Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Upcoming Events and News




News and Upcoming Events:

*Ed Slott's 2 Day IRA Training In Orlando April 3-4. Use code FAN and receive $100 Off! Click on the banner ad to find out more.

How to Get More Referrals by Building Lifetime Client Committments with Duncan MacPherson

Wednesday, February 6, 2008 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM PST

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/897613730

TJ Walker Webinar Postscript:

Thanks to all of you who attended today's webinar with TJ WALKER of Media Training Worldwide. Once we got over a few technical glitches, we had a great time with TJ, learning how to improve our speaking skills and make our presentations sparkle.

Exciting news! FAN will be co-sponsoring a two-day workshop with TJ Walker in New York City. This will be strictly limited to 20 people. (that isn't a sales pitch- it is necessary to limit class size due to the fact that the workshop will be conducted at TJ's television studio, which is a pretty small venue.)

If you want to be on the short list for information on this event, please email me at financialadvisornetzone@gmail.com and keep checking back here for more information.


Sunday, January 27, 2008

Suppose You Had Stayed In Touch...


By Mark Satterfield

Imagine if you had stayed in contact with all the people you met over the years through work, school, or other activities. How much more robust would your list of contacts be?

I’ve often said that the best thing I ever did when I worked at Pepsi and Kraft Foods was that I made good friends.

Actually, the best thing I ever did was to stay in touch with them over the years.


Certainly there was no way to predict that these people would go on to run big companies. I would also admit that there are numerous others with whom I wished I had stayed in touch but, for whatever reason, did not.


You may have similar regrets.

While it may not be feasible for you to go back and try to reinvigorate those relationships, you can take steps so that current and future contacts do not suffer the same fate.

Obviously, the key to maintaining relationships is regular and consistent contact. However, the biggest challenge we face is…time. We all have good intentions. But we get busy and forget.


This issue is particularly important for those of us who are responsible for marketing consulting services. From a practical perspective, lead-generation materials don’t make the “sale” of professional services. Nor does your web site or offer of a free report, although all of these elements help.


No, our experience has been that you make the “sale” farther down the road, well after the initial contact has been established. It’s your ongoing interactions with your prospective clients that build trust and credibility and, eventually, move prospects to take action.


But first we have to remember to stay in touch. And that’s where automation can play a role.

You’re probably familiar, at least in concept, with auto-responders. These are systems that enable you to send automated messages on a regular and consistent basis.

However, although the concept of auto-responders is well understood, the percentage of consulting firms that use them (or use them effectively) is quite small. The challenge to using auto-responders effectively depends on a couple of factors, the first of which is getting a valid email address.


We’ve found that the best way to get an email address that makes it through the SPAM filters is to leverage your offer of free information.

Although opinions vary on this point, we believe that it’s a mistake to offer your free information or white papers without requiring visitors fill out some sort of request form. After all, it’s impossible to stay in touch with visitors to your web site if you don’t get information about who they are.


So here’s a tip for making sure that the email address you get is good and valid--one that you can use for subsequent follow-up.

Don’t sent people your report when they just hit the submit button on the request form. That doesn’t ensure that the email address they give you is real. A better strategy is to send people an email with a link so they can download the information after they complete the form.


Naturally, in order for them to get this email from you, they have to give you an address that will actually get to them. And that’s the email address you use for all your subsequent messages.


For example, on our request form it says quite plainly that “the link to access the free information will be sent to the email address you provide.” This is the best way we know of to make sure that you are getting a valid email address.

Once you have a person’s email, the next step is to create a system for staying in touch. This is where an auto-responder can help. Be warned, though, not all auto-responders are created equal.


For example, the auto-responders that come with discount web sites or email services are usually not what you need. You’ll quickly find that they won’t be able to perform the simplest of tasks without extensive customization. So our advice is to invest a bit more money in a system that is truly designed for sophisticated use.


You have a choice of options.

