As you consider which marketing strategies to pursue that fit your voice and your message, it’s important to remember that offline marketing is just as powerful as having a strong online presence.  In some cases it can even be more powerful.  One way to position yourself as the expert and attract your ideal clients is to host your own fr.ee event.  People are always looking for fr.ee resources, seminars and training opportunities.  Maybe they just want to learn a little more about a particular topic, or maybe it’s the way they entertain themselves.  Either way, fr.ee events can help fill your practice.

Think about fr.ee events kind of like your blog and ezine, you give out lots of fr.ee content to attract visitors and get them interested in your expertise. Then you give them an opportunity to learn more and get one-on-one support from you by means of your programs and services.   Fr.ee events are the same thing, but they just take a little more planning to be effective.

To create your own lead-generating event, follow these simple steps:

1. Find a location: Check with your local chamber of commerce, the library, your local SBDC office and other shared office or meeting spaces regarding availability and pricing.  Here in the Bay Area we have a company called Sandbox Suites that rents meeting space inexpensively.  You may also try Regus who has meeting space available worldwide.  Of course, the size of the space you reserve will dictate how many attendees you can host.
2. Set a date and start marketing:  You’ll want to give yourself at least six weeks to setup and market the event.  Distribute press releases to local media, secure radio interviews and maybe even do small direct mail campaign (Modern Postcard can help you with this).  This is in addition to your online marketing strategies.  I also suggest collecting a registration fee (you can refund the monies at the event) so that you have an accurate headcount and eliminate "tire kickers".  To do this, you can setup a simple online registration form at EventBrite. (You can certainly charge an inexpensive fee for your workshop too, perhaps $49 or $99, but for the purposes of our example we’ll focus on hosting a fr.ee event).
3. Plan your presentation:  Start off small, maybe a 90 minute talk with 30 minutes for questions.   Be sure to include exercises and some type of handout to encourage participation.  It’s best to teach in a step-by-step format that is easy to follow.  You want your audience to walk away with information they can implement that will make a difference in their life and their business. You can have documents printed at Mimeo or FedEx. Practice your presentation and be well prepared so that you create a positive learning experience for your audience!
4. Prepare a comfortable workspace:  Make sure you have everything you need so your audience can get the full benefit of your presentation including a microphone, projector if you’re doing a presentation, good air conditioning in the summer, or a good heater in the winter, etc. You’ll want to check all logistics and materials about 48 hours before the event.
5. Get some help:  You’ll want a door greeter to welcome guests and guide them to the registration table.  The registration table should be simple:  a form to fill out with their name, phone number, physical address and email address is fine.  You might want to also include a "how did you hear about this event?" question so you can track your marketing efforts.  You’ll also want to have name tags available to make networking a little easier. You should not be doing these tasks yourself – you should be fr.ee to roam the room and meet your guests.
6. Craft your offer: Your attendees will probably want to learn more from you than you’ll have time to present during your event. So make it easy for them to get access to your expertise! Create a special offer for your products and services that is only available on-site that day.  Ideally the offer should be a continuation of the topic you presented so that it’s an easy next step.  Be sure to offer a payment plan to make the offer affordable.  This is how your "FR*EE" event can become highly profitable for you!
7. Follow-up: You can call your attendees, send them an email or a personal card.  Regardless of how you decide to contact them, make sure it’s within 24-48 hours of your fr.ee seminar so they don’t have a chance to forget about you.  Then, put all attendees on a monthly follow up list so you can keep in touch.  That way when they need your services or know of someone who needs your services, you will be on top of their mind.

Hosting your own live workshop gives you a chance to connect with your prospects live and in person. It could take months of online marketing to develop a deep connection with them, but the same results could be had in one afternoon at a live event.  Thus, you create a win-win for you AND your audience.  They get access to your expert advice and solve pressing problems they face.  You create a new revenue stream and attract new clients and raving fans.  What could be better! 

Let me know how you plan to apply this smart, simple strategy to your own business by commenting here on the my blog!

How different would your business be if every time you offered a product, program or service your ideal client jumped at the opportunity to work with you? How would you feel? And how would that make a difference in your life? It would be pretty awesome, right?

I’ll let you in on a secret. Turning this scenario into your reality is completely possible and has nothing to do with what YOU think your clients want. It has everything to do with what THEY want! Discover how to determine what that is in today’s episode.

 

 SSMS Episode #11 – I Hate To Break This To You...But What You Want Doesn't Matter! [11:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (26)

Did you know there are pockets of money “hidden” in your business that you don’t even see? It’s true! For EVERY single client that I work with, the first thing I do is assess the opportunities in front of them (that they are too close to their business to see) and then create a “Money Map” to help them dig out the additional profits they’re looking for. You can do the same for your business…starting NOW! Listen to today’s episode as I share details on the importance of creating your own marketing plan, what benefits you can expect to enjoy in doing so and how to get started.

