If you had to explain it to a smart friend who knows nothing about your industry, what would you say?
Not a market segment. A person. What role do they hold, what size organization do they run, and what situation are they usually in when they find you?
Not your service description. The thing they're actually carrying when they reach out.
What approaches, firms, or solutions have they used that didn't fully resolve the problem?
The Sunday-night feeling. The thing he'd tell his spouse but not his board. (This one's hard. Take a minute with it.)
Not your resume. The thing about your path that most people in your field don't have.
What capability did your unusual path produce?
What's the dominant approach, and why doesn't it actually solve the problem?
If a prospect read something you wrote and forwarded it to a colleague, what would they say about the person who wrote it? (e.g., "This guy is direct but not harsh," "She sounds like she's actually done this, not just read about it.")
Words, phrases, or tones that you'd never want associated with your practice.
LinkedIn, peer CEO groups, specific podcasts, conferences, trusted advisors? Be as specific as you can.
Not competitors. The people in his existing circle whose recommendation would move him.
What event, conversation, or realization would trigger him to pick up the phone?
Website, social media, speaking, ads, content, referral networks -- anything you've done to get the word out.
Are you comfortable investing in visibility that compounds over months, or do you need to see direct returns quickly? (No judgment either way. It shapes the plan.)
