Your Offer - If You Have to Explain It, You Can’t Sell It

Summary

In this episode of Business Success by Design, James Lawson discusses the critical elements of creating an irresistible offer for businesses. He identifies three common mistakes that business owners make when crafting their offers: vagueness, overstuffing, and lack of appeal. Lawson emphasizes the importance of clarity in defining the outcome of the offer, simplifying the components to avoid overwhelming potential clients, and making the offer attractive and engaging. He introduces the Irresistible Offer Formula and outlines the Client Flow Program, which helps business owners refine their offers to better attract clients and drive sales.

Takeaways

Your offer must clearly define the outcome for clients.
Avoid vague language that doesn't specify what you're selling.
Overstuffed offers can overwhelm potential clients.
Focus on the simplest path to the desired outcome.
Make your offer appealing and engaging to attract interest.
Names and positioning should reflect the transformation offered.
The Irresistible Offer Formula helps clarify and structure offers.
Business owners should package their offers smarter, not harder.
The Client Flow Program guides businesses through refining their offers.
Don't settle for a boring offer; make it stand out.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding the Irresistible Offer
01:05 Common Mistakes in Offer Creation
03:27 The Importance of Clarity in Offers
05:56 Making Your Offer Stand Out
08:40 The Client Flow Program Overview

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Hello! We are James and Angela, entrepreneurs and strategic marketing coaches living in Northern Virginia! Nice to meet you!

We began our entrepreneurial journey in 2009 after spending 25+ years as Sales and Marketing execs in high-tech Corporate America generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues earning multiple 6-figure incomes.

Our mission - to help NEW or Early Stage Coaches, Consultants and Small Businesses, COMPRESS the time it takes to get to a 6-figure revenue stream without the stress, overwhelm and costs of advertising, hours on social media and complex sales funnels.

We quickly learned that NO amount of success at the corporate level would prepare us for such an income level as brand new business owners.

After too many years of scrambling trying to get clients and build predictability and consistency in our business, we finally decided to get out of our own way and got some coaching help (every business owner, especially coaches, should have a coach!)

We re-examined WHO we wanted to help and WHAT problem we best solved. BOOM! In less than 9 months, we were generating 6-figures using our own methodology and have helped hundreds of small business owners, coaches and consultants do the same.

It all comes down to 3 core concepts - CLARITY in your messaging, CONFIDENCE in your offer and CONTROL in your business.

Transcript

Hey friends—welcome back to the show.

Today, we’re talking about something near and dear to every business owner's heart…
 and probably also the cause of 80% of their late-night overthinking.

Your offer.

Now I know what you’re thinking—
 “I already have an offer. I sell a thing. People pay me for it. I’m good.”

But here’s the thing:
 If you’re not consistently booking clients, closing deals, or hearing “Wow, this is exactly what I’ve been looking for”—
then maybe… just maybe… your offer isn’t doing what you think it is.

And that’s what we’re going to fix today.

In this episode, I’m breaking down:

• The 3 most common mistakes business owners make when building an offer
• How to avoid falling into the same traps
• And my personal framework—what I call the Irresistible Offer Formula™—that helps our clients turn vague services into high-converting packages that actually sell

Let’s dive in.

Let’s kick off with mistake number one:

Your offer is too vague.

Seriously—half the time I read someone’s website, I walk away thinking they might be a coach… or a life philosopher… or possibly a very passionate motivational barista.

It’s not their fault—they’re trying.
 They’re just saying things like:

“I help you unlock your potential.”
 “We’ll work together to elevate your strategy.”
 “You’ll gain the clarity you need to grow.”

Okay... but what are we actually buying here?

A workshop? A retreat? A warm hug and a handwritten journal prompt?

Here’s the truth:
 People don’t buy ideas.
 They buy outcomes.

Inside the Irresistible Offer Formula™, we start with what I call the End Game First principle.

What’s the clear, specific result your client wants?
 How will their life or business be different after working with you?

If you can’t answer that in one clean sentence, you’re not selling an offer.
 You’re selling a guess.

Alright, mistake number two:

Your offer is trying to do too much.

We’ve all seen it—offers with more moving parts than a Swiss watch.

You get:

• 12 coaching calls
• 8 video modules
• A Slack group
• 3 bonus trainings
• A swipe file
• A virtual summit pass
• And a commemorative branded tote bag

I’m kidding on the last one. I hope.

Listen—your client is not grading you on effort.
 They’re hiring you to solve a problem.

Adding more stuff doesn’t make your offer more valuable.
 It makes it overwhelming.

In the Irresistible Offer Formula™, we teach a simple process:
 Do a brain dump of everything you could include.

Then… ruthlessly cut.

Ask:
 What’s the shortest, clearest path to the promised outcome?

Keep that. Toss the rest.

We call this “Load Them Up”—but only after you’ve clarified the core.
Support the outcome. Don’t drown it.

And now… my personal favorite:

Your offer just isn’t sexy.

Now look, I don’t mean you need fireworks and celebrity endorsements.
 But let’s be honest—if your offer is called:

“Gold Tier Business Coaching Package – 6 Sessions”

…I’m already asleep.

The world doesn’t need another Bronze/Silver/Gold service tier.
 We’re not signing up for a gym membership in 1998.

We need names and positioning that spark interest.
That say, “I solve this for people like you—and I do it in a way that works.”

In the Irresistible Offer Formula™, we call this part “Make It Sexy.”

You need a title that:

• Is benefit-driven
• Implies transformation
• Feels fresh (not corporate or cold)

For example, instead of “Marketing Coaching,” try something like:

“Client Flow™ Conversion Sprint”

Boom. Now we’re talking.

Your name should say what the offer does—and make them want it.

So… to recap:

The 3 big offer mistakes:

1. You’re too vague—no clear promise.
2. You’re overstuffed—no clear path.
3. You’re too boring—no clear reason to care.

And if any of that hit home, don’t worry—this is exactly what we fix inside the Client Flow™ program, specifically during Phase 2: Value.

We use the Irresistible Offer Formula™ to help business owners:

• Get clear on their end game
• Structure their offer for real results
• Name and position it so it actually attracts the right people

It’s not about selling harder.
 It’s about packaging smarter.

If you want a taste of how this works—or if your offer could use a serious makeover—go to the link provided.
 There’s a free training or a clarity call link waiting for you there.

Or honestly, just shoot me a message.
 I’m not hard to find.

Alright—that’s a wrap.
 Go clean up that offer, and I’ll see you next time.

And maybe skip the tote bag.