All potential clients fall into one of these two categories. Are they curious or are they committed? The problem is that it's not always obvious which category you are dealing with because the characteristics can be misleading. For example, you might be talking to a high-energy prospect and you could easily confuse their energy for commitment. In the same way, you could approach prospects that may initially seem disengaged or uninterested, but they are actually the ones that need your help the most.

The key to your business is finding the right clients at the right prices. Your success in landing the right clients depends on your ability to perceive who is just kicking the tires and who is seriously committed.

We are going to talk about three surprising traits you often find in great clients and three temptations to avoid so you steer clear of dead-end, low-paying projects.

After this session, you will know how to win the high-paying clients that everyone else is passing on and you will be avoiding the toxic clients everyone is fighting for.

 

All potential clients fall into one of these two categories. Are they curious or are they committed? The problem is that it's not always obvious which category you are dealing with because the characteristics can be misleading. For example, you might be talking to a high-energy prospect and you could easily confuse their energy for commitment. In the same way, you could approach prospects that may initially seem disengaged or uninterested, but they are actually the ones that need your help the most.

The key to your business is finding the right clients at the right prices. Your success in landing the right clients depends on your ability to perceive who is just kicking the tires and who is seriously committed.

We are going to talk about three surprising traits you often find in great clients and three temptations to avoid so you steer clear of dead-end, low-paying projects.

After this session, you will know how to win the high-paying clients that everyone else is passing on and you will be avoiding the toxic clients everyone is fighting for.

 

Your business will never outgrow your mindset. Your beliefs are the lens through which you see the world. If you don't believe you can overcome serious challenges then you won't be able to have the impact you want for yourself or for your clients. Your ability to succeed is directly related to your ability to overcome massive challenges without freaking out and paralyzing yourself.

After this session you're going to come away with clarity on the following points:

* How to take ownership of problems that initially seem out of your control. For example…

* It's not your client's fault for rejecting your proposals.

* Not all clients are “bad/cheap” clients. It is within your power to attract different clients.

* How to touch a problem without becoming overwhelmed and paralyzed by it

* How to achieve success even if you feel burnt out and exhausted

* The reason you can charge 5x to 10x more than everyone else without pricing yourself out of the market.

If you want to attract and win high-value clients they are going to come to you because you have the skills and the attitude to overcome massive challenges and deliver profound results.

The same skillset and mindset you develop for yourself to grow your business and overcome your challenges is the skillset and mindset your clients need to get the results they are looking for. Learn and apply these concepts and you'll be a high-value asset to your own business and to your clients.

Your business will never outgrow your mindset. Your beliefs are the lens through which you see the world. If you don't believe you can overcome serious challenges then you won't be able to have the impact you want for yourself or for your clients. Your ability to succeed is directly related to your ability to overcome massive challenges without freaking out and paralyzing yourself.

After this session you're going to come away with clarity on the following points:

* How to take ownership of problems that initially seem out of your control. For example…

* It's not your client's fault for rejecting your proposals.

* Not all clients are “bad/cheap” clients. It is within your power to attract different clients.

* How to touch a problem without becoming overwhelmed and paralyzed by it

* How to achieve success even if you feel burnt out and exhausted

* The reason you can charge 5x to 10x more than everyone else without pricing yourself out of the market.

If you want to attract and win high-value clients they are going to come to you because you have the skills and the attitude to overcome massive challenges and deliver profound results.

The same skillset and mindset you develop for yourself to grow your business and overcome your challenges is the skillset and mindset your clients need to get the results they are looking for. Learn and apply these concepts and you'll be a high-value asset to your own business and to your clients.

If you have seen The Matrix, then you will understand what I mean when I say that this is a red pill / blue pill session. You're about to learn the truth about why the prices of WordPress sites are quickly falling, why clients are rejecting your proposals, and why things are going to keep getting worse unless you break out of the 3D Web Design Illusion and start seeing the reality of today's web design market. What is 3D web design? It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth… Remember, all I'm offering is the truth, and nothing more…

What Is 3D Web Design?

It is the false reality we have all been trained to accept. If you're like most web designers and WordPress developers you have probably been trained – or perhaps trained yourself – to accept 3D Web Design as the only way to operate your agency. Here is how it works.

Discovery

First, you meet with your client and embark upon a journey together where you Discover their needs. You ask questions. You search and try to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes.

* Tell me about your business?

* Who is your target market?

* What are you trying to achieve with your website?

This is called the discovery phase because it seems too intense to refer to this as a client interrogation. But truthfully, that's what it really is. The client sits there trying their best to answer your questions. They dig deep into their minds groping for clues and direction to satisfy your probing. Meanwhile, you jot down notes as you extract information from your client. And that's all it really is… information. It's not a plan. It's not a strategy. They are just doing their best to get through the meeting.

The good WordPress developers can interject some lighthearted banter to make the situation more relaxing, even enjoyable at times. Occasional compliments and encouraging smiles motivate the client until the last question has been asked and the “discovery” phase is complete.

Design

Now that you have the client's answers to your questions, it is time to begin designing and building out their website. A color palette is selected. Logos and branding concepts are created. The website takes shape. The project is underway.

During this phase, there are a few more meetings as you pass various checkpoints in the project's lifecycle. Eventually, all the pieces come together and a final review takes place. After a client walk-through, you begin working on client revisions to make your work more closely match your client's vision for their online presence.

Now that there is something to look at, your client starts having new ideas and you hear the haunting creak of scope creep opening the door. This begins the balancing act where you try to keep the client happy while also trying to keep changes to a minimum so that the project stays – at least somewhat – profitable. Eventually, the client is satisfied and you move to the next phase.

Deployment

You get the domain name and DNS all pointing at the live site and the new creation is ALIVE! Balloons are released, high-fives are given, and (hopefully) the check for the final payment lands in your hands. You take one last look around and admire your creation. It really is stellar work. Who else has a site that looks that good? Your client's web presence is head-and-shoulders above their competition. Success has got to be just around the corner for them.

Now… off to land another client so you can do it all over again.

That's the myth of 3D Web Design. Now let's talk about why that doesn't work anymore and what you can do about it.

 

If you have seen The Matrix, then you will understand what I mean when I say that this is a red pill / blue pill session. You're about to learn the truth about why the prices of WordPress sites are quickly falling, why clients are rejecting your proposals, and why things are going to keep getting worse unless you break out of the 3D Web Design Illusion and start seeing the reality of today's web design market. What is 3D web design? It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth… Remember, all I'm offering is the truth, and nothing more…

What Is 3D Web Design?

It is the false reality we have all been trained to accept. If you're like most web designers and WordPress developers you have probably been trained – or perhaps trained yourself – to accept 3D Web Design as the only way to operate your agency. Here is how it works.

Discovery

First, you meet with your client and embark upon a journey together where you Discover their needs. You ask questions. You search and try to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes.

* Tell me about your business?

* Who is your target market?

* What are you trying to achieve with your website?

This is called the discovery phase because it seems too intense to refer to this as a client interrogation. But truthfully, that's what it really is. The client sits there trying their best to answer your questions. They dig deep into their minds groping for clues and direction to satisfy your probing. Meanwhile, you jot down notes as you extract information from your client. And that's all it really is… information. It's not a plan. It's not a strategy. They are just doing their best to get through the meeting.

The good WordPress developers can interject some lighthearted banter to make the situation more relaxing, even enjoyable at times. Occasional compliments and encouraging smiles motivate the client until the last question has been asked and the “discovery” phase is complete.

Design

Now that you have the client's answers to your questions, it is time to begin designing and building out their website. A color palette is selected. Logos and branding concepts are created. The website takes shape. The project is underway.

During this phase, there are a few more meetings as you pass various checkpoints in the project's lifecycle. Eventually, all the pieces come together and a final review takes place. After a client walk-through, you begin working on client revisions to make your work more closely match your client's vision for their online presence.

Now that there is something to look at, your client starts having new ideas and you hear the haunting creak of scope creep opening the door. This begins the balancing act where you try to keep the client happy while also trying to keep changes to a minimum so that the project stays – at least somewhat – profitable. Eventually, the client is satisfied and you move to the next phase.

Deployment

You get the domain name and DNS all pointing at the live site and the new creation is ALIVE! Balloons are released, high-fives are given, and (hopefully) the check for the final payment lands in your hands. You take one last look around and admire your creation. It really is stellar work. Who else has a site that looks that good? Your client's web presence is head-and-shoulders above their competition. Success has got to be just around the corner for them.

Now… off to land another client so you can do it all over again.

That's the myth of 3D Web Design. Now let's talk about why that doesn't work anymore and what you can do about it.

 

More clients, more money, and more time – that's what everyone is looking for but those are NOT actually what you need to build a 6-figure WordPress business. Those are just the symptoms and they will automatically resolve themselves if you have the three things that really matter.

If you want to start making $5,000 to $10,000 per month consistently with a workload you can handle on your own – without having to outsource or higher help – then these are the three things you need (and they all start with the letter C).

This is a hard-hitting session, so if you are not serious about your business, then this session is probably not for you. On the other hand, if you want to know the truth, bust through the myths, and you're willing to work for it then this is exactly what you need to know.

I'm helping WordPress consultants right now who are charging 5x to 10x more than they used to and their clients are literally thanking them for making the change. How are they doing it? They have mastered these three things.

When it comes to your business, are you curious or are you serious?

Let's find out!

More clients, more money, and more time – that's what everyone is looking for but those are NOT actually what you need to build a 6-figure WordPress business. Those are just the symptoms and they will automatically resolve themselves if you have the three things that really matter.

If you want to start making $5,000 to $10,000 per month consistently with a workload you can handle on your own – without having to outsource or higher help – then these are the three things you need (and they all start with the letter C).

This is a hard-hitting session, so if you are not serious about your business, then this session is probably not for you. On the other hand, if you want to know the truth, bust through the myths, and you're willing to work for it then this is exactly what you need to know.

I'm helping WordPress consultants right now who are charging 5x to 10x more than they used to and their clients are literally thanking them for making the change. How are they doing it? They have mastered these three things.

When it comes to your business, are you curious or are you serious?

Let's find out!

Selling WordPress maintenance plans is totally different today compared to just a year or two ago. That is why most WordPress consultants are failing to get clients signed up for monthly retainers.

Disclaimer: I'm about to link to an article posted on the wpmudev blog. I really like the guys at wpmudev and they have a ton of great WordPress resources. I regularly email with one of their editors and often refer people to their plugins.

With regard to some of the business advice for WordPress consultants mentioned on their site I, however, take a fundamentally different approach. My approach is radically different and isn't for everybody.

I'm not saying my way is the only way or that they are wrong. Let's be mature and realize it is possible for multiple things to be true at the same time. Some things work for some people – other things work for others. In this article, I'm sharing what's worked for me and how that differs from the mainstream, popular approach.

All of the WordPress bloggers, mentors, and coaches all say you are leaving money on the table if you're not offering WordPress maintenance plans. I see articles about this pop up in newsletters and blog posts at least a couple times per month.

It's always introduced with an opener like,

“How would you like an extra $250+ per month from each of your clients?”

Then they leave you feeling like if you haven't onboarded your clients into monthly maintenance, you're leaving thousands of dollars on the table. But, that's not the whole story…

Let's Give It A Try

So, naturally, everybody gets excited and tries to get their clients on monthly retainers for WordPress maintenance and support only to find that almost none of their clients are buying in. Granted, some people have had success getting their clients on maintenance plans and it has made a big difference in their businesses. So, with wishful hopes of stabilizing their income and scaling their businesses, WordPress developers everywhere are asking their clients to subscribe to monthly maintenance plans.

The truth is, most people fail at selling maintenance plans and the problem is getting worse every month as alternative platforms like Wix and Squarespace continue to improve and do not require expensive maintenance plans to keep sites healthy and online.

The Irony Of Value-Based Pricing For WordPress Maintenance Plans

One of the especially alluring features of selling maintenance plans is the idea that you can get paid more than your hourly rate because of the value you are providing. It's not about time – it's about the value of your service.

I absolutely agree that value-based pricing is a critical step to take towards scaling your WordPress business. The problem is, clients rarely see the value in WordPress maintenance plans, support packages, and pre-paid hours of development.

The Mainstream Pitch

It's hard to blame them for not seeing the value, because it is not authentic, business-oriented, value for most clients. The argument for value-based pricing with maintenance plans tends to go something like this…

First, you say that a website is making some amount of money per hour or per day – like $500 per day, for example. Then you do a little math to show how much money is lost if the website is down for several days, then the client has lost thousands of dollars. Therefore, it's totally worth it for the client to invest $250 per month to prevent this catastrophe of losing thousands of dollars from happening. So, even if you're only spending an hour or two per month keeping things in good shape, it's worth it to your client because of the value in preventing this bad problem.

The Reality For Most Clients

For most clients,

Selling WordPress maintenance plans is totally different today compared to just a year or two ago. That is why most WordPress consultants are failing to get clients signed up for monthly retainers.

Disclaimer: I'm about to link to an article posted on the wpmudev blog. I really like the guys at wpmudev and they have a ton of great WordPress resources. I regularly email with one of their editors and often refer people to their plugins.

With regard to some of the business advice for WordPress consultants mentioned on their site I, however, take a fundamentally different approach. My approach is radically different and isn't for everybody.

I'm not saying my way is the only way or that they are wrong. Let's be mature and realize it is possible for multiple things to be true at the same time. Some things work for some people – other things work for others. In this article, I'm sharing what's worked for me and how that differs from the mainstream, popular approach.

All of the WordPress bloggers, mentors, and coaches all say you are leaving money on the table if you're not offering WordPress maintenance plans. I see articles about this pop up in newsletters and blog posts at least a couple times per month.

It's always introduced with an opener like,

“How would you like an extra $250+ per month from each of your clients?”

Then they leave you feeling like if you haven't onboarded your clients into monthly maintenance, you're leaving thousands of dollars on the table. But, that's not the whole story…

Let's Give It A Try

So, naturally, everybody gets excited and tries to get their clients on monthly retainers for WordPress maintenance and support only to find that almost none of their clients are buying in. Granted, some people have had success getting their clients on maintenance plans and it has made a big difference in their businesses. So, with wishful hopes of stabilizing their income and scaling their businesses, WordPress developers everywhere are asking their clients to subscribe to monthly maintenance plans.

The truth is, most people fail at selling maintenance plans and the problem is getting worse every month as alternative platforms like Wix and Squarespace continue to improve and do not require expensive maintenance plans to keep sites healthy and online.

The Irony Of Value-Based Pricing For WordPress Maintenance Plans

One of the especially alluring features of selling maintenance plans is the idea that you can get paid more than your hourly rate because of the value you are providing. It's not about time – it's about the value of your service.

I absolutely agree that value-based pricing is a critical step to take towards scaling your WordPress business. The problem is, clients rarely see the value in WordPress maintenance plans, support packages, and pre-paid hours of development.

The Mainstream Pitch

It's hard to blame them for not seeing the value, because it is not authentic, business-oriented, value for most clients. The argument for value-based pricing with maintenance plans tends to go something like this…

First, you say that a website is making some amount of money per hour or per day – like $500 per day, for example. Then you do a little math to show how much money is lost if the website is down for several days, then the client has lost thousands of dollars. Therefore, it's totally worth it for the client to invest $250 per month to prevent this catastrophe of losing thousands of dollars from happening. So, even if you're only spending an hour or two per month keeping things in good shape, it's worth it to your client because of the value in preventing this bad problem.

The Reality For Most Clients

For most clients,