You're Not Your 1-Liner

Jason Lew
May 05, 2024

I think every coach in this space says:

» “Niche down.”

» “Who are your 1000 true fans?”

» “What’s their real pain?”

Been there.

Done that.

Got the group-course T-shirt.

And while yes, it’s solid advice, there’s a part of our creative soul that screams:

“But I don’t want to be known as the coach that does XYZ! I do so much more!”

And you do.

And you will.

And also …

There’s a nuance that’s never explained in this advice.

We’re expected to follow blindly.

No one ever sat me down when I was trying to choose between “transformational bliss coach” or “change agent” to explain that …

Future clients…

… won’t have a chance to discover the depths of your coaching

Unless…

… they first know what problem you solve.

Fluffy doesn’t cut it.

“I help heart-lead cats find their inner bliss through nature sensory adventures!” … is NOT clear messaging.

If I have to decipher what you do, your marketing is dead.

Clear > Clever

“I walk cats who think they’re dogs.”

Not sexy.

But if your cat likes walks, I’m your guy.

It’s so simple

But here’s why it goes so wrong …

You and I are a little screwed.

We have the blessing and the curse of hindsight.

You know that your client’s real problem is their inner child.

And they really need to sit down with that kid and pour all the love, attention, and safety they never got and ….

Vroooom!!!

That’s the sound of your future clients driving away as fast as possible.

I joke.

But I’m kinda serious.

You’re lightyears ahead of what your client thinks they need.

Your assessment is dead on.

But that solution is not even a blip on their radar.

My advice …

Meet them where they’re at.

Offer them a solution that solves their most pressing and painful problem.

Even if you know they’ve misdiagnosed their problem!

That problem is often attached to their money, status, or relationship.

And once you have their attention, then and only then …

Allow your marketing, content, and email, to explain over time …

… why that solution is like putting a bandaid over a snake bite.

Maybe it’s not you,

But I observe coaches lose great clients to competitors

Not because they’re less competent. (In fact, they're often better.)

But because their messaging isn’t clear.

Stop being afraid that your messaging is going to pigeonhole you.

You are not your 1-liner.

It’s not a face tattoo …

Or even a Sharpie marker.

It just needs to hook your ideal client’s attention.

You need to trust that even if your IG bio sounds eerily similar to your douchey competitor, your dream clients CAN tell the difference.

Fair?

Action Steps:

Identify and Solve a Specific Problem: Make this clear and slap this up in every bio and landing page.
Do Market Research: If you’re a catwalker. Go call up all your cat friends and offer to walk their cats for free, like today. “What do you mean they don’t like to be walked?”
Drop Some Value: Develop a newsletter, guide, podcast, or blog where potential clients can exchange their emails for valuable insights on solving their pressing issues. And no it doesn’t have to be super pretty. Done > Perfect. Stop letting your ego run the show!
Run It Back: Write consistent content, at least 2x per week, that shares your frameworks, thoughts, tactics, strategies, and beliefs. You’re building a relationship.
Trust: The hardest part is to push through when all you’re getting back is silence. It’s like throwing seeds in a field, you don’t know if or when they’ll take. Sometimes all you can do is to keep throwing seeds.

The best cat walker,