Why credentials aren’t enough to get clients (and what to say instead)

Now, as an entrepreneur with a health background, have you ever looked at someone in the business world who seems to be absolutely thriving and killing it?

Maybe they’re booked out, they’re making huge money (which, who knows if they really are), maybe they’ve got a big social media following and look like they’re doing really well—and they’re working in a similar space to you… but they’ve got no formal qualifications.

And maybe meanwhile you’ve got heaps of training, qualifications and experience, but you’re struggling to get traction or for people to see the value of what you do.

Because I know I have. In the early days.

And if you’ve ever felt this way, this episode is for you.

So, today’s episode is one I feel deeply because I’ve lived it.

I remember in the early days of creating my creative business and I leant really hard on my title, my experience, and the credibility that I built in the clinical world. And I thought that’d be enough to get clients. I was like:

“Well, I am a psychologist. I’ve got so many years of experience—literally like seven years of uni study or something like that. It’s a bit bonkers.”

But I thought, like: “Well, hello. That’s really amazing. Surely that’s enough for people to be typing out and completing my contact form.”

But it wasn’t.

Because it turns out that credentials in and of themselves don’t sell offers. It’s the connection. People really need to know how what you know helps them.

So today I wanna walk you through three ways to shift how you show up in your marketing—so you can still honour your expertise (yes), but also speak in a way that moves people to act, through connecting with them.

1. Credentials help—but only if you explain why they matter.

I’m definitely not saying let’s forget about our credentials or that they don’t matter or anything like that.

Although I’m sure I have written copy for a health professional-turned-creative in the past, and I even forgot to write their credentials in the website copy—because we were so focused on all the other stuff. Which… it didn’t actually matter, it turned out.

Because there’s so much more to what they do than their credentials.

But I digress.

Because yes, absolutely, your clinical background gives you tools and depth that so many business owners don’t have. Depending on what you’re trained in, maybe you’re trained to really hold space. To notice patterns. To ask better, deeper questions. To look beyond the obvious.

But most people outside the health world don’t necessarily know that, right? They don’t really understand what you know.

When you lean heavily on your title, you might think you’re building trust. And maybe you are—for a certain type of person. But a lot of the time, it really distances you from your dreamy clients.

And that’s why you need to explain to them what it means for them.

So it might be like:
“Because of my background, I don’t just [X]—I also [Y].”
Or:
“I help you [achieve outcome] by drawing on [relevant aspect of your experience].”

So maybe just have a think about what your qualifications allow you to do differently from others in your space—and how you can express that in a way your audience will see the benefit.

An easy way to do that is by asking:
So what?

“I’ve got 13 years of experience.”
→ So what? Why does that matter?

“I’m a psychologist.”
→ So what?

“I’m a dietitian.”
→ So what?

Keep asking “so what?” until you have this really specific message. Something that’s so jaw-dropping your dreamy clients will instantly want to work with you.

2. Use storytelling.

Storytelling is a fantastic way to build trust.

And it’s not necessarily saying, “I’ve got X years of experience,” or “I’ve worked with hundreds of clients.” That’s really cool, but it’s not necessarily the emotional pull that storytelling has.

Because storytelling helps people feel seen.

When they see a part of themselves in you, they’ll go: “Oh my gosh, yes. This person gets it.”

You don’t need to spill your guts or share your whole life story or trauma dump (which you wouldn’t do anyway—I’m sure, because you’ve got the background to know not to do that).

But you can use your background to explain why you do what you do.

Maybe you worked for years in the public system, and during that time you saw X, and you thought:
“I can do something better.”
Or:
“I can do it a different way.”

And that’s why you went into business.

That’s a brand story.

You could also use micro-moments. A day when you were working with a particular client (confidentiality intact, of course) and use that as a way to segue into what you do now.

Storytelling like this also highlights your clinical experience in a different way.

So think about:

• What made you decide to change?

• What made you pivot from healthcare into a creative business?

• What did you want to do differently from what you saw around you?

• What couldn’t you do in your profession?

That’s an epic story waiting to be told.

3. Be ultra, ultra specific.

Not just general in your messaging.

This is probably something I come back to the most when I write for copy clients.

As health professionals, we’re trained to be objective. Clinical. General. You use hedge language. You’re cautious. There are legal consequences.

But in marketing, if you’re being vague, it doesn’t land. It doesn’t make your message stand out.

So instead of saying you “support women experiencing burnout using evidence-based strategies,” think about:

What does burnout look like for them?

It’s the old show-don’t-tell.

Maybe they’re the ones everyone leans on.
They keep everything together.
Cool, calm, collected on the outside.
But on the inside, totally different.
Super tired. Desperate for a break.
But when they get a break… their mind’s racing.
Rest doesn’t feel like rest.

That’s specific.

Rather than just saying “women who are burnt out,” what does it look like?

If someone had a video camera in their house… okay, that’s a bit creepy. But if you were a fly on the wall—what would you see?

This taps into emotion.

Health professionals can be the most incredible marketers. Because your clients have probably told you exactly what they’re experiencing. In visceral, detailed language.

So think back to a dreamy client. What language did they use?
Maybe they had a phrase that made you go:
Oh my gosh. That’s it.

That’s what makes the best copy.

Use those specific phrases in your marketing. That’s what makes people say:
“Holy heck—are you in my head?!”

And that’s when people want to work with you.

Not just because of your credentials.

But because you understand what they’re experiencing.

To Wrap This Up:

Yes, yes, yes—your clinical credentials and credibility do matter.

But they don’t speak for themselves.

So how can you use your credentials to win clients?

• Make them relevant.

• Explain how they impact your client’s experience.

• Tell the story behind your work.

• Use storytelling.

• Get specific.

• Ditch the jargon.

• Speak like a human.

(I’ve got a freebie on that actually, which I’ll link in the show notes.)

That’s how we move from being an overlooked, qualified person—to the one someone says YES to.

If this episode landed for you, please let me know. Send me a DM—I spend a lot of time on Instagram, and I’d love, love, love to hear from you.

And if you want more episodes like this, hit follow. I’ll be seeing you in a fortnight.