The Year We Go Analogue: Will This Impact Your Client Acquisition?

Your friends’ Instagram feeds that haven’t been updated for months. Someone announcing they got a physical planner for the first time in years. More mentions of vinyl, Polaroids, and spending time in nature without phones.

You’ve probably felt this shift even before all those pretty carousels announced (ironically, on social media) that 2026 is the year we go analogue. But I’m not here to add to them.

As the marketing strategist for talented but under-recognised women founders, I’m encouraging you to consider the aspect of this off-line resurgence that’s most relevant to your service-based business (and that I still haven’t seen anyone else talk about), especially if you got a little too comfortable relying on unpredictable word-of-mouth referrals and social media:

since people are spending less time scrolling, how will ‘the year we go analogue’ affect your lead generation and client acquisition?

And mind you: this goes beyond what could end up being just a trend, because our online behaviour #has already been changing, and there’s another challenge to take into account—and these are facts, not predictions.

So, let’s look into the offline and analogue resurgence together, so you can make the right adjustments and keep thriving (instead of seeing your lead generation and revenue go down with organic social media reach).

Is 2026 the age of analogue? 

Yes, 2026 is already considered the year we go analogue, and it might very well end up being the start of a much bigger and longer shift, although I most definitely do not believe it’s going to be as drastic as some make it out to be.

But overall:

• People are experiencing digital burnout after years of endless scrolling, inflated promises that didn’t deliver (like “Buy my online course so you can start working only 3h a day”), and influencers showcasing their perfectly curated lives

• As a result, they’re now craving phone detoxes and more meaningful off-line experiences, like owning some physical media (instead of relying entirely on subscriptions), reading books in cafes, planning fun activities with friends, or going for walks in nature without endless pings

So, if people—and statistically, that’s bound to include some of your ideal clients—are spending LESS time online, especially on social media, what does that mean for your visibility and client acquisition?

My thoughts as a marketing strategist (who’s already seen all kinds of trends and drastic statements)

I used to work in a marketing department, and I’ve been running my own business since 2019. 

So, as a marketer, I’ve already seen plenty of bold statements about trends and tactics that were meant to be the next big thing (anyone remembers NFTs?) or, on the contrary, being dead (“SEO is dead”, “Email marketing is dead”, “Blogging is dead”—and yet you’re still reading).

And that’s why I take them with a pinch of salt. So, when it comes to 2026 being the year we go analogue, let me be clear:

• No, I don’t believe everyone will ditch social media, phones, and the online space

• Yes, there will be a shift in how people engage online. In fact, it’s already started. Overall, we are becoming more mindful about how, when, with whom, and why we engage online

If you want to keep thriving, you must make changes to your marketing… and not just because it’s the year we go analogue

I wouldn’t be writing this blog post for you if it was just a temporary trend.

Sure, some people being so vocal about the year we go analogue might very well be a trend. But these are facts:

• We’ve already been spending less and less time on social media – Social media usage peaked in 2022 and has been going down slowly but steadily since then

• Organic reach on social media is harder than ever – In 2025, in particular, did you often feel like “Nobody is seeing my posts”, even though you used to be able to reach 10x more people? It wasn’t just you. For example, during Q3 in 2025, LinkedIn reach was down 65% from its peak. This is due to a variety of factors, but especially users becoming more mindful with their engagement, and social media platforms focusing on a pay-to-play model (= they’re making organic reach harder so that you start paying for ads to reach more people. Cheeky, I know)

• People are tired of impersonal, AI-generated content – They were already becoming more mindful with how they used social media. Now that so many business owners and content creators are relying so heavily on AI? I’ve lost count of how many conversations I’ve had or how many posts I’ve seen where people are complaining that “Everyone in my feed sounds the same. I’m thinking of leaving this platform”

So, the moral of the story?

People are experiencing digital burnout and are no longer engaging in the same way they did years ago. So, if you want your business to keep thriving and reaching your ideal clients consistently, you must adapt. 

Relying on unpredictable word-of-mouth referrals or putting all your eggs in the social media basket has always been a risky game. I’ve been a broken record about this for years. Now, during the year we go analogue and with those additional challenges, it’d be more reckless than offering me pineapple on pizza (context: I’m Italian).

Marketing your services during the year we go analogue (and beyond): how to keep reaching and signing the right clients consistently 

I want you to read this with the right expectations: 

• This isn’t an exhaustive list – There are other options, of course. With my clients, we focus on personalised strategies based on their unique situation, strengths, challenges, and goals. But these are some excellent starting points 

• Be realistic: you can’t implement all these steps and tactics – You’re running a business, first and foremost. Your marketing and the actions you take regularly should be there to help you do it more smoothly and keep signing new clients, not to overwhelm you or turn you into a content creator or influencer. Secondly, you don’t even need to do ‘everything’, anyway (although you do need to go beyond word of mouth and social media, if you want to sign clients more predictably)

• I don’t do all these things myself – On top of everything I’ve just shared, I’m autistic. So, for example, I really struggle to ‘build relationships’, and don’t even get me started on coffee chats. However, I still included points that don’t work for me but might very well play to your strengths, too (and vice versa)

Now, let’s get into the key steps to “future-proof” your marketing during the age of analogue and trickier social media reach. Or…

if you’d rather do this with the right 1:1 support (without getting overwhelmed or second-guessing yourself), check out The Intentional Authority

Clarify your messaging, and be memorable for your ideal clients

It’s not 2021 anymore: gone are the days when “just showing up consistently” and “being a generic service provider for everyone” was enough to get clients. 

Markets are becoming more saturated, and your audience has heard the same buzzwords a thousand times, especially during the boom of new online businesses during the pandemic. 

So, if you want to be THE ONE they think of, even during the year they go analogue:

• Clarify your positioning and messaging, and make them magnetic for your specific ideal clients – Position your services as the obvious bridge between their problems and goals, something tangible and specific (not a vague “I’ll supercharge your business” or “Live your truth”).
  In your marketing, keep focusing on your ideal clients. After all, if you want them to keep noticing it and engaging with it, even now that they’re using their phones and social media more mindfully, it must immediately grab their attention and make them think “OMG, it’s like she wrote this about ME!”

• Keep it consistent… and be a broken record – We need to see the same message multiple times in order to absorb it. So, if you want your ideal clients to remember you (and most importantly, how you can help them), you can’t keep jumping from one topic to the next or tweaking your headlines and website copy every month

• Share what only you can share – Personally, I don’t care about whether or not you’re using AI. But if your marketing content could be entirely written by AI (or a competitor), you won’t stand out during the year we go analogue, let alone be remembered.
  Instead, include your perspective, client stories and social proof, relevant personal stories, and so on. Stand for something. And help your ideal clients look at their situation from a different perspective, instead of telling them what they already know or are getting from ChatGPT

• Show up as an actual authority and business owner (while still being yourself, of course) – Over the past few years, gurus and self-proclaimed personal branding experts have been saying that you must “always give value” and that “as long as you’re authentic, clients will want to work with you”. As if!
  But as a consequence, many solopreneurs and founders have been showing up as more of a free resource, online friend, or influencer. Basically, as someone their audience likes and supports… but isn’t even thinking of paying. And that’s why their marketing doesn’t feel worth the time and energy they’re putting into it: it mostly brings them likes, engagement, and undecided leads rather than enough ideal clients.
  So, don’t ever forget why you’re here and what your business depends on. Instead of focusing on vanity metrics and content that makes you feel popular, lead with your unique message and tie it back to your services

That way, it doesn’t matter if your ideal clients have missed your latest social media post or are enjoying a phone-free walk in the woods when they realise they’re ready to solve their problem or achieve their goal: you will be the one who comes to mind.

Use social media more mindfully

I’m by no means telling you that “social media is dead” or that you shouldn’t be on it. But… 

• Depend less on social media – Don’t put all your marketing eggs in this basket, and don’t spread yourself thin by trying to be active on every platform. That’s not the best use of your time, energy, or money, especially now that social media usage is going down and people are engaging differently!

• Use these platforms strategically, and stay focused – Start seeing social media as one part of your marketing and client acquisition strategy (especially as a way to reach new people and stay top of mind, while still inviting them to take action regularly), not to feel popular with influencer-style content and then complain when you don’t get as much engagement

And for the record, you’re not imagining it: when you post a picture of your cat or talk about pineapple on pizza, you are getting more engagement… but that’s because you’re sharing light-hearted content that everyone and their dog can easily have an opinion on. 

The kind of magnetic content that activates your ideal clients will probably get less engagement. From the outside, it might look like ‘it bombed’… even though it brought you actual leads.

For example, my client Rita’s social media “got me a lot of reactions, comments, followers and irrelevant DMs, but no clients.” And after we changed her messaging and overall strategy together: “My relevant network is growing at quite a pace as well, with 32 new connections in just 7 days since I started using my new brand messaging, all from my ideal audience. I started getting my first organic enquiries on social media within the first month.” 

So, remember: are you here to get cheap dopamine or to connect with your ideal clients?

Get people away from your social media feeds

Most of my clients come to me complaining that “Hardly anyone sees my posts!”

And while there are some tweaks we make to improve their chances of reaching more of the right people, I always tell them the same thing: we can’t control the algorithm, but what we do have control over is our actions and strategy.

So, instead of continuing to do more of the same and magically expecting different results (which sounds an awful lot like the definition of insanity, but I know it’s easy to fall into this trap when “posting on socials” has become a familiar habit), focus on turning your social media followers and eyeballs into “someone you can stay in touch with, without an algorithm getting in the way”. 

For example, grow an email list (without letting it gather dust), a Telegram group, or a low-ticket community.

Reach your ideal clients online but in different and more strategic ways 

Yes, it’s the year we go analogue, and people are more selective with how they engage online, but they’re still consuming content!

So, instead of continuing to rely so heavily on social media or spray-and-pray tactics, prioritise other ways to keep reaching your clients.

For example (and mind you: you can’t expect overnight results with most of these tactics, but they will be worth it in the long run, and unlike social media posts with a short shelf-life, they’ll keep working in the background for you):

• Optimise your website for SEO, and write blog posts to be found on Google and through AI

• Appear on the podcasts your ideal clients listen to in their spare time

• Plan collaborations with complementary service providers 

• Do some PR with online publications

And no matter what you do, remember: the goal isn’t ‘visibility for the sake of it’. You must also direct your ideal clients to channels you own, so you can stay in touch or make the next step a no-brainer.

Consider some offline activities, too 

Use ‘the year we go analogue’ to your advantage by physically showing up in front of your target audience or giving them something they can use offline.

For example:

• Attend networking and relevant events 

• Speak at those events

• Organise your own 

• Write a book 

• Do some PR with offline publications

And once again, always have a strategy to stay in touch with your ideal clients afterwards.

Be more proactive

Personally, I prefer inbound marketing, but that doesn’t mean we can always afford to get lazy with our lead generation and client acquisition, especially if you have specific targets (like wanting to sign x new clients before you go on holiday). 

So, consider reaching out to your ideal clients:

• Cold and warm outreach 

• Building relationships (for example, in the DMs)

I’ll be completely honest: being autistic, that’s one of the things I really struggle with. So, I stopped feeling guilty for not doing coffee chats or starting 20 ‘casual’ chats in my DMs every day.

However, if I think I might be able to help someone, I do occasionally start strategic conversations. Personally, I prefer being more upfront about it rather than pretending we’re having a casual chat. Some love this because they appreciate my transparency and the fact that I save them time by getting straight to the point in a no-pressure way, some others hate it—and that’s okay. 

Find what works for you.

Don’t sleep on client retention

It’s not just about finding new clients.

In fact, did you know you have a 60-70% chance of selling to an existing customer, compared to only 5-20% for a new prospect? 

It makes sense when you think about it, especially as a service provider: past clients already got to experience your genius. And yet we often forget about them, even though I’m sure you can help them again.

So, find the right way to stay in touch, keep them in your world, or offer them something new to re-activate them.

For example, I encouraged several of my clients to reach out to their past clients or create exclusive offers, and that brought in new sales and cash they weren’t expecting. 

And if you’d rather implement all this with the right guidance and a bespoke strategy that plays to your strenghts, check out The Intentional Authority

Keep thriving during the year we go analogue and beyond: implement the right marketing strategy and authority-boosting plan for you

Don’t be fooled: this is bigger than a few people switching to old cameras and vinyl. ‘The year we go analogue’ isn’t a trend. It’s a sign that our online habits have already been changing.

So, if you want to keep working with your ideal clients (without panicking or getting frustrated whenever word of mouth goes quiet or your reach and engagement go down), your marketing must adapt.

Remember, though: you don’t need to try and do everything or spread yourself thin. Craft the right strategy for you and keep taking action without getting distracted or going off-track.

If you’re serious about starting to do that while also avoiding wasting months on scattered action and second-guessing yourself, I’d love to support you. 

During my 90-day 1:1 programme, you will: 

• Clarify your messaging, positioning yourself as the obvious choice for your ideal clients and knowing exactly what to lead with and repeat in your marketing to truly connect with them 

• Implement more efficient and structured marketing, so that you only use your time and energy for high-impact tactics and action that feed into your business goals and that actually help you sign high-level clients (not “posting more on social media and complaining because the algorithm is hiding your content”) 

• Boost your authority and conviction, stepping things up without trying to be someone you’re not, and finally owning your brilliance and expertise instead of downplaying them 

So, if you’re serious about gaining back hours and headspace every week while attracting more of the high-ticket, perfect-fit clients who energise you (during the year we go analogue and beyond)...

Why You Hear ‘I'll Think About It' or Get Ghosted After Sales Calls

You get on a call with someone who could be a perfect-fit client. You’d love to work with them, and you know full well you could help them. They seem keen, too (woop, woop). 

But then they drop the bomb you heard from another dream prospect last week: “I’ll think about it” (and we all know what that means).

Oooooor they feed you one of the usual excuses: “It’s just not the right time” or “We haven’t got the budget”, even though you then see them invest in a more expensive competitor only a few weeks later.

Or they flat-out ghost you, ignoring all your “Hiiiiiii, just checking in” emails.

And the worst part?

Even though you’ve been running a successful business for years and your past and current clients love you, it still happens regularly—even after long or multiple calls, endless back-and-forths, free advice and value, or lengthy proposals—causing you to waste hours with people who don’t become clients, week after week.

But I bet you’re ready to change that.

You want to repel time-wasters and attract more “When can we start?” leads, right?

Excellent! So, let’s look into why you’re still getting ghosted after so many sales calls, so that you know exactly what to focus on to change it.

Why you’re getting ghosted after sales calls

Technically, there can be a million reasons why you’re getting ghosted after sales calls or hearing the same objections, even more so if we were to look at these potential clients on an individual basis (you never know what someone is going through. Maybe that specific person was hit with a huge struggle in their personal life only the day after your call).

But we’re here to focus on recurring patterns and, most importantly, their root cause.

In fact, I’m writing this article for a specific type of business owner, especially fellow women founders and solopreneurs because… I’ve seen this scenario LOADS of times.

So, if you tick all these boxes, I can pretty much guarantee that the actual problem is the same (if you don’t, the list will still show you what else you must fix first. You’re welcome).

• You’re already running a successful business, and you are getting clients, even though it’s more unpredictable and time-consuming than you’d like (= you have a proven business model and the right services for your ideal clients, with a strong product-market fit)

• You’re getting referrals and word of mouth (= your past and current clients are satisfied with the actual delivery of your services)

• You’re not letting every Tom, Vik & Harry book a free call without any kind of pre-qualification (= you’re already weeding out the most obvious time-wasters and uncommitted prospects)

• Some people do become clients after a discovery call or sales call, especially if they’ve come through networking or word of mouth (= you’re not hopeless at running the calls themselves)

If all that applies but you’re still hearing “I’ll think about it” or getting ghosted after sales calls, especially the ones that come directly from your marketing, I bet my 80s blazer that the actual problem is this:

your messaging and positioning—and therefore, your overall marketing—aren’t doing justice to the value of your services.

So, your ideal clients are only seeing your offers as a “non-urgent nice-to-have” and thinking of you as “just another option in your niche” (or worse, a free resource, online friend, or influencer whose content they love but whom they aren’t even thinking of paying) rather THE authority they can feel confident investing in as soon as they’re ready to take action.

How your messaging can act as an initial screening tool

By messaging, I mean the way you talk and write about your business, how you convey your value proposition and positioning, and what you focus on the most and repeat in your marketing to reach, connect with, and activate your ideal clients.

Why is it so important? Because your messaging:

• Is what conveys the value of your services to people who haven’t experienced them first-hand just yet – If your ideal clients can’t see and fully understand that value ‘from the outside’? They either won’t take action or come to you with loads of excuses and hesitation 

• Can either make you stand out or blend in – If everything you share makes your ideal clients think “It’s like she’s in my head”, they’ll think of YOU as soon as they’re ready to invest in your types of services, no questions asked. If it’s too generic, if it confuses them, or if it trains them to think of you as more of a free resource, online friend, or influencer… they’ll pick your competitors or, once again, come to you with the same objections and excuses 

• Influences your entire marketing – It doesn’t matter if you’re showing up on Instagram, LinkedIn, via email, at networking events, and so on. Your messaging is the foundation. So, if you’re not clear on it or you don’t know how to amplify it in a way that makes it click for your ideal clients (= that you’re THE ONE for them), mastering one tactic won’t fix it. You’ll keep being busy and doing a lot while thinking “My marketing just doesn’t feel worth it”

• Acts like a magnet – Magnetic messaging can attract your ideal clients while also repelling wrong-fit prospects and time-wasters on a 1:many basis. Without this, you are going to have to keep doing it on a 1:1 basis during calls and back-and-forths (and tackling objections or getting ghosted)

Basically, while it’s wise to have an additional filter in place (like pre-qualifying your leads with strategic questions before getting on a call with them), your messaging acts as the first screening:

it determines whether you keep attracting so many uncommitted leads or you mostly speak to perfect-fit, high-level ones who, by the time they get in touch, already know they want to work with you. Their main question during a discovery call (if that call is even needed by then)? “When can we start?”

