Ep. 40: How to Make Your Brand Messaging Pop with Jill Pavlov

it's really important for you to be clear and engaging and confident in order to connect with the person that you're talking to, because at the end of the day, it comes down to connection and conversation.

Welcome to the Prosperous Woman Podcast. I'm Claire Sellers, a business mentor and coach who is absolutely obsessed with helping you create the business of your dreams and your most prosperous life. Tune in for inspiring conversations with extraordinary women that will propel you towards becoming The Prosperous Woman.

Welcome.

I am so beyond excited to introduce you to one of my superstar clients, Jill Pavlov. Welcome to The Prosperous Woman Show.

Thank you so much for having me. This feels like a huge honor.

Oh, well, you are just like, I love talking to Jill and I love talking about Jill's business because her transformation is like one of my favorites of all time. Jill is a proud graduate of the Dream Accelerator and she has just totally 180'd her business. She is speaking on stages at billion-dollar companies. She's getting leads right and left. It is A true Dream Accelerator success story. And Jill, I love the work that you're doing in the world because it's rooted in theater and improv and truly learning how to just be yourself in business. So will you kind of tell people just what do you do?

Isn't that the question?

I know.

That is the question that I teach people to answer. What do you do? So I better have a good answer. I use improv-infused techniques to help female founders to convey what they do in a way that makes people lean in and say yes more quickly.

Ah, I literally just got chills. I feel like everyone's getting chills because you just feel it when you say that. I feel it.

You feel the passion, and that's because, you know, your program is really all about soul-led businesses. And I think it's really cool that, you know, I was reading this article about how work-life balance is actually not the thing anymore. It's work-life integration.

Ooh.

And I love having like a soul-led business, a business that I feel excited to talk to people about because that's what makes it part of your life.

That—

Yes. Exciting, you know?

Totally. And, and that's one of the things that we really work on in the Dream Accelerator is becoming a walking billboard for your brand. And I imagine, I, I haven't met you in real life yet, but I imagine if you're just like out in the world and you're at a coffee shop, probably 9 times outta 10, you bring up your business.

Oh, I, I don't really know what else to talk about anymore. Like, don't get, I, um, actually, I was in an Uber ride home from the, from the airport and I could not shut up about improv. And I'm like listening to myself. I'm like, this guy cannot escape this conversation because I found a way to turn everything that he brought up into, well, that's why improv is amazing.

Yes. And like, this is women, you know, they start their business journeys and we're gonna talk about the start of your business journey, but they, they often come to me not liking sales, not liking writing content, not feeling like they can talk about what they do in a way that people understand. They're burned out, they're tired, their business is exhausting. And it's like when you're, when you are your business, you can't get exhausted from it.

Yeah, exactly. You have to like, because people feel your energy.

Yes.

You know, like whether you're in person or whether you are in a Zoom room, people feel your energy. So if you're just like, yeah, I'm in digital digital marketing, how are people supposed to get excited about that? You know, think about what you get excited about and then reverse engineer it.

Totally. So let's talk about your journey into creating your business. How did it click where you were like, improv, female founders, branding, copy? Because you, you, we formed your business inside the Dream Accelerator, but you were doing copywriting before that. You've done a lot of things.

Yeah, I've done a lot of things. And right before I went out on my own, I was a copywriter in the corporate world. I had spent 3 years, uh, writing copy for a travel company, and I just, I really wanted freedom. So I was like, okay, I'll just do freelance copywriting. Didn't really even think of it as a business. It was just, okay, that's what I did in there. That's what I'm gonna, that's what people will pay me to do out here. And as it, it grew, it became a business because it's so much more than just, you know, finding people on Fiverr or whatever I was starting out with. I realized that if I wanted to actually make my living off of this, I had to become a whole business. And it was great for a while. And then ChatGPT came out.

Mm. That's interesting. I don't know if I realized this, that was the ChatGPT big shift, but that makes sense.

I was in my business for 6 months before ChatGPT came out.

Wow.

