Derek and I booked a last minute romantic vacation this week at the Ocean House Inn in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, and it ended up being one of my favorite vacations ever. In the early 1900’s, the Ocean House was the quintessential summer home of the wealthiest. Last year, the inn reopened after a massive renovation and is the epitome of New England luxury. It sits on 13 acres of a beautiful, white-sand beach with views of Montauk, Block Island, and the Atlantic Ocean. I was fascinated by every little detail, from the expansive herb garden, to the bee hives for making the honey we received as parting gifts, the massive outdoor terrace where we enjoyed meals overlooking the ocean and the sweeping veranda where we sipped cocktails and ate oysters while watching people play on the croquet lawn. Needless to say, with great food, lots of reading and long walks on the beach, our 3 days there felt like we’d been away for a week! Derek and I can’t wait to come back. Hope you’re enjoying some time off too.
Oh, before I introduce you to this week’s Client Attraction article, I have an exciting unprecedented announcement to share with you!
We heard from many folks this summer who so desperately wanted to attend my recent 4-city Mindset Tour and couldn’t, for many reasons. We heard this so much that we decided to do something about it. So, THIS TUESDAY, August 16th, I’d like to invite you to join me LIVE at 1pm Eastern, from the comfort of your own computer, for my Millionaire Entrepreneur Mindset Secrets One-Time-Only VIDEO LIVESTREAM! Join me for the afternoon to discover how to create massive shifts in your mindset for BIG success in both business and life. This is a one-time-only virtual event, so I strongly encourage you to clear your schedule, fire up your computer and spend the afternoon with me. (In other words, DO NOT miss this!)
Spaces are limited and they’re filling up fast so don’t wait to sign up, as it’s happening THIS TUESDAY. View my video invitation here to get all the juicy details.
Have you ever felt strange about marketing your services for fear of people thinking you weren’t successful enough or good enough at what you do? I was reading a transcript of marketer Dan Kennedy’s Coaching and Consulting Business Boot Camp this past week at the beach and I came across a section about the fine line between the need for marketing and not wanting to look like you NEED business.
It struck a cord with me because I remember being stumped a few years ago, when a photographer I met at a networking function asked me, “So, if you’re such a marketing expert and you help people attract all the clients they need, what are you doing here at a networking group each week?” I didn’t know what to say at first. Never had it been posed to me that way.
But then I started thinking about it all and I realized that I always have clients, because I’m always marketing. I feel comfortable knowing that marketing is part of my business, a large part of it. It doesn’t matter what you DO for a living, your primary job is marketing and your “skill” is whatever else you do to get paid by clients.
So, if you’re a consultant, you’re not really a consultant, you’re a marketer who consults. If you’re an interior designer, you’re not really an interior designer, you’re a marketer who happens to help clients decorate their homes. And so on and so forth.
Until a client of mine really GETS that, they always put marketing on the back burner, and as a result of not making marketing a priority in the past, they’ve gotten lackluster, mediocre results. But when they realize that their MAIN job is marketing, then they just accept that that’s what you do and start to do it well. Alternatively, they can just go back to the corporate world and get a paycheck again while having someone else breathe down their neck. (Yuck!)
But I think the fine line we talked about between looking successful enough not to market and needing to market is really about CHASING clients. It’s like anything in life: if someone is TOO eager about something, you start questioning their motives. Here’s the line I read in that seminar transcript:
The Ultimate Incongruity: “If you’re so good, why are you so available?…let alone chasing business???”
The first key is that you never CHASE business. It’s just too cheesy and it doesn’t make people want to work with you. If you seem like you need them more than they need you, then you’re in trouble.
However, if you follow the Client Attraction System or are a client of mine, you know that it’s about creating VALUE, trust, believability, and credibility over the long haul. It’s about establishing yourself as a problem solver to your ideal clients and their biggest problems. It’s about creating a RELATIONSHIP so that clients naturally come to YOU and no one else, WHEN they’re ready. It’s never about chasing clients or strong-arming them to sign up with you. Here’s the formula:
Value plus Trust over Time.
(As a side note, that photographer who almost stumped me with her question ended up being one of my favorite clients of all time, a RAVING fan and a consistent referral source of new clients to my practice. She’s also become one of the best and most diligent marketers I’ve seen, and she markets consistently, not just when she needs clients. She GOT it.)
Your Client Attraction Assignment:
So, now that we’ve gotten away from any semblance of you chasing business and looking too eager, what would you say if someone asked YOU that Ultimate Incongruity question?