 

 SSMS Episode #9 – How to Find The Hidden Profits in Your Business [8:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (80)

Working with your ideal clients and only your ideal clients doesn’t have to be a fantasy.  You can work with only the people you are meant to serve ALL the time – IF you know exactly what they want.  Keeping in tune with what your ideal clients really want is the key to your success.

So the first step to making sure you’re deeply connected with your ideal clients is to figure out how well you know your current clients.  Are you providing the services and solutions they need now?  Are they repeat clients?  If yes, why and if not, why not?  There are 3 basic questions to ask yourself to ensure you are attracting your ideal client and keeping your current clients happy.

1. Have you done your market research? When was the last time you checked the pulse of your ideal clients to find out what their challenges are right now?  Keeping on top of their current needs, immediate challenges and hot topics is key to providing the services they need NOW.  If you don’t know, you simply need to ask them.  You’ll want to conduct research on a regular basis, by asking probing questions of all new prospects and conducting surveys of those in your network.
2. Who is your ideal client within your target market? Focusing on a particular segment of the population is great, but you need to get clear on the ONE type of individual that you want to work with, within that market.  For example, say your target audience is real estate agents.  But what kind of real estate agents; residential or commercial?  A man or a woman?  How old is this person? How much experience does he/she have? Where does this person live and/or work?  The more specific you are the better able you will be to create solutions that meet their needs.
3. Where does your ideal client “hang out”? In order to drill down into the nitty gritty of what your ideal client needs and wants, you need to connect with them and get to know them.  Find out where your ideal client is hanging out online and offline and meet them there.  This can mean participating in one of the social networking groups where you know they’re active or attending an appropriate networking event in your area.  Wherever it is, make sure you know where you need to be, get registered and be visible there.

Remember, marketing is simply a matter of sharing solutions in an appealing way with people who are already looking for them.  So, by doing your research and finding out what your ideal client needs will help you provide the solutions they are looking for.  And, since you’re in tune with their needs, you won’t ever need to “sell” yourself or your services because you will be clearly seen as THE expert problem solver.

When was the last time you did market research on your ideal clients?  Did you find any new challenges or ways to present your solutions to better serve them?  Post a comment below to let me know what you discovered and how you plan to use the information!

Social media is everywhere – it cannot be ignored. The most popular networks for small business owners are:  Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  Chances are that you have a profile in each of these and strive to be pretty active.  But is your activity leading to productivity?

Being active in the social networks is much like networking in person – if you’re doing it correctly. You should be making personal connections with people, having real conversations with them and above all, adding value to their lives and businesses.  Those in your network will appreciate your efforts to be truly and genuinely helpful.  Online or offline, this spirit is absolutely client attractive.

At first, it may start out with the little things like responding to a group question, or leaving your feedback on a blog post you saw in your Twitter stream.  But if you’re genuinely helping people, being friendly and conversing with others, people notice. Then, you’ll be known as the “expert” in the group, the go-to person that everyone waits to hear from.  And sometimes, you’ll be exactly the person a potential client is looking for to help them solve a challenge they’re facing.

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Getting anything “good” in the mail these days is a challenge.  Your mailbox is probably filled with bills, direct mail pieces (i.e. junk mail) and things you’d really rather not look at.  Think about the last time you actually received a greeting card or personal handwritten note in the mail.  When was that?  …Perhaps a long time ago.

The truth is, the times you receive a handwritten personalized note are likely few and far between.  That’s why when someone does receive one, it stands out.   This leaves a great impression on the receiver of that personalized note.

Sending a handwritten note to a potential client after a meeting is a great marketing strategy to implement.  One, you have the chance to quickly thank your potential client for the meeting.  Two, it keeps you on top of their mind as they are “thinking” about working with you.  Three, it makes you stand out from the crowd.  If they are “shopping” for service providers, they will be more likely to choose you for your great service, because they are impressed by your gracious follow-up.

But sending a handwritten note doesn’t stop with new potential clients.  This practice should be carried out throughout the life of your relationship with your client.  This means thank you notes when the project is completed, a card acknowledging the anniversary of their business, congratulating them on a BIG win, etc.  It doesn’t take as long as you think!  Taking 5 minutes to write a note will help you to maintain a great relationship with your client, will go a long way towards creating a satisfied customer and will generate referrals.

And, who doesn’t love referrals?

Happy clients will tell their friends, family and anyone who will listen about the great service you provide and the WAY you served them.  The next time your client hears about someone in need of the type of services you provide, guess who they will recommend?  YOU!  Why? Because they had a great experience in working with you and you are on the top of their minds because you stay in touch with them.

The type of card you send should be a mixture of personal style and polished professionalism.  First of all, send the nicest card you can afford.  If you are going to have monogrammed or personalized note cards designed with your business logo, take the time to hire a graphic designer to create a stylish piece.  Be sure they are printed on good quality card stock.  (You don’t want someone who is paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for your services to feel like they got a “cheap” card from a discount store.) Depending on your profession, you will probably want to avoid using the cartoon and caricature type of cards.  These may not support your brand or your business and could detract from your professionalism.

