Tag Archives: attracting more clients

3 Strategies for Profiting From Your Panic

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

Every entrepreneur has experienced it. Every. Single. One.

I’m talking about fear, also known as panic. It sets you into a tizzy over the thought that you are not enough, don’t have what it takes or are wrong to desire what you desire. We all experience it. But, the strongest entrepreneurs are those who learn how to face the fear head on before the panic prevents profit.

I learned a long time ago that the saying “at every level there’s a new devil,” is the God’s honest truth (pun intended). You see, as you decide to up-level, you send a different vibration into the Universe and that vibration sends more of what you desire your way, sometimes before you believe you are ready for it. And we both know what happens when we feel inadequate or unworthy….fear.

I believe that fear fights every alternative to reality. That’s right, there is no truth in it; yet, if we aren’t careful, fear disguises itself as truth and prevents us from capitalizing on what we do know about ourselves and our goals. So, you have to be careful. As cliché as it sounds, it is true, you do have to feel the fear but do what you’re afraid of anyway. You see, the Universe is infinite. That means that with the measure you use, God brings more to you. I would further argue that the only way to get more is to use what you’ve been given….be it financial resources, gifts and talents or whatever…you have to use it.

Now, as fear would have it, it would have to stop dead in your tracks and run back to the past – the only thing that validates the fear, by the way. You see, fear can only live in the past or in the future. In the present moment, there is no fear because we can always reconnect to what we know to be true for us right now.

95% of all success is based on mindset and mitigating fear, is a mindset issue. I feel that working on your mindset is actually more important than working on your marketing. You see, until your mindset is one that invites abundance, all the marketing in the world won’t grow your business. But there are things you can do right now to help you fight the fear and make more money doing what you love even when you’re afraid:

1. Connect immediately to what is true in your present. As I stated earlier, all fear is either in the past or in the future. There is never fear in the moment. When you are faced with a fear, always immediately connect with what you know to be true right now. This includes who you are, the gifts you possess to help others, how you’ve used those gifts to change lives, what you’ve accomplished that others haven’t, etc. When you begin to recall your success and truths the falsifications of your fears get shut out. Assignment: prepare your “who you are statement” and keep it close so that when you need it, you can move toward it quickly.

2. Reaffirm your reason why. When you’ve taken the time to get clear on why doing the work you do is prevalent to your next level, it makes progressing a little bit easier. A few weeks ago, I suggested via a blog post that you write your “why” story, which is the compelling reason why you are who you are and doing the work that you’ve been called to do. The beautiful thing about a reason why is that it is seldom about us. When fear arrives and it is just about us, we will give up every time, but when it is about the lives of others, we feel a need to suck it up and do what needs to be done so that people get what they need from us. I keep a “why” board in my office and I see it each day as I am working with clients. It sits right in front of my writing desk and I can look at it and realize that this work isn’t about me at all…..

3. Create an “In spite of Fear” Plan. When fear hits, ask yourself, “if I knew I couldn’t fail, how would I accomplish achieving my next level?” Have your pen and paper handy because if you do this right, you will create your action plan to achieving your next level. Planning is one of the most important things you can ever do; the other is take action. It is always easier to take action when you have a written plan. Leaving the results to what’s in your head is not recommended especially because fear has a way of popping into our heads at any given moment.

So, the next time you face panic, follow the three steps above and tell me how it goes.

What else have you done to dodge doubt and fight fear? Share your comments here.

©2012 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, MBA, The Incredible Factor Speaker, Executive 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 building a 6 figure business with more clients, more income and more leverage in record time. 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 more clients, Building a six figure business, Business coach Delaware, Charging what you're worth, darnyelle a. jervey, growing your business, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing systems |

7 Strategies for Improving Your Relationship with Money

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

Relationships. You read the word and one of two things happened: either you have the biggest, brightest smile to cross your face or you rolled your eyes and sucked your teeth in disgust because when you think about a relationship, all you can think about are the bad things.

STOP. What you focus on will always expand. If you focus on how the relationship is doing you wrong and how miserable you are as a result, you’ll only get more of that in your life. And as it spills into your life, you best believe that all areas will be affected…including your money.

Now, before you roll your eyes at me, let me explain. Most people who struggle with money give money more credit and energy then they should. What I mean is they deem money to be everything; the difference between success and failure, life and death. When in actuality, money is just an energy and like all energy, it is neither lost nor destroyed, it is merely transferred from one party to another. So, that means that if you allow bad energy to surround your relationship with money, it prevents a positive transfer from occurring.

A quick exercise….

Now, think about a relationship with someone you love, who supports and edifies you. You know your version of a “ride or die” chick. In case you don’t know what that is, it’s a person who would ride with you through hell in a gasoline car. They love and support you that much. These people care about you and only want the best for you in all situations. They help you to stand taller; they are the wind beneath your wings.

How do you feel when you think about [insert their name]? Write the five positive, life affirming words that you feel and believe when you think of [insert their name].

What are the qualities of [insert their name] that make you smile, feel safe and inspire you to keep moving?

Now, go back to the words you wrote and close your eyes. I want you to imagine that instead of talking about your dear loved one, you are talking about money.

Re-read your five positive, life affirming words and the qualities that make you smile, feel safe and inspire you to keep moving, thinking about this being your relationship with money. Imagine these feelings and safety being about money and not your loved one.

What difference does that make for you? Write your response down.

The first time I did an exercise similar to this, I was at an event of one of my mentors and I can honestly tell you that I felt the shift immediately. And more importantly I felt different about money. I felt like it loved me and wanted me to succeed, just like my other loved ones.

Take a deep breath.

You see, money can be your best friend or worst enemy and the best part, is you get to choose. As soon as you assert a positive, life affirming relationship with money, it begins to respond in a positive, life affirming way. I have seven quick strategies that when implemented with consistency will shift your relationship with money and more importantly allow you to attract more of it in your life and business so that you can serve others and live the desires of your heart. I personally believe that each of us was born to live in abundance. While abundance is not just about money, it certainly does have a key role to play. In order for money to show up and star in your life’s journey, you have to re-write the script it reads from.
Here’s how.

1. Refrain from speaking negatively about the amount of money you now have in your life. This can be a tough one because many people declare being “broke” like they tell their age. Here’s the thing, you are never truly broke. While you may be financially challenged at the moment, you could always find a way to make the money you need for anything you deem important. Let that sink in a minute because you know I’m telling you the truth.

2. Each morning, affirm what you expect from the money that comes into your life. “Money flows easily and effortlessly to me all day long whether I am asleep or awake.” “I am positioned to welcome more money into my life today.” “Money helps me to serve those I’ve been called to serve with my gifts and talents.” “If I have a need for money, I can create opportunities to earn it.”
Record how these affirmations make you feel.

3. Dispel the myths and self-sabotaging beliefs that you’ve had in the past about money. Go back to your childhood and look at the example that was set for you around money. Think about the TV shows you use to watch where being “broke” looked like fun. You know, Good Times, Sanford and Son, Lavern and Shirley. Ask yourself if it’s possible that having money could be as fun as not having money was depicted via the media? How or how so?

4. Read A Happy Pocket Full of Money by David Cameron Gikandi. This book will help you to shift everything you’ve ever thought about money and transform you into believing that you are wealth; you are abundance; you are joy. After your read it all the way through, plan to read it quarterly until you completely shift around how you view money and your relationship with it.

5. Stop your unhealthy money habits. I use to not manage my money because I didn’t want to know what my financial picture looked like. But, as with anything else, if you don’t have a goal and a plan, you will never change your situation. Just like losing weight requires you to change your eating habits, increasing the flow of money in your life requires that you change your spending, etc habits.

6. Track money received on a daily basis. As you know, I believe that what you focus on expands. If you focus on the money entering your life (bank account) you will naturally invite more to come in. and when you receive it, tell God – please send me more so that I can do more of the work you’ve called me to do. As I like to say, focus on the deposits, not the withdrawals.

7. Go to the bank and get a 100 bill and carry it in your wallet at all times. This is a powerful reminder that you are not broke, while you may desire more, you will always have some if you keep it close to remind you. Now, you have to promise not to break it or if you do in an emergency you must replace it as soon as possible.

Using these 7 strategies consistently will undoubtedly up-level your money mindset. Remember, money is just a vehicle, an energy and whenever you need more of it, you already have the tools to bring it into your life. Have a great relationship with money!

If you want help working on your money mindset, join us for Get Paid: How to Package, Price and Successfully Sell Your Incredible Factor. At this event, we dedicate an entire module to up-leveling your money mindset so that you can welcome more of it into your lives. In June 2012, we will be holding this intensive in Newark, DE and Atlanta, GA.

Posted in Blog | Tagged 7 Strategies for Improving Your Relationship with Money, attracting more clients, Building a six figure business, Business coach Delaware, Charging what you're worth, darnyelle a. jervey, growing your business, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing systems, money |

The Lucky 13 Core Components of Your Marketing Message

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

No doubt that if you survey 100 business owners, at least 90% of them would say their biggest challenge is with marketing and more specifically creating a marketing message that converts to new clients. I understand. It is often challenging to conceptualize the entire being of your company in a message that is going to have the greatest impact on the most amount of your ideal clients while being completely authentic and congruent to who you are and want to be seen as in the market place.

