Get Referrals from Networking Events & Groups

Written by Robin Thompson on February 16, 2017. Posted in Blog, Business Development, Networking, Sales.

One of the biggest complaints I hear from business owners is that networking events are uncomfortable and a waste of time because they’re not getting clients. Well, that’s your first mistake.

You may end up with participants in a networking group or from a networking event becoming your clients, but in general that’s not where your biggest value is from networking. You are far more likely to gain colleagues, allies, and referral sources from than you are clients.

So why aren’t you getting referrals? Because your follow through sucks. Here’s how to reverse that condition and get referrals from your networking efforts.

Let’s take the case of your neighborhood Massage Therapist, since I’ve worked with or interacted with thousands of these professionals over the years. It is rare indeed to even find a Massage Therapist at a networking event, which is a shame, but another story.

The Problem

Let’s say that the heroine of our story (we’ll call her Jane) has been going to a networking group put on by her local Chamber of Commerce for several months. She likes the people there, and a couple of the folks in her group have come for treatment sessions, but that’s it.

In my coaching session with Jane, we have this conversation about the topic:

Me: How many one on one meetings have you had with folks in the group so far?

Jane: …um?

Me: How many referrals have you given other folks in the group?

Jane: Oh geez, that’s a good point. I don’t know if I have anyone for them.

Me: And that’s how they probably feel about you. They’re just not sure who to refer, and how, and when.

The Solution

Jane went back to her group, and when she got up to share she told the rest of the group that she’d like to get to know everyone better and who their ideal clients are so that she could give good referrals to them. Before she left the meeting, she had 6 appointments (3 phone calls and 3 coffee or lunch meetings) set up with various members of the group.

This is not the end of the story.

In our session, I helped Jane practice the kinds of questions and requests that were going to help deepen the relationship faster, as well as find out quickly if the folks she was talking with were going to be good referral sources for her. Since she already had created the profile of her Ideal Client and Ideal Colleague, this was a lot easier.

After her meetings, Jane used this template to follow up and did she get referrals? Within 2 weeks Jane had received 8 referrals, 6 of whom booked massage treatments right away.

Jane’s Referral Request Email

Dear Steve,

Great meeting with you yesterday over coffee. I was glad to learn more about your business. I really appreciate getting together and I think we can help each other out. What kinds of referrals are you looking for? I’ve got some specific types of clients that my services really make a difference with, so if you’re up for it, I was wondering if you would mind letting me know if you know anyone like this?

Someone who is in pain like back pain or headaches
Folks who are under a lot of stress
Anyone who has recently been in an accident, had a fall, a car crash, etc.
People who are training for an event like a marathon, triathlon, martial arts, or who are athletes.

I’d also be happy to help out and take care of anyone you know who just wants to relax, feel great, and increase their mobility. I’ll make sure the problem doesn’t come back!

I am very open to working with anyone you refer to me, so when you hear of people that would benefit from my services, please know that I am always grateful when you let them know that they can call me at XXX-XXXX or email me XXXX@XXXXX.COM. I’ll get right back to them and set up a complimentary assessment and evaluation over the phone.

Remember to let me know what kinds of referrals are you looking for too so I can return the favor. Thanks!

All the Best,

Jane Smith, LMT

Owner, Pain-Away Massage Clinic

(phone)

(website)

This kind of warm, focused email makes it so easy for someone to come up with names, and they know exactly what to do. All the pressure is off, and they’re clear on how they can help. Plus, this level of follow through and professionalism lets someone know that they can ask you for the same and it builds their confidence that you know your business.

Your Referral Request Template

Dear _____,

Great meeting with you for coffee/lunch/for our phone chat. I was glad to learn more about your business. I really appreciate getting together and I think we can help each other out. What kinds of referrals are you looking for? I’ve got some specific types of businesses/clients/customers that our services/products really make a difference with, so if you’re up for it, I was wondering if you would mind letting me know if you know anyone who is a manager or owner at any of the following kinds of businesses/dealing with this type of problem/fits this description?

Bullet points of who your ideal clients/target market is

I’d also be happy to help out and take care of anyone you know who is having a problem with _______________. I’ll make sure the problem doesn’t come back!

I am very open to working with anyone you refer to me, so when you hear of people that would benefit from my services, please know that I am always grateful when you let them know that they can call me at ____________ or email me _________________. I’ll get right back to them and set up a complimentary assessment/evaluation/consultation.

Remember to let me know what kinds of referrals are you looking for too so I can return the favor. Thanks!

Warm Regards,

Name, Title {POWERFUL TITLE}

Company Name

Phone Number

Website

This weeks’ challenge is to go through your contact list and set up phone chats (I call them “virtual teas”) or in-person meetings for coffee, drinks, or lunch to connect with people who you think would be good to have a deeper collegial relationship with. Then, personalize use this template to follow up and see what happens!

Click the social share buttons below to give this template to your colleagues and friends who could use a business boost!

2 Minute Confidence Boost

Written by Robin Thompson on February 8, 2017. Posted in Blog, Leadership, Personal Development.

We all possess the innate ability to boost our confidence levels in literally two minutes with this simple Confidence Boost.

Whether you’re starting a business, a movement, or just changing habits in your life it takes time, energy, persistence, tenacity, and confidence.

Lots and lots of confidence. But we don’t always have that level of confidence. Fortunately we all possess the innate ability to change our confidence level quite literally in two minutes.

Getting out there and starting something in the world really takes something. We have bad days, we’ve had bad experiences that we don’t want to repeat, other people’s negative messages get stuck in our heads….Yuck.

Out in the wild, animals express their dominance (an expression of confidence) by taking up more space. Appearing to be bigger than they actually are, pacing back-and-forth, puffing themselves up, and other displays. At our core, we are no different. Confident people often seem to take up more space in a room. They spread themselves out, use large hand gestures, and when they speak they often will move around quite a bit. Think about how a confident motivational speaker uses a stage-rarely that really ever stand in just one place, they use the entire stage.

On the other hand, when an animal or a human is feeling frightened or has a lack of confidence, they tend to make themselves small. Curling up in a ball, crossing your arms across your midsection, tucking your chin to your chest are some examples.

So we all know that body language affects the way that other people perceive us. But did you know that your body language also affects how YOU see you? And I’m not talking about looking in a mirror.

Researchers at Harvard have found that by adopting anyone of a number of “power poses” for 2 minutes, we can boost our confidence. These poses raise your level of testosterone (even in women) and lower your level of cortisol. No, you’re not going to get a burst of testosterone that’s going to make you more aggressive,but testosterone increase in both genders is associated with feelings of confidence, control, and well-being. Cortisol, on the other hand, is a stress hormone. It tends to be associated with the flight or fight response. So that’s definitely one that we want to keep low.

A number of examples of these “power poses” are shown below. Notice how the body is spread out, taking up more space, expanded:

Imagine what would happen if you did a power pose as a practice several times a day?

Even if you don’t need a confidence boost right now, I suggest you give these a try and make it part of your daily routine. It’s also useful when you’re going into a meeting, a networking event, or hitting the stage to speak.

Give it a try and let us know how it goes-comment below and share with your colleagues. Here’s to more confidence!

4 Steps to Writing Sales Pages That Aren’t Gross

Written by Robin Thompson on February 1, 2017. Posted in Blog, Business Development, Sales.

Here are 4 steps to writing sales pages and making it easier on you to create sales and program pages that are authentic.

I really blame sucky sales pages on the internet for a lot of things. Customer dissatisfaction, lack of registrations, over saturating the market, and excessive yelling at computer screens. Maybe that last one is just me…

BUT, even if you partially or entirely outsource your sales page writing (more on that later) you still have to participate in writing them if you want your work to be accurately represented and in YOUR voice.

AND, if you want to use the Internet as a source of sales for your business, regardless of your industry, you need pages on your website where people can buy your stuff, or register for your course or program, or schedule an appointment.

The solution? Here are four steps to making it easier on you to create sales and program pages that are authentic (and won’t make me yell at the computer-you wouldn’t want that, would you?). This process will also help you create new programs and products as well, because time is gold, doing things twice is lame, and you want to be reading a good book with a glass of wine very soon, yes?

Step 1: Design Your Course or Program

Key Question: What are you going to offer and how?

