Keith Laughner

I simplify the sales process | FOLLOW for tips & tricks

Some of the best advice I've ever received and continue to pass along to the people I work with is, "figure out what you love, and then find a way to get paid for it." Since I can ever remember, I've always gravitated towards and been fascinated by coaching and building teams - I legitimately love watching someone become successful by implementing a skill that I taught them. 

I've been fortunate enough to "get paid for what I love" by building teams across the startup world since 2015. I'm most proud of doing so from scratch, where I can take an environment with minimal momentum and hire smart people, implement scalable processes, train, coach, and watch these teams excel in their space. I've helped multiple companies improve all of their productivity metrics by well over 300%, and I don't see myself letting down anytime soon - did I mention that I love this stuff :)

If you'd like to drive more pipeline and close more business this year, here are ways I can help:

→ Playbook design 
→ Talk track creation
→ Hiring processes that will ensure you're hiring  top performers over-and-over
→ Group Coaching
→ 1:1 Coaching
→ Send me a message to work together!

Phone: 805.729.3105
Email: keith@kmlsales.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laughnerkeith

Strategic Advisor

Outbound sales process design, message & system development.

Jason Vana

Marketing Director

Attract the RIGHT customers to your business | Brand & content strategist | Founder at SHFT | Known as #sassyjason

Struggling to attract the right clients?

You have a brand strategy issue.

Attracting the right people requires understanding why they should buy from YOU, when there are 1000’s of other options easily accessible through Google.

In order to attract, convert, and retain the right clients, you need to:

- Know what makes your business unique
- Communicate what makes your business unique
- Create an experience that shows what makes your business unique

It’s all about highlighting your uniqueness.

That’s where my agency steps in.

Through collaborative workshops, research, strategy, and design, we will help you uncover, communicate, and build an experience around your uniqueness.

Working with us typically looks like:

- industry, competitor, and customer research
- brand and marketing workshops 
- brand and marketing strategies
- design (logos, websites, marketing materials)

It culminates in an Onlyness Action Plan — your 1 year, step-by-step brand and marketing to-do list.

All so you become the ONLY choice for your ideal customers.

And make a lot more money.

Want to learn more?

Send me a message.
Or book a call at shft.agency/discovery

Founder & CEO

We transform B2B service companies into the ONLY choice for their ideal customers. Our clients see a 20%+ increase in revenue with our brand and content strategies. 

Here's how we help:

◼️ Brand Strategy (customers, uniqueness, messaging, touchpoints, story)
◼️ Brand Design (logos, colors, fonts, collateral)
◼️ Content Strategy (demand gen, content creation)
◼️ LinkedIn (strategy, content, profile audits)

Interested in learning more? DM me or book a discovery call below.

I ignore the LinkedIn experts.

Those who sell LinkedIn services, courses, and coaching.

Here's why ↓

NONE 👏🏼 OF 👏🏼 THEM 👏🏼 SELL👏🏼 TO 👏🏼 MY 👏🏼 IDEAL 👏🏼 CUSTOMERS 👏🏼 

Their tactics, post hooks, and advice work for attracting:

- solopreneurs
- who make under 7-figures
- sell coaching, courses, or communities
- and do not have the resources to truly stand out

The exact people I do NOT work with.

My ideal customers:

- make 7-9-figures
- are experts in their field
- have developed something unique
- already have processes and teams in place
- sell 6-to 7-figure offers

And the tactics those LinkedIn "experts" push:

- hook templates
- vulnerable posts
- engagement pods
- posting selfies

Do not work for them.

I have yet to see a LinkedIn "expert" mention their 9-figure, industrial client who landed a 7-figure client using their LinkedIn framework.

🙄

We have industrial clients who have made $1M+ from LinkedIn...
...while generating only 5 likes per post.

Because my ideal customers don't care about going viral.

They want revenue.

Something the so-called LinkedIn "experts" suck at.

Don't listen to "experts" who don't sell to your ideal customers.

Their tactics will ruin your position.
And repel the very people you're trying to attract.

Gross.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

undefined undefined

Hey there!

Stoked to hear you're looking to find your unique brand differentiator!