It wasn't popular right away. People weren't catching on right away, but eventually, not only did I start using it too much, and in the beginning, like, I admittedly relied on it way too much. I wasn't, you know, making it humanized. We weren't as, like, keen to these tells as we are now. And so it kind of took away my creativity, and I, I did that in favor of productivity. And copywriting just started to get really like lifeless for me. And then I started feeling unethical about charging people for things that I was using ChatGPT. Nowadays, clients don't really care if you use it. They just want it to sound good at the end of the day. They're a lot— a lot of clients are a lot more forgiving, so to speak, about that. But it just didn't feel— I mean, to use your word again, soul-led anymore. You know, I'm handing off Google Docs and never seeing them appear on websites ever again, months and months later. You know, there was no reward. And it, it wasn't until a local women's networking group who knew about my background as a comedian, because I've been a theater kid for life. That's just ingrained.

Forever. We've, we've always bonded over that.

Theater for life. I know. There's something special about it.

It's true.

Or it's a certain energy that I just vibe. So they knew my theater background, that I'm a total eager theater kid, and they asked me to do an improv workshop for the female founders. I was like, oh cool, sounds fun. And, and as I started putting it together, I'm like, wow, there's a lot here. I didn't realize like how much improv has helped me, even in just a podcast like this, you know. Like, I'm not someone who like comes prepared for notes. I'm kind of just like or whatever, wherever it goes. And that's because, A, of all, I know, like, my messaging points, which is something I teach my clients, is that you don't have to have this, like, rehearsed script for podcasts or things like this. You just need to know, like, what's your POV?

Mm-hmm.

What is that, like, messaging that you always come back to that even if you're losing track of what someone asked you, you wanna just come back around to it because it enhances the point that you're trying to make. So anyway, I put this workshop together and the response was, was beautiful. I will never forget hearing one girl say, I was always taught to be seen and not heard, and this workshop taught me differently. And I'm like, this work is important. Like, this is more than just like pretend.

Improv.

Yeah. Like, this work is really, really important, especially for female founders. And so I started doing these workshops, and what happened was I had women coming to me saying, Can you help me prep for this pitch or this panel? And very similarly to you, Claire Sellers Sellers, I was burning myself out on $100, $99 one-on-ones. And I was like, no, there's a program in here. But I did not know how to build it. And I burnt myself out before I met you because I was just, I was ready to wake up and work every day, but not knowing what to do. Put me in analysis paralysis.

Yeah.

Like napping for 2 hours a day. And finally I was like, no, I need guidance at this point. I was almost 3 years on my own. And that's when you came into my life.

Ah, I love it. I love it. And I remember so clearly our call, and we were actually connected through Kristen, the founder of Create My Weight and the host of The Self-Invested Woman, who is our She's a friend, but Kristen has also been in the Opulence Mastermind for almost 2 years now. Um, and Kristen connected us, and I remember on our first call, I don't want to say you were like sad, but you weren't who you are today. Like, I could just tell that you were like, I need help. Like, I don't know what I'm doing in the business, and I know I've got something, but like, I just need you to tell me what to do. And from that point forward, it was like you just got to work. You were like an absolute dream client cuz literally all you needed was a plan.

Yes.

You were ready and willing to work. Your copy was amazing. The program concept was amazing. You just were frozen. And I think that this is something that you experienced, I've experienced. You saw so many women in the Dream Accelerator experience over our journey together we freeze because we can't go back, we can't go forward, and the present moment feels scary, you know? And there's like a whole nervous system component in there. But I think what's really interesting is that what you were experiencing is exactly what you're incredible at helping your clients overcome.

Yeah, it's, it's so interesting that you're, you're saying that because I was telling one of my clients today that is that when you're the person that has gone from A to B it like immediately puts trust because it's like, well, they've done it before, so I could— because, because that person has to envision themselves being able to do it too. And, and you taught me that, and now I'm like living it too. Because it was a little bit harder to sell my program in the beginning because I, I wasn't sure if I was allowed to believe in myself without really like having had anyone in the program. Uh, but I now on the other side of like being able to sell this thing, see how I see how the confidence in yourself makes all the difference.

Yeah. Inside the Dream Accelerator, cuz from, I'm sure it didn't feel like this to you, but from my perspective, you moved pretty quickly, like through the program. You were pretty much on schedule. You know, it was month 1, we really clarified your brand and your it factor. Month 2, we built the program and then you were launching by month 3 and selling and launching by month 3. Peel back the curtain on how did you go from, I'm doing these one-off hourly things to conceptualizing this whole program, writing amazing copy. We created a whole sales funnel that you're still using today. What was that process like? Because I think a lot of people feel like, oh my God, I could never do that. But it's important to hear you did it and other people can too.

