The Visibility Trap: Why Being "Good" Isn't Enough

One of the first questions I ask any potential client is: "Tell me who you are and what you're looking for." And without fail, one of two things happens. Either they begin rattling off a laundry list of titles, accomplishments, and career paths they’ve considered. Or, they freeze. Their eyes go blank as they try to process exactly who they are and what they truly want.

These are smart, driven individuals—people with advanced degrees, decades of experience, and impressive accomplishments both professionally and personally. They’re great at many things. But despite all their skills, they’ve spent months—sometimes years—trying to figure out their next move before finally seeking my help. They think: “I know how to land a job. I’ve done it before. I can do it again!”

The thing is, it is a tough market out there. And if your value isn’t immediately clear, you can be doing everything right and still remain invisible.

Did you know that 75% of applicants for any given role will have similar skills and experience to yours? The same is true for entrepreneurs pitching their services—your competitors also have great credentials. The difference isn’t what you have on paper, it’s how you communicate it.

If you’re sending out dozens of job applications, networking endlessly, or pitching your services without getting much traction, it’s time for a reality check. Your brand message might not be working. (Yes - You are a brand!)

So, how do you solve this? How do you stop being invisible and make your brand message work for you?

Be Clear about who you are, what you are seeking, and what problems you solve. 
But Maria, “I am open to doing whatever, as long as I can get money coming in.” When you try to be everything to everyone, you end up being nothing to anyone. That’s exactly what was happening to Maureen. She had an impressive background in marketing but couldn’t land anything because her messaging was all over the place. Funny how we are unable to use our superpowers to help ourselves! 

We worked together to get crystal clear on her strengths—she was a strategic thinker who thrived on building strong customer relationships—and started communicating that message with precision. It made all the difference. By focusing on what she actually wanted, and positioning herself as a solution to a specific problem, Maureen finally started getting attention from the right employers.

You need to get clear on your core strengths and communicate them in a way that positions you as the solution to the challenges employers or clients are facing. If you don’t define this for them, they won’t know what you’re about. Being vague, or worse, ambiguous, only leaves you invisible.


Connect the Dots with a Tailored Message
When you’re looking for a new opportunity, whether it’s a job or a client, you need to connect the dots between your experience and their needs. One of my clients, Casey, came to me after several failed attempts at landing a job. She had a lot of great experience—she’d been a SAAS customer experience manager for over 10 years, but her resume was just a list of previous roles. It didn’t tell potential employers how her experience solved their problems. 

Casey assumed his experience spoke for itself, but it didn’t. We worked together to reframe her accomplishments into clear benefits for employers while highlighting the specific experience that matched job listings. Instead of simply stating she managed teams, we highlighted how her leadership saved the company $500K a year by increasing client retention. When we restructured her messaging, and aligned her LinkedIn profile and messaging, she immediately saw results: more conversations, more interest, and more interviews.

You have to connect the dots. Don’t just tell them what you’ve done—show them how it benefits them. This isn’t just about the skills you bring; it’s about how those skills solve specific problems and drive results for your target audience.
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Show, Don’t Tell - While Making Your Pitch Irresistible
“I’m great at what I do. But nobody seems to care.”

That was the frustration of Erica, a highly experienced sales professional who had tried every pitch under the sun but still couldn’t close deals consistently. She had the experience, the education, the knowledge—but she wasn’t backing it up with evidence. When we worked together, we focused on what she could prove—not just what she said.

Erica had glowing client testimonials from years of exceeding sales targets, but they weren’t anywhere in her messaging. She also had data on how she had transformed the health and careers of her clients—but that wasn’t included in her pitch. Once we brought those details front and center, her prospects began to take notice. People want proof. They want to know you can deliver, and they want evidence that you’ve done it before.

This is why your pitch needs to be packed with proof over promises. Testimonials, case studies, success stories, and metrics all build trust and credibility. Clients and hiring managers want to see the results you can deliver. The more tangible the proof, the more irresistible your message becomes.


The final step is to have a call to action. What do you actually want people to do for you? Do you want an introduction? A job interview? A sale? Your message should be as clear about your next step as it is about the value you bring. One of the biggest mistakes people make in job searches or sales is leaving the next step unclear. If you want someone to take action, you have to make it easy for them.


When Magda landed her new role, she didn’t just send her resume and hope for the best. She also included a clear call to action in her email: Let’s schedule a call so I can explain how my experience can help you solve X, Y, and Z. That clarity made it easy for potential employers to see that she had done her homework, and it ultimately led to more open doors.
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The reality is, unless you can communicate your value clearly, you’ll continue to feel invisible—even with all your great experience. If you’re struggling with your messaging, feeling stuck, or unsure why your efforts aren’t paying off, let’s fix that.


I offer a free brand audit where I’ll help you identify where your messaging is falling short and give you actionable advice to refine it. Together, we can craft a brand message that gets you noticed, gets you results, and gets you the opportunities you deserve. 


Hop on my calendar here: https://calendly.com/mariadastur/30-minute-exploration-session