Stop Selling Products, Start Selling Transformation: The $8,000 Bracelet Story with Stacey Brass Russell
Stop Selling Your Product and Start Selling This Instead
The $8,000 Bracelet That Changed Everything
Picture this: A successful business coach walks into the Cartier mansion in New York, slightly nervous that they'll think she's “not a big deal” for “only” buying an $8,000 bracelet. But here's the kicker. She wasn't buying jewelry at all.
My friend Stacey Brass-Russell shared this story during our recent podcast conversation, and it perfectly illustrates the biggest mistake I see entrepreneurs making every single day: thinking customers buy your product when they're actually buying transformation.
That Cartier Trinity bracelet? It wasn't about the gold or the craftsmanship. It was acknowledgment of her accomplishments, a milestone marker for hitting six figures in her business, and a tangible symbol that she'd “made it” after starting over at 50.
Your Brain Doesn't Want You to Change (And Why That Matters for Sales)
Here's what makes selling transformation so challenging: our brains are literally wired to resist change. As Stacey explained during our conversation, your brain's primary job isn't to make you happy. It's to keep you alive.
“Why do we think so many people will stay in pain and suffering for so long without doing anything about it? It's because their brain is like, ‘Listen, I know you're not thrilled, but you're alive, and that's all that matters.'”
This means when you're selling transformation (whether it's confidence through jewelry, success through coaching, or health through your services), you're asking people to fight against millions of years of evolutionary programming.
And here's the real kicker: you have to create transformation for someone before they'll even say yes to investing in their own transformation.
The Four Pillars That Actually Sell
So how do you communicate value in a way that moves people past their brain's resistance? Stacey breaks it down into four essential pillars:
1. The Transformation
Who will they become? Not what they'll get, but who they'll be on the other side.
2. Your Unique Method
Your signature way of creating change that no one else offers.
3. Time and Energy Impact
How will this affect their daily life? Will it save time, create more energy, or eliminate frustration?
4. Money Value
The financial impact. Will they save money, make money, or get better value from their investment?
Notice what's not on this list? Features, bonuses, or how many modules you include.
Stop Using “Coach Speak” and Start Speaking Human
One of my favorite insights from Stacey was about moving beyond generic “coach speak” to language your customers actually use.
“When they wake up in the morning, are they actually going, ‘God, if only I loved myself more?' They're not thinking that.”
Instead, try Stacey's powerful “if only” exercise. What would your ideal customer say when they fill in this blank: “If only _______”?
Not “if only I was a trailblazer” or “if only I had more self-love.” What would they actually say? Maybe:
- “If only my website made sales while I slept”
- “If only I could walk into that boardroom and command respect”
- “If only I had a steady stream of clients instead of this feast-or-famine cycle”
The transformation is always about becoming someone who can do something different to have something different.
Your Next Chapter Starts Here
Whether you're selling jewelry, coaching, or any other product or service, remember this: your customers aren't buying your methodology. They're buying who they believe they can become through working with you.
The transformation is everything.
Ready to transform your sales approach? Listen to the full episode and check out Stacey's Four Pillars of Value download and start selling the transformation your customers are really buying.
xo, Tracy
Sponsor Spotlight!
Speaking of transformation, if you're in a space where what you're doing is working but no longer working FOR you, it might be time for your next chapter. Join me for a free 90-minute vision mapping session where you'll uncover what's out of alignment, create a vision that lights you up, and map out your next steps. Your next chapter isn't waiting. And neither should you.
Links in this episode:
Stacey's Four Pillars of Value Download
Follow @staceybrassrussell on Instagram
Passionate & Prosperous Podcast with Stacey Brass-Russell
Free Live Vision Mapping Session: Your Next Chapter
The Art of Reinvention Program
Buy My Book: The Desired Brand Effect