He has such a simple approach to life in general. It’s all about energy. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I do the exact same thing with my clients around approaching something they are afraid of, marketing (cough) (cough).

When I talk to my clients, energy is a big piece of what we discuss as well. What energy do you put out there when you are talking to prospects? What energy do your words carry? What energy does marketing present for you?

Here are 5 things I learned by watching the Dog Whisperer.

1. Let Go of Fear

Caesar talks about fear when approaching a dog. It makes up tight, it makes us nervous, it pulls us away from being the leaders. Dogs won’t trust or follow this type of energy.

Whether we realize it or not, fear comes across in everything we do and say. And the people around us feel it. Our thoughts have energy. If we are focused on fear, we are projecting a negative energy to those around us. That energy can even come across in our writing.

Marketing brings up more fear than just about any other thing I’ve encountered when working with clients (other than not having enough money). Fear of putting yourself out there. Fear of offending someone. Fear of selling. Fear of asking for money. Fear of not knowing what to do or say. Yup, there’s a lot of fear around marketing.

How do you define marketing? I work with my clients to reframe how they define it so it works for them. My belief is that marketing is about sharing opportunities and helping people even if they never work with you. Marketing is very much like coaching. I have one client who redefined marketing as: “Sharing my knowledge, wisdom, energy & love.” And boy is she out there now!

How can you reframe what marketing is so you can let go of the fear and get out there and do it?

2. Be Calm & Assertive

Being calm allows you to approach a dog with tranquil, quiet, and trustworthy energy. They will know they are safe and can relax themselves. Being assertive allows you to approach a dog with confidence, knowing you can handle anything that comes your way. These two combined allows you to be the leader.

Letting go of fear can help with the idea of being calm when you’re out there marketing.  Most of what Caesar talks about is not letting anxiety or fear take over. Being assertive allows you to truly believe in what you have to offer, that is can help people and that it has value. If you don’t believe it, they won’t either.

3. Own Your Role as the Pack Leader (expert)

We have to be comfortable sharing what we know, understanding that we are truly experts in what we do.  Our clients are experts in their own lives and businesses, but we are experts in the process and in addressing the challenges. We have to own that expertise.

People are looking for experts. They are expecting you to be that expert. Why else would they pay for you? You owning your role as an expert allows you to consistently put your approach, philosophy, techniques, and process out there. It allows you to speak with confidence. It engages others. And it helps you to build your tribe.

 4. Exercise, Discipline and Affection

The Exercise is the doing it part. Just get out there and start doing it. So you don’t have the perfect elevator speech. You don’t have the products you want to offer. You don’t have the perfect niche. And you never will if you don’t get out there and exercise your business.

The Discipline is the consistency piece. Being consistent is one of the most important elements of marketing. Keep doing it even if you don’t see immediate results. Set up systems to track your marketing. Then adjust as necessary.

Affection – this is such an important but undervalued piece of marketing. Having true affection and passion for what you do and the people you work with is crucial in marketing. If you are coming from a place of “how can I help you?” you will make a much stronger impression on than coming from a place of “I’m selling to you.” Think about it, when was the last time you attended a webinar or teleclass or presentation or read an article where you felt like you were sitting in on a sales presentation. How did that feel? When was the last time you attended one of those where you felt like the person was really there to help you and share some great information with you? How did that feel?

 5. Tst: Get People’s Attention in Unexpected Ways

Caesar talks about snapping the dog out of a behavior. What he’s really about is creating a change in the pattern. We are all attuned to patterns. Patterns mean comfort, safety, and known. When there is a shift in patterns it catches our attention. It snaps us out of comfort and creates a sense of alertness. This creates an unexpected shift which captures attention.  It is a powerful way of grabbing and keeping attention.

If you really stop and think about it, marketing is much like things in everyday life. It’s the approach you take, the energy you walk with and the attitude you live by that makes the real difference. So for now, remain calm & assertive and get out there and share your message.

I was so frustrated. I felt like I wasted 45 minutes of my time with someone who was unprepared. If they don’t know what they are doing or how they can help me, why would I hire them?

