The Features Trap
Many entrepreneurs make the fundamental mistake of leading with features, focusing on capabilities and “what” they offer rather than the “why” behind it. This approach often causes potential clients' eyes to glaze over because features alone fail to sell the actual change people are seeking. The episode explains that customers aren't looking for a CRM or a website for the sake of the tool itself; they are searching for organization to replace chaos and the credibility required to gain respect and visibility.
Selling the Transformation
To truly connect with an audience, business owners must shift their messaging to paint a vivid picture of what life looks like after a client works with them. This involves asking deep questions about what becomes easier, what changes, and what is now possible that wasn't before. By focusing on the true transformation rather than just the transaction, you tap into the story people actually want to buy—a better vision of their own reality.
The CEO Foundation for Success
Drawing from over 1,600 interviews and a decade of experience, this special segment reinforces that success is rarely a linear path and is more akin to a “plate of spaghetti”. The discussion highlights a foundational success equation: visibility plus resources times connections. By moving away from tools and tactics and focusing on delivering a better reality, entrepreneurs can stop following generic blueprints and successfully run their own race.
Previous Episode: https://iamceo.co/iam2720-why-pricing-is-a-confidence-problem-not-a-math-problem/
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Transcription:
Gresham Harkless [00:00
Most entrepreneurs make the same mistake when they talk about what they do. They lead with features. We offer this, we provide that. We have these capabilities. And don't get me wrong, there's some level of importance to this. But after people's eyes glaze over because features don't sell transformation, exactly what does? Nobody wakes up and says, hey, I want a CRM. They want organization to the chaos that they have in their lives and in their businesses. And they want their time back. Foreign. If you're building something meaningful, you're in the right place. This is the I Am CEO Podcast. I'm gresh, and for over a decade I've had the honor and the privilege of learning directly from CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business owners just like you on how to build. After recording more than 1600 episodes, one thing has become clear. Success isn't about following someone else's blueprint. And as I like to say on the show, if you run your own race, you can't lose, even when you feel the journey should be a straight and linear path. What I've come to find out is success is a lot more like a plate of spaghetti. So in this special segment and episode, I'm starting to curate and share some CEO hacks and CEO nuggets that I've been dying to share. Drawn from thousands of episodes with phenomenal guests that have provided awesome value on the show, but also my 10 years of business experience as well, too. These lessons are designed to strengthen the foundational principles that every business is built on and guided by a simple equation that we always go back to with our content. Visibility plus resources times connections equals success. This is practical wisdom you can apply almost immediately, so be sure to check out the show notes for more resources and next steps on how to level up. And of course, enjoy this special episode of the I Am CEO Podcast.
Gresham Harkless 01:50
Most entrepreneurs make the same mistake when they talk about what they do. They lead with features. We offer this, we provide that. We have these capabilities. And don't get me wrong, there's some level of importance to this. But after people's eyes glaze over because features don't sell transformation, exactly what does? Nobody wakes up and says, hey, I want a CRM. They want organization to the chaos that they have in their lives and in their businesses. And they want their time back. Foreign. If you're building something meaningful, you're in the right place. This is the I Am CEO Podcast. I'm gresh, and for over a decade I've had the honor and the privilege of learning directly from CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business owners just like you on how to build. After recording more than 1600 episodes, one thing has become clear. Success isn't about following someone else's blueprint. And as I like to say on the show, if you run your own race, you can't lose, even when you feel the journey should be a straight and linear path. What I've come to find out is success is a lot more like a plate of spaghetti. So in this special segment and episode, I'm starting to curate and share some CEO hacks and CEO nuggets that I've been dying to share. Drawn from thousands of episodes with phenomenal guests that have provided awesome value on the show, but also my 10 years of business experience as well, too. These lessons are designed to strengthen the foundational principles that every business is built on and guided by a simple equation that we always go back to with our content. Visibility plus resources times connections equals success. This is practical wisdom you can apply almost immediately, so be sure to check out the show notes for more resources and next steps on how to level up. And of course, enjoy this special episode of the I Am CEO Podcast. Most entrepreneurs make the same mistake when they talk about what they do. They lead with features. We offer this. We provide that. We have these capabilities. And don't get me wrong, there's some level of importance to this. But after people's eyes glaze over because features don't sell transformation, exactly what does? Nobody wakes up and says, hey, I want a CRM. They want organization to the chaos that they have in their lives and in their businesses, and they want their time back. Think about it. Nobody buys a website. No one says, hey, I want to have a website. What they want to do is buy credibility. They want to buy visibility. They want to buy respect. They want to buy the potential to get clients and customers so here's the shift you need to make right now. Stop right now. Right now. Stop it. Stop listening what your product or service includes and start painting that picture of what life looks like after. After someone works with you. Think about it. What is the true transformation that you're making? Ask yourself some of these questions. What changes? What potentially gets easier? What becomes possible that wasn't actually possible before? That's the story that people are buying, and that's what they want. Because at the end of the day, people don't invest in tools, tactics, or, frankly, even hacks. They invest in a better vision of their reality. You want to know how to win sell the transformation ultimately, and not the transaction. That's how you win.Most entrepreneurs make the same mistake when they talk about what they do. They lead with features. We offer this. We provide that. We have these capabilities. And don't get me wrong, there's some level of importance to this. But after people's eyes glaze over because features don't sell transformation, exactly what does? Nobody wakes up and says, hey, I want a CRM. They want organization to the chaos that they have in their lives and in their businesses, and they want their time back. Think about it. Nobody buys a website. No one says, hey, I want to have a website. What they want to do is buy credibility. They want to buy visibility. They want to buy respect. They want to buy the potential to get clients and customers so here's the shift you need to make right now. Stop right now. Right now. Stop it. Stop listening what your product or service includes and start painting that picture of what life looks like after. After someone works with you. Think about it. What is the true transformation that you're making? Ask yourself some of these questions. What changes? What potentially gets easier? What becomes possible that wasn't actually possible before? That's the story that people are buying, and that's what they want. Because at the end of the day, people don't invest in tools, tactics, or, frankly, even hacks. They invest in a better vision of their reality. You want to know how to win sell the transformation ultimately, and not the transaction. That's how you win.