Archive for February, 2010

If you are like most other coaches, consultants and small business owners you probably dread, maybe even hate to market your business.  The problem if you feel that way is that everything you do is about marketing your business.

Funny thing is this:  If you hate marketing that much you probably are not spending a whole heck of a lot of time marketing your business, and if you are not marketing your business your cash flow is probably really suffering.  Am I right?  Read on and learn 4 simple but effective marketing strategies that can help create on-going cash flow in your business.

1. Become A Magnet To Your Perfect Clients

I have written about the idea of identifying your ideal client before so this should come as no surprise…Know what your ideal clients want, know how you can help solve their problems and communicate this consistently all the time.

In order to effectively become that magnet you will need a couple of things:

• A clear marketing message
• An awesome website
• A juicy free offer with an e-mail capturing database
• A clear understanding of what your gifts are and how working with you will ultimately change the life of your clients

2.  Share Great and Valuable Content With Your Prospects

In this day and age there are many places that prospects can go to get some FREE help and resources.  What can you offer to help you stand out from the crowd?  Providing valuable content that answers some questions and offers them a take away without giving away the farm is a great combination that will keep those prospects coming back and investing with you.  Remember, your free offer should give them some help but not go so far that they don’t come back for more.

3. Share Your Time with Your Tribe

Connecting with your tribe is the best investment you can make and it literally only costs you your time.  Connect regularly with them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and your newsletter.  Make sure you publish your newsletter regularly so they know when to expect it.

One of the best ways to interact with your tribe of followers is by engaging them in a conversation.  This is accomplished by asking questions on your blog, on Facebook and Twitter posts and in your newsletter.

Don’t forget to share information about yourself.  Now don’t get freaked out on me.  You ultimately control the amount of information you share with your followers.  There is a fine line between too much and too little but if you are resistant to sharing I would ask you to work through that resistance.  Followers want to build a connection with you and if you never share anything personal about yourself chances are they will go to someone who will.

4. Ask Your Followers To Take the Next Step

Here is THE mistake that most solopreneurs make!  They fail to ask their tribe to take the next step. They fail to market their services to the people that they are engaged with.  They fail to ask them to invest in themselves by working with you.

Does this sound familiar?  This is where your fear of sales and marketing comes in…you see how this kills your cash flow?

Asking is ok, heck it’s necessary!  But I know how scary it can be just asking.  Do you struggle with these very issues?

If you have that fear of sales and marketing I will be addressing this very issue in my Money, Marketing and Mindset Mastermind Program that is currently forming.  Contact me at 978-794-4991 or at maureen@daretobephenomenal.com to request an application.  Don’t delay as space is limited and the early bird pricing goes away February 28^th!

I look forward to helping you break through your stuck points and create the cash flow you desire!

Patricia Drain Talks About The Maximizing Success Wealth Retreat!

Click on this short video to hear Patricia Drain talk about the Maximizing Success Wealth Retreat that’s happening this March 20-21, 2010 right here in Boston, MA!

To learn more about this event go to:  http://maximizingsuccessboston.com

I am often asked whether or not posting fees on a website is good idea or not.  Unfortunately, it isn’t as simple as a yes or no answer.  There are pro’s and con’s to both positions.

Now I know that you are feeling pangs of uncertainty and anxiety as you struggle to come to some decision with regard to whether to post or not.  But keep reading to find out why I think posting your fees is NOT a good idea.

First let me say if you post your fees you run the risk that prospective clients will pass you by because they feel your fees are too high without you ever having a conversation with you.  On the other hand if you don’t post your fees many people will wonder just how much you ARE going to charge and will assume your fees are too much for them to afford without any further investigation on their part.

So why do I feel leaving them off is the right answer?  Here are my three top reasons:

1.  The Decision To Hire Should Never Be Made On Price Only

Do you want price to be at the top of that prospects reason for hiring you?  I think not!  Money usually isn’t the number one reason why clients will pay you for services and invest in themselves.  But if you go ahead and post your fees you are clearly encouraging clients to keep price as a main criteria for hiring you.

I have never posted my fees on my website and I don’t have any intentions of starting.  Yet the funny thing is that most of my clients are people who feel that I am out of their price range.  When I sit with them and explain the value and benefits of working with me, they usually invest, find a way to pay for the service and end up being the best clients.  Why?  Because they understand the investment they are making and are really, really committed to achieving their goals.  They are PHENOMENAL!

2.  It’s All In The Conversation

The reality here is that your goal is to engage your prospective client in a conversation.  The selling conversation is about helping your prospective client get to know, like and trust you.  This can’t happen by just going to your website and perusing your price list.  It is one dimensional and flat…there is no opportunity for your prospect to have an authentic experience with you.

