empathy | marketingforhippies.com

the butterfly circus

By: Tad | Published: July 1, 2011 · 10 Comments

Finding our niche is harder than it seems.

I’ve been having thoughts about why – but I’ll share those down the road.

Today I want to share something special with you.

The other day a friend of mine sent me a link to a short film called The Butterfly Circus (you can watch it below) that was so deeply inspiring.

And it’s right on point for this theme of how your deepest wound is often your truest niche. The movie features Nick Vujicic who you might have seen in a youtube video he did that became extremely popular.

I think part of why it’s hard to see how our niche could come from our wound is that we are still trapped in our wound and seeing from it, instead of looking at it. And sometimes it takes a lot of love from a lot of people and wisdom from those who’ve gone before us to not only see our wounds for what they are – but to help us understand the gifts buried inside of them.

Go watch this movie right now. I think you’re going to love it.

http://thebutterflycircus.com/short-film/

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| Categories: Niche Marketing - Tags: empathy, niche

you deepest wound is your truest niche

By: Tad | Published: May 11, 2011 · 20 Comments

Honest question: are you struggling with your niche?

Most entrepreneurs are (and 90% of them don’t realize it).And even the ones who realize it often end up being so deeply frustrated by it for years and years.

If you’re in this boat, I want to recommend you check out these free videos by my friends Jeffrey and Suzanne (pictured right). The videos (which I mentioned in yesterdays blog post) are coming out this weekend.

And they’re all based around this provocative thought.

Your deepest wound is your truest niche.

Read that again. It might just be the most important idea I know of in niching.

A lot of the conversation about target markets and niches can get pretty . . . dry, hollow, abstract, cynical and ‘tactical’. It can be incredibly uninspired.

And it’s easy to see how it happens.

People go to a marketing workshop and they hear that they need to choose a niche. And so they think about the kinds of clients they like or the past jobs they’ve had and they decide that ‘yes! i’ll be a coach for lawyers’ but . . . they don’t really give a shit.

It’s kind of an arbitrary choice.

But the best niches aren’t arbitrary – they’re deeply authentic.

So where do these deeply authentic and resonant niches come from? How can you find a niche that’s so good it makes your toes curl with goodness? A niche that’s so authentic you never feel like a fraud? A niche so good that marketing doesn’t even feel like marketing anymore. Where do you look to find this kind of niche?

You look to your wounds.

You look to those really hard things you’ve gone through.

You look to where you’ve been ‘pulled under’ (like the surfer pictured here) and come out the other side knowing how to ride those particular waves.

You look to your own history and the significant events in your life.

If you were told to shut up when you were young and have spent the rest of your life finding your voice – then you could be the perfect guide to help others find their voice.

Conversely, if you were made to speak when you didn’t want to, you might be the perfect person to help people set boundaries, enjoy their solitude and create restful spaces for themselves.

Or consider this example from Blaire Finnie (pictured right) from Victoria who attended my workshop in Vancouver yesterday.

“You know how highly functional adults and teens between the ages 15 and 35 with diagnosed mental illnesses struggle with their identity, their relationships, and an overwhelming confusion about their prescription medication(s)?

Well, I support people who live as their mental illness to transition into living with and eventually without their diagnosis and, in some cases, without their medication.

For example, I have been diagnosed with OCD, clinical depression, and twice with life-long bipolar disorder. I took antidepressants and anti psychotics, and was hospitalized in a psychiatric ward twice. Needless to say, I was living with extreme suffering, fear, and rage. I believed deeply that I was broken for ever.

Over a period of about three years, having done all kings of self-study and research, I found ways to overcome these challenges, and to move from blame, fear, and a fundamental lack of trust in myself and my experience of life through to acceptance, self compassion and self-love, and ultimately toward innate trust within myself and in my experience of life. One critical part of this process was to commit, unwaveringly, to a lifestyle primarily focused on spirituality.

Now, I have a strong and healthy sense of my identity, as well as a nourished and active body. I have beautiful, dynamic, and loving relationships with my family, a partner, and many friends, and I don’t even need to worry about prescription medications or psychiatrists because I no longer take any drugs of any kind, including pharmaceutical and recreational drugs.

I offer educational and inspirational seminars and lectures to schools, businesses, support groups, and families. I offer one on one coaching and guidance, as well as hands on healing and bodywork in individual sessions. In my work, I emphasize rest, proper nutrition and supplementation, regular exercise, and the creation routine in your lifestyle. My aim is to help you to realize who and what you are, and who and what you are not. I offer help and support for you to move beyond your belief that you are permanently and fundamentally mentally ill.”

Is there any doubt that he carries an immense and authentic credibility around helping people who are deeply mentally distressed? Is there any doubt that he will have a profound empathy?

Or what about my client who practices as a shaman. Sure, shamanism can help a lot of people – but who can he best help? Well, this man got involved in biker gangs for years. It took him four years to get out of it without being killed. But here’s a fellow who engaged in a very toxic and intense form of masculinity and is now one of the most beautiful embodiments of healthy masculinity I know. Do you think he might just have something to say to other men about embodiment a more authentic and life affirming form of manhood? I do.

