In Depth Insight

The Strange Thing About Smells... And Your Prospects

A police officer once said something interesting:

“Every house I’ve ever entered has its own smell…and the people living in it don’t even notice it.”

They’re so used to it that they’re blind to it.
This is a real thing.
It’s called olfactory fatigue or nose blindness.

It happens with:

• pet smells

• cooking smells

• damp smells

• even our own home smell after a holiday

We don’t notice it because we live with it every day.

But here’s the part that matters for your business:

Your prospects are nose blind to some of their biggest business problems too.

And they won’t fix something they don’t know exists.

💡 Why Problem Awareness Matters for Your Firm

Your ideal clients have issues you can solve…but they often don’t realise the problem exists until someone points it out.

Here’s what always happens when you reveal a hidden problem:

1. They suddenly become aware

2. They wonder if it applies to them

3. Curiosity kicks in

4. They start searching for answers

5. They look for an expert

6. They choose the person who has the answer that most closely matches their question,

This is where your blog, newsletter, posts, and videos do the heavy lifting.

Your content acts like a fresh pair of eyes walking into their “house” and saying, politely:

“Can you smell that?
There’s something you might want to check.”

Once they see it…they have to deal with it.

And people always trust the expert who revealed the problem.

A Simple Example You Can Relate To

Think about this situation:

A prospects search question:
“How do I get rid of the dog smell in my house?”

Your blog post title becomes:

1. How to stop your house smelling of dog

2. Why your house still smells of dog even after cleaning

When you answer that question you’re helping them understand the real issue.

You’ve revealed the true problem.
You’ve increased awareness.
You’ve become the guide.

The same principle works for every service industry.

How This Works in Professional Services

Most people don’t know the full extent of their problems.
They only know something “feels off.”
They’re nose-blind to the real issues until someone points them out.

For example:

“My payroll seems fine…”

→ Until the IRS / HMRC sends a letter they didn’t expect.

“My software does my bookkeeping.”

→ They don’t know the data is wrong, incomplete, or miscategorised.

These are the hidden smells.

Once they get a feeling there might be a problem, they search for answers, usually online.
They type in questions like:

“Why do I keep getting letters from HMRC/IRS?”

“How accurate is bookkeeping software?”

And that’s where your content becomes the trusted guide.

Your blog posts mirror their exact searches:

“Why you keep getting HMRC/IRS letters — and how to stop them”

“Bookkeeping software vs a real bookkeeper: what the software can’t see”

When your content answers the questions in your prospect’s head…

They trust you.

And they come back the next time they have a problem because you helped them see what they couldn’t see before.

They may also pass your website content on to a colleague who has the same, similar or related query which is basically an authority endorsement that may result in an enquiry?

Your blog post anwered the question your prospect was looking for.

This builds instant trust.

Because if you can describe the problem better than they can…you’re seen as the expert who can fix it.

Final Thoughts

Creating problem-awareness content does three powerful things:

1. It attracts people who are actively looking for help.

2. It positions you as the trusted advisor.

3. It gets you pre-qualified leads who believe you’re the right fit.

And when clients choose you because you “opened their eyes”…
They stay longer.
They spend more.
They refer more.

That’s compounding trust, which is the heart of Referral Growth.

⏩Try This…

Pick one:

1️⃣ Search the top 5 questions your prospects are asking about your service.
2️⃣ Turn the most relevant question into a simple blog post title (as above).
3️⃣ Write a 350-word answer.
4️⃣ Share it on your website, LinkedIn, and in your email list.
5️⃣ Rinse and repeat.

That’s how you build problem awareness.
That’s how you build trust.
And that’s how your content quietly attracts qualified clients who later send you referrals.

Simple.
Consistent.
Effective.

How I Can Help:

Need a hand turning ideas into referrals?
If you’ve read something here and thought, “That could work for us…” — let’s make it happen.

I help professional service firms turn random word-of-mouth into reliable, repeatable referrals — without the awkward ask.

📧 [email protected]
(Include #TheReferralEdge in the subject line so it lands in front of me.)

Ask a question.
Share a challenge.
Or tell me where you’re stuck — and I’ll point you in the right direction.

👉 Let’s turn your next great client into your next great referral.