To help in this area, I have broken the marketing message concept down into two distinct components – the internal and the external. The internal marketing message is what you prepare in order to get clear about who you are, the problem you solve, the solution you offer and those you’ve designated to solve problems for. It’s like watching the ropes turn in Double Dutch. Before you can jump in the rope and jump, you have to perfect your stance, time and rhythm. Trying to jump in out of beat will throw your entire attempt off and well, your turn will be over quickly. Getting the right rhythm in your marketing is essential to conveying a message that is equally compelling and action focused – meaning the reader of the message is ready to take action to go to the next level with you.

So let’s break it down:

Your Internal Message includes:

The top of mind problem you solve – the best marketing focuses on a top of mind problem that your audience of one is actively seeking a solution to right now.
The results you achieve for your clients – while you may think the steps are important, trust me, your prospects only care about the results.
Your credible factors – what makes you the obvious choice to solve this problem for them. What have you been there, done that and gotten the t-shirt for?
Your USP – USP stands for Unique Selling Propositions and in laymen’s terms, this means how do you stand out from the crowd. Hint: assume everyone offers excellent customer service…what else you got?
Your Why Story – this is why you feel led to do what you do. See the blog about telling your story for details on this one. You want to have a Robert Frost moment; a Change moment and a Harriet Tubman moment…it will make sense when you read the full blog.
Your Signature System– this is your own unique way of solving problems for your clients that yields results every time.

Your External Message includes:

Your Power Statement – a one sentence description of who you help and why. Formulated with I help X do Y so that Z. This is honestly your true 30-second commercial.
Your 30-second commercial – a longer description that includes your USP and motivators that is shared only when they ask to learn more after hearing your power statement or when you have at least 10 minutes to talk about what you do. This is way longer than 30 seconds but for the purposes of name recognition I will call it what you’d call it.
Your tagline – a 7 to 10 word description of what you do that goes on your website and business cards. Hint: it starts with a power/action word.
Your marketing titles/headlines – how you get people to take a second look at your “stuff”. Juicy titles make prospects salivate and trust me, you want them salivating.
Client magnet marketing questions – these are the “lead in” questions that they should answer with a yes. The formula that works – Pain, Pain, Pain, Glimpse of Hope, Expert Lead-In.
Your client magnetic free offer – this is the sample of your work that you offer in one of various forms so that they get to try you before they buy you. As with everything there is a method to the madness and how to choose an offer that will lead to massive results for your business. I will tell you all about it real soon.
Your marketing materials– these are the collateral materials that you hand out or post for others to learn more about you. When your internal message is succinct, the creation of these materials is very easy.

As you can see, there’s a lot that goes into your marketing message to ensure its effectiveness in the marketplace. Over the coming days and weeks, I will break down each of these core components of your marketing message so that you can have a clear indication of what must be present to market your business in a way that keeps your client pipeline full.

For now, take the quiz. How many of them can you describe (as it pertains to your business) in 1-to-3 sentences? This would mean you’re clear, it’s clear so they will be clear enough to take action.

1 to 4 – You need help, NOW!

4 to 7 – so-so, now you’re beginning to think like a marketer

8-10 – you’re closer to making marketing magic than you think

11-14 – get excited, you’re ready to create a marketing message that is magnetic!

5 Simple Steps to Creating an Effective and Personal Marketing Strategy to Attract More of Your Ideal Clients

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

Most entrepreneurs go about attracting clients the wrong way. They focus on doing “stuff” that others tell them they should be doing (or they got off of a free tele-seminar, etc) without understanding the why behind the specific strategy and more importantly, they don’t tailor what others tell them they should do based on what they need or feel is right for their own business. Entrepreneurs think that you can build a strategy that will be effective by piecing several “free” trainings together but that is seldom the case because you usually don’t learn the intricacies of making the strategy work.

Strategy is not for the faint at heart; it takes time, tests and re-adjustments to create effective marketing strategy. Time; because seldom do you get it right the first time, tests; because you must determine which of several strategies are going to appeal to your ideal clients and re-adjustments because you’ve got to be ready to tweak something that can impact the effectiveness of your strategy for the long haul. And you have to know that for each type of client you desire to serve, you need a different marketing strategy because everyone doesn’t resonate or respond to the same types of marketing pieces or strategies.

Okay so first off, let’s not assume that you know what a strategy is. A strategy, according to dictionary.com, is a plan, method or series of maneuvers for obtaining a specific goal or result. What is particularly important to note here is two things: 1. A plan and 2. Specific goal. As I share my five simple steps with you, these two things will come up, I promise.