Yeah. I think one of the things for me, and I'm not sure how much this answer will help is, but I, perform best when the stakes are really high.

Yeah.

So I keep— I can tell. Yeah, when I came to you, I was barely making $1,000 a month anymore. I mean, you know, like living with my parents and trying to like really realizing that like this is do or die. I don't have any type of day job. And the other thing, the bright side of not having a day job is I don't have a day job. I don't have kids. Like, this program for 4 months was literally my life. And I was— and I mean that in, like, the best way. Like, yeah, just went all in. I was really consistent with it because, um, that's— I mean, that's also my nature. I'm like that, like, Type A, like, loves— I love homework. Like, give me all the homework. Um, because it's— look, it wasn't like it was, like, painful to get through either. I got to, like, I spend time with you on video every day. You're so engaging and like enjoyable to listen to. So it wasn't like, it was like hard by any means. And I would say like the copy, once you really understand who you're talking to, it, and, and that's something that you do so well in your program is to like clarify. And that's something that I hadn't really done before. Like I had done surface level of that. But you made me go so deep into what the people desire. And I remember one of the reasons that I wanted to work with you so badly was, and I told you this before, was you had a social post that— and I still tell people about this social post. I was telling people when I was at the Blocks this week that one of the number one reasons I worked with you was because your post was speaking to me.

Mm-hmm.

I literally felt like it was written for me. And I'm not the only person that felt that, but you know your people so well that you know that who's gonna pick up on those things. And I, I always use that to stress to like my clients why it's so important to know who you are talking to, because when you have this clear vision, you can speak to exactly what they want. And it's, it's spooky.

It, it is so powerful. And I think when we created Pop Into Your Power, which is your amazing one-on-one program, It really is for a hyper-specific woman. And I think what was happening before is you were kind of, I'm open for business, which is what a lot of people do. And, and, and logically it makes sense. You know, it's like, I want as many clients as possible because I wanna make as much money as possible. And so it's very counterintuitive when I tell women, it's not enough to just sell to women, women who, want to learn how to become professional English Bulldog pet show people. That level of specificity. And it's very counterintuitive, but it works.

I think people are scared to do that because people don't realize how many people are in this world.

Yes.

And you, you're like, oh, I'm going to, I'm going to cut out too many people. But there's still a giant pool of people. I was, I was thinking about this the other day and I came up with the concept of a business coach for sisters who are in business together but have different strengths and how to, like, use those strengths together.

How brilliant is that? Like, that would sell like crazy.

I— because I was thinking about this because I know 3 different pairs of sisters now.

I do too. I can think of—

yeah. And I think people get afraid to get that specific because they're like, oh no. But they don't realize on the other end of the coin is the fact you're 2 sisters in business and you see that, you're like, whoa, that was made for me because that's really freaking specific. Specific.

That's almost—

Where do I pay?

Yeah. Yeah. So I think that the who you're speaking to is mission critical, but actually even before that step, and I think this is what your it factor, your superpower, your gift is, is how do you help people unleash who they truly are?

So I think one thing about me that I don't know if it's replicable is that I'm a very disarming person. Like, I'm, I'm a very safe person. I, people, I, I, I create a very psychologically safe space, and it's because I let my armor down too. I, I try to appear perfect. I admit my own vulnerabilities. And so I think that that makes my clients feel a little bit safer about owning up to theirs, and then we can really start to break those walls down. And I always share, like, my own personal experiences, you know, like, I am a very— or at least I can always appear to be a very confident person when I'm in public. Let me say that I'm not always a confident person, but I will always appear to be confident in public. And I wasn't always able to do that. I had to learn to like put on this alter ego and use that for networking events or client meetings or whatever it is, because that way, even if I was having like the worst day of my life, You know, maybe it's the theater kid mindset of the show must go on. Yeah. I'm just gonna take on this role of like my most confident Jill, like the best Jill, and she's gonna walk into the room like that bitch. She's gonna be that bitch. And because she believes she's that bitch, people are gonna have no choice but to believe it.

