In 2016 when nearly every business finds itself online, a lot of entrepreneurs find themselves stressing over all the online marketing strategies that may actually be holding them back from growing their business.
We feel like we can’t start our business before we launch our website.
We believe that we’ve gotta grow our email list to 1000 people before we can offer anything for those people to buy.
We spend months and years blogging and building an audience before we work up the courage to actually invite people to work with us… then we start with an inexpensive $20 e-book (which requires you to sell thousands in order to bring in much-needed revenue).
But what if you don’t have months to slowly build an audience?
[clickToTweet tweet=”What do you do when you need to get clients, and cash flow, right now?” quote=”What do you do when you need to get clients, and cash flow, right now?”]
Without revenue coming in the door, there is no business.
Without a product, program, or service ready to offer, there is no business.
Expensive hobby? Yes.
Business? No.
The fastest path to cash is often the most overlooked strategy because it requires that we stop hiding out behind our computers and start communicating directly with the people we want to serve.
Ready to Get More Clients in Your Business?
This approach is old-school. No technology. All relationships.
Step 1: Focus on High Value Offerings.
Notice how I didn’t say slash your rates and throw a sale on a one-off session with you?
Yeah – that rarely leads to dream clients (it tends to attract the price-shoppers and bargain hunters instead) and usually leaves you right back in the same place in just a month or so.
Double whammy – you’ve now trained your peeps to wait for a sale so they’re less likely to pay your full rate.
Creating high-value offerings is so crucial to not only your success, but your client’s success!
Remember, people are coming to you to achieve a desired result. It could be to lose 15 lbs. It could be to manage their stress and anxiety. It could be to have 90 minutes of “me-time” in an otherwise crazy schedule. Whatever the reason, there is a much higher chance of them getting there if they are consistently working with you.
For example, when I was pregnant with my third child, I knew I wanted to have a VBAC after a somewhat traumatizing experience after the C-Section with my twins (another story for another time). I also knew that my chances of making that happen were exponentially higher if I surrounded myself with the right team. So I invested in a high-end package with my amazing doula (including multiple private childbirth education sessions and follow-up visits after the baby was born) in addition to signing up for private yoga with a prenatal yoga teacher.
And as a mama with lots of mama friends, I know that I’m not the only one who happily pays for lots of help with the same exact thing.
When you create your offering, think in terms of what are you helping people accomplish or achieve and how you can best help them get there!
Final note on offerings: consider creating an option A and an option B.
Offering A is your super mac-daddy package. This is the pulling out the red carpet, over-the-top service, and of course, lots of access + support from you.
Offering B is a more simple version of package A. Gets them to the same outcome, but really more geared towards someone who is willing to DIY and doesn’t need so much handholding.
So if you were a yoga teacher helping new moms lose the baby weight (but really, you’re helping them indulge in some much-needed self-care and self-love):
Offering A could look like 3 months of weekly private yoga sessions at her home (12 total sessions) that also includes helping her set up an at-home yoga space, a custom yoga podcast and other tools to encourage her at-home yoga practice, a custom meal plan for new mamas that shares ayurvedic recipes to get her back in balance after birth, and custom essential oil blend to help her find calm in the storm of having a newborn. Easily a $1200-1500 program.
Offering B is much simpler but still makes that mama feel well taken care of. It might be 3 months of bi-monthly private yoga sessions (6 total sessions) that includes everything above except the customized meal planning. Still high value, but about half the cost.
The best part about having two options? You’re empowering your client to decide the best level of support for them AND looking like a rockstar when you offer way more than expected.
And even better…
When you focus on high-value offerings and delivering an amazing experience, your clients are much more likely to continue with you.
[clickToTweet tweet=”You don’t need many peeps when you focus on delivering amazing value + experience.” quote=”You don’t need many peeps when you focus on delivering amazing value + experience.”]
I personally know so many amazing teachers and coaches who have used this exact strategy to get their first private clients, then keep them for YEARS. Suddenly that $1500 package turns into $6K a year, which turns into $30K over 5 years from a single client.
What high-value offerings do you want to fill next?
Step 2: Leverage Your Natural Community.
This step is crucial!
You’ve probably heard a lot about how you’ve gotta figure out who your ideal client is, you’ve gotta do tons of work to figure out your niche or your ideal client avatar or other similar exercises before you do the first bit of marketing.
While all of that is super relevant and helpful for your long-term marketing strategy, we’re gonna accelerate this process to get peeps in the door, cash flowing, and momentum in your biz.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Who is around me right now, who do I already know that needs the kind of help I can provide and that I can reach quickly?
