| "> | | | | primary service professional service firms offer. |
| Every day I talk with professional service | | | | To make this more "buyable," break it into phases |
| providers who do great work, have a valuable | | | | and smaller, incremental commitments. |
| service that really helps people...and struggle to | | | | * The Round Table: Collaborate with trusted peers |
| get their services used as much as they'd like. | | | | to provide a multi-faceted approach to helping |
| They get a lukewarm response after an initial | | | | your clients. |
| conversation while networking, the referrals come | | | | How do I know that these approaches motivate |
| in but don't convert to real business as often as | | | | prospects to become clients? Because I use all of |
| they'd like, and they can't seem to get prospects | | | | them in my practice and they all get results. My |
| to see them as that much better than other | | | | business model represents a mix of revenue |
| professionals offering similar services. | | | | streams, none of which is tied completely to a |
| Or they may get some attention from prospects | | | | traditional consulting model. |
| as a result of an ad, published article, or | | | | For more tips on how to get your services used |
| speech...but then the early attention kind of fizzles | | | | by offering options through creative packaging, |
| into phone tag and no real client, in the end. | | | | keep reading... |
| So what's the problem? In most cases, they're | | | | Give your prospects choices and you'll increase |
| not getting far enough with the prospect to | | | | the odds they more quickly turn into paying |
| reveal the quality of their work...so it's not about | | | | clients. Here's how: |
| their professional work. And some professionals | | | | 1. Package your services to offer clients have a |
| DO have decent positioning and credibility-building | | | | variety of ways they can work with you. Think |
| things in place like client testimonials and case | | | | small, then incrementally add steps in larger sizes. |
| studies on their websites (although the latter -- | | | | Before you know it, you'll have a range of ways |
| done effectively - is rare, unfortunately). | | | | to help your clients. |
| There are a lot of things that can go wrong in the | | | | 2. Give each service a catchy title that's all about |
| marketing and sales process. But in most cases, | | | | how your client will benefit. For example, I offer |
| the key thing I see missing is a decent approach | | | | the "More Clients Than You Ever Thought |
| to packaging your professional services. Part of | | | | Possible!" Marketing Clinic and the "Maximize Your |
| successfully packaging your services means | | | | Online Strategy" Website Audit. Make the title |
| putting what you offer into a variety of formats | | | | about your clients, not you. |
| and "packages" that your clients need, at prices | | | | 3. "Productize" your services to generate passive |
| they'll pay. | | | | income. Record your public talks and sell them as |
| Networking and asking for referrals are a waste | | | | tapes on your website. Combine sets of articles |
| of time (or are a lot harder), if you don't have | | | | and sell them as mini-books. These are fairly |
| something for prospects to easily buy...a choice of | | | | easy, low-cost things to do. |
| easy "yes's" in the form of thoughtfully packaged | | | | 4. Go back to current and past clients with your |
| versions of your services. | | | | new range of services and/or product-based |
| Real Life Examples that Work | | | | solutions. Just because they bought one type of |
| Here are some examples to illustrate what I | | | | service from you in the past, doesn't mean they |
| mean. These are simple ways to repackage what | | | | wouldn't be interested in new ways you can help |
| typically is only offered as consulting services | | | | them. |
| (whatever your specialty may be). Each format | | | | 5. Make sure your pricing structure offers |
| offers your clients a different level of | | | | prospects a range of choices. Make it easy for |
| commitment, time, and money...increasing the | | | | them to take the first step by offering something |
| chances that you'll find the right fit for their needs: | | | | small and relatively inexpensive. There's a lot that |
| * Weekly Coaching to Get & Stay On Track: | | | | can be said about pricing, which I'll cover in a |
| Good for prospects who hesitate to take that | | | | future issue of this newsletter. |
| first step or just need a little encouragement to | | | | 6. Don't be afraid to spell out your range of |
| start small. Great for people who need the | | | | services in your marketing materials and on your |
| structure and discipline of a regular meeting | | | | website. Demystify what you do by offering lots |
| (telephone or in person) to keep on track. | | | | of information, including details of what your |
| * Multi-Hour Strategy Session: Particularly useful if | | | | clients can expect in terms of deliverables, |
| you sell to other businesses. A quick, affordable | | | | timeframes, targeted results, and what they need |
| way for prospects to get specific feedback and | | | | to do to ensure success. |
| new ideas on their existing approach to what you | | | | 7. The bottom line is to use client-centered |
| offer. | | | | descriptions and language. Even though this is |
| * 1-Day Jump-Start Retreat: A more in-depth | | | | about your services, it's not. It's about how your |
| version of the idea above. Especially useful if you | | | | clients will succeed and what problems they'll solve |
| bring a management team together. | | | | by choosing a particular service. I just can't |
| * Multiple-Day or Monthly Workshop or Clinic: A | | | | emphasize this enough! |
| different way to impart your expertise and help | | | | Experiment with a number of packages and see |
| your clients "learn to fish for themselves." | | | | what works and what doesn't. Play with the |
| * Quick Audit: An affordable, finite commitment | | | | variables: title, size, price, description, deliverables, |
| to let a prospect get a small sample of your | | | | and so on. You've got nothing to lose, but future |
| approach. Can often develop into a longer | | | | clients. |
| engagement. | | | | © 2004 TurningPointe Marketing, Inc. All |
| * Strategy + Action Planning: A safe way for | | | | rights reserved. We encourage sharing and |
| prospects to get real value, without buying the | | | | publication of Your Monthly TurningPointe in whole |
| whole nine yards. Again, this is a finite | | | | or in part if copyright and attribution, including live |
| engagement that produces a blueprint for future | | | | web site link and email link, are always included. |
| work. | | | | Please let us know where and when it will appear. |
| * Implementation Services: This is typically the | | | | Thank you! |