For most people it's tough enough to attract any clients at all. So apologies if it feels like I'm setting the bar high when I talk about attracting committed clients.

But really, that's who you want.

Committed clients get results and come back for more.

And they're easier to work with. And less likely to stop a project mid-way through. That's especially important given the inevitable challenges and setbacks you get in any significant project.

You want your clients to be in it for the long term and not easily deterred by short term roadblocks.

How do you get those clients?

I think it's about appealing to more than just their desire for an end result.

I think they need to believe in you and your approach too.

The best clients kind of fall in love with you. And so they stick with you if things get a bit hairy.

The clients who hire you just because you're the first or the cheapest person to promise them the results they want tend to give up when the going gets tough. They're off and focused on the next opportunity or the next person to promise them the world.

In marketing, we often say that clients don't care about your process and how you do things. only the end result they get.

But I think that's only partially true.

Try telling a keto true believer that your balanced diet program is the one for them and see what happens. It doesn't matter how big the improvements you promise, if they're not delivered the way they believe is the right way, they won't be interested.

So part of your marketing should be about “converting” your potential clients into being true believers in your approach.

That's one of the reasons why I teach a lot in my marketing and give away a lot of free information.

If, through that teaching, I can convince you that something like Value-Based Marketing is the absolute best way for consultants and coaches to get more clients then you'll be much less likely to be seduced by quick fixes and all the other opportunities that get pushed at you every day.

No matter what untold riches they promise you, if you're bought-in to a certain way of doing things then you'll ignore them if they don't follow that approach.

And if we do work together to implement that approach you'll be more likely to stick with it through ups and downs because you believe in it.

Next week we'll talk a little more about how to turn potential clients into “true believers”.

But for now – think about what it is you believe in that you think your clients should too.