How often do you hear “I’d love to work with you but I can’t afford it” from your clients? If you think it’s too often then chances are you are not marketing your services to the right people, those that can actually afford it and those that are affluent enough not to have to be out shopping for the lowest prices.
Marketing to affluent clients has many advantages: It’s easier to raise your fees, you don’t get bargain shoppers but people who value quality and people who will rave about your services to their (also affluent) friends. So how do you position yourself as attractive to this group?

1. Be clear about your ideal client

How clear are you about your ideal client profile? Is your marketing material designed to speak to those people who have the funds to pay your fees? What are their demographics? What affluent means is relative and it all depends on what kind of a fee you are planning it charge. But you want to make sure that your client is in life circumstances where they have enough disposable income to pay what you are asking. For example, a singe stay at home mum with two little kids with an income of $50,000 a year is not very likely to invest $20,000 in a premium image makeover session. While this is an obvious example, I suggest you look at your ideal client profile and just check that you are being realistic with your target audience.

2. Create a strong premium brand

A strong premium brand creates a sense of quality you can trust and it truly sets you apart in the market place. Affluent clients are more likely to buy from you if you have created a strong brand personality. A brand that stands for a clear message of premium, quality, innovative, glamorous or other attributes that are associated with being superior will be favoured by clients who have sufficient disposable income to spend. While budget conscious clients can’t afford to think this way, affluent people can and LIKE that they can ( I know that whenever there’s a premium option available, I’m likely to take it, because I can and I like the preferential treatment).

3. Don’t be a bargain

Affluent clients will not buy from you just because you are offering bargain prices. In fact, they may even be skeptical about the value of your service if you don’t charge enough. That’s right, you can lose sales if you undercharge. Affluent clients equate a premium price with premium service (you need to back it up and actually deliver of course). So if you are wanting to attract affluent clients, position yourself as a premium provider and have your fees be aligned with that.

I realise that doing this (especially the last one about raising your fees) takes some courage to do because whenever you select a specific group to target you are also deselecting another. It shows once again that you can’t be all things to all people. I do know though that if you consistently do the right thing with your marketing, attracting affluent clients to you is a much smarter strategy than being a bargain provider. And as for the middle ground, well, that’s a pretty wishy washy place to be. I suggest you make a decision and stand by it.

What are your thoughts? Would love your comments on this. Please leave me a note!

Clarity and Focus have been a big focus for my platinum group. They wanted to walk away having a clear plan that would add big dollars to their bottom line THIS YEAR, and they did (some of them have a plan for generating more than $100,000).
Listen to some of them here describing their breakthroughs.

June Kitto from www.careerfit.com.au on her breakthroughs on niche, standards and masterminding

Diane Gatto, Heart to Mind, finding the key to really have her business stake off…

Jenny Marshall from www.kidsweightmatters.com sharing numerous breakthroughs

Rosie Hirst www.alignedbusiness.com on her new business approach that will prevent burnout

Tisiola Lear, Coach, watch this space…

There’s so much to do, build your list, write articles, get your website up, write invoices, make sales, create new content…you get my drift. How is one supposed to get it all done in those meager 24 hours in one day???
And then when you have generated a lot of activity you have created even more work for yourself in servicing your clients. Sure your business grows but what about having a life?? I know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed by all the things that need to get done. I have been at that place a few times. These days its good
How do successful six figure income solopreneurs do it? Are they superhuman?

The answer is no, they are not superhuman. But they have a smart system in place that helps them to get everything done that really needs to get done. Let me share with you how I juggle all my projects and still have a life (while you are reading this I am in a beautiful beachside holiday house at the South Coast).

Let me share with you four insights that have helped me to manage my business growth and still have a great life.

1. It’s all about your priorities
As an entrepreneur your To-Do list is never empty. There are always more things to do then there are hours in the day to do them. That’s just a fact and the sooner you get comfortable with that the better. The key is to prioritise the things that will make you money. That’s making sales, marketing every day, servicing your clients, creating new programs and content. Do these things first and everything else after these things are done. That will mean you will make the money you need to make to outsource the rest.