In order to create an effective strategy using marketing to attract more clients, you first have to know what your goal is and then you have to create the series of maneuvers you will use to achieve the goal. Sounds simple, right? Well let’s take that “simple” and break it down.

1. Clarify your goal. Everything starts with a goal. You should have plenty of them and each goal must be treated as an individual occurrence and formulated accordingly. Why? Because what you have to do to accomplish a goal is specific, not generic so that means the specific steps are going to be orchestrated based off of the end result you are going for. Now, as it pertains to attracting new clients: How many clients are you looking to gain as a result of this marketing strategy? Are you looking to fill your practice? How many clients would it take to achieve your income goal for this year? If you offer different products and services, how many of each client are you looking to attract?

2. Clarify the type of client you are looking to attract. Just like going to a grocery store without a shopping list can be detrimental to your waistline, doing business without a clear “list” of what you desire in a client can be damaging to your business’ bottom line. You must get clear on who they are, what they are struggling with now and what they need to stop the struggle. And most importantly, you must be clear about this for each and every type of client you desire to serve and for every product. In fact, make answering these three questions an important pre-requisite to doing any work in attracting clients or creating products and services.

3. Determine which marketing streams work best for you, which you will use to reach your ideal clients. In my best estimation, there are at least 18 marketing streams that I recommend that my clients and students consider when building a marketing strategy for their business. I’m happy to share my favorites here: speaking, qualified networking, articles, social media, top of mind connections (your e-zine, mailings, etc), interviews via blogs or blog talk radio and video. Of course the streams you choose must resonate with your ideal clients and you; which is why you’ve got to take the time to get crystal clear on who they are, who you are and how you want to serve them. For instance, using video or social media to attract clients that don’t get online is almost useless. Also be clear about what you feel comfortable using. This is a personal marketing strategy, not a cookie cutter one. While I highlight 18, my recommendation is always that my clients select 6 and there are two that I believe are non-negotiable: top of mind connections and article writing. If you select 6 and add the non-negotiable 2, you will have a total of 8 from which to draw each week when you are working on your weekly marketing plan. Yes, you read that correctly you need a marketing plan each week for your business.

4. Create the marketing copy to be used via the marketing streams you select. Only after you’re crystal clear on your goals, client prospects and the marketing streams that will offer you the best results, can you create your marketing copy. And remember, there are two components to every marketing message – your internal message (which is what you prepare before you share your message – it’s kind of like your runner’s stance before you hear “go”) and your external message – (which is what you actually say in the marketplace verbally or in writing. Once you have created the copy that focuses on their problems, (problem-based copy stands out more because those who are in pain know it and are actively looking for a pain-killer) you’re almost ready to attract some clients.

5. Create your implementation plan. Strategy plus implementation plus accountability is what leads to new clients. If you don’t take action, creating a strategy was a big waste of your time, energy and resources. But if you want to welcome new clients, you’ve got to take inspired, consistent action. That means you must perform tasks each day that lead you closer to completing your goal. When you are new to business or find yourself needing more clients fast, you should focus on one thing: strategic marketing to attract clients. I say strategic because all strategy comes with an implementation or action plan. Your implementation plan includes the what, when, where, how and why of your marketing. What steps will you take to get this into the hands of your clients? What are you going to say? When will you share it? When will you make your offer? Where is it going to be available? How are you going to say it? How often after you going to share it? Why will they care about it? Implementation is the key so you should be creating a timeline of what and when things will be released and/or completed.

Posted in Blog | Tagged attracting more clients, Building a six figure business, Business coach Delaware, Charging what you're worth, darnyelle a. jervey, effective marketing strategies, growing your business, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing Strategies, Marketing systems |

How to Manage the Balancing Act of Entrepreneurship

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

Most entrepreneurs wear multiple hats in their businesses. Most have a “hustle” mentality and in their desire to hustle, they miss the most important mark. I became an entrepreneur because I truly believe that in order for me to serve the world using my gifts and talents I had to be free, not stuck behind someone else’s desk. But, I almost missed the mark too; by not finding a way to balance my desire to “play big” with my demand to live a life worth celebrating in every way. You see, often as entrepreneurs in order to have a thriving business our health or other areas of our lives suffer.

It’s happened to me. BUT it won’t anymore. I stopped trying to be “super” entrepreneur and decided instead to work smarter and find balance.

There is an ongoing debate about balance….you know, does it really exist? I look forward to hearing your point of view.

When I took on the task of entrepreneurship, I knew that I was going to have to manage many things – notice I didn’t say multi-task….you do realize that you really can’t multi-task because nothing gets done. But, you can create balance so that you get done what must be done to advance your business, serve your clients and increase your market share.