The first question is whether you want to “own” the service (it resides on your computer or server), or whether you want to “rent” the service (in which case it is accessed via the web).

When we first developed our stay-in-touch program, we opted for the “own” model and purchased a system. Although it required a certain amount of customization, it worked pretty well. We were able to program multiple email streams, and as a basic service it worked fine. If you have access to a savvy tech-support person and you want to own your own system, you’ll find options in the market.


However, over time, we wanted something more robust--something that would allow us to set up unique streams of messages based on specific actions. We wanted the ability to more precisely differentiate between prospects, clients, those with whom we had had initial conversations, and those who had purchased certain services. That’s when we turned to the web based programs.


The market is currently dominated by two services, AWebber and Automation Wiz. We settled on the latter and found it to be a very powerful tool. It also has a shopping cart and affiliate management system, which is helpful if you sell products or have others who sell your services on a commission basis.

Our only complaint was that, on occasion, the initial email (the one containing the link with the free report) would sometimes be delayed for several hours. This was annoying because we believe that when people request free information, they should get it immediately.


The one limitation with all of these systems is their reliance on email as the tool for constant contact. There’s no doubt that any stay-in-touch program will be more effective if it can integrate email with hard copy letters, phone messages, faxed articles of interest, and so on. This technology appears to be right around the corner and we’re in the final stages of testing a couple of these programs. (If you’d like more information about our final recommendations on these systems, please drop us an email and we’ll be happy to provide it).


Although most marketers of high-value services will acknowledge that staying in touch is crucial, it invariably become one part of the marketing puzzle that falls through the proverbial cracks. That’s why we think that every consultant should invest in an automated stay-in-touch program.


