The Ultimate Marketing Bait and Switch?
Most entrepreneurs go into business because they have a great service or product that they feel compelled to share with the world. But most don’t realize what they are getting into! Quickly, they learn that they have gotten themselves into the business of marketing. But no one ever warned them that they needed to master the art and science of verbal, written, and visual communications.
If you want to get someone or a group of people excited about an idea, or a product or service you have, you need to connect with their story and they need to connect with yours. In theory, it’s not too hard. All you need to do is find where there are open gaps and missing pieces in their story and figure out a way to intertwine their story with yours.
For example, I desire to help small businesses owners get more and better clients and to help them generate even more revenue by doing what they love most in helping others. All in support of a vision that is bigger than themselves alone. If I can see that their mission is something I can support and believe in, I want to find a way to help them achieve their goals.
In actual practice, connecting with others can be very tricky. Here are a few steps you can take to see if your story (i.e. who you are, what you believe in, your approach, and your services and products) meshes with your prospects’ stories. Because only then can they see the value of you helping them turn their great potential into reality.
- First, write as if you were talking to one person. Make it someone you really care about and sincerely want to help to accomplish their goals. It’s more natural to write (and speak) this way. And it’s also easier to focus and concentrate on what you are writing about. Being conversational in your tone is also an important aspect of effective communication.
- Second, think diagnostically. Since I have been trained as a plastic surgeon, I tend to think more diagnostically. What I mean by this is to ask your potential clients what they want to accomplish, why, and where they are stuck in achieving that. Then with the bigger picture in mind, go to work on trying to figure out what the missing pieces are that keep them from accomplishing what’s important to them.
- Third, ask yourself, “What is it that I can teach them?“ “What do I have that I can offer?”
Personally, I thrive on figuring out ways to help others get unstuck and help them learn something insightful that will help them breakthrough any limiting beliefs, thoughts, and ideas that no longer serve them. Ultimately, my role is to move them further the direction of where they are called to go.
A good example of what I am talking about is my upcoming webinar I am doing today, Wednesday, April 27, “Get Paid to Get Clients.” The title is catchy and has drawn a lot of attention, but getting paid to get clients is not what my clients really need or want. They simply want to get more clients because they want to generate more money. But ultimately, they want to generate more money so they can help more people.
I care about why you want to generate more income, but only in the context of: What are your desires and dreams that are bigger than yourself? How do you want to make the world a better place?
I want to work with people who want to integrate those desires and longings in everything that they do…even attracting more and better clients!
I want to work with people who have substance and meaning behind their business, so I find that out first. Then I figure out a way I could help guide them to build that substance into every aspect of their business.
You have to know who they are and understand their story to see if and how you can integrate your story in helping them.
Where did they come from? Where do they want to go? Where are they now? What are their roadblocks? What are their hopes, dreams and aspirations?
Figure this out first. And once you understand those elements of their story, the next element that comes into play is presenting your story and seeing if there is a complementary fit of their story with your story. Ask yourself this question…”Can I support their story and can I support their hopes and their dreams?”
It all comes back to why you have to communicate your story in a way that is convincing, compelling, credible and that instills confidence in the minds, eyes, hearts and souls of the people that you seek to serve.
In what ways can you complement their story?
I’ve taught the “Get Paid to Get Clients” approach to hundreds of entrepreneurs and I believe it’s the smartest way that I know to get found by clients while providing great content and value. And what I’m really teaching is how to get to the core story of what your potential clients really want to accomplish. And why. Then tying their story into your own authentic story about who you are and the value you offer.
If you’re interested in exploring this further, join us for today’s webinar; Get Paid to Get Clients: A Fresh Approach for Providing Great Value to Great Clients.