Guest Episode with Helen Thacker

Today I'm talking to Helen about offer positioning and how sometimes having just one core offer is all you need. Streamlining doesn't mean simple and easy, but it does mean ease and intention.

I certainly walked away from this chat with some ideas for my next offer!

 Helen is a positioning expert who helps online coaches become the obvious premium choice in their industry. She works with coaches whose expertise far outweighs their current market perception, helping them clarify their unique advantage, create irresistible high-ticket offers, and build demand around their proprietary method. The result? Less chasing clients, fewer sales objections, and a business centred around one sought-after signature offer. 

Find Helen on Instagram @helenthacker

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hello and welcome to this week's episode of Better Darts Within. Today we've got an amazing guest speaker, and I can't wait to have a chat with her. Her name is Helen Packer, and she is a positioning expert who specializes in working with online coaches who know they are the best, but their public perception doesn't reflect the depth of precision or impact of their work. What she does best is transition their business model to consistently sell out one signature high-ticket offer that does so demand that they get to collect their clients instead of constantly changing new ones and positions themselves as the go-to for the one powerful transformation. So hello, Helen, and thank you so much for joining me today.

SPEAKER_00 0:41

Oh thank you, Kirsty. What an intro. Now I'm really excited to be here. So thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_01 0:46

No worries at all. So we I'd love to just get into it. We were talking just before we came on about what is um one of the biggest things that you find that holds you back in business and the stories that you tell yourself and what you hear your clients say as well about how they can't do certain things and how things are a struggle and how it makes them feel. Could you tell me what is the biggest limiting belief that you hear from your clients?

SPEAKER_00 1:17

Okay, it is that um they're comparing themselves to other people who are like them in their niche, and they're like, is what I am doing standout enough? Is it enough? It's that whole is it enough? Is it different enough? Um, the you know, that belief that it is a saturated market, of course it is, and there's no getting away from that. I'm very honest and direct. Like it is a growing industry, thank goodness. This is a good thing. We're in an industry that is growing, and the online world is just opening up so many opportunities. But that idea that, oh my goodness, I'm now like just another one of many different people who do something similar or deliver a similar promise, similar result, and and that idea that okay, um, how on earth am I gonna stand out? And that feeling of that frustration when they know they are so good, they come to the table, whether it's they're coming from corporate or another background, or they've been doing this for a long time, a few years in the industry, and they're like, I I just I'm not still being seen, I'm not being recognized when I know I'm like so freaking good at what I do, and in in that frustration of how are we gonna overcome that when there's all this other stuff going on, um, you know, how on earth when you know deep down you're special, you know deep down you're incredible, but it is it is that it's that frustration of that they yeah, they absolutely feel.

SPEAKER_01 2:40

Yeah, and I find that as well. It's as you say, they know that they are really good at what they do, and they know that they can help so many women, but then when they start comparing themselves, that's when they start to feel really small and they actually discredit their skills, discredit what they're able to do. And then I I find that women say, Well, actually, I should go and learn something else, you know. Maybe I should add on more. Yeah, exactly. I need to do more, but you're just putting it off. And if you allow that mindset to control you, then you're never gonna start anyway, or you're never gonna do the thing that you want to do. Um, but it's yeah, it that is a really hard place to be when you are comparing yourself to other people.

SPEAKER_00 3:23

It is hard, and it is tough because there is so many options out there for our clients, and so yeah, what and I've been so guilty of this in the past, but what I see is that my clients come to me and they're completely overcomplicated things. Um, absolutely understandably, but what I do is the opposite. We pair everything back to what I call finding your unique industry advantage, the thing that we can commercially sell versus everything, everyone else. We identify that, and I have a specific way that is rooted in your core beliefs, which is how we look at what that is, and how then we can talk about that and position that. But yet, what I tend to find is that people go out there and they look at other people's sales pages, offers like oh, so-and-so coach doing an eight million dollar year, you know, they are adding this skill in and they're offering this, and so I'm kind of doing something similar, so I better learn how to do that. And the knock-on effect, Kirsty, is huge because, and again, I've definitely experienced this where I've you know, in a year, two years ago, I was adding all these other things that I honestly was not meant to do. I they were not my best skill sets, they were like I call the side dishes to my main course, which we really, really do just want to simplify down to one core problem you solve that thing. Um, and by adding on those other things that you try because you think, well, they've got that in their offer, they're doing this, even the way they deliver, like, oh, you know, we have to have more proximity, more time, but it's more usually down to skills, you end up with clients who are never gonna get great results, or some clients don't get the best results because simply you're you've put yourself in a position. I'm actually gonna do a post about this, you've put yourself in a position where you set up your business to not be as successful and deliver the success that it absolutely could, because you deviated off just because you're like, Oh, am I enough? And it's so tough. And I promise you that whatever in this is a hard lesson for me to learn, whatever the specific tiny little thing that you do, you can sell anything when you know how to sell it, and it is enough. Um, and anything other than that is going to absolutely take people into the realms of I need to do all of these other things, and then you know, it just affects the entire business, how you retain clients, how they get results, how they feel comfortable in your space. It really does impact everything, and so it takes-I mean, you this is the work that you do that's so incredible, it takes a very, very strong amount of self-identity, self-belief that that is that that is enough. That is enough, and I'm just gonna sh go down that path, I'm gonna go all in, right?

SPEAKER_01 5:54

Yeah, a hundred percent. And as you were saying that, it it I've repositioned myself, I don't know how many times. Yep. And I'm hearing it all the time from people, you know. I've I've changed my um my ideal client like three or four times, and it's like you get that excitement, don't you? It's like this little cycle where you have this excitement, yeah, you're like, oh yeah, no, actually, no, this is my ideal client now, and I'm gonna do all of this content and all this work. And then what happens that when you go to kind of launch everything, that's when actually it doesn't feel as as exciting as it was before, and then you go through that same cycle again. And that's just ultimately a subconscious belief that is stopping you from from launching it from doing uh growing and getting it out there because when you're getting out of your comfort zone, uh the subconscious mind just pulls you back and it makes you think things are like, oh no, this isn't good enough. You just end up like going round in circles and not doing anything. Um, but I love that the work that you do and the fact that you're like one offer, as you said, so many people are like, let's have all these different offers and all these different things. But actually, if you could really put all of your efforts into like one really hot offer and get it out there, um, and as you say, like in the work that you do, it's like this is the go-to and this is why me. And I love that you promote that because that really just allows people to be quite specific and in terms of working on like their subconscious mind, they can think about the beliefs that are stopping them from actually launching it. I'm not explaining it very well. What I mean is rather than having all these different things going on, you're like, right, let's put all of my energy into one area, and I can work on the subconscious beliefs that around this, rather than if you're trying to spread yourself too thin, I feel that all these other stories come in at the same time.

SPEAKER_00 7:51

Yeah, no, you're so right, Kirsty, it's so true. And I have a couple of other different offers, but you know, I keep it very, very small. But for me, it's all around that one core offer of very of excellence. I call it an offer of mastery. That's what helped my clients to create because it's based around this unique industry advantage, your genius that's very specific to you, that's very different from everyone else out there in your industry, as it were, or providing something similar. Because I know that if you want to have people who want to invest premium prices with you, like high-ticket investments, those those clients are looking for levels of expertise, they are looking for depth, proximity, they're looking for you to go into their lives, their businesses, their relationships, whatever it is, and and go deep in order to get a bigger and more powerful transformation. And so, yeah, if you can focus that that is and create an offer like that, that's how you're gonna get people to invest in you. Premium pricing without without question. You know, I don't get very I do get some price objections, but not really. Usually by that time, my content and the way that I present myself to a conviction is another thing we can go down that that path because this is a a side kind of benefit of the work. It's it's having when you have that conviction, when you you have that belief and you have that very specific expertise, like people will pay because they they know, and so yeah, it is very, very, very focused, especially now. There is a lot of competition, and so if you can go all in on one thing, like you said, yeah, you are going to you're gonna be able to put all your focus into that, and yes, I completely agree. How much more confidence are you gonna have in yourself if you can start to really just create this incredible place where people are getting great results, and you know, you you're in your zone, right? You're in that alignment, everything feels easy. It's you know, we we all want to have business that feels fun and light, and that we're doing the thing we're here to do, right? And that's that's you're so right, and I agree with you. That's what happens.

SPEAKER_01 9:54

Yeah, completely. We are doing business for the same reason, it's freedom, freedom over our time, and we do get very much stuck in I find like doing all the time. And I was reading on your um Instagram, I love that you're non-negotiable is like you're you don't work in the evenings, you're like laptop gets closed, and I want to talk more than uh a glass of red wine, and I want to talk more about that because I know, and I'm talking for my for myself as well, and the other listeners, we're working on our laptops every single night because there just isn't enough time. Well, we tell ourselves there's not enough time, and the result of that is this just constant pushing and could reach to burnout for some people, and you know, a lot of us are like mums as well, and we're trying to juggle that at the same time. But can you tell me the boundary that you put in place to turn your laptop at five o'clock? Was that easy to do, or did you have to do your own inner work to get there?

SPEAKER_00 10:56

Okay, so here's the deal, Kirsty. The way I operate my business and the way that I'm able to do that is simply because I am very, very good at repurposing my content. If you look through my content, it's pretty much the same stuff over and over and over again. I cut and paste like a mad thing, right? Like literally, I make things easy, I'm very, very good at that. The other thing is, and this is where like your kind of work comes in. I honestly truly believe when you know and you're in your lane, you've found what it is that you know you are so good at, you go all in on it, you know how to talk about it. The conviction that you have makes life so much easier. Honestly, I can go and pick up my phone now, I can go in the kitchen right now, and I could create 10 TikToks, 10 reels, like boom, boom, boom. The content flows out of you, and so the speed at which you're able to move enables you to like you don't do not have to be working all hours, God sends absolutely because you just everything feels easier, and the fact that like you will you'll probably want to explain this better, the fact that everything feels and is easier, like there's just this joy in your life that you just start to indulge in, you know, you can put work to one side, you can like prioritize, and we could all work 24-7, like there is no limit, we could all be creating content, there's always something we could do, right? There's always something we can do, but I think for me, the moment when I realized that that I was there is always something I could, I could literally not stop if I wanted to. And so, about I don't know, four years ago, I was like, No, I'm not. But prior to this, when I was in a previous business, I was like, No, I'm not, I'm just not gonna do that because yeah, I I and then obviously as I've got better and better at my own skill set, it's just enabled me to work faster to serve my clients better. I don't have any frills, any fluff, any side things. It's like I'm in my lane and go, go, go. This is the one the problem, the one specific core problem I solved. And I just talk about it on repeat. Content creation is easy, delivering offers is easy, serving my clients is easy. It all feels so freaking easy because because it is, because I've not been afraid to do that, and it takes some bravery, and trust me, I have definitely learned the hard way. I was, you know, three years ago I was heading for burnout big time, not from the overworking at night, but you know, it's it is if you find that thing and you can go all in, everything else, you just feel this spaciousness.

SPEAKER_01 13:25

Yeah, I love that, and that is what I call the main character. Yeah, that's what I teach is women to step into that main character identity, and part of that, like you say, is just knowing that what you do is awesome, and having that confidence to just go for it, like you say, stay in your lane, just keep going, and that the clients will come with you. But what you said there, um, I think was really interesting because I was completely gone out of my mind. Um, yeah, what you were saying there about just having that one offer just makes it, or just you know, having some your one core offer just makes it so much easier. You don't overcomplicate things, and we are so bad at overcomplicating things.

SPEAKER_00 14:08

We want to give more, don't we? We want to give more people pleasing, aren't we? Especially as women. I don't want to stereotype where it's so true.

SPEAKER_01 14:16

It's our societal conditioning. We are, we are, we do want to give more, but actually just keeping it very simple and having the confidence, stepping into those main character shoes where you're like, this is what I sell, this is what I how I can help people and the way that you do it makes it so much easier. But I hear quite a lot, I feel so repetitive, like people don't want to get bored of hearing me saying the same things. But as I remind people, not everybody's watching your content, not everybody's reading it, not everybody's listening to it, not everybody is taking it in the first time. So, what do you say to people when they say to you, yeah, but if I just pick my one message or you know, my one thing, and I'm repeating myself all the time, like what do you what advice do you give them? Good, do it.

