by Ann Evanston | Dec 11, 2014 | Business Strategy, Speaking Strategy
In the Mastermind I frequently talk about the importance of knowing your potential customers’ problems and helping them think and talk about them. This is often a struggle but it’s vital for building the compelling language you need in order to get them to buy.
The reason this is so critically important is that the majority of the time people don’t know they need you. How many times have you been out having a conversation with somebody and in the back of your mind you were thinking: “Wow do they need what I do!” Then you dive into telling them what you do, telling them how it can help them, and nothing happens.
That’s because they don’t know they need you. And this, honestly, is the majority of the people out there. So often when you want to sell more, you have to be able to tap into how they talk about what their problems are versus how you expertly share your knowledge.
The challenge is really twofold.
First you must know who your market is. If you don’t know who they are then it’s difficult for you to find out what they talk about, what their concerns are, and the language they would use to describe those issues. It is difficult to ask them what they worry about. And you will find you start getting generic, and generic isn’t compelling.
And second, you have to be willing to listen to what they’re saying. It’s so easy to go out and network and hear somebody talking, and all you were thinking about is “boy do they need me!” instead of truly listening to the language and words they use. Next time you are with that person, that you surly knows NEEDS YOU, practice Habit #5 of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Seek First to Understand, then Be Understood. Heck, really listen to THEIR words!
So spend time clarifying who it is you serve, and then listen to them. In person and online! There are plenty of ways to find the words and language that they use in their lives that will help you sell more of what you do. In my MasterMind, COMPEL. Speak Sell, we work together to make this happen. Linda Patten, a MasterMind member said: “concentrated time on words that powerfully position your message was a true breakthrough for me.”
Are you ready to transform your language to be compelling to your buyers, and more importantly POTENTIAL buyers?
by Ann Evanston | Dec 8, 2014 | Influence Factor
Be a seeker, not a wanderer, by knowing the path you want to take
If you enjoyed this video blog, can you do me a HUGE favor? Will you please share it on Facebook or twitter? That is how we spread the entrepreneur love! Thank you!
by Ann Evanston | Dec 4, 2014 | Business Strategy
I remember an epiphany I had that solved my constant struggle with content strategy. Let’s face it, in this day and age, content rules! It is critical if you want:
- to get visible,
- to sell more,
- to get more speaking engagements,
- to build your list,
- and close more clients.
Bottom line, you have to have great content.
I can remember sitting at my computer or with a notepad, struggling with “what” to share. So let me share my epiphany that helped me overcome the struggle.
First and most important, I work so hard with all my clients to understand this…. you’ve got to build your Bad-Assery Branded Resource© (BBR). Your BBR becomes the way you build content. I found that when I was able to focus on the steps in my program, when I stopped the limiting belief that “every client is unique” and ORGANIZED my KNOWLEDGE (step 2 in my MasterMind) it was easier. This allowed me to really think about all the things I want to teach a paying customer, more and more ideas and content just kept coming to mind.
This brings up a second important point. When developing content for marketing: blogs, your list, once they opt in, a speaking engagement, social media…WHEREVER and HOWEVER you market….start first with your clients. If you prioritize the people who already pay you, and what they say they need from you, you should be able to come up with endless amounts of content!
Of course, when marketing you want to reuse and repurpose everything you have. Once you write stuff for your paying customers, then you can tweak it and turned it into a marketing and sales strategy. Learn to apply this (it is BRILLANT) strategy that will save you so much time, and is REALLY simple to do!
In my 30 Days to Confident Content Creation program I show you every day how you can take 30 minutes, and continue to build enough content to use everywhere you need it. It really is that simple to become a content generating MACHINE!
by Ann Evanston | Dec 1, 2014 | Influence Factor
Find the things that make you happy first.
If you enjoyed this video blog, can you do me a HUGE favor? Will you please share it on Facebook or twitter? That is how we spread the entrepreneur love! Thank you!
by Ann Evanston | Nov 26, 2014 | MasterMind, Mental Mind Shifts
Once a month, I run a Meetup that is focused on women entrepreneurs. It is a special place, because we “MasterMind”. (I LOVE MasterMind, you know that correct?!) There are two different events, one based more on your work and the other based more on the person you are. I personally think they are deply connected.
I intuitively channel a question for the group, and sometimes I am compelled to write about the topic of the Meetup. At Women Wine and Wisdom, I asked a specific personal question that we each answer in the room. The question was “what is your shadow, the demon voice that you deal with in your life?” Answers ranged greatly from; control, perfectionism, understanding and knowing their value, not seeing their value, being lazy, to having a mean voice! Each woman shared about her shadow, that voice in her head and her she battle with it in her life and success.
At the end of Mastermind round I ask women; what did they notice about the answers? What did they take away from it? Sometimes that’s too deep of a question right in that moment! We really get REAL and RAW and share in a special way (not a place for people who like to fake PERFECT!) Usually I have something compelling and powerful to say…this time I didn’t.
I woke up the next day realizing there was something quite amazing in the discussion.
What I realized is that if we don’t learn to embrace our shadows we actually struggle more in life. It isn’t about making them go away it’s about learning how to know utilize, understand, and embrace them.
For me this is absolutely true. Do you embrace the shadow, the dark, demon side of yourself? Or ignore it?
