The best ways to get clients are the most authentic to YOU. That’s why while it’s important to have reliable systems, a lot of the cookie-cutter programs out there don’t work the way they’re advertised.

One of my fabulous clients shared her breakthrough week with me, outlining not just the results she generated but the lessons she learned on the way as well. I was so blown away by her insight that I asked her if I could share what she learned with all of you as a case study in generating new clients for a new business. One of the many things I love about Gail Jessen is that she can WRITE. Man, can she write. I couldn’t put what she shares into words here any better.

#1 Way

THE COACHING: Write up a detailed, visceral description of your Perfect Day (using the audio exercise I gave her) and share it with at least 30 people. Originally, Gail wanted to approach this in a more analytical way, but we moved her through that so that she could receive the full benefit.

WHAT GAIL DID: She wrote up her Perfect Day as a blog post and shared it with her subscribers.

THE RESULTS: She booked a workshop registration within 12 hours of putting up the post.

LESSONS LEARNED (in Gail’s words):

1. Vulnerability and authenticity are crucial to building a personal brand. I put the semi-vulnerable perfect day out there and bam…someone resonated and registered within 12 hours. It makes me hopeful when I think about the other posts I’ve lined up to promote my workshops. It reinforces to me that my writing is a significant feature of my brand. It also reinforces that marketing is really just resonance and attraction.
2. Networking and giving time/info for free can be ultimately beneficial. Once a month I go to a Desire Map book club. I didn’t know anyone when I first went last fall. It’s been a good social outlet, but also good conversations very focused on this particular topic. I never knew what may come out of it business wise, but I take my business cards and I talk about my workshops anyway. Well, the person who registered is part of that crowd and now she’s officially in my growing workshop tribe. Bam.

#2 Way

THE COACHING: Create a coaching product(s) for private, one-on-one coaching as a follow up product for your Desire Map workshop participants. Private coaching was not part of Gail’s original business model, but we worked together on her stepping into this part of her identity as she’s more than qualified.

WHAT GAIL DID: Put together 1 session and 3 session private coaching products and put them up on her website, sent a follow up email to her workshop participants letting them know it was available and that she was available to support them further in their journey.

THE RESULTS: She booked a private client in a quick 15 minute conversation who called after she received the email.

LESSONS LEARNED (in Gail’s words):

1. Done is better than perfect. I have zero infrastructure behind the private coaching product I put online and posted half-heartedly on my FB biz page. I don’t even have a sales page for it or integration into my current sales page…just the product in the shop. Old Me would’ve meticulously planned every last detail to death before she even spoke about the product out loud. Well, surprise. Now I get to scramble a bit before this first client comes online, but I feel so calm and right about that. I really only mean I need to create a worksheet or two that gives some meaty structure to the conversations I’ll have with people. The fact that it excites me to scramble to do that tells me I’m on the right path (vs debilitating panic attacks in the bathroom at my other work when someone asks me for a budget report, a’la two weeks ago).
2. I can charge my friends money to talk to me…and it was easier than I thought. This is so so so huge. We’ve talked about this being a block for me. The person who wants to book the hour session is a friend. She’s not a hang-out-regularly-inner-circle friends, but she’s also not a stranger. We’ve known each other for years and have a lot of mutual friends that keep us all connected. In our 15-min Q&A phone call, I spoke calmly about the two different coaching options. Answered her questions about what the outcome is intended to be. Didn’t offer a discount or offer to “just talk” to her anyway. It felt like I was a real live grownup business owner 🙂

Also, I’m so grateful for your coaching. We’ve been working together for maybe almost two months and bam. Magic. Intention is magic. If Gail hadn’t taken the coaching and implemented it, the results wouldn’t be there. I’m grateful to have clients who do awesome work in the world and who allow me to help them expand and grow.