Everyone’s Tired of Your “Genuine” Sales Message. Yes, Really.

I recently came across a post by Elyse Myers that ended with the words: “I’m a person. Not a marketing opportunity.” It stopped me mid-scroll—not because it was poetic or dramatic, but because it was timely and true.

Somewhere along the way, social media shifted. What started as a digital extension of community and conversation has slowly morphed into a noisy, transactional marketplace. These days, everyone—and their nan—is trying to sell something. And while there's nothing wrong with building a business online, the how has started to matter more than ever.

Even those who preach “authenticity” and “connection” are often buried in message threads they can’t keep up with, can't remember who they have messaged, leading to hollow interactions and mismatched intentions. And frankly, it’s exhausting—for both sides.

Let’s be honest: most people are tired. Emotionally, mentally, digitally. If you're reaching out to sell something, just be honest about it. Skip the vague “quick chat” intro that morphs into a pitch. People can spot a disguised sales tactic a mile off—and they’re growing increasingly wary of it.

The way forward is for people to recognise you as an expert. Not as someone who only shows up to push a product. Not as someone who sees every connection as a sales funnel.

When I first started testing socials last year, I tried the well-worn path: “Offer something for free and maybe they’ll convert.” And yes, it worked—to an extent. But now? That method is everywhere. It’s no longer a value-add; it’s background noise.

This isn’t just gut instinct—it’s backed by data. According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, only 50% of global consumers trust social media companies. That figure has been declining steadily, and the culprit is clear: over-commercialisation.

Dr. Alice Jones, a digital marketing researcher at the University of Cambridge, summed it up well: “When every ‘hello’ feels like a precursor to a pitch, it creates a sense of dread rather than connection.”

A 2023 HubSpot survey found that 60% of consumers feel bombarded by marketing messages on social media. Even more telling, 45% said they’ve unfollowed accounts purely because of excessive promotional content. This isn't just about irritation—it's about trust being eroded at its core.

Let’s talk emails for a moment. The trend of sending out the same offer every 12 hours? It doesn’t work. Campaign Monitor reports that unsubscribe rates spike significantly when people receive more than 3–5 emails a week from the same sender. You’re not converting people—you’re pushing them away.

As Ann Handley of MarketingProfs puts it, “Make your marketing so useful, so interesting, so engaging, that people would pay you for it.” That’s a far cry from tactics designed to simply wear down resistance.

And then there’s the issue of differentiation. Mark Ritson, a renowned marketing professor, has warned repeatedly: “If everyone is doing the same thing, no one is doing anything remarkable.” Offering a free download in exchange for an email? It worked once. But now, it’s the digital equivalent of white noise.

There’s a massive misconception floating around that marketing equals product-pushing. It doesn’t. At least, not if you’re doing it right.

Jia Li, author of The Empathy Economy, puts it brilliantly: “True social media marketing is about building communities and establishing expertise, not just broadcasting sales messages.”

One example that makes this painfully clear? Social media groups. I often post opportunities for contributors or collaborations, and almost instantly, I’m flooded with people who treat it as a free advertising board. Instead of thoughtful pitches or ideas, I get links, offers, and sales blurbs.

Let me ask this: Why is it acceptable to expect free space to promote your product—something that benefits you financially—without offering value in return to the person or platform providing that space?

There’s something to be said for how things felt in the early 2000s, when blogging was raw and social platforms were just getting started. People connected because they wanted to. Not because they were chasing conversion rates.

What would happen if we brought that spirit back?

Imagine posting comments that simply say, “I loved your latest post,” or “That photo from your trip made me smile.” Not because you’re trying to lead into a funnel. But because you’re a human, talking to another human.

As Seth Godin famously said, “People don’t buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories, and magic.”

That kind of emotional connection builds trust—and trust is what leads to conversions that last.

It's time to stop viewing every person as a prospect. Let’s start showing up like we would at a friend’s dinner party—curious, kind, and with something valuable to share, but without expecting to walk out with a sale.

The next time you reach out to someone online, ask yourself:

Am I here to connect or to convert? Would I still be having this conversation if there was no sale at the end?

Because at the end of the day, people don’t follow pitches. They follow people.
People they trust. People they feel seen by. People who say, “How are you?” without an upsell on the other side.