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Today I was browsing through some discussion topics in an online group I belong to, and came across a request for input on a new product that a parent coach was creating for her clients. This coach is working on a home study product designed to help parents feel more confident about their parenting.
My radar always goes off when I see a coach who is trying to sell coaching. What I mean by “selling coaching” is that you’re trying to sell the things we coaches are best able to help our clients achieve, like “balance, happiness, fulfillment,” etc. In the words of my own coach and mentor, Rhonda Hess, “Coaching doesn’t sell.” This is very scary news to hear when you’re a life coach who has just spent a ton of money to get yourself certified and is out there looking for some clients to work with. But it doesn’t mean you can’t be successful as a coach. It’s all in how you position what you offer to your target audience.
Below is my response to the parent coach who was asking our group for our ideas and suggestions about her product. Read on to see my coaching to her for how to create a product her clients will want to buy.
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So I’m glad you’re doing some “market research” by asking for some feedback here. Often times we create a product or service offering that we think is a good idea, but we don’t check it out with our audience before investing a lot of time, effort and energy into it.
I know that you see a lot of parents out there who are not confident in themselves as parents, and I’m sure that as a parent yourself and a coach, you know the unbelievable value of getting to the other side of that, and know how that confidence makes a huge positive impact on your child.
That said, it’s hard to sell “being more confident.” I’ve been a coach for five years now, and I spent the first two of them trying to sell “life coaching” and all of the things we help our clients achieve like “balance, happiness, fulfillment, etc.” While these are clearly important and valuable, I found it very hard to get people to put a price tag on them and pull out their wallets to pay me for them.
How connected are you with your target audience? Are you engaged with them, talking with them in person and online, coaching them already? What are their top problems and challenges? What are they telling you they need help with? And what are they willing to pay for? I.e. Are they willing to pay in order to be more confident in their lives?
My experience is that although they want this really badly, they can’t justify spending money on it.
Now, that said, you may still have a great product to create. My coaching to you would be to check in with your target audience. Ask them if they “need this” and what they would be willing to pay for it. By having some great conversations with your target audience about their problems, challenges and concerns, you will learn what they are most willing to pay for. As a mom and a coach, you have a wealth of resources you could provide to solve their problems. Make your offerings be solutions to your clients “pains” and they’ll sell.
It’s not a question whether you or your services are valuable–it’s all about how you market what you offer so that your target audience realizes they NEED it.
Let’s help her out: Are you a parent who needs help building your confidence about your parenting? What sort of things would help you with this? And would you be willing to pay for a home study guide to support you? Please leave your feedback below.
In celebration of my one year anniversary of using Twitter this month, I took some time to consider the impact this fabulous tool has had on my business.
How has Twitter changed your approach to your business? Are you using it for some things that I didn’t mention here? I’d love to hear your ideas, so leave a comment below.
There’s some debate going on about how and whether to use Social Media tools like Twitter and Facebook for business. My seven-year-old had some insight into how I use it. One day, while peering over my laptop and seeing me posting onto Twitter, he asked: “Mom, is Twitter your office?” My answer? “Well, um, yes it is.”
Twitter is so completely my office: I connect with my friends, colleagues, and general tweeple each time I sign on, much in the same way I used to say hello to my office mates when I arrived at work before I had kids. We exchange pleasantries and catch up on each other’s lives. We create, build and strengthen our relationships through regular contact, just like I used to do in my cubicle office.
When it’s time to get down to real work, twitter is where I go to research, learn, market myself, follow up with prospects, provide accountability for my mompreneur coaching clients who request it, and the main venue for scheduling and confirming appointments with prospects and collaborators.
Twitter is the source and the venue of all my marketing, sales, business operations. My virtual assistants and I communicate through quick tweets back and forth to keep projects moving along. I market my coaching services, programs and products through simple Twitter campaigns, and I’m fortunate enough to have an amazing group of supporters and influencers who follow me and recommend the work I do to other people I have never met. I’ve traded the board room and conference rooms of Corporate America for a virtual meeting room I can attend anytime I like, wearing what’s comfortable for me to wear.