But remember, there is absolutely no reason for you to get into this conversation unless you are prepared to fully understand what problem they want to solve, what their business will look like once the problem is resolved, what the cost is if they don’t solve this problem and finally what it’s worth to them to solve it.

Do you see how vital it is to have the conversation in the first place?

Do you realize by having this conversation you help them to explore so much more than just a dollar amount?

3.  Clients Want  A Price They Can Wrap Their Head Around

In short, they want a price they can justify.  Until you can help them find the value in what you have to offer, they won’t spend a penny to work with you.  Your solution must be important and valuable to them.  While you are engaged in the conversation you can ask them why it is important to them.  Without the conversation you can never uncover what is truly valuable to them.

When you ask that all important question, “What’s important to you?” the prospective client will inevitably open up and tell you all the emotional reasons behind why they want to fix and solve their problem.  When you are then able to address their issues and let them know that you can help them their objections around money disappear like magic.

Now don’t get confused here.  If you are offering a product or a seminar where everyone is paying the same price then you will post that price on your website.  But for coaching, consulting, designing, organizing or other serviced based professions I recommend leaving the price off.  Instead spend your time writing great copy that fully describes the value and benefits you offer your prospective clients so they can imagine what it would be like to work with you and have a business that is truly flourishing.

How to Make Money in Your Bathrobe from eBay

Adam Ginsberg is America’s “go-to” guy for how to make BIG money on the Internet. Instilled with an entrepreneur’s spirit from an early age, Adam helped build a young marketing company into a multimillion-dollar success while he was still in college. Fascinated by the moneymaking potential of the Internet, he began selling on eBay and in less than a year became eBay’s #1 new seller. Adam’s eBay sales exceeded $20 million in less than five years, and was one of eBay’s first Titanium Power Sellers – eBay’s highest level.

Adam is the author of the #1 best seller, “How to Buy, Sell & Profit on eBay”. He has been featured in Fortune, Entrepreneur, and Kiplinger magazines, and has appeared on CNBC, ABC World News Tonight, and The Today Show. He has taught entrepreneurs nationwide how to build a winning Web site and make big bucks online. Adam will show you how to create a truly automated system that generates profits 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

To learn more and to register go to: http://tinyurl.com/maxsuccess

Are you interested in becoming a millionaire entrepreneur?  Well then you won’t want to miss the Maximizing Success Wealth Retreat this March 20-21, 2010 right here in Boston!  Thousands of people have attended Debbie Allen’s seminars and now you can too.

Learn how Debbie built and sold numerous highly successful entrepreneurial ventures from the ground up to multi-million dollar businesses with little knowledge of the industries. Discover her easy-to-follow, highly insightful grass roots success strategies. Learn how you can hold a “Masters in Life” from the school of hard knocks and real-life business experience, too. Debbie will show you that “It’s ALL Possible.”

Develop the Vision, Plan and Performance critical to achieving high levels of success.

Discover the four distinctive mindsets of a millionaire entrepreneur and uncover six powerful characteristics that will empower you to exceed your goals.

Learn how to:

• Use the power of your thoughts to move you past any obstacle
• Create massive success by focusing on the quality of your thoughts
• Implement the action-oriented skills required to achieve peak performance
• Think, act and respond to opportunities like a millionaire entrepreneur

To learn more and to register go to: http://tinyurl.com/maxsuccess

I have written extensively about this subject but I am going to write about it again because I know there are plenty of people out there making this mistake.  So here goes…

I hate to hear the word “NO”.  How about you?  Well, I bet you hate that word even more when you talk with potential clients about your fees.  You’ll do almost anything to get a “yes” instead of that dreaded no and I bet that includes lowering your fees.  The problem is that dreadful habit of lowering your fees will eventually put you out of business.

So how should you handle price objections?  Here a 4 simple solutions.

1. Establish Value Before Discussing Fees

It is always about the value.  You’ve heard me say this before, “no one cares what you do, but they do care about what you can do for them.”  Therein lies the value; its what you can do for them.  Can you help them loose weight?  Can you help them increase their sales? Can you help them manage their time more effectively? 

Whether on your website, in the sales conversation or in any other written material remember to always establish the value that you are offering the client.  So get clear on this, ok?

Remember when discussing fees don’t let the conversation stray into pricing too soon.  You need to ensure they understand the value of working with you BEFORE you talk money.

Here’s an example:  What would it be worth to you to be able to accomplish all the things that we discussed today?

