Behind the Paywall: How Personal Brands Lost Their Human Touch

AccountabiliTea

The Collapse of Exclusivity: Why Writing Yourself Out of Business is a Bad Idea

In this episode, Gwen and Katie dive into the problematic trend that has been dominating the online business and coaching space for years—writing yourself out of your own business. Starting around 2018, this exclusive, detached model encouraged business owners to remove personal connection from their brand. Now, that trend is beginning to crumble.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The Disconnection Crisis in Personal Brands: Gwen and Katie explore how the obsession with making businesses “exclusive” has led to a loss of personal touch, leaving clients feeling alienated and dissatisfied.
• The Oversharing and Trauma Dumping Phenomenon: They break down how many personal brands have manipulated trauma and vulnerability for sales, leading to a sense of inauthenticity and even "pity buying."
• The Illusion of Success in Online Coaching: Katie touches on the problematic sales techniques that make coaches appear successful while masking the real issues behind their businesses, including inflated value, misleading marketing, and reliance on personal brand hype.
• Exclusivity Backfiring: Gwen shares real-life examples of top coaches experiencing a "mass exodus" from their programs due to lack of access and the over-reliance on team coaches instead of personal interaction.
• How Some Coaches Are Pivoting Back to Connection: A discussion on how some high-figure coaches are coming back down from their pedestals, realizing that the lack of direct client interaction is hurting their brand.
• The False Promises of the 'Detached Sales Process': Why the trend of teaching sales as a hands-off process (like closing deals while on vacation) is not only misleading but also damaging to the industry.
• The Evolution of Mastermind Spaces: Gwen and Katie discuss how mastermind programs, originally designed for collaboration, are often turning into networking schemes where people just sell to one another.

Key Takeaways:

1. Personal Connection is Key: Businesses that build themselves on personal brands cannot simply remove the "person" from the equation. When clients pay for access to you, they expect a level of personal connection.
2. Oversharing for Sales is a Dangerous Game: While sharing vulnerable moments might seem like a way to connect with your audience, it can often come off as manipulative and lead to "pity buying."
3. The Truth Behind ‘Exclusive’ Programs: The appeal of being ‘exclusive’ might attract clients initially, but without real value and connection, those programs are destined to collapse.
4. Adapt or Fail: The shift back towards personal involvement is necessary for long-term business sustainability, especially in the coaching industry where trust and personal relationship matter.