Claire was a “best-kept secret.”

When she worked her magic on her client’s marketing materials… they began to make tens of thousands,
sometimes several hundred thousand, in extra income.

“So why don’t I have a bigger business?” she sighed.

“I make money for everyone but me!”

Claire was ignoring two big holes in her own business.

1. She wasn’t making clear offers.
2. She wasn’t packaging her offers.

Claire offered teleseminars, workshops, she took personal clients for 8 sessions. She even spoke frequently.

But no one really “got” Claire’s gifts until they worked with her.

And no one “got” that Claire had more than a workshop or a teleseminar to offer.

So why was Claire hiding in the “Offer Closet”?

1. She did not take the time to write an exact, sexy, tantalizing offer for her market.
   (How much time does it take? About an HOUR.)
2. She did not offer packages so that people knew WHAT and HOW to buy from her.
   (How much time does it take to create a package? About an HOUR.)
3. Deep down, Claire did not feel as if she had much more to offer.
4. Deep down, Claire loved what she did so much she would have done it for free, and often did.
5. Deep down, Claire had no idea where she’d find clients who’d pay her what she was worth.

Finally one of her clients told her outright:

“I’d have paid you a thousand a month for a year if you’d only offered a program after your teleseminar.”

The restaurant was open, but Claire wasn’t on the menu.

Here’s what happened when she decided to go for it:

Claire Before:
“I help professionals redefine their marketing so they attract up to twice the business.”

Claire After: 
“Before I worked with Jack, he and his team were doing $2 Million in sales at a Fortune 100. Six months later, they made $10 Million.”

Next, Claire sat down and sketched out 3 programs in which she redesigned her client’s marketing top to bottom.

It took her an hour.

Later that week a prospect called and said, “How do I work with you?”

Claire said, “I have a 3-month program for $11,000, a 6-month program for 17,000, and a 12-month program for $27,000.”

And she described the results he would get in each one – in tantalizing detail.

The man replied, “Wow, I didn’t know it was that much. I want the $27,000 program. I’ll have to take out a loan. When do we start?”

This is a true story.

Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Are you hiding in the Offer Closet?

• Is it crystal clear what amazing results people get when they work with you?
• Have you clearly designed programs for each level of participation?
• Is there a huge program you “could” offer but you think it’s impossible to fill?

What’s stopping you?

Create the offer, create the programs, GET PREPARED, and they will find you.

Why?

Because the whole energy of your business will change.

People will feel it.

And “Luck” happens when Preparation meets Opportunity.

Try it. It works!

Julie was on a call with high-energy professionals, learning how to attract more clients.

When it was her turn, Julie said, “So many professionals, especially women, think they’re not ready to raise their fees, or get bigger in their business. I show them how to get the mind-set and the confidence they need to grow. You can have all the marketing tools, but if you don’t have the mind-set, it won’t be very effective.”

Yada yada yada!   (Bored yet?)

Great idea, but here’s the response she got:

“Julie! You’re in Service Mode! Get out of Service Mode!”

Julie was talking about

1. Her service,
2. The problem,
3. And what she offered.

(Like most of us.)

Julie was not talking about the Transformation – the big Jackpot that her clients paid her for.

If you don’t talk about the Jackpot – the transformation you cause in their lives…

1. They aren’t really listening (they’re pretending)
2. They don’t want what you have… because
3. The Jackpot – that transformation – is the only thing they really want.

Meanwhile you’re hanging out in Service Mode, explaining the terrible problems people have and how you solve them.

You’re not reaching the Old Brain.

You’re not allowing people to Want You.

Remember people only buy what they want… not what they need – no matter how badly they need it.

And this is as true for Facebook, Twitter, and social media as it is face-to-face.

Julie laughed at how easily she was caught in Service Mode and tried again:

“After they work with me, my clients stop making excuses, they get more clients, and they raise their fees.”

But the group would not let her go without giving it her best shot.

“Come on Julie, give us a story!”

And she did.

“At my last workshop, Diana was so burned out she had tears rolling down her face.   Her business was failing because she hated to promote herself. 3 weeks later, she had 9 new clients. 3 months later, she made over $75,000.”

Bingo!

Is that a Jackpot?

Yes!

1. It talks only about Diana’s transformation
2. It’s a nifty emotionally-charged story that zeroes in on the Old Brain.
3. It’s personal enough to identify with. You want what Diana has.

So… WHY DIDN’T JULIE TELL US THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE?!

She was too busy in Service Mode.

We all talk, and even think – in Service Mode. It’s second nature.

We get caught up in explaining Our Service and the Problem and How We Solve It and zzzzzzz……

AND IT KEEPS YOUR PROSPECTS FROM WANTING YOU.

Got it?

If you want to put this to work in your business right now:

1. Think in Jackpot Mode. Don’t think “What do I do?   How can I express it so people really get it?”
2. Instead, start telling wonderful VERY SHORT client stories.   Talk about how your clients feel after they work with you.
3. Give us the Jackpot FIRST, which is what the Old Brain wants and can make an immediate decision on.
4. Then, give us a second Jackpot. Save your service till later.

A multi-million dollar coach began doing this a few years ago with her speeches (you’d know her name in a heartbeat.)

She took out the fancy technical explanations, threw away the how to’s, and began to tell wonderful stories of what happened AFTER people used her product.

Her conversion rates sky-rocketed. She out-sold the guys in the room by a long shot.

The more stories she told, the more mon^ey she made.

There’s a moral here!

When you offer the Jackpot FIRST, your prospects listen with both ears.

1. Service Mode brings you struggle, confusion, and lots of “trying.”
2. Jackpot Mode attracts highly interested, motivated future clients, who want what you’ve got – right now.

CHALLENGE:   For the next 30 days, get out of Service Mode.

Talk and write only about the Jackpot they want, and watch what happens.

Till next time,

Ann

How soon do they Know Like and Trust you?

Jennifer was having a great, flirtatious conversation with Jack, a business colleague.

Their talk was charming and chummy…

Until the next day, when Jen got a formal notice in her inbox introducing Jack’s business partners, and how she could work with each of them.

She never spoke to Jack about business again.

Why?

Jack made a serious mistake in switching from “flirtatious friendship” to “Business collaborator” – way too soon.

Jack had no radar for the fact that Jennifer was not ready for his massive business follow-up.

Jack had steam-rolled over the “know like and trust” factor, not giving Jennifer the time she needed before he tried to sell her.

How long do your prospects have to Know, Like and Trust you?

It could be 10 minutes, 10 days or 10 weeks.

Susie was selling hand-made flutes. She had people ringing her door-bell, saying, “I heard you’ve got these amazing flutes.  How much?”

Susie was at her wit’s end. These were expensive items. If she said, “between $800 and $15,000″

they would have turned around and disappeared.

Susie had just about 10 minutes to build know, like and trust.

So she said, “Oh, everyone wants to actually touch them.  You know they’re considered living relics by the people who made them?  Would you like to see them?  Come on in.”

Susie wanted her visitors to actually see the flutes before they asked the price again.

And when Susie told them the price and they gasped, she laughed and said, “Yes!  That’s exactly what I went through myself! I’d go see these gorgeous flutes and go outside and think, ‘No, Susie, you cannot buy another flute!’

“As you can see, I have 53 flutes.  I lost the argument,” she smiled.  Then she said, “They say the flute chooses the player.  Which flute calls out to you?”

As her visitors picked up the flute, Susie would comment, “Oh, you’ve picked up a birch flute.  Birch is for those who light the way, so others may follow.  It’s also a symbol of renewal.”

Susie was always careful to tell the properties of the flute which had “chosen” them, so they could begin to form a relationship with it.

While her visitor was fingering the flute, Susie said, “Will you excuse me?  I just have 2 emails

to send out.  Be right back.”

She deliberately left her visitor alone with the flute, although she could actually see them in a mirror.

This alone time is crucial.  It allowed her visitors to bond with the beautiful flute which had “chosen them” and was a symbol of renewal.

It allowed her visitor to fall in love with the the flute, without any “interference” from Susie.

