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.
27 February 2009
Are You Using Marketing Intelligence?
Asking our target audience what they're main problems are that they are right now willing to invest in solving is the action of getting basic marketing intelligence. Big corporate advertisers do this by paying research companies to host focus groups.
Solopreneurs can do the same thing. In fact, it's a good marketing strategy to do so. People love to give their opinions usually. And they like to talk about themselves, and complain about their problems. A focus group is a gold mine of marketing intelligence.
The basis of an invitation to come to a focus group can be that you are gathering information on the topic of ______for a special report you are writing, or for the development of a special tip sheet or CD or workshop. Pitch the invitation as you wanting info from the "in the trenches" experts (your target niche audience).
During the focus group, be sure to sprinkle into your listening a few free tips. Just because you are acting as an information gatherer doesn't mean you aren't still the specialist in your field. Never miss an opportunity to let people sample you doing your work.
Of course, you then do have to create the report (or whatever), but that becomes a further good marketing tool itself.
Gathering marketing intelligence is a standard phase of business development for all startups, and for any new major product or revenue stream launch. They can be fun, informative, and excellent networking -- all at the same time! A great way to leverage your efforts.
Solopreneurs can do the same thing. In fact, it's a good marketing strategy to do so. People love to give their opinions usually. And they like to talk about themselves, and complain about their problems. A focus group is a gold mine of marketing intelligence.
The basis of an invitation to come to a focus group can be that you are gathering information on the topic of ______for a special report you are writing, or for the development of a special tip sheet or CD or workshop. Pitch the invitation as you wanting info from the "in the trenches" experts (your target niche audience).
During the focus group, be sure to sprinkle into your listening a few free tips. Just because you are acting as an information gatherer doesn't mean you aren't still the specialist in your field. Never miss an opportunity to let people sample you doing your work.
Of course, you then do have to create the report (or whatever), but that becomes a further good marketing tool itself.
Gathering marketing intelligence is a standard phase of business development for all startups, and for any new major product or revenue stream launch. They can be fun, informative, and excellent networking -- all at the same time! A great way to leverage your efforts.
26 January 2009
Let's Get Real
Solid client attraction marketing is not a quick fix. The field of dreams website mindset -- if you build it, they will come -- is a myth. Despite the hype from many internet gurus, there is no magic wand to wave that will turn a lack of clients into a prosperous abundance overnight.
Let's get real -- Marketing is a continual process. There are many steps to success, many pieces that must be well crafted and put into (the right) place, before most self-employed service providers have not only a full client load but also a waiting list.
And then, you have to keep marketing to keep that stream flowing. Marketing isn't something you can do for a few months, and then sit back and wait for something to happen. Or worse, it isn't something you can stop when clients start ringing your phone off the hook.
Attracting clients requires daily effort. It requires focused purpose, clear strategy, compelling language. In other words, it requires some planning, and a lot of follow through. And then it requires some evaluation, and re-planning.
What's your marketing plan? What marketing efforts have you accomplished today? How's it working for you? What will you change, based on the results you're currently getting?
Let's get real -- Marketing is a continual process. There are many steps to success, many pieces that must be well crafted and put into (the right) place, before most self-employed service providers have not only a full client load but also a waiting list.
And then, you have to keep marketing to keep that stream flowing. Marketing isn't something you can do for a few months, and then sit back and wait for something to happen. Or worse, it isn't something you can stop when clients start ringing your phone off the hook.
Attracting clients requires daily effort. It requires focused purpose, clear strategy, compelling language. In other words, it requires some planning, and a lot of follow through. And then it requires some evaluation, and re-planning.
What's your marketing plan? What marketing efforts have you accomplished today? How's it working for you? What will you change, based on the results you're currently getting?
23 January 2009
Desperation Tactics are Counterproductive
A lot of coaches, counselors and independent NDs are feeling pretty desperate for clients these days. Some have already closed their practices, or have taken part time jobs outside their professional field. Others are scrambling around to find creative new ways to offer their services.
Desperation tactics such as drastically lowering or sliding your fees below your bottom line costs, or cutting your marketing expenses are counterproductive to attracting clients in this economic climate.
Instead, this is the time to reconsider your ideal client concept:
How do you need to change your marketing message to connect with those clients right now?
People just don't hire helpers who project a vibe of being as desperate as the client. Are you aware of the emotional energy you are sending out in your marketing and networking efforts? Does it exude compassion and confidence?
If not, it's time to look for what you CAN feel 100% confident about, in terms of promoting your services. Some strategic thinking about varying the ways in which you offer services, and having different price points -- including giving away more information for free -- can give you a well diversified client attraction plan that will work better than shutting down out of fear.
Desperation tactics such as drastically lowering or sliding your fees below your bottom line costs, or cutting your marketing expenses are counterproductive to attracting clients in this economic climate.
Instead, this is the time to reconsider your ideal client concept:
- is it a viable market right now?
- how have their problems or suffering shifted?
- what are they desperate to eliminate and willing to pay you to help them get rid of?
How do you need to change your marketing message to connect with those clients right now?
People just don't hire helpers who project a vibe of being as desperate as the client. Are you aware of the emotional energy you are sending out in your marketing and networking efforts? Does it exude compassion and confidence?
If not, it's time to look for what you CAN feel 100% confident about, in terms of promoting your services. Some strategic thinking about varying the ways in which you offer services, and having different price points -- including giving away more information for free -- can give you a well diversified client attraction plan that will work better than shutting down out of fear.
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