Solo-preneur Marketing Made Easier
March 13, 2009
I’m in Philadelphia right now finishing up 6 days with Michael Port, the author of Book Yourself Solid as well as several other very useful marketing books. Michael’s passion is similar to mine – that he really wants to see service professionals succeed beyond their wildest dreams. While I work with solo- and entrepreneurs whose focus is services OR products, our passion is the same. We want you to succeed! And some of what I have found in working with Michael this week challenges our first reactions to what we must do to be booked solid.
Here’s the thing – you do you very best work with people who energize and inspire you. And if you are like most entrepreneurs, you probably have not set your intention and focus on finding out the characteristics of the people you most like to work with, versus those who drive you nuts.
Michael talks about the “Red Velvet Rope” policy – meaning, let in as clients or customers only those who inspire you to do your best work. You are not meant to work with everyone. Finding out who your ideal client is and focusing your marketing and intention on those type of people will go a long way to making your marketing easier.
Why would that be, you say? When you work with someone who inspires you and is a good match for you the quality of your work is high. This creates much more opportunity for good word-of-mouth referrals from these clients to you. Having a solid stable of pleased clients who are talking about you to their friends and family members goes a long way to making your marketing easier and cheaper. And, because YOU are having a good experience with your ideal clients, you will more easily and freely talk about your work. That passion and energy will shine through, driving up your enthusiasm and the positive reaction you get.
It takes a little courage to go through your client list and remove those with whom you don’t do your best work. But think of the upside – you free up space for more ideal clients, and you don’t spend a disproportionate amount of energy on those who are not ideal. Bottom line – insitituting a Red Velvet Rope Policy will help you gain clients and ease up your marketing. What’s to lose, but a little fear?
(c) Sue Painter
How to Find the Right Price for Your Services
March 9, 2009
Pricing services reminds me of The Three Bears. You want your price point to be “not too hot and not too cold, but just right.” The best and quickest way to find out what your customer will pay for a particular service is to ask. That’s right, ask! Offer your customers a survey (always brief), give the list of benefits and then give several ways to purchase and several price points. You will soon find out what most of your customers are willing to do, and you can then go with that offer.
Here’s a simple example. A few weeks ago I held a half-day visioning workshop for a small group. At the end, everyone there asked about following up, something I had not thought about doing. After the workshop I put together a simple, two-question survey (I like to use Survey Monkey) and sent it to each person. I had 4 choices for follow-up, each with a different price point. When the survey results were in, it was very clear what the vast majority of that group wanted to do and the price they were willing to pay.
Another way to survey is to do a split test. Offer the exact same service to your client base, but split the clients in half and offer it at one price to group A and a second price to group B. One offer will outsell the other, that’s your best performing price point.
No matter how you go about it, though, one rule always holds true. Be sure to write copy that highlights the benefits to the buyer. I see many small businesses get stuck in describing all the features rather than benefits. Benefits are sellers. Make sure your client knows what is in it for them, the good the service will do, the problem it will solve, how it will make them feel. Good copy bolsters and supports the price you are asking for your service. It will help you be the bear whose porridge is “just right.”
© Sue Painter