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How an $8K Vacation Turned Into the Ultimate Marketing Lesson

💰 People Don’t Pay for Products—They Pay for the Vibe, the Status & the Experience.

I spent over $8,000 on an anniversary trip to Crash My Playa thinking I was getting a luxury country music festival experience. Instead?

I got a front-row seat to a marketing masterclass.

From drunken performers forgetting their own lyrics to fans defending them like it was a full-blown cult, I saw firsthand what makes people throw money at things—again and again.

💡 This trip wasn’t just a vacation—it was a crash course in consumer psychology, brand loyalty, and how to create die-hard fans.

In this episode, I’m breaking down 5 marketing lessons that will completely shift the way you sell, why people buy, and how you can turn your brand into something people are OBSESSED with.

🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ People will spend absurd amounts of money just to feel like they belong. (How to tap into that psychology in your marketing.)

✔️ Proximity sells. (Why people pay more to get closer—and how you can apply this to your business.)

✔️ If people love you, they will go to WAR for you. (How to build a brand that people defend, even when you mess up.)

✔️ Status matters more than the product itself. (Why people pay $80 for a t-shirt just to prove they were there—and how to make your offer ‘status-worthy.’)

✔️ If you want sh*t done right, hire a woman. (How Lainey Wilson shut the whole damn festival down and outperformed every male artist.)

Check out the Instagram Carousel I did on this experience here.

🔥 Key Takeaways & Marketing Lessons You Need to Steal

1️⃣ People Will Pay Stupid Money for Community

The festival itself? Meh. The performances? Hit or miss. But the people who come back EVERY year? They’re not coming for the music.

They’re coming because they belong to something.

💡 Takeaway: If you want raving, repeat customers, you need to sell a vision bigger than the product itself. Make people feel like being part of your world is a STATUS symbol.

"People don’t pay for the product. They pay for how it makes them feel."

2️⃣ Proximity Sells—Always

The closer people feel to YOU, the more they’ll pay.

Some of these folks were likely putting themselves in debt just for the CHANCE to meet Luke Bryan or slap hands with an artist.

💡 Takeaway: If you’re selling a course, a service, or coaching, your proximity is a premium offer. The more access people have to you, the higher the price tag.

"If you’re selling just a thing, you’re missing the real money. Sell the vibe, the experience, the community."

3️⃣ People Will Go to War for Your Brand—If You Build It Right

When one of the artists showed up too wasted to perform, half the audience wanted a refund. The other half? Defended him like their lives depended on it.

That’s brand loyalty.

💡 Takeaway: If you show up consistently, share your values, and create a REAL connection with your audience, they will stand up for you—even when you screw up.

My TikTok on Bailey's B.S. Apology Video.

"Proximity sells. People will put themselves in debt just for the CHANCE to get closer to someone they admire."

4️⃣ People Pay for Status—Not the Product

$80 t-shirts. SOLD OUT. Why? Because it wasn’t just a shirt—it was proof they were there.

💡 Takeaway: If your product or offer elevates the status of the buyer, they will pay MORE for it. Make your brand something people want to show off.

"I don’t care how many years you’ve been doing something—if you show up sloppy, your audience notices."

5️⃣ If You Want Something Done Right… Hire a Woman

Lainey Wilson shut the whole damn festival down. She was the ONLY artist who came out sober, prepared, and actually delivered.

💡 Takeaway: Women in business? We GET. SH*T. DONE. Period.

Watch the viral reel I made about Lainey's Authentic AF Marketing Here.

How to Apply This to YOUR Business (Right Now!)

• Build a community people are obsessed with (not just a product).

• Sell access & proximity as a premium offer.

• Create a brand so strong that people fight for you.

• Position your product as a status symbol.

• Show up like a pro—every single time.

Because people don’t buy ‘things’—they buy how those things make them FEEL.

🔗 Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

• Socially Ausome Entrepreneurs Facebook Group: Get daily tips, tricks, and live trainings to help you grow your brand online.

• FREE Sales Machine Masterclass: How to turn your content into a lead generation machine & scale to consistent $10k months without creating NEW content every day or spending 24/7 on social media!

• My Favorite Resources: All my favorite tools I have personally tested and use in my business!

• The Socially Ausome PLR Product Shop: Struggling with content creation? The Socially Ausome PLR Product Shop has pre-written, customizable content that helps you save time and show up consistently. Perfect for entrepreneurs who want to stay visible without starting from scratch.

• The Socially Ausome Course Store: Take your business to the next level with courses designed to simplify your strategy and maximize your results. From branding to automation, the Socially Ausome Course Store offers everything you need to build a profitable, scalable business.Stop hiding behind filters, trends, and aesthetics. Start showing up as yourself. Share your story, connect with your audience, and watch how everything changes.

If this resonated with you, join the Socially Ausome Membership and start turning your content into a sales machine that feels 100% authentic.

Make it simple. Make it social. Make it Ausome.

👑 Stay Ausome,

Tag me on Instagram at @socially.ausome or DM me—I love celebrating wins with you