And the Dream Accelerator, we talk about your dream biz self, the version of you that already has the million-dollar business that's already having, you know, the high cash months. And really like moving in your business as that version. And I talk a lot about method acting and how sometimes in your business, especially in the beginning, you just have to method act that you are that higher version of yourself. And some people listening might be like, but you just said it's important to really be yourself. And that is a version of you that exists because if you can tap into that version of you, it already exists. Exists in the 3D.

Yeah, exactly. It's not saying to be anybody else, it's just how— what would you do if you had all confidence and no fear?

Yes.

I was playing— so I have my clients create an alter ego so that they can really, really channel it. And it was so cool because I—

How do you do that? Like, walk— because people listening, how can they do that?

I, I have like a specific line of questioning, but if that I have cultivated between me and my assistant ChatGPT. So in all sincerity, if you want to create an alter ego, um, and you don't work with me, just go to ChatGPT and say, hey, I want to help— I want to create an alter ego for my most confident self. And it'll generate some questions. And I usually— I sit there with my clients and then we'll have a role-playing day where I make them answer like as if I'm a Hollywood interviewer. I make them answer questions about themselves and their business. in that alter ego. And I had a client the other day, actually, and it's funny, it's a male client, and I'm about to sign my second male client. So like, yeah, because this program has taken on a new life. I've been just limited to women. But this client, when I asked him to turn to his alter ego, all of a sudden his posture like completely changed. And I was like, did you feel that? Did you see that? It's, it's just embodying everything about that most confident version of yourself from head to toe. And even if you don't feel like it, just playing that role, play pretend for the hour that you have to get through the networking event. Then you can come home and throw your hair up in a bun, get into fetal position, cry, watch reality TV, you know, whatever you want to do. But like, can you just stick it out for 1 hour? It's almost like how I get through the gym, you know, like, okay, I can do this. I can get through this plank. I can get through it. You can do it. just put on that suit of armor if you need to.

And I think it's the thing I was just thinking of is that, cuz I've had to do this, you know, people I think maybe look at me or, you know, look at other women and they're like, wow, how did she do that? How did she do this? And the truth is I did it by doing what you just described. I'm scared every time I launch something. I'm about to launch something today and I've been freaking nervous all day. Real talk, I've been nervous. All day. And you know what? After we record this episode, my mission is to launch the damn thing, which I'll be telling you guys about soon. And how am I gonna do that? I literally have to get into my dream biz self. Her name is Julia Roberts. And I have to get into my highest self and method act and move in my business as that version of me. And the more that I spend time in that version of me, the safer my body feels, the safer my nervous system feels, the safer my being feels to be in that mode because that is me.

Yeah, exactly. And it's interesting, I've been getting more into reading about like the neuroplasty of our brain and really how we can change our thought patterns. And like you said, when you get into that version of yourself more and more, you're changing the neuroplasty of your brain to like really buy into it. Like I, I am a different person than I was 2 years ago because I've started to buy into it more and more. And there's things that you can do to help that. Like when I wear an outfit that I feel like a badass bitch in, oh my God, that takes me to the next—

Great.

To my face. Next level. You know, there's that you can do music. Oh my gosh, I have a whole hype list that I play with. There's so many things that you can do to get yourself in the badass zone. And yeah, like introverted introverts, just know that you don't have to stay there if it doesn't feel comfortable. Like just push through a little bit.

And as you're talking, Jill, I'm sure you do this with your clients because it's such a deep program, but having kind of your, your alter ego, having like a toolbox, your playlist, your outfits, you can do your mirror work, your makeup, your hairstyles, having toolkit where you almost get into character. That's something that when I do masterclasses and things like that, I'm pretty done up. Why? Because of what you just said. And I think people might look at you or me or whoever, you know, women in business and think we just wake up and we're on.

Yeah.

It's not. It's a conscious effort. It's a conscious choice and a practice to stay in that high confident vibration.

Yeah, absolutely. And that's why it's important to not compare yourself to anyone on the internet.

Yes.

Because I've had that same thought about other people. Like, wow, they just look so beautiful all the time, but you're not, you're not seeing all that. I mean, that's a whole nother conversation, but don't compare yourself to anyone but yourself.

