Posts Tagged ‘marketing’

We are all running around looking for the magic solution, the answer to our problems, a new diet, a new marketing plan, the secret to happiness and other imaginary answers that we think are out there somewhere.  We read books, go to workshops, attend seminars, listen to teleclasses, go on retreats and hire coaches, consultants, teachers, trainers and other experts to show us the way.  Here’s the thing, though, you probably already know the answer!

One of the payoffs of running around looking for the answer is that you don’t have to do that thing that you know you need to do that you don’t want to do.  Stop right now and ask yourself, “What is the ONE thing that I need to do in order to get the results I’m after?”  You might come up with 2 things, you might come up with 10.  Listen to me good!  ONE of those things on your list is probably the thing you’ve been avoiding and it’s the thing that will set you free.  I bet you want some examples.  Okay…

Weight Loss:

You want to lose weight?  Oh, I know this one!  What are the things that you think you need to do to get you the results you’re after?  Exercise, keep a food log, eat particular foods, drink water, don’t eat other foods, watch your portions, eat more often, eat less often, hire a trainer, run a marathon, join a gym, get a buddy, etc.  These are all great ideas.  I bet that ONE of these things, though, is the ONE thing that you really need to focus on.  For me, it’s eat less – period.  I can employ all kinds of different strategies and plans for eating less.  I can get all kinds of support for eating less.  I can take pills that will help me eat less.  I can hire a coach or a trainer that will hold me accountable to eating less.  But, I still need to eat less.  Period.

Get More Clients:

You want more clients?  Haha, I know this one, too!  What are the things you think you need to do to get more clients?  I bet you have a hundred things on that list:  network, speak to your target market, define your target market, re-design your website, start a blog, hang out on Facebook more, Twitter, drink more coffee (with other people), eat more lunches (again, with other people), join another networking group, get a new credential, learn a new skill, add more letters to your name, send an e-zine, have a free offer, lower your prices, raise your prices, advertise, etc.  Oh, I could go on and on and on.  There are hundreds of strategies that you could employ.  Let me tell you something.  NONE of those things is going to get you more clients!  These things will get you contacts, prospects, referral partners and the like, but they won’t get you clients.  You actually have to ask for business – whether it’s in person, on the phone, by email , through Facebook or whatever.  You can have the best marketing plan in the world, if you don’t have a sales plan, you won’t sell anything.

So, what is it for you?  What is the problem you want to solve and what is the ONE thing that you aren’t doing that you need to do to get results?  Don’t get me wrong.  I am not suggesting that you stop doing the 9 other things you’re doing that are actually working.  I just know that there is ONE thing that you’re not doing that you need to start doing.  I also know that the one thing you aren’t doing isn’t more of something that’s working (or not working).  You don’t need to exercise more, blog more, go to more meetings, etc.  You do need to do those things, but you also need to do the ONE thing that you’re not doing.  Figure it out and do it!

If you need help figuring out what your ONE thing is, call me or another coach.  I can’t always see my one thing.  Sometimes I can and I don’t want to do it, can’t do it or won’t do it.  Coaches and consultants can help you with new strategies, twists and awarenesses that can help with that part, too.

As much as I love Galinda and love being “popular”, this video makes me think of all the coaches, consultants and gurus out there who are promising to make you popular for a price.  Their plan is to take you and your business from being a green brunette, like Elphaba, and turn it into a shallow blonde (I use this term affectionately, haha) by doing exactly what they do whether you like it or not.

Here’s the thing.  Marketing is, indeed, about being popular.  It is essentially and simply telling people what you do over and over and over and over, wash, rinse, repeat.  And, sales is getting the people who know about you to buy from you.  Period.  There are a lot of ways to go about that.  You can do networking, refine your elevator speech, stop using an elevator speech, send brochures to your target market, write a blog, make cold calls, throw parties and on and on.  The thing about marketing, though, is that it needs to be about being and becoming more of yourself.  It shouldn’t be about trying to be someone else or following some magical plan that promises to make you popular.  If you’re green, you need to embrace being green and show off how special being green is so that you can reach your clients who need you to be green.

If you want some help developing your marketing plan that embraces who you are and what you’re about, check out  Get Clients NOW! It’s a program for creating a simple and effective plan with action items that you will do and that you love doing in order to increase your visibility with your target market and get more clients, now!  And if you just want to be more popular, I can help you with that, too!

