HOW TO MAKE PEOPLE SHOW UP WANTING TO BUY (AND WHY MOST ENTREPRENEURS IGNORE THIS KEY STEP)

HOW TO MAKE PEOPLE SHOW UP WANTING TO BUY (AND WHY MOST ENTREPRENEURS IGNORE THIS KEY STEP)

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Author: Jeremy Haynes | founder of Megalodon Marketing.

HOW-TO-MAKE-PEOPLE-SHOW-UP-WANTING-TO-BUY-AND-WHY-MOST-ENTREPRENEURS-IGNORE-THIS-KEY-STEP

Table of Contents

Earnings Disclaimer: You have a .1% probability of hitting million dollar months according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. As stated by law, we can not and do not make any guarantees about your own ability to get results or earn any money with our ideas, information, programs or strategies. We don’t know you and, besides, your results in life are up to you. We’re here to help by giving you our greatest strategies to move you forward, faster. However, nothing on this page or any of our websites or emails is a promise or guarantee of future earnings. Any financial numbers referenced here, or on any of our sites or emails, are simply estimates or projections or past results, and should not be considered exact, actual or as a promise of potential earnings – all numbers are illustrative only.


Watch the full video breakdown on this topic here.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  1. Buy-Ready Attendance Is Everything
    You can always force more people to show up for calls or webinars, but it won’t lead to big spikes in revenue unless you also prime those leads to arrive convinced you’re worth taking seriously—often called “indoctrination.” That’s the golden ticket to pushing past the standard six-figure grind and nudging your company closer to million-dollar months.
  2. Real Objections, Real Answers
    People aren’t just rehashing random “generic” concerns about cost or basic skepticism. They might have discovered a nasty Reddit thread or a so-called “review” talking trash. If you don’t tackle those specifics head-on, trust me, they’ll find it anyway and vanish.
  3. Engagement Bait Sparks Conversations Before the Pitch
    Low show rates often stem from leads viewing your calls or webinars as “eh, I’ll see.” But if you ping them personally—via text, email, or short selfie videos—they’re far likelier to respond, learn more upfront, and show up primed.
  4. Go Beyond Good Reviews
    Merely showing off your highlight reel doesn’t cut it. People care more about the negative. They’ll hunt down one-star reviews and rummage for any skeletons in your closet. If you open up about minor failures, you come across as more trustworthy and genuine.
  5. The ‘Trust Flywheel’ in Action
    Executing these strategies—addressing real objections, fueling engagement, and being fully transparent—creates a perpetual cycle of trust. When leads know you’re upfront about pitfalls and controversies, they arrive to calls or webinars feeling reassured and ready to hear you out.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Why “Show Rate” Alone Isn’t Enough to Scale
  2. The Trust Flywheel: Why You Need It
  3. Handling Real Objections (Instead of Guessing)
  4. Objection Case Study: The $24K Offer & Reddit Trouble
  5. Turning Around Negative Buzz with Video & “Hammer Them”
  6. Engagement Bait: The Simple Approach Most Overlook
  7. The Power of Personalized Texts & Selfie Videos
  8. Why People Love Digging into 1-Star Reviews
  9. Highlighting Imperfections to Drive Up Credibility
  10. High-Volume & High-Skepticism Tactics
  11. Building an Indoctrination Sequence That Doesn’t Let Leads Slip Away
  12. Hitting $1M Months: The Rare But Real Roadmap
  13. How the Inner Circle Puts These Strategies to Work
  14. Final Thoughts: Making Them Show Up Wanting to Buy

1. WHY “SHOW RATE” ALONE ISN’T ENOUGH TO SCALE

We’ve all heard it: “I just need more people showing up to my calls.” Maybe you’ve personally said it. And yes, in principle, you want as many prospects as possible booking or attending. But let me share an essential lesson I’ve learned after helping over 40 businesses break into consistent million-dollar months: Filling your schedule with lukewarm leads does more harm than good.

  • Your sales team drowns in no-shows.
  • The ones who do appear treat the conversation like a casual Q&A about your existence—rather than a serious business discussion.
  • You never get the yield you want from your ad spend because you’re paying to attract people who bail when they sense even the slightest friction.

So, what transforms a “random lead” into a “buy-ready lead”? Trust. The moment you realize your show-up problem usually begins before the call or webinar is scheduled, you’ll start to see the path toward solving it. The key is controlling what your leads learn about you, and in what order, before they ever have a chance to ghost you.


