyone who interacts with you. I don’t want to fuel FOMO or shame just to make a sale, and I believe you don’t either.

Why is this important now?

The reality is, the marketing “rules” still being taught (the “make the sale in 30 days or never” myth, the high-pressure close) are based on fear—fear that if you give people time or space, you’ll lose them. But in my experience, if someone changes their mind within 48 hours, they should get a refund. If most people need to be pressured into buying, what does that say about the quality of the offer or the sales process?

Your confidence and integrity as a marketer skyrocket when you build these foundations into every step. Consent-based marketing is not only the right thing to do (and honestly, that would be enough for me), it actually results in better conversions and higher trust from your audience. People are more discerning, more able to spot manipulation, and more likely to buy from someone they feel respected by.

And let’s not forget the Maya Angelou quote I absolutely love: “People won’t remember what you said or did, they’ll remember how you made them feel.” With consent-based marketing, your audience feels seen, respected, humanised—not just a number in your funnel.

Want more support to bring consent into your marketing?

Ready to build out your own consent-based marketing approach? One that feels good and works?

I’ve created a masterclass to help you do exactly that.

We’ll look at how to spot coercion-based strategies (so you can avoid them when buying and selling), and the practical, concrete steps to build your own values-aligned, high-performing marketing.

As a Heart-Centred Business Podcast listener, you get access at my lowest available price… and right now, that’s a Pay What You Want special offer for Biz Bunny Bonanza!

Find out more at tashcorbin.com/consent – and then pick your price using your choice of coupon:

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Thank you so much for joining me on the Heart-Centred Business Podcast. I can’t wait to see you in the masterclass or hear from you about how you’re making marketing feel great again.