Tag Archives: attracting clients

How to Create a Business Card that Attracts Clients

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

Okay, so everyone in business has a business card, right? Right. Sadly, most have business cards that are not making an impact and leading prospects to explore more of how you can solve their problem. I want to help you fix that quickly.

Let’s be clear, the most important marketing material you will ever circulate is your business card and many of you are not maximizing this tiny business builder because you’re not focused on client magnetic marketing. I was recently at a three day conference where I collected approximately 50 business cards. It’s really interesting because everyone wants you to have their card but their cards are nothing to write home about. (I mean this in love, but hey, I’m a coach – we tell you what you don’t want to hear and show you what you don’t want to see for one reason – to help you to become what you were created to be.)

So 50 business cards and only about 5% of them were worthy of a second glance or website review. Why? Because the rest were just wasting TONS of marketing space or worst yet, didn’t tell you anything that would make you want to learn more. So to put your business card out of its non-business building misery, here are some must have components to make your business card more client magnetic.

FRONT OF YOUR BUSINESS CARD:

Company Name – Please have the name of your company on the card – your company name should be unique and doesn’t need to necessarily tell the story of your business or what you do. In fact, it shouldn’t I think far too many people take the easy way out as lazy marketers by choosing a business name that tells the story. Your name, when unique, will inspire the receiver of your card to ask you why you chose that name, etc. Which will open you up to share more.

That brings me to another point… the purpose of your business card is to get them to want to know more.

Your Name, Credibility and Title(s) – a no-brainer I’m sure but if you have an advanced degree or certification(s) be sure to include that on your card. Why? Because some people will only work with people who have taken the extra step to build their business through education and all people want to know that they can trust what you do. Credentials help with that.

Power Statement which includes the problem you solve. Recall the universal law of business - find people who have the problem you solve that are ready to pay for a solution to the problem. When the problem is front and center, it produces a top of mind reaction in the receiver and they start to listen intently to how you offer your solution. I recommend you choose this over a tagline unless your tagline contains the info below:

Here’s a formula to use for your power statement I help [audience of one/ideal client] do [problem you solve using the appropriate action verb] so that [ultimate goal or transformation they should expect when they work with you]

Professional Head shot – this does a few things. First, it jogs the memory of the receiver of you and your conversation. Second, it helps to ensure they hold on to your card (studies show that people will seldom throw away someone’s face). Please notice that I said professional, your glamour shot picture from 1995 hardly qualifies as professional. You want to ensure that the visual elements of your brand are sensory pleasers.

Logo or Emblem – this image, along with your professional head shot help to implant your brand on their subconscious minds. Again, be creative here, it is after all your business.

Contact Information - please, please, please put your physical mailing address (as long as it’s not your home) on your business card. You can rather inexpensively get a PO Box to represent your business. This is important because some people like me like to send hand-written notes and its a little hard when there is no physical address, this also helps to illustrate the validity of your enterprise. Also included should be your email address – one that matches your website URL not a gmail, hotmail, comcast or yahoo, please. And your telephone numbers – office and fax. If you’re daring, include your cell phone.

Website address - you do have a website, right? then you want to be sure to highlight it on the front of your business card. If they’re impressed with you in anyway, they’re going to check your website. So be sure that your website is professional and polished.

BACK of your Card:

Yes, I said back. Here’s the thing, they have to print the back in order to print the front, right? So to not maximize it is to waste marketing space. DUH. I know but of those 50 business cards, only about 5 of them had information of merit on the back of the card.

Client Magnet Marketing Questions – I recommend you have three questions that will help to pull the receiver closer to becoming a qualified contact. The formula I recommend is pain, spark of hope, expert lead in. Pain: The first question should be your most painful question, something that kicks the receiver in the gut when they read it if they have that problem. Remember, people in pain know that they are in pain. Spark of Hope: you want to ask something that gives them a glimpse of the solution that could finally put them out of their misery IF they work with you. Expert lead in: this is where you highlight yourself in the form of a question, something like Would working with a qualified marketing mentor who has help thousands get proven results to attract more clients be helpful to you now?