Yes, and that's a great segue into— I want to talk about like, how do you, how do you help clients zone into what I call their it factor? I'm sure you call it something else, but like, you know, when you, when you work with someone who is kind of generic. They don't really know who they're talking to. They're— they kind of have like a work self and then they have like a home self or a real life self. Like, how do you help them close that gap and actually integrate? Because that's why I think business for you and me— and I'm so happy it feels like this for you— it feels life-giving because there's really no separation in who I am on Zoom, at the coffee shop, with my friends. It's me. It's all the same.

Yeah. It's funny because I'm, I'm thinking of my, my clients and I feel like there are a few of them that came to me already knowing their it factor. Mm-hmm. Just afraid to shine it everywhere.

Yes.

No, like I think a lot of the times I'm, I'm just reflecting the mirror back at them because when I'm first starting to get to know them in, in the first few sessions, I'm asking them, you know, where are your strengths? Where are your weaknesses? What situations do you feel most confident and what situations do you feel least confident? And it's It's, it's because it's pretty easy to pick out, um, because especially with me, they feel safe to brag a little bit more. To brag.

And so then what, like, once— because it's one thing for them to like kind of reveal to you, but then we go to the next level, which is like, how do they reveal to the world? So how do you do that?

So it's really just about like getting into your content, and that's how you get the credibility, the authority, the visibility. That's kind of— so that's like, I would say, like the later stage in my program. My program is really very much like, let's talk about your, your ideal audience, your brand voice, and like your messaging pillars. Like, how are we talking about it? And then I get them kind of like role-playing, talking about their— I call them messaging pillars. So I have clients create 3 or 4 messaging pillars that represents the subjects or the concepts that they're always going to go back to. Like, you know how you get into like certain ways of pitching that, you know, you're always going to say it again.

Yeah.

So it sounds like rehearsed, so it doesn't sound like a script, but how are we talking about the same subject in different ways, the same concept in different ways? And that's what we spend a lot of time rehearsing, like in the middle of my program. And then it is, how do we translate this to content? And how does that content make us like more authoritative and credible? And like, what's working with our audiences? What platforms are working? What are they listening to? What types of media are they responding to? Because it's gonna be different with every single person I, I work with. And, and my program has become a little different for each client. It's definitely hasn't been like Okay, here's what we do on day 1. Here's what we do on day 2. It's, it's been very custom. Yeah. Um, I've, I've completely forgotten what the original question was on that one.

No, you're— well, it made me, it might, we can move to my, the next thing because it, it's related to what you're talking about. When people feel empowered and clear in their brand and their messaging pillars and their it factor, What is the impact on the world? You know, you were talking about your client who just— his posture is different. How do you see the work that you're doing have an impact on your clients, having— and so that your clients have an impact, and it's just this domino effect?

Yeah, it's, it, it's the internal impact, and it's also the external impact, because people are wired— our brains are wired to run away from confusion. They're also wired to run away from boredom. So if you come up to me and you pitch me and you're just like, yeah, I'm in digital marketing, I've been in it for 11 years, I'm in B2B, it's like my brain has shut off. It's boring. Or if you come up to me and you start explaining how you're in digital twins and I don't know, I don't even know any other technical terms, but let's say you threw a bunch of technical terms at me.

Yeah.

It's shutting off because it's confused. So it's really important for you to be clear and engaging and confident in order to connect with the person that you're talking to, because at the end of the day, it comes down to connection and conversation. That's the way that—

Mm-hmm.

Feel like you're selling to someone. We never, you know, you, you— people don't wanna be sold to and you don't wanna sell. You wanna have a conversation that naturally leads to the sale. Yeah.

And I think just like you empowering your clients to be able to do that, it shape-shifts their business. You know, it's, it's such a gift.

And it's— and then when you feel more confident about how you're pitching yourself, it's gonna show in that energy. But if you're one of those people who, you know, one of the things I get a lot is the, the rambler, the information vomiter, you know, the one that's like, okay, I don't know what this person is gonna like about my business, so I'm just gonna tell them every single thing about it and hope and pray that it sticks, you know? And it's like, oh, that is not the way.

I love the Rambler. I've never heard of the Rambler.

Yeah.

Why, why do you think that improv— because like, even just the way that I think you said— did you say you're disarming?

Yes.

I think that's because— I think improv has a lot to do with that, because it's like you just say the first thing that comes to your mind. There's no filter.

