MM Newsletter

1. Announcements/Offers

‘First Fifty Clients’ – Shouldn’t you get started now?
“I have applied the information, with terrific results. I started last Monday, making a deal with myself to have a new client each day. So far, that has occurred – and I have ten new clients!”
-Julie Gleeson, US

“I’ve been “writing” mental notes of gratitude for days – and I wanted to finally email a big “thank you”. I laughed, felt supported, and learned so much I could use the next day. I realize now we actually do people a dis-service if we do not reach out to let them know what we are capable of as coaches.” – Vikki Spencer, M. Ed. US

“Although very competent in coaching skills, I really needed a clear path from ‘hello’ to ‘getting a client’… The speech broke it down so clearly, and gave me a structure to use. It is making a big difference in helping me build my practice. And – the free bonus recording of you explaining a trial session in detail was also excellent. After listening, I sat down and called twenty people on the telephone! Thanks David.” – Beverly McGuire, UK

—> Visit First Fifty Clients

Help us expand?
We’ve set a goal of 100,000 subscribers by November 2006.

Are you getting value from our newsletters? If so, would you let your friends and colleagues know?

I’d appreciate you forwarding this article to 5-100 people (hey why not!) who might get value from this newsletter, and invite them to subscribe. (Hint: who do you know who would make a great coach? Or who is building their practice? Or who would love to add coaching to their skill set?)

Thanks guys.

David

2. FEATURE: 16 corporate clients in 24 hours

Flaven Clayton from Hawaii is a new life coach. And when she said she booked 16 sessions at once, all paid for by a corporation, I had to ask how she did it. So I interviewed Flaven to get the scoop; let’s find out how she did it!

Booking 16 sessions at once

“I’ve been putting myself out there!” says Flaven. She let’s people know what she is up to and invites others to join her.

In this particular instance she had been talking with a friend who is a real estate agent and invited her for a coaching session.

Tip: Coach as many people as possible. They become referral engines for you.

Her friend was so thrilled with the session that she asked her to do a demonstration at a real estate meeting that was coming up.

Tip: Ask your friends and colleagues if they are interested in introducing coaching at work. Offer to do a free demo for their boss.

The owner of the real estate company was so impressed he signed up the agents and paid for the sessions – all 16 of them!

16 sessions just because she chatted with a friend and invited her to a session. Is your brain ticking?

Start with people

Flaven has been a coach for just a few months. She doesn’t even have a web site up yet! But, she has paying clients.

Too often new coaches spend months developing web sites and brochures, instead of actively reaching out for clients.

Flaven says she gets most of her clients by word of mouth. She gets out into the community and lets people know what she is doing.

Tip: Offer people a session, and let them know it will be inspiring, and fun.

Get emotions out of the way

It’s not always so simple though, is it? Flaven offers this message to other coaches trying to expand their practice – get your emotions out of the way. It’s OK to have them, just get them out of the way. Focus on following the next step. Then the next step. Then the next step.

Don’t let the big picture loom over you and halt your progress. Paint the big picture, then set it aside and do the next step.

What’s your next step?

***
If you are unsure about how to invite friends or acquaintances to sessions, check out: First Fifty Clients

Action: Put Yourself Out There

1. Ask yourself if you have been actively inviting potential clients to sessions or if you have been relying on passive measures.

2. How are you going to put yourself out there? What’s your next step. Post at the blog for accountability.

Enjoy!

David

P.S. Got a comment on this article? Add it to here.

P.P.S. Any Questions? http://www.SolutionBox.com/support.htm

1. Announcements/Offers

For Serious Players Only…
Ready to really BUMP your practice to the next level?

Ready for advanced training on creating long-term marketing engines?

Then listen in to this extensive collection of my most powerful mentoring sessions over the last three years, with your own copy of:-

“EXPLODE YOUR COACHING PRACTICE™: Proven Practice Building Secrets to Give You More Clients Than You Can Handle.”Get your copy now:Explode Your Practice

How to Get Your Sales Letter Written and Designed for Much Less than You Think
If you have a nagging feeling that you could be pulling in more clients and revenue if your website was more sales focused, but you’re not quite sure what changes to make or how to make them, then you’re in luck!

Andy O’Bryan is the copy writer I use for three reasons: 1) He writes great copy, 2) He has low rates, and 3) He specializes in copy for coaches.

