I want to start this episode with something that made my week - this week I hit 1,000 streams of this podcast. So a huge thank you if you're listening for the first time, or if you're a regular to She Speaks to Scale. This podcast has brought so much joy to my business. I love hearing which episodes you're enjoying and the takeaways you're having - do keep getting in contact, because it's great data and helps me know what content to keep putting out.

Now - onto the thing I've kept behind closed doors for a while, but I think it's time to air it - mainly because I want you to learn from my mistake and not do the same.

I'm Not a Perfect Speaker

It feels incredibly vulnerable sharing this, especially given my area of expertise, but I'm still working on this myself, and I want to be transparent about that.

I by no means am a perfect speaker. I still get nervous when I speak (most speakers do). I'm still refining the way I do things, still tweaking my messaging. I've recently evolved my practice from communication coach and media trainer to speaking coach and media mentor and I've had to work on shifting my own identity into that too.

But what I want to talk about today stems from something someone said to me in the middle of July. It stayed with me throughout the summer and now I'm actually doing something about it.

The Conversation That Changed Things

I had a one-to-one with brilliant business coach - Joanna Lott - and afterwards, this is how she described me in a post about the clients she'd worked with that day:

"Another had built excellent marketing in a short time but wasn't 100% on her offer. We built her signature offer and new lead magnet from scratch. We both had all the feels about its new lifetime value."

That was me.

And reading it, I realised something. I'm actually really good at marketing. I've never had a marketing background, I've learned how to do things. But regular social media, emailing my list every week, weekly podcast episodes, PR and third-party recommendations have all been part of my strategy this year - I've been interviewed on BBC Radio, featured in Startups Magazine, quoted in Forbes and as I write this, I'm awaiting the release of a 12-page spread in an entrepreneurial magazine.

But being 100% clear on what I have to offer? That's where it fell apart.

I had been so determined to provide value to others that in most instances I failed to tell people how they could actually work with me - mainly because I hadn't been clear on that myself. Until now. And I'm sharing this because I don't want you to make the same mistake.

Why It Happened

When I look back, it was a combination of things:

Conditioning. The fear of being seen as pushy or salesy. I covered this in episode 15 - How to Self-Promote Without Feeling Like You're Bragging - so go and listen to that if this resonates.

Imposter syndrome. Having always worked for large organisations, I questioned whether people would want to invest in working with just me. In television we had an entire sales team to build relationships and bring in clients. My experience of actually selling was limited - pretty much non-existent, if I'm honest.

Giving too much away for free. I became consumed with providing free value - social media, the podcast, my newsletter - all valuable, but I forgot to tell people there was a way to go deeper.

Not having a clear offer. My services had never been clearly defined like they are now and I feel so much better as a result. Clients can look at my website and see exactly how they can work with me, rather than having to ask.

All of these things combined led me to forgetting to tell people how they could work with me. They loved my podcast, they engaged with my posts, but then had no idea what to do next.

What It Cost Me

When you don't talk about your services directly:

• Your content doesn't direct anyone towards your offers

• You give your expertise away freely while undervaluing what a paid engagement could do for someone

• The people who were ready to invest don't know how to and perhaps go elsewhere

That last one is the hardest to sit with, but it's an important lesson.

Selling is Serving

I'm a member of the Female Entrepreneur Association, and the founder Carrie Green always says: selling is serving. She learned this the hard way - she started her business giving everything away for free until she physically ran out of money. Things didn't change until she shifted her beliefs around it entirely.

I'm not very woo, although I've listened to her financial abundance visualisation occasionally. But I do wholeheartedly believe in the power of setting your mind up for success and I've been making that same shift.

The Three Questions That Helped Me Get Clear

When I started thinking about what I truly wanted to offer and what would make me feel comfortable talking about it - I asked myself three questions. I'm sharing them in case you're in the same situation.

1. What are people coming to you for? For me, it was plenty of 60-minute sessions for imminent speaking opportunities - podcasts, talks, panels. These one-off sessions have led to repeat business. I was resistant to them for a while, but I see the value now. They're a lower-cost way for someone to experience working with me and they often lead to more.

2. What parts of working with others light you up the most? For me, that's the combination of my media training insights with elements of coaching. Making sure that blend is in everything I offer is one of the things that sets me apart.

3. What solution can you provide that fits your life and how and when you want to work? I've taken steps to protect certain days for calls and certain days for training and associate work. Any offer I created had to fit around that. In my group programme, I run live training on a Monday and give space later in the week to implement, because I know that matters.

What I Discovered About Selling as You Speak

When I started researching how to incorporate selling into speaking, I expected to find groundbreaking ideas I'd never heard of, but in reality, I was surprised to realise I already do many of the techniques:

• Storytelling

• Clear and concise language

• Introducing your service as the solution

• Social proof

• Focusing on benefits, not just features

And I thought - maybe I'm not so bad at sales after all, because these are effective communication techniques. The ones I use with my clients and the ones I've been teaching for years.

The missing piece wasn't the skill, it was the clarity and permission.

How I've Changed Things - And What's Already Shifting

I got clear on my offers. The shift I've felt since doing this has been immense. Here's what working with me looks like right now:

She Speaks to Scale is my signature eight-week speaking and visibility programme for female founders - to elevate your speaking so that you can show up confidently on social media, podcasts, panels, and stages. The next cohort begins Monday 12th October.

The She Speaks Intensive is tailored one-to-one coaching, media mentoring, and done-for-you support across three months. You'll have access to the full programme, fortnightly one-to-one sessions, help finding the right speaking opportunities, and support pitching for and practising them.

The Spotlight Call is one call, one specific problem, one solution. If you have a podcast, panel, or talk coming up and you need clarity, confidence, or help with what to say - book 60 minutes with me.

I've started treating every piece of content as a doorway. Not a hard sell, but a consistent, natural signpost. Every podcast, every email, every social post will in some way show people how to take the next step.

I've shifted my mindset around selling. Like Carrie, I can already feel the difference.

What I Want You to Do

If this has resonated and you feel things need to change - here's one thing I'd encourage you to do this week:

Audit your last month of content. How many times did you actually mention how someone could work with you? If the answer is zero or once - you know what needs to change.

And remember: we're in this together.

If this episode resonated with you, or you're looking to elevate your speaking and one of the services I mentioned was of interest - do reach out.

Prefer Audio?

You can also listen to this episode on my podcast: She Speaks to Scale.

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I'm Sarah Collins - Speaking Coach, Media Expert and former Senior Television Producer for ITV & ITN.

If turning your speaking into real authority, leads, and revenue is what's missing right now, my signature programme, She Speaks to Scale, is where we do exactly that. Over the course of 8 weeks, we'll get clear on the message that makes you unmistakable, build your confidence and adaptability across every format - podcasts, panels, social media and stages - and you'll pitch for and deliver opportunities, with me as your cheerleader every step of the way.
October spaces available.
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I also coach and train spokespeople within businesses to communicate with clarity, confidence, and composure on social media, podcasts, panels and in broadcast media, as well as delivering communication skills workshops within organisations.

Turning representatives into trusted, confident Spokespeople