Then, at the end of a long day, I have a glass of wine and browse around the Twitter profiles of my friends and colleagues to see what they’re up to. It’s my virtual water cooler and Happy Hour, all from the comfort of wherever I happen to be.
Wanna hear the crazy twist to all this business productivity on Twitter? I only spend about 15-30 minutes a day in my “Twitter office.”
How do you use Twitter for business? I’d love to see your comments below. And if you’d like some ideas about new, fun, effective ways to use Twitter and Facebook for business, tun into my free teleseminar tomorrow with Christine Gallagher of CommunicateValue.com on my BlogTalkRadio Show. Click here for call-in (as well as podcast) information.
I can honestly say that I never planned on being a radio show host, but it was only a matter of time that a person who loves to talk as much as I do could avoid it.
Back in March I signed up for an account with BlogTalkRadio and clicked a button that created my own show. A day later, I produced my first episode that was (and still is) available all over the internet. I couldn’t believe how simple it was, and I had no idea how much I’d enjoy doing it.
There is no shortage of “content” for my show–in fact, I tend to create my Audio Blogs around conversations, questions and problems that come up in my coaching sessions with my mompreneur clients. They love hearing their topics addressed on the show.
Do you have a question about your business that you’d like to hear featured on my show? Are you trying to figure out how to market what you sell, or why you can’t close a sale, or why everyone seems to love what you offer but they won’t pay for it? Or are you fed up with being the “only one” who can handle things in your life or your household, and really wish you could get some help? Tired of feeling angry, guilty or tense around the kids during the day since you know you have a week’s worth of work to get done–while being the fulltime caretaker of your children?
I understand all these feelings. I’ve been in most of these situations myself. So have nearly all of the mompreneurs I work with. And sometimes you just need to know that you’re not the only one experiencing these things or feeling this way (which I assure you–you’re not!). If you have a topic you’d like to hear or know more about, either leave a comment here or email me (lara at mombizcoach dot com), and I’ll respond to you immediately. I’ll do my best to feature all questions/comments in an upcoming Audio Blog on the Mom Biz Coach Show.
I’ve been having some great conversations with mompreneurs and work at home moms on the topic of “balance” lately, and specifically how it relates to the goal of work/life balance.
Seems like we’ve spent the last decade or so trying to achieve this balance thing, but it may be a concept whose time has past. Many think it’s unachievable, or at the very least, that it can be achieved but not sustained. Is balance what we really want? Do we want to spend equal time with work and equal time with family?
I know that certain words are “trigger words” or hot buttons for some people, but I think the idea of balance is basically a good one. I think that the more we’ve been working towards it, though, the more we are learning that there are other ways to define how we want our lives as moms and business owners to look.
When I think of words that capture how I want my life as a mom entrepreneur coach to look, these are some of the words that come to mind:
INTEGRATION
FLEXIBILITY
FULFILLMENT
RHYTHMS
SEASONS
I make my work a fully-integrated part of my life. That doesn’t mean I don’t set boundaries around it, just that I include it as part of who I am and what I love to do. How much and when I work varies from time to time, based on priorities, energy levels, moods, seasons… But my commitment to my work and my family stays the same.
What about you? Is there a phrase or concept you’re striving for that is more descriptive than “work/life balance”? How do you see your roles as mom and business owner? Are they one in the same or separate somehow? Please leave a comment below.
Guest post by Amyli McDaniel of www.EnlightenedMompreneur.com
See the original post by Amyli on her blog here.
The longer I am in the world of entrepreneurship, the more I am realizing that it is not the “business idea” that makes most mompreneurs successful.
In fact, it is quite easy to research a market and either find or create a product or service to meet a need in the market. The tough part is figuring out how to rise about the noise, get your customers to buy from you and then get them to refer you.
It is natural to focus so much on the product or service you are providing. But, when I started focusing more on the buyer of the product or service, my businesses started selling more and started creating a much higher buyer experience for my customers. And this meant a lot more revenue!
So, how do you focus on your buyer? I took the advice of a well known marketer- David Meerman Scott and I actually create Buyer Personas for my products and services.
