There’s a lot of business and marketing advice out there that promotes sales strategies built around assertiveness, urgency, and scarcity to drive people to buy. But are these strategies aligned to every brand? And what might they be costing you in the long run?

The idea is that these tactics trigger an underlying sense of fear — fear of missing out, fear of losing an opportunity — and that this fear makes people act fast, pushing them into the sale.

Now, I’m not saying these strategies doesn’t work. It can generate sales. But it all depends on your goals and the kind of brand you want to become.

If your goal is quick sales, you’d likely get some with this approach. If your brand is a low-cost lightbulb company, these strategies might not be so bad.

But if your vision is to build a high-value brand, one that radiates quality, beauty, and refinement, growing steadily with a loyal community of customers, these tactics will only cheapen your energy.

Wouldn’t it be beautiful if you didn’t need to push, shout, or convince? If customers were naturally drawn to both your quality and your energy?

In a world that constantly shouts “buy now,” “don’t miss out,” and “only two left,” there’s something powerful about a brand that lets people breathe. When you remove the urgency language and allow customers to move in their own way, you’re not just creating space, you’re communicating confidence.

A leaned back energy signals that your brand doesn’t need to convince anyone. It knows its value. People feel both your confidence, and that you respect them as people, rather than seeing them as means to an end to make sales. This creates a sense of emotional safety in people. They are drawn to your confidence, and trust that you respect them. That’s magnetic.

1. Use soft invitations instead of hard promises

WHY IT WORKS

When product descriptions or taglines make bold promises like “Transform your skin in 7 days,” they can end up feeling performative or sensationalist. This kind of language often triggers skepticism, even subconsciously, and weakens trust.

On the other hand, soft invitations feel grounded, trustworthy, and safe. “Created to nurture your skin into its natural radiance” feels much more subtle and leaned back, yet it creates intrigue. It honours your audience’s intelligence and autonomy, inviting them to experience your product, rather than convince them of it’s worth.

(Side note: If your product has scientifically proven benefits, you can absolutely share those results in your website and marketing — just be sure every claim is supported by credible evidence.)

HOW TO SHIFT THE ENERGY

Replace hard promises with soft invitations. Instead of hard persuasion, welcome people to explore what’s possible. This reflects genuine confidence and creates a more magnetic energy. For example:

• A candle that will completely relax you → Crafted to invite calm into your space

• The only face serum you’ll ever need → Made to support your natural glow

• A gut healing tea like no other → Formulated to support digestive balance from the inside out

2. Honour people’s timing and choice

WHY IT WORKS

Scarcity and urgency tactics trigger stress. High-value buyers purchase from a calm, empowered state, not from fear of missing out. Allowing people time to decide reinforces your brand’s confidence and builds a healthy relationship between you and your customers. That relationship is the foundation for customer loyalty.

HOW TO SHIFT THE ENERGY

Avoid using phrases like “limited time only” or “only 3 left” on your product pages. This kind of language creates unnecessary pressure that doesn’t align with a high-value brand experience.

Instead, communicate specialness over scarcity. For example, rather than “Only 3 left,” incorporate limited edition products and collections which are created in limited quantities to honour the intricate creation process. This shifts the energy from fear-based urgency to quality, inviting customers to value the care and intention behind what you create.

3. Use ‘call-to-actions’ minimally and consciously

WHY IT WORKS

No one likes being told to buy. Call-to-actions should feel like an invitation rather than a direction. This creates an energy of respect for your customer and a sense of space for them to make clear decisions without subtle pressure. The result is a shopping experience that feels easeful and fluid, strengthening the brand experience overall

HOW TO SHIFT THE ENERGY

On your website, subtle language shifts in your call-to-actions and buttons can make a big difference in how people respond. For example:

• Shop Now → Explore Our Pieces

• Shop Gifts → Find the Perfect Gift

• Buy Now → Add to Bag

• Pay Now → Place Order

• Subscribe to Our List → Join Our Community

See how these call-to-actions gently move people along the shopping journey in a way that feels calm, inviting, and self-directed rather than pushy or demanding.

Use call-to-actions sparingly in your Instagram posts. This space should establish your brand’s value through a feed of high-quality, story-driven content. Focus your captions on the brand story, value and benefits, then let people to decide what to do next.

If your Instagram is linked to your website shop, people can easily purchase by clicking on the post itself. This convenience and ease are far more effective than telling people to buy. In fact, direct phrases like “buy now” or “shop today” can signal lack of confidence in a high-value brand.

Instead, use softer call-to-actions like “read the post on our blog” or “listen to the podcast through the link in bio.” These guide people toward a valuable experience rather than a purchasing transaction.

A leaned back energy doesn’t undersell your product, it elevates it. It signals confidence and respect, so that instead of convincing people, you naturally attract them.

When your tone feels calm, spacious, and assured, it reflects the emotional state your ideal customer desires. They begin to associate your brand with those same feelings of peace and ease, strengthening the brand connection.

This energy of invitation and respect is also how you establish a strong relationship between you and your customers. That relationship is the foundation for customer loyalty. And when many loyal customers come together, you have a community. A community that will carry your brand much further than quick sales ever could.