Here's the link to download my B2B ‘Just Be Authentic’ Playbook:

https://findyourdifferentiation.com/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=linkedin&utm_campaign=launch_dm

I've spent weeks working on this resource, and I honestly think you'll find it super valuable.

Let me know if you have any questions as you go through it, and enjoy!

-Jason

Content Driven By Brand Strategy

📌 The best content is driven by a solid brand strategy.

- know your ideal customers
- know what makes your offer unique
- know your position in the market
- know the right tone and voice

Then create content that intersects all three.

You'll never create content your ideal customers love if you don't know who they are.

Want your content to generate real revenue?

DM me today or visit https://shft.agency/content 

Offer -> Brand Strategy

📌 The right offer matters.

No amount of marketing, content, or personal branding will help you sell a sh*t offer long-term.

And it certainly won't be something people pay a premium price for.

Nailing your offer is a core step in creating a profitable brand.

Need help with that?

DM me or visit https://shft.agency/services/brand-strategy to get started.

Clarity Call: Offer

📌 Productizing your strategy or service offer makes it much easier to sell.

Think of it like hiding your strategy behind a core deliverable. 

You sell the deliverable.
And your service/strategy is HOW you create the deliverable.

Need help with that?

We can nail it down in a 1-hour Clarity Call.

DM me or book a call directly at https://shft.agency/clarity 

Go Up Market

📌  You won't be able to successfully stumble up-market.

You need a solid brand strategy to help determine:

- your new ICP
- your new position
- your new price points
- your new differentiation
- your new brand personality

Getting that nailed down will make your transition up-market far more successful.

And by successful, I mean profitable.
For you.

Want to move up-market successfully?

I've helped 125+ businesses reposition their brand for maximum profitability.

DM me for more or visit https://shft.agency/services/brand-strategy 

Brand Strategy

📌 I'm not saying all is lost when you don't start with a brand strategy.

But, starting with one makes revenue generation far easier and faster than just 'testing' what works.

The need to 'test' is often the result of not having the right foundation for your business.

Get that foundation in place and you'll be able to move faster and make far more money.

Need help with that?

I might know a #SassyStrategist who can help.

DM me or visit https://shft.agency/services/brand-strategy to get started today.

Become the only choice | I build brand operating systems that attract higher-paying clients for 7-9 figure B2B service companies | Founder/CEO at Shft.Agency | Known as #SassyJason

I'd rather gouge my eyeballs out with a spoon than read the AI-generated slop some of you pass off as content.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Branding won't work for you this year.

Not if you obsess over:

- Launching a new "disruptive" offer
- Automating everything you do
- Becoming a thought leader
- Fitting into your industry
- Vulnerable content
- Building funnels
- Redesign

Most of my clients tried that list in 2025.

Mimicking the leaders of their industry.
Following advice from fluffluencers.
Launching a new brand design.

But struggled to land higher-paying clients.

A new look, offer, funnel, or becoming a thought leader isn't going to save your business.

These tasks will ↓

1. Extract your UNcopyable IP:

- Something you DO
- That your customers want or need
- And your competitors can't or won't do

2. Build a brand strategy around it:

- Customer research
- Market position
- Offer stack
- Sales staircase
- Pricing

3. Craft an identity:

- Brand personality
- Points of View
- Messaging
- Design
- Story

4. Create an experience:

- Operations strategy
- Marketing strategy
- Content strategy
- Sales strategy
- HR strategy

This is how you create a revenue-generating brand.

Not with a new look or just being yourself.

Operationalizing your UNcopyable IP.

And turning it into a unique market position.

So you attract and convert more high-quality, high-paying clients.

If that's something you're into, that is.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Create a brand system to attract better-fit, higher-paying clients. | I build b2b service brands that stand out + drive revenue. Founder/CEO at Shft.Agency. Brand Strategist. Known as #SassyJason

My LinkedIn reach dropped by 81%.

But I'm attracting larger, higher-paying clients.

- like a $47M ARR manufacturer
- or a $62M ARR SaaS company
- or a $127M ARR automation builder

That's right.

Shft is starting to attract 9-figure leads through my content alone.
Not DMs. Not networking. Not conversations.

They've consumed my content.
And booked a call on our website.