To quickly expand his client base, Andy’s agree to offer my whole list the same low rates:

For the next two weeks you can get a sales page written and designed for just $897. Or if you just want something written it’s only $697. If you’ve shopped around at all, you know how low this is.

If you want a great sales page, or even a great email to send to prospective clients, I recommend you jump on this offer now, before his rates jump up:

http://www.solutionbox.com/copywriting.htm

FREE ‘Limitless Wealth’ of the Sleeping Lion CD Helps You Awaken to the Power of Your Human Potential

You are operating at only 15% of your potential right now.

Would you like to accomplish more in less time and with less effort?

Discover the simple truth about how you can create Limitless Wealth and success by tapping the other 85% of your potential: http://www.solutionbox.com/wealthcd.htm

LIMITED TIME OFFER for ‘MentorMonthly’ Subscribers

To receive the Free Limitless Wealth CD, along with the special bonuses included in this offer, you’ll need to order by 11:59 pm – June 17, 2006

http://www.solutionbox.com/wealthcd.htm

2. FEATURE: How to increase your sales rate by 207% – Part II

Last issue we learned about turning web visitors into sales with our interview with Andy O’Bryan, a master copywriter who specializes in writing for coaches. This week we continue our interview…

6. Do you need to write copy for search engines as well as people?
There’s an old saying (“old” on the Internet means 5-10 years): Content is king. The search engines love juicy content on websites, which is why blogs usually have good traffic. Search engines like Google and Yahoo are constantly changing their criteria for how your site is found, so a good rule of thumb is to always write copy with the needs of your prospective client in mind.

If you were looking for the services you offer, what words would you type into a search engine? Write down about 20 of them and craft them into your copy, or give them to your copywriter and make sure that person does it. Provide them with what they’re looking for, using the terms and phrases they might use, and the search engines will follow.

7. What makes good web copy?
Websites are like billboards on a highway. You only have a second or two to capture the attention of your visitor. If you don’t then they’re gone, on to the next website. So the headline of your page needs to be extremely powerful. It needs to draw them in and give them a reason to stay with you.

Then you need some mini-headlines throughout your copy to keep the reader riveted. Your copy, the sales letter itself, should be written in the context of you being the answer to their problem. First, establish the problem, reminding them of why they are there, empathize with them, then tell them that you are the one to solve it and why.

Tell a story or anecdote that relates to their problem if possible. People like reading stories, personal tales of triumph. Also include success stories and testimonials of others. As many as possible.

Have a strong guarantee. The stronger the better. Many people still don’t feel comfortable making an online purchase, so you need to set their minds at ease.

Don’t sell to them. People like to buy, but they don’t like being sold to. Good copywriters know how to walk this tightrope. Entire books have been written on this topic, but this is a bird’s eye view.

8. What kind of results have you seen when people get better copy?
I’ve seen people go from having zero sales to having over a 5% conversion rate in just a week after having their copy or website redone. There’s nothing like the feeling of making sales online. I’ll never get bored of it.

Other people have raised their conversion rates significantly by just changing their headline or design. It’s really amazing how better copy or a better looking presentation of that new copy can make such a huge difference.

9. What should coaches do right now to improve their sales results?
Look at your conversion rate. If it’s below 2% then there are steps you can take to improve it. Try changing your headline, or take out some of your links. Links that don’t point to your payment system are just sending people away from your sales process.

Speak with a good copywriter who won’t charge you an arm and a leg. Many copywriters charge in the thousands of dollars, but there are just as many who do not, and are just as good.

***
Thanks for your important information, Andy!

Free Critique

Andy has kindly offered a free critique to all MentorMonthly subscribers, for a limited time only. Jump in now before he changes his mind!Just email Andy at ajobryan @ aol.com (without the spaces) and he’ll tell you what you can do to your site to get better sales immediately.

Action: Revamp Your Web Copy

1. Find out your conversion rate
2. How are you going to get a better conversion rate. Let us know your changes at the blog.
3. Get Andy’s free report, “10 Ways Your Website is Leaving Gobs of Money On the Table”. This report will pinpoint some of the trouble areas on your website and tell you how to fix them quickly and easily.

