Want More Clients? 7 Common Reasons Prospects Aren’t Buying Your Offers

To keep giving you relevant and timely content, we update our most popular posts. This article was last updated in May 2021.

You’ve checked all your boxes:

You have the skills to make a difference in people’s lives. (Check!)

You found a website theme, wrote your copy, and published your site. (Check!)

You created an irresistible offer and put it out there for the world to see. (Check!)

And now your calendar is booked with clients and the money is pouring in…

… Or not.

That last part is where many business owners hit a wall.

You, too?

Over the past seven years and after working with thousands of clients, I’ve seen business owners make the same mistakes again and again.

I know why some offers sell like hot cakes and why others never gain any traction.

That’s why I want to help you avoid the most common mistakes, so you can grow your business faster and get more clients who are the perfect fit for your offerings.

This is a meaty post so let’s dive in.

Mistake #1: You forgot to tell people what you do

Take it from my best friend and sales expert Kendrick Shope: If your prospects don’t know how you help, they won’t buy!

Luckily, this is an easy fix:

To start, make sure your offers are prominently featured on your website, in your weekly newsletters, on social media, and in your autoresponders.

Most importantly, double-check that the call to action on your work with me page is clear so people know the exact steps to take to hire you. (I tell you exactly what your work with me page should say to convert more clients in this blog post.)

When your perfect prospects are 100% clear on who you serve and how you can help them, they’ll be jumping at the chance to hire you.

My Personal Recommendation for YouSteal This! The Must-Have Copy for Your ‘Work With Me’ Page

Mistake #2: You’re coming across as too desperate

If you read Mistake #1 and thought, “No way, Jenny, I have no problem telling people what I do!” …but you’re still not selling your offers, you might have another problem:

You’re putting too much pressure on yourself—and your prospects.

Here’s the reality: Prospects can sense your inner motivations, even if you think you’re hiding them well.

If you’re desperate or over-eager—or even if you come across as entitled—they’ll run in the opposite direction and hand their credit card over to your competition.

A few signs that you’re trying too hard:

• You start conversations with people on social media but they go MIA.
• You have a consultation with someone and they say “yes” on the phone but they never follow through.
• You only email your list when you’re pitching something.

Remember to focus on being of service first. Answer questions on social media, ask questions during consultations, and create valuable, free content for your audience on a consistent basis.

Before you know it, prospects will be seeking you out and you’ll fill your waiting list fast.

Mistake #3: You’re talking to the wrong people

No matter how many blog posts exist on this topic (and there are a lot!), business owners still struggle to define their niche and ideal client.

If you believe that everyone is your ideal client, you’ll never sell your offers.

The more specific you can be about your ideal client the better your chances of selling your offer. I talk a lot more about this in this Facebook video but here’s the gist:

You need to know the requirements of your ideal client—the things you refuse to budge on.

For me, my clients must run online, service-based businesses. That’s non-negotiable, because that’s my area of deep expertise.

For you it might be different: Maybe they have to run a yoga studio or sell beauty products or be a corporate executive.

When you have a clear, narrow niche, you can find the right language that brings your dream clients running to you.

Of course, there will always be some client qualities you can be more lenient with. But you first need to determine which client descriptors go “inside the circle.” (You’ll know what I mean by that if you watch the Facebook video.)

My Personal Recommendation for YouOffers That Convert

Mistake #4: Your prospects don’t “get” what you’re trying to say

If you promise that you’ll help “awaken people to their highest potential,” most prospects won’t have a clue what you’re talking about!

And the harder you make it for people to imagine the tangible result of working with you, the harder it will be to sell your offers.

Click to TweetThe harder you make it for people to imagine the tangible result of working with you, the harder it will be to sell your offers.

The good news is, there’s an easy way to eliminate this mistake for good.

Here’s how:

Remove ALL jargon from your copy and use only the words your ideal client would use.

If you fall into the Jargon Trap, don’t beat yourself up about it. We’ve all been guilty of using jargon!

That’s why, even if you think you’re not guilty of this mistake, it’s so important to review your copy to ensure you’re using the language of your ideal client.

Mistake #5: No one believes you

Your clients might not be aware of it but as they scroll through your site and read the promises you’re making, this is what’s going through their mind:

“Prove it!”

Smart consumers want proof that what they’re investing in will work.

Your job is to provide the proof your prospects are seeking.

That proof can take many forms. Use testimonials, screenshots of emails from happy clients, social media praise—whatever you can find to show the results your clients get.

My Personal Recommendation for YouSteal This! My Simple System for Getting Stellar Testimonials

Mistake #6: Your pricing is all wrong

Finding the right price for your offer can feel like a complete mystery.

Are you pricing too high? (It’s possible.)

Too low? (Could be.)

When I started my business back in 2009, I also struggled with pricing.

That is, until I discovered what I call your lowest common denominator. I now use this method to help my clients find the perfect price for their offers, so they can confidently give a quote during their consultations.

Here’s how it works…

When you’re just starting out or have only been in business for a few years, there are four foundational skills that you’ll need to master in order to succeed online:

• Service skills
• Content quality and consistency
• Customer experience
• Marketing skills

To determine how much you should charge for your services, you must evaluate your level of expertise in each skill area, then price yourself according to the area in which you’re the weakest (your lowest common denominator, or LCD).

My Personal Recommendation for YouThe Ultimate Pricing Guide

Mistake #7: You’re selling your process instead of your results

People don’t hire you because of your process, they hire you because of your results.

In other words, they want a solution to their problem; it matters less how they get to that solution.

For example, someone looking to find their dream job wants a solution to their career problem. They’re not looking for writing exercises, coaching calls, or special method you’ve created.

But many business owners use their offer copy to explain how they work rather than what prospects can expect to do, have, or become after working with them.

Of course, if your process includes reading someone’s birth chart or going on a 1-1 retreat, it’s important to include that information on your offer page.

But even then, you must highlight the benefits of working with you, including the tangible and intangible results that people get.

If you’re able to clearly show the value of what you do, your dream clients will be lining up to work with you.

Ready to create an offer that converts?

If you know it’s time to uplevel your offer, and you need help getting it just right, I can help.

Offers That Convert shows you how to write offer copy that converts curious prospects into paying customers (and raving fans) while also delivering game-changing results for your clients—turning them into megafans who can’t wait to tell all of their friends to hire you!

My Personal Recommendation for YouOffers That Convert

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