2. THE TRUST FLYWHEEL: WHY YOU NEED IT

I’ve got a framework I call the Trust Flywheel—eight different spokes, or strategies, that systematically cement trust with your audience. It’s how I’ve witnessed entrepreneurs climb from a comfortable $200k–$300k a month range right up to the elusive seven-figure months. The approach ensures your prospective customers see your brand as the real deal and stay excited to engage.

  • Reality Check: You might have solid branding, polished messaging, and a friendly staff. But that doesn’t stop suspicious leads from searching your name plus “scam” or “problems” or “complaints.” And if they find something negative you failed to address, your show rate goes out the window.

The majority of businesses I run across invest loads of time into marketing the good stuff—glowing testimonials, case studies, or hypey social posts—but virtually ignore anything that might raise eyebrows. In your prospect’s mind, that’s exactly where they head first. If you don’t harness that big question mark and give them clarity, they’ll do their own “research” and likely bail.


3. HANDLING REAL OBJECTIONS (INSTEAD OF GUESSING)

I can’t stress this enough: guessing which objections matter is a surefire path to frustration. You might think your biggest barrier is price, but maybe there’s a rumor about how your product is glitchy. Or you assume folks worry about your credentials, while in truth the primary concern is whether your solution is deemed “too good to be true.”

The Problem with Generic FAQs

Tons of entrepreneurs post a short FAQ on their site or funnel: “Q: How does it work? A: Magic.” Then they wonder why people vanish. A big reason is those questions are often trivial. They don’t grapple with the deeper anxieties or rumors.

The Power of Searching Your Own Brand

A simple exercise: type your business’s name plus “scam” or “Reddit” or “review” into Google. If something nasty or misleading pops up on page one, you have your marching orders: create official content that refutes or clarifies the entire matter. Then position it so leads find your viewpoint first. Or, better yet, you proactively send it to them.


4. OBJECTION CASE STUDY: THE $24K OFFER & REDDIT TROUBLE

One of my Inner Circle members was selling a $24,000 program—$12k upfront and another $12k after the client reached a specific result. For a while, they rocked a 70% show rate on calls. Not bad at all.

Then, overnight, they watched the show rate slip:

  • First down to 60%.
  • Then to 50%.
  • Soon it was crawling in the 30s, a free-fall that threatened everything.

Root Cause: A Reddit thread that hammered their brand. Random folks—many who never even purchased—offered negative takes about the company’s sales process. This pseudo-“insider commentary” gained traction, leaving prospective buyers spooked long before they could even join a call.

How They Fought Back:

  1. Addressed It Head-On: The company filmed a specific YouTube video labeled with their brand name plus “Reddit” to capture that exact traffic. The founder openly discussed each accusation in the thread, clarifying how they operate, what the program entails, and why the rumors were off-base.
  2. Brought in Real Clients: They urged actual customers (who had completed the program) to flood that Reddit post with authentic feedback. Positive stories far outweighed the negative nonsense that had cropped up.
  3. “Hammered” the New Content: When someone booked a call, their follow-up included direct links to both the new YouTube video and that same Reddit thread. They didn’t hide from it—they confronted it. That alone rebuilt trust and got the show rate climbing steadily back into the high 50s, eventually surpassing 70%.

People love transparency. If they think you’re burying something, they’ll run. If they see you shine a spotlight on your critics’ concerns, your credibility skyrockets.


5. TURNING AROUND NEGATIVE BUZZ WITH VIDEO & “HAMMER THEM”

It’s not just about replying to negative chatter in some text-based comment. I push clients to create content—videos, specifically—that they can retarget to their leads who might otherwise go snooping. Why?

  • Video Showcases Personality: Suddenly, you’re not a faceless brand. You’re a real, articulate human being explaining your side.
  • Google & YouTube Ranking: Well-named videos can pop up before negative content or at least place them side by side, so the prospective lead sees your official stance.

Once that content exists, you weave it into a broader strategy I lovingly refer to as “Hammer Them.” When a prospect opts in or books a call, you hammer them with short-form clips, long-form videos, targeted emails, text messages, and more. The goal is twofold:

  1. Keep them engaged so they’re less prone to drift away.
  2. Address every potential question or fear before your sales team even speaks to them.

6. ENGAGEMENT BAIT: THE SIMPLE APPROACH MOST OVERLOOK

Now, let’s talk about engagement bait—small tactics that massively boost how many people actually show up, not just on paper but excited to buy.

