Upcoming Workshop: How To Charge What You’re Worth & Get It (plus free goodies)
Even if you’re not in NYC, I invite you to check out that page and download a gift I have for you. Keep reading…
“How To Charge What You’re Worth And Get It”
2-hour LIVE workshop in NYC on Sept. 16, 6:30-8:30pm EST
Location: In Good Company Workplaces, 16 W. 23rd St (4th Floor) NYC
http://www.marketinggoddess.com/howtocharge.html
Do you dread hearing the words, “So what do you charge?”
If you know you’re charging too little, want to raise your rates (but think your clients won’t pay) or get asked for discounts all too often (and cave in at the drop of a hat), you can’t afford to miss this workshop. Here is just some of what we’ll cover…
- How to instantly make 20-30-40% more than you’re making right now – without working harder or needlessly giving away more of your time, energy and expertise
- How to answer the question “So what do you charge?” with poise, grace and confidence (so YOU stay firmly in the driver’s seat)
- Why “Can you give me a ballpark?” is a trap… and how to answer honestly while staying firmly in your power
- The 4 things you MUST know before you state your fee (and the exact questions to ask to respectfully uncover this information)
- Authentic, non-pushy questions so that the clients who need you practically talk themselves into working with you
- The right time to bring up the topic of price and what to say when your potential client asks “So what do you charge?” too soon
- How to raise your rates with existing clients without offending them or losing them (this simple script makes it easy for the both of you)
You’ll get a complete step-by-step system to confidently increase your fees, including all the templates, scripts and examples you need to immediately begin charging 20-30-40% more than you do right now.
I’ve kept the investment in this workshop VERY reasonable because I’m so passionate about making this information available to as many entrepreneurs as possible. Details here…
http://www.marketinggoddess.com/howtocharge.html
I have a special gift for you, too…
“The Top 3 Pricing Mistakes Heart-Based Entrepreneurs Make That Keep Them From Attracting High-Paying Clients, Charging What They’re Worth And Being Of Greater Service To The World… And What To Do Instead”
It’s my latest teaching audio (20 min.) and companion report (8 pg.). And it’s free.
Here’s that link again:
http://www.marketinggoddess.com/howtocharge.html
How To Create Packages That Sell Themselves
One of the first things my new coaching clients always ask is for feedback on their website… especially the page where they describe their service packages. In almost every case, their offerings include some variation of the following:
- A single session, for X price
- A “medium” package, consisting of a few sessions or months (usually 3 months), for Y price
- A “large” package, usually consisting of twice the amount of time or sessions as the medium package, for Z price
Almost always, nobody is buying. To shed some light on why, I like to ask, “If you were a client, which one would you choose, and why?” (The actual service doesn’t really matter here.)
If your packages aren’t being snapped up from your website (or you’re not being flooded with inquiries), I invite you to think of your own packages and ask yourself the same question. Chances are, your packages contain nothing that communicates what sets you or your services apart. So your client has no idea what to choose, or why. (Even worse, the only thing that’s really different in each case is time, which will always lead your clients to undervalue what you do.)
The fix for this common problem is simple: Create packages based on outcomes.
Here’s a real-life example from a spirit-rich entrepreneur I connected with recently. Like so many of us, she is amazing at what she does – in this case, she helps small business owners create time and money in their business by creating streamlined systems and teams that actually LOVE what they’re doing (as opposed to just “phoning in” hours for dollars).
Sounds pretty valuable, right? Yet she had been working herself to the bone… with not enough clients or income to show for it. (Indeed, one of her longest clients was actually haggling with her to lower her rate – yuck!)
A quick look at her packages showed that she had placed all her focus on TIME: her rate was hourly, with the only difference in packages being the number of hours – no wonder her clients were so focused on time! Her new packages look like this:
- “Diagnostic” solution to quickly uncover the bottlenecks and broken systems that are costing them time and money (1day)
- “Designed for you” solution specifically tailored for the client (3 months)
- “Done for you” solution, designed and implemented for the client (6 months)
You can clearly see the difference between each package here. Each one is VERY client-attractive. And because each is based on results and provides a solution her clients want, she can charge a LOT more for them. (To arrive at her new price, she simply added a zero to the old prices… and believe me, at that investment, they’re a steal.)
Going back to our original question, if you were a stressed out, overworked business owner, which one would YOU want? Hello, done-for-you, hello! The most expensive package is also the most valuable… and it practically sells itself.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that one of my favorite refrains is “Results, results, results!” Your clients want to know what’s in it for them, and in order for them to say YES to your services, they must know what transformation will occur as a result. The transformation you provide must be CLEARLY reflected in your packages.
