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)

It’s all too easy for entrepreneurs to be stuck in their business and NOT take consistent action because of feeling like each step has to be “perfect”.  The truth is “perfect” (a term I use loosely) action doesn’t create results.  What DOES create results is taking consistent (even if imperfect) action on the right things.  Last week we talked about creating your marketing plan and this week it’s all about HOW to work the plan and achieve your goals.

 

 SSMS Episode #10 - How To Create More Profits In Your Business While Taking Imperfect Action [13:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (72)

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)

Upselling is not a new concept.  It’s actually deeply rooted in "regular" sales techniques.  Think about how many upsell opportunities you encounter when purchasing virtually anything. 

For example:

• "What size fries would you like with your burger?"
• "How many ink cartridges would you like for your new printer?"
• "What type of car wash would you like with your oil change?"
• "What kind of dessert would you like from our wonderful dessert menu?"
• "You can get a discount if you get your auto and home policy with us; let’s run the numbers real quick."

You can see from this short set of examples how often the upsell strategy is used.  In these examples, I purposefully used an "assumptive close", which is an open ended question that can’t be answered with a yes or no.  While this is somewhat of an "advanced" selling technique, you can apply the same general lesson in your own business.

Once you have established a relationship with a new client, you know exactly what their challenges are and the solutions they need.  A great way to create more revenue is to upsell them to an offering that further supports them in solving their problem.  This can be in the form of one of your own products like an eBook or additional services, or, it can actually be an affiliate product that closely aligns with your business strategy.

Affiliate marketing is a common practice in the Internet Marketing world.  It’s simply a way for you to earn money (commission) from promoting another person’s product to your clients.  As long as the product fits your clients’ needs, then it can be a win-win-win situation.  Your client gets the additional help they need, you and your partner get more revenue. 

Another great benefit to affiliate or partner marketing is that you show your client that you are truly interested in helping them solve their problems.  While you may not be able to help them with everything they need, you are going out of your way to provide them with other solutions.  This saves them time from having to research other options and creates more trust in you as a problem solver.  You also automatically position yourself as an expert because you intuitively know what they need. 

An example of this type of marketing upsell is an interior designer who offers her clients an eBook from a professional organizer on how to make a home office more efficient.  Or the designer could offer her client an introductory session with the organizer at a discounted rate.  (She would likely receive a commission on the sale and the organizer is introduced to a new client he/she might not have connected with).  While the interior designer has designed and decorated a beautiful office, the professional organizer can share tips and techniques on how to make that office function more efficiently.  With the knowledge from the eBook or the introductory session, the client can then use that information to transform their home office into a primo working environment.  While the interior designer may not be an "organization" expert, she can provide the resources for the client to do it themselves. 

The most important aspect of upsell marketing is that it is done with the utmost professionalism and respect.  If you choose to partner with an affiliate, make sure you take the time to get to know the provider and ensure they meet your professional standards.  Don’t endanger your relationship with your client by providing shoddy "referrals" to make a quick buck.  This will reflect poorly on you and ultimately impact your relationship with your client.  Which in the end means less revenue for you.

There are many different upsell strategies to use in your business.  Do you use any in your business right now?   Which is your favorite one?  If you don’t use an upsell strategy in your business now, what could you do?  Let me know how you can apply this smart, simple strategy to your own business today!

Have you set a goal for yourself and your business and find yourself struggling to make it happen? Are you wondering why having the business you desire seems just out of reach? If so, you’re not alone. A lot of solo service professionals feel this way. The good news is the answer is very simple. And it has nothing to do with the economy, how long you’ve been in business or what type of business you have. Listen in as I share the secret and how to overcome this common challenge.

 

 SSMS Episode #8 – The #1 Thing Holding You Back from BIG Profits in Your Business [6:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (85)

It’s hard to believe that more than half the year is over.  It seems like time moves faster than you can keep up with when you are a solopreneur.  There is so much to do and yet so little time. 

If you have felt "stuck" with where you’re at in your business, especially as it relates to accomplishing the goals you’ve set for yourself,  I want to assure you that it is possible to get "un-stuck", breakthrough the challenges you’re facing and get back in gear.

How?

First, stop being so hard on yourself.  Many times when I start working with a new client, I find that they’ve been spinning their wheels trying to move forward and are feeling very frustrated that they aren’t making progress.  It’s all too easy to put undue pressure on yourself and to feel buried under feelings of guilt.  All this is doing is draining your energy and distracting you from moving forward.

So, if you’ve been feeling this way…let it GO!  Stop being so hard on yourself! Getting distracted can happen to the best of us and if this has happened to you, it doesn’t mean you’re a "failure".  You can’t change the past, but you can most certainly take control of your future, starting today.  Forgive yourself, make the commitment to change and open your eyes to see all of the possibilities in front of you.

Second, take stock of your assets.  You likely have a lot of good things going for you in your business.  (You may have been too busy focusing on the "negative" things to see this.) So make a list of all the things that are going RIGHT.  Also, make a list of all the opportunities you have at your disposable.  The prospective clients that have expressed an interest in working with you.  The referral partners who would like to partner with you or send client leads your way.  The request you had to speak at an industry event or conference.  Also, I want you to start capturing all of your great ideas in one place so you can refer to them again and again.  Once you’ve organized your thoughts and opportunities you can start to see clearly what your next steps should be to take advantage of them and grow your business.