For example, take my client Shannon, founder of High Flying Design:

“Before investing in Giada, I would get ghosted more frequently. I now know that this was happening because my copy didn't pre-qualify people - leading everyone to get in touch. As you can imagine, this has saved me a lot of time as I now no longer have as many people to get back to. 

And when people do get in touch, they are more likely to say yes to working with me - therefore the time spent with the prospect was not a waste of time but instead can be seen as time building rapport / in 'discovery'.”

That’s the power of magnetic messaging! 

But by now, you’re probably thinking “Ok, Giada. I get that messaging is important, but how can this look like in practice?”

I’ll show you.

Examples of bad and good messaging 

I’ll use a nervous system coach as an example.

Bad messaging

“Step into alignment and embody your highest self. My programme is the nervous system regulation you need.

Together, we’ll rewrite your narrative, rewire your limiting beliefs, and activate your flow states so you can take your business to the next level and operate at your highest potential.”

Why it’s bad and more likely to result in calls with “I’ll think about it” prospects and ghosters:

❌ Too vague and generic (who is this even for? Plus, ‘take your business to the next level’ can mean everything and NOTHING at the same time)

❌ Full of buzzwords and jargon (for example, someone who isn’t a nervous system expert probably doesn’t know what ‘activating your flow states’ means. And what does ‘step into alignment’ or ‘embody your highest self’ actually mean?!)

❌ Hard to picture (what will this look like? How will my day-to-day change?)

Magnetic messaging

“From the outside, you’re running a successful business and life but, inside, you always feel like you’re about to break, pushing, and thinking ‘I just need to make it to tomorrow’?

It’s because your nervous system is still holding on to outdated or downright wrong beliefs, acting as if you were in danger.

No wonder all those self-help books and affirmations haven’t worked: the problem is deep inside your body, not just your mind.

So, let’s get to the root cause and fix this once and for all, so you can start feeling calm in your everyday life and running and scaling your business from a place of safety, opportunity, and ease, not survival”

Why it’s magnetic and more likely to bring you enquiries from “When can we start?” prospects:

✅ Hyper-specific, making them think “It’s like she’s describing MY situation”

✅ Simple and clear language, mirroring the way they talk about their problems and goals in their own heads

✅ Includes details and specific situations that create an instant vivid image in her ideal clients’ minds, something they can see themselves in (current problem) and that they crave (desired outcome and goal)

Making your messaging magnetic is a no-brainer, right?

But here’s the thing…

Why it’s tricky to get your messaging right and speak to “When can we start” leads

If you’re already feeling on fire and ready to make your messaging more magnetic and strategic, go for it.

If, on the other hand:

• You’re constantly tweaking your website copy and social media bios

• You can tell your current messaging isn’t doing justice to the value of your services but can’t figure out how to change it 

please know that it’s not just you: it’s really common and, in fact, completely normal.

You’re simply too close to your business to sum it up and convey the value of your services in a way that connects with people who haven’t experienced them. I always say that it’s like trying to read the label from inside the jar.

… and even more so for women

Ever since we were little girls, we’ve been conditioned to shrink, be everything for everyone, and downplay our brilliance.

And showing up as THE authority that a specific ideal client can feel confident investing it? Being that niche and bold with our messaging? It feels like the complete opposite. 

So, your brain won’t like that. And this will show up in sneaky ways, like:

• Continuing to let every Tom, Vik & Harry book a free call with you, even though you’re tired of hearing “I’ll think about it” or getting ghosted

• Being more generic and vanilla with your messaging to try and appeal to everyone

• Churning out the kind of marketing that everyone and their dog can engage with (tips, surface-level statements, empowering quotes, what you did during the weekend…) to get engagement and validation from the masses

So, I’m going to be upfront.

YES: even though it’s incredibly beneficial, changing your messaging can feel a little uncomfortable at first. You simply need to choose your kind of ‘hard’:

• Sticking to messaging that feels safe while continuing to feel resentful because your ideal clients can’t see the value of your services, taking on low-vibe clients and work that doesn’t excite you, and wasting hours talking to “I’ll think about it” prospects and getting hosted, week after week

• Going through that initial discomfort to then get used to owning your brilliance unapologetically, standing out, making your ideal clients think “It’s like she’s always talking about ME”, receiving more enquiries and call bookings from leads who are itching to get started, and signing more and better clients more easily—consistently

If it’s the latter and you’re craving that external perspective to read the label from outside the jar…

How I’ll make your messaging magnetic, so you can sign high-level clients with ease

I’m Giada, the marketing message strategist and mentor for women becoming THE ONE their ideal clients want to hire.

And with Recalibrate, we’ll fix your messaging and get complete clarity during a high-impact 1:1 session and a full week of support, positioning your services as the only option.

So, instead of continuing to hear “I’ll think about it” or get ghosted by people and businesses you’d love to work with, you’ll start creating marketing that does the heavy-lifting for you to hit your income goals, showing the value of your services to perfect-fit leads before they’ve even spoken to you.

Ready to sign more high-level clients with ease?

4 Ways I Use Stories to Get Clients (Not Just Engagement)

Our brains are wired to connect with stories, but storytelling has become a dangerous buzzword in the marketing world.

So, if you’ve been trying to “tell stories” but they only brought you fruitless engagement rather than paying clients, fret not: that’s about to change.

The first chapter? Understanding the difference between random and strategic storytelling.

I’ll then share the 4 main ways in which I (and the women who work with me) use stories to connect with our target audience, make something ‘click’, and compel them to take action. 

Marketing storytelling works…

• Our brains really are wired to connect with stories – I wasn’t exaggerating. When we’re told a story, our brain releases specific chemicals: cortisol (which helps us formulate memories), dopamine (regulating our emotional response), and oxytocin (creating or maintaining a connection since it’s associated with empathy)

• We remember them more easily – Facts are 22 times more likely to be remembered when they’re part of a story. Since your audience is exposed to 6,000-10,000 marketing messages EVERY. SINGLE. DAY (yes, really), being noticed and remembered can make all the difference for your business

• Stories sell – On average, marketing storytelling leads to a 30% increase in conversions. So, you’ll get more paying clients

In other words, it’d be crazy not to use storytelling in your marketing.

… but only when used correctly

Unfortunately, storytelling has also become a marketing buzzword. 

Many gurus and self-proclaimed  experts promised you that, as long as you tell random stories and show up authentically, clients will magically want to invest in your services. As if!

In fact, in some cases, consistently telling “the wrong” stories can train them to only see you as an online friend or influencer rather than “the authority they can trust with their money”. 

For example, this is often the case when:

• You share business stories that undermine your credibility (I’m all for being authentic and talking about how we overcame certain struggles, but if you’re making your ideal clients think “Uuuuh, working with her feels like a gamble” or “She seems nice and relatable but I’m not sure she knows what she’s doing”, it’d backfire big time)

• You always share random personal anecdotes without tying them to what you actually do for your clients or what you stand for when it comes to your industry

That’s why, in my world, my clients and I do things differently (and if you’re tired of wasting time or money on fruitless marketing or finding yourself on so many calls with “I’ll think about it” prospects, I suggest you do, too).

4 ways to tell stories that help you get actual leads and clients

1. Client stories

Instead of sharing screenshots of clunky testimonials opening with “She’s lovely to work with”, we tell the story of how that person went from their problem to their goal through our help.

2. Relevant parts of your own story

For example, did we use to be in our ideal clients’ shoes? Did we make some of their same mistakes (and how did we overcome them)? Did we have an epiphany that can be a  game-changer for them, too? Maybe we let go of an unhelpful belief?

3. Non-business anecdotes that can amplify our key messaging

Stories and analogies make it easier for people to absorb our message. So, have we got a fun / quirky / emotional / unusual / relatable anecdote we can turn into a relevant analogy or business lesson?

4. Our ideal clients’ story

This is the most important and effective marketing narrative. So, instead of sharing endless tips or impersonal “buy from me” posts, we paint vivid pictures of our ideal clients’ life, problem, and goal, making them think “She really gets me” and “She can help me”.

Ready to rewrite your story and attract more perfect-fit, ready-to-start clients?

If you want to get tangible results from your marketing and make more sales, it should never be about telling random stories. It’s about connecting with your ideal clients, proving you can serve them better than anyone else in your niche, and positioning yourself as the only logical choice.

When you do that consistently with your marketing, you attract more perfect-fit clients without putting in all the effort on a 1:1 basis—like answering the same questions, dealing with endless calls and back-and-forths with time-wasters, or chasing uncommitted leads who then ghost you—because the right stories will show your ideal clients that you can help them rewrite theirs.

If this made you look at your marketing from a different perspective, there are 2 main ways to build on this momentum and actually make it happen:

More blog posts on this topic:

Do Clients Only See You as Free Advice, Friend, or Influencer?

I’m going to save everyone some time: this is only for you if you run a service-based business and aren’t attracting many dream clients from your marketing (they mostly come from unpredictable word of mouth and a lot more effort than you’d like).

Bonus points if you’re a woman, because I’ll also share why we are more likely to show up as a free resource, online friend, or influencer.

Still here?

Then, I’ll show you why your current strategy isn’t helping you attract clients who’re ready to pay you, help you identify how your audience sees you (psst: while the biggest one is the same, each of those three scenarios comes with different symptoms), and how you should position yourself instead.