2. Outsource everything someone else can do
That’s the goal. And if you do what I suggest in point one you will quickly get to a point where this is easily possible. How do you know whether it’s time? If your days are filled with income producing activities and you are not getting the bookwork, admin etc. done or your burning the midnight oil doing it, it’s time to hire an assistant.
I suggest you start by outsourcing the lowest value activities first, I started with my book keeping and then I got a cleaner. If you want to justify the expense, invest the extra hours you free up into smart marketing, eg. ring some past clients, get a speaking gig, be active in social media etc.

3. Hire experts
When I talk about hiring assistants I am talking about people that are experts in their field (yes that includes the cleaner ). Hire people you don’t need to train and that are eager to serve you rather than being a drag on your time. And of course, you don’t need to employ them. I work with virtual assistants who are great at what they do and work from their own home or office. Set your standards high and watch your life getting easier as they take on more of your work.

4. Learn to let go
This is a big one for most entrepreneurs. If you seriously want to build a six figure income business, you need to let go of needing to do everything yourself and thinking nobody else can do it as well as you can. That’s not true for most things (except your unique brilliance). Letting go of wanting to control everything is essential for your success. You need to take a leadership role and start to delegate, delegate and delegate some more.

Put these four things into action and watch your results soar. Every time you let go of more, your income will go up! Would love your take on this. What’s your biggest challenge with getting it all done? Please leave me a note!

It’s the beginning of the year, a perfect time to review your fees. When was the last time you raised them? It doesn’t really matter how long it has been (unless it has been too long). As long as you are getting great results for your clients it’s time to review (and raise) your fees.

I know what you’re thinking. You don’t want to lose any clients. That’s what stops most Solopreneurs from raising their fees. And yet, raising your fees is the fastest way to improve your bottom line. And if done right it can actually draw more of the right clients to you.

Let’s face it if clients leave you because of a reasonable fee rise, weren’t they on their way out anyway?

Let me give you the three steps you can do right now to set you up for raising your fees today. Making that happen smoothly with your clients accepting the change and the potential for drawing even more clients to you.

1. Add specific new testimonials to your marketing that show results

Testimonials are THE most powerful tool in establishing the value you provide. It’s much better to have your clients raving about you than you doing it yourself. You must have strong results based testimonials. Make sure your clients clearly say where they were when they started working with you and where they are now as a result of working with you. Make sure you ask for these testimonials every time and coach your clients on how you want them written. Then display them on your website, brochure and everywhere else.

If you want to raise your fees now, make a point of asking a handful of your past clients for a testimonial now. Coach them through the writing process, make it easy for them. Most clients don’t know how to write the kind of testimonial you want but are eager to do it once you show them how.

2. Give your sales and marketing language an overhaul
How clearly do you articulate to your clients what their results from working with you are going to be? Check how specific you are. Put yourself into your client’s shoes and ask, would I sign up for this?
You want to create a package that is irresistible. If you want to raise your fees, make sure your client sees the value they are getting from the package as far greater than the fee you are charging. It should be an easy ‘yes’ decision for them.

3. Create an additional program so there’s choice

Create another program and give your clients choice. Make sure your premium offer is significantly different in outcome and fee so there is a clear choice. As long as there is a choice your clients are in control, so if they don’t want to pay premium dollar, they can opt for a different program. Once give your clients the choice of a higher and lower price point its easier to raise your fees because your clients won’t need to decide whether to work with you or not, just about the program they can afford and want to invest in. This is the way to keep them with you and happy about what they get.

Finally, remember it’s not the end of the world when a client leaves, especially when they leave you just because you have adjusted your fees (as long as they are appropriate for the value you create).
There is a certain group of potential clients waiting in the wings that won’t even look at your offers unless you are charging a certain level of fees. Think about that for a moment!

What do you think of these tips? I’d love your opinions. And, share what you’ve done with your fees, I’d love to cheer you on!
What questions do you have? I’d really like to know…

Click here to listen to this blogpost

Have you seen the movie “What Women Want” with Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt? It’s really funny and well worth watching for another reason:

In the movie Mel Gibson, an arrogant and rather ignorant Advertising Executive, gets the gift of hearing women’s throughts, unedited. And it’s not pretty what they think about him. The pay off of this gift is that he is able to present ideas to his female boss that she had thought about and he therefore just repeated from what he heard her thinking.