By the time Susie came back into the room, her visitors were so in love with their hand-crafted, magical flutes that after a small battle with themselves, many of them paid the $800 or $2500 price tag.

What did Susie do so well to increase her sales?

• She deflected price until they saw the flutes.
• She agreed with them about the terror of spending that much, she’d been through it herself.
• She made the flutes into living beings with special properties.
• She repeated the myth that the flutes “chose” their player, thus building relationship.
• She left her visitors alone – this is crucial – to have personal time with the flute.
• When she returned, she asked how their experience was.
• At no point did she ever try and sell them.

This is a terrific example of someone who has less than 10 minutes to establish know, like and trust, and who did a superb job.

She increased her sales and had much more fun with her clients.

So, Know Like and Trust can be achieved in under 10 minutes.

Without it, no sale will take place.

Til next time.

Ann

Welcome to 2013!

So many of you have told me this year is going to be an exciting ride.

And part of the thrill is being able to attract whatever you want, whenever you want it.

Here’s a clue…

Pretty much everyone I know has a friend like Jenn.

She’s always there to lend a ear.

She seems to have the perfect thought whenever I need it, the exact words I want to know… so I was surprised when Jenn asked ME for advice.

Jenn called me to tell me about her blog post.

“I can’t believe it!”

She said.  “I’ve been knocking my brains out to make this thing interesting for 2 years and I happen to write one post that got more than 2,000 views in 3 days.”

“What did you write?”  I asked.

“Well, it was over the holidays, and I wrote about how I was sitting at a 17^th century desk at the Gritti Palace, drinking champagne from a hand-blown glass flute, watching the gondolas on the Grand Canal.”

I knew where this was going.

“And what were the posts about?”

“Oh Wow!”
“How did you get there?”
“I wish I had your life.”
“I want to be you.”

Jenn was fuming.

“This was just a personal post! Do people really not care about my business posts?”

Yes, they do, but Jenn’s peeps wanted the dream more.

We all do.

The Dream is the reason we buy.
The reason we get married.
The reason we write books,
have children, launch businesses.

Two Types of Dreams.

There are two types of dreams your prospects want badly enough to work with you:

Theirs and Yours.

DREAM #1: Theirs

When you are offering your service, when you are selling someone, they are buying the dream, not your service.

You know this.

They buy Paris, not the plane.

They buy feeling deeply loved, great vacations, re-doing the kitchen, great schools for their kids.

Only to you it looks like they’re buying insurance, time management, relationship skills, or health programs.

Can they feel the dream you’re offering them?

Do you know how to put it into words that will grab them so they can’t let go?

I hope so.

If not, you’re ignoring two of the most powerful forces on the planet: our ancient instinctive “gut” brain, and our hearts.

DREAM #2:   Yours

There is a famous entrepreneur who rose to the top by selling her lifestyle.

Yes, she worked hard, and every post, every email, and every video showed her new beach house, her limo, her yacht, her parties, and her life.

What happened?

Twenty thousand women wanted to BE her.
Sure they wanted to learn from her.
But mostly they wanted her life.
Her following grew by leaps and bounds.

Every time she stashed away a bottle of Dom in the limo for a shopping spree on Rodeo,

she tweeted her fans.

And they signed up in droves.

What were they buying?
Her life.  Her dream.

So where does this leave you?

If you don’t have the rented limo, plane and yacht yet, you can still give us the photos of your trip to Hawaii, your skiing adventures, or your birthday party at Disneyland.

It doesn’t matter if you can’t afford Disneyland.

What matters is that you excite us about your life. So we want to join the party.

(It sound fun, cool, glamorous, or all three.)

Fun activates the ancient limbic system, the emotional brain, and opens the heart.

Fun makes us want to follow you.

Try it.

Do it consistently for 60 days.

And when you offer your real, legitimate service or product that can make their dream come true…

You will find a lot more eager, hungry, happy clients and customers.

What happened to Jenn?

She got over feeling miffed – fast.

She wrote a lot more about the Gritti, Virgin First Class, Canyon Ranch, and the Spa at the Peninsula.

Last I heard, her list had doubled.