You are showing up for your business. But are your ideal clients only seeing you as a free resource, online friend, or influencer?

First things first: if you want to be perceived as such, then you do you. In fact, in some cases, it might even make more sense. For example:

• If you offer cheap digital products to the masses, being seen as a free resource might help you make more low-ticket sales

• If you feel lonely and want to connect with more people, then you might want to be seen as an online friend

• If you mostly make money through brand partnerships, then of course, you want to position yourself as an influencer

But if your business literally relies on you selling your services, those three are equally counterproductive.

So, let’s start by diagnosing the problem. If you recognise yourself in some of these symptoms, then you’ll know that’s how most of your ideal clients see you right now (and being aware of it is the first step to changing it!).

Free resource

Ooooooh yes: the one whose content everyone loves to consume but without even thinking about paying for their expertise. 

Main symptoms

• You get a lot of saves on social media and comments along the lines of “That’s so helpful” or “I’ll give it a go” and “Thank you for sharing that”

• You’re regularly asked “Can I just pick your brain on this?” or “Would you mind helping me with [what’s disguised as a quick question but would require over half an hour of your time]?”

• You often find yourself on calls with people who are secretly after free advice, aren’t committed, or have a lot of objections. Some then tell you “It’s just not the right time” or even ghost you

... and you’re not attracting enough perfect-fit, ready-to-start clients from your marketing

Why your ideal clients see you as a free resource

• You’re always sharing free tips, advice, and how-to content

• Instead of appealing to those who are ready to invest in the help of an expert, you’re attracting people who want to DIY everything or even industry peers who are a few steps behind you (I made this mistake when I was a generic copywriter, years ago: my old copywriting tips were more relevant to copywriting beginners than clients looking to hire a copywriter)

• Maybe your ideal clients are consuming your content, but they aren’t seeing you as someone they would or should invest in

Why it’s worse for women

We’re often conditioned to feel like we must prove our worth and always “give, give, give” without ever asking for anything in return 

Online friend 

The one everyone adores… but whose expertise and help they wouldn’t pay for

Main symptoms

• You get lots of messages and—on social media, in particular—likes and comments along the lines of “You’re so cool and relatable” or “haha I love your content”

• You often find yourself on calls with uncommitted leads and maybe even get ghosted

• You’re regularly asked to get on coffee chats

• Some of those people then expect you to help them out for free… only to invest in your competitors a few weeks later, paying them big money

... and you’re not attracting enough perfect-fit, ready-to-start clients from your marketing

Why your ideal clients see you as an online friend

• You’re mostly sharing personal content and talking about your life

• You’re sticking to vanilla and generic messaging to try and please everyone

• You hardly ever talk about your services, or your content doesn’t directly feed into them

Why it’s worse for women

We often associate “being liked” with “being safe”. So, we might be subconsciously looking for that approval and validation from online strangers

Influencer

Everyone is inspired by you. Shame they don’t pay you for it, though

Main symptoms

• You get loooooads of engagement (especially on social media) and comments or DMs along the lines of “You’re so inspiring” 

• You get plenty of visibility, but your number of new leads and clients doesn’t feel proportional to your reach 

• While some ideal clients might engage with your marketing, they don’t go on to booking a call with you or inquiring about your services

... and you’re not attracting enough perfect-fit, ready-to-start clients from your marketing

Why your ideal clients see you as an influencer

• You’re sharing whatever comes to mind, and a lot of it has nothing to do with… what you do for your clients

• You either try to tackle too many topics (so, your audience doesn’t know what to associate you with) or your content is too generic and surface-level

• Even when you do talk about your industry, you’re not doing it in a way that feeds into your services (and God forbid you include calls to action to work with you) 

Why it’s worse for women

Authenticity tends to be important for us. And I’m not saying you shouldn’t be authentic (whatever that means to you)! But the problem is that we were sold the lie that “you just need to build your personal brand, keep showing up, and be authentic, and your dream clients will magically want to work with you” 

How your ideal clients should start seeing and treating you: the ONLY logical choice

As you probably figured out by now, whether they see you as a free resource, online friend, or influencer, the core problem is the same: they keep seeing your services as a “non-urgent nice-to-have” (if they’re even aware of what you do) and treating you as “just another option”.

And you get frustrated because you knoooooow they need what you’re offering, but they JUST. DON’T. GET IT. 

So, what needs to change?

You must help them see you as THE ONE they’re going to invest in as soon as they’re ready to solve their problem and achieve their dream outcome (and guess what? Some of them are ready right now)

Main symptoms, once you get there

• Most enquiries turn into new clients fast (and you might even close some of them without a call) because, by the time they get in touch, they’re pretty much sold

• The main question you get is “When can we start?”

• Word of mouth becomes the cherry on top (not something you rely on), and you can finally afford to turn away uncommitted and red-flag clients, only working with those who light you up and make your business feel worth it

• You get hours of your time back every week 

• Whenever you show up for your business, you feel clear, confident, and like you’re finally owning your brilliance and worth

When will your ideal clients see you as the only logical choice? When you finally:

• Start seeing your services as the bridge between their current problem and dream outcome (and market them as such, planting and watering that seed—consistently)

• Stop chasing virality, popularity, and validation, and instead, you focus on connecting with your ideal clients, showing them you can serve them better than anyone else in your niche, and compelling them to take action

• Get super specific with your messaging and always talk to them in your marketing, making them think “It’s like she’s reading my mind or describing my situation”

Why it’s actually the best choice for women 

• We get to make more of an impact by attracting those perfect-fit clients 

• We gain back hours every week (bye bye, fruitless marketing and endless calls and back-and-forts with time-wasters)

• We feel re-energised because our ideal clients understand how valuable our services are

• We get to flip the finger at all that counterproductive conditioning and, instead, finally own our brilliance and worth

And I really hope more and more of us do this because… who is that conditioning actually benefiting? Surely, not us.

And I’m not going to lie: it can feel uncomfortable at first. A client of mine even asked me “How can I show up as an authority without being seen as rude?”

That’s how sneaky that conditioning is! We end up thinking we can’t be confident without being seen as rude, bitchy, or greedy.

Meanwhile, our ideal clients—whose life or business we could genuinely change for the better—keep flocking to our competitors.

So, the choice is yours: would you rather put up with the initial discomfort of changing how you show up, or the ongoing resentment of being overlooked by the very people you LOVE working with?

In other words…

Will you continue to be treated as a free resource, online friend, and influencer, or will you become The One They Want?

Realistically, most business owners will continue to do what they’re doing just because it feels familiar. They say they want change but aren’t prepared TO change.

If you are not “most business owners”, this is your invitation to flip that narrative.

I’m Giada, the marketing message mentor for women service providers.

I can give you the clarity, strategy & a system to consistently market your services as the ONLY logical choice, attracting more perfect-fit, ready-to-start clients who want to work with YOU (without feeling icky, wasting time on stuff that doesn’t move the needle, or needing to book more sales calls with every Tom, Vik, and Harry).

Stop letting your ideal clients see your services as a “non-urgent nice-to-have” or treat you as a resource, online friend, influencer, or “just another option”. Start owning your brilliance and worth: become The One They Want

Brand Messaging Frameworks: Do You Actually Need One?

Uhhhhh, a “brand messaging framework”? Sounds fancy, doesn’t it? 

So, you might be tempted to think it’s only valuable for huge companies with a million departments. Surely, if you’re a small service-based business or a solopreneur, you don’t need it, right?

On the contrary, getting complete clarity on your messaging can make ALL the difference for a business like yours. And without a brand messaging framework, it’d be hard to keep it consistent.

That doesn’t mean everyone should invest in a guide right now, though. Plus, there’s a big problem with most of these guides (and I say this as a brand messaging strategist).

So, let’s look at what a brand messaging framework is exactly, whether YOU need one, and if so, how it’d benefit you in practice.

What is brand messaging?

Brand messaging is what you focus on in your marketing and how you articulate what sets you apart from everyone else (from your mission to your brand story) so that it resonates with your ideal clients, no matter the channel.

In my opinion, brand messaging is the foundation. Then, your marketing amplifies it. So, without putting the former in place, you’d be building the latter on pillars of sand. 

In fact, service providers who don’t get clear on their brand messaging usually show up as “just another option in their niche”, and their marketing either doesn’t work or requires A LOT more effort than it should. 

Those who nail their brand messaging? They’re perceived as “THE go-to solution for their specific ideal clients”, and they attract prospects who already want to work with THEM (and them only). 

Examples of brand messaging

This is a tricky one because brand messaging isn’t really something you can see (unless you look at someone’s brand messaging framework or guide). It’s how you make your audience feel about your business and what you help them associate you with and remember.

But to give you an idea, here’s a brand messaging example from one of my lovely clients, Cabomba Content. 

When Rita approached me, she was already an incredible social media manager. Unlike most competitors, she focused on helping her clients with lead generation too, not just vanity metrics like generic engagement or impressions. However, she struggled to get that across in her marketing. So, she wasn’t attracting her dream clients: baby and parenting professionals who were beyond ready to invest in social media strategy or management.