Choose the topic for your program, product, or workshop and outline what it will include. Oftentimes this is something you already have done but you’re not sure how to get it out into the world. You will also need to choose the “vehicle” you’re going to use-whether that’s a live workshop, teleclass, webinar, online course, etc. Choose what content you will include, the number of sessions, your price points, etc. If you’re not sure what the best direction is for you or what the right vehicle for you would be, that’s something I can help you with one on one.

Step 2: Create Your Program Promises

Key Question: What will people get from you?

In bullet points, determine what your audience can count on you to deliver. What will they learn? What materials will they get? What’s the format? What are the benefits?

Step 3: Real World Application

Key Question: How will participants apply what they learned out in the world?

If you’re providing knowledge and techniques, what can people do with that out in the real world? Write out examples (If you’ve worked with people before around the topic you’re offering) and all the ways you can think of that people can use what you’ll be giving them.

Step 4: Paint a Picture of Results

Key Question: If participants take what you’re giving them and they used it fully, how would their lives change?

Imagine participants taking what they learned and applying it fully. Write down either in a narrative or in bullet points all the results they could create, achieve, and generate. This is why we do what we do-for people to have amazing results!

This is not the end of the process.

You have two options at this point now that you’ve got this all written out.

You write the page yourself
You outsource the writing

If you write the page yourself, then you do this: You REVERSE steps 1-4 for your sales page, like this:

4. Begin with painting a picture of the results people get
3. Tell them this is how it gets used in the real world
2. Outline what the promises are
1. Share with them the points of the course/program/product itself.

BONUS WRITING TIP: Remember to write your page as though you were talking to one person rather than an audience of people. Imagine a particular client or friend in mind who you know is your ideal audience for this program or product as you write.

Give this process a try and let us know how it went. Did you add any other steps?

Ready to get your next product, program, or service ready to launch and want some expert guidance? Schedule a Discovery Call and we'll explore the best options to meet your goals.

2 Surprising Ways To Get Clients

Written by Robin Thompson on January 25, 2017. Posted in Blog, Business Development, Sales.

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):

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.
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):

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).
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.

5 Digital Essentials to Run Your Business From Abroad

Written by Robin Thompson on December 7, 2016. Posted in Blog, Business Development, Productivity.

If you are thinking of working online abroad, here are some essentials you'll need that I learned while living in Costa Rica and working from there.

In the last 3 years we’ve changed locations with our family 7 times between the US and Costa Rica, with a sprinkling of Canada. Have you considered ‘going mobile’ with your career or business? If you are, a good Internet connection is going to be on your top list of essentials. Did you know that the average download speed in the US is 33.1 mbps and the average upload speed is 10.3, but in Costa Rica the average download speed is 5.3 mbps? As for uploads, well, you don’t want to know. Here are some tips on dealing with internet while working and living abroad.

Tip #1

When planning your travel, find out what the internet speed is where you’ll be renting, and if it is a shared connection. In Costa Rica specifically, I’ll now only live places where Tigo is offered, because they allow you to increase your internet speed up to 20 Mbps. To run a household with two adults and two kids who have heavy computer usage, we find that 10 Mbps is enough to keep everyone pretty happy. I also recommend bringing your own router, as electronics can be massively more expensive outside of the US and Canada, so you may have a good internet connection…but a router that only allows you to work 5 feet away from it. Not fun when you want to be working by the pool or the beach!

Tip #2

Power outages happen, so I recommend that you have a battery backup whether you travel or not. We have more power outages in Florida than we ever did in Costa Rica! You can plug in your router as well as your computer or other essential electronics to these handy dandy devices. These beauties have saved my bacon more than once when the power went out while I was in the middle of a live interview or webinar. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about from Amazon (non-affiliate link, I chose it because it’s highly rated and similar to the one we have).

Tip #3

Have backup locations with decent WiFi connections. I have standing agreements with several friends to share their internet connection in case of emergency wherever we’re living. I also scout out free WiFi spots within the first week of moving to a new location, usually at coffee shops, libraries, and restaurants.

Tip #4

Request to pre-record interviews, teleclasses, and webinars rather than do them on a live feed. Many radio shows will give you the option to do live or pre-recorded, and you can still be on the line for a webinar or teleclass to do Q&A, welcome people, etc. even if your assistant runs a recording of the main content from a different country.