SPEAKER_00 15:04

Okay, here's the thing, right? You have to have no matter what it is that you do, if people come into your world and the way that you help people and the way you transform their lives, you know, there can be multiple things that that results in. Like with your work, it's incredible cursing. Like, there are lots of ways that your work changes your clients' lives, right? It's amazing. But if you pick your one entry point for your marketing and you go all in on that, you become known for that. You become known for that, and so you put this on repeat. You combine, like basically, you find the core problem that you solve, you look at the core belief behind why your work works and your methodology behind it. Now, you're gonna talk about that on repeat, you're gonna become known for, right? I go to Kirsty for solving X problem. This is the thing Kirsty becomes known for. People come to me because they don't feel like they've been visible enough and not seen enough, and they're not chosen. They're still one of many options. Like, they want to be the one that when they come onto their content, they're like, I need to pick Kirsty because above everything else I was thinking about, she she hears me, she understands me, I have to invest, like, and I will pay whatever to get that. And so that's the core problem I solve. I explain why the unique industry advantage is the thing that you know is gonna help you do that. I explain it logically, and that's what we do. And all I do is I go at that from different angles. So, yes, just to explain why I while I'm putting it on repeat, you also have to come at it from all these different angles. So, for example, what are the things that your ideal clients currently are trying in order to get the result that they are looking for? Let's talk about this one now. Let's talk about this one, let's talk about the other things that are the different thoughts, the different beliefs that they have around those things. Like coming at it from all the different ways they are experiencing that problem and all the different things they are trying to do to solve it, and all the different beliefs they have around that. All roads lead to that one thing that you then become known for. That's how we get you seen, that's how we get you known, that's how we get you chosen. But at the same time, you can vary your content, but it's still it's got to be channeled down that route because otherwise, you're you will start sounding so vague. You will start sounding, well, you know, Kirsty can help me with this, and she can help me with that. I could talk about all kinds of things, I could talk about the conviction that I give you. When you know, blah blah blah. There's lots of other things, I call it the broccoli versus the chocolate. You have to find the chocolate. When you find that and you go for it, you will become known because, like you quite rightly said, not everyone sees your content, so you have to repeat, repeat, repeat. Yeah, you want to you don't have to become bored of it, but you just have to say the same message over and over again in various different ways from different marketing angles, you know, different kind of approaches of content types. But it's just yeah, that is how you are going to become known. Repetition. You think of all the big brands, the simple brands, like they keep it simple, they're known for one thing, like Coca-Cola, it's the red bottle, it's the Coke. Just you know, for example, you think of Gucci, it's luxury, it's it's a thing about it that they're known for. Um, you know, all of these things, like they might provide other things, but actually, we're we're going down that one route, and that's what you remember about them. And that's the aim of your marketing is to do that, and it's picking that lane and going for it, and like, yeah, I'm gonna get bored, I'm gonna say the same thing. You can still have fun though, you can have fun creating content, like you know, get creative, like go and do some green screens, go and do some visuals, go and do some funky analogies, go and do some like dancing around the kitchen, go and do whatever, do a then do a carousel. Like, you can still have fun with it. The message has definitely got to be on repeat big time.

SPEAKER_01 18:35

Yeah, and I say the exact same to my clients like go and have fun. Yes, that like you say, the message is the same, but do it in different ways, think of different ways to explain it as well, because I find a lot of people try to explain it in one way, and it's like but people understand things differently, so you can actually be very creative with it, um, and then that makes it more fun for you as well.

SPEAKER_00 18:57

Yeah, definitely. And I think a lot of clients come to me and they're like, but I do all these different things, you know. Am I going to what what you know, why why am I am I minimizing my skills? Like, am I gonna be basically shutting down closing doors because people will see that I'm not talking about this or not talking about that, and I can do those things. Like, no, you've got to be known for one thing, and it's really backed in your belief, backed in the belief you have around why your work works, because when you can explain that, people like, ah, oh ah, that makes sense. You've explained it to me why that identity work, why your approach to that is so important, versus everyone else, and suddenly they're like, Okay, yeah, that that makes sense. I'm so in, like, of course, I'm gonna invest.

SPEAKER_01 19:40

Yeah, yeah, no, definitely. It's um it's hard in business sometimes, isn't it? Like you think that you've got to have all these things and you overcomplicate it, but you know, having this conversation with you now, like it's it I'm hoping the listeners are gonna be like, actually, I can think keep things a lot more simple, and when you keep it more simple, then that's when you have a much more regulated nervous system. You're not in that like fight or flight, which obviously a lot of us are, um, because you're uh you're just kind of using one uh thing, you've got you're you're using one message rather than kind of like a content angle, and it just means that people, yeah, it their nervous system is a bit more calm rather than thinking, I need to do this extra, I need to start adding this on, which is what people do, and that's part of like what our subconscious mind makes us believe when things are kind of going when we're feeling a bit stretched.

SPEAKER_00 20:33

Yeah, and you put your creativity into your offers and into your clients. That's been the biggest joy for me is like actually creating like an incredible space inside because you can, you know, when you've got like the focus is now all of those other things are like ticked off. Imagine how you can now put all your creativity into serving your clients, um, you know, all the different things you can do to help them. That's where the fun and the creativity and the nuances happen, and that's where you can serve them with depth and with a very bespoke personal approach, you know, where you're really getting to know them, and it really is that like that. You're just thinking about your marketing about as a channel for bringing people in. Once they're inside your world, it's like it can be like a you know, a great creative place, but um, yeah, keeping things simple, I am massive, absolutely massive fan of, and it's absolutely possible, I promise. Um for anyone listening, it's just get getting rid of the fluff and trying, just accepting, like you know, listen to what Kirsty's telling you all on these these podcasts and whatever that you know it's that being solid in who you are, that identity, being confident enough in that and and and knowing you are enough. Um and I promise the conviction that comes alongside that and how you show up then in your marketing is the thing that is going to be your biggest selling power.

