How many hours have you spent this week with prospective clients who are great at draining your time and energy but can't seem to find the money or desire to hire you? I've had my weeks when the number is larger than I'd like to admit. Consequently, several years ago I implemented one strategy that has been my secret weapon in my client cultivation process -- I use my web site to disqualify as many prospects as I can.
You may be saying, "What kind of addle-brained strategy is that, anyway?" Simply put, I don't want to work with everyone, as everyone is not my ideal client nor in my target market. A business owner who belonged to the same networking group to which I once belonged was completely flummoxed by what he read on my site. He told me that he had never visited a site in which someone very clearly stated who she was, what she does, and with whom she works. Of course, he thought I was very foolish to be so rigid and turn away clients and "leave money on the table." I confidently told him that I didn't mind leaving money on the table, as there was more than enough to go around. He didn't get it then, and probably doesn't to this day.
Deciding to use your website to disqualify prospects is a very liberating experience. Without a doubt, it shows the world that you know and understand your target market, and that target market feels right at home when visiting your site. Those who don't feel at home leave and find another provider who is a better fit for them. When you disqualify prospects, you:
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eliminate the tire kickers who have no intention of ever hiring you;
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create customers who call and say, "When can we get started?" rather than have to be sold on the merits of your service; and
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decrease the number of information collectors who only want to take your time and energy and, and when they have sucked you dry, move on to the next victim.
To best disqualify prospects, I believe that full transparency about your
business is key. When a prospect visits your website, she should fully
understand all that there is to know about doing business with you, and have no
questions about how you work with clients. Here are 8 pieces of information that
you can include on your website to make doing business with you as seamless,
transparent, and easy as possible:
1. Target market. Who comprises your target market? What gender are they? Where
do they live? How old are they? How much money do they make? What do they do for
a living? Where do they hang out on- and offline? To what civic and professional
groups do they belong? Use as many adjectives as you can brainstorm to describe
them. If you can actually visualize this group of people in your head (and
personally know people who fit this description), then you've got an accurate
portrait of your target market. Describe your target market in enough detail on
your site so that members of your target market recognize themselves when they
arrive at your website.
2. Ideal client. What are the characteristics of the clients with whom you most
enjoy working? What are their beliefs? What values do they hold dear? What
industries are they in? What are the traits and qualities of great
colleagues/bosses/friends that made them enjoyable to work with or be around?
Are there foundational issues that need to be in place before someone is ready
to work with you? Sometimes it's easiest to generate this list by thinking of
the traits of your nightmare clients. This strategy isn't always foolproof, as
many prospects can't objectively judge themselves (i.e. they refer to themselves
as "totally involved" in a project when most people might experience that as
"micromanaging").
3. Know their problems. What keeps your clients up at night and causes them
great anxiety and stress? What are the reasons that they seek your assistance?
If you need to get a better understanding of the problems of your target market,
set up 30-minute interviews over coffee or over the phone with people who fit
your ideal client profile and ask them a series of questions about things you
want to know more about that will give you insight into their daily lives. Or,
join in and participate in their online discussion lists, forums. or blogs and
research the kinds of questions being posted. On your website, convey that you
fully understand their struggles and difficulties and have walked in their
shoes.
4. Solution to their problems. Once a visitor understands that you work with
others like him who struggle with same types of issues, that visitor wants to
know how you can help him solve his problems. Do you have a process, method,
program, or strategy? Is that solution delivered via information products, a
consulting contract, a service call, or a service purchase? Do you offer various
ways at varied price points to help your target market solve their problems?
5. Demonstration of your expertise. Prospects want to know that you've
successfully helped others like them. Scatter client testimonials throughout
your site, or post case studies or before-and-after scenarios to show how you
helped others in this target market successfully solve a particular problem.
Information-rich content also serves to help you demonstrate your expertise, so
don't be timid about telling your visitors what you know by posting articles you
have written that showcase your knowledge. Don't be afraid to give away your
knowledge -- 95% of your visitors won't be able to do it on their own, and
you'll be the top-of-mind pick when they are ready to take action.
6. Post prices. Don't assume your visitors will want to call you to discover
what you charge. If there are no prices listed, many will leave and go to
another site where fees are listed. Post your fees on your website so that
prospects can tell if they are easily able to afford what you charge.
Conventional marketing strategy says that you should have a conversation with
prospects and demonstrate your value before you talk price. I think that's
hogwash, and quite frankly, I don't have the time to have these conversations.
Use your website to give your prospects a clear idea of what it's going to cost
them to hire you or buy from you.
7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Are there questions you answer time and
time again? Instead of taking your valuable time to do this, create a FAQ page
on your site that answers these commonly-asked questions, and provide a contact
form for other questions that someone might have.
8. Barriers to enrollment. If you offer a consulting-type service, you may offer
a comp consultation to prospects who are interested in hiring you. Many times
this session simply turns into a "brain drain" session, and the prospect is
there only for what he can get without paying from you. Make sure that your
prospect is serious about taking action by making him take some action in order
to speak with you. You might require him to complete an online assessment or
survey before you agree to speak with him. A fellow business coach requires
prospective consulting clients to show up with a check for $1000-$5000 and
business plans, marketing plans, financial documents and every other document
that is relevant to the project they are discussing. The prospects who balk at
this are immediately disqualified, and the coach moves on to the next prospect.
Don't let the task of qualifying prospects drain you of your time and energy. As
a service business owner, your time is your greatest asset. Use your website to
your advantage and screen out all of those prospects who are not qualified
prospects.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: Introvert Marketing Coach Donna Gunter helps professional service businesses stop the client chase and create online businesses that drive clients to them. Want to learn specific Internet marketing strategies that get results for introverts? Discover how to increase your online visibility in this free ecourse, Introvert Marketing Toolkit: 9 Strategies to Make a BOLD Impression Online, at ==> http://www.IntrovertMarketingToolkit.com






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