And I struggle to get more than 50 likes on my posts.
(when I used to get 200-500 likes per post)

Here's the secret to my success ↓

1. I know my ideal customers.

I take time every week to study my ideal customers. Zoom chats. Interviews. Documenting their questions and struggles. I have over 600 post ideas just from talking to my ideal customers.

2. Every post is written for them.

I don't try to game the algorithm or focus on getting more likes. I choose to give actionable, practical advice that solves the problems of people who are likely to give me money.

3. I repeat the same message every day.

Repetition is key to being seen as an expert. So I rarely post about my personal life, topics outside of branding, or share selfies. Shft's ideal customers want to work with experts, not algorithm chasers.

4. I push them deeper into my ecosystem.

Most won't see my posts regularly in their feed (per the DMs I get daily), so I push everyone to my weekly email. More actionable. More practical. More resources. It's my best content (link in comments if you want it.

Now, don't get me wrong.

I do send DMs.
I do engage regularly.
I do have a strategy I follow.

But the 8-9 figure leads I attracted last month...
...and will soon be closing with...

All saw my content.
Jumped to Shft's website.
And booked a call.

That's the power of branded content.

Fewer impressions.
Fewer likes.
More money.

I'll take that any day.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Here's how to get AI to sound like you: 

I'm building an AI blog writer for Shft. 

SEO is part of our new marketing strategy. 

And while I used to love writing long-form content... 
(my professors in college docked me for going OVER page limits) 

I don't really have the patience for it anymore. 

I'm running a business. 
Writing blog posts is the lowest priority item on my list. 

But using AI to write my content? 
When I'm a brand strategist and know that tone of voice matters?
And I hate everything AI writes?

🤮 

I've spent the last 2 months developing a system to get AI to write like me.

Here's how ↓ 

→ Step 1: Create Project & Upload Documents
I created a project in Claude and uploaded my brand strategy, messaging, ideal customer profile, and 7+ years' worth of content.

→ Step 2: Create AI Tone of Voice Guide
I told Claude to read all of my content and create a tone of voice guide with:
- Standard tone of voice chart
- Word choices and language preferences
- Formatting and punctuation
- Phrase preferences

→ Step 3: Analyze SEO
I had Claude perform keyword research on my and my competitors' websites. Verified this with my own research in SEMrush.

→ Step 4: Create a Hub & Spoke Strategy
Using everything above, I had Claude create a hub and spoke strategy. 5 hubs, each with 5 spoke posts to create.

→ Step 5: Create Post Outline
I picked one post and had Claude create an extensive outline that I edited and approved.

→ Step 6: Write a Rough Draft
I told Claude to use my existing content, my ICP, tone of voice guide, and the outline to draft a post.

→ Step 7: Ruthlessly Edit
I ruthlessly edited (and in some cases rewrote) the post. This step is KEY.

→ Step 8: Rework Tone of Voice Guide
I fed my edited post into Claude and told it to compare the posts and update the tone of voice guide to write more like me.

Rinse and repeat. 

I anticipate it will take 20-30 blog posts before I don't have to ruthlessly edit. 

Content is a long-term play. 
Not a "dump 100 blog posts today that sound like sh*t" game. 

The key to making this work: 

- 7 years' worth of content to give Claude 
- Extensive ICP document with customer quotes 
- Tone of voice guide based on existing content 
- SEO analysis of ours and our competitors' websites 
- Blog post strategy to follow 

And the biggest key: 

- Reworking the post and updating the tone of voice guide 

Train AI on your expertise and writing style. 

It'll be far more useful to repurpose your content. 

✌🏼 #shftyourbrand 

PS - Want the full breakdown? I'm sharing it with complete prompts in this Saturday's Brand Shft email. Link in comments to subscribe ↓

Confession: I made a cardinal brand strategy mistake.

2025 was a tough year for Shft.

- Revenue was down 50%
- Pipeline was (mostly) dry
- I couldn't close to save my life
- Shft wasn't really a priority

Mama Vana had a lot of health issues.
And they took my time, energy, and focus.

Leaving me struggling to find clients.

So, I did what most business owners do in that situation:

Launched new offers to fit what prospects wanted.

- 1:1 coaching instead of strategy creation
- Slack channel only to ask any questions you have
- Low-level designs (fliers, brochures)

I even started building my own paid community.