Yes. Also, improv people are some of the weirdest people you'll ever meet, like in the best way. And the more that I hang around my own improv troupe, the more that I'm just like, no judgment. I mean, not that I've ever had judgment, but it's just more like, let's be weird. Just do the things, say the thing. No one's gonna judge you on it, you know. Improv people are some of the most accepting people you'll ever meet in your life as well. I think just for myself, being in the community helps me as a genuine person to become even more genuine, even more caring, more compassionate. Because when you— because improv is so much about teamwork, you know, in my cast, before every show, we go around to each person in the cast and say, I got your back. Oh, I love that. Can't be— you can't be the star in improv, right? You have to work together cohesively. And it's the same with like your clients and your colleagues. You have to like have a little bit of humility, drop the ego, and do what's best for the team.

Yeah, I love that. I got your back. I just love like theater rituals. And I know we could do a whole show on that because I just, I miss that. It is so special. And you're right. I mean, one of the foundations I use in my challenges is from my first improv teacher, Dan Diggles. And you know, the two rules of improv: say yes and, and make your partner the universe look good, and then dare to be obvious. What's the most obvious thing? It's the 3 rules. I said 2, but it's 3. And you know, I think that is so helpful in business. How has improv helped you in building this business as you've gone through the Dream Accelerator and after? Like, how has that skillset been helpful to you?

One of the best skillsets it's given me is to not be afraid of failure.

Yeah.

Which is huge. So paralyzing. It's so paralyzing. And in improv, there's no time to fail. You know, sometimes failure gets a laugh when you're on the stage. Failure, you know, like you take the mistakes and you embrace them. You use them as data. You don't take it as a failure. You take it as a lesson. Mm-hmm. That mindset has really shifted, like how I've recovered from, from disappointment. You know, I don't know if you remember, Claire Sellers Sellers, that when I— so when I was in your program, I launched my one-on-one. No, I didn't. I'm sorry, I didn't launch my one-on-one. I launched like my pitch perfect calls.

The mini offer.

Mini offer.

I did the full Party Method. Jill really embraced the Party Method.

Yes, it spoke to me because I just like to party. I like it. I got it, says the sober girl. When I launched my mini offer, I had like 30 responses to it. I had 30 calls set up, and I think I had like 20 of them in one week. And it was the week before I was like going away on a, on a little mini vacation, and I didn't get anyone to sign them because looking back, I, I was not great at the calls. I was missing some components.

But what, like, what—

I remember going away and feeling like it was the end of the world, like the actual of the world. And I remember you sent me a voice note and told me to put my crown back on my head. I mean, you were really encouraging in that moment. It's definitely so important to just have a support system too, because even though it didn't fix the problem in the moment, it reminded me who I am. And I always want to remind women who they are too, because we're so quick to have one failure and be like, I suck.

Yeah. And, and you, you know, it was— I hate to use the word beautiful, but it was kind of beautiful to watch you get back up again, you know, because a lot of women not in my programs, because I will literally come to your house and pick you up again. But a lot of women would not have continued after that because it was a high, high, oh my God, I got 20, 30 calls. Oh my God. And, you know, it was like, yeah, you're going to be booked out. And then it just was like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. And that is crushing. And it really illuminated that the part of the funnel that we needed to adjust was the call.

Yeah.

What was happening on the call, your confidence in the call. Like in retrospect, what did you learn through that experience? I mean, I, I don't know how many sales calls I've done that have been nos.

Yeah. I learned, I think my theater background came into play because as a theater kid, you get used to rejection real quick. So I've gotten back up on the horse a lot of different times. So that wasn't really even difficult for me to get back up on the horse. But if it is for you, I would say try to make the stakes a little bit higher because whenever you can heighten those stakes, it, you know, hungry dogs run faster. But what I learned really was what I was doing wrong in these sales calls, which was that I was failing to build the vision. Besides not being very confident in what I was saying, the real missing piece was that I was just trying to deliver information, trying to like deliver what the client came there for. I was feeling so much pressure that of, of wanting them to walk away like being so happy with the results that I kind of forgot to build the overall vision and how this plays into like why they need the program. And once I started doing that, that's when I started seeing results.

Yes. And that is— I love teaching sales calls because for me it's an honor. And I think you now feel like this. It's an honor to be on a sales call with someone because you're probably the only person in their life that they are like, I have this dream and I don't know how I'm gonna make it a reality, but I really want I don't know how to do this. And you're bearing witness to that and you're on the other end, if you can, telling them, I can help you. This is exactly what I do. That is like spiritual experience.