Here’s what I say:
- “I market consistently because I know that if you don’t market consistently, you don’t always have clients. Even when I have a waiting list of people waiting to work with me, I still don’t stop marketing. I’d be foolish to do that.”
- “Two clients recently graduated, so I have openings for just two new clients.”
- “I have decided to take on more clients because…(tell the truth).”
Oh and by the way, always tell the truth. That’s what authentic marketing is about. That’s how being a marketer with integrity makes you stand out in the marketplace. Anything else would be sleazy and that’s not Client Attractive.
OK, it’s clear that you HAVE to market, but what if you don’t know where to begin or what to do first? Get yourself the complete Client Attraction Home Study System. It’s everything you need to know to create a marketing message that will appeal to the best clients for you. You’ll discover how to decipher what makes your business remarkable, how to create Raving Fans so you get clients to call YOU, and lots of other crucial techniques to help you fill your practice quickly, including how to put together a simple marketing plan that gets you clients and then putting it on autopilot so you can have fun again. The Client Attraction Home Study System™ avoids all the unnecessary stuff and instead gives you the most important things to do to find your niche, get out there in a big way, set up simple, solid systems, so you consistently fill your pipeline and continually get new clients. It’s all step-by-step, not a big mishmash of things. So, you do step one of the system, and when you’re done with that, you move on to step two, and so on. So easy. All the tools, scripts, templates, and examples are handed to you on a silver platter. You can get it at www.theclientattractionsystem.com.
© 2011 Client Attraction LLC. All Rights Reserved.
After years of putting to use all the useful marketing tips I’ve provided as part of my Client Attraction System, you can imagine that many people call to see what it takes to work with me privately and most everyone over the years had questions about my products and services.
In the beginning, I was spending countless hours per month explaining to prospective clients how I got to be a Client Attraction expert, what the steps of the Client Attraction System were, what results they could expect, what the different programs and rates were, and all the other details of what I offered.
At first, it was exciting and validating because it showed me that what I was doing to market my practice was actually WORKING! But then, after a few years, I began to feel like a broken record and found that I was spending a lot of extra time saying these things over and over again, time that could have been spent marketing and getting more clients.
So I created a page of Frequently Asked Questions in the form of an “Interview,” and now I direct all prospective clients to read the “Interview with Fabienne” page of my website (www.ClientAttraction.com) BEFORE they call me and this works like a charm. Years ago, a prospective client called and said “Hi, I met you at one of your seminars, I visited your website and I know I want to work with you. I’d like the Fast Track program and I’d like to start next week. What day can we start?”
Cool, right? And the best part is that I didn’t have to sell her or push hard to get her as a client. She did it on her own and called me on her own.!
Your Client Attraction Assignment:
What would your FAQ questions be?
Want to use this article on your website or your own ezine?
No problem! But here is what you MUST include:
Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Mentor, is founder of the Client Attraction System®, the proven step-by-step program that shows you exactly how to attract more clients, in record time…guaranteed. To get your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by mail and receive her weekly marketing & success mindset articles on attracting more high-paying clients and dramatically increasing your in.come, visit www.attractclients.com.
There was a time, when I first started my business, that I planned out my schedule the way I wanted to live my life. So, I made it a point to set up my business so that I’d take a full day off per week, a week off per month and at least one month off per year- approximately 18 weeks of vacation per year. (EVERYBODY needs down time to succeed.) And for a while, that was my life, until I got busier and busier and started multiplying my income, and then hired full-time employees who counted on me to be there and drive this train. And somehow, although I had way more vacation than the average entrepreneur or corporate professional, it wasn’t what I’d enjoyed in the beginning of my entrepreneurial career.
Well… I made a HUGE decision several months back that I am taking this entire month of August off to unwind from a super-busy year, re-charge my batteries, re-connect with loved ones and friends I don’t often see and to feed my soul with some playtime, deep reading, writing and just “being.” My team has been wonderful in helping me set up systems and we’re encouraging our clients and students to do the same in their own business. So this is my first week off and I have to admit it feels a little strange… but at the same time it’s wonderful. I feel as though I’ve given myself a precious gift and although it will take a few days to get into a new routine, I intend to soak it all in and truly enjoy every minute. I hope you do the same… it makes you more Client Attractive!
“Most people confuse wishing and wanting with pursuing. You must place your trust in ACTION.”
