Think: Dating and First Impressions

Relationship marketing, like dating, is a process of getting good prospects to know you, like you and trust you, so that they will want to see more of you. First impressions count.

If we come across as interesting and nice, or funny or helpful, we likely get a second date. If we come across as an unapproachably emotionally cold, intellectually distant, and like a professional know-it-all, those good prospects go elsewhere.

I'm reading a great book right now called The Relationship Cure by the famous relationship therapist, John Gottman. It's not about marketing at all, but does have some interesting parallels to consider regarding how we make bids for connection that cause listeners to turn towards us, away from us, or against us. Obviously in marketing our private practices, we want ideal clients to turn towards us, and to want connection with us.

Basically what works in marriage, parenting, friendship and co-worker relationships, works in client attraction as well because marketing for the healing arts is all about using relationship skills to be of service when others are suffering. I'd boil it down this way:

1. Prioritize your prospective ideal clients' needs over your own
2. Engage with sincere interest in their experience of their pain or problem
3. Downplay your wonderfulness (credentials, training, associations, achievements -- nobody likes a show off)
4. Do tell compelling stories about your own life / imaginary clients that relate to theirs, but don't over do it
5. Take time to be genuinely helpful (with no expectation of a goodnight kiss--er, uh, signing up a client)
6. Have a way to ask them out for more dates (follow up marketing)
7. Listen with enthusiasm and compassion, validate emotions and worries, be supportive

This is a qualitative checklist that can be applied to a wide range of marketing tasks no matter who you're trying to date. Um, I mean, attract as clients. Like mom always said, just be yourself, and you'll be fine.

Why Professionals in the Healing Arts Should Blog

When you blog, you are creating and/or enhancing your professional reputation. You are giving information of value to potential patients or clients that may be the start of your therapeutic alliance or coaching partnership.

Giving free self-help advice, action step tips, healthful recipes, etc promotes not only goodwill, but lets future clients / patients get to know what to expect from you. It positions you as warm, friendly, generous, helpful, empathetic, and knowledgeable without having to say any of those things directly. It gives potential clients a favorable experience of you before you’ve even met.

More importantly, a blog contributes to your reputation as a specialist in your type of work. Even though most of us were trained to be generalists in our professions, to gain a steady flow of clients you need to market as a specialist. Presenting yourself as a specialist does not limit who you actually accept as a client or patient. It simply maximizes your client attractiveness magnetism.

In terms of time and energy management, blogging is one of the most effective tools and uses of time for the introverted solopreneur. An entry can be multi-purposed and used in your newsletter to referral sources, as a tip sheet give-away from your website, as part of an autoresponder series, as a networking or workshop handout, etc. Write it once, use it 4 or 5 times, or more.

And, as a special bonus for the introverted solopreneur, blogging is a way to network without having to attend a chamber of commerce breakfast at 7 am and remember your elevator speech! Blogging is a very low-cost / high reward marketing activity.

Being In Your Element

She's in her element. Maybe you've heard that old phrase. It describes the phenomenon of being completely at home with something, surrounded by the familiar, using all of who you are, all of your strengths and skills.

When I'm writing, I'm in my element. Writing is as natural to me as breathing (maybe even more so, since I'm told I breathe backwards -- sucking in when inhaling. It's a girl thing.)

When I'm teaching and mentoring -- both of which I've done for decades -- I'm also in my element. Nothing is more satisfying than helping others gain new learning that provides practical skills and aha insights that make a real difference in their lives.

Basically, my element is communication. Using language effectively to problem-solve and create. Sometimes to provoke new perspectives. Shift old paradigms. Gain deeper insights.

So I'm passionate when I say that two essential factors of using communication skills -- in relationships, in personal growth, in professional achievement, and all of life, and especially in marketing -- are:

• the need to find your voice, and
• the magic of speaking from your shining spirit.

I'm on a mission to help you do both.

=~= Deah =~=
TheNoHypeMentor.com