Yeah. From both ends too, because I remember feeling it, the relief that I felt after my sales call with you of like, oh my God, I don't have to do this alone anymore. I have someone who has like proven results because, you know, part of the reason that I trusted you so much was because Kristen said amazing things about you, which is a huge lesson in referrals. You know, make sure your people, you know, you're getting testimonials and stuff like that. But yeah, that, that feeling of, of relief of, I have a plan, I have a guide, now all I have to do is put in the work.

And what people, I think, and I should do an episode on sales calls because I think what a lot of people do in the beginning is they focus so much on selling the bells and whistles. You know, it's like you're a car salesman. A bad car salesman will focus on the engine size and the rearview mirror features and the gas mileage. A good car salesman will focus on the family trips you get to go on together. There's a third row for when you have your third child. You know, there's security lighting that comes on so your wife doesn't trip when she's coming inside late at night after work. That's— you're selling the vision.

Absolutely. There's a show on Apple+ called Stick with Owen Wilson, and the very first episode he Claire Sellers, this like multi-thousand dollar golf club by building the vision and then kind of being like, now you don't really want this though.

No.

Until the guy's like begging him, like offering him more money. If you get a chance to watch it, I have to watch that. It's called— the show itself is really adorable, but it's called Stick on Apple TV and it's in the first episode. I'm pretty sure it's like the first scene too. And I just remember notating, I was like, that is a masterclass in sales.

Ugh, I love that. I love that. And, and again, I think for people listening, Jill, I love sharing your story and I'm so grateful that you've done testimonials for me and you know, you're here on this podcast because you're really a beautiful example of resilience and failure that doesn't exist. It's just learning and redirection and you just keep going. So, you know, I'm just so proud of you and your ability to see the end goal and to stay committed to that even when it felt like it wasn't working. 'Cause we did have a period of that, but you know, you've really course corrected. And I remember, you know, getting DMs from you in the months between, you know, the program and today since you've graduated. And like, you know, it's like, I got a client. Like, you just got how many, 20 leads at an event you did. Like, tell us, like, what does business look like now for you?

So it's, it's a lot easier. It flows a lot more, you know, it's So much easier to think of content because I'm having so many regular conversations about what I do. And you know, that content, it keeps people interested. Side note, like, one of the funniest things is that a lot of the people that are gonna become your clients— this is what I see— are not the people that are regularly liking or commenting on my post. They end up being the lurkers, and then one day, out of nowhere, they're like, hey, I saw this reel, and I'm like, You did, you didn't even like it or comment on it. So, so being consistent and knowing that there's people who are watching and wanting what you have, even though they're not necessarily liking or commenting, that's like a, that's a huge thing that you need to know to have like that little extra belief in yourself. Keep, keep doing that. But now business is great for me. I have 5 one-on-one clients that I'm currently coaching. Yay. Looking to get into more corporate spaces with my improv workshops. I just did one at the Blocks that was a huge success. And like you said, I got 20 leads, and I only had, like, 30 people there too. It was, like, an amazing—

Oh, basically everyone.

Great. Yes. It's because I've done that workshop so many times that I'm so confident in it, confident to the point where I'm having fun with it too. Yeah. People can see that you're having fun in your business and you know, this is very much like in line with your Party Method too, is, yeah. Is they wanna be part of that, right? Yeah. Like you have a certain energy, I have a certain energy, and your energy, when you can make it that fun, funny energy, people are a lot more attracted to that too.

100%. And I think, you know, Jill was saying before we started recording, like funnel works. That's the thing that most women don't have in place. So there, they actually are a lot of them, like they're going to networking, they're going to, they're hosting event, but they don't actually have a funnel to bring people all the way to yes into a high ticket program. And, and you have that now, and that's why you were able to deliver an amazing value-packed workshop and then make a very clear offer into the next step. And then from there you'll bring them into your one-on-one. And it's just like, it's so simple. And yet so many women miss that.

You have to make it easy for the customer because like I said, the brain runs from confusion. So I had delivered an amazing workshop and they were just like, okay guys, bye. No one's gonna sit there on Instagram and find my perfect pitch.

Right.

Oh no, they're already onto the next thing.

Right.