Next, set some achievable goals for yourself for the next 90 days.  This isn’t the time to focus on your long-term goals.  While I wholeheartedly agree that you should have a BIG vision for what your business can become and steadily work towards that, what you need to get back in gear right now is a few "small" victories.  So make a list of 5-7 things you’d like to accomplish that seem manageable, achievable and inspiring to you.  Then break this list down into actionable tasks and schedule these on your calendar so that you have dedicated blocks of time for working on your business.

Finally, I want you to reach out for support.  Just because you are a solopreneur, doesn’t mean you have to be "in the trenches" alone.  No one who is successful in business has become so on their own.  We all need a helping hand.  If you feel overwhelmed by all that you have to get done in a day, partner with a Virtual Assistant to whom you can delegate.  Consider working with a coach to keep yourself accountable and on track with your tasks.  If you really want to leap ahead and overhaul your business within the next six months, contact me about my VIP Coaching Program and enjoy the support of working one-on-one with me AND a group of likeminded entrepreneurs.

At certain times in my business I have faced feelings of being "stuck" and have had to work my way through the challenges I was facing.  By implementing the steps I just shared with you, I was able to breakthrough my difficulties, get re-aligned with my goals and start making progress.  If I could do it, so can you! 

I’d love to hear about how you’ve conquered your own challenges and how you can implement today’s strategies in your business. Comment below and let me know your thoughts!

Maintaining a business blog is one of my favorite strategies for driving pre-qualified traffic to your website. But a lot of entrepreneurs I know shy away from starting a blog (or let it “die”) because they can’t imagine writing content every week. I hear your struggle! So today’s episodes shares a few of my secrets for how to overcome this dilemma and take advantage of this powerful marketing tool.

 

 SSMS Episode #7 - How to Easily and Consistently Create Hot Content for Your Blog! [10:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (95)

Sometimes, the most difficult part about being a solopreneur is keeping yourself accountable.  When you’re the boss of yourself, there’s no one looking over your shoulder to see if things are getting done.  Of course there are clients, but since they pay the bills, getting their work done isn’t usually the challenge. 

Growing your business and achieving your goals is often the biggest challenge solopreneurs face.

As a business owner, you know all (or almost all) of the things you need to do to make your business successful and prosperous.  For example, you know you should:

• Keep your website up to date
• Network strategically
• Have a plan for marketing your business
• WORK your marketing plan
• Stay abreast of trends in your industry
• Outsource non-revenue generating tasks
• Keep your financial records in order
• Invest in continuing education opportunities
• Apply what you learn

…and the list goes on.

But, while your to do list and wish list get longer, there’s often no one holding you accountable to make sure you get things done.  That’s where a mastermind group comes into play and can be the critical piece you are missing to move your business ahead.

The basic principle of a mastermind group is that like-minded professionals join forces and commit to helping each other accomplish their goals.  As a group, you celebrate each other’s victories and support each other in times of need.  One of the essential players in a successful, profitable mastermind group though, is a strong leader.

The leader of the mastermind group should be someone whose success you admire.  In other words, they need to be successful themselves first to be able to give you the direction you need to create the same type of success in your business.  Think about it, would you want to learn from a ski instructor who’s never been on the slopes?

Here’s what you want to look for in a potential mastermind group:

• A strong, seasoned and dedicated leader that has created the same results in their business that you want to create in yours.
• A group of like-minded professionals – While they don’t all have to be from the same industry, it helps if there is some common ground for support and they are at the same general place in their business.
• Regular access to the leader and other members – A forum is a great way to interact with the group and get fast answers to your questions.  It needs to be a safe place, where no question is off limits.  You also want to have regular interaction with the group through virtual and live meetings.
• A structured program designed with your needs in mind – Having structure is necessary to ensure that each individual receives what they need.  There needs to be clear expectations for the leader and each group members, which creates a supportive environment where each entrepreneur can thrive.

There are many benefits to participating in a mastermind group.  First, you receive ongoing support in your business from people who know and understand what you are going through.  While your family may be cheering you on, even the most supportive family can’t understand all the moving pieces in your business.

Second, you have friendly yet professional accountability.  While you won’t get beat up over not accomplishing your goals, a good accountability partner and/or mentor will help you identify why you didn’t reach your goals and then help you overcome those challenges.

Third, you get real life education while avoiding common pitfalls.  Working with a successful person as the mentor of the mastermind group will save you time, money and needless aggravation. Their insights and experience will help you avoid common pitfalls and give you the support you need if you’ve made a few mistakes.  And, ultimately knowing someone who has "made it" is a great motivator and will keep you inspired. 

At the end of the day, you are still solely responsible for your success.  However, that doesn’t mean you have to do it all yourself.  Consider joining a mastermind group to reap the benefits of collaboration and help you leap ahead towards accomplishing your business goals.

Have you participated in a mastermind group?  Or are you interested in participating? Please share your thoughts with me by commenting here on the blog!

The majority of entrepreneurs simply don’t follow-up on leads and interest in their business.  Their lack of diligence is costing them BIG time and they’re leaving serious money on the table.  But that doesn’t have to be the case with you! Listen in this week as I share my proven seven step system for effective follow-up and start creating more success in your business…TODAY!

 

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