On Wednesday evening, 13th October, I found myself attending the PSASA Virtual Chapter meeting from my little corner of the rural-retro KZN, two hours away from my own chapter (Durban) and 17 hours behind our guest speaker.
I marvelled at the wonders of technology. Here we were, separated by geography, time zones and probably very different surroundings, yet still able to have meaningful, thought-provoking conversations.
I was so inspired that my hand involuntarily went up to volunteer to write a short reflection on the evening that was.
Two insights stayed with me.
To Be Seen or to Be Booked… That Is the Question!
Sally joined us at 3 a.m. her time. Not only did she speak about being bookable, but she looked the part, too!
At 3 a.m. on any continent, I would probably have my camera off. If I did switch it on, I suspect you would see a presentable collar rather than a carefully chosen outfit and beautifully styled hair!
But Sally was intentional. Her professional appearance reinforced her message, and her message aligned with her marketing collateral. There was a clear connection between how she presented herself, what she offered and the audience she wanted to reach.
No fuss. No mess. No confusion.
Her message was simple but powerful: don’t confuse your potential clients with an unclear offering.
Ask yourself: Can a prospective client understand what I offer, what problem I solve and why they should buy my solution?
One phrase captured it perfectly:
“A confused mind says no.”
When a potential client cannot clearly understand your value, they are less likely to buy. Being good at what you do is important, but being able to articulate that value is just as important.
To be booked, you need to be clear about the problem you solve and the value you bring.
This idea followed me into our second breakout session, where I found myself reflecting on the different services I offer: singing, speaking and facilitation.
At first glance, these might seem like three very different offerings. But what if there is a common thread connecting them?
For me, that thread is belonging.
Whether through music, words or facilitated conversations, I am interested in how we create spaces where people feel seen, heard and connected. Spaces where they find “belonging” Perhaps the overarching value I offer is, in essence, offering belonging.
That was a valuable realisation for me. Sometimes, clarity doesn’t mean reducing yourself to one skill. It means identifying the common value that connects the different things you do.
Secondly 50,000 Followers vs 50 Decision-Makers
In a world obsessed with likes, views and followers, it is worth asking ourselves: What do we actually need, as opposed to what we desire?
Do “likes” pay the bills? Do followers necessarily translate into clients? And do impressive numbers tell us anything about the impact of our work?
Perhaps the more important question is this: Do you know what your decision-maker looks like?
During our discussion, Kerry’s ambition to host retreats illustrated this beautifully. Her potential clients would likely look quite different from Sally’s, whose target market includes senior managers and middle managers.
Both want to secure business, but their audiences, motivations and approaches to marketing may be radically different.
For someone marketing retreats, building a community and using a compelling call to action might be central to converting interest into bookings.
For someone selling services to corporate decision-makers, the conversation may need to focus on business outcomes, measurable value and the return on investment their intervention could deliver.
Neither approach is inherently better. The point is that your marketing must speak to the people who are most likely to buy what you offer.
A large following can be useful, but a smaller network of relevant decision-makers may be far more valuable than thousands of people who enjoy your content but will never become your clients.
Know your audience. Understand their needs. Listen carefully to the language they use to describe their challenges, and reflect that language in how you communicate your offering.
Don’t market to everyone. Market with purpose.
Therefore MY take aways were a few practical reminders:
- Know your offering. Articulate the problem you solve and the value you bring.
- Speak your buyer’s language, match your response to their needs lingo.
- Know who your decision-makers are. Who has the need, who holds the budget.
- Review your marketing regularly. Check your profile and website and often.
- Stay focused. Don’t chase every opportunity. Make deliberate choices for your energy
- The evening reminded me that visibility and bookability are not the same thing.
You can be visible without being understood. You can have a large following without reaching the people who need your services. And you can offer several seemingly different services while still having one clear, unifying value.
Blessings
Audrey Mbuyazi
