Designing an Offer for your first 10 Clients

When you’re building a practice around your Authority, you’re going to face a lot of questions and decisions.

One of them will be mode of delivery, aka how you show up and do the work itself.

I’ve seen that in their early days, many practitioners take on day-rate work inside another organisation, perhaps even their last employer. Or renegotiate a contract to work in a more flexible way. Many people will get comfortable in this situation, seeing themselves as a business owner… but if your income is reliant on one client continuing your engagement together then I’m sorry to tell you that you simply have a job without any of the security or benefits.

If you are someone determined to grow a true business around your unique experience, insights, beliefs and skillsets, then you want to set the terms of engagement as far as possible.

You’ll do this by designing an offer, or a set of offers, around the work you most want to do. You’ll keep repeating this offer, to the point that you become known for it, and you can reliably build your practice around it.

Then your income is no longer reliant on a client saying yes or no to continuing, because you’re actively working with somewhere between 5-50 of these clients at any one time (the volume will entirely depend on your business model).

I’ve had a lot of conversations with clients about offer design this week and it’s only Wednesday.

Here’s some advice I have to share when it comes to your offer design, especially if you’re signing the first 10 of those ideal clients:

1. Fix the base before you redesign it. Sort out any messy current arrangements you have ongoing with clients on ill-fitting packages or you can risk your new offer inheriting bad habits.

2. Don't build your offer around clients you don't want more of. Let your positioning reflect the work you want to attract, not the work you happen to be doing now.

3. Bundle different offers. If you're selling three or four separate entry points, ask whether they actually want to be one offer. Simplicity is usually what scales.

4. Let your delivery shape follow your energy. Deep retainer, sprint, advisory: the format matters as much as the topics you’re working with clients on, so notice which shape actually energises you.

5. Treat momentum as a pricing strategy. Early on, more yeses build the testimonials and confidence that let you raise prices later, don't optimise for the biggest number too soon.

6. Test the offer with the people you'd actually want to buy it. Real conversations reveal the language and objections no amount of solo planning will.

7. Notice when you're absorbing the extra hours instead of billing them. That's not generosity, it's a sign the scope needs renegotiating.

8. Don't confuse "flexible" with "unstructured." You can offer different ways to work together, fractional, project, retainer, without leaving the terms vague.

9. Ask what you'd want the offer to look like five years from now, then work backwards. Short-term client-funded work can carry you there, as long as you don't lose sight of the destination.

10. Get clear on direction before you touch the collateral. Update the services guide, sales page, or workbook after you've decided what you want more of… not as a way of deciding it.

If you want to design a scaleable signature offer around your Authority positioning, story, background and unique approach, then these decisions should all stem from your positioning.

That’s exactly what members joining Authority Club next week want my help with. And you can join them.

Over the next 6 months, at a pace that suits you, you’ll:

1/ Craft your Authority Story and One Big Idea.
To become known, trusted, and sought after, you need a clear narrative that communicates what you do, who you serve, and why you.

2/ Develop your Body of Work.
Your Authority isn't just what you say, it's what you put out into the world. You'll create content and assets that reflect your expertise and attract opportunities, whilst you sleep.

3/ Grow your clients and connections.
The best businesses don't rely on cold outreach or social media hustle, they grow through trust, referrals, and reputation. You'll learn how to build the right relationships that lead to aligned clients.

If you're ready for the support to actually answer these questions and put them out into the world, the next cohort starts next week. So come take a look at what's inside and secure your seat within the next 7 days. You’ll be invited to a welcome call on Wed 29th July at 5pm UK time.

Got questions? I’m on the other side of this email.

Until next time

Ellen

Ellen from The Ask is brought to you by Ellen Donnelly, Founder of The Ask, offering strategic business coaching & mentorship to Authority Entrepreneurs ready to grow a profitable business in a way that feels true to them.