Category: Communicate Your Value

Here are 10½ New Year’s Resolutions you can make and keep for acquiring more ideal clients in 2018:

Repeat after me…

1. I resolve to… create and deliver a discovery process with prospects that leads with value so that I win the business and my initial process alone generates some introductions.

2. I resolve to… employ an onboarding process that welcomes my new clients down the metaphorical red carpet – so they go “wow” much more than I expected.

Don’t stop at here! Keep reading and have a spectacular year!

“Sometimes change to an industry can come so fast that you’ll wake up one day and wonder what planet you’re on. That’s what happened when services such as Napster, Uber, and Netflix burst onto the scene.”

Then Craig got super serious and added, “We must always be ready to justify, defend, or reframe our value to our prospects and customers or we’ll die a fast death in the marketplace.”

You simply must read this excerpt from my new book; an interview with Craig Strent, CEO of APEX Home Loans. Craig is a creative thinker who has built a successful business.

What does it take to get your prospects and clients to take action? It’s a complicated answer, but this blog will simplify things for you a bit. The first question to ask yourself, “Is the problem I’m trying to solve Latent or Blatant? Second question, “Is this problem Aspirational or Critical?”

Click to see the diagram that will give you a fresh perspective on how to approach prospects and clients – to move them to take action.

In a sea of sameness, video can help you stand out and connect in ways other mediums just can’t accomplish.

Words on a website page (or LinkedIn Profile) can only go so far in helping your prospects and clients connect with you; want to do business with you.

Real photos of you and your team working with real clients is SO MUCH better than using a bunch of clip art images that your visitors have already seen in other places.

But nothing engages the senses and draws people in like video… good video.

If you’re thinking, “But I have a face for radio and I stiffen up in front of a camera,” keep reading.

524 professionals responded to our most recent study related to Value Propositions.

44% said they did not have a well-defined value proposition. Hmm… If they don’t have a clear value proposition, can you imagine what their prospects think?

I would wager my entire retirement stash that of the 56% who said they did have a clearly-defined Value Proposition, half or more would not have a compelling, client-centered way to communicate their value.

What about you? Could your Value Prop use some CPR, before it flatlines completely? Click to find out.

My entry into marketing was in 1980, when I wrote and marketed a book about airline careers by placing small ads in the back of various publications.   I learned the principles of direct-response marketing…

Marketing experts are always talking about how we must have a Unique Value Proposition, or Unique Selling Proposition, look different in the marketplace, or accentuate what makes us distinct.

Indeed… sometimes we need to define and accentuate our differentiation to catch the attention of our prospects and others who are important to our business.

But differentiation, distinction or uniqueness isn’t the end game.

The end game is moving someone to take action… to respond to our email or voice mail… to grant us an appointment (phone or in person)… to do business with us… and to follow our recommendations.

Every part of your value proposition should be built for two purposes – that continually work together…

Have you ever done some that generated multiple benefits at once? Maybe not just for yourself but other people as well?

Here’s how one small business owner created a positive situation out of a negative review on social media, all while helping his business and his community at the same time.

Tis the season for many social events, where you’ll be spending time with friends, close family, distant relatives, neighbors, and – yes – total strangers.

Many of these people might make great clients for you. Many others may never become clients, but might have the ability to refer and introduce you to others.

Let’s say you’re at a holiday party or other social event and someone asks, “What do you do?” How do you respond? Do you whip out your best elevator speech? Do you pretend you don’t want to talk about the great value you bring to your clients?

Are you blowing an opportunity?

I was having lunch with a financial professional last Friday and discovered that he has a “hole in his WHY.”

Meaning… he didn’t talk about his WHY is as powerful and effective way as possible. Therefore, he was missing opportunities to create strong engagement with prospects and clients.

I asked him to tell me what he told his prospects and clients about WHY he did what he did… WHY he believed in his work.