-Price Pritchett
I’ve been hearing this one question a lot recently: “Fabienne, what did you actually DO to multiply your income so quickly? How did you get to a million and can I do it too?” Well, the answer is “Yes, you can do it too” and it’s important to realize that it comes down to several different things: Authentic and compelling marketing, systems for everything, a team, different sources of income, leverage, etc.
But, believe it or not, those are actually the easy part, because you can be shown exactly how to do this. The difficult part is actually a two step process, two steps that seem very simple on the outside, but that few people actually DO anything about. In fact, this is so deceptively simple that most people ignore its importance and look for something way more complex. But it comes down to:
- Making a decision
- Doing what it takes
I know, it might seem like child’s play, but most people never actually get clear about WHAT they want in the first place, and then they don’t make a commitment to getting it. So the first thing to do is to decide that you are going to reach a big goal. Then, you must be OK with doing whatever it takes to get it, as if your life depended on it.
Believe it or not, that’s where most people fail in this process. They throw out a lofty goal, but when it comes to actually DOING what it takes, they let their mindset and their fears get in the way. The ideas and opportunities to reach that big goal are right there, smack in front of them, but they don’t take action on them. I saw this happen recently with a client. She asked me, “Fabienne, I set this huge goal for myself, and the year’s almost over, but I’m not even halfway to reaching it. What happened? What am I doing wrong?”
The answer I gave her was that, despite the lofty goal, her BEHAVIOR hadn’t changed very much. Despite progress in other areas, she kept stopping herself, and kept doing the same things, worrying about the same things (not knowing the how, not enough money, not enough time, you know the drill…)
We’d given her all the different ways to make her goal happen quickly and two-fold, but she never implemented the ideas. The HOW was right in front of her, but she got in her own way, and essentially sabotaged her potential income by not taking action on the idea. And that’s one thing that I’ve gotten really clear about recently. The “how” is always right there, right under your nose, ready for the picking.
In fact, there was a time in my own business, not too long ago, where I could never have imagined making this much in one year. But the opportunities to do so were already there. In fact, one idea that I’m implementing right now was an idea I had 4 years ago. 4 years ago!!! And that idea was one that would have brought in a ton of money back then. Sure, I researched it, did a little bit of due diligence, even asked my ezine subscribers if they had resources and got tons of them. I went as far as investing in the resources I needed to take advantage of that opportunity.
Then, guess what happened?
Nothing, nada, zip. I never did ANYTHING about it. I let the opportunity get stale and covered with dust, and it’s because of several different obstacles:
- My excuse of not having enough time to implement it
- My fear of failure
- Essentially, my belief that I wasn’t “good enough” or “big enough” to succeed with it
And so, I never achieved the income potential that this opportunity had in store for me. I’m kicking myself now, but at least, I’m taking action on it now.
Here’s the thing: you must realize that the ideas that are given to you are not just silly ideas. They are divinely brought to you. My mentor always says, “If you are given an idea, then too you are given the way to achieve it. You wouldn’t be able to have the idea without also receiving the ‘way’ to accomplish it too. It’s universal law.” And that’s really important for you to remember.
Until you are ready to see what’s already right under your nose, without discounting it as “not feasible”, you aren’t going to grow. Remember that the idea you got in the shower, or the idea your mastermind members brainstormed with you didn’t actually come from them or you. It was divinely given THROUGH them.
And you are given ideas like these ALL THE TIME! It is the Universe’s way of guiding you on a daily basis, literally pulling you by the hand and pointing you in the direction that will help you accomplish your dreams, but the question is… are you listening? Are you going to do something about it? If you’re not where you want to be financially in your business, one of the major reasons is your non-action. If you’re still at the same place you were before, it’s because you’re unwilling to take advantage of the opportunity that is right in front of you, and has been for a long time.
And I know you’re probably tired of hearing, “To get different results, you need to do things differently”, but in my experience (especially this year) it is absolutely true. To get a quantum leap in your business, you must be willing to DO what you haven’t done before, to be courageous, to walk into the opportunity and even to walk into the fear you have associated with it.
And please don’t let the simplicity of what I’m telling you undermine the importance of the message. This ‘arrogance’ of thinking, “Oh, I already know that!” is another form of self-sabotage and it’s keeping you from making a whole lot more in your business. Here’s an example: Someone told me last week that some of this is “basic” stuff. That they already knew this.
Frankly, I felt bad for this person. I almost wanted to say, “OK then, if you already “know” this, what’s YOUR income this year?” You see, your income will be your gauge to see how much you “know” this stuff. If it’s not where you want it to be, then you don’t “know” it yet, you’ve just heard of it. In fact, you don’t “know” anything until you live it, breathe it and take action on it day in and day out. Makes sense?
Your Client Attraction Assignment:
Get clear on the opportunities that are right under your nose. Take a sheet of paper and at the top, write down your big goal. Don’t be shy, no one’s watching. In big, bold letters, write what you want in your business. Then, either knowing (or pretending) that you could not fail, list all the opportunities that you already have right in front of you to make those happen. I know they’re there. I can always spot them for people and that’s the power of a mastermind. Having people see the opportunities that are right in front of them. But list them all. And then begin to take action on each and every one of them with courage and fearlessness. Your income will never be the same.
All that said, I urge you NOT to forget the authentic and compelling marketing, systems for everything, a team, different sources of income, leverage, etc. When you market authentically and consistently, using ONLY what works, your goals become big-time easy. When you set up systems for everything in your business and a team to support you, you have more time to devote to implementing the big opportunities. When you set up additional sources of income, both passive and leveraged, you make a whole lot more, working half the time.
Taking a no-excuses approach, removing fears and negative beliefs is crucial if you want to finally move to the next level of your success and income level. So join me for 3 days in September and I’ll give you all my shortcuts and the exact steps you need to use to break through the self-imposed barriers currently stopping you from multiplying your income, increase your confidence, put an end to your struggle so you can finally live the freedom-based lifestyle you deserve…guaranteed. If your soul has been nagging you to play a bigger game, check out the video (it’s free-training) for a great preview of the event and don’t wait because the early bird offer (half-off tuition) expires TONIGHT at midnight!
© 2011 Client Attraction LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Want to use this article on your website or your own ezine?
No problem! But here is what you MUST include:
Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Mentor, is founder of the Client Attraction System®, the proven step-by-step program that shows you exactly how to attract more clients, in record time…guaranteed. To get your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by mail and receive her weekly marketing & success mindset articles on attracting more high-paying clients and dramatically increasing your in.come, visit www.attractclients.com.
It’s important to make time during your week to focus on Client Attraction and the marketing needed to get more clients.
While you’re clustering your client appointments, go just one step ahead. Cluster your days for maximum efficiency and create “Business Development Only” days.
The more I’ve worked on creating Business Development Only Days, the more successful I’ve become. It helps me be “in the flow” in terms of
marketing ideas and action and helps me get more done to promote my business than simply trying to squeeze it in everyday. Doing this increased my revenue by 35% immediately.
Client example: A dental office I worked with to attract more patients was struggling to get any marketing done. The primary dentist was consistently busy working with patients and couldn’t focus on Client Attraction. Until we asked the office manager to schedule NO patients on Thursdays. At first, he resisted. “How will I make more money if I’m not working one day per week?” But very quickly, he realized that the time he now had to focus on marketing and business development, he was actually able to get the things done that attract clients.
He was finally able to create his extensive website, send out letters to the HR departments in the vicinity, track and reward frequent referral sources, host a launch party, among other things. All the essential and critical marketing elements to market his business effectively and get more clients.
Just ONE day per week has improved everything for this dental practice.
Your Client Attraction Assignment:
What day will you devote to Business Development Only? Once you figure
it out, add it to your calendar for the rest of the year. You’ll be amazed at
how much more you’ll get done, and will start seeing clients come in much
more quickly.
Want to use this article on your website or your own ezine?
No problem! But here is what you MUST include:
Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Mentor, is founder of the Client Attraction System®, the proven step-by-step program that shows you exactly how to attract more clients, in record time…guaranteed. To get your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by mail and receive her weekly marketing & success mindset articles on attracting more high-paying clients and dramatically increasing your in.come, visit www.attractclients.com.
Sometimes, the way we entrepreneurs THINK about our businesses can open the door to huge breakthroughs, and even ONE new paradigm shift can open a floodgate of new clients, profits and referrals. On this teaching call, my good friend (and marketing GOD) Dean Jackson and I discuss some out-of-the-box and exciting ways to think about your business…and identify how making little changes will yield BIG profits. Dean has applied these highly-successful breakthrough activators to so many types of businesses–from ebook publishing to real estate sales, coaching, restaurants and retail stores and the good news is, these principles will apply to your business too! Your profit breakthrough is already in your business, right in front of your nose…just waiting for you to activate it. Join us for this unprecedented call and see…
This call is ONLY for Inner Circle members. Not a member yet? Join now to access this call with Fabienne’s FREE 2-month Membership trial (plus a small shipping/handling fee).