A few weeks ago, I led a little workshop at Hollow Reed here in Winnipeg. I was here leading a workshop last October and was completely charmed by the place and the people running it.

We had an intimate little group of seven people who were all just the cat’s pajamas.

A highlight of the evening for me was when we were talking about this whole question of niche.

Because it was a small group we could go around and have everyone share what niche they wanted to fiddle with. One woman – a spiritual counselor – shared that she felt kind of stuck.

“I love to work with the entire family to help them resolve things. Get everyone together. But, I feel like a bit of a fraud because I wasn’t able to do that with my family. I’ve done all I can but they’re not wanting to fix things.”

I could feel where she was coming from. How can you promise to take someone on a journey you were unable to complete yourself. If you’ve ever tried to position yourself in that way – it’s really stressful.

“Well . . . maybe,” I offered. “Your best niche is to work with people who’ve been unable to heal the difficulties in their family and are now left with trying to heal themselves and deal with the realities of that. And maybe you might even end up working with the whole family down the road . . . but why not start with those people? That’s a path you’ve absolutely walked down yourself.”

Her eyes widened, “I could do that and feel so authentic about that . . .”

Or what about my dear friend and colleague Alex Baisley. He spent nine years as an underwater welder in the Atlantic Ocean when they two things he hated most in the world were being cold and being alone. Then he spent six years as a reiki practitioner and that left him miserable too. He realized he was a gypsy stuck in an office. And now he travels about North America and helps people to create wonderful, unconventional, quirky and sustainable lifestyles. He’s been through the pain so many of his clients face of having so many ideas and talents and not knowing how to weave them together.

Or what about me? I spent years learning and doing ‘hard sales’ and cold calling and learning NLP and sales techniques. I did so many things that felt gross.It changed me. It affected me. I became more ‘slick’ in my personal interactions. My hippie friends distanced themselves. It hurt. And now? . . . I’m allergic to inauthentic marketing. I just can’t stand it. But I can smell it a mile away.

I could go on and on.

You want a niche? Look to your wounds. You might be surprised with what you find there.

Some of the core reasons why your wound can be the best source of your niche:

you’ll have a deep empathy for what your clients are going through (because you’ve been through it) and that means they’ll melt in your presence, they’ll feel safe, open up and want to work with you.

you know the terrain of the problem they’re experiencing intimately (because you had that very same problem) and that means you’ll know how to word your sales letters and that, when you speak about it people will really feel you.

you know the terrain of the journey that they’re about to go through (because you did the same journey) and that means you’ll be an excellent guide for others.

you’ll save time on market research (because your whole life was market research) which means you’ll be able to shave months or years off of the growth cycle of your business. You’ll intuitively know what others spend a fortune to find out.

you’ll see through their bullshit (because you were full of the same bullshit when you were in their shoes) and that means you’ll be able to help them make progress faster

your offers will be better (because you’ll know just what you would have loved to get and be offered when you were struggling) and that means you’ll make a lot more money with a lot less effort

you’ll have a better sense of the hubs and potential partners (because you know where else you went to for solutions when you were in pain) and that means you’ll make even more money with even less effort.

You might not just find that it’s a wound you have healed (or are healing) – but that it’s the wound in the world that you are here to help heal. You might find that instead of feeling like an isolated entrepreneur trying to make a buck – suddenly you’re a part of a larger movement for change in the world. Suddenly, all of the injustice you’ve endured has woven you into a larger movement for justice, all the pain you’ve experienced becomes the well of relief you are able to offer to others.

Go and sign up to get Suzanne and Jeffrey’s emails on

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| Categories: Niche Marketing - Tags: authenticity, building trust, empathy, niche

using micro stories to engage your reader

By: Tad | Published: April 13, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Stories are powerful in marketing. In fact, they can do a lot to make marketing feel less contrived, ‘try hard’ and gross. They’re engaging without you trying to be convincing, if that makes sense.

A few days ago, I shared with you an example of how you can express your product through story. And months ago, I shared an example of what a common story of a holistic practitioner might be.

Here’s an example of a ‘micro story’ (from a colleague Milana Leshinksy) but one that is still incredibly compelling and hits the nail on the head.

Four important things to note about this story:

It’s in the third person. Which I love. In the marketing world, there’s a sense that everything needs to be in second person. Meaning, “Are you overwhelmed with things?” Using the word ‘you’ a lot. This can be powerful. It can also feel contrived and extremely leading. It can feel warm at times but it can also feel like a feigned, faux warmth. It can be experienced as you trying to create a sense of intimacy vs. actual intimacy. You likely see this on ads where they say, ‘are you struggling to make enough money? are you overloaded with debt? are you stuck in a job you hate?‘ And sometimes it feels really ‘salesy’. Or worse – invasive. Some people have such immense shame about their situation that to name it and speak to it directly or invite them to identify themselves directly is too scary. But a story in the third person, about another person is like a safe invitation. It lets you connect where you see the fit. A story is an offering – it doesn’t demand anything.

