2015 - Page 9 of 10 - Small Business Coach, Women Business Coaching

Here’s how it works: there are two ways to position your copy when creating your marketing message.

1. Try to inspire people invest in the solution you offer
2. Focus on the pain prospects feel about their situation

Over the years, I noticed people tend to be more motivated to take action if my marketing materials talk about pain. This is true for many people because it’s part of basic human nature to want to avoid or relieve pain.

With time, I have become more specific about who my ideal clients are. I discovered that tempering the pain message also made a difference in attracting certain people. Here’s what I’ve noticed: when you go after the “sinking ship” clients, it’s harder to close the deal with them. Instead, aim a bit higher, to work with people who are somewhat successful and have already invested in themselves or their businesses. This group is much easier close because they have money to spend and experience with paying for expert help.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying there is anything wrong with people who are in dire need. But they may not be your ideal clients since they don’t have the funds to purchase your service or product. You want to go for the person who understands the value of working with you and has the means to hire you. Remember, the better your business is doing, the more good you can do. You need to generate income in order to keep working and make a difference in the world.

How to Address Your Ideal Clients in Your Marketing Materials

One of the first steps in marketing is to identify who your ideal clients are and create a profile of them. Once you have that figured out, you actually mention some of those specific descriptors in your marketing message. For example, you might talk about “successful entrepreneurial women who need help with _____.” Fill in the blank with whatever service or product you offer.

Now, potential clients will be able to recognize themselves in your marketing message and say to themselves, “Hey, she’s talking to me! That’s what I’m going through right now.” Your marketing materials are the first opportunity to captivate prospects and encourage them to take the next step to get your irresistible free offer or contact you for a “get acquainted” call.

Your Client Attraction Assignment
Have you created your ideal client profile yet? Being able to identify the type of person who embodies the qualities of your perfect client will help you know where to find them and then speak to them directly. Take time this week to work on this aspect of your marketing pie so your marketing message attracts your ideal client.

This is just one of the many best practices we dive deep into with the students of The Client Attraction Business School, the premier training school for growth-minded entrepreneurs looking to quickly attract more clients and make more money. If you’re interested in finding out more, visit www.ClientAttractionBusinessSchool.com for more details. To speak to an enrollment coach, click here.

When your business serves other businesses, the marketing methods you need to reach your potential clients are different than for a consumer-oriented businesses.

For example, with business-to-business (B2B), you know your ideal clients are probably not hanging out on Facebook during the day. Instead, you are more likely to find prospects on LinkedIn because that social media platform is all about business.

It’s very important to look at where your people are spending time and go where they are. That’s why networking is huge for B2B marketing. I recommend these top five marketing tips to build your client base and increase revenue:

1. Use LinkedIn. Reach out to your connections and ask them to help you meet others you can serve.
2. Live Networking. Meeting people face-to-face is always a good marketing practice. After meeting new people, be sure to follow up with an email or note and connect on LinkedIn.
3. Update Your Status. Stay in front of your LinkedIn connections by updating your status, recommending articles you read or even by writing a blog post.
4. Stay in Touch. To stay top-of-mind with new prospects, use a variety of marketing tools such as your newsletter, ezine or monthly warm letter campaigns.
5. Have Coffee. Once you make a good connection, make it a regular practice to ask the person to have coffee to get to know him or her even better. Ask what you can do to help, which will make a favorable impression and build lasting and productive relationships.

Now, that’s not to say that other, traditional types of marketing won’t be of help. Of course a good website is essential, complete with a Free Irresistible Offer to build your list of prospects. But, when it comes to B2B marketing, so much can be done in person and through the five suggestions listed above.

Knowing where to reach your prospects helps you focus on the marketing tools that will be most effective. That saves you time and money. It’s OK not to do every kind of marketing, and being selective is smart. Many times, it boils down to simple common sense.

