We're living in unprecedented times. At least for our generation.
And I'm not going to pretend that I know exactly what to do right now or have all the answers. Anyone who says they do is either deluded or lying.
But we can apply the lessons of what worked in other crises like the financial meltdown of 2008. And we can learn as we go along from what's working right now and share that with each other – which is what I'm doing in this post.
I'm going to lay out a clear strategy and options for switching your business from face-to-face delivery to remote working in a variety of forms. Something I've done myself over the last decade or so. Something many businesses are doing right now and something you will need to do if you want to survive the current crisis and be prepared for the world beyond.
It'll require you to take action fast and potentially make some tough choices. But it could well save your business and put it on the path to recovery and growth.
I know that doesn’t sound good coming from someone who teaches marketing for a living.
But it’s true.
We’ve lost our way in marketing in recent years.
Paradoxically, in a time when there’s more marketing information available than ever before, and more marketing options and tools available to help us; the average professional is struggling like never before to win clients.
On this episode of More Clients TV, we're looking at a question I get asked a lot: how do I get more email subscribers?
It's a really important topic if you want to succeed online and most people are really missing a lot of tricks and could get a lot more email subscribers. So I'm going to give you a bunch of tips on this video.
When we talk about lead generation we normally mean potential clients we've not met or interacted with before.
What we tend to forget is the people we already know, but we're not treating like leads.
In particular, there are two categories of people who make exceptional leads that we tend to overlook.
The first is ex-clients. The second is “dropped prospects”.
Both are great prospects because we've already built up credibility and trust with them.
The challenge is we've usually dropped out of touch and we don't know how to get back in contact and start talking about working together without seeming desperate or pushy or otherwise put them off.
In this video, I show you an approach for reconnecting that will get potential clients enthusiastic about speaking with you. And it will allow you to smoothly transition to talking about working together.
In last week's video I showed you a technique for making your Lead Magnets stand out.
This week we're going to take that further and look at how to create a very different type of lead magnet. Something that's particularly powerful for high-value clients.
Lead Magnets are still the most effective way to get people to sign up to get regular emails from you so you can build a relationship with them online.
But what makes a good lead magnet? And how can you differentiate yours from all the other lead magnets out there.
In this video I show you a simple trick to make sure your lead magnet stands out and works to attract your ideal clients.
If you've ever read any advice on Linkedin or watched any videos or even paid for training, chances are that 90% was about “optimising your Linkedin profile”.
And while having a strong profile is important, it's not the thing that's going to get you clients (in the same way that a great resumé doesn't get you a job – it's going out and applying for jobs and doing a great interview that counts the most).
In this video I describe 4 Linkedin lead Generation Strategies that actually work.
For real people. Not just social media experts selling social media services through social media.
Most of us get Lead Generation completely backwards.
We're a bit like the guy who wants to get a date and obsesses about whether he should be going out to clubs, using a dating app or asking friends for introductions – and completely forgets to smarten himself up a bit and try to look his best some people will actually want to have a date with him.
In this video I explain the big mistake most businesses make with lead generation and the simple step you can take to turn that round and get people wanting to meet with you.
Exclusive Bonus: The best way to harness your networks to win clients is using Value-Based Marketing. To download your free step-by-step blueprint to implementing Value-Based Marketing and get FREE access to the Fast Start videos that will get you up and running and generating leads and clients fast, click here.
When it comes down to it there are three different types of network that bring you all your clients.
Just three.
The first network is your network of Close Contacts.
These are the people you know well. The ones you could pick up the phone to and pick their brains. People you'd feel happy asking a favour of – and who would feel happy asking a favour of you.
The second network is your network of Casual Contacts.
These are the people you know well enough to drop an email to. Who you probably chat to online if you see them post something. Who you'd be happy to see and chat to at an event. But you wouldn't necessarily arrange to meet up with them on a regular basis.
The third network is your network of Acquaintances or your Audience.
Acquaintances are people you recognise and would smile at at a party. But you don't know them all that well. An audience is even more remote – it's people who know you (for example they listen to your podcast) but you don't know them.
For the vast majority of us, an audience is an entirely new phenomenon. In the past only TV and movie stars had audiences. Or in the business world, the authors of well-known books or those who went out on the speaking trail. Today though we can all build our own audience – whether that's an email list or Youtube followers.
And if you're in consulting or a similar advisor profession, the particular type of impossible they want is that paradoxical combination of “new and different” with “tried and tested”.
New and different = something their competitors aren't doing, so will give them a competitive edge.
Tried and tested = proven, so they won't be taking a risk by implementing it.
Of course, a moment's thought will tell you something can't really be both new and different AND tried and tested. But “wants” are driven by emotion and gut feel. Cold hard logic doesn't often get a look in.
Ian Brodie on 27th March 2020.
