First of all, let me clarify.  I’m talking about high-pressure marketing here.  You’ve seen many marketing gurus do this and you’ve probably even been told to do it yourself.  It’s when you require people to think fast and sign up right away or miss out.

It’s becoming more common place for coaches to push too hard in their marketing.  Speakers are also getting way too pushy in this area. “Sign up at the back of the room today or miss out.”  I know you’ve attended events where you’ve heard that.

If you give inexpensive or free sessions to attract clients, I’ll bet you’ve been told to get the client to commit to coaching right then and there.  You may even have a special reduced price if they say “yes” right that minute at the end of the call.

I recently read an article in the Dayton Daily News by John North (President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau).  The article was titled Be a smarter consumer to fight identity theft and save money.  In the article, John warns consumers of what to look for so they don’t give their money to an illegitimate company.  As I read down the list of tips, one in particular, caught my eye.

Avoid high-pressure or scare tactics to get you to buy something, make donations or invest immediately. Reputable organizations will give you time to make decisions.

I read that statement and thought about the industry of coaching immediately.  Not every coach is buying into the whole, immediate commitment thing.  It seems like there are more and more every day though.  I just want to point out how it may look.  If the BBB is saying reputable organizations will give you time, then don’t you want to look like a reputable organization?

Do coaches need to pressure clients into immediate financial commitment in order for their clients to be committed to the process?

It’s my opinion that they will be more committed to the process if they’ve had time to decide that you are the right coach for them.

So, I submit to the coaching industry.  If the industry wants to be looked at as reputable, then we need to institute reputable marketing tactics.  High-pressure is not one of those tactics.

Coaches, speak out.  Leave your thoughts in the comments.

I recently read an article on the Huffington Post website about what people will pay for online.  It’s based on a survey of adult internet users.  There are some interesting results I’d like to point out that will help coaches determine what will be most profitable this year when it comes to online content.

1)  People are paying for media, but reading materials fall short.  When it comes to “newspaper, magazine or journal articles…18 percent” of  people are willing to pay for access.  One can surmise that informational articles are going to be in that category or even less.  It’s time that coaches realize, charging for information is not something people are going to flock to.  It’s not something to be left out of a marketing plan, but it’s also not something to rely on for a large portion of your income.  It’s important to think about any plans of a membership site that is written content driven.  It’s a huge investment of time, energy and money to get it off the ground and promote it.  You’re going to have to promote really hard if only 18 percent of internet users are going to be interested.  Weigh this with the investment.  It may not make much sense.

2)  “The typical user spent about $10 a month.  However, there are some extremely high-end users…who have paid for content [at] about $47 a month.”  So, if you are going to sell content online, this is what people are willing to pay.  Most people who fall into the category of a coach’s ideal client will be high-end users.  Coaching offers a very personal service.  If people are willing to invest in themselves, they are usually willing to drop more than $10 a month.  Given coaches usually charge hundreds of dollars a month for one-on-one coaching, $47 is not a lot to ask for information that will get someone started.  If you are going to charge for content, make it life-changing content.  You’ll increase your income and you’ll get more subscribers.    You’ll also create lifelong clients who will trust you to follow through on your promises.

If you are thinking about adding more paid content to your marketing plan this year, I highly recommend you weigh out the percentage of people on the internet who are willing to pay for it and how much they are willing to pay.  Invest wisely and don’t count on this being the ultimate “get rich quick” idea.

How do you think this information applies to the coaching industry?  How will it influence your marketing plans?

How many times have you heard someone say you need a squeeze page for your freebie or newsletter?  Have you heard that a squeeze page gets results and will increase your registrations?  Me too.  I’m getting tired of people promoting the squeeze page without giving any sort of definition as to what a “squeeze” page really is and some guidelines as to how to make them effective.  So, I’m putting them out there myself and including the trust-building techniques that I know to be most effective here.   Yes, I’m aware that many marketing gurus will disagree with it too.  If squeeze pages are effective, imagine how much more effective they’ll be once you add in some trust-building elements!

