What Made Me Think, What Made Me Act
While virtual conferences sometimes feel like a dime a dozen, the Done In A Day Virtual Conference really stands out to me as a values-aligned resource and expereince. Whether you attended, care about VIP Days, or none of the above, here are some of my takeaways I think apply to almost every online service provider.
Overdelivering
One of the keynote talks was on overdelivering. (Given by Tara McMullin, who I’ve followed for a long time via her podcast What Works. Very cerebral, but very insightful!)
By her definition, overdelivering is giving more than was promised when the service was paid for. So simple, but such a common pitfall.
She said this is basically a manifestation of imposter syndrome—feeling like we have something to prove, rather than confidently offering what we know will work for our clients. While we actively choose to overdeliver, it’s often based on a career-long learned behavior to prove ourselves (which is especially engrained in people with any sort of minority identity).
A super interesting twist she put on the topic was this concept of wage theft. When someone pays for x service and you give them x + y, you’re stealing from yourself AND lowering the pricing bar for your entire industry.
And then as a final twist, she explained how overdelivering might actually be harmful to the client too. When they ask for x transformation and you give them x + y, they might become overwhelmed and not take the action you both want.
So, how to avoid overdelivering? She says to stop doing anything more than you scoped out, only promise what you’re confident in delivering, only scope out the minimum amount that leads to the expected result, and price specifically for that expected result.
Delivery Framework
Another recurring theme I noticed was the concept of defining your own unique framework—with a focus on client transformation.
This topic wasn’t a specific session, but nearly all the speakers referenced the confidence having an established framework brings, not only to them as the service provider and salesperson, but also to their clients.
Most of us have a tried and true methodology, but we might not have taken the time to put it into concrete—and therefore super marketable and relatable—terms.
This is something I’ve been reflecting on for my own VIP Day and something I naturally [aka semi-subconsciously] did with my half-day intensive. (Which is to establish, define, and apply your brand values in your business!)
A key step to this process is to focus on what your target client is actually seeking when they book your service. (And ideally, what they’re feeling before they book as they start looking for solutions.) Even better when you can mirror all these wants, needs, and hesitations in their own words.
I did a quick exercise of mining all my past testimonials for keywords that jumped out at me and any patterns I could piece together. I found that my clients consistently leave with more clarity and confidence, and are excited to talk about their business. They also see things in a new way and feel validated in the value they bring. Um, YES. That’s exactly what I want people to feel and what I’ll continue to emphasize in my marketing and sales.
Iteration
Another key theme I noticed was this idea of iteration. Just try it. Experiment. Test with real clients, then improve from there.
One of my core values is exploration, so I love this “permission slip” to let my imagination run wild about the best ways I can show up and collaborate with conscious and caring business owners.
Two cool sessions that caught my attention were about taking your VIP Day and creating a group program or a “Day of Voxer” offer.
A group program has been on my mind because of its scalability. The ability to reach more than 1 person at a time is really appealing, not only from a time-strapped-mama point of view, but also because I’m seeking impact through my business. Right now, I have really deep impact via 1:1 work, but I can have broader impact via one-to-many consulting. Stay tuned on this front…
But I was IMMEDIATELY inspired by the Day of Voxer concept, which is basically asynchronous, on-call consulting via messaging app. Someone in the chat had mentioned the Volley app as an alternative to Voxer. I ran with Volley because it allows for video (and I’m a nearly-lifelong volleyball player, so it felt a bit like fate).
Before the week was over, I launched my makeshift sales page for my Virtual Volley Day. I’m pretty sure it’s going to give me the best of both worlds on the introvert/extrovert spectrum AND the on-call vs plenty of space scale. Plus, it seems like the perfect blend of my open-ended 1-hour Quick Win Consulting Calls and my deeply focused Messages That Matter VIP Day. It offers the empathetic accountability I want to provide and allows time for my clients to take confident, meaningful action.
***I’m still looking for 2 beta testers at my 1-hour consulting call rate. This is your time to claim a day with me if you have a huge laundry list of questions or projects around getting more visible OR want to go all-in on an About Page re-write, podcast pitching frenzy, lead magnet creation, etc.
Community
Honestly, this specific conference was a letdown on the community engagement front compared to the past few I’ve attended. The platform just wasn’t as user-friendly for conversation and exchange as OG Facebook groups are. That said, I still think one of the biggest strengths of the Done In A Day community is Jordan’s ability to attract values-aligned people.
Case in point: over 40% of their ticket sales came from affiliates. That’s pretty impressive in my book.
And one of the sessions was specifically about building up a referral program. One idea (that I loved!) was that with referrals, it’s not about the money you’re “giving away” to your referral partners. Instead, view it as bonus revenue you’re bringing in when you have people advocating on your behalf.
*Psst: the clearer you are in your messaging, the clearer others can spread the word for you. Otherwise, it’s like a high stakes game of telephone.
The Gist
These are just *some* of the ideas I have swirling around my head after watching all the replays.
If you’re anything like me, feeling inspired and having ideas is rarely the problem—the hangups come with actually implementing and taking [imperfect] action toward that vision.
So that’s what I’m aiming for—confident, meaningful action. One day at a time. One conversation at a time. One piece of content at a time.
I’m building a business that feels and does good. And working with other entrepreneurs who want to do the same.
I’d love to know what’s got you inspired lately, whether that’s a great conference, podcast, book, or something else!
This is an excerpt from Toward Purpose & Progress, my newsletter where I share business tips, good news, shoutouts to Founder Friends, and other juicy snippets. Subscribe here for more rants, reflections, and resources.