This week, my rant is all about my own journey, seeking balance. I learned last year that if I wanted to grow my business, I had to put down a few of the balls I had in the air in the name of delegation, so my tip for you this week is to realize that you get balance when you stop having to be the one in control at all times. Now, trust me, there are many places where I seek balance – like the variance between those who need my help and those who can afford to invest in my services or those who want me to speak for free and those who value my professional status, and don’t even get me started about the balance needed to run a six figure business….needless to say, you can’t do all things well so you have to learn how to manage the balance….

Do you realize that control is the arch nemesis to abundance? How can you experience the freedom that comes along with the flow of knowing that you are doing what you were called to do if you must be in control? The quick answer, you can’t.

In an effort to find your balance, here are my recommendations:

1. Create a vision - when you’re clear on what you see, it is much easier to implement. Taking the time to create your vision is essential to balancing the demands of entrepreneurship. My recommendation is that you find some quiet time, about 20 minutes a day and during that time, sit quietly and see yourself managing the achievement of all your goals. Did you catch that….managing the achievement – this is a key to getting balance.

2. Create a plan that implements your vision – once the vision is set, it’s time to get it on paper, via a plan that has concrete steps and strategies to be implemented so that the vision becomes a reality in your life and business. Your plan should be a detailed road map, outlining which steps to take and how to manage the detours that may happen along your journey.

3. Solicit assistance – a true entrepreneur does not try to do it all – they solicit assistance to help complete tasks that are out of their realm of expertise. When a plan has been laid out correctly, it will be easy to determine who you need to enact a strategy and ensure its completion.

4. Enact boundaries – setting boundaries is a fundamental strategy to getting balance in your business. If expectations are not clear and tasks are not assigned according to skill sets, it makes it much more challenging to ensure the vision you’ve laid out will become a reality. Those boundaries that you set are your own personal boundaries as well as those of others to ensure that the vision is not offset and ultimately abandoned.

5. Review your plan – periodically, a review of your plan is necessary to ensure that balance is happening. Is an adjustment necessary? Do you need to enlist new assistants? *Please note that the review, in my recommendation should minimally occur on a quarterly basis.

Posted in Blog | Tagged attracting more clients, Building a six figure business, Business coach Delaware, Charging what you're worth, darnyelle a. jervey, entrepreneurs, growing your business, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing systems |

How to Use Your Story to Attract More Paying Clients

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

People love stories. More importantly, people love to hear stories of triumph and perseverance. And furthermore, people love to hear stories that they resonate with that give them hope that their struggles will soon end. As an entrepreneur, you no doubt have a story, a powerful story to tell. I am often asked by entrepreneurs two questions when it relates to telling their story:

How much do I have to share?
How do I share it in a way that will lead to more paying clients for my business?

Both are excellent questions and both are important to the overall trajectory of your business revenue. You see, people like to buy from those they know, like, trust and believe can solve their problem. One sure-fire way to get people to know, like, trust and believe in your ability to help them, is to tell them your story.

I always share this caveat here. You only need to tell the part of the story that is congruent to the end result they want to experience. Period. If there is a part of your history that has nothing to do with why you can help them solve their problem, you don’t need to tell it.

Go ahead, take a deep breath. I know I just liberated many of you.

The thing is this; you want for people to understand that you know what they’re going through right now because you’ve been there, done that and gotten the t-shirt. When they feel like you “get it,” you will get “it”, and “it” in the last case is their business.

People like to know that everyday people just like them figured out the magic little secret that will lead to the biggest breakthrough they’ve ever experienced in their life. And how, do you ask, do you help them to see you as that person?

I’d like to introduce you to something I like to call the “Why Story.” I didn’t originate this concept, I must admit, I first learned of it when I was in Mary Kay Cosmetics. In Mary Kay, your “I” story was designed to help others understand why you started your Mary Kay business.

While I am no longer in Mary Kay, I loved the concept so much that I made some important tweaks and now apply it to my marketing message for my business and what I show my clients how to create so they can enjoy the same result. At the end of the day, your goal is to get “me, toos” from your prospective clients. You want them to identify with you so strongly that they say, “oh my goodness, me too!” And more importantly they say, ‘If she is just like me and she used to struggle with what I struggle with now and she got out of it, then I know she can help me get out of it, too.”

And that, Incredible One, is the golden ticket.

