5 Toxic AF Marketing Tactics I'm Calling Out

Tired of the endless "buy now or die" countdowns? The fake scarcity? Those "secret" masterminds that cost more than a car? 🙄 In this episode, I"m calling out the toxic marketing tactics that are manipulating small business owners and sharing what we can do differently. Because guess what? You can sell without being sleazy, grow without manipulation, and build a successful business while keeping your soul intact. Let"s talk about what authentic marketing actually looks like (spoiler: no fake urgency required). Here’s What We Cover In the Episode and More:The importance of equity, inclusion and psychological safety in marketing strategies. Critique of high-pressure, urgency-driven selling and manipulative scarcity tactics.Dislike for exaggerated promises like “10X your business” without empirical evidence. Why authority alone is not enough—focus on creating belonging and psychological safety. Challenges of overpriced, low-support programs and their inefficiency for entrepreneurs. Addressing harmful narratives that ignore real-world struggles and diversity of experiences. Transitioning to inclusive, value-driven marketing that prioritizes genuine connection.Making PR strategies approachable for small business owners, immigrants, and marginalized groups.  Toxic marketing tactics need a serious rebrand. Fake scarcity and urgency might sell fast, but they destroy trust faster—authenticity always wins. Arbitrary promises like “10X your business” without proof are just math-flavored lies that savvy customers won’t buy. Bragging about authority alone is outdated; today’s buyers crave connection, not condescension. Finally, toxic positivity that ignores real-world struggles isn’t inspiring—it’s insulting. Marketing thrives when it’s human, honest, and built on mutual respect, not manipulation. Product Businesses! Download my free HOW TO GET INTO A GIFT GUIDE/PRODUCT ROUND UP roadmap for free HERE to get more sales and traffic to your site this season. If you want to land your first feature for free without any connections, I want to invite you to watch my PR Secrets Masterclass, where I reveal the exact methods thousands of bootstrapping small businesses use to hack their own PR and go from unknown to being a credible and sought-after industry expert. Register now at www.gloriachoupr.com/masterclass.   Watch the #1 PR Secrets Masterclass to get you featured for free in 30 daysJoin the Small Biz PR Facebook Group to get the best PR TipsDownload the 10 ways to get free PR for your small businessDM the word “PITCH” to us on Instagram to get a pitching freebie https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr Connect with Gloria Chou on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou Join Gloria Chou"s PR Community- https://www.facebook.com/groups/428633254951941 Get your business in front of top 1% journalist at People, InStyle, Real Simple, Travel + Leisure, Food + Wine on Dec 11th for an entire week! Join our program to meet this shopping editor who LOVES fe