It nails it. This story is so common! This story demonstrates a keen empathy and understanding of the situation of many of her clients and potential clients. Now this one is about money. But the same thing could be written about relationships, health of spiritual angst. So many people would read this story and say, ‘wow. that’s so me!’ Could you do this with you clients life experience?

What else have they tried? I love this question. Ask yourself, ‘what other tools, routes, strategies and approaches have my clients tried before coming to me? And how do they feel about that?’ If you can acknowledge the road they’ve already been on . . . well that feels really good.

It’s so short! I love how short she made this. I’m not very good at short. I want to coin the term ‘micro story’. Coined!

The Story:

Once upon a time there was a business owner who wasn’t making any money.

She tried to publish an e-zine, submit articles, learn about search engines, and host teleclasses.

Her colleagues told her to do more free consults with prospects, but she had very limited time and, frankly, wasn’t really good at it.

Her coach told her to get out and speak to networking groups, but she had two children at home and didn’t want to travel.

Her husband told her to lower her rates, but that only attracted “nightmare” clients.

Nothing she ever did generated much business, so she continued to struggle.

Then one day she discovered a marketing strategy that changed her life. She started selling thousands dollars worth of her coaching products and programs,
top industry leaders wanted to work with her, and she no longer worried about money.

To get the rest of the story and learn about how a struggling entrepreneur turned into a thriving one, go to this website and get her free videos.

| Categories: Great Ads to Learn From, Sales Letters, Stories - Tags: building trust, empathy, safety

yoga for caregivers

By: Tad | Published: March 30, 2011 · 2 Comments

Last fall, I did my first ever workshop in Winnipeg, Manitoba. You can read about it here: day one, day two, day three.

And I sort of fell in love with the town – particularly the hippie neighbourhood of Wolsley.

One of the people who made my visit possible at all was a wonderful woman, mother and yoga teacher named Beth Martens (pictured right). As we got to know each other and discuss this whole idea of niching for her business a niche came up for her that felt so true: caregivers.

What you’re about to read is a gorgeous example of the power of empathy and becoming a hub.

So recently we had a little chat about how that was going for her.

How long have you been teaching yoga now and what got you started with it?

My yoga practice is going on 20 years, beginning in Mysore, India when I took my first of eight trips there to study yoga, meditation and kirtan. I’ve been teaching yoga and leading kirtan full time since 2003, upon recovering from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

I began with this practice because of a life-long attraction to practical spirituality. I was totally disillusioned with religion and social control, but discovered quickly that the spiritual arts can be very personal and guided by a system at the same time.

I ended up in India almost by default, choosing a last half credit to graduate my undergrad degree in anthropology, taking a one-time-ever course in meditation for credit, and then feeling attracted to leave the academic behind and get my own feet in the ocean of life.

When I discovered that yoga is even bigger, more all-encompassing than anthropology, I traded “up” for the direct experience of all the stuff I’d read and heard described. I wanted to see for myself what the science experiment in consciousness itself could hold for me.

You’ve recently been exploring focusing on the niche of ‘caregivers’. Can you tell us what prompted that – what was the need you saw in your community that gave you this idea – and how does that connect to your own life?

Carving out a niche was on your advice, and I really and finally got the point, that trying to be everyone’s singing yoga teacher was costing me too much energy, scattering my limited marketing efforts and making me feel overwhelmed enough to not promote at all. Choosing a niche that genuinely matters to me makes me feel alive and energized in the communication and though still overwhelming, I don’t get stuck with that daunting, “where do I begin?”

You’ve also been a good model for supporting and uplifting one another in our small earth and consciousness-friendly projects, and seeing how high we can fly when forces are combined, competition removed from the foreground, and co-operation fully engaged. It’s way more fun and has the fantastic side effect of making me feel connected with my community.

I also feel it was career transforming to hear you speak to the need for marketing plans to reflect community needs, to actually bring people together and to treat that growth like the real measure of wealth. I was tripping on and off that idea vicariously, where now it’s an integral part of the game plan as well as instructions to students. Thanks Tad!!

As I mentioned I had a three year struggle with my health, cancer of the lymph, that caused me to ask life’s big questions, and forced me to come up with answers, as my life was at stake. In those years I was in need of and very close with several caregivers, and saw first hand what they were going through in efforts to help me save my own skin, not a little thing.

After recovering I also walked with several family members through their own scary illnesses, and now am the single mom of a young son. When creating this niche I didn’t even see myself in the role of caregiver, but started getting lucid as I was reading and writing about the symptoms that this group share, no matter how they came to the role.

And they do indeed share stuff, mainly including a sense of energy depletion, reduced immunity and social isolation. Caregiver is a role many will default into suddenly, rather than choose, so that creates a whole level of crisis-style lifestyle management that can go on at that crisis pace for years.