To set Cambomba Content apart from all other social media agencies, here’s one of the elements I included in Rita’s brand messaging framework:

“We’re the social media management & marketing for baby & parenting professionals. We help you reach & attract parents who NEED your services—instead of relying on word-of-mouth or wasting 1+ days a week on content that falls flat”

Clear positioning, clear audience, clear benefit of working with them. BOOM.

(If you’re curious, Rita started getting her first organic enquiries within one month of using her new guide)

What is a brand messaging framework?

A brand messaging framework (or guide) is a structured document that clarifies a business’s messaging and breaks down all its key elements, so as to keep their marketing and communication consistent on every channel.

What does a brand messaging framework include?

Well, it depends. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula because, depending on where you look or who you work with, you’ll find different types of brand messaging frameworks.

In most cases, however, they tend to include these key elements:

• Succinct overview of the business

• Mission statement

• USP and positioning

• Target clients

• Key messages to repeat in its marketing

• Brand story

Do I need a brand messaging framework?

You need a brand messaging framework if you want your audience to see you as THE go-to solution for them, not just another option in your niche. 

We’ll go through the benefits of brand messaging guides soon, but I believe THAT alone is enough to make it a valuable investment for most businesses, even if you’re a solopreneur. 

However, there are two main instances in which I would NOT recommend investing in a brand messaging framework: if you’re only just starting out or pivoting.

In those cases, your priority should be to validate your new business idea to make sure you’re selling something your audience actually wants and is ready to pay for.

Also, if you’re the kind of person who likes to change their business model every few months without giving something time to stick, a brand messaging strategy would be a pointless investment (let’s face it: it’d end up being outdated within weeks, and you wouldn’t want to follow your guide, anyway).

On the contrary, if you’re confident about what you’re selling and you’re planning on sticking to your business model for the foreseeable future (and now wish to market your services more easily and successfully), then you’d 100% benefit from a brand messaging framework.

6 benefits of using a brand messaging framework for your service-based business

So, why is brand messaging important exactly, and how can a guide benefit your marketing and business in practice? 

1. You get complete clarity on your messaging

“What do you do in a nutshell?”

“Why should your clients choose you instead of your competitors?”

“How does working with you benefit them?”

A lot of business owners freeze when they hear those questions.

But if you are not clear on that, you can’t expect your ideal clients to understand it and choose you.

Instead, with a brand messaging framework, you’ll know exactly how to set yourself apart from all competitors (yes, even if they offer similar services, you CAN show up as the one and only for your specific ideal clients), what to focus on the most, and what your audience needs to hear in order to buy from you.

2. You always know what messages to repeat

Many business owners are marketing their services consistently (as in, regularly)... but their messaging is the opposite of consistent!

If you always end up covering new topics and taking new stances with your marketing, I can’t blame you: you must be really passionate about what you do, and there’s so much you could talk about for hours.

Unfortunately, though, you’re confusing your ideal clients, who never know WHAT to associate you with.

Instead, if you want them to think of YOU as soon as they’re ready to invest, your marketing should always do one thing: plant or water the seed that you’re the perfect solution to their problem. For it to do that, you must keep REPEATING your unique key messages. 

And of course, a brand messaging framework shows you exactly what they are.

3. Your marketing becomes (and stays) consistent, no matter the channel

I see this ALL. THE. TIME. 

Someone is killing it on LinkedIn but their website copy tells a completely different story. Or maybe their social media accounts are always tackling different topics. Perhaps their Instagram bio focuses on one thing and their homepage copy on another. 

That’s a one-way ticket to confusing (and losing) your audience!

Sure, your copy and format will change. Your messages shouldn’t, though. 

No matter where and how your ideal clients find out about you, they should immediately understand that you’re the perfect solution for them. Then, the rest of your marketing should amplify it and remind them about it.

4. You never have to start from scratch with your marketing

A brand messaging framework (when done right) saves you a tonne of time and energy, too.

Instead of wondering “What should I focus on, post about, create, etc?”, your motto will be “Let’s find new ways of repeating and amplifying the same key messages.”

5. A brand messaging framework makes it easier to outsource and collaborate with other service providers

As I teased before, brand messaging guides aren’t only useful for large businesses with lots of departments.

Let’s say you only have one employee, a team of freelancers, or a VA. Or maybe you’re thinking of making a one-off investment, like some copy for your launch or some videos for your socials.

When you have a brand messaging framework, it doesn’t matter WHO is writing about your business. Everyone can refer to the same document and stick to your key messages. Consistency for the win!

6. It can also help you come up with relevant offers and resources

This is another common mistake among service providers (and I made it myself before I got clear on my own messaging and started using my own brand messaging framework).

You get an idea for a new offer or lead magnet, it sounds exciting, you go all in without thinking twice about it, you churn it out, and then… crickets. Or maybe you do get some sign-ups and engagement, but because that resource isn’t aligned with your focus, they either don’t translate into paying customers or you end up confusing your audience.

Instead, with the right brand messaging framework, you can plan additions that always keep you on track (from lead magnets to webinars and more), amplifying your key messages and feeding into your bigger offers. 

There’s a problem with traditional brand messaging guides, though

Before niching down as a brand messaging strategist, I used to be a more generic copywriter. So, when working with a new client, I’d always ask them if they had any brand documents I could look at to familiarise myself with their business. Those who did have one?

It was usually a super expensive brand bible that was indeed useful from a visual point of view but… it did NOTHING to help them get clear on their messaging. It was almost as if it was made to impress them with fancy buzzwords and designs. 

No wonder my clients (like many other business owners who invested in such bibles) never really looked at their fancy PDF guides. They were just gathering virtual dust in their Downloads folder, while their marketing was all over the place. What a waste, right?!

So, when I eventually started offering my own brand messaging guides, I decided I would have had NONE of that. 

My approach to brand messaging guides: dynamic documents that work as magnets and compasses

There’s a reason why I now deliver my brand messaging guides as humble Google Docs (even though, at first, I collaborated with a graphic designer): because it’s easier to copy and paste their text, and they can grow with your business. 

I also don’t follow the most common brand messaging frameworks. Why? Because I realised they often include redundant information while also leaving out several key elements.

So, after perfecting my proprietary method, I made my own brand messaging framework. I see it as:

🧲 A magnet – It helps you attract your ideal clients and repel the wrong-fit prospects

🧭 A compass – It guides all your marketing and content creation, showing you exactly what to focus on and helping you come up with an endless supply of effective ideas

What do my brand messaging guides include, you ask? 

Well, since it’s my proprietary method, I can’t reveal everything just yet, but to give you an idea:

• Strategic and repeatable key wording to sum up your entire business, positioning you as THE go-to solution for your ideal clients (perfect for your social media bios, core website copy, PR bios, and more) 

• A scroll-stopping elevator pitch 

• Snappy overviews of your top 3 services or resources, with instructions on how to attract your ideal clients and repel the wrong-fit prospects 

• Your unique messaging pillars and how to amplify them with your marketing 

• A compelling sales narrative, with the complete story of how your ideal clients will go from their current problem to their happy ending through your help 

• ALL the points your ideal clients NEED to hear and read in order to invest in you (like pain points, what they’ve already tried to do to solve them, why they can empathise with YOU, all the concerns stopping them from taking action, how to reframe them, and more) 

In a nutshell, you need a brand messaging framework to set yourself apart from all competitors and keep your marketing consistent and strategic.

I create mine to help women service providers attract clients who already want to work with THEM (and THEM only), so they can stop relying on unpredictable referrals, time-consuming cold outreach, and endless DMs and calls with uncommitted prospects.

If you like the sound of that, get your own brand messaging guide through my core offers.

More #crafty blog posts on this topic:

“Why Is My Marketing NOT Working?" 7 Reasons & Solutions for Service Providers

You’ve been in business for a while, your clients LOVE what you do, and you are getting referrals.

But then why is your marketing not working? Why aren’t many ideal clients coming to you despite all the time and effort you’ve been putting into it?

It’s usually due to a combination of problems and common mistakes. But guess what?

They’re all fixable!

So, let’s look into it together to find out exactly why your marketing isn’t working (yet) and how to change that.

First things first: are you marketing the right services?

I promise: we are going to look at the main reasons why your marketing isn’t working, but we need to (hopefully) rule something out first because…

The best marketing won’t sell a bad or wrong offer.

Soooooo:

Have you got the right offers and services for your target clients?

If you’ve already sold them (for example, through referrals or cold outreach), that usually means you do. Pheew!

If it’s a new offer, on the other hand, you might want to conduct more market research first.

Are you providing a good service?

I need to be clear: being good at what you do isn’t enough to sell your services. That’s where your marketing comes into play.

Buuuut if your services are disappointing, your ideal clients might be able to tell (for example, when looking at your portfolio as a photographer, graphic designer, or copywriter, or by contacting some of your previous clients and then hearing some horror stories).

Honestly, I’m not trying to trigger your imposter syndrome! So, I’m just going to ask you: are most of your past and current clients beyond satisfied when they work with you? Do they give you good reviews and referrals? That means you’re incredible at what you do!

So, as long as you’ve got these foundations in place (if you haven’t, work on those first), it’s clear that your problem isn’t with your offers and how you deliver them: it’s how you’ve been promoting them.

