The “M” Word – what’s up with that?
Posted by Melody Campbell on September 15, 2009 · 2 Comments
I have become increasingly aware that there a many coaches that hate the “m” word. You know
The "M" Word, image credit Melody Campbell
I don’t get it – well I sort of get it because I used to feel the same way. What I have learned is that nothing significant will happen for your business without continuous marketing.
The problem is that many people think of marketing as “hype”, which is defined as exaggerated or extravagant claims made especially in advertising or promotional material, or something deliberately misleading: a deception.
Do you equate the M word with the H word? image credit Melody Campbell
The truth is that not all marketing is hype (exaggerated, extravagant claims, or deception). Let me share a fresh “coach friendly perspective” about marketing.
Your marketing messages should
- demonstrate the clarity you have as a coach for them & their needs. This helps to build trust. People tend to trust people that identify with them.
- engage your ideal client in their emotions around that clearly defined need. Every buying decision starts with emotions and is supported by logic or facts.
- get your ideal client to imagine themselves within your solution and enjoying the benefits. The value of your solution must exceed the prospects need to hold on to their wealth. Your ideal client will part with their wealth (money) if they will increase their wealth (value in some other area of their life) in another form by acquiring your product or service.
- guide your ideal prospect to take action
If you do the above well you will create “harmonic resonance” which will provide a buying environment for your ideal prospect to become a client now or at some time in the future.
You are doing your prospects a disservice by not taking the time to understand what they need to create a buying environment for them to choose you to provide a solution.
Somebody needs what you offer – it’s up to you to discover how they want to buy it and help them make the match.
Consider this – you can have two different coaches with similar sales pages for a program that both make similar claims – for the one coach, every word could be an exaggerated lie – that is hype. For the other coach every single word, and emotionally engaging sentence can be 100% true – that is marketing – creating a buying environment – helping your prospect get “in state” with their problem and your solution so that they are motivated to make a choice.
The conflict in marketing is when something is out of harmony on some level. The disharmony could come from exaggerated claims or not enough proof such as testimonials in the copy – or the disharmony could be the simple discomfort of the client’s inability to take action because of lack of funds. There are times that the prospect can see how parting with their money to acquire the product or service would be a good thing but does not have access to the funds required and does not know how to find the money to invest in the product or service – so it is easier to call the marketing “hype” because it is out of reach.
Would love to hear what you think about this. Do you agree or not? If not, why.
![[Post to Twitter]](http://thesmallbusinessguru.com/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter.png){kind=icon}
Sign up for 6 Week "Virtual Buzz Business Building eCourse for Coaches, Speakers & Authors. Lays out a simple plan to harness the power of online marketing to build Your coaching business, create passive streams of income, book more speaking events, and sell more books.
Related posts:
Yes I do agree with the above. On a couple of different points.
First, you have to market in order to put yourself out there where the ideal client can even find you.
Second, even if someone can you but your not really marketing yourself, then how are you going to make money to keep doing what you love and keep helping them? You’re not.
Third, you have to deliver content that is valuable to the client in order to build trust, no one would want to work with you if they do not first, trust you.
Fourth, once you are delivering great valuable content those that resonate with you will show up.
Fifth, if the client does not have the means by which to obtain your serves, then they are not the client you are looking, don’t worry about it. That very same client may come back to at a later time if they like what you have to offer and how you presenting yourself.
Hey, Melody—You are sing my song again!
)
When I started my illustration business 15 years ago, I immediately discovered I didn’t want to market myself. Turns out, I had equated “M” with sleazy, slimy sales tactics. Then, I read a great book called, “Marketing Your Services”, that explained “M” is really “E”—that’s E for Education. You are educating people on 1.) What you offer, 2.) How you are different from others, 3.) Who YOU are and why they might enjoy working with you, 4.) and, of course, the incredible value you offer.
On the latter point, I needed to do a lot of inner work at the time to see VALUE in myself and my services. When I stopped feeling like I needed to beg to get clients, my energy shifted, and the clients showed up out of the woodwork! So, get clear about the value you offer and know that even before you went into business, clients who wanted your service started lining up and taking numbers.
)
Many blessings,
Nancy
@AffirmingSpirit