As our health care system becomes more and more weighed down demographically, as our society becomes less and less adept at caring for ourselves and each other, caregivers are left to pick up the pieces, survive on behalf of their loved ones and carry extraordinary and heroic-level burdens.

The deeper I looked into caregivers’ mostly silent journey, and realizing they have very little support systemically, the more I began to emotionally engage. I recently, for example, re-friended someone I hadn’t heard from for 15 years because her husband had a severe stroke and I was ill at the time. She is lucky enough that a decade of care to him has resulted in some recovery and she is regaining some lifestyle freedom, but for ten years, her personal life did not exist.

It makes these people desperate for some sense of connection with others that get what they are going through, and hungry for chances to take care of themselves for a change. I find caregivers’ stories riveting and almost unbelievable testimonies to the enormous power of the human spirit. And that makes me want to be of service to this group.

yoga for caregivers What is it that you’re offering these caregivers?

In the short term I’ve created workshops called Yoga Cream Pie as an answer to what ails caregivers, both physically, spiritually and socially. This currently three-hour workshop is a refuge for caregivers, w here they will get a chance to enjoy a yoga practice that is not only good for them, but feels amazing and makes up for the inevitable pleasure deficits that follow being isolated, literally stranded on the desert island of their obligations.

The session includes supported and restorative yoga, as well as massage while they are in these already delish poses, with the live music called kirtan, India’s ecstatic chant tradition. I also give them some time at the end to meet at least one person in the group with whom they can identify, share something about themselves and realize that they are in fact, not alone in their caregiving experiences.

People come to these sessions looking haggard, drawn, depleted. They likely rushed there, begged and borrowed to get the time and have a huge hope that they are not wasting their precious time off.

After the session, which always seems so short, participants leave refreshed, with more energy than when they arrived, they have got their bodies gently opened, lovingly worked-upon with healing hands of an RMT and filled with the magic mantras that are the food for my own healing journey. Their faces are the most telling of the benefit, looking younger, more relaxed and so much happier.

And this is just the beginning of what I have envisioned.

What’s the response been?

I’m a little slow in the start up of this project, but the response has been awesome with the hubs that I’ve contacted, related to caregivers. I’ve received nothing but good feedback from the multitude of organizations that come into vicarious contact with caregivers, because there on the front line, they know that the caregivers need to be not just recognized, but supported. And they have nothing or little to offer, being almost entirely client and patient focused. A focus on caregivers hopefully will reveal that care is a community responsibility, and that caregiver shouldn’t mean one individual, but rather a whole team of help and love.”

The participants who have tried Yoga Cream Pie all reflect my own personal experience of finding this restorative yoga therapeutic montage to be a very efficient way to spend time, a self-spa that also includes a sense of being personally entertained, with genuine care for the soul built right into the mix.

Here’s some feedback I got at the YCP we ran on the weekend:

Subject: That was great
I feel nourished and restored and relaxed. That was a wonderful session and you have a lovely voice…thank you for a very enriching time! And the massage was a lovely, added bonus! Thank you.

What kind of marketing has worked best so far?

I was lucky enough to get some help with a little publicity, and therefore my credibility. Here’s a sample from the Winnipeg Free Press who published this article in their Prime Times tabloid.

I also did an

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on CKUW campus radio, a small listening audience, but which provided a great opportunity to tell the story behind YCP in length.

I also did several internet-based, Blog Talk, radio interviews that have the same magic effect of being able to distribute a feature far and wide to interested peeps.

In addition I built four brand new websites, so that Caregivers’ Refuge could have its very own URL and presence, another reflecting my ‘straight’ yoga classes and workshops, one for the live and recorded kirtan music I do as well as my own name-domain that serves as central hub for all the stuff I do.

That way when people arrive at my site, there is no confusion for them as to what they will discover there.

I rely heavily on social media and the tendency to SHARE, which has helped me connect with this rather large group, but who have often not identified themselves as a caregiver. Being able to share a caregivers’ experience in sound bite, digestible bits, has helped a lot as an education forum as well as advertising.

And then from there, Yoga Cream Pie has been growing been word-of-mouth, through the building of relationships and trust with caregivers that are in my community. Interestingly, anyone who offers me help these days with my work and caregivers mission, are themselves a caregiver, someone who can relate to what I’m doing and to the potential that it holds. Just today, I signed on with one of the internet deal offer website companies, WagJag, to make a special offer on the Yoga Cream Pie. I recently had a big success with a not-niche, mainstream yoga offer on Groupon and sold 180 yoga packages in two days, notwithstanding the very deep discount. I am super curious to see if the caregivers are going to respond to an offer custom made for them.

One thing about caregivers, because of their isolation, is that they are internet busy and savvy.

yoga for caregivers What are the top three lessons you’ve learned along the way?

