More Clients - the Online Marketing Newsletter
for Independent Professionals
from Action Plan Marketing
and Robert MiddletonIn This Week's Issue: Here are five tools to help you more effectively communcate that you know your stuff.
Knowing Your Stuff
Last week I was interviewing Vickie Sullivan for my new Audio Program on "Speaking as a Marketing Tool" (see more below) and I was especially impressed by Vickie's breadth of knowledge on the subject.
Like all the best InfoGurus, Vickie isn't general or superficial about what she knows. Her expertise is "a mile wide and a mile deep." And she not only knows her stuff, she knows how to get it across in a dynamic, persuasive, fun way.
When thinking about today's eZine article, I came across a quote from G.I. Gurdjieff's "Meetings with Remarkable Men" that seemed very relevant to this topic:
"The quality of what is perceived by anyone when another person tells him something, either for his knowledge or for his understanding, depends of the quality of the data formed in the person speaking."In other words, the more you really know your stuff, the larger the impact your words and ideas will have on another.
As I was interviewing Vickie, I wasn't just getting information from her, I was literally becoming a better marketer. The impact of her words were so clear, so powerful and so practical that I knew my use of "speaking as a marketing tool" would never be quite the same.
That's the power of knowing your stuff.
However, what's become very clear to me is that the vast majority of Independent Professionals who really do know their stuff, especially when it comes to working with their clients, fail to leverage this know-how in their marketing.
A case in point: I asked someone (who is clearly competent about the work he does) to tell me a story about a client he worked with and the results he produced. And he drew a blank.
So much for their know-how!
Your depth of know-how has to shine through brightly every time you talk about your business. And if you really put some serious work into this, your know-how will succeed in turning a prospect of your services into a paying client.
The plan to accomplish this is in the InfoGuru Marketing Manual, but here is the quick summary of the five most important marketing tools for concisely communicating your know-how.
1. A clear written statement of who your clients are (basic demographics), their values and motivations (psychographics), what problems, issues and challenges they are facing, their aspirations and goals, and where and how these clients can be located and connected with.2. A crystal-clear marketing message that you can deliver verbally (Audio Logo) that tells a) who your clients are and why they need you, b) what actual results you can produce for them and c) what makes your services, approach and results especially relevant to your clients' specific needs.
3. A one- or two-page written "Executive Summary" that sums up all of the above and also includes a concise success story, a brief snapshot of your services and a call-to-action to find out more. This multi-purpose document can serve as a handout at networking functions, a follow-up to an in-person meeting or even as the home page of your web site.
4. A complete set of marketing materials, usually on a web site. This is certainly more work than the first two, but is an absolute must if you are to effectively communicate that you know your stuff. Information should include, but not be limited to, pages on: who you work with, how you work, your services, case studies, background on you and your company, free information (articles, eZine) and how you start working with clients.
5. A "Core Issue Article" that makes a solid case for the need for your services. This article is not a sales pitch but an information piece that demonstrates that you know your stuff and that you are competent to help your clients. One of the best formats is "The Ten Biggest Mistakes..." that makes your reader aware of what they may be doing wrong and what they need to do right.
I promise you that if you invest the time to develop these five marketing tools at the highest level you possibly can, the fact that you know your stuff will never be in question and, like Vickie Sullivan, everyone who hears you speak about what you do will be drawn to you like a magnet.
More on "Knowing Your Stuff" in Marketing Flashes below.
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Speaking as a Marketing Tool - New Audio Program
Robert Middleton interviews Vickie Sullivan
One of the best ways to promote your Independent Professional Services is through speaking. Talks and presentations have brought me hundreds of thousands in new business over the years. But I've noticed that most people don't know how to consistently attract new clients through speaking. For many, it's a mystery how to leverage the power of a talk to grow their business.
What if you had a reliable and repeatable system for using speaking as your most potent marketing tool? Imagine setting up talks with business and professional groups eager to hear your message. And picture not only giving a talk that provides real value, but turning several of those who attend into new clients.
It can happen, and my newest Audio Program where I interview top speaking expert, Vickie Sullivan, she gives you the hands-on information you need. As I said, Vickie *really* knows her stuff!
Click below for details and to order today:
http://www.actionplan.com/speaker.htmlUnlike a TeleSeminar program, this interview is available NOW and you can get the CD, complete transcription, and Real Audio at a special price if you act now.
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Get the Details
If you work at developing the five marketing tools outlined in today's eZine, you'll have built the solid marketing foundation to communicate your know-how with impact.
If you feel you need more detailed how-to instructions for each of these five marketing tools, the InfoGuru Marketing Manual is the place to start.
Not only is it a comprehensive written marketing resource of Independent Professionals who want to attract more clients, it includes eleven hours of recorded teleclasses for even more in-depth how-to marketing strategies.
It also includes a discussion group called the InfoGuru Support Forum where you can ask any question about marketing (including getting feedback on your materials) and get knowledgeable answers and feedback.
Learn more about the manual here and order online.
http://www.actionplan.com/infoguru.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marketing Flashes on "Knowing Your Stuff"
How can you even more effectively communicate that you know your stuff (without faking it)
* Use "Marketing Syntax." The order in which you convey your information is all-important. Start with problems and concerns. Next talk about actual results. Then tell some stories. Only then tell details of what you do. Finish with a call-to-action.
* Avoid generalities. Give specifics. Nothing will undermine your know-how more than broad-brush ideas. Get into the nitty gritty when communicating your ideas. Who, what, where, when and why.
* Tell an impression-rich story. Story telling is an art. If you've done it well, people will hang on every word. Don't just wing it. Find a few client success stores, write them out and practice them out loud.
* Customize your message. Best to always find out something about your listener before you talk about your business. What business are they in? What's their background and interests? When you know this, it's a lot easier to customize your message.
* Leave them wanting more. Don't bore them to death. The question "what do you do?" is not an invitation to ramble on for hours. Make sure your conversation has a lot of give and take and leaves them curious about what you can do for them. This leaves the door open for follow-up.
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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