I see this with a lot of coaches, too. Having the sales conversation isn’t something we’re taught when getting our training. But it’s an essential part of growing your business. Here’s a few tips that might help you through this crucial, but confounding conversation.

Be clear about what you help people achieve and what you don’t.

If you’re not clear, neither will they be. You must be absolutely clear about what you help people achieve, how their live will be different after working with you, and the value you have to offer when you are speaking to your prospects.

You also have to be clear about what is out of your scope of services. As coaches and consultants we tend to want to help everyone. Yet, we are not always the best option to fit our client’s needs. Knowing this and having the resources to refer them to their best fit, will not only impress your prospects but also set up a great referral network for yourself.

Always have a “What’s Next” process

I see this a lot. You will give a workshop and not have anything that the workshop leads into. Or you talk to a prospect about coaching and they ask you, “what’s next?” and you don’t have an answer. Or you are giving a speech and nothing comes from it.

You don’t have a “What’s Next” process. A “What’s Next” process is the next step you want your prospects or clients to take. It’s a call to action that leads them into the next step of their development. It could be leading them into a group coaching program from a presentation. It could be a 1-on-1 program from your group coaching program. It could also be the intake process you take your new clients through when they first sign up.

Regardless of the service, program, product, or conversation you should ALWAYS be prepared for the “What’s Next?’ question.

Know your stuff and say it with confidence

You are an expert. Needless to say, you should really know your stuff when you are presenting or speaking to potential clients. I would venture to say most of you do. But, do you share that information and expertise with confidence? If you don’t absolutely, 100% believe in yourself and what you offer, chances are your prospects are going to have doubts as well.

Be willing to give – even if they never buy anything from you

I am a huge proponent of giving. I advocate for giving information away all the time. Information is free. People expect it for free. It’s already out there anyhow. Be a resource and give your information away. Your prospects will walk away absolutely WOWed by you.

Ask questions

Think about the most interesting conversations you have ever had. Chances are, they are the ones where you did most of the talking. Impress your prospects by allowing them to talk. Ask them powerful questions, show a genuine interest in what they are going through, mirror back what they are saying so they feel as though they are heard and understood. Then talk to them about how your services, programs and products fit their needs. Then don’t forget the most important question of all, “when would you like to start?”

Let’s face it, the sales conversation isn’t always an easy one to have. Just the whole idea of “sales” can put a lump in our throat and make us feel icky about asking for the business. But, it’s a necessary part of having a business. These simple tips can help you not only impress your prospects, but also make the sales conversation much more pleasant for both of you.

STEP 1: Your Brand

Your brand is your promise of the experience your clients will have with you. It’s the feeling people receive when working with you. You have to know what your brand is. You already have one whether you know what it is or not. You have to carefully craft your brand and foster that in everything you do.

STEP 2: Your Platform

A platform is something you stand on. It places you above the crowd. This is your marketing strategy. You need to know where you are going to be seen and by whom.  But a platform is also something you stand for. People are attracted to passion. Using your marketing strategy to passionately share your message is a magnet for those who share or want a piece of that passion.

STEP 3: Give it Away

As a coach or consultant you are a wealth of information. Give it away! Don’t be afraid of giving away the farm every piece of information is already out there on the internet anyway. Be the resource and give “how to” or introductory information away. This is a perfect way to educate people to work with you.

STEP 4: Consistency & Persistency

This is the big one. It takes time to break through all the clutter and actually be seen. To do so, consistently offer high value that addresses your target audience’s immediate needs. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. Be persistent and you will see that visibility grow.

By implementing these 4 simple steps over time while offering relevant, valuable information freely, you will not only create a massive amount of visibility but also create brand awareness, position yourself as an expert, and demonstrate your unique value.

1. Speaking

Speaking is one of the best ways to generate leads. It gives the attendees an opportunity to get a feel of who you are. They can experience your passion and if you connect with them, they leave with a sense of knowing you. People prefer to do business with people they know.

