| |
| |
|
Marketing Resource Center |
|
|
|
Freebie Seekers? Turn Them Into Clients and Referrers - or Turn them Far, Far Away
Many service business owners these days are"giving away" their business services - and thenwonder why people aren't hiring them in droves. Inthe name of "marketing," business owners areproviding way too much information for free. Someshifts in thinking are necessary if these businessowners expect to be in business years from now.Even trained coaches, I believe, do too muchpro-bono work. Why? They say that they need topractice, but the bottom line, IMO, is that theydon't value their gifts. Shifts in thinking and action need to occur. Oneplace to start is by moving yourself from anemployee mentality, where you "give informationfor free because your company is paying you andit's just what you do in your job" to thinkinglike a business owner who values their gifts andexpects to be paid for those gifts. There's a definite shift in the right direction,thank goodness, taking place on the Internet. Ithink it started after the dot.com bust settleddown. The first site that went from free to paidthat I remember was Consumer Reports, apublication I've been reading since 1973! Ithought, "how could they" and then realized what anovel idea - business web sites actually makingmoney using a subscription based membership site. Membership sites, for those who - like me - are"informational entrepreneurs," are on the rise,too. In 2001, Infopreneur Terry Dean's site wentfrom "free" to a "paid" membership site, whichbrought him a minimum of 5k per month. His incomeis much more than that now, but you get the idea. Just like a toddler, we have learned from ourmistakes and are taking the Internet from a placeprimarily for freebie seekers to a valuablesophisticated, professional marketplace. The final shift is to always act like a "real"business owner and stop giving away the bank.Being paid for your service is about honoring yourbusiness, your talents, your precious time, yourgifts and the skills you've developed. Settingboundaries on just how much free information, orfree services, you'll give away is not easy to do.Just like pricing services! However, no one expects to go into a shoe store,ask for free shoes, and walk out of the store! Ifyou don't value your services, no one else will.So if you're holding back information that yourightfully should be paid for, and you believethat you're hoarding or being stingy, please lookto see if that belief is based in reality. VERY big shifts indeed. Tiffany Bond, principal at BrandBond in Seattle,said it best: "People seldom value an opinion theydidn't pay for - but they will sure assess blameto it!" So if you're going to take the blame, atthe very least, get paid highly for it! Yes, providing some limited free advice may be agood marketing strategy. It may assist someone totrust you. On the other hand, it might have theopposite effect, and cause people to wonder whythey should pay you when they're getting theinformation for free. So, just be careful thatyou're not giving away the shop. As I tell myclients, "learn from my mistakes (and I did giveaway the shop until I got smart!), and go and makebetter mistakes!" And what can you say to people who 1) ask outrightfor free information, or 2) just start talking toyou about something, and you realize that they'retrying to "borrow" your valuable resources withoutbecoming a client? Here are some ideas. Try themon to see what "fits" you best. 23 things to say when someone asks you - a servicebusiness owner -for free information! 1. My charge for an initial consultation is "x."If we turn out to be a good match, and you hireme, I'll apply 1/2 of "x" towards your commitment. 2. I'm happy to give you 5 minutes or less of freetime, however, most issues are more quickly &effectively resolved in an undisturbed session(s).May we schedule a meeting so I can give you myundivided attention? 3. If someone is very persistent, whip out astopwatch & say "For $2 a minute I'd be happy togo into this now. May I start the clock & do youprefer to pay with cash or check?" 4. What I can do is refer you to a free resourceon "_______." 5. I do work with two pro-bono clients, who are indesperate need financially. I'll take your cardand add you to the waiting list. 6. Yes, I do work with clients on "name theissue." Would you like to set up a consultation? 7. That will cost "x" per hour. 8. There's a lot I can do for you that's similarto the work I did for "xyz" client. Would you liketo get together and build a marketing plan? (Andthen charge for those services.) 9. Well, I'd love to suggest something; however,my fees are "xxx" per hour. 10. Are you looking to hire me? 11. Are you looking to hire _____? Well, I'd loveto talk to you about that; my fees are "x" perhour." 12. You may call me for a 15-minute talk, veryfocused, on that issue. 13. "Well, the answer to that question depends"and then spend a few minutes explaining some ofthe options and considerations. For example, I mayexplain that the best way to identify the"solution" is to work backward from the desiredend result and process. That provides a naturallead-in to: "If I were to work with you on thisproject, here's how we would do it..." 14. Sorry, I can't answer that unless you pay myfee (or hire me). 15. A complete answer to your question is going totake more than 15 minutes over the phone. Wouldyou like me to send you a proposal on this? 16. I have really enjoyed talking with you andwould like to help more. May I send you one of mybrochures and a rate card? 17. Do you have a time line and/or budget in mindfor solving this problem? 18. Have you looked at cost estimates from otherswho would like to help you solve this problem orcomplete this project? 19. It's not a good time for me to begin a sessionright this minute. Would you like to brieflydiscuss session times and fees? 20. Are you seeking generic free information on"the topic" or to work with a "your professionhere" to address your specific situation? [If Ihave a free resource, I'll ask for their emailaddress and send it to them.] 21. I provide a general 3-4 sentence overview ofhow I would address their concern with them. ThenI say that I've found that the sorting of theinformation available and subsequent applicationof that information is so specific to eachindividual that I always recommend hiring a "yourprofession here" for getting that one projectcompleted. 22. Well what I can offer you on that subject isan ebook (CD, audio, etc) called ________. I'llemail you the link. 23. Refer them to these "free" or "almost free"resources:Ř The library has books/tapes/audios/CD/referencelibrarians.Ř To an outsider, your local SBA and SCORE Offices"look" free. They're really not "free" either.Their classes "cost $" and their advice is paidfor by all of us as part of our taxes.Ř Find a professional who needs your services andsee about some sort of in-kind exchange or barter.Again, this isn't totally free, as you do need toreport it on your taxes, but in most cases, thereisn't any money exchanged.