SPEAKER_01 21:52

Yeah, I mean you've got you only have to go on your Instagram to see like how successful you've been using the method that we've spoken about today. So Yeah, if you are listening, you're thinking, but actually, you know, I like you say, I'm pigeonholing myself. Yes. As you say, become the person that people the person known for that particular thing. And I know that I have been guilty of that in the past of trying to create too many offers or talk about so many different parts of my business. But actually, I've really niche down recently. And you're right, it feels good. It's like I know that I've got this one kind of core message. Obviously, be creative with it. But having that core message is like, oh, I don't have to think of anything else. And you can, as you say, you do start to get quite creative with your content and you can play with it, but ultimately, like the North Star is like what you always go for. Absolutely. No, you say right though. Hello, we're getting towards the end. So I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions. Are there a couple of tips that you would like to give our listeners about something that you support your current clients with? So I know you work with a lot of high-achieving women. Is there any tips that you would like to give uh any of the listeners that would help them whilst they're on their business journey at the moment?

SPEAKER_00 23:08

Oh gosh, there's so many things. Um okay, I think we've covered so much already, like all the little things, like you've asked some amazing questions, and I think that's brought out a lot of things, but I the thing that's always served me most, and I think is often a big challenge as well, and I know this is where your work comes in, is like just going back to being honestly true to who you are and not trying to be anyone else. I have absolutely made that mistake, and it's held me back so much. And the minute I released that and was like, okay, I can be, I'm okay, I'm I'm good enough as myself, it's not necessarily a skill thing, it's like it's a combination of things that can look different, you know, can appear in many different ways. But being yourself, I hate the word authentic, but honestly, in terms from a just a business strategic point of view, that is how you're gonna soar. And the other thing I would say is just to take massive leaps. Like I've always made I've I don't know why, but always I've never been afraid to make big leaps before. Like I've seen the evidence, and I think like jumping forward into big leaps is the way that's definitely got me to where I am right now, and I would encourage everyone to just like what's the worst that can happen? What's the worst that can happen? You will figure it out, um, and I think that's the two things that I would say. Um, yeah, I would I would kind of hope I would leave you with.

SPEAKER_01 24:33

Yeah, don't wait to be confident, the confidence comes from the doing.

SPEAKER_00 24:37

So true, I love that.

SPEAKER_01 24:38

Yes, love that and people do, they're like, you know, what I'll be ready when. It's like, no, just one of the um pillars of my method is called do the just do the fucking thing. Because it's like just do it, you know, and then the confidence is gonna follow. And it's proving to yourself that I can do it. And once you do it, I always say to people, you know, when you go to a water park on holiday and there's like there's always like the top, there's like yeah, and you're there and you're like, I don't want to, I don't, but when you do it, you're at the bottom, you're like, that was amazing, I want to do it again. It's that anticipation of what what you think is going to happen, as you say, nothing bad is going to happen, and actually it builds resilience as well, which is something that you know all of us in business need to have is that real strong resilience. But it's also I I teach women to have that relationship with I don't call it failure, but with challenges and it's like have that relationship with it, see it as growth, and you are gonna be able to take these steps and say yes to these things a lot easier than procrastinating and you know, not and and kind of thinking about it and not doing it because yeah, the the confidence always comes in the action.

SPEAKER_00 25:55

Yeah, you feel so good afterwards.

SPEAKER_01 25:57

You so I love that.

SPEAKER_00 25:58

Yeah, you do.

SPEAKER_01 25:59

But thank you so much for joining us today. Could you just tell us where we can find you, please?

SPEAKER_00 26:04

Yeah, thank you, Kirsty. It's been amazing. I've loved this conversation. Um, you can go and find me on Instagram, I'm sure you'll put the links and everything. It's just my name, Helen Thacker. On Instagram, please come and say hi in the DMs. It's just me. Um, yeah, I don't have a team in there, and I love to chat, I love to find out what people do and tell me all the things. So, yeah, don't be afraid to come and say hi if you're listening.

SPEAKER_01 26:24

Thank you so much, and thank you so much for listening to it, everybody. And I will speak to you next week. Bye.