While that may come across as not very creative (and by no means do I endorse how he uses that to manipulate her) – it’s actually incredibly clever and effective. What if you could hear your clients and potential clients think? And then you offered them exactly what they wanted?

Until you and I aquire that skill, we will rely on things that they tell us. And on what we know of ourselves as clients.

Knowing what works in Marketing and Sales, and having used myself as a study object, I am taking you behind the scenes, into your clients’ head. Letting you read their mind for a moment: What are they thinking when they are wondering whether to hire you or not?

Here are five things that are really high up on your clients’ Want list. Just adapt them to your ‘tribe’ and think about this, isn’t this what you want as well?

I have slipped roles for a moment and am now speaking as your client’s voice. And I’m telling it like it is. So please listen so you can serve me even better…

1. I want you to ‘get’ me

How do I know that what you provide actually works? It can only work if you know what’s going on for me. So do you?
Have you been where I have been? Or at least have you worked with people just like me? My biggest fear is to invest in false hope and then be bitterly disappointed. I’d rather not give it a go at all if I’m not sure.

2. I want you to be ‘real’

If I invest with you, I will need to be vulnerable about my shortcomings because that’s what you will be helping me to overcome. So I need to know that I can open up to you, that I will be emotionally safe.
I also need to know that you are not some kind of ueber-achiever because otherwise I don’t think I can recreate what you show me because I am only human.

3. I want you to be specific about what you do for ME

A lot of marketing out there just doesn’t speak to me, I can’t connect with it, its just generic words. The trouble for me is, I know what my problem is but I don’t know what the solution is. That’s where I need your help. My biggest challenge is to work out whether the solution you offer actually works for my problem. That’s why, the better you describe the problems you solve the easier for me to decide.

4. I want a good deal

I love a deal. Money is precious and it’s never easy to part with it. But if you want me to make a quick decision, just give me a really good deal. It’s easier for me to justify buying from you that way. You know when I want to, it just tips the balance, gives me the extra little nudge I need.

5. I want to feel cared for

I am special. And I want to be treated as special rather than just being one of your many clients. Once I know you are the real deal I am happy to invest a bit extra to get the special treatment I deserve.

Well, what do you think? Does this ring true for you?
Share your view about these ‘thoughts’, I’d love to know how they resonated with you. Do you have any to add? Leave me a comment here.

If you want to work with someone on your business to implement the above and therefore make you really attractive to your clients, then check out my Massive Momentum with Lifestyle Platinum Program. There are still 2 spots available in this 7 months mentoring program. A fantastic group is coming together. Act now, interviews happening as we speak.

Your Database or ‘List’ as some people call it, is one of if not the greatest asset in your business. Your List are your subscribers, people you communicate with regularly usually via email, and who you build a relationship with.

Growing a subscriber base that is really responsive to your messages, that loves what you do and that responds to your offers is extremely important for your business success. Quality is more important than quantity here and again, you want to make sure the number of relationships you have grows steadily. The more relationships you cultivate and the better your subscriber knows, likes and trusts you the better.

Believe me, the more your database grows, the easier it is to market your programs and products and the more money you are going to make, simply because you will reach more people who are ready to do business with you at any given point in time.

So how do you grow your subscriber list quickly with lots of ideal potential clients who respond to your messages?

It goes almost without saying that you MUST know your ideal client profile. Knowing your ideal client makes it easy to tailor your message and to show them that you have the solutions they are looking for. So know their age, their gender, their income level, their typical life circumstance (eg are they an entrepreneur, a mom, an employed professional etc.), their attributes: eg. are they tech savvy, have certain hobbies, passions etc.

Here are 3 things you can do that tend to help your ideal potential clients find you and become your subscribers:

1. Write an Article about the most pressing problem your ideal clients have and outline your solutions. Be generous and give some of your best strategies. Telling them what the strategies are will inspire your ideal client to see what is possible for them and will position you as the ‘go-to’ Expert. Submit the article to relevant article directories on the internet, make it available as a newsletter contribution for other people in related industries who already have a relationship with your potential clients, or post it on relevant resource sites. Make sure you add your contact details including your website link at the end motivating people to go to your site to get more information.

