In this webinar, you will understand the anatomy of your positioning, and discover a simple process to ignite a powerful word-of-mouth buzz about who you are, what you offer and what kinds of clients you really want.

(Notes, mp3 and other resources below the fold)

For more information

PDF Handout:
http://audio.davender.com/solosuccess/20100415/20100415WordOfMouth.pdf

Audio mp3:

Direct link to audio:
http://audio.davender.com/solosuccess/20100415/20100415_SoloSuccess_WordOfMouth.mp3

Video (under construction)

Facebook event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=362753037364

Some thoughts to help you figure out your positioning message and community of interest:

• What Is Your One Big Thing?
  http://blog.davender.com/2009/02/what-is-your-one-big-thing/
• Can A Target Market Be Too Targeted?
  http://blog.davender.com/2010/04/can-a-target-market-be-too-targeted/

"I have a client who is a Web developer.  His real love is working with arts organizations, and nonprofits in general.  However, he's concerned that that arts organizations are not a viable target market.  Arts organizations tend to be small and strapped for cash, though there are large arts organizations such as the art museums, symphony, ballet company, larger theaters.  His question - and mine - is whether the larger market of nonprofit organizations of any kind is narrow enough, or is it too diffuse?"

Since this question is common to many people, I decided to respond via a blog post in order to share my view on this with you.

Let's parse this idea down to three questions:

1. How to properly define your target market?
2. When is a target market too narrow or too broad?
3. Should "ability to pay" be a criteria in defining a target market?

How to properly define your target market?

I define "target market" as a community of people who share interests, values and qualities, to whom I want to be the preferred provider.

An important distinction in defining your target market, that I learned from Michael Port ("Book Yourself Solid"), is focus on their qualities (who the person is) rather than their circumstances (demographics).

Using only demographics to define a target market is a mistake in my opinion because in doing so you can make too many assumptions and overlook a valuable opportunity. An extreme example that comes to mind is mobile phones. In North America we assume that people need certain financial resources to buy or rent a cell phone. But it has become a key tool in transforming the poor classes of the developing nations. (see "The Dirt Road To The Information Superhighway", Der Spiegel 06/01/2006). And closer to home, look at other situations where a service/product provider successful went into an underserved demographic that everyone else thought not to be lucrative enough.

When I work with my clients in defining their target market, we first do the demographic thing to get it out of the system. Then we look at some other dimensions:

- their qualities and values: To create loyalty and commitment, your target market has to have something in common with you. By describing the qualities and values you are looking for in great clients, you can also see if you also have those same qualities and values. The better the match, the better you will resonate with your target market.

- a shared story: One of my mentors, Coach Dave Buck, says "You can best coach the games you have played". Do you have experience or an affinity with the target market you wish to serve? For example, it is difficult for me, a life-long childless bachelor, to offer my services to new and expectant mothers. But if I can show that I have lots of experience with children (by being an active uncle, for example), this improves my credibility in the area of children. (In reality, this is not a target market for me because I have no story to share.)  You don't necessarily need to have been in the specific situation of your target  market or have a long list of accomplishments in the field (although this helps a lot to build credibility). Empathy, an important element of building trust, can also be developed by sharing stories that communicate your passion for your target market and your understanding of their situation.

- their compelling desires: Go beyond just their "needs", or the things they are lacking. Focus even more on where your target market wants to go, what they want to move forward towards. When people have to satisfy needs, they look for the least cost alternative. But when they want to fulfill desires, they will select the best option, and cost takes a back seat.

- the deep-rooted benefits your clients will experience as a result of working with you: Go beyond just their products that you deliver, and identify what your clients will experience, in four dimensions:

• financial: how will their financial situation change for the better? (this applies no matter what you offer)
• emotional: what positive emotions will they experience because of you?
• physical: how will their environment change because of you (how they work, how they live, how they play, how they create)
• spiritual: how you help them experience their core values, their mission, their vision, at a deeper level?

- their trigger point: What is the specific situation, circumstance or question they are asking themselves that will cause them to look for you as the answer? The more precisely you can zero in to the situation which is triggering their search for help, the quicker you can position yourself to be the answer. In my case, my target market is not just self-employed professionals, but specifically self-employed professionals who are already in business, have clients, and now who want to become the "go-to" resource with their target market.

Going deep in describing these dimensions of your target market will help you to discover their true motivations seek you out and work with you - and why they will make the effort to find lots of money to pay you.

When is a target market too narrow or too broad?

I think the target market is well defined when you are recognized as the sole preferred provider for that market. The market is too broad if there are others who can "compete" with you.

When starting out, your target market is very small because your reputation is small. This is where you need to invest in building trust and credibility with your market. Your target market needs to look at you as the answer to their questions. They also need to know that you are empathetic to their needs, desires, values and situation, and are fully committed to serving them. As the trust builds, then others with similar needs, desires, values and situation will gravitate towards you.

The big mistake I see is people casting too wide a net, fearful of losing out on opportunities, This forces the client to make a choice, because you are no longer recognized as the sole preferred provider. Then you have to compete for the business, compromise your fees, and waste time and money. And if you don't resonate strongly with the client, then you will lose out.

The more you can laser-focus on a target market using the descriptors above, the more you can stand out from the noise of all the other options and "dominate" that market. You want to create a situation where people talk about you and come to you, rather than you having to spend time prospecting.

As I like to say, "Create a dynamic where the client needs you more than you need them."

Should "ability to pay" be a criteria in defining a target market?

My opinion? No. For two reasons:

1. People will find a way to pay if they want you enough.

The objection "We don't have the money" rarely means they don't have the money, it means the level of trust is not yet high enough for them to make the commitment to work with you.

In my essay "How Do You Stash Your Cash", I discuss the psychology of money management. Economists teach us that a dollar is a dollar is a dollar. But in real life, we assign different emotional weights to money. Money is a measure of commitment. The key is to build your trust and credibility to such a high level that they will dig into their reserves to commit to your solution.

On a practical level, especially with non-profits, help the client find a way to pay. Become an expert in understanding how arts organizations are funded, and a guide to helping the client find the funds to pay. Understand their funding cycle and time when to offer your solution (before they make the budget for the next year or apply for grants).  Sometimes the payor is a third-party, independent of the client with whom you will be working. I'm on the board of our Local Economic Development Centre (Centre local de développement de Québec) and part of our mandate is funding the business development activities of arts organizations.

2. Define your tribe by how they energize you, not by ability to pay.

As Michael Port says, "Find the people you are meant to serve, who energize and inspire you and allow you to do your best work".  I believe when you focus on doing your best work with people who appreciate it, then ways to monetize your work will appear. Because when you are doing your best work, you shine, and people talk about you. The level of trust people have in you goes up, people's willingness to commit to you goes up, and opportunities come your way.

When I started to focus on self-employed entrepreneurs/solopreneurs who want to make the shift "from good to great", and purposely turning my back on the government/corporate market (which is big here where I live), people said I was nuts. "Solos don't have the money!" they said.  As I develop my business by focusing on building trust and credibility with my target market, so many amazing opportunities are popping up that I have to start saying "no" more often to not get overwhelmed!

Become the "Linchpin", a term described in Seth Godin's new book, by being the indispensable go-to resource for your clients. In this specific case, look beyond being just the "web developer" for arts organizations and become their preferred partner. Coach and teach these organizations how to unlock the power of the web to get their message out and get more ticket sales and community support. Help your target market create successful experiences and they will become loyal to you. From loyalty comes commitment, and from commitment comes their willingness to pay whatever it takes... because they know they will get so much more in return.

To sum up my answer, I believe it is important to laser-focus your target market as tightly as possible. I believe that for every combination of skills, talents, passions and values that you offer, there is someone out their waiting for you to appear. By building trust and credibility with the community you most wish to serve, you can create an environment where they win, which in turn will ensure that you win now, tomorrow and in the long term.

For more information

For a deeper discussion of how people budget their money, and why if they really want what you offer, they will find a way to pay, see my post "How Do You Stash Your Cash"
http://blog.davender.com/2006/02/how-do-you-stash-your-cash/

See the article "Six Things They Mean When They Say They Have No Money" by Naomi Dunford
http://ittybiz.com/customers-cant-afford-it/

This discussion directly relates to Seth Godin's book Linchpin:
Summary and interview on Mashable.com: http://mashable.com/2010/02/14/seth-godin-linchpin/
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.ca/Linchpin-Seth-Godin/dp/1591843162

and Michael Port's "Book Yourself Solid"
http://www.bookyourselfsolid.com

Sort of related to this topic is the question of bartering your services. See my essay on this:
http://blog.davender.com/2008/12/article-how-to-barter-your-services-profitably/

Image Credit: Photo by Gisela Giardino. Original link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gi/6933867/ Use under Creative Commons 2.0 license

It doesn't matter how pretty, easy-to-navigate or flashy your site, people will spend far more time on and interacting with Facebook and Twitter (20 minutes a day and more, according to recent Nielson studies), vs seconds visiting your site just once.

You gotta be where the people are: instead of staking out a homestead in the wilds of GoogleLand hoping people come to you, move to FacebookCity and mingle with the vibrant community that is already there.

Recently, the networking group I belong to held a "Social Media 101" workshop, after which some participants asked me what resources I have to help them get started. Here is a list of posts, articles and other tools to guide you to use the Web 2.0 in a way that helps you attract More and Better Clients:

The Essentials

For more information

Here's how the South Park gang uses Facebook...

(Direct link on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYkjaZCL0OE )

Referrals are a very important part of your marketing strategy. Too many solos advertise, hoping people will respond, but rarely do they "prime the pump" by giving referrals first. When I had to restart my business in a new city and a new language, my first step was to make sure I gave out lots of referrals, even though I did not know anyone...and that soon changed - because I demonstrated my credibility through my skill at giving great referrals. People saw that because I was comfortable giving quality referrals, and so they became comfortable sending referrals to me.

In this FREE webinar you will discover what referrals are and learn a powerful technique to give them and receive them, making your prospecting much more effective.

Specifically, you will discover:

- The anatomy of the referral
- Picturing the perfect referral
- The Referral Cycle
- Giving Great Referrals
- Kickstarting Your Referral Stream

Connection info, recordings and other resources after the fold:
(I will be updating this post during the week as I add more resources...)

---------------

This interactive session will take place by webinar (accessible by PC, Mac or Linux).
You can speak directly on the webinar, like a teleconference, if your have a microphone and HEADPHONES (Please do not use speakers, because of feedback).

No registration is required, simply connect using the instructions below.

Thursday 8 April 2010
Event 2PM-3PM EASTERN

FREE WEBINAR LINK (using Adobe Connect Pro - works on Mac, PC, Linux)

http://connectpro16008135.na5.acrobat.com/ss20100408/

Questions? Comments? Contact me via Facebook mail, or e-mail at coach@davender.com, or by phone at 418-948-1553

Looking forward to having you join me on this fun and interactive workshop!

For more information

Facebook Event Page and Wall:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=103989772969157

Image Credit: James Roach (jcroach) on Flickr. Used with Creative Commons licence. Direct link:http://www.flickr.com/photos/roach-family/182395939/

One thing I realized when preparing and presenting this webinar was that we are undergoing a seismic shift, one as big as the Industrial Revolution. The shift is from a 20th Century "Economy of Things" to a 21st Century "Economy of Experiences". The rules that govern the capital-focused, finite-mindset Economy Of Things no longer work in an Economy of Experience where the cost of production is zero, the products are intangible and velocity is what counts.

This has generated lots of ideas that I want to explore later on.

Links to the recording and handout after the fold.

Link to the recording:

http://connectpro16008135.na5.acrobat.com/p89111769/ (41 minutes)

Link to the handout (PDF):

http://audio.davender.com/solosuccess/20100401/20100401_Real-World_MBA.pdf

Link to audio MP3 (right-click to save)

http://audio.davender.com/solosuccess/20100401/20100401_SS_Real-World_MBA.mp3

For more information

Facebook event page (including links, comment wall, resources)

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=102057143163405

What is your first gut reaction when you see this? If you're like me, probably to hit the "delete" button. And if you're feeling particularly peeved, you might hit the "Identify as Spam" while you're at it.

But the temptation to send out these kinds of e-mail is huge. You need to let people know that you exist. And everyone is doing it, right?  So why are you still doing it, even if the return on these kinds of campaigns, whether by e-mail, postal mail, telephone, social media update or ad, or other means, is pitiful?

I agree that it's important to reach out and let people know what you offer. How you do it, though, is the difference between generating indifference or interest. So what is the difference between a message that captures a prospect's interest and one that turns them off?  When is spam, spam?  

Whenever you plan on sending a promotional e-mail, make a prospecting call or meet someone at a networking event, keep this golden rule firmly in mind:

Every contact you make must bring something of value to the recipient.

If your communication or your contact does not meet this requirement, then it IS spam in the recipient's eyes, whether it be an e-mail, phone call or in-person encounter, and especially whether you intended it to be spam or not. Spam, therefore, is in the eye of the beholder.

We are bombarded by pitches that do nothing more than interrupt our train of thought. When you offer something of value, with no strings attached, you quickly break through the noise and get noticed.

The "something of value" doesn't need to be huge. It can be a simple open question, phrase or tidbit to pique their interest.

In my article "Build Your Credibility By Being A Content Creator", I talk about five ways to add value:

1. Education: lessons and recommendations that emerge from your experience with your customers (for example, case studies);

2. Demonstration: Describe how to do something related to your specialty (for example, this “how to” article);

3. Opinion: Your comments on situations or the news, always related to your specialty and how you want to be known. Your opinion demonstrates how you interpret situations and propose solutions. Be careful to remain respectful and politically neutral;

4. Recommendation: Provide resources (books, articles, videos, contacts) related to your specialty;

5. Information: Communicating news about your specialty, passing along items from the media demonstrating various aspects of what you do (example: a tax specialist passing along news of changes to the law).

The key is to engage the prospect, ask questions, build rapport and credibility, let them find out who you are while you learn about them. Flirt with your prospect before proposing marriage.

Here is an exercise to turn the next annoying interruption you receive (e-mail, phone call or contact) into a learning moment: take a look at the message, and ask yourself: "If I were in the other person's shoes, how could I reframe the message to bring something of value in the contact?"

When you ensure that your first contact brings something of value to the person you are contacting, you start building good will - the currency of trust. And if it is done right, you end up being able to pre-assess your prospect to see if he or she is a good fit for you. And that's an important step to getting More and Better Clients.

For more information

This post was inspired by listening to an archived episode of  "The Age Of Persuasion" available on the CBC Radio site: http://www.cbc.ca/ageofpersuasion/2009/02/season_3_episode_breaking_the.html

I heartily recommend listening to the whole series, Saturdays 10am on CBC Radio One, on Sirius and on the web at
http://www.cbc.ca/ageofpersuasion

The writer and presenter of the series, Toronto copywriter Terry O'Reilly, keeps an interesting blog http://www.terryoreilly.ca/ and Twitter stream http://twitter.com/AgeOfPersuasion

I wrote two essays on the topic of "interruption marketing":

• Solicitors Will Be Shot On Sight
  http://blog.davender.com/2009/02/solicitors-will-be-shot-on-sight-darn-tootin/
• What Gives Me The Right To Interrupt?
  http://blog.davender.com/2006/01/what-gives-me-the-right-to-interrupt/
  and the updated version on my Facebook Fan Page
  http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=171013738267

Here is the post that discusses how to add value through "content creation"
http://blog.davender.com/2009/07/build-your-credibility-by-becoming-a-content-creator/

Here is a post where I directly address someone who "cold-called" me:
http://blog.davender.com/2009/07/a-candid-letter-to-a-marketing-consultant-who-wants-me-to-hire-her/

And the Monty Python sketch that gave rise to calling Spam, Spam:

Direct link on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_eYSuPKP3Y

Is Your Marketing Aggressive Enough?
Walt Goshert
http://waltgoshert.com/is-your-marketing-aggressive-enough/

Walt asks: "Is your marketing “sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads” aggressive? " The subtitle was enough to catch my attention. The message is a wakeup call for me!

If You Want To See Entrepreneurs, Go To China
Scott Shane, BusinessWeek
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/mar2010/sb20100311_996919.htm

In China, the rate of self-employment is 51.2%, compared to the US 7.2% (I assume it's similar in Canada). Why the difference?

Is Selling Somehow Unprofessional?
Geoffrey James, BNET Blogs
http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=8449

Too many solos resist letting their friends and colleagues know what they're doing.

A Curler's Guide To Marketing
Jackie Adkins, The Curbside Marketer
http://www.jackieadkins.com/2010/02/18/a-curlers-guide-to-marketing/

Three interesting insights why marketing is a lot like curling.

How To Make A Living Out Of Your Obsession
Jonathan Mead (guest post), Productive Flourishing
http://www.productiveflourishing.com/how-to-make-a-living-out-of-your-obsession/

As a solopreneur, why are you still looking for "balance"?

For more information

Check out these and more shared items on my Google Reader page: http://www.google.com/reader/shared/CoachDavender

and on my Google Buzz feed: http://www.google.com/profiles/coachdavender

Now for the fun stuff...

The scene from "Austin Powers" where Dr. Evil makes his request: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh7bYNAHXxw

And where Scott grants Dr. Evil's wish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pozlp_wnkRk

The misread phrase has been rattling around in my head for a few hours, until it connected to an incident I experienced.

If you meet me during a networking event, one question I will certainly ask you is "Is there a specific client or profile of ideal client you are looking for at the moment?" Most of the time the answer I get is "Well, anyone!".

Well, I've just lost interest. What you've communicated to me is that you don't know who you want as a client, therefore I (and anyone I might refer to you) will probably be disappointed with your service...because you don't really care for ME.

The biggest problem I see with solos is that we are so desperate hungry to get clients that we try to be all things to all people. However, there is only one of me and there are many of you. If I want to satisfy every one of you, I will definitely spread myself too thin, and end up delighting no one, especially myself. And if I'm not happy providing my services to you, then what's the point for me to be in business?

I think trying to be all things to everyone is a leading cause of solo burnout.

This is why it is so important for solos to hyperspecialize: to focus all one's energies on a specific laser-focused subgroup of people who recognize the value we offer and who are ready to commit.

Here are four questions I ask my clients to help them identify their ideal client:

- What are the demographics of your ideal client? I want my clients be 30 to 55 years of age, which means they have had a couple of jobs, at least one career under their belt (and sometimes more), they have completed their education, have some life experience and maturity. Although several people have told me that what I teach would be very good for university graduates (and I have had good experiences doing workshops with the Jaycees, college and university groups), I don't have much passion for that demographic. Define a demographic that clicks with you.

- What are your ideal client's passions, values and dreams? I go back to my definition of passion-driven business: "Business is an exchange of resources between you and I, so that you can satisfactorily live your values, passions and desires while allowing me to live my values, passions and desires." Therefore, by understanding what is important to me, and what is important to you, I can focus on offering products and services that allow both you and me to create a win-win experience.

- Where do your ideal clients congregate? This is a question I discovered in Michael Port's "Book Yourself Solid" program. Look at where your ideal clients physically and virtually gather: the media they consume (magazines, music, books, TV, web sites, etc), where they physically meet (is your ideal client a Starbucks person or a nightclubber?), what networks they belong to, etc. The idea here is to get a sense of what are the links that bind the "tribe" of ideal clients together, where is the "village well". By identifying where your ideal clients cluster, you can go to where they like to hang out and meet them there, instead of trying to persuade them to come to you before they get a chance to know you.

- What is your ideal client's "decision trigger"? This is an idea I learned from Craig Elias and ShiftSelling: find the issue, question or situation that's monopolizing the attention of your prospect, and be the answer to what they are looking for. This approach underlines the basic mistake I see in most business plans - the prospect may need you, but do they WANT you? To answer this question, put yourself in your ideal client's shoes and ask yourself, what are the situations where they would be looking for you as the answer to their situation?

As you answer each question, you will find that you are getting more and more focused. By the end of the fourth question, you should be in a position even to recognize specific faces.

Marketing professionals use a tool called "personas", composite descriptions of the ideal client. They give each persona a name, a face, a biography and a backstory, in order to better understand how to connect with them and build their trust. Writing out your ideal client's "persona" description by examining the above questions is an excellent exercise.

It could be that your ideal client's persona starts to resemble someone you know well... you! And that is okay, because we work best with clients who share our values, passions, needs and desires.

Is there such a thing as too narrow a focus? Taking into account that my ideal client can live almost anywhere on the planet, thanks to the Web, Social Media, and today's communication technologies, I believe it is even more important to be hyperfocused. For example, I look at my target community as being self-employed professionals in North America (Canada+US): if we assume 10% of the total workforce is composed of self-employed professionals (conservative estimate), then theoretically my clients come from a pool of 10,000,000 people. Assuming I can support 100 clients a year, this means I only need 0.00001% of this total community each year to live well. And even if I say I need to be in touch with 100 people to attract that one person who is ready to buy, that means that I only need a 0.001% "market share". Is that hyperfocused enough?

The good news is that people want personal service and attention, and they prefer doing business with people they know, trust and like. This is a key advantage us solos have over big business, why not take advantage of it?

You can't please all of the people all of the time. Focus on connecting with your laser-focused community of ideal clients, and you will attract people who recognize the value of what you offer and who are ready to commit. You will discover that these people are a delight to serve, and in return they will be delighted with you.

For more information

Image Credit: Cover of a recording by Montreal-born pianist Marc-André Hamelin, of 20th-century composer Frederic Rzewski's suite "The People United Will Never Be Defeated" (Hyperion, 1999 ). I watched excerpts of the piece on YouTube, it's an intriguing experience that requires extreme virtuosity to play successfully. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s0H38-NJe8 )

Amazon link to the record (no affiliate): http://www.amazon.com/Rzewski-People-United-Never-Defeated/dp/B00000IXWM

A good introduction to "personas" in marketing is this article by Leigh Duncan-Durst, "The Power Of Personas"  :
http://www.mpdailyfix.com/the-power-of-personas/

Craig Elias: http://www.craigelias.com

ShiftSelling: http://www.shiftselling.com

Michael Port: http://www.michaelport.com

Book Yourself Solid: http://www.bookyourselfsolid.com

The core of the discussion was about Branding, what it means and how to create a brand that expresses your own personality and quirkiness... because that is what will attract the right people to you.

To give you a sense of what was discussed, here are the notes I tweeted during the call (bottom of the list = start of the call):

• RT @startupcoach: The #gamechangers calls are really great. If you have an hour to spare, don't miss them. Better yet, make the time ;-)
• Thank you for this brilliant #gamechangers call on Branding: @lizmarshall @pamslim @reese @sarahrobinson @chrisguillebeau @jonathanfields
• Branding: Stop trying to build a following and start meaningful conversations with people! #gamechangers @chrisguillebeau @jonathanfields
• RT @ACCompanyC: Liz Marshall is SO good at this! Great choice! #gamechangers [DITTO!]
• Branding: Figure out what your unique energy is and bring it to what you do. Much more powerful than fluff or flash @reese #gamechangers
• [Funny-on another tweetdk column I see "how to get over 100000 subscribers" just as we're talking about quantity vs quality] #gamechangers
• Be yourself instead of gaming the system may cost you in traffic - but the quality will be much higher @chrisguillebeau #gamechangers
• [Personal comment: I agree - most ppl try to sell "why you need me". I love & hire ppl who share life! ] #gamechangers
• People feel a level of desperation with what they're doing.Brand yourself: do what feeds your passion&share your adventures! #gamechangers
• RT @LizMarshall "my game changed when I stopped lookng at the competition.stop looking around you&start looking within" @reese #gamechangers
• RT @GoodInkInc: So help me, @pamslim just used a Cat's in the Cradle analogy. Yes, the song. [This was a great example !] #gamechangers
• Branding Design: Don't let your visual signature be just a "decoration". Make it mean something - personal - quirky @reese #gamechangers
• Brands that might mean a lot for you probably don't resonate with them. Use language that resonates with them #gamechangers @pamslim
• "Why Do I Do This Every Single Day?" [Great question to continually ask ourselves to keep on track...] #gamechangers @jonathanfields
• Branding: What do I care about? Who do I want to serve? Dig deep to find the remarkable stuff #gamechangers
• Branding is not always strategic - it is a trial-and-error process #gamechangers @chrisguillebeau
• RT @kymleeisawesome: Noticing a #gamechangers theme: making strong/personal/emotional connections [agree!]
• Your brand is shaped by the kinds of clients you work with #gamechangers
• Branding is NOT something you can go out and "dictate" to the world - it's a living 2-way street #gamechangers
• Livetweeting the #gamechangers call with @pamslim @lizmarshall @reese @chrisguillebeau @jonathanfields @sarahrobinson
• Remarkable brand: More than a great name - it has to be a message that goes straight for the gut #gamechangers
• Remarkable brand = speaking in your own voice #gamechangers with @pamslim
• Remarkable brand = being "astonishingly better" than what's out there. #gamechangers
• For the next hour I'm live-tweeting the #Gamechangers call on Creating a Game-Changing Brand. Join us now! http://bit.ly/bMJqEj

I highly recommend these calls to all solopreneurs and entrepreneurs. There are still four more calls to go, and you can purchase the recordings of the first three calls.

For more information

Website with information, free sign-up link, and order the mp3 recordings:

http://www.gamechangersroundtable.com

Check out what others Tweeted during the call (and on the other Gamechanger calls) at
http://search.twitter.com and search on the hash-tag #gamechangers

To get more and better clients, you need to stand out from the crowd by proactively positioning yourself. The real question is: Do people know what you're good at...and how it benefits them? Communicate that clearly, and you will build huge trust capital with your market, and they will choose you before any of your colleagues.

This short course will equip you with strategies you can use right away to break away from the herd and become the preferred choice of clients who recognize the value of what you offer and who are ready to commit.

The result? You get happier clients who enthusiastically refer you to other people who are also the right fit for you. This means you will earn more, work smarter, and be happier!

People always have a choice. Make it easier for them to choose you.

This short course is offered in three sessions:

Session 1 - You are your positioning

When people hear about you, what images do they think about and what words do they say? The inverse is even more important: when people see a certain image or hear a certain word, do they think of you? In this session, you will refine your positioning by examining the triggers which cause prospective clients to seek you - and only you.

Session 2 - You are your clients

When people consider whether or not to do business with you, they look at the kinds of clients that you have. In this session, we will discuss how you can better define your ideal client, so you can be the natural choice for them. When you have better clients, you can do better work, earn more income and work smarter.

Session 3 - You are your message

You are highly qualified, but does your market know that? By demonstrating what you know, you educate and prepare your prospects so that when they become your clients, they are ready for you and you can do your best work. This session will point you to some essential strategies that you must implement to demonstrate your competence.

Structure

- Three 60-minute webinar sessions (audio and video)
- Online workspace with recordings of each session, reference material and worksheets
- Interactive forum to discuss the concepts and share your views with the other participants
- Access to one 30-minute individual coaching session via telephone or internet (offer valid for 60 days from the start of the course)

Registration

Launch special: CDN$149 / US$139  (Retail value CDN$239)
Price is billed in Canadian dollars.
Canadian residents add GST, HST and/or QST as applicable.

Session dates:
Session 1 - Wednesday 24 February 2010 - 2pm to 3pm Eastern
Session 2 - Wednesday 3 March 2010 - 2pm to 3pm Eastern
Session 3 - Wednesday 10 March 2010 - 2pm to 3pm Eastern

Registration link:
http://bit.ly/a8wYtL

Questions? Contact Coach Davender directly at 418-948-1553 or coach@davender.com

Join Coach Davender as he shares five simple principles you can use right away to break from the herd and become THE "Go-To" professional that your clients choose and trust.