I think about what they look like, how old they are, how they think, what they care about and what process the go through when they are searching out what I provide? Sometimes I even give them a name and think of a visual person for each persona as this really helps in my marketing.
One thing that helped me to figure this out was thinking about my kids. When you shop for something your child needs or wants, you are always thinking about that specific child. . . his or her personality, needs, emotions and what would be the best fit for that child.
You are not making decisions in a vacuum by just looking at the line by line features and other components of a product or service. You are always thinking about what resonates with your child.
In your business, you are on the opposite side of the equation but your prospects are the child in the same thought process.
Once I started doing this, the marketing on my websites changed. Instead of talking about the features of my products and services, I started to talk in their language and address their needs and wants.
And the result was phenomenal. Now, every time I start a new business, I do this and it governs every communication I have with prospects and customers. And, I find that this one shift in perspective has allowed me to short cut an otherwise very long process of trying to differentiate myself from other competitors and businesses.
Get the acknowledgement, support and understanding you need from the right people.
Are you always going to your partner/husband, your sister, your neighbor, or a client trying to share something that’s important to you, only to wind up feeling let down when they don’t say what you wanted them to say? It could be that you’re choosing the wrong person to share with at that moment.
In this Five Minute Coaching MOMent for mom entrepeneurs, I share some insight on how you can avoid feeling let down when you’re up to big things in your business and life!
Who’s on your support team or “board of advisors”? Do you expect different kinds of support from the different people in your life? Please share your comments here. And if you like my “Five Minute Coaching MOMents for Mom Entrepreneurs” and want to see some more, you can subscribe to the mombizcoach channel on YouTube so you will be notified each time I add new ones.
Guest post by Susan Gunelius from Entrepreneur.com
In my book, Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps, I teach small and mid-size business owners who can’t afford to hire professional copywriters how to write effective copy that will bring the results from their marketing efforts that they want and need. However, just as there are steps you must take to write great copy, there are also mistakes you can make that can destroy your marketing messages and reduce your ROI to a fraction of what it could have been. Whatever you do, don’t believe the five myths described below.
1. Consumers care about me and my business
No, they don’t. They care about what’s in it for them if they pull out their wallets and hand over their hard-earned money to buy your product or service. They don’t care that you’ve been a member of the local Chamber of Commerce for 20 years, and they don’t care how cute your kids are (so leave them out of your commercials, please). Consumers care about having their needs and wants fulfilled. The goal of copywriting is to convince consumers that the product or service you’re selling will meet their needs and desires, even if you have to create perceived needs and desires for them. In other words, your copy must focus on the benefits consumers will receive if they buy your product or service. It’s great that your business has operated from the same location for 10 years, but for the most part, consumers only truly care about what your business can do for them and how your business can make their lives easier or better. Those are the messages your copy should focus on in order to drive results.
2. I can use the same copy everywhere
No, you shouldn’t. Your copy should change depending on the medium where you’re using it. For example, if you’re writing copy for an outdoor billboard that consumers are likely to have only seconds to view while driving 65 miles per hour on a busy highway during rush hour, your message must be short and to the point with no room for confusion. However, if you’re writing copy for a direct-mail piece that will be sent to customers who have requested to receive information about your business, your copy should be far more detailed with messages that explain, answer questions, and create a sense of urgency to boost response rates.
3. I can use the same copy for everyone
No, that’s not a good idea. Different audiences will respond to different messages depending on their demographics, behaviors, experiences and so on. For example, if you’re writing copy for a direct-mail piece that will be sent to prior customers, your messages should be very different from those that would appear in a mailing to prospects. One audience is already very familiar with your products and services, while the other has no prior experience to draw from. Clearly, the messages to both audiences must be different to achieve the maximum response rates possible.