One of the best benefits of speaking is that is increases your credibility. People see you as an expert and want more of you. It creates a huge amount of visibility and gets your name known. For more information about creating speaking read: 7 Secrets to Sensational Speeches.

2. Strategic Partners

Strategic Partners are 2 or more people who came together to share resources, opportunities, and events. Generally they work with the same audience you work with but deal with different issues.

Strategic Partners are a great way to build your data base fast through each partner sharing your information with their contacts. If your partners have a good reputation with their clients and data base that will automatically increase your position when they refer their clients and database to you.

3. Promotional Teleclass

Promotional Teleclasses is where you offer a free teleclass as an introduction to you, a program or a product. The information in the teleclass will center around the topic of the program or product you are featuring. This can give you immediate visibility and be seen as a valuable resource.

A word of warning: if you choose to offer one of these make sure you are including information that the attendees will find highly valuable and can use immediately. If it’s an hour of fluff or salesy you will do more damage than good.  Read: 10 Tips to Compelling Content

4. Article Writing

Writing articles centered around the topics your target audience is actively looking for and submitting them to online article directories is a quick way to establish yourself as an expert while driving traffic to your site.

You do not have to be an expert writer or English major to write articles. While many of the articles out there are not very well written however, I suggest at least making sure you edit & re-write your articles to make sure there are no simple errors. It’s always a good idea to have a second pair of eyes looking at it too.

Some of the best article directories to submit your articles to include ezinearticles.com, buzzle.com, self-growth.com, goarticles.com, and articlealley.com to name a few.

5. Link Exchange

Link Exchanges are where you offer your link to a trusted resource to put on their site while you offer a link to their site on your site. Link Exchange partners usually offer complimentary services to the same or similar audiences.

This is a great strategy for increasing your URL exposure. Link Exchanges can not only help generate hot leads but can also help increase your search engine rankings. The more times your website is sited on the internet the higher your overall ranking.

6. Networking

Good ole’ networking. It’s still a great way to gain hot leads. I talk to a lot of coaches who say networking is not their thing. They don’t like going to those networking meetings where everyone is there to sell and not connect. But, you don’t have to join a networking organization to utilize this form of marketing.

Who do you already know? Who are other coaches and consultants you can partner with? Who works with the people you work with? Who can help you get in front of your audience?

When networking, the intention is not on making the sell, or getting a client, the intention is on creating relationships. Out of trusting, partnered relationships you will get leads.

A killer e-speech is a necessity for networking. Read: Elevator Speech Template: What to Say When it Really Counts

7. Blogging

Building your own tribe is a great way to develop hot leads. Blogging started out as a way to journal online. It has turned into a tribe building tool.

Blogging allows you to help others while you share your ideas, resources, and knowledge. It encourages involvement and interaction from the reader further connecting you to your prospects. Through this interaction, you are able to express yourself and your style showcasing yourself as an expert.  Read: The Story Guide to Writing About Your Business

8. Podcasting

Don’t like to write, no worries. You can basically do the same thing with Podcasting as you can with blogging. Podcasting is an online audio stream that allows you the opportunity to talk through your ideas and information. Although seeing someone live is the best way to connect with your audience, hearing your speak creates a deeper connection than reading your writing.

9. Social Networking

The fastest growing form of marketing, social networking has changed the marketing landscape. Social networking is a form of social media that requires some form of profile. It includes places like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, chat rooms, industry forums etc.

Social networking can be overwhelming. The trick to using this as a lead generation tool is to focus on 2 or 3 different forums, while interacting and offering highly valuable times and resources.

10. Referrals

Referrals are still the 31 way coaching and consultants receive their leads. By offering fantastic service and continue the relationship with past clients you’re sure to receive high praise and hot leads. The key is to ASK! Read: Your Clients Hold the Key: How to Ask for and Get Great Testimonials to find out more about asking for referrals.

There you go. The top 10 lead generation strategies. Don’t try to do all 10. You’ll become overwhelmed and not very effective. It’s much better to pick 3 to 5 that you know you can do consistently and you will gain hot leads that convert into clients in no time.

Kathy Jo Slusher-Haas

Market Your Coaching Business

1. If I ruled the world…
2. I wish I had known…
3. What I learned from my biggest mistake…
4. My Love Affair with…
5. 3 Easy Steps to…
6. Lessons I Learned from (Mama / Wonder Woman / My clients)…
7. My 5 Favorite Books to Help with…
8. Must See ___ (resources / websites / feel good movies)
9. Looking Out My Window, I’m Reminded of…
10. Little Known Ways to …
11. What I Learned from Watching…
12. Something I Look Forward to Everyday
13. Which of These Frustrations Would You Like to End Once & For All?
14. My Favorite Shortcut to…
15. The Most Bizarre Thing I Found on …
16. The Real Question You Should be Asking
17. I Was Really Surprised When I Learned…
18. The 1 Step that Changed Everything…
19. 10 Reasons Why You Will Never…
20. The 2 Most Important Words You Will Ever Hear
21. How I Got My Groove Back
22. Get Your ___ Plan Back on Track
23. Fix Your ___ Mistakes: Our Exclusive Guide
24. Pump Up Your …
25. Make Your ___ Work for You
26. Do You Have What it Takes to…
27. How to Protect …
28. _____ Reinvented
29. How Super Heroes Would Handle ____
30. The Power of ____: the Risks and the Rewards
31. The Best of ____
32. The Best Advice I Ever Received…
33. The #1 Trick to Make Your Day ____
34. The Most Important Thing I Learned this Year
35. The 7 Most Sensational Secrets to…

First off, does that negative self-talk still come up?  Yes!

Even now it sneaks up on me, when someone unsubscribes from my newsletter list, when someone challenges me during a presentation. I even had someone hang up on me during a teleclass because they didn’t like what I said. So every now and there, there’s still this little meow of doubt.

So, what do I do? I reconnect with what MY definition of marketing is again.

Here are 4 different ways to look at marketing that might help you stare down and quiet your marketing gremlin.

1. For me, marketing is like coaching. Marketing is about asking powerful questions and truly listening to the answers. It’s about finding the right answers for your client (or prospect). The intention of marketing is to motivate people to step into change. As coaches, we do the same and then help them implement those changes. Ultimately, however, marketing is about developing trusting relationships, which is the foundation of coaching.
2. Marketing is about educating. People crave information. Our job as marketers is to educate people on the gaps missing in their lives that cause the discomfort, pain or challenge. That is why I’m such a huge advocate for giving information away. Giving information is a great way to educate people about what you can help them achieve as well as demonstrating your expertise. People will not come to you and pay for information. But they will come to you and pay for the implementation of that information.
3. Marketing is an open-ended invitation. I love looking at marketing from this point of view. One of the crucial elements to any marketing message that is usually missing is the call to action. Often, coaches and other soloprofessionals are hesitant to ask for the business because they don’t want to be pushy. I like to look at the call to action as extending an open-ended invitation to work with me so they can determine when the time is right for them, knowing the door is always open.
4. Through marketing, you can still make a HUGE difference in people’s lives. I often speak to coaches who say they really want to help those people who can’t afford it. Content marketing is the idea of giving away content for free to showcase yourself as an expert and drive people to your sight. However, there’s one important piece to this. With content marketing you can still help others who may never be able to or want to work directly with you. You can extend your reach and touch people all over the world just through your marketing.

Now, I’m not saying all these views will be right for you. And there are certainly many other ways to look at marketing that might work better for you. The point is, don’t let the word “marketing” stop you from doing what you love. By looking at marketing in a different way, you can not only help many more people than you ever thought possible, but you can also quell the roar of that marketing gremlin to a miniscule, occasional meow.

But, you might be surprised at what makes someone successful at sales. It isn’t the ability to charm others. It isn’t having all the right credentials. And it isn’t the ability to manipulate others. The characteristics of a successful sales person are internal. They are all about your perception of yourself.