The “Sent from iPhone” Email

I once worked on an email blast to a 400,000-person list using a deceptively simple “Sent from my iPhone” style message. Just a single line, something like:

“Hey [Name], is everything okay with your booking? Let me know.”
No fancy HTML design, no long pitch, nothing. Then we sign it with:
“- Jeremy (sent from my iPhone)”

We ended up with such a high volume of personal replies that operations literally paused to handle them. Some leads said, “Actually, I have some quick questions,” or “Tell me more about what you do.” By the time these folks hopped on the phone, guess what? They were far more aware, trusting, and open.

Engagement Reverses ‘Mystery Prospect’ Syndrome

If someone is hush-hush and never communicates before a scheduled call, that call inevitably becomes an “education call.” Your sales rep has to figure them out from scratch. Meanwhile, if they respond to an engagement bait email or text, you can handle clarifying questions in a low-pressure environment, so they feel comfortable walking into the official appointment. That alone can boost show rates by 10%, 20%, or even 30% in some extreme cases.


7. THE POWER OF PERSONALIZED TEXTS & SELFIE VIDEOS

In a world of political spamming and random promotional nonsense, it’s crucial your messages don’t look like another mass outreach. So, rather than mass-blasting from random CRM phone numbers, consider using actual iPhones or a system that mirrors genuine text messaging. Bonus points if you send short selfie videos.

  • Selfie Videos: Show your face, speak their name, reference a detail from their application or funnel submission. This is wildly different from boilerplate automation.
  • Why It Works: People are craving real human interaction. If they see a personalized video, they tend to think, “Wow, this brand actually invests time in me personally. They must be legit.”

One Inner Circle member tested this out. Sure enough, a prospect replied, “I’m not 100% sure what you do—I was just curious from the ad, but can you fill me in before our call?” That single admission saved them from a wasted sales call. Instead, they gave a quick summary. The prospect turned out to be highly qualified and far more likely to show up.


8. WHY PEOPLE LOVE DIGGING INTO 1-STAR REVIEWS

If you’ve ever scanned Amazon reviews, you know the drill: you skip the five-star wave and click right on the one-stars. Most folks want the dirt. They want to know, “What’s the worst that can happen if I say yes to this product?” So you can’t just bury your minor flubs and only showcase your top success stories. You have to give them the broader scope of how you handle dissatisfaction or setbacks.


9. HIGHLIGHTING IMPERFECTIONS TO DRIVE UP CREDIBILITY

To stand out, own your flaws upfront. Let’s dissect two real-life examples:

The “Trading Bot” Skepticism

In certain trading niches, unscrupulous vendors hold “live sessions” but use simulated accounts or trivial sums of real money to fake legitimacy. One of our clients overcame this by investing $150,000 of his own money—far more than competitors—and streaming the bot’s performance 24/7 across multiple markets (Forex, crypto, stocks, indices). That raw transparency blew the competition out of the water. Skeptical prospects no longer had to rely on marketing copy; they could watch real trades, in real time, risking real money.

The Capital Raise & Delays

Another Inner Circle company raises capital to build large, luxury RV/boat storage facilities. They have a track record of over 50 successful projects—but 2 of them ran into unexpected delays (permits, subcontractors, you name it). Rather than hide those stumbles, they highlight them in the same breath as their success stories. They detail how they overcame each obstacle, what lessons they learned, and how they minimized investor impact. For a potential investor who’s about to put in six or seven figures, that’s a breath of fresh air: “Finally, someone honest about not always being perfect.”


10. HIGH-VOLUME & HIGH-SKEPTICISM TACTICS

Scaling Ad Spend

When you’re dropping thousands (or tens of thousands) a day on ads, an extra 10% or 20% show rate improvement can translate to enormous ROI differences. These strategies aren’t just “nice to have”; they’re essential if you’re serious about hitting million-dollar months. The leads are out there, but if you can’t properly indoctrinate them before calls, you end up with a mass of no-shows, plus a frustrated team.

Niche Minefields

Whether you’re in crypto, real estate, high-ticket coaching, or e-commerce, the internet’s full of scams. People are jaded. You must address the scamming environment head-on. Show them how you’re different. Provide real data, real case studies, real disclaimers, and real stories of both triumph and mistakes.


11. BUILDING AN INDOCTRINATION SEQUENCE THAT DOESN’T LET LEADS SLIP AWAY

Let’s piece it all together:

  1. Research Your Brand’s Online Presence
    Google your name, brand name, plus words like “scam,” “review,” “Reddit,” “complaints.” If you uncover controversies, create content or a video response specifically labeled to show up for those same searches.
  2. Add the “Hammer Them” Content
    • As soon as someone books a call or signs up for your event, drop them into a blitz campaign.
    • Shoot them short videos addressing real issues.
    • Link them to your in-depth content that demonstrates credibility.
    • Keep them engaged, so they don’t wander off or rely on random Google searches alone.
  3. Engagement Bait
    • Simple, personal emails or texts that spark replies.
    • One-liner “Sent from iPhone” style messages.
    • Low-friction questions that invite prospects to reveal what they’re thinking before they no-show.
  4. Transparency & Testimonials
    • Integrate negative reviews, project delays, or real missteps into your story.
    • Offer a balanced view, so they trust your wins.

