Brave Bold Moves

If you’ve ever found yourself doing all the right things and coming up short on your financial goals, you’re not alone.  Today Amanda Klingenberger, owner of Linden Square, a Corporate gift company, discusses her frustration with her current sales method.  This is where I ask her to take a step back and assess her prospect’s need or pain point. 

We talk through how to:

-- reach a financial goal with fewer clients (less small clients)

-- start paying yourself

-- bring on help once goals are reached

1. Create a list of prospects with contact information

2. Craft your "upfront contract" for phone calls and meetings

3. PRACTICE, daily

SO EXCITED about this new target market. I love that these people are also accustomed to fundraising/ selling. They will be less intimidating to sell to and they will help you hone your skills. They will also naturally connect you to others in their network.

People only listen when they hear themselves reflected in your discussion. It’s that whole “what’s in it for me or WIFM” complex.  Every human does it. Therefore, you must know and communicate the prospect’s need or pain point and lead with that in every sales call and in your marketing.  Practicing an upfront contract is a sure bet to effortlessly close a sale and encourage repeat business.

Today we discuss imposter syndrome and how it may show up as procrastination or self-sabotage. 

Here are three questions you can ask yourself to learn if you have experienced Imposter Syndrome:

When given a compliment or recognition do you think of all the ways you don’t measure up? You may say “Thanks.  I’m glad I look like I’m doing well. I’m not making the money I want to” 

When hustling to achieve your financial target, have you given your good or service away for free?  Maybe someone may have had money in their hand and you physically push it away.  Another example is that you may mask your low prices with words such as “I want to stay humble” or “I don’t want to get rich off this business.  I just want to help people.”   

Have you ever downplayed your expertise or experience?  I know I have heard myself do this often.  I may say “Well, yes, I did an internship in London, England, but the company had high schoolers as interns alongside me.” 

Meghan Britton, Owner of The Andrew Project, is having trouble getting started due to her imposter syndrome.  It’s keeping her stuck and holding her back from the transition from blogger to business owner.  Listen in as I explain Imposter Syndrome and offer her suggestions on how to monetize. 

We discuss:

#imposterSyndrome and #procrastination

Website #calltoaction

The importance of building a community NOW to be primed and ready for her book launch

Please consider sharing your story of sibling loss or ask a friend to share their story on the website.

If you answered yes to any of the three questions we opened with in this podcast, I encourage you to get real with yourself. 

Determine where your imposter syndrome may be keeping you from experiencing success.  Find a therapist and life coach and work through it.  It’s possible and it’s necessary. 

And please consider sharing your story of sibling loss or ask a friend to share their story theandrewproject.online.  Keep an eye out for her wonderful children’s book.

WEOC WBC coach and Sari Bari founder, Sarah Lace, walks Candice Munson, owner of Flourish & Flounce, through an analysis of her launch process and website to ensure she moves as much product as possible before she discounts. 

If your business sells products, you may wonder how to best market NEW products:  Do you host a big launch or do you consistently offer new items to keep them coming back each week?  There are pros and cons to both techniques. 

Your category and customer may drive you one way over the other. 

During this call, the following topics are discussed

--Determine your "shelf life" for each product

--Develop relationships with your vendors

--Create processes/ checklists: Launch, photoshoot, digital campaign

--Add post mortem review after each collection closes

--Consider the name of your collections -->change navigation bar on the website

--Keep all images uniform in size and style

--Utilize Shopify tools to reconnect with customers (see below Sarah's favorite tools)

--Remove all "sold out" items

Listening in on Sarah’s coaching is one of my favorite pastimes.  She is chalk full of profit ensuring strategies.  Here are some of my take-a-ways from this coaching session:

We provide links to Sarah’s favorite Shopify tools in the show notes. Make sure to check them out.

Today I talk with Sarah Appleton, owner of Appleton Accounting, about how to brand and market her multiple income streams. I make clear that one customer may buy multiple products/services from us, but they don’t come to us to solve all their needs.  We must keep the businesses and our marketing separate.

Did you know that 45% of working Americans report having a side hustle? That amounts to roughly 70 million people. Even celebrities are getting in on the action, recognizing the value in diversifying income streams.

1. Sarah Appleton-- How to brand multiple offerings
2. Determine who your customer is and what they want
3. Set goals on how to connect with them (networking vs billboard on social media
4. Create a website that leaves no questions unanswered and easy way to BUY NOW
5. --customer is coming to you for________
6. --these 1-3 ways is how you solve their problem
7. Keep the health/clothing business separate from the accounting/ business consulting services. The customer is not looking for both at the same time.
8. If you take anything away from this coaching session, I hope it is that it is imperative to talk directly to one customer problem at a time.  My favorite marketing method is Donald Miller’s Creating a Story Brand.  Look him up. 

If you’re like the rest of the WEOC WBC clients, you’re ingesting hours of business coaching through blogs, vlogs, courses, and podcasts.  Without fail, we receive advice about niching down and targeting a specific type of customer.  Today, Cheri Hampton-Farmer, owner of Communicating Matters discloses that she isn't’ really sure who her target audience is.  And once she determines and connects with them, how does she nurture a relationship with them?

Cheri Hampton-Farmer, the owner of Communicating Matters Organization, asks Leslee A Hill, WEOC WBC Program Director, for coaching on finding her target audience.

Leslee's advice:

1) When you're just starting your business, make an educated guess of who your target market is and go out and ask them a million questions about what they struggle with.

2) Network Intentionally. Go where your people are. Prior to arriving, do your homework on 3-5 prospects you know will be in attendance-- Who do you know who can introduce you to the prospect? What is noteworthy that you can bring up in conversation with them? Connect with table sponsors-- They are networking all the time. They will refer you if they understand who you want to be connected with.

3) Follow-up with these people after the event. You can send them a handwritten card, including your business card (that shows a photo of you). Connect with them on LinkedIn in a private message--DO NOT SELL TO THEM YET. Your are building your network at this stage. Continue to comment on their posts. Ask them to meet with you to further your conversation.

BONUS: Ensure that your website has an opportunity to extend your conversation-- quiz, checklist, podcast. We buy from people we know, like, and trust. You need to be known. Get out there and start connecting ASAP.

Without sales history, it is difficult to determine who will pay you and what exactly they want from you, but you have to start somewhere.  So make an educated guess and talk to them. 

The Lean Start-Up method by Eric Ries encourages us to co-create with our customers. Once you know who your customer is and how they want to buy from you, go out and network.Follow-up with each person you meet at a networking event. Here’s a bonus networking success tip for you: set up an opportunity to extend the conversation by providing a checklist, quiz, or blog. People buy from those they know like and trust. This extension of the conversation sets you up nicely to achieve all three.

Leslee discusses the SBA’s funding options including loans, grants, and investments.  

Learn from Jessica about opportunity zones, capital gains and reinvesting, and the importance of having knowledge and experts assist you.

Leslee Hill, Director of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, and Cheri Lantz, the owner of GRN Covington, discuss the importance of focusing on your customer when selling your product or service.

Cheri shares that when selling, listening to what motivates your customer to buy as well as knowing what their pain points consist of, gives you an edge.  Persistence and focusing on the follow-up are very important in the process.

Kelley Ambriole, Partner and Associate of Wilcox & Associates, talks with Leslee Hill, Director of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, about why selling is difficult to do, defines the terms “upfront contract” and “head trash”, and follows up with why referrals are crucial to your business. They also role-play a typical sales scenario.

Tara Witham from American Family Insurance talks about the importance of taking one’s time when hiring (don’t compromise!) and how crucial it is to find a person to hire that compliments you.