🤦🏻‍♂️

I get the need for revenue.

I'm not one of these strategy purists who don't know what it takes to run a business.

But creating offers that don't match...

- your differentiation
- your strengths
- your passions

Will make revenue generation HARDER.

Last month, I cut all of those distractions.
And am focusing on what Shft does best.

Create and install brand operating systems that position you as the ONLY choice.

Revenue is already up.
Our pipeline is flooding.
And we're set to make double our most successful year.

Focus. It really does pay off.

Imagine that.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

B2B companies: "We're the industry-leading..."

Also B2B companies: Why aren't we attracting higher-paying clients?

Maybe stop with the sh*tty, generic, overused messaging.

But what do I know?

I've only helped B2B companies generate $40M+ in new revenue.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

One tactic most B2B founders sleep on:

Creating a sales staircase.

Making it easy to go from prospect to lead to client.

I install this tactic for just about every client.

Here's how it works:

- Free lead magnet
A framework or template pulled from your main offer.

- Low cost digital product
A DIY solution for those not ready to invest into a high-ticket offer yet.

- Low-ticket offer
The absolute core of what you do. No add-ons or extras.

- High-ticket offer
Your low-ticket offer with add-ons and extras.

- Retainer offer
Ongoing maintenance and implementation work.

All of it builds from your high-ticket offer.

Take Shft's new sales staircase:
(officially relaunching in March/April)

- Lead Magnet: Find Your Differentiation (existing)
Shows we know how to extract your uncopyable IP.

- Digital Product: Brand Vault (new)
DIY frameworks, templates, and lessons to extract and own your uncopyable IP.

- Low Tier: Brand Launchpad (new)
Minimum viable brand strategy to own a unique position in the market.

- High Tier: Brand OS (new)
Brand Launchpad + marketing + content + design. It's a full brand operating system your team can follow to become the only choice.

- Retainer: Brand Accelerator (new)
Lessons, frameworks, and templates to implement your strategy across content, marketing, sales, and operations, plus 1-2 monthly consults with me.

Each builds on the previous step.
Each upsells the next step.

All to pull prospects closer to the Brand Accelerator.

We've already had clients purchase the Brand OS...
...after going through the lead magnet
...and buying the old version of the digital product

Because a staircase let's them engage with our offers at any level.

And makes the next step clear.

Implement one yourself.
Or let me and my team do it for you.

Our clients have downsized their sales team.
While making 2x-3x what they used to make.

All because they made buying from them easier.

Imagine that.

✌🏼

#shftyoubrand

-----
PS - the Brand Launchpad and Brand OS are live on our website. Check the comments for the link to learn more.

"We have some stuff to figure out before starting a strategy."

I was having this convo with a B2B service founder.

It made me shake my head and laugh.

Strategy is the act of making decisions about:

- how you'll be different
- for whom
- how
- where

It's literally working through the stuff you need to figure out.

How you want to be seen in the market, which offers you'll keep and kill, who you want to attract, what platforms to show up on, how to structure operations, what positions you need to open, if you need to change your look, how you'll communicate to your prospects, the sales process you'll use, which marketing channels will work...

Creating a strategy figures it all out for you.

With a professional.
Who knows how to structure decision-making.
So you don't keep second-guessing yourself.
And actually stick with a decision long enough to see results.

You can wait until you figure it out by yourself.

Or you can get structured help to make those decisions faster.

One will land you clients quickly.

The other? 

Let's just say the businesses reaching out to me this month spent all last year trying to "figure some stuff out"...

And have made 0 progress.

Imagine that.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Branding is agnostic.

It doesn't matter:

- what you're selling
- who you're selling to
- what industry you're in

The principles of branding don't change.

- Find something you DO that's different
- Build a position and message around it
- Create an identity that matches it
- Craft an experience for customers to feel it

And stick to those things for YEARS.

Case in point:

Shft has created unique and profitable positioning strategies for:

- food processing manufacturers
- vacuum pump remanufacturers
- IoT remote monitoring system creators
- energy & sustainability SaaS companies
- custom website and MVP developers
- custom software developers
- communications agencies
- generative AI developers
- relationship coaches
- IaC system creators
- content creators

Those are as different as you can get.

But the same principles applied.