So, while this story still answers the question about why you decided to start the business you now run, it more importantly helps to ensure that you generate the “me, toos” from the audience. Your “Why Story” in my newly created form includes three (3) components:

Your Robert Frost Moment
Your Moment of Change
Your Harriet Tubman Moment

Your Robert Frost Moment – In his poem, The Road Less Travelled, Robert Frost discusses a crossroad of sorts. Many of us, including you, have found ourselves at a similar crossroad. Usually it is the choice we make at this crossroad that becomes a defining moment for our lives and businesses. What is that moment for you? How did you recognize it? How did you decide which way to go? What happened that made you take the first step toward change?

Your Moment of Change – after starting in the direction of that less travelled road, what was it that created the need to change and follow the steps it would take to complete the cycle of change? How can you relate the work that you now do to that all important change?

Your Harriet Tubman Moment – Upon getting to the other side [solving your own problem], why did you decide to go back to help others? All of us, once we get a taste of “freedom” desire to help others experience it as well. When did that moment happen for you in the timeline of your business? How did you know it was time to tell others? Did you formulate the steps you took into any proprietary system? Did you test your theory and get some success stories?

When you create your “Why Story” to include these three elements, you will produce an authentic and compelling reason why you are the expert you claim to be and that when paired with an incredible follow up strategy will add more ideal prospects to your sales funnel and ultimately to your business.

Happy Story Telling!!!

©2012 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, MBA, The Incredible Factor Speaker, Business Coach and Mentor, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for helping entrepreneurs create a 6 figure business in record time. 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, Darnyelle Speaks | Tagged attracting ideal clients, attracting more clients, attracting paying clients, Building a six figure business, Business coach Delaware, Charging what you're worth, growing your business, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing systems |

No I Don’t Offer Discounts – Strategies for Detracting Non-Ideal Clients

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

One of the common challenges that business owners face is getting past those I like to affectionately call “Pookie.” Pookie, quite simply, is anyone you know who is a non-ideal client. Hint: If they come into the business relationship expecting a discount or a hook up, they’re a Pookie. If they haggle with you on the price or make you a counter offer for your valuable product or service, they’re a Pookie. Call them what they are and be honest with yourself because we both know you don’t really want to work with anyone who doesn’t value the contribution you’re making to solve their problem, right?

You see, when you’re just getting started in your business, or you don’t have the confidence to charge what you’re worth based on the problems you solve for your ideal clients, for the sake of having some business, business owners will make concessions and discount their products and services just so they can make some money.

DON’T DO THIS! You see, once you “hook” Pookie up with a discount, you immediately de-value your services. It doesn’t matter what you try to say later, all Pookie can think of is that he/she once got it for much less than its value and that is not the way to grow a business.

Can we be clear, as an entrepreneur, you solve problems for ideal clients for profit. Period.

As a business coach, I am always uneasy when I hear business owners try to justify why they are not charging what they’re worth. Now, in defense of those who don’t know any better, I am talking to those who are clear on what they should be charging much more than they charge but because of fear, they don’t charge it. You know who you are. You see, they believe that people won’t pay their rates. And, you know what, they’re right. If you don’t believe the price is worth the product or service and expertise you offer, neither will they.

It’s sad really. I have spoken to countless audiences filled with business owners trapped in what I like to call the “but something is better than nothing” syndrome. (In full transparency, I will admit that there are a few times when discounting your products and services is acceptable, BUT more than likely, business owners are not discounting to reduce inventory on products that are collecting dust, instead they are fear-based pricing their offerings because they lack belief that they are worth more.)

People get their knickers in a knot when it comes to pricing their products and services based on the value because the product or service solves a major problem for their ideal clients. Even when value pricing your products and services, you still need to know what you must make to make performing the service worth it to you. For example, if your overhead to do a job is $5,000 and you know that you want to make a profit of 15% per job, your base line price, before you add in any of the valuable service additions you offer should be $5,750. So pricing the proposal at $4,500 so that you get the job is scarcity mindset based and even if you win, you’re energy is going to be so low that you won’t perform the job based on the level of excellence you want to be known for. As you can see, it’s a vicious cycle.

Instead, I recommend getting crystal clear on your ideal client. One who truly sees you as the solution to their ongoing pain-filled problem. One that they are ready to pay whatever it costs to fix once and for all. This is hard for most business owners, in fact identifying your ideal client is one of the hardest, most misunderstood concepts in business. But it is also one of the most essential.

After you get clear on your ideal client, get clear on the top-of-mind, specific problem that they are ready to pay to solve. The bottom line is this, if the problem isn’t keeping them up at night, they may not be ready to pay for a solution or they may be looking for a cheap fix. Well, if your products and services are a Mercedes Benz, you can’t go hanging around people who love to drive a Kia.

