A clear agency offer tells the right customer what you do and why it matters. Try this trade-show test: you have one sentence to make that person stop and ask for more.
The trade-show test
You need an offer SO compelling that people feel stupid saying no to it.
Here’s one of my favorite tests:
Imagine you’re standing at a crowded trade show.
Your ideal customer is walking past you.
You get one sentence to make them stop.
What do you yell?
That sentence should explain what you do, why it matters, and make the right person want to know more.
If your offer takes five minutes to explain, it’s not sharp enough.
Write your one-liner
What’s your one-liner?
Write down the sentence you’d yell across the trade show floor. Then test the demand behind it: a clear offer still needs a customer willing to pay.
About this article
Lightly edited from “You need an offer SO compelling that people feel stupid saying no to it.” on LinkedIn ↗, originally shared by John Ghiorso on . The Journal edition was first published on September 8, 2026.
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