Call to Action – if they were to take an inspired action with you, what would it be? Include it here. I’d also recommend that you offer them a free taste of what you’ve got to offer (this will also get them to opt-in to your marketing list, versus you just adding them when you get home even though most often they don’t give you permission)

Social Media contact information – either the icons or your logins, the point, you want them to know how to find you on social media. But, be sure that your profiles are consistent so that your brand isn’t confused.

Website URL - stated again for ease of location

My personal opinion is that if you use these tips to update your business card, you will begin getting more qualified contacts right on the spot!

Like this article? Have a comment? Leave it below. Have a question, submit it to www.askdarnyelle.com

©2012 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, MBA, The Incredible Factor Business Coach and Marketing Mentor, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for more clients, more income and more leverage in your business. For more information and a FREE audio download “How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients” visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com

Posted in Blog | Tagged attracting clients, business cards, Business coach Delaware, Charging what you're worth, Darnyelle Jervey, growing your business, How to create a business card, Incredible Factor, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing Systems and Strategies, more clients now, networking to get clients, Professional Speaker |

3 Simple Strategies for Handling a Client With a Concern–Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Darnyelle Jervey

Okay, so let me paint you a picture to share my tips for this week’s article….let’s say you just finished a client discovery session and offered the client to work with you privately and make a 5 figure investment in your services. Let’s, for the sake of the example, assume that the client was expecting an investment a little closer to 4 figures and as a result, he pushes back with something like….”So what makes you qualified to charge that much?”

Let’s face it; from time to time everyone needs a little clarity. Yes, that includes your clients and prospects. What’s important to note at those times, is as the service provider, you must always keep a level head and provide a response that will add value, not create discord. While the customer is not always right, the customer always deserves to be treated with respect and provided with a level of service that is respectful and exemplary of your brand.

It’s important to note that clarity is not a personal attack on you. It means that the decision to invest in your services is a stretch for them and that produces fear, and in fear they want to find a way out. Consumers oftentimes position themselves that way by seeking clarity or creating an objection to what they know is exactly what they need to achieve their next level. The ego begins to run rampant and the result….well, let’s just say that it could be a less than favorable conversation where you, the service provider, must in courage, respond while maintaining your brand positioning and focusing so that you get the new client.

When faced with an experience that may be less than favorable, because I get it, no one wants to be challenged, it is still your responsibility to remember why you are in business and what level of service you’ve committed to offer your clients and prospective clients. Don’t take a question as a sign that you are not an expert and cannot solve their problem. Instead, take it as an opportunity to provide additional education and perhaps, coach them successfully out of their comfort zone.

To mitigate such situations, I have a few recommendations for you:

1. Take a deep breath and gain clarity. By ensuring that you understand completely what it is that they are asking, you can avoid a lot of drama and defensiveness. Questions and a need for clarity go hand in hand with making a life or business change or investment that will alter the course of existence for an individual. Remember, our natural inclination, as a consumer, is to find a reason to say no.; while your natural inclination as a business owner is to evoke a yes response.
2. Put yourself in your customer’s position. The financial services company where I started my career’s mantra was “Think of Yourself as a Customer.” From that mantra, it really shifted my perspective whenever I was on a customer service manager call. While I may have not agreed with their perspective, I shifted to see things their way. As a result, together we could arrive at a collaborative destination. When you see things from their vantage point, you will often become clear about why you are meeting resistance and then you are better able to effectively offer counsel that gives them a level of comfort with the life changing decision they are poised to make.
3. Listen and then respond accordingly with facts. With your expertise, you can then give them the comfort to progress. So let them get it all out and then help them to understand why the investment is not only necessary, but also essential for them to solve their problem the right way. Reassure them by highlighting success stories of clients in similar situations to theirs and how working with you made the difference. Remind them of what they said they needed, by using their words. This is why I recommend during all client or prospective client calls, you have a notepad and pen handy. You can then capture their words for their problems and remind them of the level of importance they placed on the problem and that they see you as the solution provider, as evidenced by the conversation you’re having.

When you take the approach of education when they give you resistance, you will gain the client, grow your brand and set yourself up for an amazing success story for having the courage to hold them accountable to what they need to grow to their next level.

(c) 2011 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey is the founder of IncredibleOneEnterprises.com and the creator of the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System®, a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio CD “How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients” visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com.