Let Them: How Strong Branding Attracts the Right Clients
Based on the Mel Robbin’s Theory
I think I’m about two years late to this viral moment, but suddenly everyone from my dad to my husband’s boss has been talking about Mel Robbin’s “Let Them” Theory.
I decided I wanted to learn what the buzz is about, and I was not disappointed. I’ll link the episode below and I would suggest it to anyone. It’s useful for limitless life situations, but while I was listening, I couldn't help but think of how much this applies to business owners, their branding principles, and their clientele. Let me tell you how!
What is the "Let Them" Theory?
Mel Robbins’ Let Them theory is all about releasing the need to control how others think, act, or (key for my entrepreneurs in the room) respond. Instead of trying to change people, persuade them, or make them see things your way, simply let them be who they are. If someone doesn’t support you, let them. If someone misunderstands you, let them. If someone doesn’t want to be part of your journey, let them.
This mindset shift reduces stress, builds confidence, and helps you focus on what you can control—your actions, your business, and your energy—rather than chasing validation or approval from the wrong people.
What does this mean for you as a business owner?
It's not your job to get everyone in the door. It's your job to leverage your assets to reach the people who want to work with or buy from you. You can't force people to work with you. Let them go. You can work smarter to put yourself in a position to reach the people who want to work with you.
The goal isn’t to please everyone -
it’s to create a brand that attracts the right clients.
So how do you put this into practice?
1. Control What You Can: Your Branding & Presence
Your business image is your responsibility. And when you create a consistent experience, you are giving potential clients the confidence to stick around.
Let’s start with the elements you can control:
Logo & Visual Identity
Why it matters: First impressions are important - and you only get one shot. Studies have shown that people form a first impression in as little as 50 milliseconds when viewing a website or logo. That’s faster than the blink of an eye! A strong, professional logo helps establish trust and helps set client expectations. Clients want to purchase from brands they can align themselves with.
For example: Say you’re an organic cleaning company. Think about your ideal client standing in the cleaning aisle looking at different laundry detergents. More often than not, you can pick out an organic item based on the logo and packaging design. The people standing in the aisle who want that will gravitate to your product right away. The effort you put into the elements you can control resulted in your audience noticing and reacting. And for all the other potential customers not looking for organic - they will probably keep going. Let them. They’re not who you’re trying to reach.What you can control? Honing in on your visuals like your logo, color palette, and font choices to create visuals with a point of view will help you attract the clients who want to buy from you.
Website
Why it matters:
Don’t waste their time: Keep content clear and client-focused—speak directly to their needs and how you solve them. Ensure your contact info, pricing, and services are up to date so visitors don’t get frustrated looking for information. If your website is outdated, cluttered, or difficult to navigate, it can drive away potential customers before they even reach out.
Have a little flair - Define your style and use it to your advantage. A high-end interior designer using an elegant, minimalist color palette with sleek fonts will attract clients who value sophistication. In contrast, a children’s event planner with bright colors and playful fonts will appeal to parents looking for fun and creativity.
What you can control: Compelling copy, style choices that speak to your demographic, clear calls-to-action, establishing credibility with testimonials, and making your site easy to navigate
2. Not Everyone Is Your Customer – And That’s Okay
If the goal is to entice and attract the right people - by definition that means there are also the “wrong” people. Let’s call them the Let Thems (thank you, Mel!).
The Let Thems will always exist - and you know what. You don’t need to worry about them. Again, your job is to worry about what you can control.
Trying to appeal to everyone leads to weak messaging. Casting a wide net is one of the most tempting pitfalls of entrepreneurship. But the cost is watering down what makes you special and what will keep your true fans coming back for more.
Your branding should naturally filter out those who aren’t a good fit. Remember your branding is a combination of your visuals and your communications. A high-end brand shouldn’t attract bargain hunters - that’s by design!
If you’re a boutique fitness studio with a focus on applied wellness practices - it is a good thing when someone seeking a boot camp group fitness doesn’t reach out. You’ve made it clear what you offer and when someone inquires for pricing or to visit your studio, you already know they are a great candidate and that you can meet (and exceed!) their needs.
3. Attracting the Right Clients
While I was on my walk listening to Mel and enthusiastically nodding along, the part that kept me excited was knowing that I don’t control other people’s decisions. So when people want to hire you - by God, LET THEM! All you need to do is make it easy for them to do so.
So back to these 3 simple principles.
Clarity: When your brand is well-defined, you will have clearer branding. The clearer your branding, the easier it is for your ideal clients to find and connect with you.
Positioning: When you position yourself well, the right people will be drawn in without you chasing them.
Trust in the Process: Those who don’t resonate? Let them go. It frees up space for the right opportunities.
4. When "Let Them" Doesn’t Mean Doing Nothing
It would be fair for any small business owner at this point to say - um sure that’s cute. But I have to make sales. And I don’t love the idea of just “letting them” walk out the door.
And to that, I say I hear you.
“Let Them” is about releasing control over others, not ignoring business challenges.
You can’t just "let sales be slow" without adjusting your marketing, outreach, or offerings.
Instead, use this mindset to focus on what you can control and keep these caveats in mind.:
If engagement is low, refine your messaging to better reach your ideal audience.
If sales slow down, use the time to improve your website, refresh branding, or create valuable content.
If certain clients aren’t booking, analyze whether your brand positioning is attracting the right audience.
The key is to let go of forcing the wrong things while being proactive in what you can improve.
Conclusion: Build It, and They Will Come (the Right Ones, That Is)
Key Takeaways
You create the best brand you can, and let the rest take care of itself.
A strong brand means less time convincing the wrong clients and more time working with the right clients.
As a business owners, embracing this mindset requires practice and trust in your brand AND yourself. You got this.
And for the rest? Embrace Mel’s mantra with me - let them.
For the full crash course on this idea, find the podcast episode here: