“Am I allowed to steal her workshop title?”
My new client had already scheduled a call to ask permission.
But it turned out not to be necessary.
Because while that was the right workshop title for her competitor, it wasn’t right for her.
Which is a good reminder that:
Mistake #1: Stealing Workshop Titles
In fairness, the workshop title did look perfect.
Version 1: “Tame your inner critic – Tap into your confidence”
Of course, now that she has created her own unique and compelling workshop title, these formerly perfect seeming words ring hollow.
So I encourage you to look around for inspiration.
Then once you find something that resonates, think of it as a starting point.
And be careful that your next step doesn’t lead to:
Mistake #2: Going Aspirational
Her next iteration of the workshop veers quickly into territory that fails the pillow talk test.
Version 2: “Tap into your confidence – take back your life”
Here’s how to apply the pillow talk test:
Would somebody wake up in the morning, turn to their partner, and says “Honey, I’m so excited! Today’s the day!! I’m going to take back my life.”
That’s not how people talk to each other, and if you want people to sign up for your workshops, you want to use their words.
I suggested
Version 3: “tap your confidence to tame your inner critic.”
My client quickly rejected this one because it’s backwards. In her work, when clients tame the inner critic, that leads to more confidence.
And here’s where we deftly side-stepped:
Mistake #3: Guessing
She had already gone through my One-Hour Elevator Pitch Coaching Program.
Which means we had identified the phrases that grab people’s attention.
In her case: Inner Critic and Confidence.
In fact, people were responding so well to the word “confidence” that she made herself the “Confidence Coach.”
If it’s starting conversations, that’s good!
We’re almost there!
She came back with:
Version 4: “Quiet the inner critic; cultivating confidence”
And this is where I went grammar nerd on her. I like the verb tenses to match.
Final Version: “Quiet the inner critic; cultivate confidence”
Her work, in her voice, using words that her clients use.
How about you?
Struggling with an inner critic? Post a comment and I’ll introduce you to my client.
Ready to create your own workshop name?
Book a discovery call directly with me: