88. Why Premium Clients Skip Over Multi-Skilled Service Providers (Here's What to Do Instead)

Ever feel like your business skills should be attracting better clients, but somehow you're still stuck with demanding, low-paying projects? You're not alone.

If you've ever been introduced as someone's "assistant" despite running half their business, constantly found yourself overexplaining your value, or watched newer VAs confidently charge double your rates, this episode is for you.

The truth is, being multi-skilled and capable of handling "all the things" might actually be working against you. In this episode, I'm breaking down what I call "The Capability Curse" - why your versatility is making you invisible to premium clients and what to do about it.

Most service providers think that showcasing all their skills makes them more valuable, but premium clients' brains work differently. When you position yourself as someone who can do everything, you become everyone's backup plan but nobody's first choice for their specific problems.

Key Points Covered:

✨ Why being multi-skilled makes you invisible to premium clients (and the brain science behind it)

✨ How the reticular activating system works against generalists in business

✨ Why "unicorn-seeking" clients are not the clients you want

✨ The counterintuitive truth about specialization and premium rates

✨ A simple two-column exercise to identify your zone of genius

✨ One action step to start shifting your positioning this week

✨ Why specialists command higher rates across every industry

If you're tired of attracting clients who want everything for nothing and ready to position yourself as the go-to expert for premium clients, this episode will shift your entire approach to business positioning.

💫 Grab my free Peaceful Profits Vault for premium trainings at dancingleafsolutions.com/resources

💌 DM me "SPECIALIST" on Instagram @soulfulbizcoachandrea for my free positioning resources

Thank you for being a part of the Soulpreneur Scaling Stories community!

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Andrea here, your host and passionate business coach and scaling strategist for soulful service providers and coaches. Welcome to another episode of Solepreneur Scaling Stories. Have you ever wanted to look behind the curtain of your fellow entrepreneur's business to see what actually went into scaling it?

[00:00:22] Well, you are in for a treat 'cause that's exactly what we are doing here. In each episode, we will be uncovering the truth of the lessons and the stories behind what it truly takes for sold entrepreneurs to scale their businesses intentionally. I'm hoping that their stories will help you to unlock the true potential of your business so you can create your own soulful, abundant, and aligned laptop lifestyle through intentional scaling.

[00:00:46] So whether you're just starting out on your scaling journey or you're a seasoned entrepreneur seeking inspiration, this episode has something incredible in store for you. Are you ready to rise, grow, and create a business that fully supports your dream life? Well, let's [00:01:00] dive in. Before we begin, make sure to hit that subscribe buttons.

[00:01:03] You never miss an empowering episode filled with real stories and soulful insights.

[00:01:10] Hello. Hello. Welcome again to another episode of Solepreneur Scaling Stories. Today we are going to talk about what I like to call the capability curse. And yes, I know that that sounds really backwards and you're like, um, Andrea isn't being capable like what we're supposed to be doing. Isn't that a good thing?

[00:01:33] And yes, your skills are incredible. You are. Super capable, but there is an issue with this when you are multi-skilled and can do all of the things and want to do so many things, this can lead to some negatives, and we're going to get into that today. So if you have ever wondered why newer VAs or OBMs are charging more, [00:02:00] or your clients are in.

[00:02:02] Introducing you as my assistant. Even though you are running half of their business behind the scenes or why you find yourself overexplaining, your value, this episode is for you. By the end, you're going to understand exactly why your skills have not been translating into premium clients and what to shift to start attracting dream opportunities with ease.

[00:02:23] Okay, so let's jump in. I'm going to paint a picture for you. Maybe this sounds familiar. We already know you're capable, right? You can handle all the things from email to project coordination, to social media, to tech, to customer service. Like anything a client throws at you, you can do it. You pride yourself on being the person who can figure anything out, but.

[00:02:46] What does this mean for your business? As you watch newer VAs, newer ubms confidently charge double your rates for services you have been doing for years, clients introduce you, like we [00:03:00] said, as Jessica, my assistant, even though you. Their business would fall apart without you, you overexplain yourself. Um, your value is not immediately obvious because it's not quite clear like what specific problem you solve.

