A Book I’m Revisiting this Month
Oversubscribed by Daniel Priestley
A book I’m revisiting this month is Oversubscribed: How to Get People Lining up to Do Business with You by Daniel Priestley.
Priestly argues that a successful business is a strategically oversubscribed business. Think of it this way: being oversubscribed means having more people want what you offer than you can actually serve. He demonstrates how to make that happen by:
Being selective about who you work with
Delivering something truly special
Getting people to talk about your business in the right ways
One way to achieve this is orchestrated scarcity
Orchestrated scarcity isn't just about limiting supply—it’s much more than that. It’s about creating a structured environment where availability is genuinely constrained by delivering exceptional value to a select (quite small) group of ideal clients.
How it works
Select your most valuable service.
Create an intentionally limited release offer that is only available to a limited number of clients during a specific timeframe.
Communicate the value and exclusivity upfront.
Create an application process that ensures optimum fit
Practical application
My most valuable service is 1:1 coaching/consulting. I limit my 1:1 services to six clients per quarter. Sessions begin in January, April, July, and October. The client receives twelve one-hour weekly sessions.
I do not work on the last week of each quarter as that time is reserved for rest, reflection, and planning.
I block two hours each Monday and Wednesday for potential clients to book a twenty-minute discovery call with me. Appointments are booked online, and the prospect must complete a brief questionnaire to ensure a mutually productive call.
During the call, we discuss the prospect’s challenges and goals, and I share initial insights based on similar situations I’ve encountered. They get a sense of my approach and some actionable insights. I then determine whether I can be of real value to them.
Finally, if we decide to work together, we'll explore potential next steps.
Orchestrated scarcity redefined how I work
I deliver significantly better results because I can focus intensively on each client, as I limit my availability to just six clients at a time.