There's a question in my intake packet for new clients
titled, "What is holding you back or slowing your
progress?", as it relates to attracting all the clients
they need and having a full practice. Having worked with
hundreds and hundreds of private clients over the years,
I've seen it all. Other than "no knowledge of marketing,"
one thing seems to come up over and over again, and it
happened again recently with a brand new client.
The client answered this: "Sometimes, the 'Little Voice'
inside me asks, 'Who needs my program anyway? This is basic
information that I offer. People already know this stuff!'"
This is so common, but in most every case, this is
absolutely not accurate.
I have to admit, in the past, I too have taken for granted
what I already know and teach everyday and started
questioning my value in the marketplace. For example, when
I was teaching holistic nutrition years ago, I sometimes
wondered why people were paying me (or WOULD pay me) to
teach them about whole foods versus processed foods. To me,
it was a no-brainer that brown rice was more healthful than
white. But to a person who grew up on Twinkies, it was
crucial that I explain it to them in detail, and then the
shortcuts to fitting in those brand new foods into their
busy life.
I would also question the value of the cooking classes I
gave once a month to 15 or 20 people crammed in my living
room. As I was stirring carrots and onions on my Coleman
grill in the middle of my tiny apartment, I couldn't help
but think, "Are these simple recipes REALLY of value to
them?" (I'd been through serious Boot Camp at the French
Culinary Institute, so this came naturally to me.) But they
kept showing up, asking questions, and referring friends.
Go figure!
Even in the early years of my business coaching practice, I
sometimes wondered about my value. Clients ask me daily
about the secrets of marketing to get clients to call THEM
and filling their practice by networking. For me, it was so
ingrained and like second nature. I took for granted that I
knew it, because I'd been doing it for so long and knew
that it worked. I thought everyone knew it too and that it
was common sense.
On the contrary! What's common knowledge for us, is often a
secret to someone else. Because we "bathe" in our
information all day long, and for years, we start taking
for granted what we know, even if we're being innovative.
We forget that what we know is actually a secret many
others would do anything and everything to discover. It
becomes the answer to their most pressing problem. It
becomes the solution others have been praying for.
If you're in this situation, you are probably
OVER-estimating what everybody else knows. The more common
what you teach is to YOU and the longer you do what it is
you do, the more you tend to undervalue what you know.
The irony here, as I've discovered, is that the more we
teach things to our clients in SIMPLE terms, the happier
they are, the more referrals we get and the more we make.
It's not the convoluted teachings that people are looking
for. It's the practical and simple solutions.
The real shame about the whole 'undervaluing what you know'
is that as a result, you may be undercharging for what you
offer. This is actually one of the major reasons why most
people don't have enough clients. Because they don't see
value in what they offer, they don't charge enough;
therefore, there is a low perception of value from the
prospective client's point of view. They then go somewhere
else for the same exact information. Talk about a
self-fulfilling prophecy!
Some entrepreneurs even go so far as discounting their
services, or offering a sliding scale, because of their
lack of confidence and low perception of value in what they
offer. In my book, discounting is a BIG no-no. Again, it
portrays a devalued product or service and it's NOT Client
Attractive.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT:
* Notice that your clients came to YOU for the information
you take for granted. Sometimes, they may even have known
some of what you know, but didn't have the discipline,
accountability, resources, or structure to do it on their
own. Many of my clients KNOW how to attract other clients,
they're successful, but they don't have the discipline or
accountability to do it on their own. So we do it together.
This is actually my favorite type of scenario, because
these clients are very driven and since we're not starting
from scratch in the learning process, we move at warp speed.
* Be confident in what you offer (read your testimonials
over and over until your confidence comes back).
* See yourself as their problem solver. Charge accordingly
and never discount your services. Ever.
----------------------------------------------------
Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Mentor, is
founder of the Client Attraction System™, the proven
step-by-step program to attract more clients, in record
time...guaranteed. To receive your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by
mail and receive her weekly how-to articles on attracting
more clients, visit http://www.ClientAttraction.com .
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