There are many studies of what makes someone successful at sales. Here are the top 8 that consistently show up over and over again.

8. Professionalism

Your prospects expect you to be the expert. They came to you for an answer to their challenge. They want to have confidence in you. Professionalism means coming prepared and on time to the meeting, being able to clearly articulate what you offer and how that addresses their challenges, and being present to the conversation. It doesn’t mean having more and more education or training, it means owning the role of the expert and professional you are.

7. Belief in Yourself and Your Service

If you’re not bought in, they will not buy in. Successful sales people truly believe in the service and value they offer. You have to believe in yourself as a professional and believe you have something of value to offer. Something people would and should spend money on to get.

6. Positivity

You would be amazed how many times I talk to service providers who walk into a sales conversation already believing the prospect is going to say “no.” Successful sales people walk into the sales conversation with a positive attitude. They understand a “no” is not about them; it’s not a rejection.

5. Patience

Service sales is not a one shot and your done thing. It’s about building relationships. Those who are successful in sales understand building relationships takes time and nurturing. Be comfortable planting the seeds and take the time to nurture them.

4. Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand the situation and feelings of others. Here is where the Know / Like / Trust factor really comes into play. Your prospect must know you for you to get their attention. They must like you to listen. And they must trust you to buy. Having empathy, demonstrating you truly understand what they are going through builds trust.

3. Passion

Passion is a powerful, compelling emotion. People can instinctively feel other’s feelings. Being passion about what you do, how you can help people, why you do what you do can’t be faked. People can detect passion through the tone of your voice, your body language, and the energy you project. Passion sells. Being passionate will draw people to you.

2. Intention

If you want into a sales conversation with the intention of  “I have to make this sale,” or “I can’t pay my bills if I don’t sign this client” your prospects will feel that.

Intentions are the objective of what you are doing. It’s the “why.” If your “why” is about you and not your prospects that comes across even unconsciously. I recommend setting two intentions, a primary and secondary. The primary is what you want your prospects to receive. That could be hope or to see possibilities or to understand they’re not alone. The secondary intention is what you want to receive from the conversation. It could be “I want to be seen as an expert,” or “I want to be seen as the answer to their situation,” or even “I want to be a resource.”

And it’s never a client. Gaining a client can represent confidence or success. So that is really what you want from the conversation. And that’s up to your definition.

1. Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is an intense, inspired enjoyment. This is the physical translation of your passion. Being enthusiastic can motivate others into action to gain that same enthusiasm.

Enthusiasm for what you do and why you do it gives you the drive and energy to get done what needs to get done. It also sets you apart from the competition. Let’s face it, how often do we run into an enthusiastic sales person.

Being successful at sales isn’t easy. If it were, everyone would be successful. But the key characteristics to being successful are internal. That means, being successful at sales in well within your own power.

Myth #1: Facts and Figures Sell. Wow Them with Number

Unfortunately, too much emphasis is placed on showing facts and figures and not enough on the emotions behind what these facts and figures mean. People decide they want to buy based on emotional factors. Are you speaking to their values? Are you hitting on emotional triggers? Do you understand the thoughts, fears and desires of the people to whom you are speaking? That is what makes people want to buy. The facts and figures, while also important justify they purchase and will help demonstrate the value of the purchase. Value = Benefits – Cost.

Myth #2: Find & Fill a Need

While there has to be a need in order for people to buy into your product or program, the need alone doesn’t guarantee a sale. One of the biggest factors in people choosing whom they will buy from is the genuine passion of the person they are speaking to. You have to truly believe in what you are selling. If you’re not bought in, they won’t be bought in.

Myth #3: Overcome Mental Chatter

We get over 3000 messages a day. That doesn’t include the messages we are constantly telling ourselves. You may feel as though we have to overcome that mental chatter and chatter loader and longer to get the attention of your audience. The point is not to overcome that mental chatter, rather tap into it. Figure out what your target audience is facing, what are the thoughts that are keeping them up at night. This will demonstrate to your audience that you truly understand.

Myth #4: Teach Them about Me and What I Do

Your marketing message is not about you or what you do. Your marketing message is about what your target audience is going through and what they desire to be, have, and/or do. What you do, whether it be coaching, massage therapy, intuitive readings, social media consulting etc. is the tool to help them achieve what they desire.

Myth #5: Get in Front of as Many People as Possible. It’s all About the Numbers

You can get in front of thousands of people and not get a single client. It’s not about how many people you talk to. It’s about talking to the right people about the right thing. This is why it’s so important to define your niche – target audience + the challenge they are facing/ solution you offer. Understanding your niche will help you describe their world and what they are experiencing and not speaking in generalities.

Myth #6: Spread Your Message Across as Many Mediums as Possible

One of the biggest mistakes business owners make when marketing is trying to do it all. You can’t, especially if you are a soloprofessional. Pick 3 to 5 marketing outlets, article marketing, public speaking, teleclasses, networking etc. and own those 3 to 5 activities. Consistency is more important than spread.

Myth #7: They Need to See the Value

Yes, they need to see the value. But the emphasis should not be on THEY HAVE TO SEE but rather on WE HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE. It is our job to demonstrate the value of what we offer and justify the prices we are asking for.

Myth #8: Speak to Your Target Audience as a Group

Although we are speaking to many people through our marketing messages, they should be written and spoken as though we are talking to one person sitting across the table from us. Personalize your marketing. No one wants to feel like one of the masses. They want to feel unique and special. Speak to them as though they are.

Myth #9: Don’t Use Lingo

The question here is really whose lingo are you speaking. Many industries have their own lingo. But they myth is about speaking in lingo in general. When speaking to your target audience it is perfectly ok, if not preferable to speak in their lingo, using their language. It helps them feel as though you are one of them and understand them.

Myth #10: The Intention of My Marketing Message is to Get a Client  

Many times when I ask my clients what is your intention with this marketing message, they say to get clients. The trouble is, a marketing message is meant to be the first step in developing a relationship. The relationship will end in clients. There are really two intentions you should focus on when writing your core marketing message. The first is what you would like your target audience to get out of it. Do you want them to feel understood and heard? Do you want them to know the possibilities of what might be? Do you want them to know they’re not alone? The second is what would you like to get out of your marketing message? Do you want them to see you as an expert or resource? Do you want them to think of you first when they decide they want to make a change? Do you want them to know you have the answer?

While these are only a few marketing myths out there, they are biggies. Don’t fall into the trap of a flat, ineffective marketing message. Your marketing message is often the first impression people will receive about you and your business.

Kathy Jo Slusher-Haas

Market Your Coaching Business

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What is this miracle worker, you ask? Simple: Ask satisfied clients for a testimonial.

The leads you receive through word-of-mouth marketing are much stronger and have a higher conversion rate than any other. When it comes from you, it’s easily seen as hype. When it comes from someone who has actually experienced it, it’s proof.

Why Do Testimonials Work?

Testimonials work because they are a story of someone else’s experience. They inspire people to act by giving them the knowledge of how to act and the motivation to do so. Strong testimonials are a template for success.

What Makes a Great Testimonial?

I’ve seen this often. Testimonials that miss the boat don’t say anything. Ones like “Kathy Jo is great. I highly recommend her” are flat, vague, and lack specifics. They don’t hold much weight.

A great testimonial is emotionally charged, believable, results-oriented, and demonstrate exactly what the client experienced. It takes the reader through the writer’s journey.

Here’s an example of a great testimonial: “Before I began working with Kathy Jo, I was extremely confused, frustrated, and didn’t understand how to market my business. Together, we created my business model, identified my niche market, defined my ideal client, and defined the values and benefits I offer. Now I have clarity, and am energized and excited. The results? My clients have increased by 50%.  I highly recommend Kathy Jo to any coach that is dealing with the frustrations of marketing their coaching business.”  ~ Stacey Byrd, Byrd Media Marketing

Elements of a Great Testimonial

Great testimonials should:

-          Be believable: going from $0 to six-figure income in three months is not believable.

-          Have an emotional impact: What is different now?

-          Come from a real person. This can be a difficult one for coaches. Because of confidentiality reasons, we must have permission to share this information. You may find some are hesitant to do so. In this case, use as much information as you can (first name, initials, last name, company and position) while still respecting confidentiality

How Do I Get a Great Testimonial?

Often when we ask for a testimonial from our clients, we get one that is flat. It’s not because our clients don’t want to help us or don’t appreciate us. It’s because they don’t know what to say.

Make it easy for them. Here’s an easy template to give your clients to help them craft their testimonial.

1. Where were you when we first started working together?   Before working with _____, I was ______. 
2. What was the solution? What did we do together?   Together we, _____, ______, and _____.
3. What difference did it make? Now my business/ my life/ my___, is experiencing____.
4. Call to action  If you are experiencing anything similar to what I was, call _____ immediately! Don’t wait any longer.
5. Name, company, position

Even though you may feel funny asking for testimonials, most satisfied clients that have achieved the results they are looking for are more than happy to write them if they have some sort of guideline. So use this testimonial guideline to make it as easy as possible for your clients to help you grow your business.

Get everybody talking about you—in a great way!

Kathy Jo Slusher-Haas

Market Your Coaching Business

Below are 5 client-gaining ingredients for your speeches.

 1. What’s Next Strategy

One of the biggest missed opportunities I see is walking into a speaking engagement whether it is a keynote presentation, a break-out session, a lunch & learn or a 10 minute introduction, you should always have a “What’s Next” Strategy.

Your presentation is a taste of your programs, products and services. Organize your content to position your services or products to be the natural next step and use your speech to lead into it. Even if you can’t directly promote yourself or your services, you still have audience members how will ask you, “What’s next?” Be prepared to answer this question.

2. Know Your Audience

If you are a service provider who is speaking as a way to gain new clients, speaking to your target audience is always the best way to go. Regardless, you still have to be aware of who your audience is. What are they going through? What is a day in their life like? What issues are they looking to overcome?

This can be done in several ways. Market research is a great way to understand the needs of your audience. What books do they read? What website do they frequent? What industries or associations do they belong to? What are the issues being covered in the above venues? Another way would be through surveys. You can survey the audience members beforehand either directly or through the event coordinator. In fact, the event coordinator is another great resource to tap into for this information.

3. Be Present

Of course you have to be present for your presentation, but do you make yourself available before or after the presentation?

Get to your presentation in plenty of time to set up before anyone arrives. Then as people enter the room, greet them, introduce yourself, chit chat. This creates a relaxed environment and allows you and them to feel comfortable. Remember, this is often their first impression of you.

Also, make it known you will be available afterward to either sell back of the room products or be around to answer their questions or hear their thoughts on your presentation. Invite them to approach you.

4. Collect Contact Information

What’s the point of speaking for clients if you’re not going to gain anything from it? If this audience is populated by your ideal prospects, collect their contact information to contact them after the presentation. Here are a couple of phrases I have used that work like a gem, “I have an audio recording that goes more deeply into this material. If you would like to receive this information, pass forward your business cards and I’ll make sure you get it by the end of the week.” Or “I’m often asked for a copy of my presentations. Anyone who would like a handout copy of my slides, please pass forward your business cards and I’ll make sure you get it ASAP.”

5. Follow Up

Now that you have their contact information, actually follow up! Make it your number one priority. I’ve talked to so many people who totally miss this step, or wait and wait and wait until so much time has gone by they feel it’s too late. These are people who have directly told you they are interested in gaining more information. Be prepared to send it to them within 2 days of your presentation.

Thank them for attending your presentation along with sending the link. Then follow up afterwards to make sure they received the information and see if they have any additional questions about it.

Many people use speaking as a way to get clients, but they aren’t just going to line up afterwards all by themselves. By including these 5 elements as a natural part of your presentation, you will make speaking for clients a powerful part of your overall marketing strategy.

Kathy Jo Slusher-Haas

Market Your Coaching Business

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