You don't need a strategist who has worked in your industry.
Or who has created designs for your competitors.

You need a strategist who understands the fundamentals of branding.
And can apply them to any industry.

That will get you the most creative and effective ideas.

All to make you a sh*t ton of money.

If that's something you actually want.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

"We don't need a strategy, just a plan of action."

A B2B founder said that to me last week on a discovery call.

They've built a successful business.
$43M ARR. 47% profit margin. On preferred vendor lists. 

But growth has stalled.

Existing marketing channels aren't working.
Outbound sales are getting fewer leads.
Pipeline is drying up.

Most B2B leaders react the same way: 
A new plan or a new channel will fix it all.

But when probed, they couldn't answer some foundational questions ↓

- What makes you different in the market?
- Why should clients choose you over the competition?
- Who are you trying to attract?
- What ideal state are those ideal customers after?
- How do those ideal customers buy?

🤦🏻‍♂️

I'll tell you the same thing I told them:

A new plan, channel, or tactic won't fix your business if you don't have the foundation in place.

You'll just spin your wheels.
Waste time and money.
And see $0 results.

Because pipeline issues are rarely about the wrong tactic.
And almost always are a strategy issue.

Before you look at a new tactic, plan, or channel, get your strategy in line.

You'll be surprised how quickly you'll know what tactic will work.

And what tactics are a complete and utter waste of time.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Your brand is built by every interaction with your business.

- every email
- every call
- every ad
- every post
- every proposal
- every support call
- every website visit
- every price point
- every sales pitch

It all creates the gut feeling in people that we call a brand.

Meaning your brand is NOT a marketing tactic.

And it's NOT something to do later.

- when you have the time
- when you have the money
- when you've magically gotten PMF
- when you've sold enough to know your customers

Your brand is a whole company initiative. 

That you should have a strategy for from DAY ONE.

Because while you're waiting to get PMF...
Or waiting to hopefully land a few clients to test your offer...
Or choose to run some Google ads to see if this thing is viable...

YOU'RE 👏🏼 CREATING 👏🏼 THE 👏🏼 WRONG 👏🏼 BRAND 👏🏼 

One that will take extra time and money to fix.

Because that first impression?

It means everything.
And is incredibly hard to change.

So, go the typical route.

Hold off on building your brand and push your ideal customers away.

Or start today with a brand strategy.

You'll get PMF and revenue much, much faster.

If you're into that sort of thing.

Some of you clearly aren't.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Your brand needs a villain.

Someone or something to fight against.

And, no, I don't mean your competitors.

It's basic psychology.

We often connect over what we hate.

→ that coworker you all can't stand
→ that neighbor who keeps everyone up til 1am
→ that politician who spits on everything you hold dear

Can you guess #SassyJason's villain?

*cough*ThoseDamnFluffyBranders*cough*

Like it or not, villains connect us.

Use that in your brand.

Align yourself to fight the same villain as your ideal customers.

→ branding that is all design but no substance (my real villain)
→ IOT vendors who don't help make sense of your data
→ manufacturers who push equipment, not solutions
→ marketing agencies that produce sh*t content

Every great story has a villain.

Find something that pisses off your ideal customers.
And aligns with what you sell.

Then beat the living sh*t out of it.

(metaphorically speaking, of course)

Your ideal customers will connect with you in a deeper way.

And see you as the hero they've been looking for.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

------
PS - Drop your villain below. I'll roast your choice and give you suggestions on how to fight it. 👇🏼

Most businesses amplify confusion and call it a brand.

I chatted with the CEO and CMO of an 8-figure business last week.

They provide IT and verification services for enterprise SaaS companies.

I asked the question I ask of every prospect:

What do you DO that your competitors can't or won't?

Their answer: 15 minutes of the fluffiest differentiators I ever heard.

- We provide the best quality of service
- We care about our customers
- We're the industry leader

And my favorite:

- We can do everything they need

Followed by a breakdown of their 20 services.

🤦🏻‍♂️

A brand amplifies what's already there.

If you aren't aligned on the unique value you bring...
And have 20 offers across 10 industries, each serving a different ICP...

YOU 👏🏼 ARE 👏🏼 CONFUSING 👏🏼 YOUR 👏🏼 PROSPECTS 👏🏼 

Take our IT example.

