What Placebo

are YOU Selling?

byJeph Maystruck/Jan 29, 2025/inAdvice, Motivation, Regina, Research, Strategy

What Placebo Are You Selling?

We are all selling something. Even if you don’t think you have a placebo, your customers have already created a story in their heads about why they choose you.

They hire you because _________.

What’s your because?

Is it the feeling you get when you drink a tall, ice-cold Coca-Cola? The refreshment factor that’s been marketed into your subconscious for decades?

Is it the quiet sense of superiority when you settle into a first-class airplane seat, watching the other passengers shuffle by?

Is it the confidence that comes from wearing a well-fitted suit, fresh sneakers, or a designer bag? The clothes don’t actually make you more outgoing, but in your mind, they do. And that’s the point. Afterall, you can buy a shirt these days for less than $5, but you can also buy a $1,300 shirt that does the same thing.

The cost of a tshirt in 2025

The Placebo Effect of Business

Most start-ups, freelancers, and young businesses don’t fully understand the placebo they’re selling. They think it’s about features, quality, or price. But customers buy because of how it makes them feel.

Ignoring this can be the reason a brand never takes off.

And yet, doesn’t crafting a placebo-like effect feel… unethical?

Shouldn’t the value of a product be real and tangible?

Because people don’t just buy products, they buy a feeling.

Well, luxury brands have been doing it forever. A $5 t-shirt and a $500 t-shirt serve the same function, but one has a logo that means something to the buyer. The same applies to handbags, cars, watches, even bottled water. The difference isn’t in the product—it’s in the perception.

My Hockey Stick Placebo

When I played hockey, I HAD to have a brand-new Easton one-piece gold hockey stick. Why? Because the pros used them. It would make me a better player.

Did it actually improve my game?

I’d argue yes.

Not because the stick had some game-changing technology, but because I believed it did. That belief made me play with more confidence, more effort, more swagger. That belief was the value.

What’s Your Company’s Placebo?

So, back to you. What’s the placebo your company sells?

Is it the feeling of trust your clients have when they see your years of experience?
Is it the status that comes from working with a known brand?
Is it the convenience of an easy-to-use product that feels like it’s saving them time?

Whatever it is, own it. Amplify it.

Remember, people don’t just buy products. They buy a feeling.

And the best brands know exactly which ones they’re selling.

If you like the idea of Placebo’s, then this book will take it to the next level. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it! You Are The Placebo.

you are the placebo

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Ready to take the stress out of marketing and website building? Contact us today and discover how Stratlab can help you become more findable, trustable, and remarkable. Together, we’ll create something amazing.

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