Which story is more compelling? Story #1…
I spent 14 years selling software in the B2B market. I learned a lot and helped startups and corporate giants grow their revenue through a lot of grinding, hard work, selling, and business development. After that, I started a boutique coaching and consulting business where I learned a ton about how to be a successful coach. I saw that most coaches relied on referrals, and didn’t know how to effectively market and sell themselves or scale beyond a 1:1 coaching model. Now I’m applying my B2B business development experience to help business and executive coaches create an endless flow of qualified leads and escape the constant grind of a 1:1 coaching model.
Or Story #2…
The quality leads and referrals have dried up or aren’t coming fast enough. And maybe you recognize the trap of a sell sell sell, coach coach coach model. And the entire online marketing and coaching industry has misled you: their advice doesn’t resonate with your desire to be in complete integrity with how you sell and deliver your services.
Studying and applying sustainable growth strategies for business and executive coaches non-stop for the past 5 years has taught me this: you need a business model that feels 100% congruent to you, you need a steady flow of ‘ideal client’ prospects showing up weekly, and you need a process to make it all work. And that’s what I do. I help business and executive coaches develop a congruent business development strategy, fill their pipeline with a steady flow of qualified leads, and develop a highly profitable coaching business.
My guess is that you chose Story #2. There are a lot of reasons why that’s the case, but the bottom line is simple and well-known: our brains are better at remembering clear and directed stories than they are at retaining facts, figures, and logic. I know, frustrating, right?
Good stories contain elements of resonance with the intended audience along with an emotional association.
Long before written words existed, the way we passed down information was via stories. No amount of science or compelling data will ever replace our brain’s ability to grasp a good story. So our ability to tell and craft compelling stories is a big part of what can allow us to win as business builders.
And yet many businesses tell a story that sounds more like #1 than #2. You know, something like:
With over 10 years of experience, we are dedicated to the highest quality service so our clients can be successful. Unlike other brand consultants, we’re responsive, organized, and always there when you need us. Our specialties include brand strategy, design, digital marketing, SEO, and email marketing automation. Contact us today.
Okay, now I need you to wake you back up. This is the kind of “story” that gives your business zero memorability, resonance, or unique-ability, leaving your clients bored and you being viewed as a commodity in a sea of “me too” competitors.
How You Win
You win by differentiating your business and by telling a compelling story that your ideal clients are waiting to hear.
You win by developing Ideal Client Clarity – by being 100% clear and confident that you are focusing on the right ideal clients for you. You win by developing specific criteria so that you can effectively find your ideal clients with ease and develop messaging that resonates with them.
You win through Magnetic Messaging – with a clear and congruent story that grabs the attention and interest of your ideal clients. You win by developing compelling messaging that you will use in your marketing strategy, on your website, on LinkedIn, and in conversations with your ideal clients. Your Magnetic Message will have your ideal clients raising their hands and wanting to speak with you. This leads to more conversations with qualified ideal clients.
You win by having a predictable Marketing Engine – the most successful business builders always have a simple marketing system and process in their business that allows them to consistently attract their ideal clients. Your Marketing Engine should be placing you in front of your ideal clients weekly. It should make them aware of who you are, your area of expertise and how you can help them. And ideally, your Marketing Engine should leverage technology to help you automate parts of this process, making it more efficient. Most service entrepreneurs actually sell their products or services by talking to an live person, especially if it’s a higher value service they’re selling. By having an effective Marketing Engine, you can continually develop a pipeline full of high-quality leads that will move you into conversations with your ideal clients, even when you’re delivering on an existing client project, or you’re taking time off to spend with family.
And finally, you win through an Optimized Business Model and Strategic Leveraged Offers that allow you to deliver your desired transformation or impact at scale. You win by taking your years of experience, expertise, passion and you package, position, price and present it in a clear structured way so that it aligns with what your ideal clients want to buy.
If you do these things, and do them well, the sky will be the limit.
Live bravely,
Michael
