Posts for the ‘Small Business Marketing Advice’ Category
Are Certifications Worth it?
THE QUESTION
Recently, many thoughtful people have been asking me, “Is getting certified worth it?” Interestingly enough, this question has been coming up, again and again, irrespective of the upcoming Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach training. Why?
The economic conditions in most service based fields have been tough, to say the least. It has led many people to consider their options and more education via certification or university is one of the first things they consider. Even my 27 year-old cousin, who’s been selling commercial real estate in New York City for the past 5 years, called me to ask if I thought he should return to school for three-years to get a masters degree in real estate.
Note that the title of this post is NOT: “Is getting more education worth it?” Of course, learning more is always worthwhile. When it comes to your work, ignorance is not bliss. But, does being “certified” or getting a particular degree make a difference when it comes to getting clients?
THE ANSWER
The answer depends on what kinds of services you sell. If you sell financial services or certain health related services, you’re required by law to be certified by the agencies that govern those services. And, certainly, some certifications or degrees, although not required by law, are expected as standard tools of the trade in some fields. On the other hand, however…
What if you sell consulting, coaching, or other more entrepreneurial services? Is certification worth it? Is it worth devoting the time to it? Is it worth the financial return on investment? Will it help you get more clients?
No. I don’t think so being “certified” will, necessarily, bring you more business. Whoa! Michael, didn’t you just say you have a Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach training coming up in June? What gives? I’ll tell you…
THE EXPLANATION
This is not going to make me popular with those who have created their world view around the importance or idea of certification but, in my humble opinion, many general “trade” certifications or paper degrees will not help you get clients. There is one thing, however, that makes all the difference when selling consulting, coaching or another related service — having a well-regarded, easy to sell branded protocol.
The etymology of protocol is from the Greek prot, which means “first formed” and kollan, which means to “glue together.” Making our modern definition of protocol “a detailed plan or procedure.”
That’s what your clients want to buy — a detailed plan or procedure.
THE CHOICES
It’s likely I’ve been selling coaching and consulting services longer than you have.
And, in all these years, yes, even before I become well-known, I have never been asked if I’m “certified.” Certifiable, maybe, but not certified. Before I published Booked Yourself Solid, I was, however, asked, over and over again, “How exactly are you’re going to help me get booked solid? Do you have a plan that we can follow? Do you have a protocol?” But, once the Book Yourself Solid system become established as the go-to system for getting clients, the question never came up again. The material, the system, the protocol demonstrated exactly how we were going to do it.
Getting a general certification as, say, a coach, might help you be a better coach, but it’s not going to get you clients. Unless… the certification is well-known, respected and desired within your target audience. Unless… the protocol that your certification demonstrates (and provides) is exactly what your potential clients want to buy to get them the specific results they they want.
So, as I see it, you have three choices:
You can create your own protocol which can eventually become the go-to protocol in your industry (it might take some time to do this);
You can use someone else’s already established protocol (as long as you have permission to do so); or
You can do both. Get licensed or certified in a protocol that your ideal clients know and what and, in the process, develop your own protocol that, over time, will become the go-to protocol in your industry.
If you want to use my protocol, the Book Yourself Solid system, you can.
But you need a license and I only sell 25 per year.
When things aren’t working the way you would like, you can hide from reality hoping things will change on their own or you can figure out what actually works and do that. As my colleague, Seth Godin, says, “I guess it comes down to this: if you’re having trouble persuading people to buy what you sell, perhaps you should sell something else.”
If you’re going to get certified, make sure the license allows you to sell something that actually sells.
With warmth and respect,
Michael Port
New York Times Bestselling Author of 4 Books
P.S. Keep thinking big about who you are and what you offer the world.
P.P.S. As always, it’s my deepest honor to have the opportunity to be of service to you.
16 Comments »How to Use Free Sessions to Book 65% More Business
It’s very common to see service professions offering free sessions or services as a sales tactic in order to get clients. Does it work? Sometimes. Should you do it? Depends on who you ask. Some swear by it. Others have sworn off it. And yet, others still, swear every time they do it. Generally, I don’t recommend it. Think about it. How does it look to a potential client that you’re offering free sessions to anybody that happens to stumble across your website–in demand, successful and valuable or, sitting around with lots of time on your hands just trying to give your stuff away for free in hopes that someone will hire you? In my humble opinion, the latter.