Ř Join lots of ezines by experts in the areayou're looking to learn about, but do it quicklywhile they are still free. And know that the 'bestof the best' contain ads and affiliate programs,too. Marcia Yudkin, Marketing Consultant, Speaker andAuthor says this in Marketing Minute:(http://www.yudkin.com/) "You can head off a goodportion of that from paying clients by settingdown in writing what your fees cover and do notcover. While you don't want to come off as somesort of dictator with a stringent rulebook, ithelps to set forth guidelines for a productiverelationship. For folks who are not yet clients,feel free to copy what I do. If I can answer aquestion in five minutes or less, I generally justgo ahead and do so. If a question is morecomplicated than that, I reply, 'I couldn't dojustice to your question without a consultation.My consulting rates are ...' Prevent hassles bymaking expectations explicit!" Remember, as a service business owner, part ofwhat you "offer" clients and what they value fromyou is your knowledge and expertise. It's as mucha part of your "services" as any tangiblematerials you produce. So make sure to treat itas such, and get compensated fairly! When youvalue your services, others will, too. ============== © 2004 Maria Marsala, Business Builder and former WallStreet Trader. "Powering-UP service busine$$es andtheir owners". Providing articles, tips, classes, andresources. Learn more at http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Marketing - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Promote your business website using free online resources. There are many ways to promote your website for free online. Here are 10 highly effective strategies you can use right now. Build a Dynamic Business - 10 Steps to Start You Off It's where your employees are in a 'special place' when they work together. And to get there, they have to be in a culture that is very special - and you can create it in your business too!Here are ten key points that will make a big, big difference:-Build Great RelationshipsTake the time to engage with your people. The Beginners Mail Order Opportunity Guide The "Mail Order" business is not a business of itself, but isanother way of DOING business. Mail Order is nothing more or lessthan selling a product or service via advertising and the offersyou send out by mail. Behold the Power of the Tip You are an expert. You have lots of content - even more than you deliver from the presentation platform or in your consulting engagements. Online Magazine Subscription Services Make Shopping Online Fun For Magazines If recreating the old experience of subscribing to magazines by filling out a subscription card is essential to the success as an Internet retailer, then MagMall.com takes top awards. Where to Find New Customers Using B2B Direct Mail The challenge in business-to-business direct mail is knowing where to look for new business. You need a source of potential new clients that is reliable and affordable. B2B Marketing Tips - Create an Interactive Online Experience for Clients Business to business communications on the web are as stale as a piece of week old toast.As a marketing director you want to give your company the biggest bang for it's marketing buck. Marketing to Success on a ZERO Budget TOP 10 TIPS TO GET YOU MARKETING TO SUCCESS ON ZERO DOLLARS!I come across so many people that absolutely freak out when they think about having to market their business. Heaps of questions come up like, 'Where do I start?', 'I hate selling', 'How do I market my business when I don't have any money?'?. Top Five Tips For Designing Marketing Strategies That Get Results "But this won't work" said Steve. "I've tried it in the past and had no response. Why Cutting Prices Is Like Cutting Your Own Throat Why cutting your prices is like cutting your own throat. It's the oldest sales tactic in the world? And one of the worst? Price cutting. Meaning and Marketing -- The Links You know who you are and what you want and what it means or will mean for you to be FULLY ALIVE and you also know that you can change it it -- your definitions. If you don't, you will. Create a Blueprint for Your Success Having a strong foundation enables you to build a thriving,profitable life and business. A simple method to create thisfoundation is with Discovery, Vision, Planning and Benchmarking, the four cornerstones of your life as wellas your business. Ten Ways to Market Your Business by Doing What You Love To Do Most business owners get so involved in the work of the business that there never seems to be enough time to do the necessary marketing. Even when business is good the owner must continue marketing because if he/she stops, the business eventually will stop too. How to Magnetize Your Business Do you ever wonder how some businesses always seem to be doing so much business? And how they seem to do all that business without really trying that hard? Most of us would like to have business come to us, rather than chasing it. Think of a magnet - pulling business towards your company, effortlessly and naturally. Loan Officer Marketing - Why Realtors® Don't Read Your Brochures When you place brochures from every mortgage company side by side, you can't help but notice the similarities. Each piece mentions that they have every possible loan program available, proven & experienced professionals, fast & friendly service, a list of documents needed to process the loan, a promise of individualized attention and a commitment to professionally serve the client. Flesh Eating Spiders And Other Marketing Horrors After a friend was bitten by a spider, I decided to do some research to find out more about the spider.I came across a website that decided to create a marketing message that focused on fear based selling and over the top lies. The Real Path To Big Bucks On The Internet! "Instead Of Wasting Time Trying To Hit The Lottery Of Internet Riches, Focus On Building Your Business One Sweet Income Stream At A Time!" Eric (one of my JV partners) experienced an epiphany yesterday. He had one of those rare moments of insight that can forever change your life. Overview on Qualitative Data Collection Techniques in International Marketing Research This article is meant to be a brief review and reminder of some valuable yet often bypassed techniques to collect data on international markets and consumers.When thinking of market research, surveys are most likely the first technique that comes to ones mind. Create Your Own Rumors A consultant new in the city asked me how I managed to get business so fast. Working for that marketing company definitely gave me a jump start. How to Turn Your Promotional Products Expense Into a Profit Center If you use promotional products you probably already know the power of giving away freebies. You may use them to thank current customers, or to give incentives to potential customers.
|
| home | site map | Advertising Articles |
| © 2006 |
