Massive Social Proof Fail

Up late tonight burining the midnight oil on some copywriting and what do I see before me?  The opportunity for a quickie lesson in saleswomanship, persuasion, and not-so-pretty human nature.

So there I was, reading my Twitter feed.  Someone I respect linked to a post which lands me smack-dab on the site of a marketing strategist I’ve never met (online or off) but whose name I recognize.

The strategist’s picture in the banner at the top of the page is bold, confident… maybe even a little sassy. Definitely client-attractive.  The landing page looks great, with lots of yummy benefits, so I click over to the About page, so I can learn more about who I’m talking to, so to speak.

After a strong intro, I learn that this person is “the secret consultant to [very important people]“ including moguls, celebrities and industry leaders.  “Wow,” I say to myself, “I can’t wait to read her testimonials.”

Except that there aren’t any. (Testimonials, that is.)  At least none that I can find.

Actually, I take that back.  There’s an endorsement, from THE leader in this strategist’s area of expertise.  Unfortunately, said leader doesn’t mention specific results.

“Hrm.  Maybe she has some on her blog,” I think, hoping.  I thumb through the first couple of pages.  No mention of clients, let alone results she has helped those clients get.

(Maybe she mentions them in her Twitter feed, but after frustration at the absence of a testimonials page and the blog thing, my patience has officially run out.)

I did find lots of comments about this strategist, such that she is cool and awesome and an amazing person.  I have no doubt that she is.  However, as a potential client coming to her website, I’m not really interested in cool.  I’m interested in whether or not she can really help me.

I want to write, “I have no doubt that she’s really good at what she does and has helped her clients make a lot of money.”  Because I really hope it’s true.  But you know what?  I can’t.  Because I do have doubt. Not because I want to, but because I just do.

She alludes to lots of clients and experience in her bio, yet doesn’t call a single one of them out by name. I mean, what other conclusion am I supposed to come to?  The secrecy of her consulting may indeed be a legitimate reason for not having testimonials, but as a potential client, it doesn’t satisfy my need for proof, and it certainly doesn’t help me out.

I don’t want to have doubt, but I do.  And that sucks.  For both of us.

These are the things that go through your potential clients’ minds.  Ignore them at your peril.

(Do you have a system for collecting testimonials that get you clients?  If not, you can get one here.)

How To Choose The RIGHT Networking Events To Grow Your Business

How entrepreneurs “do business” is shifting in a BIG way thanks to this new economy we’re in.  These days, my colleagues and clients both report the same thing: now more than ever, people are craving a personal connection.  Yep, I’m talking about getting your fanny out from behind the blue screen of your computer and going to some networking events.

For me, it’s about going where the spirit-rich business owners are and that often means kissing my beloved hubby Leland goodbye and getting on a plane.  (You’d think that New York City would have more to offer closer-to-home in this area, but… no.  Who knew?)

In the beginning, when I was struggling (okay, desperate) to build my business, I was a lot more likely to say YES to an event in hopes of attracting clients and opportunities.  Okay, so, the truth is – I was rushing all over the place!  And I quickly learned that the highest cost of these events is time spent away from Leland, most often for little or no results.  So frustrating!

These days, I’m a lot more selective – and I recommend that you be selective, too.  Yes, even if you’re just starting out.  After all, time away from those you love is time you’ll never get back.  So here are some of the questions I consider when deciding which events are a must and which are a “miss“…

1. “Will it connect me with the people I can help?” After working with over 100 entrepreneurs with my classes, programs, copywriting and 1-on-1 coaching, I have a very clear picture of who I can help and who I can’t.  If connecting with potential clients is one of my desired outcomes, this question had better be a yes, or no dice.

Luckily, I have a pretty good idea of where the serious, purpose-driven entrepreneurs hang out.  But that wasn’t always the case.  There is some trial and error involved here, but be sure to do your due diligence and research.

2. “Will it connect me with high-level people who can connect me with the people I can help?” In other words, will there be opportunities to make strategic and purposeful alliances – people who can bring more value to my peeps, and vice versa?

3. “Is the event host someone I want to learn from?” There are a lot of folks out there who call themselves “experts” these days, but the truth is, the level of their expertise varies dramatically.  Your time and money are precious; your standards should be high! Are they truly an expert?  Do they have a proven track record of success, both for themselves and with clients?  Do they have high integrity?

4. “Will the content be top-notch?” If you’re a little bit like me (and I suspect you are if you’re reading this!), you love to learn and hate “pitchfests!”   Even most local networking events have content of some kind, in the form of a short presenter.  Will that content be worth your while?  (For me, a big reason why I go to events is to bring “the good stuff” back to YOU – so to get me there, it had better be good!)

Confession time: I’m okay with a good pitchfest now and then – I’m a marketer and speaker after all! – but I want it to be my choice, not something I’m hornswoggled into without knowing better.

5. “Will this event help me grow personally?” When it comes to creating success in your business, the outer game of marketing has nothing on the inner game of mindset, health and happiness.  Your business can only grow as fast as you do.  Will what you learn at this event add to your inner game as well as (or even in lieu of) your bottom line?

6. “Will there be opportunities to authentically be in the spotlight?” Here’s one that you might not have considered.  One of the best ways to get noticed at networking events is to stand up, grab the mic, and contribute – your tips, your knowledge, your success stories.

Most events invite sharing from the participants at some point or another.  Adding your 2 cents is a perfect way to showcase your expertise and yourself in a natural, non-pushy way.  Just be sure that you’re truly adding value to the conversation.  (This one strategy gets consistent results for my clients when they use it, and I’ve personally created thousands of dollars in new business within days of attending a new networking event – i.e., where I didn’t know anyone.)

7. “What’s the outcome that I want to create?” Having a very specific outcome for every marketing action you take will help spare you the frustration of “I tried thus-and-such, and it didn’t work!” With networking events, the stakes are pretty high (time away from your family again), so it’s extra-important to have a clear outcome.  An clear outcome plus a clear choice will lead to a clear decision, every time.

Your Turn:

Make a decision to get out from behind your keyboard by connecting at a networking event!  Decide what outcome you’d like to create in your business.  Next, find at least 3 events that might be a fit for you.  Create some criteria – you can use these as a starting point and add your own.  Decide on an event based on your criteria, and go!

You’ll find me at my mentor Kendall SummerHawk’s upcoming Money, Marketing And Soul Intensive in October because it meets all of the above criteria, and much more.  You can get a sneak peek of what’s in store by signing up for the mp3 download of an inspiring interview I conducted with Kendall, available here (you’ll get instant access when you register), and her generous preview classes, available here.  (But hurry – this breakthrough event is already over 85% SOLD OUT – it’ll sell out for sure, so don’t put it off!)

© 2009 Elizabeth Genco Purvis.  All Rights Reserved.

Want to use this article on your website, blog or in your own ezine? No problem! But here’s what you MUST include:

Elizabeth Genco Purvis, “The Marketing Goddess” teaches spirited solo business owners and conscious entrepreneurs how to attract an abundance of clients, income, freedom and satisfaction in their business while staying true to their values.  Visit MarketingGoddess.com to claim your copy of “Grow Your Business With Spirit And Soul,” a 7-part audio workshop with everything you need to begin attracting more clients right away.

The Credibility Booster Nobody Talks About

I hear it all the time from new business owners.  “I just finished my training and I don’t have any clients.  I don’t have any ‘real’ experience and I don’t have any testimonials.  Why would anyone hire me?”

Answer: Because you can help them!

If you’ve taken action on your commitment and are ready to “put yourself out there” as a professional, you know more about your specialty than 99.9% of the rest of the world. You’ve had training, undoubtedly you’ve performed your service and you’ve devoted a considerable amount of time, energy and attention to your area of expertise already.

(And let’s call it expertise, OK? Why wait for someone ELSE to anoint you on the head and deem you “enough” of anything?  Walking your talk starts with how you view yourself.)

Lots of factors can create credibility for you. Your training, for one.  The experience you DO have that’s relevant to what you do for others.  One that most people don’t consider is… your marketing!

Your ability to clearly state the problems, your solutions, who you work with, and more… putting it in writing, such as on your website… sharing valuable information about your area of expertise in articles and free reports… teaching in teleclasses and workshops … all of these things create a great deal of credibility for you.  And they’re all marketing!

Credibility is simply the demonstration that you are honorable, trustworthy, you know what you say you know, and you can do what you say you can do.  Like so much of your marketing, your credibility is within your control. (Or you get to pick, as I like to say!)  You can do all of the above (and so much more) on your own initiative.

And think about it… If you were looking to hire someone like you and you didn’t know any of your choices personally, which would you find more credible? Someone with impeccable marketing, who is active and speaking out and sharing freely, or someone who doesn’t?

What’s more, were you choosing a service provider yourself, you’d also probably discover that there are certain people you are drawn towards over others, regardless of how long they’ve been in business or how many testimonials they have on their website.  I call this “the energy factor.” As in, “I love your energy, I want to work with you!”

Sometimes your clients will respond to your energy most of all. If they don’t know you personally, where do they get this energy to pick up on?  Your marketing!  Which is one of the reasons why infusing your marketing with YOU – your personality, your stories, your brilliance – works so well.

Yes, you absolutely have to demonstrate that you know your stuff “in the real world,” by working with clients and getting results.   Creating credibility is an ongoing process – it never stops!  Start with your training, the experience you DO have… and your marketing.

Want more tips like this one?  Be sure to sign up for The Abundant Business ezine, my bi-weekly newsletter.  You’ll also get my free audio mini-workshop, “7 Quick And Simple Tips To Grow Your Business With Spirit And Soul”.

The Hidden-In-Plain-Sight Secret To Growing A Billion-Dollar Business

Just got back from David Neagle’s Experience The Reality Of Success seminar. Wow, where do I start?

David and his team truly know the meaning of the word “overdeliver.” Case in point: 2 guest speakers: Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos.com, and Ivanka Trump.  That’s me with Tony in the picture.  If he looks younger than me, that’s because he is.  (But not by much!)

In case you don’t know Tony, here’s something to ponder: under his direction, Zappos.com grew to a billion dollars in annual sales in under 8 years. How did he do it?

“We don’t think of ourselves as an online retailer,” Tony says.  Zappo’s is a company that provides incredible customer experiences. And they’ve designed and built the entire culture of the company around that mission.  “Get the culture right and everything else takes care of itself.”

Now you may be thinking, “That’s great, Elizabeth, but when it comes to my biz, I’m a single guy or gal.  I’m not building a billion-dollar enterprise.  I don’t have corporate culture.  I’m a lone ranger!  What does this have to do with me?”

For starters, here are 2 things:

1. Thanks to building outstanding customer experience into Zappo’s, Tony now has an army of happy customers marketing his business for him. (And it’s the best kind of marketing – word of mouth.)

2.Want more clients in this economy?  Want even more clients when the economy recovers?  Want to offer your clients incredible value and charge premium prices for your services?   Create incredible experiences. Start now.

The buzz is spreading about Tony and his achievements at Zappo’s.  (“It’s nice and all, but we pay more attention to our customers,” Tony says.)

“Create incredible experiences” is not news; indeed, it’s something I advise my clients on all the time.  Tony and Zappo’s just did it… in a huge way.  Now, in the worst economy since The Great Depression, they’re on the rise.  (Dare I say bullet-proof?)

Tony’s presentation was worth the entire trip to Vegas.  In a later post, I’ll share his “7 Steps For Building A Brand That Matters.”  In the meantime, have a gander at my ERS photo album on Facebook.