Tip #5

Never rely on having just one way to communicate. Overall, Skype is overall still my favorite communication software, although Zoom is a close second — I use it for calls, team meetings, client sessions, and interviewing guests for the StartSomething Show. It’s less bandwidth heavy than Google options, and more robust than the call feature in Facebook Messenger, and far less infuriating than Magic Jack (I could write an entire article on the evils of Magic Jack). But, there have been times when Skype wasn’t happening, so I had a backup of using my Google Voice number through my laptop, which is also generally reliable and good sound quality, and Zoom as well.

Since we began our travels we’ve had more time for family and pursuing our interests, as well as experiences that money simply can’t buy. I’ve gotten much more laid back about things not going as planned, which has led to less stress and more deep satisfaction with life. At the same time, at the beginning of our travels…hoooboy, I was not prepared for the amount of “I need a plan B!” that I was going to have with technology. Hopefully, with some of this advice, you’ll get to the good parts even faster.

NOTE: Source of the average upload speed

Check out the free class I put together for you on the5 Keys to Unlock Your Business Oasis and learn how I freed up myselfAND my family to do what we love and live where we want.

What Authors Need to Know NOW to Solve the Biggest Publishing Mystery

Written by Robin Thompson on November 21, 2016. Posted in Audiobook Marketing, Blog, Podcasting, Publishing. 2 Comments on What Authors Need to Know NOW to Solve the Biggest Publishing Mystery

Why do fewer than 10% of nonfiction authors leverage their books into audiobooks? Take a look at what authors need to know to solve this mystery.

In the last eight years, the self-publishing industry has EXPLODED. Bestseller campaigns abound and books have become the new business card. Nonfiction authors often invest anywhere from $5,000-20,000 to develop and launch their book and become a bestselling author.

Here lies the mystery…why do fewer than 10% of nonfiction authors leverage their books into audiobooks?

The audiobook industry is growing at 3X the rate of any other kind of publishing, with sales up 34% in the last year. In 2015 alone, 1.5 million more audiobooks were downloaded than ebooks. In 2016, audiobook sales were were up 25%+ over 2015’s sales numbers. Digital Book World names audiobook production as one of the top 11 key trends for authors.

And to top it off, the cost of audiobook production has dropped 50% since 2009.

My team and I searched for the answer to this mystery – talking with authors, publishers, editors and book coaches – and we heard the same thing over and over again.

Authors had no idea that they could dramatically increase their audience, influence, and income with audiobooks.
Authors didn’t know that they didn’t have to give away their royalties or that it was so easy to get a return on their investment.
Worst of all, authors didn’t know their options for audiobook production or where to get started.

Audiobooks are certainly not a new medium and they’re definitely not a fad. Audio has have a long track record of durability and popularity. In fact, audiobooks are simply an extension of oral history and storytelling, which is part of every culture in the world, and much, much older than the written word. Your listener develops a relationship with you when you’re in their ear. Even if the narrator’s voice on the recording isn’t yours, your Voice (capital V) comes through and stays with the listener. Your words, your messages are going directly into someone’s brain like a software download.

We’re wired to listen to stories and that’s something that is not going away.

Most books that have a good, solid narrative are a good candidate to be turned into an audiobook. There’s an especially big opportunity for nonfiction authors right now as well, because very few nonfiction books have been turned into audiobooks yet. That’s a market advantage for any author with good content. Even if your book is technical, putting it into audio can be a big advantage because it allows people to feel as though they’re being taught the material. Many times, people will purchase both the print book and audiobook version so that they have multiple options.

If you find yourself wanting to google audiobook production at this point, then I would recommend you look deeper into audiobook production. However, utilizing outlets like audiobooks and other audio options like podcasting need to be part of a leveraged marketing strategy that is ultimately going to connect you with the right audience, build that audience, and convert them into fans, and clients and customers.

Find out the facts from reliable sources so you can make powerful choices for your business, protect your royalties and skyrocket your audience, influence, and income.

Do You Sound Like A Leader?

Written by Robin Thompson on July 28, 2016. Posted in Blog, Leadership, Podcasting, Sales, Voice.