What’s right for you? Naturally the answer will depend. Personally, we like the ease and functionality of the web based solutions, although the newest programs that incorporate multi-channel methods are certainly the way of the future.

`````````````````````````````
Mark Satterfield is a founding partner of Gentle Rain Marketing and the creator of the Gentle Rain Marketing System. He is also the author of five books, including Power Prospecting: How to Gain Access to Key Decision Makers, How to Negotiate the Raise You Deserve, and Career Etiquette. Find out more about his services at www.gentlerainmarketing.com.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

And Now A Word From Our Sponsor




by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

The purpose of this blog, as I have stated again and again, is to help financial advisors get better, and by becoming better, make more money. With few exceptions, products and services presented on this blog were either suggested to me by readers, or I found them myself in response to a request. I don't try to promote one marketing tool over another, because one size does not fit all.

If anything, I try to hammer home some basic ideas about buying marketing and sales tools:

1. Only YOU can know what fits well with your own business model, what feels
comfortable to you. Trust your instincts. If you don't believe in a program or
service, you won't use it and then you will end up complaining that it "doesn't
work."

2. If you are investing your hard earned money in something, you need to at least
find out a little more than the sales literature tells you. An hour or two of
research can help you avoid disappointment and unreasonable expectations.

3. Always ask yourself the questions: Will this help me serve my clients better?
Get my message out to more people? Help me turn prospects into clients?
Get me more referrals?


NEW CLIENT EVALUATION SERVICE AVAILABLE

Every advisor should be asking their clients "How Am I Doing?" on a regular basis. Not only does this help pinpoint deficiencies in your operations which might be hindering your growth, but a third-party evaluation is a great way to find out what clients "really" think, things they might hesitate to tell you if you sent out your own evaluation forms.

For a limited time and for a limited number of people, I am offering what I call the "2 Minute Thermometer" survey.

This non-intrusive survey is designed to take the temperature of your business, to find out whether or not your current marketing is effective, and to set the stage for you to get referrals or appointments. You will get an "approval" rating based on a proven mathematical formula and you will get REAL, CONSTRUCTIVE client comments; not just the standard "Bob did a great job."

This service is designed as something you can use:

1. To find out if your marketing is making an impact
2. To discover which clients are ready and willing to give you referrals
3. To find out about client concerns you may not be addressing adequately
4. As reason to contact clients you have not seen in a while and set appointments
5. As a service to your clients, letting them know you value their opinions
6. To market your "approval" rating on your website, in collateral, etc.
7. To gather testimonials and comments to use in future marketing.
8. To create an opt-in list for your blog or newsletter

Reports are customized for each advisor and may be also be used as after-seminar followups or as a way to encourage attendees to stop by your office ,even as a way to follow up on leads which may have fallen through the cracks.

If you are interested in learning more, send me an email with your contact information and I will call you to discuss the costs and requirements.

Thanks, Tammy
financialadvisornetzone@gmail.com.



If you want

Thursday, January 24, 2008

TJ Walker Webinar-Don't Forget to Sign Up



TJ WALKER SWEETENS THE DEAL- FREE EBOOK TO ALL ATTENDEES

Don't miss renowned speaking and media coach TJ Walker's webinar: ATTENTION-GRABBING FINANCIAL PRESENTATIONS-THE STORY BEHIND THE NUMBERS. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8th.

TJ is offering several free resources to attendees including the excellent 200 plus page Ebook- PRESENTATION TRAINING A-Z, which is jam- packed with tips and tricks to make you a better presenter.

As always, Financial Advisor Netzone is about giving you the knowledge you need to make informed decisions and to connect with ideas which will help your business.
register now at:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/837187772

Monday, January 21, 2008

Five Habits of The Highly Effective Ed Slott



(editor's note: I attended Ed Slott's"IRA Leadership Training " in Las V egas on January 16. Sponsored by Broker's International and Robert James and Associates.)


by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone


Here are just a few of the reasons Ed Slott, CPA has catapulted to a leadership position in the IRA distribution field, becoming arguably the #1 expert in America. If you are serious about helping your clients during the distribution phases of their lives and you have not seen Ed in action- you NEED to do so.

Slott is now poised to position himself at the forefront of the CONSUMER market with an upcoming PBS special which is likely to be only the first of many. Advisors trained by Ed Slott will enjoy a credibility and visibility they can get by no other means as consumers everywhere