Available now as a free download in pdf format at:
http://www.solutionbox.com/copyreport.htm

1. Announcements and Offers

What People are Saying About ’10 Super Coaches’
To find out how 10 ordinary coaches are earning $30,000 to $1.4 million per year, and how you can do it too, click here:
http://www.10supercoaches.com/cmd.asp?ad=64299

“I have enjoyed and most of all gotten inspired by reading “10 Super Coaches Share their Secrets”. This is a tool for every coach to have when they require inspiration and/or different ideas to explore, when building our practices.”

Martha Tellez
Australia

“David, the product is awesome! I cannot express it any other way. I’m still digesting the nuggets on every page and relishing every interview. Thank you for the your brilliance in its development.”

Heather Fraser
USA

Visit http://www.10SuperCoaches.com

How to Get Your Sales Letter Written and Designed for Much Less than You Think

If you have a nagging feeling that you could be pulling in more clients and revenue if your website was more sales focused, but you’re not quite sure what changes to make or how to make them, then you’re in luck!

Andy O’Bryan is the copy writer I use for three reasons: 1) He writes great copy, 2) He has low rates, and 3) He specializes in copy for coaches.

To quickly expand his client base, Andy’s agree to offer my whole list the same low rates:
For the next two weeks you can get a sales page written and designed for just $897. Or if you just want something written it’s only $697. If you’ve shopped around at all, you know how low this is.

If you want a great sales page, or even a great email to send to prospective clients, I recommend you jump on this offer now, before his rates jump up:
http://www.solutionbox.com/copywriting.htm

Coaching TeleSummit – On Now
If I had to pick one of the biggest frustrations in the coaching industry, I’d have to say it’s specializing – working inside a niche.

To make the niche discovery process easier and more informed, join the 5-day ‘coaching niche exploration’ event. Here are the details….
————————————————-
What: Coaching Mastery Telesummit When: May 22-26, 2006
Where: Over a telephone bridgeline
Hosted by: Josephine Romano, Green Mountain Life Coach
Sponsored by: ACCPOW
Register: http://www.solutionbox.com/telesummit06.htm

2. FEATURE: How to increase your sales rate by 207% – Part 1

Sales copy is simply what prospects read – and hopefully what turns them into customers.

Too many coaches put up their web site, write their copy and nothing happens. We’ve written many articles on getting traffic to your web site, but what if people are visiting your site and you still aren’t getting clients or customers? It could be your web copy.

We interviewed Andy O’Bryan, a master copywriter who specializes in writing for coaches to find out how you can improve your web copy.

1. How important is the copy in selling your services or product on the web?
It’s critical. You can be the best coach in the world, but if your copy doesn’t express that to your website visitors then it doesn’t matter. The most talented people aren’t necessarily the ones who make the most money online. It’s the people with the best copy-and the best traffic generation methods–who bring in the most clients.

You should spend just as much time crafting your web copy as you do with any other aspect of your business. If you don’t have the time to devote to this, then you should hire an expert to do it for you.

2. What is the biggest mistake you see that coaches make with their web site copy?
Coaches have too much that they want to convey to potential clients about themselves and what they offer. As a result, in their effort to try and say everything on their minds, they confuse their website visitors.

Confusion is never a good thing when it comes to finding new clients on the Internet. This confusion results in the visitors clicking away to a competitor. You only have a few seconds to grab the visitor’s attention, and only a few seconds more to hold it.

To fix this you need to focus your website on your marquis service and sell that. Concentrate all of your efforts on the one singular thing that you do best and that has the most powerful benefit to your potential clients.

Another big mistake is not capturing your site visitor’s email address. Use a special report, ebook or ezine to persuade them to give you their information, then you will be able to pursue the sale after they leave. People usually don’t buy on the first visit to your site, so this is very important.

3. Where is the best place to put your bio?
You should frame your bio into the text of your web copy. What you’ve done, your experience, your education history, your credentials, your qualifications, etc. should all be presented to the reader in the context of making a sale. How does your experience help the potential client? What do you bring to the party that they can’t get from anyone else?

So a bio doesn’t have to be a 2-3 paragraph summary. Instead it should be sprinkled strategically into your site, using specially crafted sales copy with the ultimate goal of bringing in new clients.

4. What does conversion rate mean?
Your website’s conversion rate is how you measure your success online. To arrive at your conversion rate you take your sales in a given time period (one day, one week, or one month) and divide that number into your number of unique visitors to your site in that same period. If you don’t know how to find the unique visitors to your site, check with your webmaster or hosting company. They will tell you how to access this information.

For instance, let’s say in one week you make 20 sales of an ebook you wrote. If the number of unique visits to the website that sells the ebook is 1,000 during that same week, then you have a conversion rate of 2%.

If you have a conversion rate of 2% or higher then you’re doing pretty well. If it’s less than 1% then you need to rethink how you are presenting your services. The most likely culprit is your web copy.

5. Why do we need to know our conversion rate?
A knowledge of your conversion rate is crucial to successful online marketing. Without a constant grasp of it you won’t know if what you’re doing is working or not.

If you made the 20 sales we mention above but you had no idea how much traffic you had coming to your site, then you won’t know whether this 20 sales is an achievement or something to be improved. You could have had 10,000 visits to your site in that week, which would make your conversion rate .2%, which is terrible.

Without a working knowledge of how to arrive at your conversion rate, and the utilization of that knowledge on a regular basis, you could be lulled into a false sense of security about your sales figures, which could be devastating to your business.

***
In part II, we will find what makes great sales copy and learn the answer to the question, “Do we need to write for search engines?”

Free Critique

Andy has kindly offered a free critique to all MentorMonthly subscribers, for a limited time only. Jump in now before he changes his mind!Just email Andy at ajobryan @ aol.com (without the spaces) and he’ll tell you what you can do to your site to get better sales immediately.

Action: Revamp Your Web Copy

1. Take at least one idea from above and rewrite some of your web copy. Let us know your changes at the blog.

2. Get Andy’s f.ree report, “10 Ways Your Website is Leaving Gobs of Money On the Table”. This report will pinpoint some of the trouble areas on your website and tell you how to fix them quickly and easily.

Available now as a free download in pdf format at:
http://www.solutionbox.com/copyreport.htm

Enjoy!

David

P.S. Got a comment on this article? Add it to the BLOG

P.P.S. Any Questions? http://www.SolutionBox.com/support.htm

1. Announcements/Offers

Make Your Own Coaching Career with the CoachStart™ Manual
After years of hands-on research, including personally mentoring sixty coaches, I’ve compiled everything I know about starting a successful coaching practice in one easy-to-follow manual.
Learn how to set up your businessand get clients.

The CoachStart Manual

And I’m so excited to hear such great feedback:
“The Manual has been a great help in taking a number of decisions, such as what people to concentrate on. The exercises in the Manual were helpful – AND have encouraged me to have faith in my skills as a coach! Your manual has also encouraged me to approach people for a trial session. Thank you.”
-Ria Ordelman
The Netherlands
o-g @ xs4all.nl

“I’ve already recouped the costs of the First Fifty Clients and the CoachStart Manual in coaching fees in 3 weeks.”
-Eddie Smith
United States
coachingtoday @ cs.com
www.lifecoachingtoday.com

Visit The CoachStart Manual

Please use our new support page instead of emailing
This email address is no longer monitored. Instead visit our new Support Center for instant access to answers and the ability to send tickets to Customer Support.

2. FEATURE: 7 Steps to the Ideal Exploratory Session – Part II

Last issue we gave the first four steps to the ideal exploratory session:

1) Set the context of the session
2) Locate their ‘Hot Button’
3) How a coach will make the difference
4) Commitment

Let’s continue our outline of the Ideal Exploratory Session, beginning with….

5) Objections

Find out their objections, fears, doubts – if any – to working with you. Allow them the time for this and really hear where they are coming from.

• #1 objection: parting with the cash (see below for a counter).
• #2 objection: not enough time to devote to this (so how important is this change really? Keep looking till you find one WORTH spending time on).
• #3 objection: don’t think the change is really possible or that they really deserve it (they won’t say this though)
• #4 objection: I can do it on my own; don’t need a coach (so why don’t you have this goal achieved already? What’s getting in the way?)
• Some questions for bringing out objections: “How is all this feeling to you?” If you have a feeling they have an objection: “I sense a little hesitancy – is that right?”
• If they’re uncertain about getting results, or concerned about the mon’ey, consider offering a month coaching trial, with the understanding that if results are happening, it will extend to three or six months.
• If mon’ey is the issue, have them look at what they have spent similar dollars on in the past five years. Often the reason they are where they are, are that their priorities are a bit off. i.e. they will invest in a holiday but not in their relationship. They will invest in a car, but not in a new, fulfilling career.
• One option if they ask ‘to think about it’, is to request that they give an answer now just so things can move forward and there can be some kind of action. That if they are leaning towards ‘no’ then they say ‘no’. If leaning towards ‘yes’, then they do a trial month. They can always contact you in a couple of weeks or a few months if they say ‘no’ now and they change their mind. (You’ll probably get more people saying ‘yes’ than if you leave them to think about it and breed doubt).

6) The Invitation

• You don’t ask, you don’t get.
• Sometimes all it takes for someone to say yes (and this applies to all areas of life) is to be invited.
• Once you have found their hot button and inspired them, they are serious and committed to making a change, they realise working with a coach will make a difference, and any objections have been dealt with – what else is there to do but set them up as a client!
  At this stage I might ask something like: “How does it all feel?” and “Do you have any really pressing questions at this stage, or should I tell you how I set up new clients, and you can tell me if you like the sound of that?” (My BEST question. Works VERY well. Most say “Oh that’s fine – let me hear how you set up new clients”. But if you ask “Do you have any questions,” they’ll almost always come up with some as they feel they should). I give them a preview of ‘set up’ (see the next step) and then ask ‘How does that sound?’
  OK – so it’s not a direct invitation. If they say it sounds good, I often move straight to setting a coaching time, and then we’re in.
• If necessary, I would ask: “Would you like to set up a coaching structure for your goals?” or “Would you like to give it a whirl?” or “Should we get moving on this?” But often the implied version works very well.

7) Setting Up Your Client!

• Once a person has said yes, they can feel very uncertain over the next few minutes and days – unless YOU are certain.
• Set up your next session, so they can already feel they are in a structure.
• Let them know you will send an email or follow-up paperwork with guidelines, fees, homework, and any particulars.
• Arrange their homework for the next 7 days.
• Ensure they know the coaching time and schedule.
• Go through one or two really important policies you may have. (An extensive list is included in The CoachStart Manual)
• Acknowledge them for the courage they are showing in taking action.
• I like to ask at the end how they are feeling about suddenly having a coach in their life. Always a great way to wrap up the call.
• I tell them they’ll get the Welcome Pack within 24 hours, and usually send it within six.

Action: Schedule at Least 10 Exploratory Sessions

1. Schedule at least 10 Exploratory Sessions for the next two weeks- call, email, or see them in person and get the sessions set up
2. Role play with a friend to practice dealing with objections
3. Let us know at the blog how your exploratory sessions went

* * *
Hungry for more?

You can find a step by step outline of the exact trial session I used to build my successful global practice in The CoachStart Manual™.

Enjoy!
David

P.S. Got a comment on this article? Add it to the BLOG

1. Announcements/Offers

More Clients than You Can Handle

I’m thrilled at the great response to our advanced marketing CD set. If you’re really ready for advanced marketing, I recommend you go to the web site and get your copy now. It ships within 2 business days, and you get immediate online access so you can listen in straight away.

EXPLODE YOUR COACHING PRACTICE™: Proven Practice Building Secrets to Give You More Clients Than You Can Handle.

These are actual recordings of my very best mentoring sessions with up and coming coaches over the past four years:

http://www.explodeyourpractice.com

Use our new support page instead of emailing

This email address is no longer monitored. Instead visit our new Support Center for instant access to answers and the ability to send tickets to Customer Support.

2. FEATURE: 7 Steps to the Ideal Exploratory Session – Part 1

Whether you are at a point in your coaching where you are completely comfortable approaching and securing new clients for yourself, or you have just begun, the tips below will support you in taking your coaching practice to the next level.

Use the following guidelines to set up your exploratory session for a new prospect. Of course, you’ll want to adapt it to your own coaching style. Take the best for you, practice, review each session, fine tune, practice again, and repeat to the point where you are confident. You’ll then be getting the response, results, and fees from your clients that you want and deserve.

