Struggling to Grow? Your Product Might Be Holding You Back
This post is part of a series about the REALIFE 7 P’s of Business™, a framework designed to help organizations grow with intention and resilience. Business leaders will find clarity, reduce overwhelm, and create sustainable, purpose-driven success. Those who lead nonprofits, ministries, or other organizations will find that these same principles help you stay faithful to your calling, steward your resources wisely, and expand your impact in a way that sustains both you and those you serve.
If you missed the intro to this framework and its benefits, you can find it here. Over the next few weeks, we’ll explore each of the 7 P’s in depth—Purpose, Plan, Product, Particulars, Processes, Problems, and People—and see how aligning these elements will help you lead with more clarity, ease, and effectiveness.
If you’ve been in business or leading an organization for a while but feel like you’re not gaining traction, it might not be a marketing problem. Or a sales problem. Or even a time management problem.
It might be a Product problem.
A great business or organization starts with a great offer—a product or service that meets a real need, solves a real problem, and stands out in a crowded marketplace. Without that foundation, no amount of effort, strategy, or hustle will give you the momentum you’re looking for.
So, let’s talk about it. Because if your product (or service) isn’t working for you, it’s working against you.
The Pain of an Unclear Product
I’ve been here myself, so I get it. Maybe you’ve felt this before:
You struggle to explain what makes your product or service unique.
You keep tweaking what you offer, hoping something will finally click.
When someone asks what you do, you ramble—and they still don’t quite get it.
Potential clients seem interested but don’t follow through.
You feel like you’re always competing on price, trying to prove your value.
I’ve been in those shoes, trying to make sense of what I’m offering, unsure of how to explain why it matters. If any of that sounds familiar, your product isn’t doing the heavy lifting it should. And that’s a problem.
The Cost of Blending In
Here’s the thing: If you don’t define your product’s value, the market will do it for you. And chances are, they’ll either lump you in with competitors or—worse—overlook you entirely.
When you don’t have a clearly differentiated product or service, you’re more likely to experience:
Stagnation: Without a compelling offer, growth stalls.
Frustration: If you’re constantly trying to explain your value, you’re wasting time and energy.
Missed opportunities: Potential customers may move on simply because they don’t understand what makes you the right choice.
Common Mistakes That Hold You Back
Many business owners, nonprofit leaders, and ministry directors unknowingly sabotage their own success when defining their products or services. Here are some common mistakes:
Trying to be everything to everyone – If your product or service is too broad, it won’t resonate deeply with anyone.
Focusing on features instead of benefits – People don’t buy what you do; they buy what it does for them.
Ignoring market feedback – If no one is buying or engaging, it’s time to reassess instead of doubling down.
Underpricing or overcomplicating your offer – A clear, well-positioned offer makes it easy for people to say yes.
Signs It’s Time to Refine
How do you know if your product or service needs a refresh? Here are some key indicators:
You struggle to explain what makes your offer different or valuable.
Your audience asks for clarification about what you actually do.
You’re attracting the wrong clients—or none at all.
Sales or engagement have plateaued despite your best marketing efforts.
The Emotional Side of Refining Your Offer
Let’s be honest—changing your product or service can feel scary. You may be emotionally attached to what you’ve built, or you may worry that refining your offer means admitting failure. But the truth is, adjusting your offer is a sign of growth, not failure. The most successful businesses and organizations evolve over time based on what truly serves their audience.
I know this challenge firsthand. Last winter, I poured my energy into what I believed was a major improvement to one of my services. But the response fell flat. At first, it felt like a failure. Thankfully, with the help of my coach, I was able to reframe that experience as a learning opportunity and move forward. The most valuable insight I gained? I needed to double down on understanding my audience—not just what they said they wanted, but what would actually help them succeed.
Why Knowing Your Audience Matters
The foundation of a strong product or service isn’t just what you want to offer—it’s what your audience needs. Do you know:
Their biggest pain points?
The exact words they use to describe their struggles?
What motivates them to take action?
How they currently solve their problem (and why it’s not working)?
When you understand your audience at this level, you can create an offer that speaks directly to them—and that’s what makes it powerful.
As I took a deeper look at my audience—and got even clearer about the kind of people I most wanted to serve—I realized exactly where I had gone wrong with my “product overhaul.” In an effort to create an easier program, I had removed the elements of community and accountability and downplayed the spirituality. But after truly listening to my audience, I discovered they didn’t want an “easier” solution—they wanted a solution they would actually stick with. They craved a community built around spirituality and appreciated accountability.
Rebuilding those elements into the program didn’t just serve my audience better—it also felt far more aligned with my personal and business values (see blog on P#1 – Purpose), which in turn gave me more energy to serve.
What About Nonprofits and Ministries?
If you’re running a nonprofit or ministry, you might not think of yourself as having a "product," but you absolutely do. Your "product" is the impact you create and the way you deliver it. Regardless of whether you accept money in exchange for the services you provide, you are still “selling” those services. Without clear positioning, you might struggle with donor engagement, program participation, or community support. The same principles apply—clarity, differentiation, and a strong value proposition are essential for growth.
What a Strong Product Does for You
A well-defined product or service makes everything else in your business or organization easier. When you’re crystal clear on what you offer and who it’s for, marketing feels more natural, sales conversations flow, and your work gains momentum.
A strong product:
Solves a specific problem for a specific audience
Has a clear and compelling value proposition
Differentiates itself from competitors in a meaningful way
Aligns with your strengths, expertise, and mission
Makes it easy for the right clients, donors, or participants to say yes
Where to Start
If you’re unsure whether your product or service is helping or hurting your business or organization, start by asking yourself:
Can I explain what I do and who I help in one or two sentences?
Does my product or service solve a problem my audience urgently wants solved?
What makes my product or service different (or better) than my competitors’?
Do I feel excited and confident when I talk about what I offer?
If those questions are hard to answer, it might be time to refine, reposition, or even rethink your product.
Ready to Get Clear on Your Business Foundations?
Your product (or service) is just one piece of the bigger picture. If you’re feeling stuck, the REALIFE 7 P’s of Business framework can help you identify what’s missing and what to focus on next.
Grab my free guide—From Stress to Success: 7 Simple Strategies to Scale and Sustain Your Business—and start making the shifts that will move your business forward.
What We’ll Explore in This Series
In this series, we’ll dive deeper into the REALIFE 7 P’s of Business™ and how they can help you shift from feeling overwhelmed to feeling aligned. Each part of the framework is designed to tackle a different aspect of your work, so you can create a business or ministry that’s sustainable and fulfilling.
This week, we focused on Product—next up, we’ll tackle Particulars and how to make sure you’re tracking (and using) the metrics that matter.
If you want to assess where you stand with all 7 P’s, be sure to grab the free guide! It’s designed to help you evaluate what’s working, where you may feel stuck, and how to move forward with clarity.
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