Fearlessly define the REAL value you provide, SO THAT ...

Dear Reader,

I'm sorry to keep you hanging. But I want to illustrate a point. 

A successful transition from a having a job to starting and growing a business requires mastering a new paradigm: communicating your value SO THAT your ideal clients understand it and are ready to pay for it. 

There is different mindset between having a job and what I call "making your own money." 

When you have a job, there is work to be done and it has to be done well.  Often the focus is on the work itself.

On the other hand, when you have to attract clients, the work that you do for them is often a means to an end.  They don't always care WHAT you do: they want a certain result or outcome. 

I'll give you an example:

As a branding consultant, part of what I do is conduct interviews with my clients' clients.  I uncover all sorts of "hidden" information that enables me to discover what my clients' REAL value is.

My clients typically hire me to do interviews because the information and insights we get are part of a bigger picture, not just to get the interview done.  The bigger picture looks something like this:

I help my clients understand their clients SO THAT we carefully define the real value my clients deliver SO THAT we can create a strong brand SO THAT my client can market and sell more effectively SO THAT she can make money and create the difference in the world that is most important to her.

See what I mean?  Read the paragraph above again - notice how it's like climbing up the rungs of a ladder.

Which rung or rungs do you want to use when communicating with your prospects and clients?

I'd like you to think about the following:

When you communicate what you do to potential clients - in writing or conversation - do you:

·         Focus on the work you will do for them?

·         Focus on the benefit for the client that your work produces?

·         Link the work you do with the benefit the client will get?

Which of these approaches will help you deliver the greatest value to your clients and potential clients?

Keep in mind - there's no right or wrong answer; it depends on who you are communicating with, what they need and what you deliver.

I'll tell you a little story: The other day I listened to a teleseminar given by a coach who helps women coaches market their business.  Clearly, I'm not in the sweet spot of the target.  For what seemed like a decade (ok ... it was an hour) the presenter focused on telling stories about the benefits of making as much money as she does (taking her mom on great vacations, filling her house with designer furniture) and why women coaches often don't succeed and how they can create a more feminine approach for success. This presenter was focused on the problem her clients face and the ultimate benefit she's promising her clients.  But she said very little about the actual work. 

A different audience (male CEO's as an example) might have hung up on her. Her message was very frustrating to me. But she knew her audience and what would work for them.   In the case of the coach I listened to, a HUGE part of the value she was delivering was emotional - empathy, understanding, connection.  These are benefits to a specific kind of client - and less important to other clients. 

The point is that when you select a specific target market - a niche - and learn what really drives them, what really makes them tick, you can fearlessly speak to their deepest needs.  You can be precise in articulating the real value you deliver ... even when you risk alienating someone who is not in your target. 

That's a good screen for a fearless brand: if you're not annoying clients who would be a bad fit for your brand and business, you're probably not appealing deeply enough to those clients who are a good fit!

Here's some homework.  As you launch your business, start to think about:

Who are my ideal clients?  What really drives them?

What do my clients think they need?

What do my clients really need?

How does the work I do produce benefits for the clients I serve?

Which of those benefits are the most important to articulate?

How can I best link the work I do with the benefits I create?

Having clear and focused answers to these questions as you launch your business and ramp up your sales and marketing will directly impact how quickly you attract clients to your business and build your revenue.

How clear are you in answering these questions? 

Do you need to do some work on them?

Do you need a clear process for getting to the end of the road?

Please bring your thoughts and questions to our call on May 12.  I look forward to helping you build your fearless brand!