Your Client Attraction Assignment
What do you know about your ideal clients? Spend time investigating where you might find them. Ask a few trusted colleagues to brainstorm with you and make a plan. It makes sense to go where your prospects are most likely to congregate. Anything you can do to focus your efforts on reaching people likely to hire you is a wise move.

Maintaining a positive outlook on your business can be challenging at times. Perhaps you are experiencing self doubt about a recent pricing change or feel concerned about new business opportunities. I want to share with you what I have done to stay positive and on the right track.

I actually have a script I say to myself at stressful times: “I am positively expecting great results no matter what I see in front of me. The Universe is rearranging itself for my best interest right now.”

I am not kidding about the power of saying this to yourself. Here’s an amazing story about how well this works…

When I was coming back from a trip to Mexico, I was in line to board the plane and handed over my ticket. The airline representative asked for the customs form I received on the way in. I responded, “What customs form?” She said, “Didn’t they tell you at the check-in counter?” I replied, “No, I used the kiosk and I’m carrying my bags on the plane, so I didn’t speak to anyone.”

The airline rep proceeded to tell me on the flight to Mexico I was given a customs form and needed to provide it or else I couldn’t get back into the country. As you can imagine, I started breaking out in a sweat and asked if she could just give me another form to fill out. She said no, I’d have to go back through customs and by that time I’d miss my plane!

This was the last flight of the day and we had a live meeting for The Client Attraction Business School the very next day. I had to get on that plane.

The woman from the airline asked if it could be in my suitcase, and I thought there was no way. Why would I put it in there? But she went to look through my bag.

As I stood at the counter, I closed my eyes and repeated that script about the Universe rearranging itself for me about 40-45 times. I was speaking out loud. I didn’t care if I looked crazy. The words I shared above were the only thought I permitted.

The airline rep came back over to me a few minutes later and told me when she opened my suitcase, the form was right on top. Trust me when I tell you I did NOT remember putting it there when I packed.

Now, some people would say this was just a coincidence, but I assure you it was not. Belief creates reality. Other people say, “I’ll believe it when I see it,” but it actually works the opposite way. You will see it only when you believe it, because you put yourself in a position of positive expectation. That’s how the Universe will literally rearrange itself to deliver what you want.

Your Client Attraction Assignment
Do you see places in your life and business where you can apply this technique? Next time you come up against something that challenges you, try using this script. Repeat the phrase multiple times, over and over again. Truly believe it. Then see what happens.

Sometimes, we all have trouble making decisions in our business. You might struggle with what project to work on, how to market an event or who to hire. As a business owner, you are faced with countless decisions and loads of options on a daily basis.

For the bigger decisions, it can help to follow a method so you know you are making the best choice possible. This simple 3-step process will help you with any business decision so you can approach your choices with greater confidence.

1. Get the facts. Before making any decision, you need the facts. Get all your information together. You may need to do some research and ask a lot of questions. To decide what is best, pull the details together in one place so you have it all in front of you. Everyone in my office knows if they want me to make a decision, they have to present me with the facts first.

2. Ask others about their experience. Let’s say you want to try a new marketing tool like Facebook advertising or Living Social coupons. See if you know anyone who has used the method to find out about their experience. Get their feedback by asking questions like:

• Did you get the results you expected?
• Were you happy?
• What didn’t work?
• What surprised you?
• What would you do differently next time?

You can gain a lot of insight by talking to people – factor that into your decision. Learning from the mistakes or successes of others can save you a lot of time, money and aggravation.

3. Check in with your intuition. Sometimes everyone will tell you to take a particular step, but your gut instinct tells you something different. You’ve got to learn to trust your intuition. For example, if you get all the facts and then hear mixed reviews from people who have tried what you are thinking about doing, the next step is to check in with your own intuition. Pay attention to what feels right to you.

There are times when you just know something is the right way to go. I believe it’s important to honor those inklings and your inner knowingness. I have done this myself over the years and have found that it’s very important.