1.  Set a Goal!

How many clients do you want?  How much money do you want to make?  How many new clients do you want in the next 6 weeks?  How much money do you want to make this week?  this month?  If you don’t have a goal, it’s hard to reach it.  Make it tangible!

2.  Develop a Simple Plan!

Your marketing plan doesn’t need to be rocket science.  We all know the top 10 or the top 100 things that we should be doing to get clients.  We all know what we “should” be doing, but we’re not doing it.  Mostly, it’s because what you “should” be doing, doesn’t normally get done.  Make your plan 3-10 things that you WILL do on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.  Your plan should be things that you like to do and that you will do.  If you hate public speaking, don’t do it.  If you love to blog, then blog.  If you like networking, then network.  Just don’t forget to follow up!  Again, do it the way that works for you.  If you hate ezines, don’t have one.  If you love personal notes, then write them.  You get the idea!

3.  Take Consistent Action!

Successful marketing is the result of having a simple plan that you will work consistently.  It is better to have 3 simple actions that you take every day, every week or every month than one brilliant strategy that you implement once every three months.

4.  Do ONE thing!

Do at least ONE thing every day that will move you toward your goal.  Updating your website is a great idea, but it’s not likely to get you a new client today.  Make the call, send the email, meet for coffee, ask for a referral, etc.  Do ONE thing every day that is directly related to getting the results that you are after.

5.  Be Accountable!

It’s easy to make a plan and not so easy to stick with it.  Set up a structure for accountability.  Get a buddy and check in daily or weekly.  Check in with your mastermind group.  Tell your coach your plan and design an accountability structure.  Join a Get Clients NOW! Teleclass!

Get Clients NOW! Teleclasses are now forming!  Get more information here!

Teleclass forming NOW! Space is limited! $197

Six Tuesdays in March/April 2010

Mar 16 & Mar 23: 10 – 11:30am pacific and

Mar 30, Apr 6, Apr 13, Apr 20: 10 – 11am pacific

Okay, you got me.  I don’t really “hate” much of anything about anything.  But, I do sometimes get frustrated with coaching.  As a client, sometimes I just want my coach to TELL me what to do.  Well, guess what?  That’s not coaching.  That’s consulting.  Fortunately, I have a coach who offers a little bit of coaching and mentoring, too.  So what’s the difference?

Coaching starts with the assumption that you are naturally creative resourceful and whole and that you actually have all the information that you need to make an informed decision and to effect positive change in your life.  The strength of coaching is being able to empower you to find that information and to help you set goals and build structures for accountability.  In coaching, the agenda comes from the client, and the coach helps to keep you focused on the present and on yourself.  Coaching can also be introspective and is very much about self discovery.  One of the foundational skills of coaching is asking questions.

Consulting starts with the assumption that the consultant knows something that you don’t know and that you want and need this information.  Generally, the consultant tells you what to do and you do it for the purpose of achieving some result or outcome. One of the foundational skills of consulting is answers or solutions.

Mentoring is about sharing experience.  Mentors generally offer a combination of coaching and consulting which results from their experience in your field.  They have likely made some mistakes and can help you avoid making them.  They generally have relevant experience to share that points you in the direction that you want to go.  One of the foundational skills of mentoring is story telling.

Coaching has become very popular.  With that popularity, there has been some confusion.  Many consultants and mentors are actually calling themselves coaches.  It’s not wrong or bad, but it is confusing.  Know what you want and know what you’re getting.  It doesn’t really matter if your consultant calls herself a Marketing Coach.  Do be aware of what you want, though, and make sure you’re getting it.

If you’re anything like me, most of you don’t need any more experts telling you what to do.  You probably know what to do, but you don’t do what you know.  You know you should have an ideal client and you know what kind of marketing activities you like to do best and you think there are other things that you “should” be doing, but you’re not.  Most of you don’t need to hire someone else to tell you what else you “should” be doing.  The main benefit of coaching is that it helps you figure out what you really want, what you really want to do and how to give yourself permission to stop doing the things you “should” and just do the things you love in order to get the results that you are after.

If you like that idea, let me know.  I’d be happy to set you up with a sample session with me or another knock your socks off coach.