People are so in their own lane as they should be. You should be focused on yourself. Right.

People, people want to step into the next thing with you. And when you were doing this workshop before, you didn't have the funnel.

Right, exactly.

But you've done this so many times before, but you didn't have a way to bring them into the— a structured, clear way to bring them into the funnel.

Yeah. And it made me more confident because instead of knowing that I'm gonna have to like Oh, give me your email. Yeah.

Like pitch, like I wanna work with you.

Yeah. No, it's just like, oh, did you like that?

Cool.

I have a Pitch Perfect session. Here's the QR code.

Yeah. It's like so easy.

Looks so much more professional, you know? Like I think that people feel safe with, I feel safe with a coach or, or working with someone who makes it easy for me and has obviously worked on a funnel. I'm like, okay, they know what they're doing. You know, there's that as well.

Yeah, and this is, this is a whole other tangent, but like, you know, I talk a lot about we're running feminine-led businesses, so the fun and the energy and the vibrancy and the party, like, that's what pulls people in. And people need to feel that you can lead them, and there's a masculine component to that that I think a lot of women are afraid to tap into. But people need to feel safe and like you've got them. Like, I'm gonna pick you up at 5:00 PM, wear that black dress. Like they need to feel that level of leadership in the sales process. And when you have the structures in place, like the clear mini offer, the QR code or whatever it might be, it creates that feeling for people.

Absolutely. Because at the end of the day, we only wanna part with our money if we know we're gonna get what we came for.

Yes.

And so part of that is feeling safe in parting with our money, and you make people feel safe by, by everything we just said.

Exactly. Exactly. So tell us, what are you working on now and how can people connect with you?

So what I'm working on now is I'm continuing the Pop Into Your Power program, the 3-month 101 program with me. If you are interested in really clarifying your brand messaging so that your ideal customers are like, Yeah, you can do a Pitch Perfect session with me. The link will be available. I'm also working on working with corporate teams. I love working with entrepreneurs and founders. I've also found a certain love for working with corporate teams, especially those teams that are remote and have no other way of connecting their company culture other than maybe a little bit of improv.

I love it.

Yes.

So improv for corporate teams, which I think is such an amazing way to get people who probably don't really get to be their full selves at work, an opportunity to tap into that. And when you're able to tap into that at work, even if it's in an hour workshop, suddenly lunch breaks become more fun and team meetings become more fun. So like there's a, when we talk about impact, huge.

Yeah, exactly. And especially for You know, those team members who maybe are a little afraid to speak up, like some, some team members don't realize how important it is to speak up in meetings. They just kind of like coast. And so teaching people like, how do we speak up more? How, how do you act engaged, especially the generation that's coming into the workforce? And again, this is a whole nother conversation, but the gener— the generation that's coming to the workforce that was raised on screens. How are your talking communication skills? We can email things to death, we can ChatGPT it until it's perfect. But when you're in a meeting, how are you representing yourself in the moment?

Totally. You're creating empowered people and empowered people empower people. So I just love the work that you're doing and I'm so honored that I could be part of helping you get your work out into the world. And you just even look like a different woman from that first call. Like we need a before and after picture.

Oh my God, that, that would— I know, it's like the before and after pictures of like getting sober, which I have those too.

You just look like so lit up and so in, in your power, you know, like that's a great way to describe it. So it's just been such an honor to walk with you, and I'm always cheering you on. You'll never get rid of me, and I'm just so, so, so proud of you.

I never want to. I, I am so, so thankful for you, Claire. I mean, you really changed my business and thus changed my life. And, you know, I'm so forever grateful.

Oh, well, you're a dream client. I'm so excited to share you with everyone in my community. And keep, keep on popping into your power.

Yes, I love it. Pop off, queen.

Thank you for tuning in to the Prosperous Woman Podcast. I'm I am so grateful for your presence and for being a part of this community. Feel free to DM me @itsclairesellers on Instagram. I would love to connect with you and hear what resonated with you in this episode. Forget to subscribe to the show. And if you enjoyed what you heard today, leave a 5-star review. Your feedback means the world to me and helps me reach more incredible women just like you. And because I love to spoil you, just DM me a screenshot of your review on Instagram and I'll send you my free Prosperity Activation Course as a thank you. It's my way of investing in you and your dreams.

Thank you.