2. Do a free teleseminar on the topic you wrote the article about. Collaborate with people in related industries who already have a relationship with your client base. Ideally your service should compliment theirs. Arrange for them to promote and endorse your free teleseminar to their subscribers. Their subscribers need to come to your website and leave their name and email address to get the free teleseminar. You can then start to engage them in a conversation by educating them about possible solutions to their most pressing problem. Again, be generous with your expertise but don’t give away ‘the whole store’. Make sure your collaborator benefits from this relationship so it’s a true win-win.

3. Create a massively valuable free giveaway that people tell other people about because it’s so valuable. You can record your free teleseminar and make the recording available to your subscribers. If it’s good they are going to want to tell their friends about it and so they come back to your site. Again, to get the free giveaway they need to register on your website and give their name and email address helping you to start a conversation with them.

Don’t be afraid to give great value, it will pay off for you, it always has for me. I know that a lot of my subscribers read my ezine, come to my free teleseminars and tell their friends and colleagues about it. People do start to know, like and trust me and that’s what growing your List is all about.

So go and spread the good stuff you have and you’ll attract lots of great new subscribers for your tribe!

If you are anything like me you probably have great ideas for programs you could run all the time. It’s really easy to get excited
about an idea and rush ahead too quickly to put it into action.

I used to do it and I see others doing it: You launch a program, you fill it you make some money from it and then what?

You have to start all over again with a new program and fill that and repeat the whole thing. Then some people want to attend but can’t make the dates so you decide to put the same program on again a few months later.

Big mistake.

Why? Because it’s not strategic. You end up chasing your tail, working way too hard and with too few participants in your programs.
Then you go and have to chase participants to make it worthwhile financially for you.

Not a lot of fun to do (I’ve been there done that).

So how can you avoid this dreaded cicle?

These days there are four criteria every one of my programs needs to fulfill before I even think about launching it. They save me from giving in to the temptation of wanting to make a ‘quick buck’ by putting on a repeat program or satisfying a need that seems to be appearing that moment in front of my eyes.

Here they are:

1. Is there pent-up demand for such a program?
In other words is there a large group of people searching for a solution to this, I am in regular contact with them and I can feel a kind of built up pressure that can be released through a specific program that satisfies this need?
A successful program launch is like a pressure -release valve that channels all tension into the ONE program. Your launch process builds up a pressure by tapping into an underlying need and when you open the doors, people are ready to jump in.
This way it’s much easier to fill a program and it happens fast. It does require discipline though and a longer planning horizon. You can’t do this as a spur of the moment thing.

2. Does this program seamlessly lead into at least 2 other streams of income for me?
Marketing a program is a fair bit of work and expense. Chances are if you don’t have at least 2 other ways of benefiting from it financially, its not worth your while. You may also be disappointing your participants who want more of you after having experienced such great progress through working with you. You don’t want them to feel abandoned. So it is really important for you to have other programs lined up that people can opt-in to in order to keep working with you. Again, a long planning horizon is needed for this so in your marketing you can prepare your clients that there is another step for them to take.

3. Does it fit my brand?
The whole idea of your brand is that you become known for being an expert at something and that you convey a certain personality that people connect with. Every program you launch should reinforce that message rather than muddling it up. All my branding is about attraction marketing, it wouldn’t suit my brand to suddenly promote an aggressive campaign to go out and get clients. That’s not my style. I’m also about building a business from the inside out, so I coudn’t go out there marketing a program that is focused on making as much money as you can fast. That’s just not me. I think you are getting the idea…

4. Does ist have a point of difference?
Don’t launch a program that is like 5 others out there, even if the 5 others are extremely successful. You want to be original and have an edge over the competition. That doesn’t mean you can’t cover similar topics, you definitely can, it just means you do it in a different way, different in a way that matters to people. And if it’s unique then that’s even better. In many ways my ‘Market your Brilliance Intensive’ is unique. While some of the concepts are not new, this is a workshop where they are completely integrated in a step by step formula specifically designed for coaches, consultants, trainers and therapists. It focuses on getting the strategic pieces right which are so often covered up by a focus on tactics and technology. While tactics and technology are also important, if you haven’t got your strategy right, it’s just piecemeal.

So there is a clear point of difference and there is demand for it. BTW check it out here at Market your Brilliance, we still have a few tickets available.

Would love to know your thoughts on this one, please leave me a comment.

There are 4 major limiting belief patterns around charging what you are worth and getting it. Watch this video where I highlight one of them that is very common:

The pattern I am highlighting here is around your money boundaries. How good are yours?

Here is your assignment around this pattern:

Take note of how often you undercharge, customize and decide for someone else what they can afford. Notice your emotions around this. Then decide to let them go.

At the ‘How to charge what you’re worth and get it’ Webcast I will be discussing this pattern and others and what to do about them. You can still register for the webcast here www.clientprosperity.com/teleseminar.html. If you can’t make it on Thursday night but would like to listen to the webcast you can register anyway and we will send you the recording.

Apart from letting go of your limiting beliefs around money there are some very practical things you can put in place in order to charge higher fees more comfortably.

Generally speaking, your fees are too low if you focus on the effort it takes you to provide your service and the time it takes to do it rather than the value you provide. If that’s your mindset, then that will most likely impact the way you present your service in your Marketing, in your sales conversation, and of course it will impact the way you set your prices in the first place.

So ask yourself, what will my clients gain from working with me? What is the value I create for them and what problems do I solve for them?

Observe yourself during the sales conversation:
How focused are you during the conversation on the value versus the features of the service you provide? The more you focus on value the easier it is to sell what you have at the price point you want. To be precise, you don’t want to talk about the features of your service for more than 10% of the conversation.

Find out exactly what you need to do in your Marketing and Sales in order to charge what you’re truly worth and get it by joining our webcast this Thursday night 7pm, register here at www.clientprosperity.com/teleseminar.html

Click here to listen to the audio version of this blog post

If you are anything like me you have probably already invested a fair bit of time and money into your personal and professional development over the years. Maybe you have like I did, made some great and some not so good choices when it comes to choosing the programs you attend. I am grateful for both they taught me some good lessons.

Have you ever asked yourself: Is it possible to build a million dollar business (or whatever figure is yours) with complete integrity and honesty?

I have asked myself that very question, and I have decided that that’s exactly what I am going to do. Sure, it may not happen overnight, but as a friend of mine put it so eloquently, I am going for

SUSTAINABILITY instead of AVAILABILITY.

I have no qualms about openly acknowledging that it’s my goal to build a million dollar business. I believe me reaching that goal means:

I have created at least 3 times that amount in value for my clients.

That is my real aim and that’s what I am totally focused on. I happen to create monetary value for my clients so it’s easily measurable, and I believe that everyone can use this formula. Just think of the value you create for your clients in terms of health, happiness etc. What is that worth to them?

In order to create that value, build a reputation that makes my business sustainable and preserve my own peace of mind throughout the journey, I work within an integrity framework that keeps things clear and simple for me and my clients.

There are 6 Golden Rules that I am applying whenever I need to make a decision about how to act in any given situation. These rules make it simple (not necessarily easy) to make decisions, keep my conscience clear and give me the confidence needed to stretch myself out of my comfort zone.

Here are my six golden rules:

1. Be yourself at all times
That means ‘on stage’ and off. You have probably seen my videos, may have heard my voice on my blog or on a teleseminar. What you see/hear is the real me. I don’t put on a show, I am just myself. It works well, because I only attract those people to me that like who I really am. So I never feel pressured to ‘live up to expectations’ as far as my personality is concerned, because you already know what I am like. It also means that the people I attract will love being part of my ‘tribe’. That’s the group of people that I work with and communicate with on a regular basis (meaning you). Most likely all of these lovely people share my main values and are therefore easily going to bond with each other as well. And that group bond is a massively powerful thing! It creates a forcefield that can propell us all forward in a really exciting way!

2. Underpromise and overdeliver
I don’t believe in hype. The value I promise is the value I deliver. I like delighting my clients by giving them value they didn’t expect to get. I can’t see the point in promising people everything and the kitchen sink. I am clear about the value I deliver and will base it on what people can reasonably be expected to achieve. I always provide testimonials to back up these claims. Getting testimonials is my first goal when rolling out a new program. They provide proof from someone other than me which is much more powerful than me claiming things myself. Testimonials, when done effectively, are one of your most valuable assets in business. I will show you how to have clients write them the right way so they will work for you at my Market your Brilliance Intensive.

3. Make clear rules and stick to them
It is really important to be clear about the rules of engagement upfront. That includes the guarantee, the expectations you have of each other, payment and cancellation policies etc. This keeps you in a powerful position. The way you make decisions then is based on your rules, it’s not personal. This ensures everybody feels fairly dealt with and it also means you won’t be roped into making special arrangements for people where you really shouldn’t. This is important not only for your bottom line but also for your power ful role as a coach.

4. Be compassionate
While you want to stick to your rules to prevent becoming a pushover, you also want to be compassionate where appropriate. This is where you need to and can trust your own judgement. Not everything is black and white. If someone makes a substantial financial investment with you and then finds out they have cancer and can’t participate, would you refund their money? I certainly would. That doesnt’ mean that every change in circumstance warrants a refund. Again it’s down to your judgement. I always remind myself, business is done with real people so I make decisions I can stand for as a person.

5. Ask for and be open to recieving feedback
This isn’t always easy, especially when you have just taken all your courage and stepped out of your comfort zone. Make sure you are selective about whose feedback you take on board. I suggest you listen to your most valued clients and the mentor(s) you trust and model and then still trust your own judgement. Feedback is really important for you to improve what you do, and therefore your bottom line. Learning to accept it gracefully is a skill worth learning and practicing for life.

6. Focus on reaching as many people as possible rather than focusing on selling what you have to everyone that presents themselves.
Not everyone will need your services right now, not everyone that contacts you is someone you will enjoy working with. The more people you can reach, the more you have the choice. My focus is not ‘where will I get the next client?’ it’s ‘how can I get my message in front of as many people as possible?’ Doing this means the people who are ready and suitable will be attracted to what you do and will come to you. That’s a much nicer way to do business, don’t you think?

Overall, nothing makes it easier to follow all the above rules as having more than enough clients and potential clients. And having a system that creates client abundance is what I teach you at my Market your Brilliance Intensive on the 14-15 November.

Get onto Preview Call No 2 to find out what it’s all about!

Last week was a big week here at Client Prosperity. We launched the Market your Brilliance Workshop and we we have already sold more than 1/3rd of the tickets! You can secure yours here at www.clientprosperity.com/workshop.html
The feedback on last week’s teleseminar has been fantastic thank you for all of you who wrote to me saying how much you loved it! It really means a lot to me!
My husband Bruce and I spent most of the weekend at the sunny Central Coast relaxing and escaping smokey Sydney, it was lovely!

Enjoying a glorious Sunday

I have had many conversations lately with people who tell me what their passion is and then in the next sentence tell me what they do to pay the bills, thinking that this is how it has to be and that they can’t make good money from their passion. I’m here to tell you: You can absolutely make good money from your Passion! It simply depends on how you market it!
I feel so strongly about this that I want to devote an entire teleclass to this topic “How to turn your Passion into a profitable business with smart Marketing”. Read my Teleseminar section for more details.

Today’s article is giving you one key element of your Marketing Strategy that turns your Passion into a profitable Business: Your Signature System. It’s the lynch pin of your business as it is how you create the value you create step by step. People love step by step, and a business with a signature system attracts ideal clients a lot easier than one without a signature system. Read on for the full scoop of what a signature system is, why you should create one and how to do it.

P.S. Workshop Bookings for the ‘Market your Brilliance Intensive’ are now open at the early bird price, check it out here at http://www.clientprosperity.com/workshop.html and secure your ticket as they are going fast! An amazing group of people is coming together and I can’t wait to share with you the powerful tools and systems that will totally transform not only your business but your life!