start to recognize the value of having a distribution expert on their team.

Five Habits that Help Slott Rock!

1. Ed Slott knows how to speak. At first blush, this seems pretty basic. But great speakers are
MADE not BORN. Sure, some natural ability helps, but learning to make your subject
matter come alive is a skill born of lots of practice and training.

Speaking expert TJ WALKER tells the story of Martin Luther King, Jr., a young man who
had a C average in speaking in seminary.

"Imagine a young man in Seminary planning a career in the ministry. He does well in most classes, earning A’s and B’s. But then he gets a C in public speaking class.

Oh no! What does this mean? Perhaps he should plan a career as an academic or run a non-profit church-funded relief program. But with such mediocre speaking skills as a full-fledged adult in his 20’s, being a primary pastor and having to give a sermon in front of a crowd each Sunday morning didn’t seem like an ideal career move for the C-level speaking student.


Fortunately the young man didn’t have any modern career coaches whispering in his ear. So he became a minister of a church anyway. His name? Martin Luther King Jr.


According to the June 21, 2006 New York Times, King’s report card and all of his other documents are being auctioned off at the Sotheby’s auction house. While the C on the report card in public speaking is amusing, what is far more interesting is the sheer quantity of notes King wrote during his brief life.


Selby Kiffer, a senior specialist in the Sotheby’s book department told the Times, “No piece of paper was safe (from King writing notes)…We have this image of a great extemporaneous speaker, but it’s something he really worked at.”


A part of the auction will include typed drafts of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, including numerous revisions he hand wrote on the back. King’s 1964 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech is also on the auction block. On that speech draft you will also find numerous notes, scribblings, and revisions.


So the lesson of King’s genius has been uncovered. It wasn’t genetics, it was luck, and it wasn’t innate ability.


Why did he succeed as a speaker? Because of pure, hard work."


Listening to Ed Slott, you know just how hard he has worked to achieve his speaking skills, brilliantly and effectively employing devices such as storytelling, case studies, and a liberal dose of pathos and humor. As humor consultant Malcolm Kushner reminds us, knowing how to use humor is a valuable leadership skill.


2. Slott found his niche, his passion and did what author Joseph Campbell recommends we all
do, he "followed his bliss." When you find your niche and devote yourself to it, you stop
being spread too thin, you find a joy in what you do, and you are able to communicate
an energy and enthusiasm which resonates with your audience. If you are burned out,
the audience will burn out with you.


There simply aren't many people who can manage to make tax and distribution rules and
IRS cases humorous, entertaining, and almost fun. Ed can and does and it is because he
LOVES what he does.


3. Slott knows the benefit of what I call "giving value before the fact." He isn't interested
in keeping all his insider knowledge to himself, but freely shares it in the hopes of making
better advisors and getting LIFETIME clients.


During training sessions, Slott urges advisors to develop symbiotic, and ultimately
profitable relationships with other professionals.


"You can't help everyone who comes into your office, so don't be afraid to send those clients
to other professionals who can do a better job than you can," he says.


4. Ed sees the value of delegating responsibility to competent staff. There are some aspects
of his business about which he admits he knows nothing. He doesn't try to micromanage or
constantly override decisions made by his staff. Instead, he focuses on what he does best-
training advisors.


5. Ed Slott never stops learning and growing. For example, he has digested tons and tons
of marketing and sales advice and has filtered out what works for him.


He has mastered the art of what author Steven Van Yoder calls "becoming slightly famous"
to the point where people line up to get his autograph and he is courted by the media. Most
of his workshops sell out quickly without much effort his part.


But Ed Slott does not feel he has "arrived" and cannot possibly know anymore. His staff told
me that when he is not on on the road, he devotes hours to reading case law, rulings, and
other distribution information. He is as concerned about professional development now as
he was when he first started- and it shows.


Again, and I am getting no compensation for telling you this, if you are at all interested in capturing some of the coming distribution windfall, if you want to be the IRA expert in your area, if you are genuinely passionate about helping your clients save their hard-earned money from
"Governmentzilla", then you need this training. Consider investing in yourself and becoming an
"Elite advisor."

Thursday, January 17, 2008

The Only Slott In Vegas That Actually Paid Off For Me