First, I want to share a story.  If you have internet savvy clients who see squeeze pages frequently, then read carefully…they’re likely to react the same way I do.

I was walking along on my internet journey one day and was spending some time in one of my favorite online spaces; Facebook.  I was catching up with some friends and one of those ads in the right-hand column caught my eye.  Now, I’m not typically a sucker for such tactics, I know what those ads are and I know they all want me to buy something.  However, I found the title and topic concept interesting so I couldn’t resist.  It was the ONE this month that tickled my fancy.  I was actually fascinated enough clicked through to see what was on the other side.  When I got to the page, there was the same title I saw in the Ad, with the same logo…great!  Consistency.  Love it!  The only other thing on the page was a subscription form and a note asking me to register.  Um, what exactly am I registering for?  All I had was a concept.  No clue what they were offering.  Usually those ads come from someone I know, but there was nothing identifying WHO was offering this subscription either.  My spam alarm was going off like crazy!!  No thanks!  Click!  I was outta there in less than 15 seconds.  Not good for their stats.

Would your spam alarm have gone off on a page with a logo you’d never seen before and a subscription form asking you to register with NO other information?  I’m guessing you’re savvy enough to click away too.  Hmm…I wonder how many others did just that.

Okay, okay, so I’m skeptical and don’t freely give away my e-mail address just to find out what’s behind the squeeze page.  Okay, not everyone is as skeptical as I am.   Maybe they aren’t skeptical enough to click away, but I’m betting they have a little inkling that something feels fishy.  I’ll bet that little feeling is in their brains while they decide whether to move forward with the person offering this new concept.  I’ll also bet that little nagging feeling will keep them from purchasing anything or (at the bare minimum) will hold them off a lot longer than it would if they hadn’t experienced that squeeze page.

In this day and age of internet marketing, potential clients are getting smarter.  Many have actually heard about squeeze pages or have seen them a hundred times.  You can’t just throw up a page and ask people to provide their name and e-mail anymore.  People are wise.  They already get enough things in their inbox they don’t want.  So, why should they give their address out to anyone else?

5 Simple ways to avoid looking like a spammer!

As a coach, it’s important that you build trust right away from the very first contact.  Breeding an air of trust (vs. a concern of spam) will grow your business.  So, here are some tips to keep you  on the right track when creating a squeeze page.

1. Put a link back to your main website SOMEWHERE on the page.  Even if it’s just tiny little letters linked at the bottom of the page.  Make sure it opens in a new window when they click through.  This will give them the option to learn more about you before they register.
2. Use similar branding. Even if you have a whole new brand for this particular venture, create branding that matches your main brand.  Use the same colors and/or graphics but change the text.  Use the same font and font colors on your squeeze page as you do on your main website.  If you have a branded form that you use regularly on your website, use a form that looks similar.
3. Add SOME text to the page. At least give them a reason to register, besides finding out what’s on the other side.  Give them at least one way their lives will be different if they register.  Or give them a few benefits to explain why they should give you their name and e-mail address.  At a bare minimum tell them what they are signing up for.  Is it a report?  A tele-seminar?  A list to get more information?  Why should they give you their address when they have way to many people they’ve already given it out to?This is a squeeze page, so you can be short.  The very definition of a squeeze page is short.  It’s not the sales page…it’s the teaser.  So tease, but do it with invitation and information.
4. Add your picture. If you are coach, a picture says 1000 words.  If you are a known coach, put your name with it.  By all means, this is an easy way to get people to be willing to give you their name and e-mail address.  If they already know you, then it’s an easy decision.  If you look friendly, it’s an easy decision as well.  Make it easy on them, show them who they get to know by providing their information.
5. Provide a disclaimer. No matter where your form is…if this is true…add a little sentence at the bottom that assures your subscribers you will not share or sell their information without their explicit permission.  This is HUGE!  Especially since people keep getting subscribed to lists automatically these days.  Assuring them that they will only be subscribed to your information is a great way to ease their fears.

Follow these simple rules and you will immediately instill trust in your subscribers and potential clients.  This will speed up their purchase process and get people more interested in what you have to offer.  As I find myself saying more and more…It’s simple.  You just have to know where to look.  So now you know where to look on your squeeze pages.

What are your thoughts on the art of creating a squeeze page?  Do you or will you be using these concepts?

Kristen Beireis, Trust Marketing Expert

Last week The Dalai Lama visited my area.  Unfortunately, I did not have tickets so I wasn’t able to attend any of the events.  However, I did watch lots of news reports and read articles reporting on the visit.  Of course, the press quoted him left and right.  He is such a wise man, even the quotes are educational.

One of the quotes I found from the visit is:

Trust only comes by showing genuine concern for other people’s well-being. The Dalai Lama

I hadn’t expected to find something about trust, but this quote really stood out for me.  I couldn’t agree more and it directly relates to what I teach coaches about building trust in marketing.

Okay, okay, I know you’re a coach.  You’re all about having genuine concern for other people’s well-being.  It’s what you do!  You help people create their own well-being.  It’s important to you or you wouldn’t be a coach.  My question to you is; Are you bringing that concern into your marketing?

You may be wondering exactly what I mean by that.  You may even think you ARE bringing that concern into your marketing.  The key here is genuine concern.  Most marketing philosophies have you create marketing from what the client wants to hear.  Is that genuine?  In fact, genuine concern has to come from you first.

So, what are you most concerned about when it comes to the well-being of your clients?

Now, go deeper.

What is that concern about?

Where does it come from?

Why are you concerned?

Another word that comes up for me here is fear.  Most concern comes from a place of fear.  Fear of what could happen if someone continues down the path they are on.  Fear of the future, essentially. I know, as a coach you’re trained not to read anything into where your clients are.  You’re supposed to let them tell you what’s going on for them and then get curious about that.  Since you actually don’t have that opportunity to individually coach each and every person before they see your marketing, you will need to read into their pain and problems.  Pick one ideal client and speak to them.  That will help you focus your concern.

I’m suggesting that you take your deep concerns and turn them into marketing.

Share your fears with your ideal client and where they come from.

Share your concerns and why it matters to you.

Share your story and how you got to the place of this deep concern.

Focus on one concern and write some marketing around it. I guarantee your potential clients will be able to connect with your marketing and you’ll get a much higher response than you ever have before.

It takes guts to share this kind of personal stuff in marketing.  You’re a coach.  Get personal with your potential clients and they’ll trust you enough to get personal with you.

REMEMBER where your clients are before they get to you.  Speak to them in that place.  Prepare them for working with you.  Don’t make it look like an overwhelming impossibility.

What do you think?  How and where will you be sharing your concerns?

Kristen Beireis, Trust Marketing Expert

A few weeks ago, I went through and did some Facebook maintenance.  As I was going through, I decided to leave a lot of groups.  I was getting lots of messages from them and I never actually went in and looked at most of them.  So, I cleared the clutter and left only a small amount that I’m really interested in.

Facebook is a great place to get your business noticed.  You can gain huge visibility and fill the trust bucket for your potential clients easily.  For most coaches, it can a big business and trust booster!  Too often, I find myself explaining the difference between a Facebook Page, Group and Profile.  So not only do I want to quickly cover the differences for you, I’m also going to give you some things to think about so you can decide  which one will work best for you, as a coach.

Before I get into the differences, you need to know a few things.

1)  Does your target market mind sharing with people that they are interested in your particular topic?

2)  Is your target market more interested in discussion or learning?

3)  Would your target market prefer to read at their leisure or receive information by e-mail or both?

4)  Is your target market conversational, but only in private?

Facebook GROUPS

So, if you think of Facebook groups like google groups or yahoo groups, it’s pretty much the same thing.  The only difference is you can’t share files.  The very huge disadvantage of a group is that the conversation is limited to the space provided for the group.  So, all members need to physically go into the group to keep up with the dialogue.  You can send a message to the group to stimulate conversation, but no one will see the updates unless they click through to the group.