I’m excited to see how this strategy works for you and would love to hear the feedback you get from clients.  Please share your success stories with me by posting a comment on the blog!

Your website is one of the most important pieces of marketing collateral you have. It serves as a hub for your services, portfolio, expertise and blog. More clients will find your website before they find you via social media, a referral or other marketing source.

One of the best things to leverage your website is to speak to your potential client through examples or samples of your work. This allows the reader to see a sample of your work before they ever pick up the phone to call you.

That said, be sure to showcase your most successful client stories. For example, if you are a service provider that offers interior design or organizing services, you want to make sure and take high quality “before and after” pictures.  This will highlight your work and show prospective clients what solutions you can create for them. But make sure these pictures tell the right story – in the right way.  This means NOT taking pictures yourself (unless you’re a skilled photographer).  Spend a few extra dollars to have high quality photos taken of your work. You can then use the photos on your website, and in your other marketing materials, both online and offline. MORE

There is one simple technique that can help you convert website visitors to potential clients.  Having a website is more than just a “necessary” marketing piece.  It’s a critical step in helping potential clients find you, and qualifying that candidate before they even contact you.

Part of your website’s “job” is to speak to your ideal client.  You’ve heard me say over and over again that identifying your ideal client is a critical piece to your success as a solo service professional.  By narrowing your target audience down to ONE person, you have a much greater chance of success because everything you do will focus on their needs, their challenges and ultimately the solutions they are looking for.

That is, the solutions they need and YOU provide.

The best way for them to realize that you provide the EXACT solutions they want is to speak directly to them through your website.  How do you do this?

Simple!  You ask them questions. MORE

As a service provider, have you considered offering packaged services to your clients? Regardless of what kind of service you provide, what you’re really offering is a specific solution to a specific problem. That’s what your clients are looking for.  They aren’t really interested in how much you charge by the hour or the session.  It doesn’t serve them and actually it doesn’t serve you.

Your clients want to know EXACTLY what they’re getting when they hire you.  So make it easy for them.  Instead of offering a certain number of sessions or quoting your services by the hour, give them options for packaged solutions.  Clients can’t visualize what they are getting when you only charge them by the hour. So, if you say your rate is $50 an hour, they immediately question what exactly you’re going to do for $50 an hour and they start to worry that you will drag out the time to make more money.  It’s difficult for them to budget this way since they have no idea how long it will take to create the desired result.  In addition, they are less accountable because they haven’t really made a commitment to take full advantage of what you’re offering.  Plus offering your services by the session or by the hour makes it EXTREMELY difficult for you to plan your cash flow and to keep your clients engaged long enough to make a real difference in their business or their life. MORE

Getting anything “good” in the mail these days is a challenge.  Your mailbox is probably filled with bills, direct mail pieces (i.e. junk mail) and things you’d really rather not look at.  Think about the last time you actually received a greeting card or personal handwritten note in the mail.  When was that?  A long time ago I bet.

The truth is, handwritten personalized notes are few and far between.  That’s why when someone does receive one, it stands out.   This leaves a great impression on the receiver of that personalized note.

Sending a handwritten note to a potential client after a meeting is a great marketing strategy to implement.  One, you have the chance to quickly thank your potential client for the meeting.  Two, it keeps you on top of their mind as they are “thinking” about working with you.  Three, it makes you stand out from the crowd.  If they are “shopping” for service providers, they will be more likely to choose you for your great service, because they are impressed by your gracious follow-up.

But sending a handwritten note doesn’t stop with new potential clients.  This practice should be carried out throughout the life of your relationship with your client.  This means thank you notes when the job is completed, a card acknowledging the anniversary of their business, congratulating them on a BIG win, etc.  The time you spend maintaining the great relationship with your client will go a long way towards creating a satisfied customer and generating referrals.

And, who doesn’t love referrals?

Happy customers will tell their friends, family and anyone who will listen about the great service you provide.  The next time someone needs a financial planner, guess who they will recommend?  YOU!  Because you were a great financial planner (or whatever service you provide), you gave them great customer service and you are on the top of their minds because you are in constant contact with them.

The type of card you send should be a mixture of personal choice and professionalism.  First of all, send the nicest card you can afford.  If you are going to have monogrammed or personalized note cards made with your business logo, take the time to hire a graphic designer to make them look polished and professional.  Plus, be sure they are printed on good quality card stock.  You don’t want someone who is paying $1,000 for your services to feel like they got a “cheap” card from a discount store.

Depending on your profession, you will probably want to avoid using the cartoon and caricature type of cards.  These do not support your brand your business and could detract from your professionalism.  I’m interested to see how this strategy works for you and would love to hear the feedback you get from clients!  Please share your success stories with me by posting a comment below!