Stop selling like everyone else. Start thinking like no one else.

If you're out there trying to attract the right clients and feel like nothing is landing, here's what you need to know:

Tactics alone won’t build trust. Human connection will.

Why "Selling" Feels So Off Sometimes

Like many people, you’ve probably read the scripts, practiced the pitches, and memorized the hooks.

But when it comes time to show up for your performance (oops, I mean your audience), something feels off. Worse, you don’t sound like you. Where did the real “you” go?

Here’s the issue: Your potential client can feel the disconnect. And the problem isn’t your offer—it’s how we’ve been taught to “sell”.

We’re told to lead with logic, talk about the features, and walk the prospect down a tidy funnel. But persuasion shouldn’t be something you do to someone. It’s something you should build with them.

In other words, the real magic happens when you show up human first, business second.

Selling Isn’t Convincing — It’s Connecting

A while back, I was helping a friend with her job search. She was getting plenty of interviews but no offers. Her resume was strong, her experience impressive — but something wasn’t clicking.

So, we did a mock interview, and it became obvious: Her answers were emotionally empty. She was giving the interviewer (me) what she thought I would want to hear — polished phrases, buzzwords, well-rehearsed lines. But to me it came across as stiff and disconnected.

I told her, “They can feel your tension. Quit trying to sound perfect and seem like a hero. Just be yourself and connect with them human-to-human. Speak from your truth, not from a fantasy template. Soften your makeup, relax your face muscles, and look them in the eye.”

She took that advice into her next interview, and got the job.

Something about her has fundamentally changed—her confidence. She stopped seeing authenticity as a liability and started treating it as a strength. And the people at work love her.

This blog isn’t really about job hunting. It’s about selling, particularly for entrepreneurs who lead with purpose.

This human-first approach is something I live every day. I also take the opportunity to discuss it whenever I can because I’ve seen, time and again, how it changes not just results, but people.

Learn more about my journey and philosophy here.

Connection Happens When People Feel Safe — Not When They Feel Sold To

In any interaction (sales included), people are scanning for one thing:

Emotional safety.


This is how they want to feel:

• seen, not judged
• valued, not pushed

If someone doesn’t feel safe (emotional or otherwise), they won’t be open — which means they definitely won’t buy.

This is where most sales strategies fail. They focus on controlling the outcome instead of creating the environment. But true connection happens in an atmosphere of validation and respect, not pressure.

When someone feels safe with you, they start to trust you. And once trust is present, selling becomes a matter of guiding.

What Your Ideal Client Is Really Looking For

Does your ideal client want a pitch? Absolutely not.


They want clarity. They want someone who understands what they’re going through.

They want to feel like they’re choosing, not being coerced.

So when you’re communicating with them:

DON’T 

❌ Just list your services 
❌ Just highlight features 
❌ Try to close the deal 

DO

✔️ Share the transformation they lead to
✔️ Connect with the emotions behind their problem
✔️ Open the conversation

Remember, like anything in life, emotion drives decisions. Logic comes in later to justify those decisions.

How to Start Selling from the Inside Out

If you’re ready to sell in a way that actually feels good — and works — then start with these shifts:

1. Lead with empathy. Speak to the experience your potential client is having before they work with you.
2. Validate their values. Reflect their mission, beliefs, and self-image back to them. Show them that choosing you is an alignment, not a compromise.
3. Create ownership. Ask questions that empower them to see the choice as their own. The more agency they feel, the more likely they are to act.

And above all? Be authentic and real. Let your presence do the work. Because no matter what you sell, the most persuasive thing you’ll ever offer is how someone feels when they’re around you.

Ready to Build Real Connections That Convert?

What if your greatest advantage isn’t a better pitch, but a deeper understanding of people?

Our Ready Set Grow program teaches you how to connect with empathy, speak to what truly matters, and articulate your audience’s struggles and dreams better than they can themselves.

When your message reflects their truth, you don’t just win their attention—you win trust, loyalty, and the customer. Customer after customer leads to market share.

✨ Let’s craft your roadmap to growth — with clarity, confidence, and connection.


Learn more about the Entrepreneurial Fitness module