Step 1: Start with Focus
Having a governing focus for your business is critical. Until you get clear on who you serve and how you serve them, your business will flounder. For example, until I decided to work with creative entrepreneurs and assist them in getting their messages out to the world, my business remained stagnant. Once I got clear on that, it was easier to create products and services that would serve my market. It also became clear what types of training and certifications I needed to obtain to optimally fill their needs. If you need greater clarity and focus, look into my Radiant Branding course with Phillip Davis.
Step 2: Find Out What Your Market Needs
Whether you want to use polling software to conduct a survey or you pick up the phone and talk to a few clients, you need to get inside the head of your typical customer. I’ve used both methods. Nothing beats having a chat — especially if you are personable and can get people to open up about their needs and concerns. The more you care about people, the more that will come across, and they will be more willing to share how they really feel.
Step 3: Brainstorm on How to Fill Client Needs
Make a list of your prospects’ most pressing problems. Then out next to each, brainstorm ways you can solve those problems. You may not even know how to solve them yet. Maybe you’ll need additional training or need to read a few books. That’s okay. Write down the ideal solution to each problem.
For example, after a round-robin discussion with 4 of my typical customers, I learned that fear, self-doubt and overwhelm are the universal challenges of creative entrepreneurs. When I discovered that, I didn’t know how to get rid of these challenges completely. I did know if I worked closely with clients and held their hands, I could help them navigate their businesses and reduce fear, overwhelm and self-doubt as they leaned on me. But removing those obstacles completely wasn’t something I knew how to do.
Yet, I did know people who could do that. So I went to the best and took her certification training. Now I’m able to remove these types of blocks and challenges for my clients. Which brings us to Step 4…
Step 4: Fill The Gaps
If there’s something your market needs, but you don’t know how to solve it, you have three options.
- You can bundle someone else’s product or services into your solution.
- You can refer clients to someone else (and perhaps earn an affiliate commission).
- You can get the training you need to fill the gap for your clients.
I’ve used all these methods. Whether you choose to get the training depends upon your own interests and temperament. For example, if you hate technical details, taking Web design training to fill a client’s need for a web site is a waste of time. Farm out the web design to a capable professional.
But if you’re a health coach who works with weight-challenged individuals and you’ve always wanted to learn how to help them get their mindset straight and overcome their mental blocks, then taking training on how to do that would be right up your alley.
Step 5: Create a Complete Solution
Select one of the primary needs of your typical customer and create a complete solution for it. Select a need that is pressing for them, a need that they are willing to spend money to fix. Then create a system for solving that problem. Bring in other professionals where needed. Get any training you feel inclined to pursue and create a one-stop solution for this pressing need.
Right now you don’t actually have to create the product yet. Just outline it on paper and line up the professionals who will help you deliver this complete solution.
I recommend a “create as you go” method. For example, if you lead people to a 4-session webinar or telecall series, that can be recorded as you actually deliver it to the participants. You can later have it transcribed, the audios cleaned up, and turned into a physical or digital product.
Step 6: Create Your Signature Speech
Once you have the solution outlined, you’re ready to create your signature speech. This is something you can deliver in person to groups, or on telecalls or webinars. It should be informative and address the problem and outline a solution. You don’t have to be a professional speaker to do this.
This could be a Q&A outline that you hand to a webinar host that presents valuable information and informs listeners on how and why they should purchase your solution. If you don’t know how to outline something like this, I highly recommend Kirk Duncan’s Present Yourself training. It’s fantastic. I attended Present Yourself in 2011 and it transformed my business.
Step 7: Create a Sales Page for Your Product/Service
Using your signature speech, you can craft a sales page that speaks to the pain of your prospect and outlines the benefits of your solution. If you’re not good at writing copy, hire a copywriter. A couple excellent ones I’d recommend are Michele PW and Karon Thackston. They both offer copywriting services and copywriting courses if you’d rather learn for yourself.
Step 8: Conduct a Telecall or Webinar
You can start with your own list if you have one. Offer a free telecall to introduce your solution. You’ll use your signature speech for this. This is your trial run to work the kinks out of the system. You’ll need a sign-up page for the call and a thank you page for giving registrants the details on how to attend the call. You’ll also need some kind of list software like TrafficWave.net, 1ShoppingCart.com, or aweber.com to put the registrants on a list and automatically email them confirmation details.
Email your list and announce it to your social media friends.
Be sure to make replays of the call available for those who missed it. Notify your list several times that the audio is available and about any deadlines or special offers.
Step 9: Monitor and Adjust
How well did your call go? Of the people who signed up for it, how many attended? How many listened later? How many purchased? How can you improve your presentation? How can you improve your conversion rate? Make any necessary adjustments. If needed, offer the call again to your list until you are happy with it.
Step 10: Create an Affiliate Program
Once you are satisfied with your presentation and your product, use a service like 1ShoppingCart.com to create an affiliate program. An affiliate program allows other people to sell your product and earn a commission. Make sure you offer a generous commission to make it worth someone’s while in promoting it.
Step 11: Start Your Search for Ideal Affiliates
Who else is reaching your market, but not offering exactly what you offer? Who reaches a group of people who really need your solution? How big are these professionals’ lists? Do they hold telecalls, webinars, telesummits often? Form relationships. Get to know people personally. Be genuine. It’s not all about you selling your product. It’s about building a 2-way relationship that will serve you both into the future.
Start with the people you know well, and call them. Let them know how your material can benefit their audience and ask if they would be interested in having you present your solution to their audience. Let them know they will earn a commission on any sales that are generated from that call.
Step 12: Promote, Promote, Promote
Promote these webinars yourself. Use social media, email, article marketing, press releases, videos, and post events on various online directories. Google “post events for free” and see what you find. Don’t hold a call only a few times and stop. Keep the momentum going. Don’t assume because you’ve presented your material to three prominent peoples’ lists that everyone has seen it. There are millions of people online, and they’re all being reached by different folks. Stay at it!
Rinse and Repeat
Once you’ve created a system to solve one of your audience’s pressing needs, go back to your focus and look for other challenges they experience. Keep creating products and services to address those needs. The possibilities are endless!
If you’re interested in taking your business to the next level in 2012, email me at marnie@marniepehrson.com or visit my calendar to schedule a free 15-minute strategy session.
Disclosure: The only outside resource I referred above that I earn a commission on is 1shoppingcart.com.
About Marnie Pehrson Kuhns
Marnie Pehrson Kuhns is a Certified SimplyAlign Practitioner™ who uses music and creativity to mentor you past barriers, fears and doubts to discover, create, align with, and deliver your soul’s song (the mission, message or purpose you are on this earth to live). Marnie is a best-selling author with 31 fiction and nonfiction titles. If you'd like Marnie and her husband Dave to work with you personally on Your Great Reinvention, get a FREE 20-minute strategy session with Marnie here.
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