This episode will TRANSFORM YOUR MARKETING from here on out, so make sure to listen in really carefully. If you can, get your pen and paper out and get ready to take some notes! This episode could be a paid offer, but I’m choosing to give it to you for free. This episode is short, sweet and to the point.
So, if you’re one of those who would really like to hire me to work 1:1 on your marketing and business, listen carefully! This episode could help you attract more clients – “earn more to invest more to grow faster” as one of my clients says.
But first, I want to quickly tell you about my weekend ahead. I’m super exited, because in Norway we have a huge culture around going to cabins. What’s most common is to go to cabins in the mountains during winter and then go to cabins by the ocean during the summer. And today, we’re going to the cabin by the ocean for the first time this season! For me that really is the most joyous sign of summer being just around the corner. I love all the winter activities, but I’m a summer person, for sure! Like, I moved to Australia and stayed there for almost 8 years, so that speaks volumes for my summer obsession, I guess. I always said I was born in the wrong spot – that I should’ve grown up in the topics and not in the Nordics.
ANYWAY!
I just wanted to let you in on my excitement. But let’s dive into a super important concept in marketing that really isn’t spoken about much – if anything at all.
What I’m referring to is Offer Focused Marketing vs Client Focused Marketing.
And, keep in mind – I’ve come up with this terminology myself, so you won’t find the definition I’m about to present to you in marketing and business books – as far as I know. And I’ve been in the marketing industry for over a decade.
So, let’s start by talking about what I call Offer Focused Marketing or OFM. This is the most common form of marketing. As the name indicates, the marketing is focused on the offer. It has the offer at the core of the messaging.
All marketing has to relate to the client – to show them how it applies to them and their specific wants, needs and desires. However, as you will learn a bit later in this episode – that’s very different to Client Focused Marketing.
So, if you’re a women’s health coach, an example of Offer Focused Marketing would be something along the lines of:
“Reduce your PMS and cramps for good, my 6 month program will give you 5 simple steps to pain free periods”.
So, as you see – this is mainly focused on what you get in the program – or as a result of taking the person up on their offer. This is an important part of marketing.
AND,
There is one element that is missing. And this one element is going to increase your conversions by A LOT.
We are in the business of PEOPLE. So, we need to work WITH people’s insecurities, doubts, and worry. It’s not enough to just making assumptions that, if the offer sounds good enough… if you messaging and branding is ON POINT that they will buy…
This takes me to the next point, which is: Client Focused Marketing (or CFM). This is where we look at the clients’ PERSONAL obstacles. Their INNER barriers to taking you up on that amazing offer.
In a sense, all marketing is targeted at the client – showing them how this offer will help them. But there’s a CRUICAL element that has to be added to that equation.
As with most things in a masculine, result driven world, the human and human traits are often forgotten about. But we’re all about humanity and inclusivity around here. That’s why I want to introduce you to Client Focused Marketing.
Because, the truth is that, even if EVERYTHING about your offer is “perfect” (we all know that’s not a thing – but just for the sake of the argument…). Here’s the deal: even if your offer, branding and messaging is perfect… a person IS NOT going to take you up on that offer if they don’t think that it’s within each for THEM specifically.
If they tell themselves that: “Others might be able to reach their goals if they buy that program, but not me”… then they simply won’t buy. If they tell themselves that “I’m uniquely fucked and it just won’t happen for me”, they don’t have enough belief in themselves to buy. It’s akin to the special snowflake syndrome – that their personality, situation or circumstances are just different, so this offer won’t work for them.
This is where it’s important to be authentic about your own struggles, ups and downs. Some coaches are afraid that revealing this about themselves will degrade their position as an expert. But it won’t. It builds trust. We are all humans with human brains. Coach or no coach. We are biologically wired to seek safety, comfort, and follow patters – even if we’ve outgrown the situation where we needed those patterns to survive. Sharing your own face plants or what you might consider short comings or obstacles, will actually help someone grow their belief in themselves. They might think: wow, if she can do it with that baggage/diagnosis/ personality trait / that…. (fill in the blank) – I’ll probably be able to do it too!
So. For your specific niche – for the type of coaching you’re offering – or the type of results you are helping people get… what would you have to say in order to help them build their self-confidence?
If you’re a health coach who helps busy executives get more energy or lose weight, how can you make it easy to see them selves getting the results? You might focus on the fact that your program won’t be just another to-do but even with their busy schedule, they can easily get the results. Or, if they’ve “tried it all”, how can you show them that this will be different and that it isn’t THEM, it has been that other programs has missed some important elements that you will teach them. It can be that you share your own journey and all the obstacles that you had, but you figured out how to get around it. GET CREATIVE. This is where you really get to stretch your mind and play with all of the things that may hold people back from signing up to work with you.
Because, people DO WANT the results that you offer. FOR SURE. They just lack belief in themselves being able to get them – even with your help. Show them how it’s possible FOR THEM specifically.
So, a part of your marketing HAS to be aimed at helping your potential client’s build self-confidence. You essentially sell themselves on themselves.
When you combine these two concepts – the offer focused marketing AND the client focused marketing, people are more readily available to take you up on your offer. When you’re helping your client’s see how THEY are able to reach certain results AND you have an offer that really speaks to their heart and soul… you are going to have so many more people reach out to inquire about working with you.
Alright, friend! I hope this was super helpful for you!
If you got value out of this and you think it would help someone else too, please leave a review on iTunes or wherever you listen to this podcast. It helps more of the good people trying to build beautiful businesses market successfully – and we need more of that. Successful soul centered businesses.
xx Martine
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