Top three lessons:

Building community is more important than earning a living. Go slow and don’t stress unless it’s really worth it, i.e., in line with your life’s purpose and getting people together around it.
It’s all small steps and not to be overwhelmed by a large vision, or think that any step is too small to matter.
Pioneering requires time and supreme patience. Build around something that genuinely makes you feel well, more energized and more generous of spirit.

Anything else?

Not a lesson so much as a discovery: Caregivers make amazing friends.

If you feel like you’re a caregiver and could use some support – Beth wrote an ebook on the Seven Secrets of Avoiding Caregivers’ Burnout, it is available for free download when you sign up for the Caregivers’ Refuge newsletter at www.caregiversrefuge.ca.

| Categories: becoming a hub, Case Studies of Inspiring Business, holistic practitioners, Niche Marketing - Tags: becoming a hub, empathy, holistic practitioners, Yoga

the journey

By: Tad | Published: January 22, 2011 · 11 Comments

I’ve just woken up in Kelowna at the International Hostel (that’s me in my room to the right). It’s pretty great. And the other hostelers here have my gratitude for ending their Beer Pong competition at 11pm.

I’m here because I’m leading my Marketing 101 for Holistic Practitioners workshop and last night was the first part of it.

I asked one of the participants to hold my iphone so we could record something I’ve been wanting to record and share with you all for a couple of years.

It’s all about something I call ‘The Journey’ that you’re taking your clients on.

This piece is something I’ve learned from so many people: Jay Abraham, Bill Baren, Mark Silver and Robert Middleton. It’s become such a core part of my philosophy and perspective on marketing.

Here’s a photo of what I was drawing since it’s kind of hard to see in the video.

What do you think?

| Categories: holistic practitioners, marketing philosophy, Tad's Rants, Tad's Travels - Tags: building trust, empathy, holistic practitioners, relevance

Selling Preventative Maintenance? Good Luck

By: Tad | Published: November 3, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Another no holds barred article from Richard Harshaw of MYM Marketing.

If you have lofty dreams of helping people to handle their problems before they become big – you might want to read this. If you’re an holistic practitioner wanting to get people to come in to improve their already great health . . . you might want to read this first.

Last summer on our annual “pack six kids into the van and test our sanity as we drive 3,500 miles” trip, we decided to ditch the interstate and take some scenic back roads through Colorado. We had a pleasant drive through the mountains along some rivers and other nature-looking stuff, then headed west on Highway 82 up toward Independence pass on our way to Aspen. We were surprised to see deep snow on the ground at the pass—my native Texan kids rarely see any snow at any time back home—let alone in July. So we stopped for a quick snowball fight.

Funny thing about living in flat-as-a-pancake Texas, you never really have to drive in the mountains much. So as we descended from the pass toward Aspen, I had no idea I was making a serious driving error—I was using my brakes to slow down our 29,000 pound 15-passenger monstrosity of a van instead of downshifting. Who knew?

About 20 minutes into the descent, the van started to shimmy every time I applied the brakes. Being a clueless nut, I figured it must have been a flat tire. I pulled over, hopped out, and circled the van to inspect each Goodyear individually. About halfway around, I noticed a bad smell coming from the van—sort of a burning, overheating, smoldering smell. It finally dawned on me that my tires were fine but my brakes were three seconds short of bursting into flames.

I got back in the car and explained to my wife what the situation was. Naturally, she was alarmed, and in addition to downshifting to slow the vehicle from that point forward, we agreed that we’d stop in Aspen and have a mechanic inspect the brakes and tell us how bad the brake damage was. I put $5 on the mechanic not being able to suppress his laughter as I explained how being an idiot redneck from Texas caused all of this.

20 minutes later we finally reached the valley and the quaint little village of Aspen. The city planners must be trying to avoid conducting any kind of commerce in the city—at least that’s what I deduced after the main road shot straight through town without passing so much as a Dairy Queen. Apparently they thought it would make their quaint town quainter if a highway wasn’t busting through the shopping district. Long story short—Aspen came and went without any sign of any place to get the bad brakes checked out.

But you know what? Turns out, it didn’t matter. Because by the time we arrived in Aspen, the cool mountain air had evidently cooled off my brakes. The bad smell was gone, the shimmy was gone, and the brakes seemed to be working fine again.

Good enough for me.

Did I stop in the next available town to find a mechanic? Of course not! I made a decision to use the “cross my fingers and assume that since nothing seems to be a major problem right now that there probably isn’t a major problem at all” method. This worked for another two or three thousand miles until we finished the trip.

Trust me, there is a marketing point to be made here—and it has to do with peoples’ unwillingness to spend money, time, or brain power to fix things that don’t seem to be broken. All of you out there trying to sell preventative maintenance for air conditioning units or automobiles or roofs should receive a gold medal if you succeed. I’m not saying you CAN’T succeed; I’m just saying it’s hard to convince people to fix stuff that’s not broken yet.

It’s practically anti-human behavior.