(editor's note: I attended an Ed Slott training program in Las Vegas on January 16. Thanks to Broker's International and Robert James for their sponsorship and support. I highly recommend them as ethical, family-run businesses with whom it is a pleasure to do business.)

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

Whether you like him, love him, or think he is full of baloney...Ed Slott is a hero in the financial services industry. At least he is as far as I am concerned.

Anyone, and I mean anyone, who can hold an audience spellbound for seven hours talking about TAX LAW and IRA RULES without putting them to sleep is someone special. And Slott not only had them interested and engaged, he had the audience laughing, joining in his "mantras" and asking questions.

How many middle-aged accountants do you know who have so much passion and enthusiasm for what most of us presume is about exciting as watching cement dry? Stranger still, folks were lined up to get his autograph!

After about two hours (which passed by very fast), I put together what I think are the basic reasons Ed Slott has moved from being an ordinary CPA to being a celebrity in his field.

(to be continued)





Monday, January 14, 2008

Webinars On Tap


Please don't drink and webinar...

TOMORROW! Mark Satterfield is hosting his own show over at Gentle Rain Marketing. While I am not involved in this one, I do recommend this to anyone who is considering using free reports to attract clients- even if you are hiring someone else to do the writing.

How To Create A Free Report That
Actually Gets Read And Motivates
People To
Take Action

Tuesday, January 15, 2008 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EST
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/839068302

If you put "FAN" OR "BLOG" in the organizational field, I will send you a free report. Just email me and let me know you attended and noted "FAN blog" on the registration form.
Email :teleconferences@gmail.com.

*NEW WEBINAR ANNOUNCED for FEBRUARY 6TH:

How to Get More Referrals by
Building Lifetime Client

Committments with Duncan MacPherson

Join us for a Webinar on February 6


Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/897613730

Financial professionals are told constantly that they need to build a "referral-based business".
Most advisors WANT this to happen, but they lack a practical, duplicatable, step-by-step process.

"Today's financial representative understands that it costs far more time and effort to convert a
prospect into a client than it does to convert an existing client into a flag-waving advocate.

Why not work more effectively with the people who are already convinced and let them do the
convincing on your behalf?

The real value in a client relationship is not in the initial commissions you earn,
it's in the commitment the client demonstrates to you over the lifetime of your relationship,"
says Duncan MacPherson, co-founder and co-CEO of
Canada-based PARETO PLATFORM and PARETO SYSTEMS, an industry leading
business development
firm and ASP (Application Service Provider.


Join us on February 6 to hear Duncan MacPherson speak on ways you can attract a steady stream
of referrals through your current book of clients.

You will learn how to:

* Address the reasons why your clients may not be referring more often
* Position referrals as a service to your clients rather than a benefit to you
* Attract referrals like a consultant rather than chase them like a salesperson

Title
How to Get More Referrals by Building Lifetime
Client Committments

Date:
Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Time:
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM PST

Finally...

Don't forget TJ Walker's Attention-Grabbing Financial Presentations: The Story Behind The Nuumbers on Wednesday, January 30th:

Register at:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/837187772


I look forward to presenting more fine educational fare in the future. Stay tuned to the blog and don't forget to register for the e-zine. There is an opt-in form on the blog if you scroll down a bit.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Van Yoder Webinar A Success!




by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone


If you missed the 'GET SLIGHTLY FAMOUS" WEBINAR with Steven Van Yoder
you missed what I think was one of the best webinars FAN has hosted to date.

Steven showed us practical ways to get ourselves known and on the way to becoming
the trusted experts in our community.

With nearly 100 on the call, I was unable to get to all the questions. If you were on the call and did not get your question answered, please send it directly to me at teleconferences@gmail.com and I will pass it on to Steve.

Also, those of you who attended should have gotten a free assessment questionaire from Steven which you can use in determining if public relations will work for you. Return it as soon as possible and Steve will make some recommendations for you based on your responses.

Thanks again to all who attended. I am planning to do a repeat of this webinar in a few months, so keep checking on the blog for details.

Also, you can get lots of helpful freebies on Steven's website: http://www.getslightlyfamous.com/free-resources/index.html.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Coming Soon: The "Stealth Advisor":Breaking the Code:Financial Advisor Secrets Revealed!