7 reasons why your marketing isn’t working and how to fix them

1. Your ideal clients aren’t clear on your core brand message because… neither are you!

If I were to bump into you right now (hello!), would you be able to sum up your entire business in a compelling elevator pitch? And if I were to read the first section of your home page and your social media bios, would I find the exact same message?

If the answer is “Errrrrrrrrrrrrr”, it means your brand messaging (or lack thereof) has been sabotaging you from the inside.

You see:

your core brand message is how you deliver your value proposition and articulate the value of your business in a way that connects with your ideal clients. So, if you are not clear on that (or if you keep changing it), you can’t expect them to get it.

For example, if your website copy says “I’m a graphic designer on a mission” but your social media bios are “I offer graphic design services for solopreneurs who use Canva” and your LinkedIn headline says “I’ve completed +100 graphic design projects and social media templates for my clients”... that’s pretty confusing. Plus, none of that tells me why I should care and, most importantly, why I should pick you!

How to fix this reason why your marketing isn’t working

Get clear on how to convey exactly what you do / what type of business you run, who for, and how it benefits them, and package it in a way that sets you apart from every other competitor.

You don’t want to be “just another”: you want to be “THE” (= the obvious solution for a specific type of client looking to solve a specific problem and achieve a specific goal).

For example, “I’m the Canva graphic designer for solopreneurs. Get your bespoke, on-brand, and repeatable social media templates so that you can attract and impress your target audience without wasting +4h fiddling with Canva every week.” 

2. Your marketing is mostly about you and your business

“But Giada, it’s my business and brand! Who else should it be about?”

Your ideal clients. 

I mean, I get it: you are passionate about your business, and you are excited about your offers. But if that’s what you keep focusing on, that’s probably why your marketing isn’t working.

Your ideal clients are BOMBARDED with 6,000-10,000 marketing messages every day. So, if you want them to notice and absorb yours, you need to make it about them.

How to fix this reason why your marketing isn’t working

• Start seeing your ideal clients as the protagonists of your brand story – “What about me?” Easy: you’re the helpful expert who will take them from their current pain point to their happy ending  

• Make all your marketing content relevant for them – If in doubt: put yourself in their shoes, read (or watch, listen to, etc.) what you just crafted, and ask yourself, “So what? What’s in it for me? Why should I care?” If you can’t answer it, go back to the drawing board

• Don’t make the mistake of talking to your industry peers – This is a similar and super common pitfall (I was guilty of that too, in the past!): creating marketing content that’s more useful to our competitors than our ideal clients. For example, brand photographers sharing “7 tips to become a better brand photographer”, copywriters talking about famous marketers that only other copywriters know (and care) about, and so on. Instead, always start with your ideal clients in mind

3. Your marketing isn’t hooking your ideal clients

As seen before, your audience is exposed to THOUSAND of marketing messages on a daily basis. Everyone is competing for their attention online!

So, if your ideal clients can’t immediately tell that your content is for/about them?

You can’t expect them to notice it and engage with it.

How to fix this reason why your marketing isn’t working

Work on your hooks, which are the very first thing your audience sees (or hears) when they interact with your marketing content. 

This really depends on where you’ve been promoting your business and how, but for example, it could be your:

• First line of a LinkedIn post

• Carousel/reel cover on Instagram

• First few seconds of your videos

• Email subject line and first paragraph

• Blog post title

If possible, address your ideal clients directly (for example, “How you can grow your LinkedIn following as a web designer” rather than just “How to grow your LinkedIn following”).

If not, just make sure they can instantly tell: “This is about me!” (for example, “So, you’ve been posting on Instagram every day but not getting traction?”).

4. Your marketing messages aren’t sticking

Are you conveying the value of your services in a way that connects with your ideal clients and activates them? Can they understand what you’re telling them? And do they actually care? 

Because here’s the thing…

you’re so close to your business and services that you might think something is a given. To someone who isn’t familiar with your industry or has never worked with you, though? It might not be that obvious at all!

For example, if a business coach were to tell me “I’ll supercharge your business”, it wouldn’t mean anything to me (and I hear that A LOT online!).

But if they were to say “Slugging your guts out every day and not earning as much as you’d like? Together, we’ll redesign your offer suite in 3 weeks so that you can work less, earn more, and fall back in love with your business”... NOW we’re talking!

How to fix this reason why your marketing isn’t working

• Simplify your marketing messages – Get rid of vague words, jargon, and buzzwords. Start prioritising clarity instead

• Talk about your industry, business, and services in a way that’s relevant to your ideal clients – Once again, make it about them (their pain points, needs, current situation, goals, and so on). For example, focus on the benefits of your services, not their features or what you personally care about

5. You’re covering too many topics

There are some people I’ve been following on LinkedIn for years, they have a strong personal brand, and I always recognise them… and yet I would NOT be able to tell you what they actually do in practice! Why?

Because their marketing is all over the place, and they’re always talking about different things.

If that’s you too, I don’t blame you: it’s a common pitfall. You’ve probably been made to feel that you should create new content from scratch every time, always talk about something new, and reinvent the wheel.

On the contrary, that means you might get a lot of engagement but not many clients from your marketing because… they don’t know what to associate you with!

How to fix this reason why your marketing isn’t working

From your promotional posts to informational newsletters and so on: every single piece of content you put out there must plant or water the seed that “This is the perfect person to solve my problem and achieve my goal!”

• Get clear on around 3 messaging pillars

• Amplify them through your marketing

• Instead of thinking “What should I share/post about?”, start from “How can I find new ways of sharing the same messages?”

6. Your marketing isn’t feeding into your services

Don’t get me wrong: visibility is also important. You need to reach new people and get more eyeballs on your services, and that’s why content marketing can be so beneficial.

But views, likes, comments, and online traffic alone DON’T pay the bills!

If this content isn’t actually positioning your services as the obvious next step, how can you expect to get clients from it?

(You can’t)

How to fix this reason why your marketing isn’t working

As well as sharing valuable content:

• Do talk about your offers and services REGULARLY 

• Include compelling calls to action telling your ideal clients what to do next

I know a lot of fellow women entrepreneurs in particular struggle with this: we’ve been conditioned into thinking we must always “give, give, give” and never “ask”. So, we’re often afraid we’ll come across as salesy.

But if we want our ideal clients to know about our services, remember them, and actually invest in them, we DO need to talk about them often! 

And as long as your message is relevant for them, it won’t feel icky. In fact, try this mindset shift: “My ideal clients are struggling with a pesky pain point, and I have the perfect solution for it. Why would I not want to help them take action?!”

Also, for the best results, don’t expect your ideal clients to jump on a call with you after reading your content (that’s a BIG ask) or DM you without having any deets.

Instead, direct them to a sales page that answers their questions, does the selling for you, and helps you get more enquiries from your ideal clients (and less from wrong-fit prospects).

7. Your marketing isn’t consistent

This can mean two things: you’re not marketing your business often enough, or you are but your messaging is all over the place (or both at the same time).

Your audience needs to hear your same message multiple times to absorb it and feel compelled enough to take action.

So, if you only show up when you feel like it or if your message changes every time, you’re making things harder for them.

Now, I’m not saying you must post on every single social media platform every day, email your list every other day, blog weekly, record new podcast episodes every month and—Oof, that sounds stressful!

But you do need to be consistent with your marketing and messaging.

How to fix this reason why your marketing isn’t working

• Get in the habit of marketing your business consistently, even when you’re fully booked with client work. In fact, why not put it in your calendar until it becomes a habit?

• Focus on amplifying your core messages, NOT churning content out just for the sake of posting

Let’s make your messaging magnetic so that your marketing starts working

As you now know, you could have the best services (and I’m sure you already do), but if you’re not articulating it in a way that connects with your ideal clients, THEY. WON’T. GET IT.

So, start by fixing your core brand messages first and then amplify them with your marketing.

Would you rather do that with the help of an expert?

I’m Giada, the marketing message mentor and strategist for service-based women entrepreneurs. I can help you attract your ideal clients in 2 main ways.

If you’re ready to stop wasting time, energy, or money on marketing that isn’t actually helping you atttract enough perfect-fit, ready-to-start clients…

More #crafty blog posts on this topic:

How to Convey the Value of Your Services (& Sell More Easily)

You created the perfect offer for your ideal clients? Excellent start! But if they don’t understand its value, they still won’t invest in it.

That’s why you must get crystal clear on your service messaging and make it MAGNETIC for them.

So, I’ll show you exactly how to convey the value of your services successfully, including examples and frameworks to get you started.

Setting the right expectations when marketing your services

Before I show you how to articulate the value of your services, I want to make sure we’re on the same page.

I know you can’t wait to dive into it, but trust me: this will help you leave some common misconceptions behind and avoid costly mistakes (or disappointment).

A good service won’t sell itself. You need the right message

“Build it and they will come,” “A good product will sell itself”... This dangerous misconception circulates through different sayings, but the overall idea is the same: if your offer is good, you won’t need to put any effort into marketing it and selling it.

This could NOT be further from the truth!

It doesn’t matter how good your service is. You still have to:

• Market it regularly 

• Package it in a way that speaks to your audience

And that’s why your messaging is key. 