When you structure your pre-call or pre-webinar funnel this way, your leads are far less likely to ghost you. In fact, they’ll thank you for explaining everything up front.


12. HITTING $1M MONTHS: THE RARE BUT REAL ROADMAP

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, fewer than 0.1% of businesses hit $10 million a year. That’s not even the $12 million needed for consistent $1 million months. So we’re talking about a very small slice of the marketplace. Most entrepreneurs never get close, either due to external factors or because they let their funnel remain subpar—especially at volume.

I won’t make an income claim that you’ll magically be in that top tier just because you read this. But the evidence from the 40 businesses I’ve personally helped surpass $1M months consistently is hard to ignore. They systematically address trust-building, real objections, engagement, and honesty about failures. They don’t gamble on the idea that leads “might not find out about that negative review.” They harness it, turn it into an advantage, and watch their show-up rates surge as a result.


13. HOW THE INNER CIRCLE PUTS THESE STRATEGIES TO WORK

Who It’s For

My Inner Circle is designed for heavy hitters looking to break higher ceilings. Many are already doing $200k–$300k a month (some are pulling in well over $1M a month already). They bring complex questions about call funnels, million-dollar ad budgets, or how to handle unusual buyer objections in emerging industries. We share a group chat full of high earners who trade what’s working, point out pitfalls, and coordinate on how to adapt quickly when something changes in the market.

  • Twice-a-month one-on-one calls: Where we do deep dives on each business’s funnel, show rate sequences, or scaling strategy.
  • Weekly group calls: Everyone updates the group on what’s been working and what’s not. We collectively refine and share the best new ideas (including advanced expansions on the “Hammer Them” strategy).
  • Quarterly in-person masterminds: These happen at my penthouse in Miami, where we do intense brainstorming and real-time problem-solving.

Real-Time Example

One member, Kevin, is scaling a robust high-ticket offer. He used the “sent from iPhone” email approach and saw an instant 20% bump in prospect engagement. Now, the leads who book calls are emailing back, clarifying what they want. By the time Kevin’s sales reps get them on Zoom, there’s a pre-existing sense of comfort. No floundering around for 10 minutes just to figure out if they’re even a real buyer.

If you’d like more advanced, step-by-step training on digital marketing, consider my Master Internet Marketing program. It’s seven weeks of in-depth education, with Week 1 available for free. Perfect if you want to move faster and learn the exact tactics that drive these results.


14. FINAL THOUGHTS: MAKING THEM SHOW UP WANTING TO BUY

The biggest transformation any business can make is from a place of “please show up, dear lead” to “I’m so excited you’re coming, and here’s everything you need to see in the meantime.” That’s the difference between:

  • Flaky, half-interested leads: who might be 10 minutes late, still uncertain if you’re legit.
  • Vibrant, tuned-in prospects: who walk in going, “I saw the entire overview you sent; I trust you already. Now let’s talk specifics.”

Remember: it’s not about purely boosting show rates. It’s about getting the right people, with the right mindset, to show up in a state of buyer readiness. When you do that consistently, your entire sales process lightens up. Your closers stop complaining about “unqualified leads.” Your marketing spend starts paying serious dividends. And from there, you can systematically—though not easily—push your monthly revenue ever closer to that dream milestone of $1M months.

About the author:
Owner and CEO of Megalodon Marketing

Jeremy Haynes is the founder of Megalodon Marketing. He is considered one of the top digital marketers and has the results to back it up. Jeremy has consistently demonstrated his expertise whether it be through his content advertising “propaganda” strategies that are originated by him, as well as his funnel and direct response marketing strategies. He’s trusted by the biggest names in the industries his agency works in and by over 4,000+ paid students that learn how to become better digital marketers and agency owners through his education products.

Jeremy Haynes is the founder of Megalodon Marketing. He is considered one of the top digital marketers and has the results to back it up. Jeremy has consistently demonstrated his expertise whether it be through his content advertising “propaganda” strategies that are originated by him, as well as his funnel and direct response marketing strategies. He’s trusted by the biggest names in the industries his agency works in and by over 4,000+ paid students that learn how to become better digital marketers and agency owners through his education products.