How Jimmy ‘Velvet Suit’ Valentine Taught Me the Secret to Selling to the Rich

The first rule of selling to the ultra-wealthy? Don’t get caught selling. The affluent are hypersensitive to hard pitches and overt marketing—they can sniff out desperation like sharks smell blood in the water. If your strategy is too obvious, you’ve already lost.

In today’s episode, I take you behind the scenes of selling to the 1% with a story about one of my most unforgettable clients: Jimmy “Velvet Suit” Valentine. Picture this: a serial entrepreneur with a flair for the dramatic, striding into rooms in bespoke velvet blazers that shimmered like a Technicolor dream. Jimmy was the king of big ideas, some brilliant, others…well, let’s just say luxury dog spas weren’t his finest moment.

What Jimmy lacked in restraint, he made up for in confidence—and he gave me a front-row seat to the real way the rich make decisions. Spoiler alert: it’s all about subtlety, influence, and making them feel like the idea was theirs all along.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

• Why the ultra-wealthy hate obvious sales pitches.
• How to plant an idea so seamlessly, they’ll think it’s their own.
• The biggest mistakes salespeople make when targeting affluent clients.
• How Jimmy’s velvet-suited confidence both inspired and taught me what NOT to do.

If you’ve ever wondered how to crack the code on selling to the elite—or just want to hear about Jimmy’s colorful escapades—you won’t want to miss this one.

Click play and find out how to sell without selling!

Welcome to The Velvet Rope Playbook: Selling to the Wealthy with Wit & Style—your exclusive backstage pass to the art of marketing to the affluent. If you’ve ever wondered how to attract high-net-worth clients or build a business that thrives on exclusivity, you’re in the right place.

I’m Mark Satterfield, and for over 30 years, I’ve worked with clients in more than two dozen industries, helping them attract wealthy clients and grow their businesses. Now, I’m sharing the strategies, stories, and secrets that have proven successful in the affluent market.

Here’s the best part: each episode is under 10 minutes—short enough to fit into your busy day but powerful enough to leave you thinking long after. Packed with stories that amuse, inspire, and educate, The Velvet Rope Playbook equips you with actionable insights to elevate your branding and create irresistible offers that command attention.

Ready to step behind the velvet rope? Let’s get started!

Luxury isn’t just about products; it’s about the emotions they evoke. The dream of exclusivity isn’t about practicality—it’s about power, status, and the intoxicating feeling of being untouchable. A luxury home isn’t just a place to live; it’s a symbol, a stage, and a declaration of "I’ve arrived."

In this episode, we delve into the psychology behind selling luxury and how exclusivity fuels desire. From terraces with million-dollar views to the subtle art of making a product feel unattainable, we’ll uncover what truly drives people to pursue the extraordinary.

We discuss:

• Why exclusivity is the ultimate selling point in the luxury market.
• How emotions, not practicality, drive high-end purchases.
• Strategies to create irresistible allure around your luxury offerings.
• The role of symbolism in selling dreams of wealth and status.

Whether you’re marketing high-end real estate, luxury goods, or premium services, this episode is a masterclass in crafting desire and selling the unsellable.

Tune in now to learn how to make your clients feel untouchable—and willing to pay for it.