Here’s what early advertising pioneer Claude Hopkins had to say about this subject when faced with the onerous task of marketing toothpaste:

The natural idea in respect to a tooth paste is to make it a preventive. But my long experience had taught me that preventive measures were not popular. People will do anything to cure a trouble, but little to prevent it. Countless advertising ideas have been wrecked by not understanding that phase of human nature. Prevention offers slight appeal to humanity in general.

Then I was urged to present the results of neglect, the negative side of the subject. But I had learned that repulsive ideas seldom won readers or converts. People do not want to read of the penalties. They want to be told of rewards. “Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone.” People want to be told the ways to happiness and cheer.

This point is important. Every advertising campaign depends on its psychology. Success or failure is determined by the right or wrong appeal. Scores have tried to scare people into using a certain tooth paste. Not one has succeeded, so far as I know, save where they appealed to troubles already created. Folks give little thought to warding off disasters. Their main ambition is to attain more success, more happiness, more beauty, more cheer.

I recognized that fundamental. I never referred to disasters. I never pictured the afflicted. Every illustration I ever used showed attractive people and beautiful teeth.

See, I told you it’s anti-human behavior. If a guy won’t even stop for 15 minutes to get his brakes checked even when they have clearly had a problem—a very recent problem—what makes you think somebody’s going to pay $99 to have you come check out their air conditioning unit? Or replace their belts and hoses? Or anything else?

Now you’ve been warned. Look out for a 15-passenger van coming your way careening out of control!

For more brilliant articles like this go to: MYM Marketing.

| Categories: holistic practitioners, marketing philosophy - Tags: empathy, irresistible offers

the 3 biggest selling mistakes of service providers

By: Tad | Published: October 29, 2010 · Leave a Comment

If you missed it – you should go listen to Bill Baren’s “How to Become A Master of Enrollment” teleclass on Tuesday.

You can get the audio interview right now:

http://www.billbaren.com/mo/enrollmentaudio.html

Selling can feel really gross and scary for most service providers. Worse than that – we’re usually terrible at it – so we’re ineffective. Nothing worse than have a conversation that end with people thinking we’re slimy and not getting a new client. Gah.

Bill Baren is one of the smartest people I know in helping coaches, consultants, practitioners and other service providers talk with people in a totally clean and uplifting way that inspires everyone involved and also happens to get him a lot of clients.

Here are some words from him.

As a business coach, I get a LOT of questions from very diverse business owners.

One of the most frequent questions is this:
“I’m very good at what I do… so why aren’t people hiring me?”

Is this happening with you?

If so, I am going to share with you three of the biggest mistakes people make when they are having an enrollment conversation with potential clients. And let’s see if I can help you have a breakthrough.

(By the way, “enrollment conversation” is another way of saying “initial consultation” or “sales conversation”)

Take a look and see if any of these are happening to you:

MISTAKE #1 – Promoting your services before your potential client gets clear on what they REALLY want.

The consultation is about your potential clients and their needs, and not about you. So be sure to take a substantial part of your consultation to ask questions to understand you potential client’s needs before you offer solutions.

** When you understand their deepest wants and needs – and I mean what’s keeping them up at night – then you’re in a great place to offer your services as a solution.

[IMPORTANT TIP: If you aren't establishing the "Gap", you're going to have a hard time getting hired! The "Gap" is the frustration that potential clients feel about the chasm between where they are now and where they want to go with their life, business, health, website, etc. I explained my powerful formula to Close The Gap in my telecall yesterday. If you missed that call, go here to get the audio download.]

MISTAKE #2 – Trying to solve the potential client’s problem during your initial consultation.

The consultation is not the time to help your prospect solve a micro-problem they are currently having. It’s an opportunity for them to see much greater opportunities for themselves and for their business and to establish you as someone who can help them close the gap.

Here’s why this is a mistake. Often when you give them 1/20th of a solution to their problem, they think they’ve already received the solution from you and go off to implement it on their own – without hiring you.

This is not the best way you can be of service to them, since only a fraction of their problem is solved. And it will certainly not land you the client..

And this isn’t just an issue for coaches – it’s often true whether you are a web designer, business consultant, healer or holistic practitioner, professional organizer, etc.

MISTAKE #3 – Not using a consistent system for your enrollment conversation.

When you’re having a conversation with a potential client about working together, is it something you do spontaneously, without a script or agenda? Does it feel kind of random, and you’re uncertain if your conversation is going to work? You may even feel like the conversation with your potential client is going well, but then they don’t hire you. And you don’t why.

If this is the case, I have to ask you… Do you have a “system” that you are using in every sales conversation?

I am not a systematic guy by nature. In fact, I have often been allergic to systems.

But after a while, I couldn’t deny that when I developed a system for enrolling clients during a one-on-one consultation, used it every time, continually made it better – the results spoke for themselves. My results jumped from a 0% success rate to a place where now 8 out of 10 prospective clients hire me.

