[Legacy post: Small Business Talent] My guest on the podcast is C.J. Hayden. She’s the bestselling author of Get Clients Now!: A 28-Day Marketing Program for Professionals, Consultants, and Coaches and The One-Person Marketing Plan Workbook.
For more than 20 years, C.J. has helped solo professionals like us to get clients, get strategic, and get things done. C.J. takes a highly practical approach to everything she does — teaching her clients what really works to successfully market a professional services business.
C.J. has taught marketing courses for John F. Kennedy University, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and Mills College. In addition, C.J. regularly writes on sales and marketing for a variety of publications, including RainToday, Eyes on Sales, and About.com, to name just a few.
In this content-rich interview C.J. and I discuss:
- Her inspiring story of overcoming adversity to become an entrepreneur
- The often overlooked mistake that will crush marketing productivity
- How independent professionals can create a marketing action plan
- Ways to get unstuck and start connecting with more ideal clients
The bottom-line? If you want to discover the critical ingredients to successfully marketing your services, then this interview is for you! (Scroll down to the Podcast Player below and listen now.)
Podcast Player:
Fire Your Z. O. M. B. I. E. Clients: Good Advice For Solo Entrepreneurs
If you’ve been self-employed for a few years, then you know how beneficial it is to acquire the right clients. You probably also know what it’s like when you make the mistake of working with the wrong ones.
Trying to serve clients who just aren’t a match for you is a painful drain on your time and energy. Make the mistake of taking on too many of them and they’ll devour your productivity and profits – like hungry zombies on a brain binge.
The good news? You’re self-employed. That’s right, you can simply choose not to work with zombie clients.
Here’s my personal approach to identifying and eliminating the zombies. If any of the following issues apply to a client (or a prospective client), then I know I need to move on:
Z – Zero urgency about the need for growth. My services are all about helping clients to grow their sales and profits, so a lack of urgency on their part is a deal killer.
O – Opportunities requiring change are considered too risky. If a business owner clings firmly to the status quo, then they’re not going to make the changes required to take advantage of new growth opportunities.
M – Making excuses for poor performance. Business owners who don’t take responsibility for their failures and learn from them will never be successful long-term. There’s nothing I can do for them.
B – Betting on word-of-mouth alone for new business. Betting isn’t a substitute for working a plan. Proactive people will embrace the new business development strategies I teach. Gamblers probably won’t.
I – Interest in learning new skills is low. As self-employed professionals, nothing gets much better unless we do. I can’t help someone if they’re looking for better results without improving their approach.
E – Extreme price sensitivity. You know the old saying – “You get what you pay for.” Well, it’s true.
Weeding out the zombies isn’t always easy, and the approach you take will need to fit you and your unique situation. But learning to do this well can help you protect your productivity, profitability, and possibly your sanity.
Discover Your “Core Fit” and Target Market Advantage: The Steve Woodruff Interview
[Legacy post: Small Business Talent] Most independent professionals would love nothing better than to build a business around their core strengths. That’s why I asked an expert on this subject to join me on the podcast today for an in-depth interview.
My guest is Steve Woodruff. Steve specializes in helping solo professionals and business owners to discover their “core fit” in a specific marketplace. His unique approach is called “Clarity Therapy”. Why? Because it’s like working with a psychologist and a branding agency rolled into one.
Step-by-step, Steve helps his clients to unpack what they and their business are really all about. This includes getting clear about a number of elements, including your Company DNA, Key Offering, Market, Story, Message and Analogy.
Isn’t it time to take a fresh look at yourself and your work? If you said yes (or even maybe), then you’ll find this interview very interesting. Scroll down to the Podcast Player now and have a listen!
Podcast Player:
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