More Clients - the Online Marketing Newsletter
for Independent Professionals
from Action Plan Marketing
and Robert MiddletonIn This Week's Issue: You're going to have more success if you attract TENS as clients instead of ONES.
Attracting TENS
In working with clients over several years, I developed a scale that predicted their success. It wasn't based on how good their overall business model was, or the years of training they had or degrees they had accumulated.
It was based on the amount of base metal they turned into gold.
The base metal was my consulting and coaching input. The gold was what they made of it. My favorite clients were those who took the "ONE" that I gave them and turned it into "TEN."
I would give them some ideas about speaking in public and by the next session they had researched every speaking venue in their area, had created their speaker's package and were working on the outline for their second presentation.
If I helped them with a networking plan, they had gone to three meetings, made five contacts and had arranged one-on-one meetings with several prospects.
These kind of people, the TENS, don't need to be told how to do anything. They just need to be told what and pointed in the right direction. They are so resourceful that they just automatically pick up ideas and turn them into plans that get implemented.
Then there were the clients who took ten from me and came back with one.
In a session together we would outline the structure of an article and how to write it for maximum impact. They would come to the next session with three vague bullet points, usually grammatically incorrect.
Of course, there were several people who were in-between.
But I've always wondered what the difference was between the ONES and the TENS? Was it intelligence? I don't think so. I've worked with a few Ph.D.s who were ONES and high school drop outs who were TENS.
Was it background, work ethic, creativity, ambition or was it simply something they were born with? I honestly can't say. Perhaps it's a little of all of those.
As an Independent Professional, your success depends to a great degree on the track record you have with your clients. If you produce great results, you'll have powerful case studies that can give you tremendous leverage.
But you'll never have great success stories if you continue to work with ONES. They will drag you down. They will resist your advice and coaching. They won't keep their word and they'll blame you if things don't work. ONES will find problems instead of opportunities, and they'll pay you late to boot.
What I've also noticed is that Independent Professionals are attracted to ONES and intimidated by TENS. After all, ONES need more help that TENS. It's easier to see all the ways you can help ONES and you quickly jump in, only to regret it later.
If you're really going to be successful, you need to attract TENS. They are moving towards success, not away from failure. They are looking for opportunities and are willing to work hard to achieve their dreams. They can be harder to sell to, but they stay with you longer and refer a lot more business.
TENS make the best clients because they appreciate the value you bring and they take responsibility for making it happen. Although they are high producers, they know they can't do everything alone and appreciate expert help.
How do you attract TENS? For one, you need to be a TEN yourself.
Are you clear on your purpose and goals? Do you have a very focused marketing message? Do you have great marketing materials and a quality web site? Do you get the word out consistently about your business? Do you have a keep-in-touch marketing system? Do you have a well-designed sales and proposal process? Do you have a structure of support to keep on on track yourself?
If all of your marketing is haphazard and you present yourself inconsistently, do you think you'll attract many TENS? Not likely.
Marketing is everything you do that makes an impression on a prospect or client. And you don't get a second chance to make a first impression.
Want to attract more TENS? First get your marketing act together.
More on "Attracting TENS" in Marketing Flashes below.
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InfoGuru Marketing Manual = More Audio Programs
For a long time, the main feature of the InfoGuru Marketing Manual was the manual itself, with the how-to action plans on attracting clients. But now, two other areas rival the material in the manual for overall value.
First, there's the InfoGuru Support Forum. I'm continually amazed at the level of ideas, support and resources that get posted on the forum every day. Over 600 in April alone!
If you have a question, want some marketing input, need feedback on your website or want to run a marketing idea past the group, you're always going to get something you can use.
But the area of the manual that is growing the fastest is the audio section. At a virtual standstill for a long time, I decided to add some of the best recorded material from various teleclasses and interviews I've given over the past year or two.
Now with over 11 hours of audio programs with hands-on coaching from yours truly, you can order the manual and only minutes later be listening to marketing strategies that could change your business forever.
Oh, yeah, and the price is still the same.
Check it out here:
http://www.actionplan.com/infoguru.html* * * * *
Marketing Action Groups Almost Full
This next semester of the Marketing Action Groups, which starts in mid-June and goes through mid December, is almost full. We got a rash of reservations after the free teleclass last week.
We're down to five or six spaces, so apply now if you want to take your business to a whole new level in the next six months.
http://www.actionplan.com/actiongroup.html* * * * *
Free TeleClass on Seven Biggest Marketing Mistakes...
... is now online. Check it out now because it will be up for just one week. Then you'll only be able to access it through the InfoGuru Marketing Manual online.
http://www.actionplan.com/infogurutc.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marketing Flashes on "Attracting TENS"
Let's look at some of the things that attract TENS.
* TENS like good information - Can you build a solid case for your services? To do so you need more than a brief outline about your services; you need articles, presentations and models.
* TENS like the language of results - Do you produce consistent results for your clients? Then prove it by focusing on solutions, expected outcomes and client success stories.
* TENS like confidence - Demonstrate your confidence through a clear marketing message and professionally designed marketing materials and web site.
* TENS like professionalism - Are you a professional who takes care of your clients? You need to prove it by responding quickly with the answers they need and then by keeping your word.
* TENS like collaborators - You need to demonstrate that you can work with your clients collaboratively to help them achieve their goals. You need to be on an equal footing with them.
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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