More Clients - the Online Marketing Newsletter
for Independent Professionals
from Action Plan Marketing
and Robert MiddletonIn This Week's Issue: In This Week's Issue: The most fundamental tool to attract more clients? The "Marketing Conversation."
The Marketing Conversation
As I prepare to lead two workshops this March on "Mastering The Marketing Conversation" I've been thinking a lot about the actual components of this conversation.
A marketing conversation goes way beyond an attention-getting statement or "Audio Logo." I've known people to work endlessly on their Audio Logo but neglect the rest of the conversation. They don't get very far in their client-attracting efforts.
If you haven't really thought through the unique marketing conversation for your business, you're going to feel like a deer caught in the headlights when someone asks you what you do.
Here's a structure for the marketing conversation that will help you generate interest and attention every time you speak about your business.
Always Start With the Problem.
You get about five times the attention value with problems, so don't jump to the solution you provide too soon. Simply say who you work with and what their problem is: "I work with manufacturing companies who are losing traction because they are buried by governmental regulations."
Don't say what you do or how you do it. This problem statement communicates volumes. If it gets someone's attention, they'll ask more. Such as, "What kind of regulations?" or "How do you do that?" And once they've shown interest the conversation has gained some momentum.
Go Deeper Into the Problem.
When you can talk about their problem in great depth it shows you understand your their issues. And for some perverse reason, people love to talk about their problems! So don't disappoint them; give them more details:
"Well, the average manufacturing company spends X man hours and Y dollars every year just complying with government regulations. Instead of focusing on innovation and marketing, they're buried in paperwork."This problem approach should then bring up more interest in what you do to solve this problem. The thing you want to avoid is getting sidetracked by talking about your process (details of your services and how you do what you do). That's of minor importance. However, the results you produce are of major importance.
State Your Key Results.
Again, keep it simple and clearly beneficial: "We worked with a local bicycle manufacturer who was buried in government paperwork. When we were finished they had reduced paperwork by 50%, administrative man hours by 30% and saved $125K just last year alone."
Notice you didn't say HOW you did it. Just the fact THAT you did it is what commands attention and interest. But don't stop there. You've essentially given a mini case study. Follow this up with...
More Success Stories.
You need to have several of these at the ready. They are the most persuasive part of the marketing conversation. You want to make them succinct and believable. And you want to keep the how-to to a minimum. Focus primarily on problems and results - the original client situation and what they gained in working with you.
But you don't want to dominate the marketing conversation either. You want to find out about them, especially if they are resonating with your problem/results stories. You want to...
Ask Them About Their Situation.
Funny that it's often hard to do this as we get carried away by our own eloquence. Better to take your attention off yourself and find out about them and really listen. "It sounds like you're familiar with that kind of problem. Are you also buried in regulatory paperwork?"
From this point the conversation can go anywhere. But you need to maintain some control. You don't want to end up giving away half an hour of free consulting the first time you meet someone.
You also don't want to keep your cards so close to your chest that you appear unapproachable. Learn a little, give a little. You'll soon know if this person is a potential client or can lead you to one.
The marketing conversation isn't over until you've set the stage for a follow-up. If you feel that there are opportunities in this connection you can't just leave things to chance. You must take the next step. And giving them your card is not enough.
Offer to Send Them Something.
This simple approach provides a comfortable transition: "I've written an article on this topic, 'Buried in Government Paperwork? How to Dig Your Way Out.' Can I send you a copy?" Guess what? You'll almost always get an enthusiastic "yes" if the marketing conversation was on track.
But you need to take one step more - open the door for a follow-up call: "Please give me your card and I'll make a note to send you a copy. Then I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have. What's the best time to reach you?"
Most Independent Professionals don't get that far. As one of my clients said, "When it comes time to say I'll follow-up I usually wimp out because I'm afraid they'll say no." But if you don't learn how to consummate the marketing conversation you'll always come up empty-handed.