The Exploratory Session

1) Set the context of the session

• This really just means: agree why you are both speaking to each other.
• Is it one-time inspiration? A feel good chat? Or a pre-cursor to major change in their life?
• For me, it’s to explore whether together we can make a MAJOR change in their life, or not. I let them know that at the end of the session there will be – if I feel it appropriate -an invitation to set up a committed coaching structure to support their goals.
• If you skip this step, it’s possible they will feel ‘sold to’ – best to have everything up front.
• Let them know there’s no obligation at all. And that you don’t work with everyone. You’ll only go forward together if it feels right on both sides. (It’s even better if this is actually true!)

2) Locate their ‘Hot Button’

• Ask them to come up with ONE goal. You can start with three, but focus in quickly on ONE. Otherwise it’s too scattered.
• Help them to clearly define what one thing would really make a difference in their life right now. Ask how they would feel in their body if that were to happen and how their life would be different once that occurs. See if they can connect with the feeling. (Further questions to bring out the goals are covered in The CoachStart Manual.)
• Check they believe it is possible. ‘Pie in the Sky’ dreams are not something they will pay for. If it doesn’t seem possible, help them pick a more realistic goal, or help them see how it IS possible.

3) How a coach will make the difference

• If they don’t see how coaching can make the difference, you’ll may have an inspired prospect, who will go off to try it on their own.
• Help them see how the coaching will ‘look’. Most people haven’t had a coach, and don’t even understand it’s once a week on the phone for a fixed period of time, with home work. (I like to have them read about this before the session, so they are already getting used to the idea, and we don’t waste time on it in the session).
• Let them know coaching can be fun, enjoyable and rewarding process.
• But more importantly – ASK THEM HOW COACHING WOULD HELP! It’s ten times more valuable to both of you, if they come up with how it will help, instead of you trying to sell them on it. You can hint if they flounder and you can intuit how coaching will help this person.

4) Commitment

• Get them ‘off the fence’. Ask them, “How
  serious are you about making this change in your life?” Then they can truly
  look at if they are just blowing smoke or they really are going to do something.
  If they say they are really serious, your chances of a signing client just jumped
  higher.
• Challenge them with ‘uncommon compassion’. If you honestly think
  that if they don’t sign up they won’t do anything differently, consider telling
  them.
• Let them know that it’s OK to think about it, but that’s NOT WHAT
  YOU’RE ABOUT. Thinking about it doesn’t actually change lives. You are there,
  if they are ready for it, to get them to the place where they are doing more than
  “just thinking about” whatever it is they REALLY WANT in their life.

Part II

In the next issue we will cover the last three steps:

1. Objections
2. The invitation
3. Setting up your client.

Action: Prepare for your Exploratory Sessions

1. Write down a procedure/script/list of questions you would like to ask for your
exploratory sessions.

2. Decide how many introductory sessions you want to give in the next 60 days. For accountability post at the blog the number of sessions you will do, and by when! (Also any juicy questions or steps for your exploratory session that you are particularly proud of.)

* * *

This article was based on a recording of a coach mentoring session you can hear in the Explode Your Practice™ CD set:
http://www.explodeyourpractice.com.

Enjoy!

David

What People are Saying About ’10 Super Coaches’
To find out how 10 ordinary coaches are earning $30,000 to $1.4 million per year, and how you can do it too, click here:
http://www.10supercoaches.com/cmd.asp?ad=64299

“I was working on a marketing strategy that was going to cost quite a bit of money when I bought the ebook. It made me realise there is a MUCH more direct, and less expensive method. Saved me several hundred pounds and gave me a kick up the rear end to do something else.
Thanks!”

Neil Gilbranch, United Kingdom

“Why re-invent the wheel when you can see how successful people are already producing results you want? Don’t hesitate, buy it today. The ’10 Super Coaches’ ebook has given me the confidence and inner strength I needed to build my business, I have been able to fine-tune my fees, and I have offered sample sessions with success.”Denise Simons, New Zealand RELATE Coaching

Visit http://www.10SuperCoaches.com

FEATURE: How I got 409 orders in 10 days

Would you like to get more clients?

Most of my subscribers say ‘Yes!’

You may even have a product, or plan to have a product. And you might be interested in how to generate some sales for that product – quickly!

The Power of Promotions

Promotions are a great way to jump-start your sales. Or, they can be a great way to simply do something nice for your customers.

