By Patti Waterbury

 Thinking of yourself as a salesperson may make you feel uncomfortable. Your vision is to help others and to build wealth. Selling might seem contradictory to your core purpose.

 Many people also feel the sales process is manipulative or unethical. Some feel they shouldn’t charge much for services that come easily to them. Others see the selling as bragging about their abilities.

 With even a few of these beliefs piling on top of each other, the sales process can be very uncomfortable for many people. As a result, selling themselves, their services or products becomes the last thing they do-if they do it at all.

 But without the sales process, there is little or no business. And without that, you’ll never meet your goals; you won’t have the funds needed to help others or make your vision a reality. Sales are essential to building wealth and expanding the kingdom.

Shifting Your Perspective

If you have limiting beliefs around the sales process or your own worth, you must let them go and shift your perspective. Successful people everywhere are paid for doing their jobs (what comes easily for them) well. In fact, I’m sure you gladly pay experts to handle tasks that you’re unable to do. And you pay their fees without feeling you were manipulated into purchasing those services, right?

The Book Yourself Solid Super Simple Sales Process is based on building relationships with prospects. By having a sincere conversation about your abilities and how you can help clients, you build trust. And because they’re willing to talk about their problems and how you can help them, you aren’t manipulating them into buying unneeded products or services.

 To shift your perspective, think of the selling process as simply providing solutions and benefits to clients. Customers need solutions. They want someone to solve their problems. Combine your desire to help others with the solutions you can provide and the selling process becomes super simple!

 Emotional Triggers In The Sales Process

People buy products and services based on emotion. And there are many different emotional triggers that cause people to make purchases. Some common ones include avoiding pain (pain comes in all shapes and sizes-emotional, physical, monetary, etc.), seeking pleasure, feeling accepted, being recognized for accomplishments. The list is long and has been scientifically tested and established through the years.

 Everyone buys based on emotion. And often those emotions are tied to problems they’re experiencing. If you have solutions to their problems, you can be of service to them and help them get past those issues. You aren’t manipulating them into purchasing something-they are searching for your solutions.

Negative or Positive?

Our problems can often cause us only to focus on the negative aspects of a situation. However, often that only makes it more difficult to see solutions. We think about what when wrong, the length of time the problem has existed, why it feels impossible to solve, and so on. Before long, we’re so drained just from thinking about all the negative issues surrounding the problem that fixing the situation really does feel impossible.

 Switching your perspective from the negative to the positive allows for some wonderful changes in a problem or situation. Here’s how to start:

1.  Begin by stating the “problem” as a positive goal.
2.  Visualize the results of achieving the goal.
3. Next, consider all the benefits you’ll enjoy when you achieve this goal.
4.  Then decide if those benefits outweigh the perceived costs of achieving the goal.

By now, you should be feeling much better about the problem. Placing your attention on the positive aspects, you’re more energized and ready to take on the project.

 You’ve just experienced a shift in perspective, turning problems into goals. The next step is to take this shift to potential clients to help them solve their problems.

 The Book Yourself Solid Super Simple Selling Process

As I stated before, this process is based on building relationships with prospects. And it’s as easy as having a conversation with a potential client.  Use the above process of turning a problem into an achievable goal as a basis for those conversations. Guide clients to view their issues from a positive perspective.

 Remember, people make purchases based on emotions. The emotions your prospects feel about their problems will guide you in determining just how you can help. Once they see their issues from the positive perspective and you’ve helped them visualize possibilities, ask them, “Would you like a partner to help you achieve those goals?”

 As easy as that! You have just become the key to their solutions.

 The beauty of the system is the clients do all the selling for you. You ask the questions and their answers point out the benefits while they visualize the results. Best of all, because you’re having the conversation with them and helping them understand how to find solutions, they’ll visualize you as the partner who can help them achieve those goals.

 Help your clients shift their perspectives. Talk to them about the goals they want to reach, and then ask if you can help them. They’ll automatically turn to you for solutions and soon you’ll be booked solid.

By Patti Waterbury

We’ve all had difficult clients to work with-the chronic complainer, or the customer who is demanding and disrespectful toward everyone. Once you’re involved with those clients’ projects, all you want to do is get out. And the very worst clients are those who make you wonder if you’re in need of a career change. Immediately.

We are not meant to work with everyone. Maybe you feel you should work with anyone who walks through your door or contacts you by phone or email. Anyone with money and a pulse. But that’s just not practical, wise, or healthy.

You are in control of your business. You get to choose your clients. And to maintain your enthusiasm for your work and for your customers, you must choose those clients carefully.

The Red Velvet Ropes

Have you seen the red velvet ropes used by businesses to detain people in certain areas? Those ropes are a nice method of directing people-keeping some out and letting others in.

Adopting your very own “red velvet rope policy” in choosing clients will help you maintain energy and passion for your work. With that policy in place, you work with (allow in) just your ideal clients while not working with (keeping out) those who drain your energy and leave you wondering why you ever got into business.

There are clients you’re just not meant to work with. Their personalities are counterproductive or don’t support collaboration. Their vision doesn’t match yours. Or maybe they’re just boring or frustrating to work with. For any number of reasons, they sap your energy, making it impossible to produce your best work.

Dumping those “dud” clients is one of the most profitable moves you can make. Without them clogging up your days, you’ll be energized by the great people you do work with. You’ll be more productive and work more efficiently. Best of all, you’ll once again be excited and passionate about your work-which will attract more ideal clients.

Putting Your Own Red Velvet Ropes In Place

To establish your own red velvet rope policy, begin by thinking about clients you love working with. What is it about them that makes your work enjoyable? Determine what is important to you in their vision, attitudes, actions, responsiveness, reliability, priorities, etc., and jot down those qualities.

Now consider a world where you only work with ideal clients. Make a list of the characteristics you feel your clients absolutely must possess before you’ll work with them. What qualities do they have that bring out the best in you? You can be ruthless when making this list-it’s your world.

Think about your current client list. Are there any names on that list that should be dropped? Are there people who are hard to work with-indecisive decision-makers, victims, non-collaborative team members, procrastinators? Do any of them possess qualities you find impossible to work with or cause you to dislike your job? If so, maybe it’s time for you to dump those duds.

It does neither you nor your client any good to force a relationship to work when it’s obviously failing. And dumping those duds doesn’t have to be as harsh as it sounds. You don’t have to fire them. What you can do is help them find another provider who is a better fit for them. Maybe you know a colleague who could work with them. No doubt, there’s someone for whom this client would be ideal. It’s just not you.

Screen Your Clients Before You Work With Them

Develop a filtering system to screen out the less desirable clients before you begin working with them. Ask them about their vision-for the project and for their business. Listen to what they tell you about previous jobs with other providers or suppliers. Watch for signs of disrespect toward others in their conversation.

Also listen to what they don’t say. This is more difficult. However, if you can see omissions in descriptions of jobs, maybe they aren’t capable of giving complete information. If they answer your questions with non-answer rhetoric, they aren’t being forthright with you. And if you’re looking for a client who considers the working relationship a partnership, this person isn’t right for you.

Refine your screening process. Once you understand what characteristics your ideal client possesses, develop a short set of questions to ask, covering all the qualities you are looking for in them. Ask about their expectations of you and of the job. And listen closely to what and how they answer you.

Remember, you’re in control. You don’t have to work with everyone. Just with those who make your job easy and fun, those who energize and excite you about projects. And opening up your calendar by eliminating the dud clients will allow more room for ideal customers. You’ll soon have more passion and enthusiasm for your work and each project will invigorate and inspire you.

By Patti Waterbury

Identifying your target market and why they buy the products or services you sell is the first step in understanding the unique benefits and opportunities you offer customers. Your target market has specific needs and expectations. Meeting and exceeding both will allow you to compete, build your client base, and grow your business.

Who Is Your Market?

You know the type of person you want as a customer-their visions and the qualities they possess. But have you identified the market they’re in? Are they consumers or business people? Do they fall into a certain demographic by age, gender, or income?

It’s important to be specific when you identify your target market. You’ll be marketing your products to these customers and will need to know who they really are, their needs and desires, to ensure your messages are heard and acted upon. Identifying the people you’re passionate about serving ensures your efforts will benefit both you and them. You can then target specific campaigns to their lifestyles and needs.

Identifying your market also helps determine where you’ll find those who are searching for your solutions. As you gather more specific information about your market, you can develop compelling offers to meet their needs and expectations.

Advantages Of Targeting A Particular Market

When first starting or even when growing your business, it’s not wise try to be everything to everyone. Your offers, services, and products will be diluted and vague if you try to satisfy everyone.

Narrow your viewpoint to a specific demographic market so you can provide exceptional service and focused products to those who are searching for them. Your product will be more valuable, offering the greatest benefits to customers.

By choosing a particular market and developing targeted products and services, you’ll become the expert; people within that market will turn to you when they need help. Then, when you’ve established your reputation in that market, you can branch out to related markets. Eventually, you’ll have a broad client base, all of whom look to you for expert advice and service.

Build Off Your Natural Talents & Passions

If you don’t already have a target market or if you’re unable to break into the one you’ve chosen, consider your talents. What are you very good at doing? What do you enjoy doing or are passionate about? Is there something you do that feels like play rather than work? What are you knowledgeable about?

Determining your target market by beginning with your own talents and interests allows you to hone in on the people you’d love to serve. Think about areas in which you’re very knowledgeable. Now, how do you feel when you use that knowledge and the skills you’ve developed to help others? No doubt, you feel good-both about yourself and about what you can offer.

If you’ve already got clients but not enough, look at your customer list and determine some common elements among them. Are they all in the same industry? The same age group, gender, or profession? If your customers all share particular elements, then you know you’re drawn to that specific market. Perhaps you haven’t yet targeted your messages to meet the needs of that market. Once you do, your client base will grow.

Intuitively Determining Your Target Market

Identifying your natural talents or passions and what areas or industries they serve is the first step in using your intuition to determine your target market.

Begin with the broad view of your market. Think about the different people who use the products or services you provide.

Next, determine if there are certain groups of those customers that you’re excited to work with. You may have knowledge that some groups are searching for more than other groups. Determine what natural talents, knowledge, strengths and passion you can offer customers. Which groups most intrigue and excite you? By intuitively narrowing down possible customer groups, you can determine who you are meant to serve.

Maintaining your passion and enthusiasm for your work requires targeting specific markets. If the market is not interesting to work with, your passion will turn into drudgery and neither you nor your clients will benefit. Be specific about your process in determining the customer group you enjoy working with and you’ll find the market you were meant to serve.

Meeting The Urgent Needs & Compelling Desires Of Your Market

Identifying the motivations of customers when they search for your services and products will help you focus your marketing messages to meet their needs. What are your customers’ urgent needs and compelling desires? What drives them to you or to your competition?

Urgent needs are things your clients want to avoid. They may feel some pain that needs to be alleviated-monetary, emotional, physical. For instance, they might be in physical pain with back problems and are seeking the help of a naturopath. Or maybe their current investments aren’t yielding the interest rate they need to make their mortgage payments and they’re searching for new investment opportunities.

Compelling desires are things your clients want to attract. This could be as simple as a product that makes their lives easier. Or it could be more complicated, such as wanting to learn more about marketing to increase their business so they can take an extra vacation each year.

Find out just what your target market’s urgent needs and compelling desires are and you can then design your products, services, and marketing campaigns to serve your customers. By combining those with the passion you feel toward serving you market and the knowledge you bring, your messages will resonate deeply with them. Trust and credibility are built through that connection, making it easier for you to serve your customers and provide solutions to your market.

By Patti Waterbury

Establishing your credibility within your target market is critical to business growth. We all turn to experts to help us solve our problems or guide us to the answers we seek. Before prospects will turn to you for solutions, they must be convinced of your capability to help them.

Information products are ideal for building your status as an expert. People appreciate the knowledge and expertise they find in quality books, ebooks, telecourses, and video courses, and are willing to pay for them. With the step-by-step system for building solid information products I’ve outlined here, you can soon have a product or program working hard for you.

There are several advantages to creating your own information products for your specific target market. Here are a few:

• Build your credibility-become the expert in your field, the person clients and peers turn to for answers.
• Prove your capabilities-clients can “try out” your services by utilizing your product before investing more money in hiring you for their projects.
• Achieve multiple streams of income-your product can be sold on your website, 24-7, while you’re busy working with clients.
• Leverage your time-the time you spend creating the information product is paid for repeatedly by those who purchase it; you can also recommend your product as a source for answers to clients’ questions.
• Utilize it as one marketing strategy-your information product can be your best marketing tool.

But What Type of Product Should You Create?

When considering an information product, start by determining what knowledge and experience you have that can be compiled quickly into a product or program. If you’ve already written articles, consider expanding them to create an ebook, a telecourse, an e-course, a print book, or a presentation. Combine your target market’s needs with your knowledge and passion to create a product that has value for clients.

If you’re just starting your business, your first product should be something you can use to generate leads. This is often a newsletter, white paper, or report that you give away in exchange for potential clients’ contact information. You’ll begin to build trust with prospects by addressing your market’s needs with high-quality information or advice. Once you have that in place, you can then begin creating an information product to sell, such as a book, audio program, DVD set, etc.

Value is critical-both for the free lead-generating product and for those you sell. People are hesitant to trade their contact information for products, even free ones. Make sure your report, book, or program is filled with value. Your prospective customers will be satisfied; they’ll be back for more and your credibility will skyrocket…along with your business.

5 Steps To Developing Content For Your Information Product

>Step 1: Choose Your Role

As the author of your product, you’ll have a choice in how the content is presented.

• You can be the Expert and use your experience as the proof of your abilities, knowledge, and expertise.

• You can be the Interviewer. In that case, you compile the information from interviews of experts and present the results in your product.

• As the Researcher, you gather all the information from research on your subject. You aren’t the expert yet, but after presenting your information in product form, you can eventually leverage that knowledge and position yourself as an expert on the subject.

• A Repurposer is someone who modifies existing content (with permission) for a different purpose or audience.

Step 2: Create A Framework For Presenting Your Content

There are various frameworks in which content can be organized and presented. Here are some options:

• Problem & Solution-State the problem and present a solution to it. You could focus on the major problems or issues your target market faces and offer optional solutions for each.

• Numerical-Present your information as a series of lessons, strategies, factors, or keys.

• Chronological-If there’s a certain order your content must follow to make sense or to be usable to your market, then this is the framework you should utilize. Make it easy for prospects to access your information.

• Modular-Breaking content into modules is often ideal; it allows the author to expand several separate ideas or philosophies in one product. Those modules can be broken down further into chronological tracks to make the information user-friendly.

• Compare & Contrast-Present information in the form of scenarios or experiences, then compare and contrast them against each other or various possible solutions.

• Reference-Compile information critical to your market in a form that can be used as a valuable reference tool or resource.

Step 3: Choose A Title That Sells

Because you only have fractions of seconds to catch the attention of potential buyers, make sure the title you choose is compelling. It must convince buyers they need this product to succeed. Or it must entice them to explore to product further.

Grab the reader’s attention by writing the title in a style that intrigues them. Offer a solution to a problem, use suspense, or tell a story in the title. Include an emotional connection or address a pain or fear. Don’t rush through this step. Invest time choosing the title-it’s critical to the success of your product.

Step 4: Create A Table Of Contents For Better Organization

By building a table of contents before you begin creating the content itself, you’ll stay organized and on track. The table of contents acts as your outline, helping you decide where certain information belongs and how to feature concepts, theories, facts, and experiences. It also allows you to break your information into manageable pieces, letting you lay them out in the desired format.

The table of contents also helps readers or listeners (depending upon the format you choose) understand what you’re presenting, why, and how it can help them. It lets them see the value you offer in one brief look.

Step 5: Create Your Content

Now use your table of contents as a guide to creating your product; follow this “roadmap” you’ve established. Even if you only write or format one page a day, you’ll soon have the first draft of your book, ebook, telecourse, DVD course-whichever format you choose-ready to edit, polish, and publish.

Creating an information product can skyrocket your business. One ebook can lead to an ecourse, which can then lead to speaking engagements. Your credibility will grow with each product you create, pushing you quickly into the “expert” status. Use value-filled information products to build your business, expand your vision, and serve the world.

How To Talk About What You Do

By Patti Waterbury

When a potential client asks what you do for a living, are you prepared with an articulate, clear answer? Can you tell them just how you work with people to help them solve their problems? Are you able to list the benefits you provide to clients?

The Book Yourself Solid Dialogue is much more than a simple “elevator speech.” It lets people know what you do, who you do it for, and why you do it, all while engaging them in the conversation. And by including them, you can determine and address their specific needs at the same time.

You Are Much More Than Your Profession

Simply stating what you do in a single word or phrase can be a conversation-stopper. The listener probably has a pre-conceived idea about your profession-and it might not be good. If you stop at the one word description of “teacher,” the listener may flash back to the high school teacher who failed her without giving her any options for making up missed assignments due to an illness…Well, you get the picture.

You are so much more than a simple label. You make a difference in the world, bringing numerous solutions and benefits to clients. And when you meet potential clients, it’s critical to let them know how you can help them. Using the Book Yourself Solid Dialogue will set you apart from competitors by highlighting you and your unique services.

Providing Solutions & Benefits

Why are people buying what you sell? What’s in it for them? Once you understand what your clients are really searching for, you can use that information to build your business.

First, determine what problems they face. Peel back the layers to find out the deep solutions they need and are hoping you can provide to them. Go beyond the obvious. Determine how their lives would be improved if their problems were solved through you.

Digging deeply will reveal the things people are really searching for. Those deep benefits are what they hope you’ll to provide. And using the Book Yourself Solid Dialogue will allow you to easily talk about what you do, why you do it, and how you can help them solve those problems and achieve those benefits.

The Book Yourself Solid Dialogue Formula

To make the whole process easy for you the Book Yourself Solid Dialogue is actually a formula. It’s not the 60-second “elevator speech” about yourself you may have been taught to master. It’s much better than that-and so much more effective!

It’s a dialogue, not the monologue many people use to describe their services. By actively engaging your listener, they become interested in what you do. And when they’re interested, they listen, understand your solutions, and are more open to hiring you.

Here’s the formula-you fill in the blanks:

1.      “You know how ________________________________ (your target market) do, are, or feel _______________________________________ (problems your target market faces)?”

2.      “Well, what I do is ______________________________________ (solutions you provide).”

3.      “The result is ____________________________________________________________ (dramatic ‘wow!’ results you and your clients have achieved together).”

4.      “The benefits are __________________________________________________________ (results and deepest benefits your clients receive when working with you).”

That’s it! In between those questions and statements are responses from the person you’re speaking with. Because it’s a dialogue, they’ll want to respond with comments and questions about what you provide. And it naturally expands into a conversation.

Once you know who your target market is, the big problems they face, and the solutions you can provide, you’re on your way to developing an effective Book Yourself Solid Dialogue. Add in the deep benefits clients will receive when they work with you, and talking with people about what you do will result in more clients.

It’s Just A Conversation-About You

And when done effectively, it appears to be a conversation about your clients. It’s easy-just engage in a conversation with prospects about how you’ve helped others and how you can help them, too. Your input starts the conversation. Asking for the listener’s input keeps them interested in you and your solutions.

You also must be listening to them. Their responses will tell you what they’re looking for in a provider. They’ll let you know if they’ve experienced the big problems you refer to in step 1. They may elaborate on those problems so you can address possible solutions with them at that moment.

The formula is simply the dialogue-starter. Once you get into the dialogue, it may change direction with the prospect’s responses. Be open to that and prepared with various examples of solutions for them. However, don’t lock yourself into the formula as you’ve prepared it. While it may get you started, not everyone’s problems will be the same. It’s best to have some options in mind, especially if your market is broad-based.

Practice, Practice, Practice

It’s true: practice makes perfect. Begin by practicing in the mirror until you feel comfortable with your Book Yourself Solid Dialogue. Then enlist the assistance of friends. Ask them to help by playing the role of potential clients. You may need to let them know some deep problems your target market experiences so they can vary their responses. Listen to their feedback-more than simply practicing to become familiar with the process, you also need to know how you sound to prospects.

Then take your Book Yourself Solid Dialogue ‘on the road.’ Talk about what you do with everyone you meet. They might not be your target market, but they may know someone who desperately needs your help. And the practice will help you become comfortable talking about what you do.

Articulating what you do with prospects is as easy as having a conversation. And the best part is, prospects will respond by telling you their needs and desires so you can immediately begin offering solutions. Simple, easy, and effective!