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One of the questions that I get very often is, “Fabienne, how do you host your own introductory event? What is necessary and how do you promote it and all that good stuff?”
This is a very good question because one of the fastest ways to attract lots of clients is through your introductory event. Or, perhaps you have plenty of clients but you’d like to scale your business models or leverage your business. Introductory events can be very good for that too.
The reason these work so well is that instead of just talking one-to-one you’re talking one-to-many. When you can give high content plus high value for a minimal price point, people who are somewhat interested in working with you will come out to see you. If you’ve done everything correctly and if they are the ideal people, they will raise their hand and say, “Yes, I would like to work with you further.”
Many, many years ago I used to do a 3-hour introductory event the last Wednesday of every month. Every single time I walked away with four, five, six new clients. It is well worth it.
So here are the 4 components you’ll need for a successful introductory event. This formula worked for me and will work for you too.
1. Think about your content. You really want to map that out. If you’re a student of my Client Attraction system, you know that we talk about creating a step-by-step proprietary system of all of your information. This is something that you can share during your introductory event as a sampling of what you offer.
2. Work on your compelling story. How did you get to do what you are doing today? That is something that you are going to weave into your event.
3. Share client case studies and testimonials. Your attendees will want to hear about the success that your clients have experienced.
4. Present your call to action. Let your audience know what to do next.
All four components work together to give your audience all that they need to make the decision on whether they want to work with you or not. Hopefully, they will.
Another important point is to make this a regular event. That could mean you host one once a quarter or once a year. I like the idea of once a month.
Make sure that you charge for it. If you don’t people will say they’re coming but they won’t. There’s no skin in the game. It doesn’t have to be a lot of money. For my first introductory event I charged $20. And I’ve charged as much as $95. Anywhere within that range is good. You can start small and then go up from there, but the key is to collect something. Even if it’s just breaking even when considering the rental cost for the room, supplies, etc. When your attendees pay, there’s a commitment coming from them.
Your Client Attraction Assignment
Your assignment is to pick a date within the next few weeks. Just commit to it right now, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday night. Pick a date.
Pick a time during the day or in the evening that you’re going to do your intro event and start letting people know about it. Put it out to your ezine. Share it on social media. Create fliers and invite folks from your networking groups to come and see you.
Then, work on all of your other materials that we talked about. Come up with your call to action and get going with this because this is a great way to get more clients and to leverage your marketing so that you’re not just working at your marketing one-to-one. And be sure to let me know your results. Good luck!
[youtube width=”600″ height=”352″]http://youtu.be/k7_gPl9Ywhk?hd=1[/youtube]
Today I want to talk to you about ways to get out of a marketing rut. Sometimes clients come in and things are going well, but then something shifts and before long you find yourself in a rut. Maybe you’re not doing as much marketing, maybe your marketing is not working as well. Something has shifted and you’re seeing that not as many clients are coming in.
It happens to everybody at whatever level, believe me. I have seen it. I have experienced it. It doesn’t always feel that good and very first thing that we do is we blame ourselves. So I’ve got three ways to help you get out of your marketing rut. Ready?
Step One is to realize that you’re not the only one. When things don’t go our way, we tend to think, “Well, everybody else is progressing. Everybody else is doing well. Everybody else is getting clients. Nobody else is struggling. I’m the only one.”
Well, that’s simply not the case. Why? Because people always put their best foot forward.Does it ever happen with you that when something is not going well, you don’t let anybody know about it? I see it all the time―entrepreneurs around the country, around the world, it happens to everyone.
Understand that even though it looks like everybody else is progressing and you’re the odd duck that’s not, that’s simply not the case. Understand that and have some compassion for yourself.
Step Two―it’s time to build your confidence back up. When a rut happens, it sometimes makes you feel depressed or has you doubt your ability. The number one thing that needs to happen, in fact this one thing―building your confidence back up―touches every single aspect of your life.
Confidence touches how you will get out there and talk to prospective clients and referral sources. Confidence affects how you close the sale. Confidence affects the programs that you put together. It affects everything about your client attraction so it’s important that you really keep your confidence way high. I don’t mean arrogance. I don’t mean conceit, but confidence―just knowing that you’re doing a good job.
Maybe you’re just starting out and ramping up your business. Maybe you’re leveraging or creating an empire. You’ve got to protect that confidence. The way to do that that sounds really funny, but I suggest reading your client testimonials over and over again every day. Perhaps the first thing you start doing each morning is to read your testimonials, read your case studies.
Keep a “kind words” folder on your desk top and whenever you get a nice note from a client, who has gotten great results from applying what you do, drop it in there. I have mine. I have a pink basket that my team puts kind words into and I also have one on my computer that I slide emails into so whenever I want to feel just a little boost of confidence, I go to my “kind words” folder. I read my client testimonials. It doesn’t happen often anymore, but everybody has a bad day. I did this a lot when I was starting my business and at key junctures in growing it.
Next, think about some things that once seemed impossible that are now easy for you. Do an exercise where you pull out a sheet of paper and you write down “once impossible; now easy.” For example, once impossible to tie my shoe; now easy. Once impossible to ride a bike; now easy. Once impossible to feel like I could learn English; now easy (although I trip up once in a while.) Once it seemed impossible to have a very successful business; now easy. Once impossible to speak in front of 1,200 people; now easy! When you write all of this down down, you understand that it may seem impossible right now to get yourself out of that rut, but you will get the confidence to get back out there and take action.
And Step Three is that we have to have you move your feet! You have to take some action. If you stay home and sulk and woe is me, there comes a point where that’s done. You realize that you’re not the only one, that it’s temporary. You’ve looked at the “once impossible; now easy” and you’ve read your testimonials to build up your confidence, now it’s time to move your feet and take massive action.
Think about this―what did you used to do that got you results, meaning more clients, that you have somehow stopped doing? Did you used to network and you stopped? Did you do this one particular talk and now you stopped? Did you get arrogant about doing this? Listen, we’re putting it all out there on the table. Did you get lazy? Did you start resting on your laurels? Notice what you used to do that you’re no longer doing and then do that again, meaning do the thing that you used to do that you’re no longer doing.
Now I’d like you to think about what you are resisting. You know that there is something that you should be doing and if you are watching my videos every week, I am certainly giving you plenty of stuff to do. What have you been resisting? Have you been resisting going to that networking group? Are you resisting joining that mastermind? Are you resisting writing that book? Are you resisting doing that talk? Are you resisting reaching out to that strategic alliance that scares you just a little? Write the things down that you are resisting and then take action on those.
Your Client Attraction Assignment
You can have all these great ideas but you do not get results from things you do not implement. This is what I tell my students and my clients all the time. The difference between a successful person and a person who struggles is that the successful person will do what others aren’t willing to do. This is part of the mindset to get you past your current rut, out of your rut, past your obstacles and producing results again.
Take the three steps we just went through and put them to work. I’ve used this process over the last 12 years whenever I’ve hit a stumbling block in my business. It works. Once you understand that you’re not the only one who gets in a rut, then build your confidence back up and start moving your fee again, you’ll see everything start to happen for you. Give it a try and good luck!