4. I need to sound smart in my copy Not always. The language and tone of your copy should speak directly to the people who are likely to see it. For example, if you’re writing copy for teenagers, your copy should be quite different from copy targeted at senior citizens. Consider McDonald’s, which goes so far as to change references to its brand name depending on the audience. Turn on MTV and you’re sure to see a McDonald’s commercial referencing the fast food chain as “Mickey D’s”. It’s also important to omit jargon unless your copy is intended for an audience that will understand and expect it. For example, a business-to-business ad might be an appropriate place for jargon. Again, it always depends on the target audience that you ultimately want to respond to your marketing message.
5. It’s easy to write copy
Never. Writing marketing copy is like no other form of writing. It defies many of the rules you may have learned in English class, and it relies more on subtle persuasion, psychology, creativity and an understanding of your specific business and consumers than any other type of writing. Not all writers are good copywriters, and not all copywriters are good writers. If you decide to write your own copy, study the craft prior to putting pen to paper. And if you decide to hire a copywriter to help you, remember that not all copywriters are the same. Only invest in a copywriter who has experience and takes the time to understand your business and your customers.
Susan Gunelius is president and CEO of KeySplash Creative Inc., a full service marketing communications provider and branding consultancy, and owner of WomenOnBusiness.com, one of the leading blog communities for business women. Susan is a marketing, branding, social media and copywriting expert with nearly 20 years of experience in the field. Her clients include small and large businesses around the globe. She is the author of severalmarketing, branding and social media books, includingKick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps published by Entrepreneur Press.
A few hours ago, I completed a survey about my experience of being a mom entrepreneur for a woman who is writing a book on that topic. I was inspired to write this post after I answered one of the 30+ questions. The question went something like this:
“How much time do you spend talking to other mom entrepreneurs?”
And the options ranged from: “I have a great group of mom entrepreneur friends with whom I connect on a regular basis” to “I don’t know anyone else who is a mom entrepreneur.”
I realized just how grateful I am to be one of those women who has a ton of mompreneur friends all around me. Honestly, there are many days that go by when I feel like the world will end if I can’t pick up the phone and speak to one of the fabulous friends who support me. And because they are also moms who, like me, are running their own businesses while being the primary caretakers of their children, I don’t have to explain myself at all. They simply GET me. I can start talking/laughing/crying and they just patiently wait and listen and understand.The support I get from this group of amazing women in my life is a lifeline for me.
Moms really help moms when we support each other. The world is a better place when somebody else understands us and asks (or just figures out) what she can do to help.
I can’t end this post without saying thanks to a dear friend who is, without question, one of the strongest advocates for moms supporting moms in the world: Melissa Lierman, a.k.a. @timeoutmom on twitter, and the genius behind the www.timeoutmom.com website. Wanna see her in action? Follow her on twitter and watch how she works. She is a model twitizen. There aren’t many people you meet who delight in simply helping others. She’s also the mastermind behind #momsrunning on twitter, and she chronicles her Moms Running virtual support group on her blog: http://www.momsrunning.blogspot.com/.
Yep–She’s so great that she deserves a whole blogpost dedicated to her. Actually, she deserves many more.
Every mom entrepreneur I know experiences a breakdown of some sort from time to time. Maybe you lost your cool and spanked your kid. Or you didn’t get hired by that prospect you thought just loved your work. Or perhaps your husband forgot your birthday or said something that really hurt.
When things don’t go the way you want them to, that’s a breakdown. How do you handle them? What do you do to resolve them? Do you have a method to help you get unstuck, to get back on track, or do you avoid the person or the situation that caused the breakdown like the plague?
I have a simple method that helps me get unstuck and back in control after a breakdown. I share it in the five-minute video below.
Is this something you can use? Do you have another method? Please share your comments below.
Susan Gunelius is president and CEO of KeySplash Creative Inc., a full service marketing communications provider and branding consultancy, and owner of WomenOnBusiness.com, one of the leading blog communities for business women. Susan is a marketing, branding, social media and copywriting expert with nearly 20 years of experience in the field. Her clients include small and large businesses around the globe. She is the author of several marketing, branding and social media books, including Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps published by Entrepreneur Press.
And the options ranged from: “I have a great group of mom entrepreneur friends with whom I connect on a regular basis” to “I don’t know anyone else who is a mom entrepreneur.”