(Who is that masked man and how is he getting a 1.5% response rate?)

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

At the risk of being ostracized by his peers, hunted down, humiliated, and labeled a TRAITOR to his profession, "The Stealth Advisor" has agreed to lend his considerable expertise to the Financial Advisor Netzone.

Ignoring the perils and pitfalls of providing plentiful pointers and profound pontification, Stealth Advisor will answer your questions about getting the clients you want and need, marketing without pain, offering the right products, wrangling with compliance issues, and much more.

Some secrets to be revealed:

*Would ya believe the old sawing the direct response mailer in half trick?
*Secret of the magic rope (them into the seminar) trick?
*Presto chango- prospect to client without smoke and mirrors
*How NOT to do the CLIENT SERVICE ILLUSION
*Sweaty palm reading made easy
*Levitate the client...experience

and Much Much More

Send your most difficult dilemma, your most cursed conundrum, even your quintessentially querulous questions to:

maskedadvisor@gmail.com

ChFEBC APPLICATION DOWNLOAD AND INFORMATION AVAILABLE


For those of you who don't get the e-newsletter:

I have been investigating the Chartered Federal Employee Benefits Consultant designation and am giving it a cautious "thumbs up." As I explained in the newsletter, if your motivation in getting it is to either develop a new client niche to to better serve your existing niche- then the designation delivers.

It is NOT for everyone and is not going to be the end all do all be all to help you make more profits in your practice. It MAY, however, provide a level of differentiation to help you reach those Federal employees who are dazed and confused about the rules and requirements thrust upon them by THE MAN.

What the curriculum (which is approved for CE credits in many states, by the way) does is get you started in becoming an expert in unraveling the mysterious, obfuscated, confusing morass of lameness which is our bloated Federal government. When you complete the training, you will know more about these benefits than 98% of the other advisors out there.

You see, lots of Federal employees are going to be retiring in the next few years and even THEY don't understand how all their benefits work. ChFEBC is currently the only designation devoted solely to helping advisors get a handle on this problem.

If you are interested and want the links to download applications, agendas, etc- please drop us a line at teleconferences@gmail.com or contact the coordinators at:1-800-696-3505. BE SURE TO TELL THEM YOU SAW IT ON THE FAN BLOG. (code FAN) in order to get your discount.

Also: You might want to contact some of the people in your area who already have the designation:

http://www.chfebc.com/







Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Mama Told Me There'd Be Days Like This...



WHEN WEBINARS ATTACK! KUSHNER WEBINAR LOSES AUDIO

Apologies to some of you who dialed into the Kushner webinar and were unable to get a line in. The technology used to produce webinars is way cool, but it is still in the infant stage.

Apparently, one of the dial in lines was not working properly and some attendees could not hear the audio portion.

We were intending to do a followup anyway, so as soon as we re-schedule I will post the information.

Again, sorry for an inconvenience and thanks to Malcolm for being such a good spot and soldiering on despite the glitches.

-Tammy

Monday, January 7, 2008

Webinars and Such- Don't Forget!



LAST DAY to register for Malcolm Kushner's LEADING WITH LAUGHTER webinar. The webinar is tomorrow, Tuesday, January 8th at 11AM Pacific, 1PM Central, and 2PM Eastern.

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/598355563


Everyone who attends will get a download of Malcolm's latest e-book, "Don't Worry, Be Funny".
Be there and be sure to wear your Groucho glasses.

CAN BECOMING A LOCAL CELEBRITY REALLY HELP YOUR BUSINESS?

Find out when San Francisco journalist and PR guru STEVEN VAN YODER
gives you a few easy methods to raise your profile in the community and attract more clients.
This Thursday, January 10th at 11 AM Pacific, 1PM Central, and 2PM Eastern.

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/523134614


MASTER MARKETER MARK RETURNS!

(NOTE: This webinar is not sponsored by FAN blog, although we
highly recommend it. Please be sure to write BLOG or FAN in the "organization"
field of the application."

Mark writes:
I want to invite you to my newest free webinar, How To
Create A Free
Report That Actually Gets Read And
Motivates People To Take ACTION. It's

a one time only event on Tuesday J
January 15th from Noon to 1 pm Eastern

Standard Time.

In this live webinar I'll be sharing with you
strategies for creating a
free report that will attract and
motivate prospective clients to do
business with you.

For many businesses a big challenge is how to
get prospective clients
interested in what you offer. Unfortunately,
communicating a message
that says, "This is who I am and this is
what I do" just isn't compelling
enough to break through all the clutter and
get your prospects to pay
attention.

A far better strategy is to offer free information
that stimulates
curiosity and interest. But...developing a
Free Report that actually gets
read and motivates people to take action, isn't easy.