Next, determine the right price that an ideal client with the specific problem that you solve would have to invest in order to take possession of the product or service about which they are inquiring. Be sure to be clear on what it takes in your time plus sub-contractors to do the work and include any overhead or other applicable expenses to completing the work. Be sure that when you look at the number, you feel good about it too.

Lastly, create marketing that lets them know that you know who they are (because you got clear on who they need to be to invest in your products and services right now) and you know their top of mind, specific problem (because you focused on what they need and want not what you think they need and want.) If you create your marketing the correct way, they will come to you.

If your marketing is problem based and speaking to the right audience, you will find yourself saying, “No, I don’t offer discounts” seldom. Now, you may opt to incent your prospect to seal the deal. An incentive is applied after knowing the true value of the product or service and is designed to reward the purchaser for making a “right now” decision. Incentives do not last forever; they usually have an expiration date of 24-48 hours. Think about Macy’s and their one day sales. This is an incentive that they offer to their best customers to save periodically on their merchandise. A one day sale happens on one day, with a bonus preview day to get the savings but if you happen into a Macy’s once the one day sale has passed, you’re out of luck. The merchandise was fully valuable even during the one day sale, but to reward loyal shoppers they offer this incentive for a short period of time.

How can you apply a similar concept to your business? Write your thoughts down.

How will applying these strategies to your business help you to have to stop saying, “No, I don’t offer discounts?” I can’t wait to hear your comments.

©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 ideal clients, attracting more clients, Building a six figure business, Business coach Delaware, Charging what you're worth, darnyelle a. jervey, growing your business, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing systems |

5 Strategies for Handling Business Detours

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

When you become an entrepreneur, part of you knows that it’s going to be a long journey toward achieving your business goals. You start the journey by conducting some market research and write your business plan, which includes taking the time to get clear on your ideal client, which helps you to start making some money and before you know it, things are going according to plan. You’re feeling good, cruising along, and making strides towards your journey, slow and steady. And then all of a sudden you hit construction and the orange and black signs get closer and closer and before you know it, you’re taking a road you weren’t expecting and it’s got you a little fearful.

Sound familiar?

As an entrepreneur, trust me I have been there and I know exactly how you feel. What I learned four years ago as I was starting my business is that sometimes the detour is for your good. In my case, an opportunity presented itself that would supplement my business, while giving me some great experience and allowing me to exercise my expertise to prefabricated audiences. Now, at first when the opportunity showed up, my ego was bruised and concerned that it would take me too far off my path. But quite the opposite happened. I realize today, four years later, that the detour is actually a big part of the reason that my business is widely successful. You see, along my detour, I met some strategic partners who now help to support Incredible One by referring clients, suggesting me for speaking engagements and hiring me consistently.

You see, while a detour is designed to provide an alternate route, you still get to arrive at your original destination usually a little bit more relaxed and better prepared for what’s waiting for you. Perhaps you’ve experienced or are currently on a detour. If so, be grateful for the detour and look for all that you are to gain as you take a fresh approach to achieving your goals. At this time, I recommend that you assess your situation by asking yourself:

What is this detour sparing me from?

What would have happened if I stayed on the original course?

What can I learn to grow my business during this detour?

As you prepare to maximize your detour, here are five strategies to aid your journey:

1. Believe that the detour is for your good. In faith, believe that the detour has arisen because you need to avoid some congestion or better still some confusion that would prevent you from unleashing your Incredible Factor in the best way for your message.

2. Reflect on what about your journey needed modification. Take the time to steal away from the day to day and focus on what you must modify so that you arrive on time to your business growth.

3. Revisit the map (your business plan) while you are driving along the new route. IS your initial vision still the same? Have you shifted your ideal client? Are you offering the same or different products and services? What in your business plan needs to be updated to reflect your current operations?

4. Do you have an operations manual? If so, this is a great time to update it to reflect new processes and procedures followed by your company to offer amazing customer service to your clients. Don’t have one? Now is the time to start one. Once you get back on the main road, traffic will be moving fast and you will need to bring on assistants to help you finish the journey. Having an operations manual will make it easy for them to get up to speed.

5. Need a pit stop? Perhaps this is a good time to stop for a few minutes and reenergize your business’s most precious resource…you. When was the last time you took a vacation? Even when your business is not yielding the finances to allow you to go away, you can get away from your business for a few days and tend to your needs so that you will be fit to continue the rest of the drive.

What do you think is necessary to do when you’re on a business detour? Share your thoughts here.