This show is an episode of "From Passion To Profit Radio". Hosted by Coach Davender Gupta, "From Passion To Profit Radio" presents interesting stories, ideas, tools and techniques to help you power your Vision from Passion to Profit. The audio podcast can be accessed at
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/frompassiontoprofit

Monday January 25, 2010 - 6pm-6:30pm (Eastern)
Direct Listen Link: http://bit.ly/61P8oS

This podcast is also simulcast on video at
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/from-passion-to-profit

See the Facebook Event listing at
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=264219449698

UPDATE 25 January

The video is now available at UStream.TV: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/4224861

In preparing for this conversation, recorded for my French-language podcast "Radio Passion au Profit", we had a whole list of topics. But we ended up going deep into one issue: Does PowerPoint kill or enhance our ability to communicate?

The biggest idea that I learned from Denis-François is that most people (including me) misunderstand the role of presentations technologies like PowerPoint, Keynote, and Impress: we try to make the presentation stand alone, and the presenter becomes a technician, instead of the other way around like it should be.

It turns out that the brain can learn well by paying attention to the spoken word alone, or the written word alone, but learning efficiency drops way off when trying to communicate using both channels at once.  I've seen this happen when I put up a wordy slide and all the eyes go to the screen instead of staying on me.

Denis-François recommends that the slides should use colourful pictures or clear graphics that complement the message delivered by the speaker. Let the audience focus on the speaker.

I've been trying this (without realizing it) in my last couple of speeches, using very simple illustrations or short messages on my slides. I find it looks more professional and I get fewer people squinting at the screen as I speak.  Plus it has the added benefits of making sure that I communicate my point clearly...and that the audience pays attention because -there-are-no-notes!

Takeaway: If your handout says it all, then why would the audience waste their time listening to you?

For more information:

Denis-Francois Gravel and his primarily English-language blog full of great examples and ideas about presentation techniques:  http://www.PRESENTability.com

Denis-Francois Gravel on Twitter: http://twitter.com/PRESENTability

Photo: Catherine-Eve Gadoury (Quebec City arts and media columnist) at the Quebec City PechaKucha (photo Denis-Francois Gravel)

Read Denis-Francois's article on the event (great tips!) http://presentability.com/2009/12/04/7-speaking-lessons-from-pecha-kucha-quebec/

My interview with Denis-Francois Gravel on Radio Passion au Profit (French) and on YouTube (links coming soon)

Michael decries the silence of the personal development profession about this tragic incident. He starts his article:

"The tragic death of three people attending a "spiritual retreat" with James Arthur Ray has made me so angry that I'm having trouble finding words to express myself. But I'm going to try because, to me, silence is acceptance---and there has been a deafening level of silence from other "teachers" in the spiritual-help "community." Though, I am not in the "spiritual-help" business, I do write business-help books, and am close enough to, and sometimes, much to my annoyance, associated with James Ray's corner of the self-help market, that I'm embarrassed and ashamed that I haven't spoken up earlier about these teachers and their tactics. What happened in Sedona on Oct 8, 2009 was unacceptable. This is not the first time a narcissistic sociopath with a god-complex has lead people to their deaths and unfortunately it won't be the last time."

The post continues with a condemnation of James Ray's tactics:

"From all accounts, James Arthur Ray's tactics at this retreat and elsewhere, are coercive and manipulative, designed to strip followers of their power, and might I add, money. (...) Not only was Ray presenting himself as a spiritual guru promising spiritual enlightenment, but also as a business advisor offering profound economic improvement in business. According to an article on cbsnews.com, "The self-stylized success guru says people are ready for his wisdom if "You simply (and deeply) want to make more money and become more successful" and "want to double, triple, and even multiply by ten the size of your business." "

I notice, especially among coaches, that we try to promise bold transformations in material wealth, by using "spiritual" words.  Obviously, if this kind of marketing talk works for the big guns in the industry, it should work for us, right?

But there lies a road that leads to the dead-end of the "guru trap", when we get too wrapped up in our own hype that instead of being focused on meeting the needs and expectations of our clients, we crave the attention - and adulation - of our clients.

Avoid projecting a positioning that promises that people can get something for nothing - promoting the "big lie" that entitlement comes before effort.  Its sexy but dishonest.

The message of my previous blog post about under-promising and over-delivering fits well in this discussion.

When you market your services you must keep it real. By avoiding the hype, and staying grounded and real, you will attract clients who value what you offer and who are willing to fully commit to you. And these are the best types of clients, because their clear-eyed commitment makes them partners for the long term.

Here is the response I posted on Michael's blog:

"Michael, I share many feelings with you about this whole affair.

This debacle has made me hyper-aware of falling into the "overpromising" trap. Last fall, I went through some soul-searching about my positioning and my promises, and I actually pulled out of an event that I felt was going into a super-hypey marketing mode.

What you've reminded me through Book Yourself Solid is to focus on communicating compelling, relevant and grounded results...and to make sure that I have the means to follow through and deliver on these promises. I invite my clients to adopt a "healthy skeptic" viewpoint on the work we do together: test what I recommend, see if it works for you. If it does, keep it, if not, modify it so that it does. Seek to understand the principles behind what I'm proposing, and use them to develop your own "philosophy" or approach.

I don't want clients who see me as a "guru" (although I have the right name for one :) I want clients who want a partner in their development, who see me as a real person on the path they want to take. And I want clients who will become colleagues and peers as we share the journey towards transforming our dreams and our projects into reality.

I love watching your evolution, Michael, as you say or do things which work and say or do other things that don't work as well. I don't agree with you all the time...but it's the nuggets that are pure gold that make our relationship very worthwhile. You are human, and you let the people around you be human also. Watching you in action inspires me to Think Big and Act Even Bigger. And that's who a Role Model should be.