You might be hurting your credibility as a leader every time you open your mouth, and it’s not what you’re saying. It’s your voice.

A study in affiliation with Duke University analyzed 792 male CEO voices and found that a deeper voice was advantageous in positions of leadership. Results indicated that CEOs with lower voices had longer tenure, led larger companies, and made more money — to the tune of $180K+ per year.

This research poses a bit of a conundrum. What if you don’t have a low voice? Does that mean you’re doomed not to rise in the ranks of leadership? Fortunately, there are a number of other factors in the vocal realm that contribute to your credibility as a leader, and these factors are far more controllable than how deep your voice is.

Another study conducted at Gonzaga University revealed that a variety of vocal factors influence whether a speaker is perceived as trustworthy — and therefore credible. Regardless of the pitch and tone of your natural voice, these important factors can be controlled and practiced:

Articulation (clear pronunciation of words). An articulated vocal performance reflects a thoughtful representation of the speaker’s inner conviction, and thus leads to the perception of a more educated and credible speaker. Articulation can be improved by repeating difficult words until one can say them correctly; slowing down your speech can also make articulation easier. Beware, however — over-articulation can produce a less than normal speaking tone and therefore reduce credibility.

Fluidity (flow of your message). The more fluidity with which one speaks — that is, the more you don’t have to reach for your words — the more expert and confident you are perceived, engendering trust. This takes us back to the dreaded “ums” and “ahs” we work to eliminate in public speaking scenarios, podcasting and audiobooks. Rather than filling the air in a conversation or meeting with such “thinking noises” or hedges (“sort of” or “kind of”), be intentional and transparent regarding your thinking process. If posed a question, pause and make eye contact with your listeners and take a moment to answer their question with, “let me think about that for a moment.” Doing so indicates that you’re taking their question seriously and giving it your full attention.

Tempo (speed at which you speak). This vocal cue is closely tied to gaining and maintaining the attention of the listener. No one likes to hear a boring, slow delivery; monotone presentations tend to put people to sleep or move them to distraction. Keep energy and interest alive in your voice when speaking and your listeners will remain more engaged.

On the other hand, speakers who speak too fast can end up slurring their words, affecting the articulation and clarity of their message. A speaker’s “normal” rate of delivery has been found to rank the highest in perception of credibility. In other words, it’s important to “be yourself” when communicating. Note that both tempo and fluidity can be improved by bringing increased attention to your breath. Make sure that you’re actually breathing as you speak, and not inadvertently holding your breath.

Sonority (pleasantness of one’s voice). Several factors can contribute to sonority, but one controllable, contemporary factor is known as “vocal fry” and refers to the low, vibratory sound occurring particularly in women at the end of spoken sentences. A study published in 2010 analyzed 800 male and female participants who spoke with vocal fry, or “creaky voice,” and found them to be less desirable job candidates compared with those speaking in a normal tone. Take note and eliminate this vocal trend before it spreads any further. Please.

Another common vocal pattern that deeply impacts credibility but is one of the simplest to identify and address is “uptalking” the end of sentences. Uptalk sounds like you’re making everything a question? As if you’re not sure what you’re saying? And that makes what you say hard to trust? Focus on making your statements more declarative.

Do all of these factors leave you feeling overwhelmed about perfecting your vocal delivery? Don’t sweat it if you can’t change them all — not everyone was born with a deep or pleasant voice. Of all of the aforementioned influencing factors, articulation was found to be the most important — so if you have a big impending speech, start by practicing using clear and careful pronunciation. Through external feedback, objective coaching, and diligent practice, you can become a better communicator and perhaps even a bigger earner.

4 Powerful Words to Grow Your Business Now

Written by Robin Thompson on March 25, 2015. Posted in Blog, Business Development, Sales.

I want to share with you four little words to grow your business, get referrals, more clients, and create unlimited resources for your business and your life.

Today I want to share with you a short “how to” video: How to grow your business with celebration and contribution. And you don’t even have to talk to strangers.It all starts with four little words that are incredibly powerful. These four words have been used by my clients to do amazing things like double their clients in six months! Check it out, then try it out, and let me know what you think.

Want to learn more about our coaching services?