Their message: Industry-Leading IT Services for Enterprise SaaS
Their content: Buy our industry-leading IT services
Their customer acquisition: all outbound sales

And their competitors? Also, industry-leading IT services

Look, you might be able to get to 8-figures with outbound sales alone.

But breaking into 9-figures?
Scaling the business?
Attracting better clients?
Reducing your sales team?

That takes clarity.

Internally with your team.
Externally in your messaging and marketing.

If you can't explain what makes you different in 1 sentence...

Your messaging will be off.
Your marketing will be off.
Your experience will be off.
Your sales will be off.

And revenue?

It will NEVER hit the levels you want.

Stop amplifying confusion.

Gain clarity around your differentiation.
Wrap your entire strategy around it.
Create an identity that displays it.

And watch as your revenue climbs.

If you're into that sort of thing, that is.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

90% of Shft's revenue comes from content.

My LinkedIn, the Brand Shft email, our essays, and our YouTube channel.

None of that happened by accident.

And it sure as hell didn't happen from:

- vulnerable content
- engagement pods
- endless selfies
- being myself

How has our content been so successful?

I stopped thinking in funnels.
And started thinking in buyer awareness.

These six levels of awareness, to be exact:

- Unaware: oblivious to the problem
- Problem Aware: knows the problem
- Solution Aware: actively seeking solutions
- Service Aware: knows about your solution
- Most Aware: ready to buy
- Advocate: purchased and referring clients

Creating content for those levels of awareness ensures:

- I'm meeting prospects where they are
- with the content that matters to them
- and pulls them closer to working with me

No selfies, pods, or fake "living in my car" stories needed.

Your content is an extension of your brand.

If you aren't creating a content mix that draws prospects closer to you...

...you're just creating noise
...that no one wants
...and will never convert

Map your content to those 6 levels of awareness.

And watch prospects start seeing you as the ONLY solution for them.

I shared more in a previous Brand Shft email.

Including examples of content for each level.

You can access the link in the comments.

Or keep posting selfie-riddled nonsense.

I'm sure that will work, too.

NOT

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

The secret to being seen as an expert:

- repetition
- repetition
- repetition

(see what I did there?)

Psychological studies show us that people need to hear the same message:

- 3-5 times to recognize it
- 5-7 times to remember it
- 8-13 times to associate you with it

Meaning, the more you talk about ONE thing...

...in your content
...on your profile
...on your website
...in your sales cycle
...in your conversations

The more people will see YOU as the expert for it.

That's why I attract 7- to 9-figure businesses as leads through my content.

I've talked about brand strategy
Given actionable advice
Every weekday
For 6 years

I rarely talk about my personal life. 
(my ICP doesn't give a flying crap about that)

I don't talk about topics outside of brand.
(even though everything really is brand)

I rarely post selfies.
(LinkedIn thinks I'm an uggo anyway)

ONE topic.
ONE message.
ONE main point of view.

On repeat for 6+ years.

That's how you get seen as an expert.
And have a line of people around the block wanting to work with you.

REPETITION.

It's psychology. In action.

Give it a try. For years. And watch what happens.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

One tool to find and engage with your ideal customers on LinkedIn:

Sales Navigator

I use it every day to:

- find ideal customers
- segment by buying intent
- connect with my ideal customers
- start conversations with them
- engage with their content
- land them as clients

I wouldn't use LinkedIn without it.
Especially when I'm trying to attract 8- and 9-figure clients.

You can even create a custom feed with just the people you want to engage with.

BRILLIANT

I created a mini-course to teach my clients how to use Sales Navigator.

It's part of our new Brand Accelerator — a platform with how-to lessons, frameworks, and templates to implement your brand strategy.

But I pulled it out.
Made it a stand-alone course.

And have just made it live.

Want to find and engage with your ideal customers on LinkedIn?

Grab the Sales Navigator Tutorial today → https://lnkd.in/gYvjN8vQ

It'll make starting conversations with ideal customers much faster and easier than on LinkedIn alone.

Something every founder, CEO, and marketing leader should want.

Unless pipeline and revenue aren't important.

Then, by all means, scroll past.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

The only ideal customer profile you need:

(save this for later)

Most founders have a shallow understanding of their ideal customers.