If your ideal clients don’t understand how this service can benefit them and why they should invest in it right freakin’ now, it won’t matter how skilled you are at delivering it: they’ll never find out because… they won’t take action.

So, keep reading to discover how to convey the value of your service successfully. 

Still, the best messaging and marketing won’t sell a bad service

Unfortunately, it goes both ways. 

Just like it’s hard to sell a good service if you haven’t got the right message, a strong message won’t save a bad service.

And by “bad” I don’t mean “low-quality” or anything like that! Simply “an offer that your audience doesn’t actually need or want right now.”

So, if you haven’t already done so, boost your chances of success by conducting some market research before launching your service and/or working on its messaging.

A common mistake: trying to sell the service itself

“But Giada, we’re literally here to talk about conveying the value of my service! What else should I sell?!”

I know. It sounds counterintuitive at first, but bear with me.

People don’t really buy a product or service: they buy a solution to their problem and/or they dream outcome.

For example, if you ever invested in a business coach, I doubt you were motivated by “Oh, I really want to find a programme with weekly sessions, a workbook, and Voxer access.” It was probably something along the lines of “Help, I’m stuck! I want to streamline my business so that I can go back to enjoying it but… I have no idea where to start.”

Whatever you’re selling, it’s the same with your offer!

Think of your service as the bridge that’ll take your ideal clients from their current pain point to their dream outcome. What they’re after isn’t the actual bridge: it’s the journey from A to B. 

So, don’t lead with the service itself, its features, and what’s included. Sell that overall transformation.

How to convey the value of your service with the right message

Now that you have a good idea of what to expect and what to avoid, let’s create a magnetic message to sell your service.

Clarify who this service is for

Hopefully, you created this offer with a specific client or segment in mind. If you didn’t, you might want to go back to the drawing board and get strategic. 

This is because, when we try to speak to everyone, our messaging ends up being so generic that it appeals to no one. Instead, specificity sells.

So, whenever someone reads or hears about your service, the goal is to make them think “This is for me!”

But how can you do that?

• Name your target audience – If you can do that explicitly (for example, “women founders”, “new freelancers”, “middle-aged homeowners”), it makes things even easier

• Create your messaging and marketing with them in mind – If there isn’t a clear category or name that you can use for them, it’s not the end of the world. But they should still recognise themselves when you mention their problem and current situation (more on that soon!). So, at this stage, just make sure you’re always speaking to this specific ideal client

For example, The One They Want, my 1:1 mentorship and strategy programme, is for women solopreneurs or founders of a service-based business.

Identify the main problem that your service solves for them

Some people might have told you that pain point marketing is dead. That’s a lie!

Of course, I’d never recommend any dodgy bro-marketer tactics like shaming your audience or making them feel horrible about themselves.

But psychologically, solving our problem is what motivates us to take action. So, you MUST remind your audience of theirs. 

To do this ethically:

• Get clear on what that pain point is

• Articulate it in a way that resonates with them

• Meet them where they are right now

• Do it with empathy

• Show them you’re there to help them solve their pain point with your service

For example, my clients choose to invest in The One They Want because, despite running a profitable business for years, they’re still relying on unpredictable word of mouth and a lot more effort than they’d like to get clients, like endless calls and back-and-forths with “I’ll think about it” prospects. 

Basically, this is the start of our metaphorical bridge. So, identify the main point that your ideal clients are experiencing. 

Identify the final outcome

After meeting your ideal clients where they’re at right now, you must show them how your service will change their situation. So, how will their reality look and feel like afterwards?

• Identify the main benefit and outcome of your service

• Make sure it creates a strong contrast against the initial pain point

Remember: be specific! Don’t make vague promises like “I’ll supercharge your business” (what does that even mean in practice?!)

For example, the outcome of The One They Want is attracting more perfect-fit, ready-to-start clients who want to work with you, as well as feeling like you’re finally owning your brilliance and worth.

This is the second part of our bridge. So, identify your audience’s dream outcome.

If there’s anything else that sets it apart from similar services, include it

It’s almost time to bring these core messaging elements together. Almost! 

In some cases, this might be all you need to convey the value of your service. In some others, there might be additional elements that you can use to your advantage.

Some popular ones are:

• Do you do this within a set timeline (e.g. “in 7 days” or “in 5 weeks”)?

• Do you use a signature method (e.g. “with my proven Pics-that-Sell framework”)?

• Will your clients get to their dream outcome without having to go through a difficult or annoying step, perhaps something that most of your competitors force on them (e.g. “without having to give up your favourite food”)?

This won’t only help you convey the value of your service: it’ll set it apart from all your competitors.

For example, with The One They Want, I use my proprietary frameworks to give clients complete clarity, a strategy, and a repeatable process to consistently market their services as the ONLY logical choice.

Package it all together, and sell that transformation 

Now, you have all your key messaging elements to convey the value of your service effectively. Ready to put these puzzle pieces together? 

Some things to keep in mind:

• You probably won’t get it right the first time – That’s totally normal! Keep brainstorming

• It’s handy to come up with a few different options – Depending on factors like wordcount and context, it might make more sense to use a shorter or longer message, a snappy tagline as opposed to the full one, and so on (for example, if I mention “for service-based women entrepreneurs in one of my headlines”, I won’t repeat it in my offer overview). The most important thing is to still keep your core messaging consistent

Some frameworks to get you started:

• (Type of service) to go from (pain point) to (dream outcome) in (timeline)

• Pain point, solution (= your service), dream outcome

• (Type of service) for (ideal client) looking to go from (pain point) to (dream outcome)

Here are some examples for my own, The One They Want:

• “The 6-month mentorship and strategy programme for women who’ve had enough of clients treating them as ‘just another option’ and seeing their services as a ‘non-urgent nice-to-have’. Start positioning them as the must-have they are, and show up as THE ONE for them”

• “You’ve been running a profitable business for years but, to get clients, you’re still relying on unpredictable word of mouth, a lot more effort than you’d like, and endless calls and back-and-forths with ‘I’ll think about it’ prospects? Get complete clarity, a strategy, and a repeatable process to consistently market your services as the ONLY logical choice, attracting more perfect-fit, ready-to-start clients who want to work with you—and finally feeling and being seen as the authority you already are”

Keep your service messaging consistent

After brainstorming a few options and getting to your final one, KEEP. REPEATING IT. EVERYWHERE.

Your audience needs to see the same message multiple times to absorb it and take action.

So, if you don’t talk about it often enough or you keep changing it, you’re making things harder for them (and consequently, yourself).

Make your messaging magnetic with my help, a strategy, and accountability

I hope this guide helped you craft a strong message to convey the value of your services.

When you’re so close to your business, though, I know it’s difficult to read the label from inside the jar (let alone write it).

So, if you’d rather do all this with the help of an expert… Hi! I’m Giada, the marketing message mentor and strategist for service-based women entrepreneurs.

You already have the perfect services for your clients. Now, it’s time to package it in a way that attracts them and makes them think “It’s like she’s read my mind! This is exactly what I need right now.”

More #crafty blog posts on this topic:

Why It’s Risky to Rely on Referrals in Business (& What to Do)

You’ve been running your service-based business for a while and have built a network of enthusiastic clients (go, you!). So, you know they’re always going to send their friends and peers your way. It’s a foolproof system, isn’t it?

Well, not really. 

Relying on referrals in business is a DANGEROUS “strategy”. And I used the inverted commas because… it’s not a strategy at all. It’s more of a crossing-your-fingers-and-hoping-for-the-best kind of decision.

Here’s why and, most importantly, what you should do instead to make your business more sustainable, grow it, and be in control.

What exactly do I mean by referrals in business?

By referrals in business, I simply mean word of mouth. A client you worked with recommends you to one of their friends or peers who’s looking for your types of services.

A LOT of service providers—from coaches to photographers and more—tend to rely on referrals in business.

So, you can be excused for thinking it’s a good idea. But here’s why it can backfire and sabotage your income, systems, and growth.

8 reasons why you should STOP relying on referrals in business

1. Referrals are unpredictable and outside your control 

Relying on referrals in business would be like trusting the sky to keep you dry during your daily walk instead of taking the matter in your own hands, like wearing a waterproof coat. Sure, it could be sunny all day… or it could rain like hell. 

YOU have ZERO control over that. And that’s the same with client referrals. 

You could end up being fully booked for months thanks to word of mouth. You never know when it’s going to die down, though. And if you RELY on referrals, you also have no idea where your next client is coming from and… if they’re coming at all!

2. Referred prospects are not necessarily your ideal clients 

Just because they were sent to you by a client who was the right fit, it doesn’t mean it’ll be the same for the actual referral.

Maybe this past client referred them to you because they’re friends and they know this prospect is a lovely person. But being a lovely person doesn’t automatically mean they’ll be a good client, too. Or a good client for your specific services, business, and preferences.

After all, you know next to nothing about them!

Are they experiencing the pain point you solve with your services? Do they share your values? Are they willing to trust your expertise? Have they got the right budget to work with you?

3. You’re starting from scratch 

Just like you know next to nothing about them, these prospects know next-to-nothing about you.

All these referred prospects know is that their friend or peer recommended you, and they probably have a vague idea of the services you offer. Usually, that’s about it.

