by: Melinda Cohan, January 2017
As you’ve probably discovered, we love to hear from the members of our community. We’re constantly interviewing our clients, asking tons of questions about your challenges, triumphs, and everything in between.
And we want you to know, there IS a method to our madness!
You see, we ask you so many questions because we want to get to the root of how we can best serve you … which information will most effectively help you get from where you are now, to where you want to be in your coaching business.
Our research has shown, time and time again, that the members of our community are struggling in one key area: identifying, finding, and hooking ideal clients.
If this sounds familiar, you may have said (or thought) things like:
“I don’t know how to identify or where to find my ideal clients.”
“I don’t know how to articulate what I do so people get it.”
“I am not making money, don’t have enough clients, and haven’t launched my business.”
Great news: we’re here to help!
With the information we’re sharing today, we’re confident that 2017 can be your breakthrough year—the year when you finally begin connecting with the people you’re meant to serve in a deep, authentic way … the year your business explodes!
The first steps: identify, find, and hook your ideal prospects so you can turn them into clients.
But how?
Today, we want to share with you our powerful 4-step process for identifying your ideal client and crafting a free gift that not only allows you to attract that ideal client, but that also gives you the opportunity to begin making a bigger impact on those you serve—from the very first time you communicate with your prospects.
Step One.
“Pain and pleasure island.”
The first and most important step in identifying your ideal client and how you can help him or her is to get clear on what we call the “Pain and Pleasure Island” points.
The most effective way to present your services as the solution to your ideal client’s problem is to show her that you can meet her where she is by articulating her challenges and struggles, that you understand what she’s going through, and that you can guide her towards making it better. It’s critical to talk not only about the challenges she’s facing, but also about the results your ideal client desires, to help her get clear on the vision for her ideal life as she reaches the goals that are so important to her. Finally, it’s key to show her that your coaching is the boat that can take her from where she is now, to where she wants to be.
Specificity is key, here, not just in ideas, but in language, too. It’s crucial that you use the same language, words, and phrases your prospects use. Otherwise, what you say may fall on deaf ears.
Ask yourself two questions:
Question One. What are the three main worries or concerns that plague my ideal client?
Imagine she wakes up at 3 a.m., unable to go back to sleep because her mind is filled with these worries and concerns. Drill down to the actual words and phrases she would use if she were to describe these things to you.
Question 2. If your ideal client could wave a magic wand and put an end to all of her frustrations, what would her life look like?
The idea here is that your ideal clients are living on “Pain Island” with their worries and concerns, and your services can take them to “Pleasure Island,” where their frustrations have dissolved and their lives are great and fulfilling!
Once you’ve answered these questions, you can begin creating your free gift around tips and resources that provide insight to help your ideal clients make the journey from Pain Island to Pleasure Island.
Step Two.
“Jump on your Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+ accounts.”
Over and over, members of our community have said, “I can’t get clients. I don’t know anyone.”
We say, “Nonsense!”
You have tons of connections! Think about the contacts you have through social media, on your phone, from previous jobs, and through your friends and family. And maybe these connections aren’t your ideal clients, but they likely know people who are your ideal clients. Consider your current contacts the stepping stones to your ideal prospects.
Make a list, and start the conversations.
Send your contacts an email (it can be brief!), letting them know what you’re up to. Be sure to mention your free gift and the transformation you provide. Ask them to pass this info on to their friends and connections who may be a good fit.
Step Three.
“Identify strategic referral professions.”
Strategic referral partners are other professionals who are helping the same type of clients you’re targeting, but in different ways, in their business … and (this is important!), they may be able to refer their clients to you. For example, if you coach the owners of small businesses, they may need legal advice or help with taxes, so they can reach their desired goals of a successful business. You may develop a strategic referral partnership with an attorney, a CPA, and/or even a bookkeeper who can introduce you to many of their clients.
So first, look for professions that serve the same ideal client you serve.
Go back to the Pain and Pleasure Island points you developed in Step One. Then, list 10 other professions who also help your same type of ideal client, via different services.
Step Four.
“Identify your strategic referral partners.”
The first several months in a new business are all about building strategic partnerships so you can reach a greater number of ideal clients. These relationships can provide you with a steady stream of referrals.
SO many startups make the mistake of working so hard, putting all their attention on finding individual clients. When you create strategic referral partners, you’re creating relationships with key people who can introduce you to many people at once.
Look at your contact list through a different lens. Revisit the contact list you made in Step Two, and look for people in professions that relate to your coaching goals. Are any of them in the 10 strategic professions you listed in Step Three? If they are, great! Reach out to them. If not, then consider them a bridge to the people who are in those professions.
It’s a New Year, which means it’s a new opportunity to start building massive momentum in your business!
The process we’ve shared here is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to growing your business online.
Because identifying, finding, and nailing ideal clients is such a huge topic, and because we hear about it over and over again in our interviews and surveys, we want to make sure you have everything you need to master it.
So if you’re ready to create a steady stream of ideal clients who can’t wait to work with you—and to make THIS the year your business growth explodes—then join us January 18th at 4pm ET (3pm CT, 2pm MT, 1pm PT) for a complimentary webinar, 8 Steps to Identify, Find, and Communicate Effectively with Your Ideal Clients, where we walk through these steps together, take the information deeper, and offer hot seat coaching to answer any of your questions.
Because we’re offering live coaching, seating is limited. So reserve your spot here, now:
Master 4 Steps & Gain Momentum <<< Join Us January 18th at 4pm ET, FREE