[00:03:15] And the most frustrating part is that

[00:03:18] your referrals come with these like, confusing descriptions, right? Like they don't know how to talk about you. Somebody wants to tell people to work with you, but they're like, well, she kind of does everything. You know, and like that's a good thing, but, but.

[00:03:35] I'll tell you why it's not in a second.

[00:03:36] So really, you're everybody's backup plan, but nobody's first choice when they have a very specific problem. And the crazy thing is that you're getting clients, right? You're getting referrals. You're not struggling to stay busy, but.

[00:03:49] Maybe the thing is, is that you're actually invisible to the clients. That you actually want the premium ones who value your expertise, who respect your boundaries, [00:04:00] who happily pay top rates for transformation and not just.

[00:04:04] Tasks. These are the clients you want, the ones who respect you, not the ones looking for a unicorn who does all the things.

[00:04:12] So why does being multi-skilled actually make you invisible, especially to these premium clients? It has to do with the reticular activating system. I know you didn't think I was gonna go there, but aas, this is where we are.

[00:04:28] So let's talk about the brain. So what does the reticular activating system do? It filters information and really kind of decides what you want to pay attention to. So like, have you ever noticed that if, what was that game when, um, your kids in the car and you're looking for a like. Like a yellow beetle or whatever, like a Volkswagen.

[00:04:51] And then you have to hit each other, you know, like if you don't pay attention, like you don't notice when they drive by. But now that you're paying attention to it, you're like, oh, there's so many of [00:05:00] them. Right? Like I had this experience, I went to Japan at the time of this recording a few weeks ago, got back and I noticed that all the dogs there were she.

[00:05:09] But you know, it's not a surprise. It's a Japanese dog and. That what my reticular activating system was paying attention to it. There were other dogs there, but I was like just really focused on the sheep, you know? So I thought I saw them everywhere. So that's what it does. So how does this relate to business when somebody is looking for help in their business?

[00:05:30] And they're looking for something specific, right? They're like, I have this problem. They're not thinking like, oh, I just need somebody who can help save me time. I need somebody who can do everything that's not a premium clan, right? They're like, I have this problem. My emails are insane. My launches are killing me, literally.

[00:05:49] And so their brains are now when they. See somebody online or wherever who talks about this, oh, now they're paying attention. They are now seeing you. [00:06:00] Whereas if you are just like, yeah, I do everything and you don't really know what to talk about, you are invisible to everybody. Everybody, nobody sees you, right?

[00:06:10] And again, of course there are clients who want somebody who can do it all. But the thing with those clients is that they're not exactly the clients you want. Most of the time they're looking for the unicorn va, right? You see those job ops, they, a lot of times they are beginner in their business or they really don't know how to manage, how to actually run their business.

[00:06:31] They have unrealistic expectations and. They really expect a lot. And a lot of times they don't pay well. They don't pay what you're worth. And think about it if you're also relatedly, right? If you're somebody who's like, no, I wanna get the most out of my money. So instead of hiring different people who specialize in different things, they're looking for one person who can do all the things.

[00:06:54] 'cause I think it saves them money when in actuality somebody cannot be good at all the things, right? So [00:07:00] these are not the clients that you want to work with. So in. Uh, opposite to that, I couldn't remember the word. What's the word? On the other side, you have premium clients, the ones with actual budgets who understand and respect actual expertise, and they're happy to pay for that because they know that that makes a difference.

[00:07:23] They know they're getting so much more. For what they're paying for. They know that they're happy to pay you. 'cause they're like, yes. Like this woman knows what she's doing and I need what she's do. I need it. I need her to solve my problem. So when you position yourself, when you talk about yourself, when you show up as somebody who can.

[00:07:44] Do email management and social media and project coordination and tech setups and websites. You are attracting those unicorn seeking clients and you are invisible to the premium ones that you actually want to work with,

[00:07:58] and

[00:07:59] again, with the [00:08:00] reticular activating system. Think about when you scroll on social media and you, or you're looking for something, right?

[00:08:04] Maybe you need help with your website. Are you, do you remember the person who's like, oh yes, I do websites and graphics and social media and copywriting. I can do everything. Or do you, are you drawn to the person who says, oh, I create high converting websites for OPMs, for VAs specifically? Oh, you remember them because they are speaking directly to you.