Mastering the marketing conversation will build a solid foundation for all your marketing efforts. If you neglect this key skill you'll never reach the heights possible in your business.
More on "The Marketing Conversation" in Marketing Flashes below.
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Mastering The Marketing Conversation Workshops in Los Angeles and San Francisco
These workshops in Los Angles and San Francisco are all about understanding and practicing the marketing conversation. They are about learning the finer points of what to say (and not say) to get attention every time you speak about your business.
If you think you could be better at these conversations and you realize that mastering them could be the key to growing your business, I invite you to attend. Complete details at the links below.
Los Angles (Airport Area) - March 12
http://www.actionplan.com/wkp/lawkp.htmlSan Francisco (Airport Area) - March 26
http://www.actionplan.com/wkp/sfwkp.htmlP.S. If you enroll early you get $30 off the regular tuition.
InfoGuru Marketing Manual and Home Study Program
Finally, the InfoGuru Marketing Manual has been married to the 12 CD audio program of The Marketing Mastery Workshop for a complete InfoGuru Home Study Program.
You can still get the InfoGuru Manual separately (with or without hard copy manual) but now you can deepen your understanding of marketing as an Independent Professional by listening to the subtle nuances and distinctions of what works and doesn't work to attract more clients.
The Marketing Mastery Workshop on CD is actually more valuable than the original live workshop because it won't put you on information overload. You can pick the marketing area you want to learn more about and just listen to that CD - over and over again if you like - until it really sinks in.
You can then review the information on that topic in the manual until it really gets into your pores. That's why I call it the Home Study Program. With the two dimension of reading plus audio you'll get a whole new understanding of how to market yourself successfully.
Get the InfoGuru Marketing Manual and Home Study Program here:
http://www.actionplan.com/infoguru.htmlIf you already have the Manual, you can order the 12 CDs here:
http://www.clientmagnet.com/infoguru#home
For Coaches Only - Want to see more change in your clients?
My friend Ben Saltzman (a member of my mastermind group) conducts a very powerful workshop for coaches who are tired of only seeing superficial changes in their clients. They want to see more than basic behavioral changes, but change that goes deep and is permanent.
I volunteered to help Ben promote this course because I've seen the power of his work and it has made a big difference to me.
His course is called, "Coaching for Deep-Level Change" and may be what you've been looking for. For complete details, just click on the link below. On this page you'll also find an audio interview with me and Ben that gives a very good sense of what his work is all about.
http://www.actionplan.com/cdlc.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marketing Flashes on "The Marketing Conversation"
How do you master the Marketing Conversation? You want to follow the guidelines above but you'll get better results if you...
* Study the principles of marketing conversations. - Many of the principles and action plans for successful marketing conversations can be found in the InfoGuru Marketing Manual and other books on marketing and selling. Tapes or CD programs can be even more useful. (go here for details)
* Script your marketing conversations. - Actually write out what you will say for each part of the conversation. In a real situation, you will tend to improvise on that script, but it is a great start.
* Practice your marketing conversations. - You don't want your debut of your marketing conversation to be at an important networking event. You should practice out loud. Using a tape recorder and a mirror will make this practice even more effective.
* Role play your marketing conversations. - Find a friend or associate and practice your marketing conversations with each other. Follow the basic model and simply go back and forth until you become comfortable and, ultimately, fluent.
* Attend an interactive workshop on marketing conversations - You don't need more ideas you need practice and you need to see successful marketing conversations in action. Modeling successful marketing conversations is the most powerful way to master them. ( LA Wkp - SF Wkp )
Until next week, all the best,
Robert Middleton
ACTION PLAN MARKETING
Helping Independent Professionals Attract More Clients~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
210 Riverside Drive
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
831-338-7790© 2004 Robert Middleton, All rights reserved. You are free to use material from the More Clients eZine in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear. The attribution should read:
"By Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing. Please visit Robert's web site at http://www.actionplan.com for additional marketing articles and resources on marketing for professional service businesses."
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