Thanks for sharing your heartfelt message.

success
-davender"

For more information

• Original post by Michael Port:  http://thinkbigrevolution.com/profiles/blogs/michael-port-speaks-out-about
• Google search on the Sedona incident (for the backstory, news reports and a lot more info): http://www.google.ca/search?q=james+ray+sedona
• Blog post: Self-Help's Big Lie: http://blog.davender.com/2006/01/self-helps-big-lie/
• Blog post: How To Make 'Em Smile - Promise Less, Deliver More: http://blog.davender.com/2010/01/promise-less-deliver-more/

• Successful People Focus on the Process, not on the Result
  Chuck Blakeman - TeamNimbusWest Blog
  http://blog.teamnimbuswest.com/2010/01/successful-people-focus-on-the-process-not-on-the-result/

Are we too focused on the result, thinking that “arriving” will make us happy? Why do athletes, music heroes, and business people who are already at the top of their field and financially secure keep going? Why don’t they retire as soon as they get there?

• Success and Motivation: What will you remember when you are 90?
  Mark Cuban - BlogMaverick
  http://blogmaverick.com/2009/12/04/success-motivation-what-will-you-remember-when-you-are-90/

Mark Cuban may be a multi-millionaire, but he does ask a good question that puts wealth (and the pursuit of wealth) in a proper perspective

• What Makes An Entrepreneur? Perspiration (6/11)
  Mark Suster - Both Sides Of The Table
  http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/12/21/what-makes-an-entrepreneur-perspiration-611/

A great series of posts by an entrepreneur-turned-venture capitalist about what it takes to succeed today. I like the point that he makes in this post the best: "If you want a safe job or a balanced life don’t be an entrepreneur."

• 6 Things They Mean When They Say They Have No Money
  Naomi Dunford - IttyBiz
  http://ittybiz.com/customers-cant-afford-it/

The brutal truth about what "I don't have the money" really means (and what to do about it)...

For more information

Check out these and other posts that I share from a list of over 220 blogs on my Google Reader sharing page:

https://www.google.com/reader/shared/davenderg

Do you have a blog you suggest I should follow? (Maybe even your own blog?) Post it in the comments below!

• Thot: In whatever you do, start the way you want to finish.
• Thot: I judge the competence of someone not on the answers they give but on the quality of the questions they ask.
• Thot: Urgent vs important? Important tasks move me towards my priorities, urgent is responding to other's priorities. Choose wisely.
• Thot: Real, sustainable profit only comes from making a positive difference in people's lives.
• Thot: Don't be scared by structures, systems and discipline: the crucible from which you can create great things.
• Thot: In committees, talking about politics makes you feel important. Focusing on getting things done makes you important.
• Goodnight thot inspired by Tim Sanders' blog: Are you committed enough to your Big Dream to "break some ribs"? http://is.gd/f6OS
• Thot: If you don't have a dream, you can't spot opportunity.
• Thot: The best way to create positive cashflow is to first create positive change.
• Thot: Success is not about achieving a goal, that thrill quickly fades. Success is what you learn and how you grow by reaching for the goal, and beyond.
• Blog post: Greatness is never a given - it must be earned http://bit.ly/6y3lP4
• Thot: Luck means settling for what fate decides to give me. I don't want to settle!
• Thot: We budget our money as if it was finite and spend time as if was infinite-should it be the other way around?
• Thot: Money is the measure of your client's commitment to the impact you promise them through your offer.

The 2010 season starts off particularly strong with two great sessions:

• Publishing Strategist and Author, Janet Goldstein

DATE: Thursday, January 7 at 1 pm Eastern Time

If you are an aspiring author or communicator who wants to write a book and successfully build a following for your idea, join this conversation with publishing strategist and author Janet Goldstein. You will discover six easy and effective steps you can take right away to powerfully proclaim your message.

Specifically, on this call you will learn:

• Three specific action steps you can use to immediately strengthen your idea.
• Three effective ways to build your following (platform) and establish key relationships with strategic partners.

MORE INFO AND REGSTRATION: http://bit.ly/gopubliccall

• Dan Pink, author of the new book "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us"

DATE: Tuesday, January 12 at 1 pm Eastern Time

Dan's book "Free Agent Nation" was the catalyst that supported me in taking the decision to go solo. His latest book explores how can keep the passion alive. In this season of resolutions, it is essential to upgrade our understanding of how to motivate ourselves (and others) and discover proven ways to awaken our true motivation and align our actions with our deepest values and desires.

MORE INFO AND REGISTRATION:  http://bit.ly/danpinkcall

Go to the links, save your seat and attend these FREE information-rich calls!

For more information

http://www.authorteleseminars.com (click on the direct links above to go to the specific event pages)

Janet Goldstein:  http://goldsteinjanet.web.officelive.com

Dan Pink:  http://www.danpink.com

I thought it would be fun to do an "unboxing" video (using my old camera of course), so here goes!

(Video from my Facebook profile http://www.facebook.com/CoachDavender)

For more information

Flip Video: http://www.theflip.com

Lou Bortone is the Online Video Guy. He first showed me the power of the Flip, and continuously inspires me on the subject of Online Video. Check out his resources:
http://www.OnlineVideoBranding.com - Lou's blog about Online Video
http://www.OnlineVideoMadeEasy.com - Great intro course Lou offers
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lou-Bortones-Flip-Tips-Free-Guide-to-the-Flip-Video-Camera/37030454941 - Lou's Facebook Fan Page

An op-ed piece by David Brooks on NYTimes.com had me thinking about this. His column, titled "The Protocol Society" talks about the shift in Western economies from the 19th and 20th century focus on making stuff (corn, steel, trucks), to the 21st century basis of the economy: sets of instructions such as software, processes, and intellectual property.

