You have to release control if you want people to buy from you in 2026

If you've been taught that people need their hand held through every step of the buying process, that without carefully crafted sequences and urgency tactics no one will take action, I have good news for you. The customer buying journey is not linear, and when you release control and let people explore at their own pace, they become more engaged, more invested, and more likely to buy.In this episode I'm breaking down the non-linear buying journey and why understanding this completely changes how you structure your content, your offers, and your entire marketing system.You'll learn:• What Google's "messy middle" research reveals about how people actually make buying decisions in 2026• Why funnels increase the length of customer journeys by 15 to 20 percent by creating friction• How the non-linear buying journey works in a brand world (with infinite paths to the sale)• Why releasing control and optimizing for relationships instead of transactions actually makes it easier for people to buy from youResources:✉️ Free brand worldbuilding series - Join my email list for my incredibly popular 7-day welcome sequence about brand worlds👉 https://encontrocreative.com/subscribe🌎 Build Your Brand World - My $27 mini course where you'll learn the essentials of brand worldbuilding👉 https://encontrocreative.com/build-your-brand-world☕️ The Cozy Marketing Method - My 6 month group program for marketing that feels more like you👉 https://encontrocreative.com/the-cozy-marketing-method📱 Follow meInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/encontrocreative/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@encontrocreativeWebsite: https://encontrocreative.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EncontroCreative