I’d like to invite you to check out my new program – the “Master of Enrollment system”

Read about it here:
http://tinyurl.com/launchfrombill

I will take you through the step-by-step process that I use to convert 80% of my prospects to clients:

* You will have a foolproof 5-step process that you follow with each and every potential client. No more guessing, fumbling and fear of rejection during your initial consultations.
* You will be ready to hold successful teleseminars that provide incredible content AND bring you new clients.
* You will confidently make valuable connections at every networking event you attend, so you can attract new potential clients and create valuable business partnerships.
* You will know how to authentically speak to a room full of interested people and generate sales and long-term clients right then and there.

If you dread holding complimentary consultations, if the thought of “selling” your services makes you uncomfortable, and you would never think to speak in front of a room…

And if you’re ready to have a breakthrough…then take a look at my new program

To inspire people who like to take immediate action – you can save $400 with our special launch offer, which is good until November 3.

http://tinyurl.com/launchfrombill

And if you have questions, please ask.

Kindly,
Bill

If you’d like get cool posts like this in your inbox every few days CLICK HERE to subscribe to my blog and you’ll also get a free copy of my fancy new ebook “Marketing for Hippies” when it’s done.

| Categories: Sales - Tags: building trust, communicating value, conversations, empathy, pressure free

Selling for Hippies

By: Tad | Published: October 23, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Hey Hippies,

I’m on tour in Toronto at the Green Beanery on Bloor taking a moment to send you a quick email.

If you’re a service provider (e.g. holistic practitioner, life coach, green realtor, green financial planner etc.) there are four free videos that I encourage you to check out. They’re done by my pal Bill Baren (pictured to the right).

They’re about ‘selling for hippies’.

To check them out go to the link below:

http://bit.ly/sellingforhippies

Selling usually feels really gross. No matter which side you’re on.

And so most hippies don’t do it. They ‘hope’ they’ll get business. They don’t want to be pushy. In short: they collapse. It’s not really being respectful – it’s being afraid.

But there’s another way.

And it’s not something I’m an expert in. I focus more on the marketing side. How to help people find you – but not what to say to them once they arrive.

But it’s important because when you’re talking with potential clients, how many times have you heard them say…

“This all sounds really great but I can’t afford it right now. Let me think about it…”

Which is fine. Until everyone says it. And no one buys. And you don’t want to push. But you’ve got this rent thing you need to pay.

Whaddaygonnado?

Watch these videos – that’s what.

My pal Bill Baren has created a free video training series that will open your eyes to new strategies and tactics for having potential clients enthusiastically say YES! to your services.

All of this in a way that feels authentic and takes away the feeling of being pushy.

Bill knows what he’s talking about: 80% of the potential clients Bill talks to say YES to hiring him as a coach. (And by the way, this is for high-value coaching programs.)

It’s called:

“How To Enroll New High-Paying Clients Without Doing Any ‘Selling’”

Watch this free video training here:

http://bit.ly/sellingforhippies

warmest,
tad

p.s. My personal plug for Bill: this man is solid. I’ve sent a number of my clients to his programs and they all come back raving about him and thanking me for connecting them. I’ve hung out with him personally and I love his vibe. He’s warm, down to earth and smart as hell. I always leave my conversations with Bill smarter about marketing.

Take an hour and watch these. They are worth your time.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

| Categories: holistic practitioners, Sales - Tags: authenticity, building trust, communicating value, conversations, empathy, holistic practitioners, pressure free, real, safety, trusted advisor

Yoga for Round Bodies

By: Tad | Published: October 15, 2010 · Leave a Comment

11tiina Yoga for Round Bodies Tiina Veer is a client of mine who’s an amazing example of the power of proper niching in action. Instead of trying to make her yoga class appeal to everyone – she chose a very particular niche.

People who don’t look like Barbie Dolls.

There’s a whole community of people with ’round bodies’ who might feel intimidated to go to a typical yoga class. But, with Tiina, they find an incredibly safe and supportive space.

I love this.

Yoga for Round Bodies

CLASSES & RETREATS

These yoga classes and retreats are offered specifically with the round body in mind. In these classes and retreats, not only will you have the opportunity to explore yoga in a way that suits your constitution/anatomy best, you will also be able to practice and explore in a comfortable, non-competitive environment in small groups, in pleasant surroundings. Classes will include restoration (deep relaxation) practices, gentle yoga and mindful movement.

Absolute beginners welcome along with any other “level.” Any size is welcome. This exploration is not about how big or not big, nor how advanced or not advanced, how flexible, nor how strong. Nor is it about weight loss. It is an opportunity to come and begin from where you are, to move your body and quiet your mind in a comfortable, supportive environment.

NO YOGA EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY, yes really!
And your teacher is round, too!

These offerings are intended for beginners and do not include vigorous practices, however, if you have done yoga, they include a significant amount of restorative practice–of benefit to anyone–and foundational principles that can be applied to any level of practice. Class size is small enough to accommodate modifications and individual attention. And because stress is a significant challenge faced by most of us, ample time is given to explore relaxation/restoration practices so you can also learn useful tools to counterpoise everyday stress and its effects.