- Who do I already know, a peer or mentor or like-hearted service provider, who can introduce me to people who can use my help (through a workshop or referral)?
- Who have I already worked with who may be interested in an upgraded level of service OR might know someone else who is?
We often completely overlook the connections and relationships that we already have when we start thinking in terms of getting new clients, but the honest truth is it is much easier to enroll a new client who already has a relationship with you (or a referral to you) than attempt to go out and find brand new peeps who don’t know you at all.
If you’re an absolute biz beginner, your natural community may include many of your personal friends and family who’ve expressed any interest in what you do, former colleagues or business contacts who don’t know you’re starting something new, or even your mentor or other professionals offering similar services (seriously, ask. Because if they are really good, they’re likely turning people away, have a waitlist, or would happily help you get the ball rolling).
If you’ve already started your biz, your natural community may include all of the above as well as others who are also serving a similar audience. Maybe you’re a prenatal yoga teacher – you can connect with doulas, childbirth educators, and other serving pregnant moms. If you’re asking others for referrals (doesn’t matter if it’s old clients or new centers of influence), consider hosting a workshop or meetup for them to invite those referrals to. You could easily do that in just a week or two, then follow up with the remaining steps below.
Get started by making a list of potential people to contact. Statistics show that the average adult has 250 people in their natural community – can you come up with 100?
Step 3: Reach Out Individually.
This approach is NOT about mass emailing everyone you know.
It’s about taking the time to sincerely reach out and connect with them on a personal level.
A warm email that essentially lets them know what’s new for you (starting your biz!), who you’re looking to help (specifically, what problem you’re helping them solve), and finally, that would love to offer a free consult to them (or alternatively to ask them who they know who may be interested in a quick conversation).
*Note* This is NOT the pitch for your offering. Do that LIVE on the phone or in person.
Even better…
Step 4: Just Pick Up the Damn Phone!
Yep. I said pick up the damn phone.
Too many people shy away from this because they are afraid of rejection or someone judging them. But when it comes down to it, a quick phone call to help someone can turn into a new client wayyyyy faster than doing a launch over 4 weeks (which often will take more time and money to pull off) or months and months of passive blogging.
Ask yourself: Is your ego more important than helping these people? Is your ego more important than serving others through your work?
Pick up the phone right now, right now, right this moment, and call them.
Call and ask them what are they challenged by, what are they struggling with, what do they want to achieve? What’s holding them back from experiencing their dream ________ (life, body, birth, marriage, whatever you help people with)?
Have real genuine conversations. Listen. Be supportive. Offer an insight or two to get them on the right path.
And if you feel, genuinely in your heart that you can help them, offer your solution – your two high-value offerings – and invite them to take the step forward to solve those problems and meet those desires through the vehicle of your offering.
Step 5: Followup. Rinse. Repeat.
If it’s a yes – book their first session in your calendar, send the invoice, and send out a follow-up email with whatever they need to feel ready for that first session. BONUS: drop a thank you note + even a little prezzie in the mail. Start with an exceptional experience from the very beginning.
If it’s a maybe – book their first session anyways (pencil it in) and send a follow-up email saying THANK YOU for your time, all the details of the package, and what to do next. ESSENTIAL: include a deadline for their acceptance OR let them know when you’ll be calling them back to confirm getting started.
If it’s a no – don’t take it personally! It often will take a few no’s to get to a YES. It’s not a big deal. Again – follow up with a thank you note. Treat them with love and gratitude. BONUS: ask for referrals to anyone they know who they think may be a great fit for what you’re doing.
Pick up the phone again. Call the next person. Make your way down that list from Step 2 until you fill your desired 1×1 spots.
FOLLOW UP WITH EVERYONE. Just because it’s not the right time or the right offer for them doesn’t mean they won’t be ready in a few months, or that they aren’t interested in working with you in another offer down the road. These conversations could easily be the catalyst for creating a community of raving fans.
Yes, I know this strategy may feel vulnerable! It’s the most direct way to invite people to work with you… which often puts us out of our comfort zone.
But ultimately this is what it means to hustle. And when you are willing to put your ego aside, talk with as many people as you can, and invite the right ones to take the next step. You may find that by the end of the week, you’ll have filled your client docket and have the freedom to do what you really desire.
Talk to Me! I’d love to know what you think & what have you done to hustle up some quick cash flow! And if you try this, let me know the results!