For Rene Lacad, going from a college dropout to a successful entrepreneur is a testament to the power of lifestyle marketing. At just 28, Lacad has built multiple seven-figure companies by tapping into the fundamental truth that people don’t just buy products; they buy lifestyles. This approach has revolutionized how businesses connect with consumers in the digital age.
Lacad’s story began in 2013 when he left community college, realizing traditional education wasn’t the path he needed to take to succeed. After a stint in corporate sales, he found his calling working with digital marketing pioneer Tai Lopez and building his experience over the years, all while absorbing invaluable lessons in sales, marketing, and business psychology. Armed with this knowledge, he launched his first digital marketing agency in 2017.
By harnessing the power of social media and understanding the lifestyle aspirations of his target audience, Lacad quickly scaled his business to seven figures. His success proves that with creativity and strategic thinking, anyone can leverage lifestyle marketing to build a thriving business in today’s digital landscape.
The lifestyle marketing approach
“Lifestyle marketing focuses on selling more than just a product. It sells a way of life that consumers aspire to achieve,” Lacad shares, adding that this approach taps into people’s emotions and desires to create a strong connection between the brand and its target audience.
Lacad’s success stems from his deep understanding of this concept. He realized that consumers don’t just want a product but what that product represents. For example, when marketing fitness equipment, Lacad goes beyond simply highlighting its features to showcase the healthy, active lifestyle it enables.
According to Lacad, this strategy works because it appeals to people’s aspirations. “People are more likely to buy products they believe will improve their lives or help them become the person they want to be, and they see this to be true online,” he notes. Lacad has applied this principle across various industries, from fitness to finance.
By focusing on the lifestyle associated with a product, Lacad creates compelling narratives that resonate with his target audience. This approach has proven highly effective in the age of social media, where people constantly share and engage with content that reflects their desired lifestyle.
Key principles of lifestyle marketing
Lifestyle marketing hinges on three key principles: understanding the target audience, creating aspirational content, and leveraging social media platforms.
When it comes to understanding one’s target audience, Lacad emphasizes the importance of knowing their desires, fears, and motivations. This knowledge allows marketers to craft messages that truly resonate.
Creating aspirational content is the next step. Lacad’s campaigns don’t only showcase products but also paint a picture of the lifestyle customers could achieve by including images related to success, freedom, or happiness to associate these notions with the product.
Additionally, leveraging social media platforms is essential in today’s digital landscape. Lacad uses platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to reach his audience, where they spend most of their time. These platforms allow for highly targeted advertising and provide opportunities for direct engagement with potential customers.
“You don’t have to create new content for each,” Lacad shares. “You can say the same thing over again and again — you just have to change it up a little bit.”
By mastering these principles, Lacad has created marketing campaigns that sell products while inspiring and motivating his audience. This approach has been key to his success across multiple businesses.
The creative edge in marketing
Creativity is the spark that ignites successful marketing campaigns, and Lacad believes that innovative thinking sets great marketers apart. That’s why he approaches each campaign with fresh eyes, looking for unique angles to present products.
Lacad applies creativity by telling compelling stories around products. He doesn’t just list features; he paints a picture of how the product fits into an aspirational lifestyle, which makes his marketing more engaging and memorable.
To develop creative campaigns, Lacad suggests immersing oneself in various forms of media to draw inspiration from movies, books, art, and more. He also encourages marketers to stay curious and always ask, “What if?” This mindset leads to breakthrough ideas that capture the audience’s attention.
Leveraging online media buying
Online media buying has revolutionized marketing, making it more accessible and effective. Lacad sees this as a game-changer for businesses of all sizes.
The key advantage of online media buying is its precision targeting. Unlike traditional advertising, digital platforms allow marketers to reach specific demographics based on interests, behaviors, and location in a targeted approach that increases ROI and reduces wasted ad spend.
Lacad also emphasizes the importance of data in online media buying, which is why he uses analytics to continuously refine his campaigns and adjust them based on real-time performance metrics. This agile approach allows for quick optimization and better results.
The future of lifestyle marketing
The future of lifestyle marketing is bright and evolving. Rene Lacad sees several trends shaping the industry. Personalization will become even more crucial as consumers expect tailored experiences, while augmented reality may allow customers to “try on” lifestyles before purchasing.
Opportunities abound for aspiring entrepreneurs, but the key is to stay adaptable and embrace new technologies. Lacad advises newcomers to focus on building authentic connections with their audience because, as marketing becomes more technologically advanced, the human touch will become even more valuable.
Ultimately, lifestyle marketing’s power lies in its ability to create emotional connections. As long as people aspire to better lives, marketing that speaks to those aspirations will exist. By understanding this fundamental truth, marketers can continue to create campaigns that resonate and drive results in an ever-changing digital landscape.