I'll be reviewing precisely what goes into an effective
Free Report and
I'll share with you a number of Case Examples of
reports that have
been highly effective for my clients in a
variety of businesses.

You're sure to walk away with a lot of valuable information.

There are only 100 "seats" available for the webinar
so if you want to
attend, I encourage you to sign up now by going here
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/839068302

One reminder, since I anticipate that this will "sell out" pretty
quickly, please only sign up if you feel confident that
your schedule will
allow you to attend the program.

Again, you can sign up here:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/839068302

Thanks and I look forward to having you at the program.

Mark
January 30th Webinar with TJ Walker

Several of you have expressed to me how much you enjoy TJ Walker's "Speaking Channel" (www.speakingchannel.tv). Now you can hear renowned speaking trainer and keynote presenter TJ WALKER LIVE.

TJ will be helping you improve your seminars and training presentations by showing you how even a number-heavy speech can be entertaining.

Register at:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/837187772

(and now for something completely different...)

WELCOME TO SPAM A LOT


Canadian Pharmacies and Discount Cialis??



If you are subscribed to my e-zine (to sign up- scroll down the lefthand side of the blog and fill up the form) you need to set your spam filters to allow a NEW email: teleconferences@gmail.com. The old tammy@afterdarkmarketing.com was co-opted by spammers who are using the address to send out advertisements for Canadian pharmacies, etc.

Be aware: The only emails you should ever get from the Financial Advisor Netzone are the e-zine, webinar notices and reminders, etc. I DO NOT send out any emails asking you to purchase anything or asking for credit card numbers, etc.

If you get an email like this, purporting to be from FAN or from "afterdarkmarketing" or "tammy" which is an advertisement, it is not from me.

One of joys of having an online presence.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Feel Like You Could Use A Little Coaching? Take this Simple Test


By Mark Satterfield-

Gentle Rain Marketing and Public Relations

(FAN Readers- get a free consultation! See details at
the end of this article)

A quick story about business success that I think you will find
interesting.

This time last year, on January 2, 2007, my client Jason Harbitt said
to me.

"This is the year I'm going to implement a SYSTEM for motivating
prospective clients to raise their hands and self identify themselves."

"This is the year that I'm going to put in place a SYSTEM for
Staying-In-Touch with all my prospects and clients."

"This is the year I'm going to make my website more than just a virtual
brochure."

"This is the year I'm going to develop a marketing message that really
differentiates me from my competition."

"This is the year I'm going to become the recognized expert in my
field."

And he did.

In the process he grew his solo-consulting practice from under $100,000
in gross revenues, to over $450,000.

He did it by first developing a plan for achieving what he wanted.

And then he implemented that plan.

Step by step. Gentle Rain Drop by Gentle Rain Drop.

Believe me...if he can do it, you can too.

It all starts with an assessment of where you are now, and where you
want to be in 12 months.

Here are 10 simple questions that will give you a clear sense for what you need
to focus on.

Answer the following 10 questions and discover for yourself.

Yes/No

Do you have a process for motivating prospective clients to raise their hands and self-identify themselves?
Yes/No

Do you have a system for consistently and regularly staying touch with prospective clients with messages that are of relevance and interest? Is it mostly automated, so that it requires little or no effort on your part?
Yes/No

Have you identified the most lucrative niche(s) to market your services? Do you have a strategy for identifying the hyper-responsives within those niches?
Yes/No
Do your marketing materials strongly communicate the precise benefits clients get from using your services?

Yes/No
Do you have a plan for branding your practice?

Yes/No
Are you capturing information about everyone who visits your website? Do you offer an incentive for people to provide you with this information?

Yes/No
Does the landing page of your website focus on communicating your understanding of the challenges your clients face and the benefits they get by hiring you? Or, does it primarily offer vague, generic statements about your capabilities?

Yes/No
Have you determined the best lead generation tools for reaching your target market? Have you assessed the relative strengths of one-page letters, paid internet, low-cost advertising in specialty trade publications and other lead-generation tools?

Yes/No
Are you tracking the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns? Do you know your cost per lead? Cost per sale?

Yes/No
Are you making plans to productize your knowledge and creating passive income streams?

If you answered No to any of these questions, these are precisely the issues we focus on during your Gentle Rain Coaching sessions.

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