There may also be times when all signs point to taking a specific action and your gut is screaming, “No don’t do it!” Be sure to listen to those kinds of messages as well. If you need to double check, ask yourself if this is just fear holding you back.

Your Client Attraction Assignment
The next time you have a significant decision to make, take time to go through this step-by-step process. You may want to create a chart and write all the pertinent details in one document. Enter all the facts, plus the feedback you gather. Then, finish by jotting down your intuitive insights. Now you are empowered to make the best decision possible for your business.

If you are just getting started and are looking for networking opportunities and speaking gigs, I have one very big piece of advice: start locally.

Here’s why this is so important when you are ramping up. When you network locally, it’s easier to attend groups or events more frequently.This will help you get to know people better. You can fully penetrate a particular area and get “well-known” in the community. Staying local means your network will build on itself as you meet more people who know the same people you do.

When you go outside your area at the beginning, you risk spreading yourself too thin. You won’t be able to benefit from the awareness that comes with meeting the same people over and over again. This is how important connections and relationships form.

To get more clients and build your business, you want to be seen frequently in your area. People will think you are everywhere, which is good for getting noticed. That’s when awareness for what you do starts to spread, which is exactly what you want.

In addition, I don’t need to tell you how quickly travel expenses can add up these days. Plus, traveling makes it difficult to manage your time and may prevent you from implementing your marketing plans. You’ll be at your desk even less.

When you focus on speaking and networking locally, you can manage your time far more effectively. This is especially important at the start of your practice.

Your Client Attraction Assignment
Have you done a thorough search for networking groups and associations in your area? If not, make it a top priority this week. Make a list everything you find. In addition, as you get out there, ask the people you meet if they can recommend other groups or associations. That’s a wonderful way to expand your circle of connections and discover opportunities you might not find any other way.

If you have packages and programs, you will ultimately have clients who finish or complete their initial program. You may wonder, “What can I do with these clients next?” They are a valuable group of prospects since they have already invested in working with you.

Of course you could create a whole new program or a more advanced level of your work. But, another valid and smart option to get repeat clients is to simply ask them if they would like to continue the program they are in.

I was part of a coaching program with somebody for four years. This year, I renewed for the second year of the coaching program I was in last year. Why did I do this? I got great value! The first year was more foundational, but the second year was where I really started to soar.

As a big believer in sticking with what works, I think it’s just smart to keep going. Otherwise, your clients who stop are likely to stagnate and their results will slow too. On the other hand, if they keep working with you, they will create compound results based on the success they achieved in the first stage of your program.

In reality, you are actually doing your clients a disservice if you don’t invite them to continue working with you.

To get more clients, you may also want to create a maintenance program. Let’s say you had three or four sessions a month in the original program… the maintenance series could be once a month. You can say, “You know, I also have a maintenance program to keep your toes in the water. It’s a six month (or whatever time frame you offer) program and it includes…”

During this conversation, follow up your suggestion of continuing the work by reviewing their accomplishments. Look at their progress in your program and the great impact it had on their business – this can be very motivating. Have them share their goals for the next 12 months so they can start to see how your support would continue to be invaluable.

One thing to avoid is creating a group program, like a Q&A monthly call. This is particularly true if you don’t have a big enough list of clients who completed a program. What often happens is that even if they sign up, most choose not to attend. They may call in to listen to the recording, rather than participate in the live call. What happens if you could get only two people showing up for the actual call with questions? That can be a very tough hour-long call.

The best solution to get repeat clients is to invite them to continue the program they’ve been in or try the maintenance idea. That’s what I’ve discovered with my own programs.

Your Client Attraction Assignment
To get clients to sign up again, make sure to suggest advancement as a standard part of your series wrap-up. Plan to review what they learned and achieved and how it’s smart to keep going while business is growing.