Doesn’t get any simpler or more powerful than that!

Remember, there is a lot that goes into the sales conversation but if you are not clear on the value you offer your clients they won’t be either.

2. Lowering Fees = Removing Value

Remember when you are developing your packages you can always offer a lower priced alternative.  But don’t forget to remove services from that package.  Often times when clients see what was removed from the higher priced package they suddenly find the original package very appealing.

3. Have Multiple Options For Your Clients

Sometimes it really is about money. When it’s really a matter of affordability for your clients are you able to help by offering them multiple solutions?   If they aren’t ready to invest in your private coaching, then they can sign up for your newsletter and join your next workshop or group coaching program.

Having multiple packages to offer your prospects makes the entire sales process much easier. Regardless of their objections, you have something they can say “YES” too.

4. Say “NEXT” and Move On

Be willing to walk away.  Yup, you heard me right.  It takes a lot of guts to walk away and know in your heart that a better client is just around the corner.  Remember there are many, many more clients willing to pay your fee and work with you to get incredible results.

This is in fact an extremely powerful way to close a sales conversation.  People hate when something is taken away from them; they hate scarcity.  All of a sudden they want things that they think they can’t have.  Nut’s I know, but it’s true.

When you prospective client sees that you’re willing to walk away… they suddenly see you as more valuable.  You’re not there squirming and begging for their business.  You understand there is someone out there dying to work with you!

When you allow prospects to push you around and into lowering your fees you end up resenting them.  And is this the kind of working relationship you want with your clients?  I think not!

Not making a sale can be nerve racking, but take a step back, a deep breath and know that the next client is just around the corner!

The outside of our business has a unique way of reflecting back at us what is going on inside of our business. So when my business is in the ebb and not the flow I know that something is going on and I need to figure it out.  When this occurs, the one thing I know for sure is that it’s time for a breakthrough.  Usually this breakthrough is around money, but it can be around anything in your business.

Many women entrepreneurs have the mistaken belief that when we start making and keeping more money it will change us in ways that are not positive or good.  This is simply not true.

When I begin to feel doubts around money and start to experience a lull in my business I sit down and reconnect  and realign with my money goal.

I ask myself the following questions to help me through the process:

1.  Is my money goal big enough?

2.  Does my money goals still hold significance for me?

3.  Am I connected to the bigger why of what the money is for?

When I evaluate and ask myself these questions I am challenging myself to step it up another notch and push past the next money barrier causing me to have a major money breakthrough.  It works everytime!

Next time you are confronted with a business and money flow slump, ask yourself these questions and see if you can have a money breakthrough too!

I would love to hear how it works for you!

Are you interested in learning how to establish multiple streams of income?  Well then you won’t want to miss the Maximizing Success Wealth Retreat this March 20-21, 2010 right here in Boston!  Thousands of people have attended Robert Allen’s seminars and now you can too.

Read on to learn more about Robert Allen.

His colossal bestseller Nothing Down established Robert Allen as one of the most influential investment advisors of all time. He has followed that success with three other best-selling books including Multiple Streams of Income, as well as the audiocassette programs “The Road to Wealth” and “Multiple Streams of Income”.

A popular talk-show guest, Allen has appeared on hundreds of programs, including “Good Morning America” and “Larry King Live.” He has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Barron’s, Money Magazine, and Reader’s Digest.

Join me and hundreds of other success minded business people on March 20-21st to learn from the best minds in the business of wealth and wealth creation.  Hope to see you there!

To learn more and to register go to: http://tinyurl.com/maxsuccess

As women business owners we often give out power away around money.  We do this in a variety of  ways that I want to share with you today.  Typically women give their power away in one of four ways:

1.  Deciding ahead of time what someone is willing to pay for your product or service or deciding ahead of time how many people will sign up for a particular service.  In doing so you artificially surpress your success by keeping your numbers much lower than than they could be.

2. You fail to understand or see why someone would want to pay more for your services or products.

3.  You give away an over abundance of your time.  Is this you?  Do you tend to give away hours and hours of services to your clients that  you are not compensated for?

4.  You overspend in your personal and business life purchasing items that you  don’t need.

Now the big question is: “Which of these behaviors fits your particular situation and pattern of behavior?”  Once you have that figured out I want you to ask yourself, “What need is being served by you giving away your power with money?”  Is it to be liked or avoid rejection?  Or maybe you want to be seen as powerful to other people.

What ever the reason figure it out and then ask yourself if that need was being met and you were fully standing in your power what action would you take now?  Think about it and let me know your thoughts.