profile

Talk So They Buy

The last 11-months were a waste of time… or were they?


Conscious Growth Creators

By Ian Efford

Hi Reader!

Welcome back to my newsletter. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to read this edition!


The Quiet Realization That Sparked Everything

This month, I found myself questioning something I hadn’t touched in nearly a year: my value proposition.

I probably should’ve looked at it months ago…but momentum has a way of masking things.

Thanks to previous clients and solid connections, I had a steady stream of work.

But now, that’s starting to dry up.

When I launched this business—my third—I wasn’t starting from scratch. I had a warm audience, experience, and a clear offer.

Done-for-you lead gen systems for service businesses. The pitch was:

“I’ll build a complete client acquisition engine that saves you 40+ hours a week.”

But the more I repeated it, the more I realized:

It could’ve come from anyone.

I Knew It Had to Change

There’s a frustrating feeling that comes from knowing your offer is valuable… but still seeing it fall flat.

I started noticing the signs this year. People understood what I offered, but not why it mattered.

Or they said, “I already have someone helping me with this.”

You know how many times I’ve heard that?

It was enough times to make me think this business might not work. Even referrals felt forced, like they had to explain me to others.

It really set in when I saw a post from another “lead gen expert.”

Same promise. Same jargon. Different face.

That’s when I realized I’d built a generic message.

And when you’re a small business trying to stand out, generic is dangerous.

You have to be the only obvious choice for the right people. So, I made the decision to rebuild the foundation in March.

What I Changed

The first shift I made was in my audience.

Instead of trying to serve all kinds of service businesses, I narrowed in on one clear group:

Coaches making $5–10K per month who want to scale to $40K but don’t want to work more hours to get there.

The second shift was in how I defined the problem.

Instead of saying, “You don’t have enough time to market yourself,” I said:

“You want to grow, but you’re tired of spending your life on sales calls and cold outreach."

And then came the most important part: the solution.

I stopped selling “systems” and started selling freedom from discovery calls and a transition to working 3-days per week.

That clarity made a sizable change in just a few weeks.

I had four different experts reach out to explore referral partnerships, more than I’d had in the previous ten months.

I finally communicated the outcome in a way that clicked.

What About You?

If you’re not getting traction on your offer, it doesn’t necessarily mean your work is the problem.

It might be the way you’re framing it.

That was me for almost a year.

And honestly, I didn’t see it until I forced myself to pause and rethink the story I was telling.

So, I’ll leave you with this question:

If someone read your messaging, would they feel it could come from anyone?

You want your message and your value proposition to only come from you!


And that's all! I hope you enjoyed and learned something from this edition.

Take action right now using the ideas above, and let me know if you have any questions.

If you have , it would mean A LOT if you could share the newsletter. And it would mean even more if you replied to this email to share your thoughts​!

Until next time.

All the best,

Ian Efford
Your Growth Partner

💬 Say Hi on LinkedIn
🌐 Visit my Website

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are 2 ways I can help you attract clients effortlessly:

  1. Client Acquisition Audit: Get a 1:1 audit of your client acquisition process to identify what’s working, what isn’t, and how to create a system that brings in high-ticket clients consistently. 600 entrepreneurs have converted at least 1-2 extra clients from this audit.
  2. Demand Sprint Product: Book a full day of support to establish a complex marketing system that consistently brings in high-ticket clients without filling up your calendar.

You're receiving this email because you subscribed on my website, on this page, or via one of my free offers.

113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
Unsubscribe · Preferences

Talk So They Buy

In this newsletter, you'll discover the exact techniques to bring clarity and help you craft messaging that wins your best-fit clients over. I share my 7 years of experience interviewing buyers and tailoring messaging to their real needs.

Share this page