As a business owner, you need to set your pricing structure at different levels to suit a variety of clients. Naturally you’ll want to have at least two to three options to give people flexibility in working with you. But on occasion, prospects may balk at even your entry-level fee. Here are a couple of tips that will help you figure out how to handle and respond to a request for a lower fee.

1. Does the person fit your ideal client profile? It’s not always your pricing that’s off base. Sometimes the potential client you are speaking with is not the right fit for your business. If someone asks for an even lower price, that can be a tell-tale sign she is not your ideal client.

Many owners often run around changing everything to accommodate requests like this, but that might not be your best course of action. Take time to think about the request and your pricing to make sure you are not going to cannibalize your entry-level option. Some people won’t bite and will pass up working with you. That is to be expected, so don’t fret.

2. Create an Introductory Package. The second option is to offer an introductory package for a more limited amount of your service. Make sure you provide a real end result, like a specific plan of action for a set time frame. Perhaps your entry-level program is $1,400 and this sample session is only $400. Talk to your client about how they can still join the entry-level program afterwards.

To make it more appealing, take that first payment of $400 and apply it to the $1,400 fee. This is a great incentive. Since the person has already worked with you, even if it’s in a smaller capacity, they are more likely to see the value and want to go for it.

Giving a client a “credit” for that first payment is not the same as offering a discount. A credit creates a feeling of money burning in her pocket. Instead, tell your prospect that the fee for the introductory session can be applied to any other program within a 30-day period.

Setting your prices can take some time. You want to get it right so that the majority of prospects you speak with do sign up and you earn the fee you deserve. Tweaking your fees over time is expected, and you may try a few things before you settle in. Once your practice gets close to being full, you can start to raise your prices since you are now in demand.

Your Client Attraction Assignment
When was the last time you reviewed your pricing or fee structure? The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to do this exercise. Take a look at all of your offerings and see where you might raise prices to improve your earning potential for 2015.

One of the best ways to get new clients is by referrals from current or past clients. Sometimes satisfied clients refer you to friends and colleagues naturally. That is something to celebrate! More often, you’ll get better results by prompting and encouraging your clients to do this.

I recommend that you send clients an email and ask this question: “What can I do to make it easy for you to refer people who will benefit from what I do?”

Test this idea with a few of your top clients to see how it works. Choose clients who might share what you do on Facebook or send you nice notes. Some people won’t respond to the email, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to refer others. A lack of response could be because they:

• Skipped over the email and didn’t read it
• Are too busy to even think about it
• Aren’t motivated by your email alone

If you don’t get a response, your next step is to send another email. This time say something like, “Hi _____, I’m wondering if you have time to chat for five minutes. I would love to get your input on something I’m working on. Let me know when you’re free and I’ll give you a call then. Thanks.”

Put the request into your email subject line as well. You might find after clients speak with you briefly, they are more willing to think about who they know that could benefit from what you do. Different people respond to different types of communication and outreach, so mixing it up is a smart business practice.

When you have clients who love you, they want to do the right thing. They adore you and are thrilled with their results, but perhaps they haven’t taken the time to think about how they could help you. If you get them on the phone for five minutes, you can ask the question and see what comes of it. It’s a very low-pressure tactic that can produce great results.

Occasionally, you might need to do a little discovery work to find out if you’re doing anything that gets in the way of referrals. Once in conversation, ask if there is anything you do that makes it difficult to refer others. You could find out tweaking something small will encourage more referrals. Sometimes it’s as simple as giving people a short script so they won’t stumble over their words when bringing the subject up.

Your Client Attraction Assignment
Are you getting the referrals you want? Try simply asking your happy clients at the end of a session if they know anyone who could also benefit from what you do. An occasional reminder asking for referrals can help you drum up new prospects and build your business.

2015 is going to be your best year ever. Why, you may ask? Because I’m going to share with you something I have been doing every year in my business since I started. I really believe that because of this one thing, my income has always exceeded that of my previous year. The best part is it’s a really simple exercise that should only take you an hour or two. Make some time this weekend to sit down with a cup of tea and your notebook, and take action.