Credibility is part perception. And, anyway, what happened to your Red Velvet Rope Policy? Sure, get on the phone with someone to see if they’d get passed your red velvet rope and give them an opportunity to fall in love with you at the same time but don’t set up a situation where a) they perceive that they’re supposed to get some big result from that one free session and if they don’t, they’re disappointed and don’t hire you and b) they see you as a low status service provider. With all due respect, do you think you can call my office and say, “I’d like to schedule a free hour-long session with Michael”? I would think not. So, why should I be able to call your office and get your time for free? I shouldn’t. Before you get your knickers in a knot, hold on, because it doesn’t mean that there isn’t a way to use this strategy—there is.
Here’s how I used free sessions to “close” 65% of new business during my first year in business. I included an offer for a 20-minute laser coaching session into my sales cycle–but only after someone had demonstrated that they were serious about learning from me. If someone downloaded my 7-part email mini-course (see why information products are important to the lead generation and conversion process?) I would send them the first two lessons during week one. Each lesson included two paragraphs of education followed by a detailed written exercise. Then, instead of starting off week two with lesson three, I would send a “congratulations and reward” email, offering praise and appreciation for the work they put into the first two lessons (all of this was automated). As a reward, I offered them a complimentary 20-minute telephone coaching session to address any questions they had about the material in the first two lessons. I called these phone sessions, Laser Coaching Sessions. However, in order to book the session, a number of criteria needed to be followed, which I spelled out in the “congratulations and reward” email:
- They had to schedule the session using my public calender. I made only a few spots available on Friday afternoons so that a waiting list developed quickly. This way I didn’t look like I was sitting around twiddling my thumbs, hoping someone would show up.
- If they missed the session or didn’t reschedule with 24 hours notice, they missed the opportunity and could not reschedule (again, all of this was automated).
- If they were more than a few minutes late to the phone session, I wouldn’t pick up.
- And, finally, within one week of the scheduled sessions, they had to send me an email with their responses to the exercises from the first two lessons. This helped because:
- If they had not already, it got them to do the exercises. Getting clients to consume your work is as important as getting them to hire you.
- By reviewing their written exercises, I knew what they needed before they dialed my number. It showed me what they were struggling with and how to help them. So, in just 20-minutes I could solve their problems and create an impressive result.
You might think that all these rules would put potential clients off. You’re trying to get clients not force them to jump through flaming hoops. But, you know what? Over 65% of the people who signed up for the free 20-minute session became clients. The other 35%, for the most part, truly couldn’t afford it. But I’ll tell you what, that other 35% generated even more business for me because they went out to their community and talked about me and the work I “gifted” them. Figure out a way to use this strategy in your sales cycle and you’ll get the opportunity to do something valuable, and free of charge, for your potential clients. You’ll enhance your reputation, build credibility, and book more business.
6 Comments »Power of the Word
My latest article for American Express’ OPEN Forum. Here’s a preview.
I had a meeting today with a guy who wanted to discuss a possible business collaboration. Basically, he had a pitch for me, and we spoke for about 20 minutes. I offered about five sentences, and he filled the rest of the time with puffery–for his idea, the people involved, and me. What’s puffery? It’s flattery and exaggerated praise, especially when used for promotional purposes. It’s my new favorite word. Pizza Hut is using it in their commercials to point out that the “better-tasting pizza” claims of the Papa John’s organization are no more than puffery. Apparently, Papa was forced to admit as much in a federal court. Yikes.
Continue reading the article at OPEN Forum.
2 Comments »When (and How) to Raise Your Prices
Sometimes, when service providers get overbooked, they complain about it. Oh, how easily we forget what it was like when we were struggling our way up the ladder. Moreover, I’ve witnessed many a service provider resist raising prices, which might allow them to work with fewer clients, for fear of loosing business as this simple story will illustrate.
A have an acupuncturist that I see from time to time. He might be the best known acupuncturist in my town. He’s certainly the most experienced and has an overbooked practice because of it. Every time I see him he complains (in a nice way) that he’s overworked and can’t keep up with demand. He doesn’t want to change the model of his business, in that he still wants to see patients himself and doesn’t want to manage other acupuncturists, but he resists raising prices, nonetheless. So, every time I see him, I complain to him (in a nice way) that his prices are too low and, in fact, should be doubled. His answer is always the same, “But, Michael, if I double my rates, I’ll loose half my clients.” I’ll pause here to let that sink in. First of all, he won’t loose half his clients but even if he did, he’d still make the same money and have twice as much free time. More likely, he’ll lose just a few clients but make much more money because he doubled his prices.
If you do raise prices, it’s a good idea to let clients know why. There’s nothing wrong with saying that you’re fortunate to be in high demand and are raising your prices so that you can give more attention to your clients. Or, that certain expenses related to serving your clients have increased and you’re raising your prices accordingly. People like the truth. I’d prefer to be open and honest with my clients, running the risk of disappointing a few of them, then be manipulative or obtuse, running the risk of damaging my soul. Just be sure to let them know what the new rates will be and when they go into effect. Give them reasonable notice and consider giving them lots of advance noticed so they can adjust to the changes. And, most importantly, remind them of the continuing benefits they’ll get from working with you.
On the flip side, you don’t always have to carry over all costs or eek out every bit of profit on every sale. Sometimes you can earn long-term marketing juice by taking one in the chin for the sake of your clients. My son’s favorite pizza place is an organic one called Jules Thin Crust Pizza. At one point last summer the price of cheese went down. Now, the average customer is not going to know this. I eat cheese but I don’t buy it in bulk. It would have been easy, and cheesy (sorry, couldn’t resist), for Jules to just pocket the extra profit from the savings. But no, instead, they put up a big sign announcing the cheap cheese and that they were lowering prices because of it. All summer, their busy season, no less, prices where reduced. I asked the owner, John, whether the cheese experiment cultured nicely or stunk up the place (sorry, again, couldn’t resist). He said it was a huge success as a day did not pass without a multitude of “thank you’s” being tossed his way. Now, John’s not the type to boast about sales but I’m pretty sure he saw more business because of his gastrointestinal stimulus package.
10 Comments »Bait and Switch Sales-Sky Radio Network and American Airlines
Check out this email my office received yesterday from a “radio station” that produces programming for American Airlines. At first, it appears to be a producer reaching out to me for a radio interview based on my work but right before he signes off notice how he slips in the word “cost.”
This is not the first time I’ve received direct outreach like this and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Also notice the use of the “confidentiality notice” at the very end of the email. Is this supposed to protect the sender from beging labeled a spammer? Because, it won’t work. You can’t put someone on a distribution/broadcast list and then claim it’s “privileged information.” This stuff makes my blood boil because it’s what gives salespeople a bad name.
UPDATE: I’m not saying that what this guy is offering is not going to get you business. It might (or might not) be a good marketing strategy to be on the sky radio program but that’s not germane to my point. I simply object to his kind of sales tactic.
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Time-Sensitive Material
Michael Port & Associates LLC
DeHart, Gayla S.
Hi Gayla,
My name is Steven James and I’m a producer for American Airlines “Business & Technology Report”. Our talk program entertains millions of travelers each month.
I’d like to personally invite a spokesperson from your company to participate in a interview segment on our upcoming edition of “The Innovators” airing worldwide to 8.4 million throughout July and August 2010.
For participation details and cost, click http://www.skyradionet.net/aapromo.
Please contact me soon as space is limited.
Steven James
Producer
Sky Radio Network
5320 Laurel Canyon Boulevard
Valley Village, CA 91607
818-232-7069 Direct
818-301-2085 Fax
sj@skyradionet.net
www.skyradionet.com
Producers of the #1 Talk Shows in the Sky and on the Web
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, copy, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. To be removed from our invitation list, reply to this email stating your intent or click the following link: Unsubscribe me from this list
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