For coaches, I usually only recommend using groups when you have a group of people who do not like to speak openly about the topic you work with.  Career coaches and many life coaches run into this.  Their target market doesn’t want to be “public” about their exploration of the topic, for fear of losing their job etc… If this is the case, then a private group where only those you invite in can be members is the best way to go.

Is there a wall? Yes

Is there a Discussion Forum? Yes

Is it Private? If you choose so, you can make it invite only

Does Google Index? No

Can you e-mail members? Yes, you can e-mail all members of a group

Is there a cap on members? Yes, you can’t have more than 5000 members in a group

Facebook PAGE

A Facebook Page can be set up as a business profile or a person profile.  Depending on whether or not you are the face of the business, you can choose accordingly.  Pages are open to the public and indexed by google (so choose your title with that in mind).  The great part about pages is that everything you post on your page wall shows up in your followers feed.  So, people will get notified when something new is added.  Then they can easily access it and join in the conversation.

I recommend pages to coaches if they are looking to gain exposure for their business.  You can create discussion on your wall and then carry it to the discussion forum if you wish.  You just have to remember that the whole world can see these pages, so try not to start conversations that require personal answers.  This is a great place to share resources that pertain to your topic.  You can also create events for your business and e-mail all your followers about what’s going on with you and/or your business.

Is there a wall? Yes

Is there a Discussion Forum? Yes

Is it Private? No

Does Google Index? Yes

Can you e-mail fans? Yes, you can e-mail all those who “Like” your page

Is there a cap on members? No

Facebook PROFILE

Your profile is the first thing Facebook gives you.  It comes automatically the moment you set up your Facebook account.  There’s a big debate among marketers as to whether you should use your Facebook profile for business or JUST use the business page and keep only your TRUE personal friends on your profile.  This is a very personal choice.

There are some great advantages for opening up your profile to business contacts.  First of all, it allows you to become “friends” with people so you can easily see what they are up to.  With a page or group it’s very one-sided where you put out information and they respond.  If you are “friends” with someone, then you see their updates in your feed. You can easily see what’s going on in their world and jump in with your own two cents.  It’s also easier to start a conversation with an individual via their wall or a message.

The great part about the new Facebook profile is you can choose who sees your posts.  If you group your friends, you can open your posts only to specific groups.  You can also open them up to specific individuals.  You can choose who sees each individual wall post at the time you decide to add it.

Being friends with someone also allows you to send individual private messages.  You can’t send to more than 20 people at a time and you don’t want to do this too often or can be seen as spamming to Facebook.  So, use it wisely but this opens you up to a much more private and personal conversation with people.

Is there a wall? Yes

Is there a Discussion Forum? No

Is it Private? Depending on your privacy settings.  You have control over what is seen on your wall and can allow “everyone” access to all things your friends post.

Does Google Index? Only when you post to “everyone”

Can you e-mail? Yes, you can e-mail up to 20 people at a time.  Don’t do that often though.  You can also e-mail groups and individuals.  I wouldn’t do every day or you’ll be seen as a spammer…use it sparingly and wisely.

Is there a cap on friends? Yes, 5000

My personal philosophy

Personally, I don’t have any groups, because I don’t want to continually e-mail people to remind them there is a group to go look at.

I have a business page (http://www.facebook.com/coachesmarketingsource), which I direct potential joint venture partners, clients or other business people to all the time.  In fact, it’s what I link to on all my web activities.   Here I post resources about my topic, share what my joint venture partners are up to, ask questions and e-mail followers about my company.

I use my personal profile as a personal space..  I do accept friend requests from people who would be potential clients or great joint venture partners.  I also accept friend requests from family, personal friends,  former classmates, and former acquaintances I’ve lost touch with.   I’m very picky so I don’t hit that 5000 friend cap.  All of my “friends” are people I really truly would like to get to know better.

That’s a lot to digest, so if you have any questions or comments, please leave them and I’ll be happy to respond.

Kristen Beireis, Trust Marketing Expert