[00:08:24] Right. And your specific need, and that's what you need to be doing. And your premium client's brains work exactly the same way. So when you talk about yourself and you show up as somebody who does all the things, you're creating some real challenges for yourself, right? So you are creating first decision paralysis because when somebody can do everything, clients don't really know what they're primarily hiring you for.

[00:08:48] It's really confusing you. Like if you go to, you know, like one of these restaurants like. Uh, the Cheesecake Factory and their menu is 67 million pages long. It'll take you 17 [00:09:00] years to like, figure out what you want to eat, you know? And then, so decision paralysis number one, two is that.

[00:09:06] It

[00:09:07] really suggests a lack of expertise.

[00:09:09] It suggests it. It's giving beginner, you know, if you do everything, the assumption is that you're not particularly excellent at any one thing you might be right, but because you're trying to please everybody, they're just kind of seeing you as somebody who is lower on level, who they can pay. Lower level.

[00:09:26] Third, you're forgettable. There's no specific hook for their brain to remember you by, right? Their particular activating system, not activated, they're just scrolling by you. And fourth, it attracts these. Okay, I'm looking for a unicorn bottom feeder clients,

[00:09:44] again, like I said before, they're looking for somebody who could do all the things.

[00:09:48] They're looking for the cheapest option. They want somebody to come in and like fix their entire business. They're not looking for the best, they're not looking for premium. The most successful VAs and [00:10:00] Oovs and the ones that I work with who become this,

[00:10:02] they have discovered something. Totally counterintuitive, and this is the more specific you become, the more attractive you are to premium clients.

[00:10:13] I'm saying this again because this is the thing that I want you to take away from this. I know that it seems like, oh, if I do so much, I will attract so many different people, but. The opposite is 1000% true. The more specific you become, the more attractive you are to these premium clients you actually want to work with.

[00:10:34] So let's do. A quick exercise 'cause hopefully now you're sold on this and you're like, okay, I get it. I get it. Let's do this and see if I can help you right now in a couple minutes in your own business. So in your head, create two columns. Column one is what I'm currently known for, and I want you to think in your head and list out everything that you currently offer that clients ask you to do.

[00:10:57] And be honest. What do you actually do for your [00:11:00] clients right now? And this le list might be pretty long, right? So it might consist of like 10 different things or more, who knows? And then in column number two, I invite you to make a list of what do I want to be known for? Think about the work that you do that energizes you the most, the things that you could do all day.

[00:11:20] Still love the problems that you solve that make you feel like, oh yes, this is my thing. I love doing this. Maybe that list is significantly shorter, and it doesn't have to be exact right now. I know this can be a little bit daunting, and that's what I'm here for, to help you figure this out strategically and in a soul aligned way.

[00:11:37] It's my thing. Uh, that's what I'm known for. Um, so, but if you have some ideas, right? How different are these two columns? If you are like most. Multi-skilled VAs, OBM service providers. Column one has like eight to 10 things, and column two might have a couple, and those are the things that really, really light you up and that gap in between.

[00:11:59] [00:12:00] This is your roadmap that shows you exactly where to start focusing how you show up to start really gearing people towards the things that really light you up and that make you excited.

[00:12:13] So here is the thing, right, is that you do not become more valuable by doing more things. You don't become more valuable by doing more things.

[00:12:24] You become more valuable by becoming the obvious choice for one specific transformation. 'cause when you position yourself as. A specialist as the person who does this thing, there are several powerful things that happen. One is that you activate that reticular activating system that we love so much in your favor.

[00:12:45] So instead of your ideal client's brains ignoring you, filtering you out, totally scrolling by you, you become exactly what they're scanning for. You become that thing that they spot and they're like, oh yes, that's the person that I need. [00:13:00] And on top of that, you get to charge premium rates because specialists, these experts, which you are command higher rates than generalists across every single industry, and you can look this up, there is research behind that statement.

[00:13:17] You attract clients who value expertise. These clients actually respect you. They respect your expertise. They respect your boundaries, they trust your recommendations. And the best part is, is that refer the, and what the best part is, is that they refer other clients like them to you, and more about that you become referable.