They haven’t been consuming your content for a while and aren’t familiar with your brand and offer suite. This becomes an even BIGGER problem if you can’t send them to the clearest and strongest website copy!

So, in most cases, you have to start from scratch, over-explain things that your ideal clients would already be aware of, and win them over.

(= time and effort)

4. Client referrals often expect to bypass your process 

Hopefully, you don’t jump on free calls with EVERYONE who gets in touch, do you? When you are the business, it’s important to protect your time and energy.

Maybe you usually ask them some strategic questions via email or DM? Or you require all your prospects to complete a contact/application form so that you can pre-qualify them properly? 

Unfortunately, when they find out about you through someone else, many prospects seem to think they can just ignore your process.

“Hi, I think I might need a coach, and Julia mentioned you. Can we jump on Zoom to see if we’re the right fit?”

For example, a while ago, a lovely web designer tried to send a potential website copywriting client my way. For context: for that type of project, I always start with an application and, if I genuinely think we could be a good fit, a paid consultation. But this was part of the message I received:

While I appreciated that this web designer thought of me, this was a big NO. 

I have all kinds of free content answering those very questions. If someone isn’t happy to go through it and, instead, they expect me to use my limited time to educate them for free and maybe even share free value on a 1:1 basis and create a free proposal… we would NOT be the right fit. 

And personally, I’d rather miss out on that potential sale than bend over backwards to follow someone else’s lead (especially when my ideal clients are actually happy to pay for my time and expertise).

What about you? Do you really want to keep wasting hours on so many directionless free calls with random referrals?

If the answer is a loud “NO” or even an undecided “Mmh, now that you put it this way, it doesn’t sound very productive,” keep reading—especially the following point.

5. You have to take whatever comes your way  

If you rely on referrals in business, you can’t really afford to be picky.

After all, you don’t know when and where the next client will come from!

So, I wouldn’t be surprised if you often ignore red flags or your gut feeling just because you need that sale, regret it later, tell yourself “Never again!” and then… do the same with another client referral.

6. Referrals in business give you a false sense of security

You could easily find yourself being fully booked for months and thinking “This is fantastic! I don’t have to worry about finding new clients.”

But then those projects end, a couple of clients drop you, and still… no referrals have magically come through. But because you were expecting them, you didn’t market your business consistently over the previous months either.

So, what exactly are you going to do next?

Try and remove the cobwebs from the email list you neglected for a full quarter? Reappear on social media out of the blue with a post along the lines of “Remember me? I’m open to work, now!”? 

Err, good luck with that.

If you only show up for your audience when you need sales, it’s too late by then.

So, realistically, your solution would probably be spending hours on cold outreach to find new clients (and miss out on sales in the meantime).

7. Relying on referrals in business makes it hard to grow it

As seen before: if you have the capacity to take on new clients but you just keep waiting or leave it until it’s too late? You’ll miss out on sales and money.

Sure, client referrals can certainly keep you going for a while. But what if you want to do better than just ‘keep going’? What if you want to grow and thrive, not just get by or run a stagnant business?

Then, you must take full control of your lead generation (more on that soon!).

8. Client referrals are usually looking for “a”, not “THE” 

In most cases, a referred prospect was simply looking for A graphic designer, A business coach, A consultant, and so on.

In fact, I bet they literally asked your past client “Do you happen to know A graphic designer / A business coach / A consultant…?” And I doubt they only spoke about it with them. They probably asked around and got recommendations from a few more people.

So, when you start talking to this referred prospect, you’re usually competing against a bunch of business owners.

And because these prospects know next-to-nothing about you, they don’t usually see you as THE go-to solution. They’re not like those ideal clients who’ve been following you for a while and are beyond excited to work with YOU and you only!

So, you could waste your precious time on calls and proposals that lead to… tumbleweed.

So, are referrals in business bad?

No, not necessarily. Referrals in business can be good news. 

First of all, if you get many referrals, it means you’re doing a fabulous job and leaving your clients more satisfied than my morning oat latte. And of course, some types of referrals in business can turn into actual work.

So, I’m not denying the importance of referrals in business… to a certain extent. Overall, I’d say client referrals are bad in business when:

• You rely on them

• You haven’t got a strong strategy to pre-qualify them and boost your chances of turning them into clients (without wasting a tonne of time on random calls)

What to do instead of relying on referrals in business

Are you ready to leave all this effort and uncertainty behind and be in control of who you work with? 

Then start seeing client referrals as a nice to have—not a given or something you expect and rely on—and focus on the following.

Prioritise your marketing, even when you’re fully booked

This is one of the most common mistakes among service providers: only marketing your business when you need clients. But by then, as we’ve seen before, it’s too late.

Organic marketing is a long-term strategy, and it must be consistent for it to work.

This isn’t to say that you MUST show up daily if that wouldn’t be sustainable for you. But it is important to build your online presence and turn marketing into a proper habit (yes, even when you’re so busy that you couldn’t possibly take on any new clients).

Are you serious about taking control of your lead generation?

Then, you must keep creating content for your specific target audience, engaging with them, and nurturing your relationship. In other words, position yourself as the only logical next step and stay top of mind.

(More on that soon! For now, just get in the mindset of marketing your business regularly) 

Fine tune your brand messaging: become “THE”, not “a” 

Tired of wasting time on lots of discovery calls with people who’re looking around for A graphic designer, A business coach, A consultant, and so on? Then stop showing up as “just another option.” 

Position yourself as THE go-to solution in the eyes of a specific ideal client. That way, even with someone who’s only just found out about you (or that was sent your way by a friend or past client), you’ll set the right expectations FROM. THE. BEGINNING. How?

A strong brand message is key. It should be your solid foundation, and you can then amplify it through your content marketing.

Without that foundation, though? You’d be building your marketing on shaky pillars of sand.

(And that’s why, with my 1:1 programme, The One They Want, we start with the brand messaging side of things)

Take control of your lead generation

Stop expecting new prospects to come to you through unpredictable referrals in business. Start attracting them, instead.

There are so many options, but here’s a basic funnel idea:

• Make your website copy SEO-friendly, and blog on your website to attract your ideal audience through Google

• Show up on different platforms or channels, creating content and engaging with your ideal audience to attract them organically

• Have a lead magnet that solves a small problem for them

• Direct your social media followers and online audience to your lead magnet and newsletter, too

• Target them with an automated email sequence to turn some of them into clients

• Keep emailing the rest regularly, building trust and staying top of mind until they’re ready to invest in your services

Of course, it’s all about finding the right lead generation and marketing option for you and your audience. That’s one of the things we can cover together during The One They Want.

Keep sharing magnetic content that attracts your ideal clients and puts off the wrong-fit prospects

Your marketing shouldn’t be all about yourself (sorry!) or just… shouting about your offers.

It should be built around your target audience. In fact, think of your content as a magnet!

It will:

• Attract your ideal clients

• Repel the wrong-fit prospects, saving even more of your time and energy (bye bye, endless discovery calls that lead to nothing)

• Bring you enquiries from prospects who are pretty much sold by the time they get in touch with you

For example:

• What are their pain points?

• How are they affecting them, specifically?

• What have they already tried to do to solve them?

• Why did it not work?

• Why are you the best possible person to help them?

• Who is and isn’t a good fit for your services?

• What’s stopping them from investing in you right now?

• How would their life/business change if they were to solve that problem with your help

and so on.

You probably guessed it by now, but… only ‘giving value’ and sharing how-to content and tips? That won’t cut the mustard either. If you want to attract your ideal clients instead of relying on unpredictable referrals in business, you must get strategic.

(During The One They Want, we cover exactly what type of content you should focus on to turn this into your new reality)

Make your website copy clear and strategic

By now, you know that… jumping on a call with every Tom and Vik who were sent to you by Harry? That’d be so time-consuming and energy-intensive. 

Instead, direct new prospects and client referrals to your website, and let the latter do the heavy-lifting for you. That way, THEY will be able to tell if your services are what they’re actually looking for and if they can afford your prices. 

If that’s a yes, that’s great news.

If it’s a no, guess what? That’s great news, too! It’s much, much better to find this out straightaway than after spending hours talking to a referred prospect.

Plus, when you rely on strategic website copy, it’ll also help you:

• Attract more of your ideal audience through Google

• Take more of them from prospects to paying clients, generating leads for you even when you’re sleeping

The most important things to keep in mind to run your service-based business more sustainably and thrive

Overall, if you want to get more clients, save time and make your life easier, you must focus on:

• Attracting your target audience

• Helping wrong-fit prospects disqualify themselves so that you don’t keep wasting a tonne of time with them

• Getting your ideal clients to see you as THE go-to solution 

The second and third point, in particular, must apply regardless of whether someone found you organically or through a referral.

And remember:

referrals in business should only be a nice-to-have, NOT something you rely on.

How I can help you attract your ideal clients without relying on referrals in business

I’m Giada, the marketing message mentor and strategist for women entrepreneurs. Specifically? Those who provide the best services but, to get clients, are still relying on unpredictable word of mouth and a lot more effort than they’d like—and who are ready to change that.

If that’s you…

More #crafty blog posts on this topic: