Profitable Joyful Consulting

Here’s how to write posts that get your perfect clients to take action.

Wish you knew how to get your writing to be irresistible and unputdownable? How would you like for your LinkedIn posts to get you leads, or your email newsletters to reactivate past clients or activate potential new ones? In this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting, I'm sharing how you can communicate your value in writing so that it works to get you results.

You’ll learn how to differentiate your work from any competitors (or ChatGPT!), identify ways you unintentionally sabotage yourself in your writing, and the ideal way to start and end everything you write –  no matter what it is. 

Key Ideas: 

00:00 Intro

03:36 How to Structure Your Writing

05:54 Hook Your Reader

10:05 How to “Edu-tain”

12:09 Final Tips

By the end of this episode, you’ll be engaging with your audience – and future clients –  in a whole new way. Listen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wyzMwfNwgl8 or your favorite podcast app: www.samanthaspodcast.com.

QUOTABLES: 

Use your marketing messages to make a bold promise, and then substantiate that promise with proof.

Your brand voice is the way you talk when you're talking with your clients, when you're in the flow of your genius, and that's unique to you.

If you're ready to unlock your full potential as a woman consultant, increase your profits, and experience the joy of a thriving consulting business, subscribe and turn on notifications. Join us for ideas and inspiration at Profitable Joyful Consulting. Your success story begins here.

Download the free Definitive Guide to Winning 6-Figure Clients at 6FigureClients.com.

Get 60% off your first month of Armoire ➡️ armoire.style/refer/sjh   

Get a free month of Jewelry by Rocksbox ➡️ https://www.talkable.com/x/C0ugX2

“Women need to claim our power. We need to prioritize leading and not just serving.”

Some people need to learn things the hard way. You might be surprised to hear I’m one of those people. :-\ When I first started my consulting business, I made more than my share of mistakes. But it’s the lessons I’ve learned through those mistakes that have carried me – and my clients – through the challenges and into profitable, joyful consulting businesses. 

In today’s episode, I'm sharing what I wish I knew when I started my consulting business: lessons around making more money, how you should really look at marketing your brand, and the #1 way to get rid of competition. Plus, I’ll show you how to let your freak flag fly, because that weird, quirky, most outlandish stuff that's true to you is exactly what your clients want.

Key Ideas: 

00:00 Intro

01:45 Selling Offers

03:49 Marketing Your Business

06:58 Fire Your Control Freak

12:06 Erasing the Competition

14:55 Let Your Freak Flag Fly

17:14 Work Like No One is Watching

20:52 Getting Clear on Your Brand

27:48 Trust the Universe

If you're ready to unlock your full potential as a woman consultant, increase your profits, and experience the joy of a thriving consulting business, subscribe and turn on notifications. Join us for ideas and inspiration at Profitable Joyful Consulting. Your success story begins here.

Download the free Definitive Guide to Winning 6-Figure Clients at 6FigureClients.com.

One of the fastest ways to get to a million and beyond is by expanding your team.

Does the idea of adding team members stress you out? Do you immediately imagine managing difficult personalities or chasing down late deadlines? Fear not. 

In this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting, I’m sharing why expanding your team is one of the fastest ways to expand your business, and it’s more manageable than you might think. If the very idea is triggering your control freak ways, you’re in luck! Press play and let’s grow your business through talented, passionate, and reliable team members. 

Key ideas:

00:00 Introduction / Episode Tease

02:18 Helpful Beliefs

06:43 Roles and Responsibilities

09:58 Leadership

14:30 When to Hire

16:03 Top Three Tips

18:10 Objections

Building or growing your team is absolutely available to you. Take a listen on YouTube or wherever you get podcasts samanthaspodcast.com and let me know if you’re ready to take the leap.

​QUOTABLES:

You will not be able to expand your business the way you need to if you don't release responsibility to others.

Leadership is not something you need to outsource. Leadership is letting people know what the vision for the business is, the culture you want to have, what kind of company you want to have. 

Focus on what you can be earning with your team and not just what you're paying.

If you create a culture and a place people want to work, they'll stay with you. 

You want to know what your potential partner is going to be like when they're at their worst. – Samantha Hartley

Last week, you heard all of the reasons you should not consider forming a partnership in your consulting business. I shared some of the dreadful reasons women seek partners and what causes those relationships to crash and burn. Listen here

If you heard those real-life cautionary tales from my personal client files and you’re still considering a partnership, you’ve come to the right place.

In this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting, I talk with Marnely Murray and Angela Prout of Shored Up Digital, two dynamic, successful women who decided to take the partnership leap together almost six years ago. Hear how they got started, how the partnership has changed over the years, and their strategy for expanding their business, even when they don’t agree.

About:

Marnely Murray and Angela Prout teamed up to create Shored Up Digital after meeting many local business owners who were overwhelmed with their digital marketing initiatives. Marnely and Angela realized that they could leverage their skills and experience to provide businesses and organizations with the tools and resources necessary to bring their online presence to the next level.  

Many business owners recognize that they can increase sales and improve their customer relationships by being more active online, but they don't know where to start, or where exactly to focus their attention. That's where  Shored Up Digital comes in.

Both washashores, Marnely and Angela have collectively called Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod home for over twenty years. They bring a wide range of marketing experience and the ability to understand the needs of small business owners and seasonal destinations, as well as the wants of their diverse customers and discerning visitors. With an exceptional level of enthusiasm, dedication, and a collaborative approach, Shored Up Digital is the effective solution for clients that want to better connect with their audience online.

Follow ShoredUpDigital on Instagram and Facebook.

Key ideas:

00:00 Introduction

02:05 Origin Story

03:59 Complementary Skills & Dating First

08:43 Role Sorting

11:50 Addressing Conflict

16:52 Expressing the Brand Voice

22:59 Power Struggles

25:09 Who is the Rainmaker?

27:53 Uncomfortable Conversations

30:27 Tips for Starting a Partnership

Partnerships are serious business, so do not wing it. This is what you need to know. Press play on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XDNzCfeQ2JY or wherever you get podcasts: 

​QUOTABLES:

We've been able to benefit professionally and personally having this relationship because we can rely on one another. – Angela Prout

We're juggling like 27 balls, but not all 27 are glass balls. Some are rubber that we can let fall and they can bounce for a little while. - Marnely Murray

Make sure that there's a unified brand and a unified front when you and your partner are expressing your values through the business. – Samantha Hartley

Be sure when you're partnering that you're clear how soon you need the business to be returning on your investment. - Samantha Hartley

Learn more in this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XDNzCfeQ2JY or your favorite podcast app: www.samanthapodcast.com

Partnership can be a really difficult and risky route to take if you are a woman consultant.

Have you been considering forming a business partnership in your consultancy? Sure, that’s one way to expand your business, but is it the right way? I feel so strongly about this topic that I’ve created a two-part series to provide you with all the information, so you can move forward with your eyes wide open. In this episode, I am sharing the top reasons why not to seek a partner in your business. You'll hear some of the dreadful reasons why women seek partners and what causes those relationships to crash and burn. Plus, you'll hear real-life cautionary tales from my personal client files. 

Key ideas:

00:00 Introduction

01:13 Cautionary Tale: Michelle

02:42 Cautionary Tale: Beth

05:20 Why Women Consultants Seek Partnerships

09:09 Alternatives to Forming a Partnership

12:23 Positives to Forming a Partnership

13:50 Reasons Why a Partnership Breaks Down

19:28 Samantha's Story

Don’t pretend you didn’t hear what I’m about to tell you. If you’re ready to be honest with yourself and expand your business joyfully and without exhaustion, dive in to this episode on YouTube or wherever you get podcasts: www.samanthaspodcast.com

Perfect clients’ is not about value judgements about anybody here. It's really about who is best suited to receive from you.

What if you could expand your services without requiring any more of your precious time or energy? Oh you can. When you focus on perfect clients - perfect in size and needs - and provide just the right value, business expansion is almost inevitable. 

In this episode, we’ll assess clients' needs and how to align with the level that suits your expertise. You’ll learn how to find opportunities to sell your services to organizations, instead of individuals. I share how to transition from B2C executive coaching to B2B consulting engagements, and how this unlocks massive growth. Plus, we’ll discover the magic of next-level clients who can elevate your expertise like no others.

Key ideas:

00:00 Introduction

02:31 Expanding through working with perfect clients at the right level

04:14 Expanding through Selling to Organizations

06:08 Taking B2C Services to B2B Clients

09:57 The Value of Mid-Sized Companies

16:00 Recognizing Next-Level Clients

21:45 Expanding with Perfect Fit Clients

If you’re ready to maximize your growth while working with perfect clients at the right level, press play.

​QUOTABLES:

What are those gifts you're bringing through at this new and next level of your business?

The more value you give to clients, the more you can charge them for that. 

Next-Level Clients help pull through your next evolution of your business.

“Scope creep isn't always a bad thing; it sometimes can be scope expansion.”

Did you know that acquiring a new client can cost five times more than retaining an existing one? It’s true! What if you could learn how to make way more without adding a single new client? It’s time to end the chase and relax with better relationships and more profits.

In this episode, you’ll learn the secrets of strategic client growth. In a world obsessed with acquiring new clients, I urge you to challenge the status quo; the real goldmine lies within your existing client base. From transforming short-term projects into year-long engagements to skillfully navigating scope creep, this episode provides a roadmap to fortify client relationships and ensure sustained success. 

Key ideas:

00:00 Introduction + Theme

02:23 How to get longer-term engagement from clients

04:49 When to have the renewal conversation

07:52 How to turn scope creep into scope expansion

11:53 How to reactivate past clients

13:15 The #1 hack to get clients (that you might already be doing)

If you’re ready to increase profits and joy without exhaustion and the revenue rollercoaster, dive in to this episode now on YouTube or listen wherever you get podcasts.

​QUOTABLES:

Email newsletters are one of the easiest, most efficient, high-value, high-ROI activities that you can do.

Moving from a project basis into a longer-term horizon does many things: It allows you to get better results for your clients, and it helps you to not have to constantly be hunting for new ones. 

When a client is asking for more and more and more, they bought a package that was too small.

Mentioned in this episode: Results that Get More Clients

“As consultants, we can't even grow the business unless we expand as people.”

It’s impossible to dive into the topic of business expansion without understanding the importance of growing personally. And no one knows that more than my first guest of 2024.

In this insightful episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting, we delve into the fundamental truth that as consultants, our business growth is intricately tied to our personal expansion.

You’ll hear directly from my client, Leslie, who has doubled her business in the year we’ve been working together. You’ll discover the transformative power of self-development and how it serves as the cornerstone for unlocking new levels of success in a consultancy. 

Key ideas:

• 00:00 Introduction + Theme
• 3:18 First year as a consultant: expectations vs reality
• 5:50 Client case study: building trust and surprising yourself 
• 10:45 Why she sought help 
• 16:00 Understanding the fundamentals
• 18:37 Showing up in her power (even when it was scary!)
• 23:15 Reframing, rethinking and resetting limiting beliefs 
• 25:02 The value of a thought partner and accountability 
• 29:07 Biggest results
• 35:35 Key takeaways

Embrace the journey of self-expansion and watch your business as a consultant thrive like never before! Press play on YouTube or listen wherever you get podcasts.

​QUOTABLES:

“It’s kind of like a therapist for your business.” – Leslie

“There are people that can really be a huge, huge resource and take things to the other level.” – Leslie

“That's what a transformational engagement does, it creates this sense of safety in this relationship.” – Samantha Hartley

“What identity do you need to have to expand into that next thing?”

A new year, a new season of Profitable Joyful Consulting, and a new theme. This season, we’re tackling all things expansion, the challenges, the downsides and how to determine if expansion is right for you. In this first episode of the season, we’ll explore the very real fear that pops up when we even think about expanding in our lives and business, help you get more intentional about how and where you want to grow, and I’ll even walk you through an exercise that will help you take that next powerful step into the business and life you really want.

Key ideas:

00:00 Introduction + Theme

02:05 Physical Exercise

05:11 Challenges and Downsides of Expansion

08:16 Expansion = Vulnerability

10:55 Grounding and Support in Expansion

If you’re even considering personal or professional expansion in your life and business in 2024, I invite you to join me for this empowering episode. Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/dw_wls1Z-Yc or listen wherever you get podcasts www.samanthaspodcast.com

“We're going to talk about expansion and the ways that when you expand yourself, you can grow and expand your business as well.”

New year, new season! In this brand new Season 17 of Profitable Joyful Consulting, we’ll explore sustainable ways to expand business without burnout, focusing on the 10 Drivers of Success for consulting businesses, emphasizing transformational engagements that add value to clients. We’ll dive into leveraging tools like Chat GPT and AI to increase efficiency without compromising quality. And we’ll talk team expansion, how to delegate and reclaim time for your own personal pursuits. 

Plus, through conversations with special guests, including my clients and other consultants, we’ll collectively demonstrate the possibility of profitable and joyful business expansion. Don't miss Season 17—subscribe, turn on notifications, and let’s embark on this transformative journey.

Watch on YouTube or wherever you get podcasts www.samanthaspodcast.com