5 Powerful Free (or Low-Cost) Ways to Boost Your Business!

Today is the notorious “Black Friday” in the USA. The biggest shopping day of the year.  It’s also “Buy Nothing Day”.  What a dichotomy!

Well, we all know what to do on “Black Friday”, so I though we’d take the road less travelled and explore the topic of “Buy Nothing Day”.  We’ll explore it from the business side, in the form of powerful ways to boost your business that are free or have very little cost associated with them.

Here we go:

1. Contact Former Clients – There is a gold mine there! Go through your records and contact people you have worked with in the past that you haven’t seen in a while.  Many people just get busy and “forget” about you, but are still interested in, and value what you have to offer.  It’s always a good idea to have a reason for the call.  The reason could be found in number 2 or 3 below – just letting them know you have a special offer on for the month of December, or that you’re offering a free class you thought they may be interested in.  My Chiropractors office calls me whenever I’ve gone more than 6 weeks without a visit.  That’s the reason for their call.  It works.  I almost always book an appointment when they call.
2. Have a Sale- It doesn’t have to be a “big” sale.  Call it customer appreciation day/week/month.  Offer 10% off next treatment (which promotes return visits) when they come in, in a certain month, or have a special on your products/packages etc.
3. Offer a Free Educational Session – This could be a ½ hr talk on a topic you see the majority of your clients struggling with or facing.  You can create an audio download on the topic, or even a downloadable meditation they can have at home to listen to between visits.  If you have the technology you can make it into a CD and give it away for the month of December, then start selling it in the New Year!
4. Write An Article To Hand Out To Clients – What are the themes in your practice that people come to you about?  Do some research, or put your existing knowledge down on paper/email/newsletter for your clients as a value added resource for them.  Maybe something like: Top 10 Stress-Relieving Techniques, or 5 Ways to Strengthen Your ____.  This presents you as an expert in your field and creates a value add to your services.
5. Contact The One Person/Business You Believe Could Refer Clients To You – … but they aren’t.  You know who they are.  They’re in close proximity.  They offer complimentary services.  You share a similar clientele.  You know what you offer will benefit their clients.  Take a deep breath, pick up the phone or visit them in person.  Focus on how what you offer will benefit them and their clientele.

Enjoy being creative with these ideas and pat yourself on the back for giving your business a boost without draining the bank!

Tips for Coping with Difficult Clients

Difficult customers are the worst deal with, aren’t they?  I can’t write about this topic without sharing with you one of my worst client interactions experienced over my 15 years of corporate sales.

My “favorite” story is about the time I was visiting a client (Orthopaedic Surgeon) in his office after months of calling to get this precious appointment.  Our company had been trying to get this particular surgeon to work with us for a very long time and I was the “star” that got the appointment – lucky me.  My manager at the time felt this was so important he’d better come along on the visit.  We were escorted into the Dr.’s office and as the door shut behind us – before we’d even sat down – the Dr. looked at his watch and said “You have exactly 5 minutes.”  We had prepared this wonderful, elaborate pitch to tell him all about the attributes of our products and company that in no way shape or form could fit into 5 min.  So we sat, and my manager started talking about all the good things we offered. Literally, in the middle of one of his sentences the Dr. stood up and exclaimed “You’ve burned your time!” The words still ring in my head.

Oh, I have a trunk full of these gems. 

Difficult customers or clients are a part of doing business, and dealing well with the situation when it arises will not only give you peace of mind, but if you deal with the situation professionally it can often turn your most difficult customers into you most loyal!  True.

Step 1: Listen carefully with the intention of understanding from their point of view what has upset them – even if you don’t agree or don’t see it their way. Practice active listening by repeating back to them what you hear them saying, impartially and without judgment.  Listen for the real concern.

Step 2: Ask if there is anything else so that you can be as clear as possible before you respond.  It gives them a chance to let off steam and calm down and gives you a chance to step back and decide on the best response.  Note: If the client is being abusive or you feel threatened, acknowledge it and let them know that your intention is to hear them out and resolve the issue, but you won’t accept their aggressive behavior.  You can choose to contact them later if appropriate.

Step 3: Respond to their concern/complaint.  Let them know that you heard them and that you value their feedback.  Even if you don’t agree with what they’re saying, there is likely something of value to you in the point they’re raising.  Let them know how what they’re telling you is of value to you.  Thank them for taking the time to bring it up.

The biggest no-no is to get into an argument with your clients.  As service providers we count on referrals and we all know that bad press travels fast.  Acting with integrity and professionalism in the face of adversity will leave a better impression that being right and making your client wrong.

5 Tips for Overcoming Objections and Uncovering What’s Really Holding Your Buisness Back!

Let’s cut to the chase – whether you’re an entrepreneur or not, we all fear – and will do anything to avoid – rejection! From asking for the business to asking someone out on a date, underneath, we know what we’re really asking is, are we acceptable to the other. We’re asking “Do you want me?”, “Do you like me?”, and “Am I (or what I’m offering) acceptable to you?”  It’s a vulnerable position to be in.

To make matters worse, many people interpret objection as rejection.  In the case of the entrepreneur who must grow their business to survive, avoiding asking people to work with them can lead to the decline of their business.

An objection is a form of challenging the information that has been given.  An objection might sound something like: “That’s alot of money!” or “I’m not sure that I’m ready to make a commitment to work with you right now.” 

Whatever it is, at the heart of most objections is a need for more information.  One of the biggest mistakes most people make when confronted with an objection is interpreting the objection as a “no” (rejection) and ending the conversation. 

Service providers please note: Overcoming objections isn’t about convincing people to buy what they don’t want. It’s about sharing information about your offering – fully, and allowing the other person to decide – with all the information, if your offering is right for them.

If you find that you face objections frequently, this process will be valuable for you to get to the heart of what’s blocking your success too.

Here are 5 tips to overcome objections and discover what may really be holding your business back.  When faced with an objection:

1. Remain curious and impartial: Frame this as the beginning of another conversation, not the end of your time together.  Breathe, be still and stay calm (Hint: don’t run away!)
2. Rephrase what you hear as the objection to be sure you understand it fully. This shows your concern, that you hear them, and allows you to clarify what they are saying.
3. Ask & Listen: Remain curious about the person and the situation. Eg: “I’m always open to new ideas and suggestions for packaging my offering in ways that are most valuable to my clients. What would you value most?”  Or, “What is the price you’ve paid in the past or that you feel is in line with the value we offer?”  Listen to what they say.
4. Ask if there is anything else: If you feel that you’ve answered the objection, this is a good time to discover if they have any other questions or concerns about your offering/you/your business etc.
5. Answer the objection and ask if that answers their concerns; “This is an important step.  It wraps up the conversation, and let’s them know that you’d still like to work with them.  Thank them for taking the time to share their thoughts and opinions with you.

Reframing an objection as an opportunity to go deeper and better understand your potential clients is liberating!  Instead of dreading and avoiding the possibility of rejection or objection, view it as an opportunity to learn more about the other person and your own business.

6 Tips for Packaging Your Offering

This week is “Chemistry Week” which got me thinking about ways to put things together or “amalgamate” offerings – to make them more appealing to clients. 

 December can be a slow month for service providers, yet also a time when they are most needed. Creating an incentive can give your business a boost at the holidays and be a port in the storm for your clients.  You can use these tips to create an offering any time of the year.

 6 Tips for creating packages that work for you and your clients:

1. Have 2 or 3 packages to choose from: At different pricing levels.  People like choice.  Give your best value for the highest priced package to incent people to choose that one.
2. Choosing a name: There are two ways to do this; 1. Make it exclusive sounding ie: Silver, Gold, Platinum or, 2. Emotional; ie: Heaven on Earth, Escape, Abundance.  See what works and resonates with your clients.
3. Intelligent incentives: Think about ways to bring them back. For example “Buy now and receive $25 off your next massage”.  Have an expiry date that they must use the coupon by (60 days on the outside) to incent people to return or make it transferable so they can share it with a friend.
4. Advertise it & promote it: Let everyone who comes in know about it.  Have a sign or flyer to advertise it and also tell people about it.  Tell everyone you speak to about your promotion. PS: DON’T rely on a written sign to sell the package for you .
5. Limited time offer: If people think it will be available for ever, they are less likely to purchase it, than if they know it’s only on for a limited time. For example, make the offer available “Only for the month of December”.  Tip: Pick a time when business is typically slow to give it a boost!
6. Target the package to your ideal client: Create a package that meets the needs of your ideal clients.  They are the ones you want to bring in and have as repeat customers.  If you’re not sure what they’d value, ask them.

If you’ve found a way to package or promote your offering that works well and you’d like to share it, you can respond to this post or drop me an email at kmartin@martinbusinessleadership.com   I’ll share any feedback I receive!