In a recent LinkedIn post, Patricia Wooster discusses a common pitfall for coaches and service providers: designing offers from the inside out, rather than from the client’s perspective. Wooster argues that many professionals start by detailing their own methodologies and frameworks, only to find their offerings aren’t selling.
Wooster highlights the disconnect that often occurs when an offer is not aligned with the client’s pressing needs. She states:
“Your program was designed around you. Not the person who can’t sleep at 2am. Not the one who’s tried three approaches. Not the one who will pay to get unstuck.”
The Client’s ‘2 AM Problem’ as the Offer’s Starting Point
According to Wooster, the core issue lies in a misalignment of focus. Instead of centering the offer on the client’s deepest struggles and desires, many build it around their own expertise and journey. This internal-first approach, Wooster explains, fails to resonate with potential clients who are actively seeking solutions to problems that keep them up at night.
Wooster emphasizes that a successful coaching or service offering isn’t merely a package of expertise. It is, in her view, a carefully constructed pathway designed to move a client from their current state of difficulty to a desired future state.
Shifting from Solution to Problem Description
The critical shift, as outlined by Wooster, involves a fundamental change in how an offer is conceptualized and presented. She advises:
“Stop starting with what you teach. → Start with the problem on your client’s mind.”
This reframing, Wooster suggests, makes the offer inherently clearer and more compelling. Instead of describing the coach’s solution, the focus turns to articulating the client’s specific pain points and the feeling of being ‘stuck’.
Actionable Advice for Building Client-Centric Offers
To put this principle into practice, Wooster proposes a concrete, immediate action for professionals to take. She challenges them to identify and articulate the exact problem their ideal client is grappling with, especially during moments of intense reflection or worry.
“Your offer gets clear when you stop describing your solution and start describing their stuck.”
Wooster concludes by stressing the importance of this client-centric starting point. She asserts that the true foundation of a successful program should be rooted in the client’s most pressing concerns, rather than the service provider’s personal narrative or professional biography. As she puts it:
“That’s your program’s starting point. Not your bio.”
By adopting this perspective, Wooster argues, professionals can create offers that are not only more effective but also inherently more marketable because they directly address the needs of the person who is most motivated to find a solution.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Patricia Wooster on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on February 28, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →