We’ve all faced it. (And if you haven’t yet, I promise you will.) At some point during your life as a business owner you will encounter the prospective client that, for whatever the reason, strings you along.
It might be because they are someone who always struggles to make a decision. Or ... Views: 853
Whether you are selling your services to small business owners or big corporations, one of the best ways to get face-to-face with your ideal clients is by sponsoring and exhibiting at events.
But because sponsorships and exhibits require a significant investment of your time and money, it’s ... Views: 686
The most valuable asset I have in my business is my client relationships. Even if you stripped away everything else I had, with those relationships, I’d be able to build it all again.
The big “but,” however, is that creating those relationships doesn’t happen overnight, nor does it happen by ... Views: 707
Have you seen that new commercial from Staples? I absolutely love it! It’s about a small business owner named Dave who is the one and only person responsible for, well, just about everything that needs to get done. (If you haven’t seen it, you can watch it here.)
Because we have to be so ... Views: 818
Question: “Hi Angelique, I have a great service I want to sell into the corporate market. I know which department I should be targeting. But how do I get the names and email addresses of the people I need to speak with?”
- Carrie B., Washington, DC
Angelique’s Answer: Thanks so ... Views: 758
Whenever I speak to a group of micro business owners or solopreneurs about selling to high-paying corporate clients, there’s one “objection” I hear more than any other: “Angelique, doesn’t it take a loooooooong time to land corporate clients?”
My answer to that is always the same: “That ... Views: 717
It can be one of the most frustrating things to happen in your business. Everything seems to be rolling along smoothly with a prospective client. The money is “practically in the bank.” And then suddenly, nothing. Not a peep. They’ve gone radio silent.
What happened? Was it something you ... Views: 829
A lot of people believe that selling to corporate clients is a lot harder than selling to small business owners. I, of course, disagree entirely.
Unlike in the online marketing world, where you need marketing “funnels” and “escalators” and other so-called sales strategies, selling to the ... Views: 646
If you’ve ever been to a marketing seminar or read a marketing book, then you’ve likely come across the term value proposition. I’ve never liked the term very much because it sounds like corporate gobbledygook. But really, a value proposition is simply the collection of reasons why a client — ... Views: 715
In the last issue of Brilliance!, I shared how using content like white papers, special reports and case studies can be an effective way to build a list of potential corporate clients interested in buying your services.
However, once you’ve created your content, you then need to develop an ... Views: 595
I've noticed an alarming trend: small business owners offering too many different services. They are trying to be all things to all people… and the results can be disastrous.
This issue has come up a lot lately with my private coaching clients, during new client Opportunity Calls, and even in ... Views: 865
Corporate clients can't buy from you if they don't know about you.
And most of them are so overworked that they don’t have time to find a needle in a haystack.
Instead, they'll ask colleagues or even other vendors if they “know anyone good.” They'll look in their own Rolodex to see who ... Views: 601
According to a study by Vistaprint, the average small business owner spends about 8 hours a week on marketing efforts. Whether you think that sounds like a lot or a little, you no doubt want to get a good return on anything in which you invest 20 percent of your time!
So how can you simplify ... Views: 593
Giving a “signature” name to your system, product or program is a great way to distinguish your offering in the marketplace. Anyone can provide a marketing workshop, but only YOU sell the “5-Step System to Dazzle Their Socks Off” marketing workshop, for example.
Having a signature name can ... Views: 907
When it comes to attracting more clients, one area where many small business owners and entrepreneurs get hung up is around how to have an effective “sales conversation” with a potential client.
This is especially important if you get nervous or anxious when it comes selling, or if you don’t ... Views: 945
I once read an article from the Direct Marketing Association that said at any given time, you could expect that only about 3% of your target market is actively looking to buy the type of product or service you offer. THREE PERCENT!
So if the other 97% is not looking for you… you have to go ... Views: 1129
Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed by a problem or challenge, but when you spoke to someone else about it, they immediately saw a straightforward and obvious solution?
As humans, we tend to over complicate things. And that’s especially true when it comes to small business owners and ... Views: 611
A lot of small business owners that I meet find themselves very confused about what it is that their target customers really want. And by that I mean: What is the transformation or figurative “after photo” your customers desperately desire that will get them to take action right now to buy your ... Views: 549
When deciding how to price your information products or services, having lower rates doesn’t always mean you will attract more clients. And, in fact, it can mean the clients that you do attract are not necessarily the ones you want.
Aside from the obvious benefit of earning more money, higher ... Views: 611
Publishing an ezine is still one of the most powerful forms of self-promotion available to small business owners today. It’s cost effective. It can be automated. It’s fast, flexible and scalable. And, if used well, it allows you to become someone your market knows, likes and trusts. But as with ... Views: 694
Email marketing to your opt-in list is one of the most effective — not to mention affordable — types of marketing there is. Assuming you’ve built a solid list of people who are interested in the type of information or services you provide, the next critical ingredient is getting your audience to ... Views: 1390
For as long as I can remember, I’ve hated — I mean absolutely hated — pumpkin pie. But I haven’t wanted to hate it.
I love pumpkin.
I love cinnamon.
I love the yummy, flaky crust.
And every Thanksgiving, when the rest of my family is chowing down on their delicious-looking pie with a ... Views: 798
To be a successful solopreneur or small business owner, it’s absolutely imperative that your business has a clear focus. What do I mean by focus? Simply that you know what you offer, why you offer it and to whom you offer it.
That sounds easy enough. And yet so many entrepreneurs are ... Views: 625
If you’re a service-based business owner — and particularly if your clients fall in the realm of traditional companies — the ability to write a strong business proposal is paramount to bringing in new business consistently and easily. Yet, if you’re not careful, you can end up spending a lot of ... Views: 957
Examples of good (and bad) marketing are all around us. By modeling the pros, you can cut the amount of effort it takes to create your marketing materials, and you can drastically improve the results you’re getting. The key is simply to know where to look and what to look for. These five places ... Views: 631
What Every Solopreneur Needs to Know Before Doing Another Media Interview
“The media loves two kinds of people—experts, whom they misquote, and victims, who they exploit.” – Joe Palca, National Public Radio
Just for the record, I don’t actually agree with the above quote. But I know it’s ... Views: 645
As I was preparing to abandon Corporate America in order to step into solopreneurship, I remember thinking that achieving work-life balance would be soooooooooo much easier after the switch. After all, I’d be working at home. What could be more convenient?
“Just think of all the time I’ll ... Views: 893
A few weeks ago, I listened to a teleseminar about how to grow your opt-in list to 100,000 subscribers and beyond, when one of the guests shared a great tip. He said, “Think of the online sales process as TLC: Traffic = Leads = Customers.”
That’s simple enough. But how do you drive more ... Views: 808
When you’re starting your own business, one of the first things you’re likely to do is create a website. After all, in today’s business world, companies and professionals without a website are seen as less credible.
Unfortunately, many solopreneurs think they need to spend big bucks to create ... Views: 811
Credibility is one of the most important “intangibles” a business has. Traditionally, business owners built credibility over time through repeated positive interactions with their customers or clients—usually through face-to-face meetings or telephone conversations. But in today’s world, where ... Views: 663
It might sound counterintuitive to talk about increasing your income when it seems like the rest of the world is complaining about how bad the economy is. But savvy business owners know that there’s no such thing as a “bad market.” In fact, some of the biggest fortunes have been made thanks to ... Views: 586
It’s called the 10-10-10 rule, and it’s the brainchild of best-selling author and business mastermind Suzy Welch. In the April issue of Glamour, Welch explains that she developed the strategy about 10 years ago when she felt her life was living her, not the other way around.
“My ... Views: 555