My coach’s request to you is to take a look at your packages. Are they based on time, or results? If it’s the former, it’s time (pardon the pun) to shift your focus to results. Yes, even if you’re a healer, coach, or transformation professional, you CAN do this! Chances are, you don’t have to completely change what you’re already doing, you just have to get clear on the results. Make sure each package or program has a clear outcome, and update your website copy to reflect that outcome. Be sure to clearly communicate those outcomes in your next client conversation, too.
Want more support designing packages based on outcomes? The Abundant Business Homestudy System contains a step-by-step formula for designing results-driven programs and packages your clients can’t resist, even if your service is “fuzzy”. Get yours here.
5 Simple Strategies To Create Cash In Your Business Right Now
One of the things I hear most often from my new clients is, “Elizabeth, I need to start making money… yesterday.” Can you relate?
I certainly can! There have been plenty of times in my business where it felt like my cash flow was a total roller coaster – up one minute, down the next. And I have to tell you… one day, I just plain got fed up with it.
It takes a lot to push me to the breaking point, but when I’m there, I am SO THERE. So I made a decision: do whatever it took to master my cash by learning how to manage it, and more importantly… learning how to create it on demand. (And it has worked – my cash creation strategies have resulted in multiple 30-day five-figure windfalls this year.)
The first thing you must remember is that you receive money in exchange for the value you give. Naturally, the skies aren’t just going to part and rain gold ingots down on your head simply because you “need money right now!” Cash flow problems are simply amazing opportunities to provide great value to your clients. The great news is, you can create cash quickly because you have everything you need to do just that, right now.
The second thing to remember is you must take an active role to generate more cash flow, rather than just leaving it up to chance, blaming the economy, or waiting for “things” to change. Remember, you are responsible for the financial health in your business, nobody else. Creating more cash, in good times and bad, has nothing to do with luck and everything with the questions you ask yourself and the actions you choose to take. (A good first question to ask when you begin the cash creation process is, “How can I create more value right now?”)
The 5 strategies below are both practical and energetic. All of them are very client-attractive and 4 of the 5 do double-duty as marketing strategies for you. Best part? You can use them to create cash immediately, and they position you for the inevitable economic turnaround.
1. Create something special for your very best clients. Once your clients have experienced the value of working with you, they will want even more transformation from you! First, discover the 3 most pressing problems your clients are having right now. Choose one, and create a short package or program, focused on providing quick results. (If you’d like to model this, watch closely for what I’ll be offering in the next few weeks.)
The name of the game here is specific results. What will bring your clients the most value right now? Focus on that problem first. And remember, your clients can’t say yes if they don’t know about it! So don’t keep your offer a secret. The “special offer” is a great chance to connect with your best clients one-on-one and see what they’re up to.
2. Buddy up. One of the quickest shortcuts to the “know, like, trust” factor is an endorsement from or alignment with a business owner who serves the same clientele as yours. There are all sorts of ways to leverage “rich relationships” to create cash fast. One possibility: create a special package or program for their clients. Your partner can host a teleseminar for “their peeps” introducing you, offer it via email, or even recommend your package one-on-one.
Another possibility is to buddy up with another entrepreneur or practitioner and offer sample sessions or some other lead generator (such as a free report or audio) as a bonus. They add value to their clients, and you get a steady stream of potential clients who have already heard the good word about you. And you get to provide value to them in your sample session or free giveaway.
Remember to “dig the well before you’re thirsty!” The “buddy up” strategy is VERY powerful… but of course it requires you to have existing relationships with potential partners! Cultivating rich relationships should always be a part of your overall marketing plan.
3. Go to a networking event and follow up. I know it’s easy to believe that “networking events don’t work,” but the truth is, I’ve walked out of events I’ve never attended before and landed thousands of dollars in new business within a few days, and my clients pick up business at networking events regularly (yes, even events they’ve never been to before). There are 3 keys to making networking events work for you.
The first is, be visible! Business will not come to you if you’re hiding out. If you have an opportunity to say who you are and what you do, take it! Then, go beyond just sharing your elevator speech by looking for opportunities to share your expertise. Offer useful tips, resources and help during group discussions and in one-on-one conversations – in other words, add value! (Bonus: this feels great, too.)
Second, focus on giving first. When you’re talking to someone new, really listen and focus on how you can help them, even if it’s not your service. Focusing on THEM takes the emphasis on how nervous (or strapped for cash) you might feel in the moment and gives you space to shine and serve, authentically.
The third key is: follow up. Check in with those you spoke with, send them a resource they may need, and add them to your follow up system for further connections.
4. Pay yourself first. You’ve heard this one before and it bears repeating. Want more money? Give it to yourself! I recommend paying yourself twice every month. Make a commitment to set aside money for yourself on those dates, no matter what.
“But Elizabeth, how can I pay myself first if I don’t have any money?” Here is where your energy really comes into play. It’s not the amount, it’s the action. Start with ONE DOLLAR. Everyone can create a dollar. Just don’t miss those dates. Honor that commitment to yourself.
In her book Rich Woman, Kim Kiyosaki (wife of “Rich Dad” Robert Kiyosaki) models this practice with courage that borders on stunning. She tells of the commitment that she and Robert made to “pay themselves first, no matter what.” Their commitment was so strong that they would call their creditors and explain that their payment would be late, but it would come. Whether that’s the right course of action for you or not doesn’t matter – the takeaway here is, “Whatever it takes.” Start with one dollar.
5. Raise your fees… and the value you provide. The quickest way to create more income without doing more than you do now? Raise your fees! If you haven’t taken a good look at your services in a while, chances are good that you’re giving away too much and charging too little. Remember, your clients are paying you for a solution to a problem, not to be bombarded with “stuff.”
Overloading your packages actually diminishes the value of your service, because these days, your clients want solutions quickly… and it’s something they will pay more for. Cutting down the amount of time you spend with each client requires you to streamline your solution: they get results faster, and you make more in less time. A win-win!
Cash creation opportunities are a great time to revisit your current packages and redesign them to provide more value with less of your time. Then follow up with a few clients who may have passed on your service before. Just ask them, “How’s that [problem] going for you now?” If there’s a match, it’s a great time to offer your new, streamlined services.
Want tips on how to create packages your clients can’t resist? The Abundant Business Homestudy System contains a whole section on how to create high value packages & programs, and a simple 3-step system for setting your fees. Get yours here.
© 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.
1 Quick Tip To Authentically Raise Your Rates By 20-50%
So do you dread hearing the words, “So what do you charge?”
Across the board, solo professionals struggle with charging what they’re worth. Why? For one thing, mo’ney is one of the most sensitive topics out there. It’s a little odd that we can spend years getting trained in the best schools in the country, yet nobody really teaches how to set (and get) the right fees, let alone how to raise them.
“The right fees?” you might be asking. “What the heck is that? And sure I’d like to raise my rates, but how? My clients can barely afford me now.”
If you’re hearing “I can’t afford it,” all too often, or constantly get asked for discounts… or your clients say things like, “Gee, that seems like an awful lot to pay for an hour of your time…” it can be all too easy to cave in and believe those statements. But the thing is, none of it is true. And with one quick and easy tip, you can eliminate these sticky situations 90-99% of the time AND give yourself a generous raise to boot.
The tip is to focus on results – that is, the results your clients get from working with you.
If focusing on results is new to you, you’re definitely not alone. While things are starting to shift, unfortunately, our culture has been firmly rooted in the “dollars for hours” model for well over a hundred years. Before starting our businesses, most of us entrepreneurs spent time on the job – doing what? Trading dollars for hours. (Notice the language there – “spending time at a job” – i.e., the dollars for hours model.)
So don’t be surprised if your potential clients come to your get-acquainted calls focused on time. And when they’re focused on time, “the price for an hour-long session is X” is always too high.
Luckily, the old dollars-for-hours thing doesn’t apply when we’re talking about transformative, soul-based or healing work. Quite simply, it’s not about the time! And by gently guiding the conversation, you can shift your client to what really matters: her transformation – i.e., the results she’ll get by working with you.
First, find out what your client really wants. Whether you’re aware of it or not, your clients never hire you without a specific outcome in mind. Specifically, they always want one of these things (or some variation thereof)…
To make money
To save money
To save time
To save effort
Become more comfortable
Attain better health
Achieve greater cleanliness
Get rid of their pain
To be popular
Remember these from last time? They’re the universal psychological motivators. No matter what your client shares about a particular situation, hidden (or not so hidden) inside will be one of these things. Your first order of business is to uncover it.
Next, find out WHY it’s important to her. We all want things for a particular reason. What’s important about what your client wants? What will change for her when she gets it? In order for your client to happily accept the fees that you really want, you must get to the bottom of her why.
As you’re exploring this territory, beware! To borrow some wisdom from Mark Twain, when a man buys something, there’s the reason he tells his wife, and then there’s the real reason. You’re looking for the real reason.
Find out the true VALUE of that result. Specifically, what’s the value of the result to your client?
For example, let’s say that you’re a web designer. You create gorgeous websites that perfectly capture the essence of your client AND the message she has to share with the world. What’s the value of that to your client? You can bet it’s pretty high, or she wouldn’t be coming to you. What’s more, the site you create will generate business for her. Not once, but over and over and over again. Big-time value.
On top of all that, don’t underestimate the challenge of finding a great web designer who is easy to work with AND is in alignment with her values. (When I was looking for my designer, one of the things that terrified me was the prospect of spending all kinds of time trying to find “someone.” Not even the “right” person – just someone whom I could trust to do the job! Sheer terror, I’m tellin’ ya. And yes, I got lucky!)
I think you can see how this all adds up! All of a sudden, it’s not about time. When you focus on results, you can easily give yourself a raise of 20% or more.
Remember, the focus on results starts with YOU. Your energy and how you show up in a potential client conversation will absolutely be mirrored back to you. If you’re not crystal clear certain of the results you create, your client will never see the value, either. You’ll both be stuck in dollars-for-hours mode… undervaluing your gifts… and you’ll both miss out on the transformation she wants and that YOU want to give.
Does “the money conversation” with potential clients leave you tongue-tied? The Abundant Business Homestudy System contains a simple outline to help you authentically steer your clients in the direction of how you can help them, including specific questions to uncover what they really want and what it’s really worth to them. Get yours here.
- – >http://marketinggoddess.com/system.html
© 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.
To Help More Clients (And Make More Mo-ney!), You MUST Meet Them “Where They Live”
Ever wonder why you’re not reaching more people, and when you do, why nobody’s saying YES to your services?
You can have a great idea… then spend hours, days, weeks, months, even years implementing it, and when you finally get it out there, nobody buys. It’s heartbreaking!
I often see new entrepreneurs juggle a bunch of different ideas, and tie themselves up in knots trying to make them “fit” into some “big picture”… only to end up with a flat, bland, and even convoluted message that their clients can’t understand. (Believe me, I’ve done this myself!)
What’s the problem? In both cases, it’s what I like to call “Stuck In Your Own Head” syndrome – i.e., you’re stuck in your perspective, and ONLY your perspective. Trouble is, your clients are stuck in THEIR own heads. It’s a classic case of same planet, different worlds.
When I say stuck, I mean stuck – it’s a sure bet your potential clients are stuck with a problem they desperately want to get rid of, and the ramifications of that problem are swirling around in their heads, day in and day out. That is a huge opportunity for you – if you approach it right.
To help more clients (and make more mo-ney in the process!), you must meet them where they ARE: in their world, not yours. Here’s how.
Focus on what your clients REALLY want. Would you like to know the secret of what your clients really want? (Hang on to your garters, as my mom would say – I’m about to tell you!) Your clients really, truly want one or more of these things…
To make money
To save money
To save time
To save effort
Become more comfortable
Attain better health
Achieve greater cleanliness
Get rid of their pain
To be popular
This list is from one of my early copywriting mentors, David Garfinkel. They’re the universal psychological motivators that are the root of buying and selling, going back to the time of the cavemen.
Focusing on what your clients really want often poses a challenge for soul-preneursTM because it often involves letting go of our way of seeing things, and that can feel like we’re giving something up… namely, our vision. (Pretty big stuff – no wonder it feels traumatic!) But it doesn’t have to be this way.
As transformation professionals, or change agents, we know that the surface problems are just a symptom of something deeper. For example, the root of most mo-ney problems is low self-esteem and low self-worth. On one level, people with mo-ney problems know this, even subconsciously. But what’s the front-of-mind, up-all-night kind of problem? Mo’ney!
Once you meet your “peeps” (clients!) where they truly hang out, front-of-mind, you can guide them to life-altering transformations – that’s where your vision, and the deeper work, comes in. My colleagues Sharla Jacobs and Jesse Koren of Rejuvenate Training call this “walking through the gate.”
Once your client walks through the gate of working with you, a whole world of transformation awaits them. But they won’t take that walk with you unless you enter the conversation already going on in their heads. And that means getting out of your own.
The great news is, chances are very good that your work already satisfies at least one of your client’s deep desires. Once you have that, it’s about communicating in a way that reaches them.
Use their own words. This one’s critical. How do your clients talk about their problems? What words do they use to describe what they want? Are you using their words? If not, you’re missing out on connecting with them and helping them.
Luckily, finding out how your clients really speak is easy: simply listen. Pay attention in your sessions to what your clients are saying and how they say it. Because I’m a writer, I love to “get it in writing” which is another reason why I survey my peeps so often. Then, pay attention to the words YOU use, taking care that they’re in alignment with what your clients need to hear in order to reach them.
Soul-preneursTM often say to me, “But Elizabeth! I don’t help my clients make money, find love or improve their health. I want to help them with X-Y-Z.” And my question to them is, “Do you want to help people and make a difference?”
If your answer is yes, you must meet your clients where they live. Just a few tweaks can bridge the gap between where you live and where your clients hang out… and serving more of them, more often, with more joy and for more mo’ney.
Need some help meeting your clients where they live? The Abundant Business Homestudy System contains simple systems to help you uncover exactly what your clients want and how you can help them. Get yours here.
© 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.
Elizabeth Purvis, a.k.a. “The Marketing Goddess” mentors extraordinary spiritual women entrepreneurs to 6-figures and beyond.