I did a quick interview with Tiina about this and here’s what she had to say,

What gave you the idea to start this?

“After practicing massage therapy for a number of years, I realized I needed to do something to counterbalance the physical stresses of my work, and thought Yoga would be perfect. Though I quickly fell in love with yoga, I found myself frustrated and discouraged over and over, as it was difficult to find teachers who were able to work with my very round body. When I discovered yoga using props, I found some liberation in the practice, but when I found a class called “Full-Bodied Yoga” and tried it, by the third class I found myself saying, “Oh my God, I have to become a yoga teacher so I can teach classes like this.” That is where the seed was planted, and I’ve manifested a thought into reality. Feels great!”

How has the response been?

“The response has been incredible. Even people who aren’t in the “round camp” think it’s a great idea, that it makes so much sense. And it does. A lot of round women feel judged, or like the third wheel, in “regular” yoga classes. It makes sense to create a safe, non-judgmental space for us to practice together, with a teacher who knows how to modify poses to the unique needs of a rounder body. As women discover these classes, workshops and retreats, I get this comment a lot: “It’s so great there’s a class JUST FOR ME out there!”"

A lot of people would say, ‘by narrowing in your niche so much, you’re limiting who comes! aren’t you afraid of losing clients?’

“Hogwash. My niche came very naturally to me, but if I had to choose to-niche or not-to-niche, I would definitely niche. By having a niche, it allows me to utilize and develop my skills, knowledge and expertise in a very focused way. In the end, it also makes marketing EASIER… the niche guides where I spend my very limited budget of money and time. E.g., if I’m just promoting a regular yoga class, aside from the usual suspects, like online yoga directories, etc., where would I advertise? If you’re advertising to EVERYBODY, like in a major city’s newspaper for example, your message is going to be totally watered down, unnoticed. If I take a targeted message/product/service with to a specific group with a deliverable promise specific to them, it will capture attention because they want what I have to offer them specifically. It’s impossible to “market to everybody.” You have to find out who is interested in what you have, or tailor what you have to specific groups. “Marketing to everyone” is kind of like being Waldo.”

If you’d like get cool posts like this in your inbox every few days CLICK HERE to subscribe to my blog and you’ll also get a free copy of my fancy new ebook “Marketing for Hippies” when it’s done.

| Categories: Case Studies of Inspiring Business, Niche Marketing, word of mouth - Tags: authenticity, becoming a hub, empathy, real, safety, Yoga

Eco and Child Friendly Hair Salon

By: Tad | Published: October 14, 2010 · Leave a Comment

The other day, I posted about Sunny Mummy spa in Toronto. It’s a spa catering to mom’s with small children – and offering them childcare as part of the package.

I shared it on facebook and a client, Tammy Brooks, sent me word of an eco friendly hair salon in Victoria – The Hair Garden - that does a similar thing. She said,

“I just found a hair salon here in Victoria that is both eco-friendly and child friendly. They have a mom’s discount day, kids play area and childcare available. I was walking by, not even thinking about a haircut and HAD to walk in and chec…k it out. There was a great sidewalk chalk message outside, the doors were wide open, there was spectacular goddess artwork on the walls. I booked a cut right there. Now if the haircut is as good as the feeling I got from the place, I am hooked.”

This is a great example of focusing on a target market – eco friendly moms with small children – and creating something inspiring. The truth is that, perhaps in a few years, most spas will be offering child care. Or enough that it’s no longer new and exciting. Maybe one day it will just be expected. But for now – it’s wonderful.

Here’s a bit from their website.

Come in and enjoy our many Eco-friendly services and products~Locally made products such as Gentle Earth Skincare, Paper-doll mineral cosmetics from Sidney BC and Australian Eco-friendly Kevin Murphy hair products.

At The Hair Garden Salon we use “no ammonia” hair color and lighteners- All CHI colors and lighteners are 100% ammonia free. Safe for pregnancy and nursing moms! Unwind with an herbal tea, hand and arm massage and a complimentary mineral make-up touch up with our very local Paper-doll mineral cosmetics.

Experience one of our many Eco-spa services such as our Garden Essential pedicure and manicure, waxing, facials, body wraps, salt scrubs, and aromatherapy massage. For those on the go we provide express manicures or pedicures. “We provide our stylists and clients with a safer environment using green products.

No need to call the babysitter – bring your monkey to the salon with you!

As moms we understand how important it is to relax once in awhile, that’s why we offer “Babysitting on Board” on Mom Makeover Mondays! You can relax knowing that your little ones are in good hands while you get primped and pampered. Please let us know upon booking as spots are limited.

$10, up to 2 Monkeys

If you’d like get cool posts like this in your inbox every few days CLICK HERE to subscribe to my blog and you’ll also get a free copy of my fancy new ebook “Marketing for Hippies” when it’s done.