Happy travelling the best part of your journey is yet to come

©2012 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and 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 download “How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients” visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com

Posted in Darnyelle Speaks | Tagged achieving your goals, attracting more clients, Building a six figure business, Business coach Delaware, Charging what you're worth, darnyelle a. jervey, entrepreneurs, goals, growing your business, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing systems |

How to Focus on Top-of-Mind Problems of Your Ideal Clients–Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

As a business coach and marketing mentor, there is ONE strategy that I share at least once a day with my clients: The Universal Law of Business. This law, which is a core principle in my Client Magnet Marketing Success Formula, states “Find a group of people who have the problem that you solve and that are ready right now to pay for a solution to the problem.” Where most entrepreneurs go wrong is that they don’t focus ENOUGH on the problem that their ideal clients, what I call your audience of one, have. Or, they don’t ensure that the problem is one they would be willing to pay for a solution to. Either way, if you don’t focus on THE problem, you are not going to be in business very long.

Instead, the average business owner turned marketer focuses on the solutions they offer. And more importantly, the benefits and features of that solution. The problem with that strategy? Most consumers are so consumed with the problem, that they don’t recognize the solution when they see or hear it. Which means no traction for your marketing in the crowded marketplace.

My recommendation is to instead focus on the problem, the first and most pressing top-of-mind problem, of your ideal clients. Why? Because this problem, the top-of-mind one, is keeping them awake at night and they are in so much pain that when you market to it, they will pay top-dollar for you to stop it. Because they are conscious about this problem, and it’s all they think about when they finally see marketing that is focused on it, they start to feel relief.

Period. Sounds simple, doesn’t? It is simple, unfortunately, for most entrepreneurs it is very challenging. When you’re an expert, it is difficult to see past what you know and as a result you focus on what you believe they need instead – a solution. While that is true, focusing on the solution in your marketing is the last thing that will get their attention and allow them to see you as their problem solver. You see, when you think solution, you naturally think full throttle and robust complete solution to EVERY problem they could possibly have.

Don’t do this. Focus on only the top-of-mind problem until it’s solved. Every problem once solved creates a new problem. So, if you position your marketing correctly, you will be solving their problems for life and that is exactly where you want to be.

One of the best strategies you can implement to help you with this “I can help them solve them all” syndrome, is to focus on the top-of-mind problem first.

Ask yourself, what is the first, top-of-mind problem of my ideal client? Now, in order to answer this question succinctly, you’re going to have to have created a detailed client profile. Assuming this has been the case and you know exactly what ails them, what is that first, top-of-mind problem? Write the answer down.

Next, ask yourself, how do I know that THIS is their first, top-of-mind problem? You want to be sure to validate your thoughts by asking some of your ideal clients to make sure you’re on the right page and not busy creating what you think they want again. This is important so that you don’t waste valuable time on creating solutions that they aren’t yet looking for.

Then, ask yourself what can I provide them that will offer a complete solution to this first, top-of-mind problem? Write the answers down. Brainstorm, you want to list out every possible way that you can provide them a complete solution to this one, top-of-mind problem. This is the first product/service/program you must offer to your ideal clients.

Next, ask yourself, how will I know that this solution is what they needed to their first, top-of-mind problem? Your goal here is for your response to be focused on getting client testimonials about the value gained in having you solve their problem. You want to find out how solving THIS problem will make a difference in their life. You want to evoke emotion on this one.

Once you get that answer, you can move on to the next problem and answer the questions above again as needed until you have created a progression of problem-solving products and services for your ideal client. This progression will become the body of your work.

Keep in mind that the top-of-mind problem more than likely will be in one of the following five categories: health, identity, wealth, relationships and life balance. If your products and services don’t fall into one of these five, it is quite possible that your problem is getting clear on how to apply the universal law of business to your business.

To learn more about how to create client magnetic marketing, visit Incredible One Enterprises where you can learn about our upcoming event, Client Magnet Marketing Secrets.

Don’t Ignore the Warning Signs–Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

Questions to answer this week:

Am I clear on my audience of one? Who are they?
How often do I send a content rich marketing communication to my list?
How often do I go out to network where my ideal clients are present?
When I do network, what is my follow up strategy? Is it effective?
How often do I write an article that highlights a problem that my ideal clients has?
How many hours each day am I marketing? Are the results measurable? How can I begin to track the results of my marketing so that I can be clear of the impact my marketing is making?
How is social media working for me? Am I meeting new prospects or tire kickers? What can I do to meet more people who are ready to hire me?
Do I get new leads into my office each week?

If as you answer these questions for yourself, you feel like you need assistance in creating an effective marketing plan and understanding how to create magnetic marketing, I invite you to join us on at Client Magnet Marketing Secrets LIVE happening April 23-25, 2012. IF you act NOW, you can save $1,000 off your tuition. Visit www.cmms2012.com for details and to secure your spot.