In my opinion, what makes being a solopreneur possible in this day and age is that we can leverage our ideas and skills to create parallel streams of income. This is the distinction between a solopreneur and an artisan: the artisan is a self-employed person who makes things or delivers a personal service, and since only one thing can be produced or service delivered at a time, the earning of an artisan is linear. I'm thinking of some people I've coached in the past: a furniture reupholsterer, a plumber, even a dentist. No matter how advanced or specialized is their knowledge, the business model that they're forced into creates linear income.

But when you take that knowledge or skill and transform it into "protocols" - organized information - then you can move from a linear income to a parallel income. Solopreneurs can leverage ideas and technologies to produce much more value from a time unit of work than if we were building widgets or serving customers on an individual basis.

David Brooks makes a a key distinction between the classic physical goods economy and the new protocol economy: physical things are finite, you can use them up, and therefore responds to the law of supply and demand. But the protocol economy, based on ideas, has no such limit.

What does all this mean for solopreneurs? Here are some ideas that came to me as I considered this concept:

- We are individually responsible for creating our own "economy". In the "Protocol Economy" our personal economic health is ultimately dependent on our willingness to take action and get things done. Because what we offer (ideas, processes, intangibles) is not limited by finite supply or demand, overcoming the inertia of our business is solely dependent on the force of our courage.

- Prosperity is directly proportional to the speed of innovation.  To prosper in the "Protocol Economy" you need to be constantly innovating, trying new processes, ideas. Because the world is so complex, if you spend all your time trying to figure out all the variables before you launch, well, you will never launch. The faster you innovate, the faster you find what works. This goes straight to the basic formula for success as a solopreneur: "FIRE","AIM","FIRE". Shoot first and then see what you hit. If it's good, continue aiming there, otherwise abandon it and try something else. The other benefit of speeding up your innovation cycle is that you generate that many more ideas, and since ideas are the fuel of the protocol economy, you will always have something to move forward with.

- Money is not essential to create money. In the traditional economy, you need capital to start up, in order to underwrite the means of production and cover the cost of sales. But in the "Protocol Economy" the cost of production is so low that you can make a much better return on your investment of time and money. What is especially interesting is that you can start even before you are clear about the "revenue model". More and more businesses are going this route (Twitter and Facebook are the highest profile examples). So throw away the rule book that says you need startup capital, bypass the banker and the government subsidy, and start making offers. Sell first, then design, build and deliver. That way you can see if there is any interest in what you have to offer and adjust your processes to meet what people are looking for (connects to the previous point).

- The protocol economy is not rational. In the protocol economy, the buyer acts first on emotion then "justifies" with reason. The buying decision is driven by the emotion of desire, since we're operating higher up on Maslow's hierarchy of needs (belonging/esteem/self-actualization). Therefore the buyer chooses their provider based on the level of trust (= emotional) and also how the provider can enhance the fulfillment of their desires (referring again to Maslow's hierarchy).  This means to stop focusing on the features of what you offer and focus on how it helps the purchaser fulfill their desires.

- Be the "Top Gun". The expression "Top Gun" comes from a course I took with Master Coach Bea Fields. When you are perceived as the Top Gun, you become seen as the expert in your field, and you attract more and better clients who appreciate what you have to offer and who are ready to commit. As you become more outstanding, you command a larger and larger sphere of influence, and you get to "cherry pick" clients who are the right fit for you. This demolishes the old "supply and demand" economic model, especially for services ("protocols"). The old models assume equivalent competency between providers (and therefore no differentiation). When you are the "Top Gun" you create your own economy, independent of supply and demand, because clients will beat a path to your door...you are that good!

- Success in the protocol economy comes down to one word: "Systems". Systems differentiate, define and duplicate. First, systems differentiate how I provide my training, coaching and consulting service from a colleague's similar offering. How I define and execute my systems will give you, as the buyer, a different experience from the other person.  Second, systems define.  If you go to the same restaurant today and next week, you expect a similar result. You also want your order prepared correctly, predictably and with high quality. You can have the most brilliant chef in the back, but if the systems are not in place and properly executed, then the trust is broken and the diner will go elsewhere. Highly reliable and consistent systems take care of all of the little details and free you to build a relationship of trust with your clients, which defines the value they perceive you to provide. Most importantly, well implemented and executed systems take the knowledge and skills out of your head and into the world: this is the key to leveraging your time and creating parallel streams of income, basically duplicating your ability to produce.  Because systems design and execution is so important, this year I will be making it a top priority for my own business as well as the businesses of my clients.

We need to get out of the old way of looking at business - finite markets, supply and demand, competition - and adopt a new way of thinking about what business in the 21st century is all about: innovation, collaboration, connection. The beauty of the "Protocol Economy" is that because success is no longer dependent on the physical resources you possess or control right now, prosperity is within the reach of each one of us - it only depends on our courage to move into action. There is a revolution happening in our economy and our society, and all of the trends point to the next decade being a wonderful playground for bold Solopreneurs.

To me, the closing paragraph of David Brooks' article sums this shift beautifully: "When the economy was about stuff, economics resembled physics. When it's about ideas, economics comes to resemble psychology." Because Solopreneurs are light and agile, we are perfectly positioned to prosper.

In what way does this idea help you create better results in your business? I'd love to discuss this with you. Please share your comments below...

For more information:

Read the original article by David Brooks here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/22/opinion/22brooks.html

David Brooks mentions a book about this idea, "From Poverty to Prosperity: Intangible Assets, Hidden Liabilities and the Lasting Triumph over Scarcity" by Arnold Kling and Nick Schulz
Amazon.com link (no affiliate): http://www.amazon.com/Poverty-Prosperity-Intangible-Liabilities-Scarcity/dp/1594032505

Reason.tv features an interview with Arnold Kling and Nick Schultz:

View directly on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--QaJ-VEXXU