If you believe in marketing, you'd think that EVERYONE wants to save time and money.

The way to save time and money?

Buy the thing they're selling.

You know, spend now to save later.

Do the thing they're telling you to do instead of doing something else with your time.

But spending on something is never saving. It's just a gimmick to make you feel like you're making a good choice.

I don't buy it.

I enjoy spending my time and spending my money. That's exactly what both are for.

Especially with time. It's not like I can hold on to it - it's happening no matter what I'm doing.

So I focus on filling my time with experiences that bring me pleasure and joy.

Like drinking the best coffee.

Storytime ☕️☕️

Back when I moved to Hermosa Beach, Los Angeles in 2020, I underestimated how it would feel to live so far away from the nearest Blue Bottle Coffee Shop. (3 hours walk and 45 minutes drive.)

After doing my absolute best with sh*tty South Bay coffee shops, and then buying myself a $360 Mocha Master coffee machine (same brand as they use in Blue Bottle) and then turning my home into a secret speak-easy style coffee shop on Fridays (cause if you can't get to the vibe you want, you create your own) I knew what needed to be done.

I wanted the original experience.

Blue Bottle Coffee from Fairfax, West Hollywood - my daily treat I'd drink on repeat 7 days a week - from when I lived nearby.

So I'd Uber for $40 there and $40 back: 2 hours all in PLUS spend $16 for 2 coffees. Both for me, or me and a friend. $96 in total. Every time.

Cheaper than therapy

I figured - it was cheaper than therapy, and I filled my day with peaceful productivity while I worked or stimulating conversation with a companion.

Every part of being there induced pleasure:

• The ambiance and aesthetic of the space
• The familiar comforts of being in a place with so many happy memories
• The taste sensation of the delicious chocolate and coffee that no one does better.

All of it gave me the experience I felt I deserved.

I deserve to feel good.

So do you.

So does your customer.

And saving isn't nearly as valuable as getting what you want. Making you feel. Receiving soothing comfort and pleasure - if that's what you're into.

People want to feel good

Most people just want to feel good for 5 minutes.

We spend money on things and activities we love.

What do you love to buy and do for yourself?

Think about something you love to buy. Something that brings you pleasure and joy. What about the experience do you love?

Think about something you do to do. What about that activity is so pleasurable, peaceful, or exciting to you?

That's the kind of messaging to include in your offer.

Forget saving time and money - so what!?

PART 2

I regularly spend +2K on finding the perfect cup of coffee

I'm a traveler.

I spend my life between New York and London with some Mexico City, Edinburgh, and South Africa in the mix. Often some Los Angeles in there too.

I fly to big cities and live a simple life in each of them.

I seek the best coffee shops and when I find my favorite one, I go there repeatedly.

I live a neighborhood life - it's just that my neighborhood is the whole world and so it takes time to travel to each of my favorite coffee shops. And it costs thousands of dollars in travel.

We make money to spend it.

We have time to enjoy it.

We make personally premium choices over price-based choices. Because everything we choose reflects our values.

There is so much more that goes into choice than time and money.

So when you're crafting your messaging, reflecting the essence of your offer is where it's at.

Showcase the experience, the lifestyle, the possibilities, the feeling state.

It's not WHAT it is, it's HOW it is

To go deeper:

It's why Coke sells "happiness" and not "sugar water".

We buy benefits, not features.

But mostly: we buy because of how we feel about ourselves.

Let me know what you love!

Remember, the more connected you get to yourself, the easier it is to connect with others and great business is all about forming connections ♥️

Love, Lauren

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PS: Yes, you may buy me a coffee, thank you for thinking of that!

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Buy me a coffee