We recently had a successful 2 for 1 promotion of’fer of my Internet Clients program, where we paired people with buddies for support – plus they got to share the cost of the program! As a result, we had a big sales week.

It got me thinking about promotions and special of’fers and how they can boost sales for you as well. Promotions allow you to give deals to your customers – and who doesn’t like a deal?

Promotions include:
Spe’cial Deals / Of’fers
Coupons
Offering Premiums or Bonuses, and
Trial Of’fers

Spec’ial Off’ers

Any time you modify your price, terms, or increase the value, it is a spe’cial of’fer. Consider a 25% off sale. How about bundling two programs together – they buy Program A and get Program B for free? Or providing lifetime updates when they purchase by a certain date?

The advantage of a spe’cial of’fer is that can get the word out quickly, and generate sales fast. However, one disadvantage is that it may reduce the perceived value of the item. So it’s a good idea to give a reason for the spe’cial of’fer. For example:- “My production guy misprinted the CD’s so they are 25% off”- “It’s my birthday and we’re celebrating with a 2 for 1 sale!”

Coupons

Consider a coupon for first-time buyers to introduce them to your company. Or a couple for existing customers to upgrade to the next level. When I was building my coaching practice, I distributed ‘Free Coaching Session’ coupons to a couple of local masseuses, who started giving them away to new clients as a good will gesture, and mailing them out at Christmas! (And I’m going to give you the PDF so you can see exactly what I’m talking about).

You can also use coupons as an added value for something. For example, when people or’der The Truth About Women ebook, they receive a fr’ee ecoupon for a relationship coaching session with a coach. This is a great premium or bonus.

Offering Premiums or Bonuses

Customers love to get “something for nothing”. Don’t we all? Premiums raise the value of what you are selling. They could be anything from fr’ee logo pens to bonus recordings, eBooks, or teleclasses. Sometimes we o’ffer no shipping charges or a fr’ee coaching session. Or a f’ree audio recording if people buy a product by a certain date.

Businesses can get together to offer bonuses. An oil change place nearby of’fers a fr’ee car wash coupon with an oil change. If you’re a business coach, why not o’ffer a free coaching session with your business colleague who is a life coach? Or offer three ebooks of high value, gathered from your coaching colleagues? They win because they get exposure, and you win because you get the sale.

Trials

We ran a very successful promotion this winter o’ffering The CoachStart Manual for a $1 trial. People had 30 days to look the Manual over and decide whether or not to keep it for the full purchase price of $97. We made the off’er even more enticing by providing half price shipping, and – in 10 days I got 409 orders! How popular would your promotion be if it offered a ‘1 Week Coaching Trial’ Program, to ten people who qualify? At the end of the week you both decide if you’ll continue on to do the 3-month program.

Scarcity

The promotions above are a reason to buy, but with all promotions, you need to provide an incentive to buy NOW. So you make the of’fer scarce – usually through limiting the time it is available, or by limiting it to the first say 50 people who buy. And remember: it isn’t “special” if it happens all the time.

When to run a promotion

It’s good to have a special reason, or a special perceived reason. You don’t want to make your customers think that you are always giving away the farm. You could devalue your product in their eyes and then it won’t be spec’ial any more. So, you want to keep up the excitement without promotion overload.

Here are some WHEN ideas –

• Birthday / Anniversary events

1st sale, 1st day in business, personal anniversary, owner birthday, birth of a baby

• Holidays – Christmas, President’s Day, School’s Out, Groundhog Day
• Customer / Newsletter Subscriber Thresholds – 10,000 subscribers, 1,000th customer
• New Product Introduction, Pre-launch Spe’cials
• New Product Updates
• Full Moon
• To Celebrate – well, just about anything!

Action: What’s your next promotion?

What would you like to generate some fast sales of?If it’s your coaching service, for example, what’s a spe’cial of’fer that could get you 5-10 clients in the next 7 days?

1. Write down your promotion or spe’cial of’fer that would have people excited to grab your service or product.

2. Post what you will, or might do at the blog.

3. Have you done a coaching promotion that worked really well? Share the love! Let your fellow coaches know by posting that too at the blog.

4. If you have an idea for a promotion you would love to see at SolutionBox, and think would be really hot, please post this too at the blog.

Enjoy!

David

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