[00:13:40] I mean, there's nothing better than this, right? When somebody says, oh, who should I hire for this? X thing. Who should I hire for? I'll give you some examples for my own clients. Podcast manager for for trauma and mindset coaches alignment. Strategist for mindset coaches, systems guru [00:14:00] for launch. No, that's not a sentence.

[00:14:03] I cannot talk today, but you're bearing with me so it's fine. Launch specialist for health entrepreneurs, all of these things. If I say these things, I'm sure that you think of these certain categories and a name pops up for you. That's who you need to be, right? Your name needs to immediately come to mind when somebody talks about what you do.

[00:14:23] And, and your marketing becomes effortless because instead of trying to speak to everybody, you're speaking directly to people with one specific problem. It's so much easier. Take it from me. I have done the whole spectrum. It is so much easier for me to market my services now then it was before when I was a VA doing everything.

[00:14:42] 'cause you don't know what the heck you're, you know, like what do I post about now? I could post about, it's so confusing, right? So. Okay. Also, let me be clear what this does not mean. It doesn't mean that you cannot use your other skills. You can a hundred percent use your other skills. It also doesn't mean that you have to turn away work outside [00:15:00] of the specialty.

[00:15:01] It's your business. You get to decide. It's definitely doesn't mean that you stuck doing this one specific thing forever. I know that that can be scary, right? Be like, no, I'm going to get bored. The cool thing about it is that.

[00:15:13] Marketing always changes, you know, um, the other stuff around how you run your business is always evolving and you get to evolve as well as you grow.

[00:15:23] So the things that you focus on become a little bit different, and that's where the interest is. And also. If you're doing, you know, as an OBM, as a va, there's always new technology. There's always look at ai, right? That didn't exist like not that long ago. So there is never a shortage of things to learn and how to grow and how to evolve.

[00:15:43] What I. Specializing what being known for. One thing that does mean is that you get to lead with your unique magic. You get to become known for one specific type of transformation. You get to use your other skills to support this [00:16:00] core expertise, and you can evolve your positioning, how you show up as you grow.

[00:16:05] So it's really, really cool and like a. I love this if you can't tell. And so before we wrap up, I wanted to give you one simple action that you can take this week. Choose one service that you are currently offering that you're not really feeling. And stop talking about it. Stop leading with this. It doesn't mean you can't do it, but stop marketing it as one of your primary things.

[00:16:29] Take it away from your bio, from your web website, from your service list, and just start pulling back slowly. Why does this work? Because every time you remove something that that dilutes your core message, your zone of genius, your unique magic becomes clearer and more compelling. And if you are feeling nervous about this, totally normal.

[00:16:51] But here is what I want you to remember. The right clients for you and for your unique magic are worth 10 times more [00:17:00] than multiple unicorn seeking clients who want you to do everything and not. Compensate you not make you feel helpful, worthwhile, like, you know, these types of clients, so. Moving forward.

[00:17:15] The truth is, is that your capabilities are not the problem. It is how you show up. It is how you talk about it. This is the solution. It's in the structure of your offer itself and how you talk about it. The most successful VAs OBMs and service providers understand that visibility. Comes from specificity, not versatility.

[00:17:37] So if you are ready to make this shift, but you're feeling overwhelmed about how to actually do it in your business, I would love to help you through one of my offers. You can check out if you're like, okay, this is cool, but like, I don't know, you check out my free resources in the show notes. I have lots of them.

[00:17:53] Um, or if you want to go deeper, I have a few different ways we can work together. And so please reach out to me [00:18:00] to chat about that. And remember that you have. Incredible, incredible skills and expertise, and it is time to let the world see you for the specialists that you truly are. So thank you so much for being here with me today, and I will see you on the next one. 

[00:18:16] Thank you so much for joining us today. I really hope you found inspiration and insights from today's episode. You know, scaling your business intentionally and from the inside out is a transformational process, but I'm here to support you every step of the way. Head on over to dancing leaf solutions.com/resources for free tools to help you do just that.

[00:18:41] And thank you again for being a part of the Solepreneur Scaling Stories community. Your presence and dedication to growth inspiring me every day.