Hi Reader!

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

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I Used to Skip This Part.

Last week, I shared the moment I realized my offer had become generic.

An offer that some random guy on Instagram repeated perfectly.

He didn’t copy me. If anything, I copied him.

He repeated the same problem I solved with the same solution I offered. The only difference was our clients were slightly different…

That’s when I knew I dug myself into a small hole.

The only way I was going to be able to offer this solution is if I was faster than my “competitors.”

Faster to build relationships with clients.

I don’t want my business to be about speed. So, I decided to start rebuilding.

Last week, I shared the audience I wanted to support and the general problem I wanted to solve.

Now, it’s time to focus on the solution.

It’s Time to Stop Assuming

If I want to build the kind of business I’m aiming for, a low-chaos business that helps coaches from anywhere in the world, then I can’t just assume I know what coaches want.

I have to ask them.

So, this week, I’ve started a fresh round of customer research.

Not the kind where you send out a survey and hope people reply — the kind where you have honest conversations.

I’ve done this hundreds of times before, mostly for clients. But now I’m doing it for myself.

Here’s what that looks like:

• I’m talking to coaches making $5K+ per month who want to scale beyond $20K without adhering to the typical (and never-ending) “client acquisition” or “lead gen” advice on LinkedIn.
• I’m listening for the exact phrases they use to describe their goals and frustrations.
• I’m asking what they’ve already tried and what felt like a waste of time.

Why It Matters

The difference between a good offer and a no-brainer offer is the level of client understanding.

I want to build something that makes coaches say:

“Finally. This is exactly what I need.”

In other words, I’m currently offering a 10x solution for a 1x problem. It’s not that important to my audience.

I want to offer a 1x solution (more realistically 5x) for a 10x problem.

And that doesn’t come from brainstorming in isolation. It comes from listening!

And if I’ve learned anything from three businesses and a few plateaus, it’s this:

This round of research is already surfacing some unexpected patterns. I’m excited to share more soon!

But for now, I’m curious about your thoughts.

How important is understanding your customers to you? It’s everything. I can’t sell without it I know I should do more of it I’ve avoided it but I’m curious I don’t think it’s that important

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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 enjoyed this edition, 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

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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.