- Job title
- Industry
- Interests
- Assumed Problems

None of that actually helps you create messaging, offers, or marketing to attract them.

If you want to know your ideal customers...
to the level that you can attract and convert them...

Ask yourself these 6 questions:

1. What role do they have?
- Be specific about who they are, what they do, and who they answer to

2. What does their business look like?
- Include industry, size, revenue, stage, offer, ICP, structure

3. What are they struggling with?
- Explore their pain and how it makes them feel

4. What ideal state are they aiming for?
- Focus on the transformation that solves their deeply felt pain

5. How do they buy?
- Include what they look for in a vendor they trust

6. What's their core DNA?
- Include defining attributes that are true for 90% of your customers

Document those 6 elements.
Share it with your team and vendors.

You'll actually know your ideal customers.

And be able to create messaging and marketing to attract and convert them.

Want a copy of the editable Google Doc template?

Comment ICP and I'll send you the link, no email required.

Or, you know, keep using that basic customer profile you got from Hubspot.

I'm sure it will magically work this year.

(NOT)

✌🏼

#shftyoubrand

------
PS - Comment ICP for the Google Doc template.

6 Questions to Build Your ICP | Shft Agency

My brand designer went all #SassyJason on me.

We're in the midst of a rebrand for Shft.

- new strategy
- new offers
- new message
- new design

I've been running the strategy past him for feedback.
(even strategists need input, boo)

He called me out BIG time.

Especially on this offer list:

- Differentiation Masterclass (paid course)
- Differentiation Vault (digital product)
- Extraction Lab (membership upsell from digital product)
- Positioning Sprint Cohort (14-day group course)
- Differentiation Blueprint (low-tier offer to find your differentiation)
- VIP Positioning Sprint (1:1 version of the group course)
- Brand OS (our flagship, high-ticket offer)
- Fractional CBO (ongoing retainer offer)

8 offers.
Trying to hit ideal customers and solopreneurs.

I should have known better.

He said to me what I say to our clients:

Are you flipping insane?!

You can't be known for 8 things. 
Or scale 8 different offers like that.

🤦🏻‍♂️

We trimmed that mess down to something we can own and scale:

- Brand Accelerator (ongoing retainer to help with implementation)
- Brand OS (brand strategy, marketing strategy, design)
- Brand Launchpad (the brand strategy part of the Brand OS)
- Brand Vault (the DIY version of the brand launchpad)

1 offer.
4 tiers that upsell and downsell each other.

Our clients can start with the Vault.
Move up to the Launchpad to find their differentiation.
Move up to the Brand OS to get marketing and design help.
Move up to the Accelerator to get lessons and consults to implement.

Easier to sell.
Easier to scale.
Easier to stick in their minds.

That's what your brand strategy SHOULD do.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

"We book discovery calls, but haven't closed a deal in months."

That's what a B2B founder told me last week.

His team is doing everything right.

- Creating organic content on the right channels
- Sending outbound messages
- Running creative online ads
- Pushing lead magnets
- Sharing unique POVs

All leading to booked calls with their ideal customers.

But his team wasn't able to close any of those leads for months.

Why?

It's not that they are winging it.
Or that their salespeople suck. 
Or that they don't know how to close.

They have a solid offer.
One that has sold in the past.
And are pulling in $9M ARR.

So, why can't they close deals now?

Simple — their sales cycle doesn't match their position.

They provide actionable value in their marketing.
Positioned themselves as experts.

But their sales process made them seem desperate. 

Every prospect gets asked the same question:

"Which offer would you like?"

- You can do A
- Or you can do B
- Or we can create a custom offer
- Or we can patchwork something together

🤦🏻‍♂️

Positioning is more than copy or marketing.

It's how your sales team presents your offer.

Giving prospects a list of options? 

That positions you as a vendor.
Not an expert.

And makes you sound hella desperate. 

Align your sales process with your position.

You'll attract more of your ideal customers...
And actually close them.

Sounds like a win-win to me.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

taplio

The Battle

Keith Laughner

Jason Vana

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreJason Vana's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Keith Laughner

Jason Vana

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Jason Vana's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreJason Vana's LinkedIn Performance