The reading level for this article is All Levels
"If you wish to be wealthy, then act to create real value."
—Ralph Marston, www.greatday.com—
A major aspect of setting yourself apart from your competitors is the value that you add to your services, without wanting money in return. Competition within one’s industry can sometimes be fierce. Once you’ve determined what it is you offer that your competitors don’t, it’s time to start adding value to your clients and create a relationship they’ll be crazy not to continue (and tell others about). And this doesn’t have to drain your resources.
What is a "client extra?" It’s something you offer, as a bonus, at no additional cost, which is of great value to the recipient. Often a client extra is something low-cost or no-cost to you that doesn’t take much time to give away, but can really appeal to the client. People like to receive extra stuff. They feel special, they feel you care and they tell others about it.
In my Client Attraction consulting practice, I have offered many different types of extras in the last 6 years (some I still do): freebie Monday Open Office Hours (MOOH) to clients on Mondays, unlimited no-charge attendance to as many live events I was hosting as they like, occasional freebie editing of their marketing documents, freebie handouts, templates and scripts, and unlimited e-mail support between calls. Clients tell me they really like the extra attention and resources, and none of these cost me anything extra.
Here are some sample ideas for your business: open office hours each Friday to answer any questions at no additional cost, a hot lunch in your office’s waiting room, taped recordings of your sessions so the client can review them over and over again, articles, attendance to your workshops, quarterly brainstorming groups, monthly group bridge calls for all your clients, etc.
The key is to offer what someone really needs, and for this, you have to place yourself in the shoes of your ideal client or actually ask your ideal client what they would like to receive as a client extra.
Your Assignment:
What is it that you would want to receive as an extra if you were in their place? What is one element you could offer at no charge that would help solve a client’s problem more quickly or help them achieve their goal in record time? What could you offer as an extra that would make them remember you and talk to others about you?
Make a list of them all, however far-fetched the ideas, and then add them to your services. Put it in your marketing materials (along with the benefits of such client extras) and see what happens. A buzz about your services is likely to be created and people will start talking about you and start signing up with you as clients in greater numbers. Congratulations, you’ve become a true Client Magnet!
To get more strategies for helping you become a Client Magnet and fill your practice using proven, tried-and-true marketing techniques for sole practitioners, check out www.TheClientAttractionSystem.com for more info on the ultimate Client Attraction self-study manual. If just ONE tip like the one you read in today’s article can make you more of a client magnet, imagine what 56 of them will do for filling your practice. It worked for me and for thousands of my clients. More details here: www.TheClientAttractionSystem.com.