We’re going to project what you would like to have happen in the next year. This isn’t just a New Year’s Resolution… we’re going to take it even further and really stretch your business goals. The best way to stretch so much bigger than you normally would is to create a 3-year vision for your life. I like to make a 3-year vision, because using just a one-year plan makes us really self-conscious with worry that we won’t have enough time to make things happen.

Imagine that it’s January 9, 2018—three years from now. You’re sitting down and you’re looking over the past three years. Write in your journal, “I am so happy and grateful now that over the past three years I have accomplished…”

I want you to really map out what you would like to see your life be like exactly three years from today. Three years allows you to be a little less inhibited and more realistic (but still with a bit of a stretch). Instead of thinking, “Oh, can I really get this done,” when you have a period of three years, you actually let your mind open up to what could be possible if you have the time, the focus and the concentration to get it done. In other words, the sky is your limit.

This is key: write in the present tense as if it were 3 years from now. If it doesn’t scare you just a little bit or get your mind racing, then it’s probably not enough of a stretch. (By the way, I just looked back to last year’s 3-year vision and I was SHOCKED to see how many of the goals in my 3-year vision I’d already achieved in just a little over a year. I’m telling you, this really works!)

Your Client Attraction Assignment

Take out your journal or a piece of paper. Write what will happen over the next three years in your business. Imagine the place you will be in and think: What does it feel like? How do you feel inside? What are your surroundings? Where do you live? Who do you spend your time with? What do you do in your business? What do you no longer do in your business? How much money are you making?

Your 3-year vision must be one that will literally PULL you into your future, will scare you just a little bit and make your heart beat a little faster than normal whenever you read this.

Lastly, share your vision! Share what you’ve written with your spouse, partner, team and family. This is how you’re going to reach different levels of your business, different levels of your income and deep personal satisfaction in your life.

This is going to be the best year yet—for you, for me, for everybody—especially if you do this assignment. Happy New Year, everyone! Wishing you all the very best in 2015.

Video is becoming increasingly important in your marketing mix. When you use video, potential clients can see who you are and decide if they like you. Since people work with those they know, like and trust, it makes sense that video is a must.

Simple video content ideas
Not sure what to talk about in your videos? That’s easy! Here are three simple ideas for engaging video content:

1. What keeps your ideal client up at night? Think about what your ideal clients need to know most. What answers are they searching for? What wakes them up at night? (I call this the “3-am-sweats.”) Make a list of these questions and come up with your best answers. Narrow down the length of your answer to get that one smart tidbit that’s easy to communicate.

2. Give easy strategies to achieve a goal. If you have a number of simple steps to share, these are perfect for a video series. Keep the information very short and simple for potential clients.

3. Tell a story. People love a good story. As you determine what to share in your videos, think about how to tell the story. This is the ideal place for testimonials and sharing your client success stories.

Where to use video
Video will work across many marketing venues:
•Replace written newsletters with video
•Post video on Facebook. To increase engagement, ask fans to share their burning questions and then answer them in video!
•Greet visitors on your website’s homepage
•Share on LinkedIn and Twitter

Video Made Easy
Here’s what I did to make it easy to create videos. I set up a small “video studio” at my office. My studio includes a background that’s always set up, good lighting, a teleprompter and a tripod to hold the camera. If you can, leave everything set up in your studio so you can easily take the stage when you’re ready to record.

Another great idea is to keep these items on hand so you have everything you need to get ready for last minute videos:

•Makeup
•Hair styling tools and hair spray
•Mirror
•Extra clothes

Your Client Attraction Assignment
Is video part of your 2015 Marketing Pie™? I encourage you to think seriously about this. If you are already shooting videos, take time to set up your studio so you’re ready to roll. If video is a new venture, remember you can make a quick video with most smart phones. Don’t sweat the details, just smile and shoot. Perfection is not required to have this marketing tool work for you.

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