Follow on from my first post here, now that we have our first 2-3 powerful testimonials, what next?
After we have our first 2-3 powerful testimonials, the next step is to ask for referrals from these clients.
And we will also need these testimonials to be put up on our social media platforms, websites etc… Now the important question, which platforms should we first start with?
Before we dive into the many options available, there is one important question that you need to ask yourself: Where are my potential prospects found?
This requires an in-depth knowledge of your ideal customer profile, as this is really key to your next steps of deciding where to invest your time, energy and finances into to get the maximum return on investment (ROI) on your new coaching biz.
Yes, make no bones, the numbers matter.
If you wish to harvest good fruits, you need to select the best soil and provide the best possible chances of success for your new biz. Do you know exactly where your potential prospects are found?
If not, you will have to go back to the research phase, and ask your current clients which social media platforms do they spend the most time on, and what do they do exactly when they are on these social media platforms. But let’s assume that your potential prospects, like mine, are mostly on Facebook as well as LinkedIn.
There are many resources available online on Facebook and LinkedIn marketing, and I shall not go into specifics right here. (You may simple google “Facebook marketing” or “LinkedIn marketing”, and you will surely be spoil for choices!)
What I will go into here is the strategic thinking behind the choice of platforms, and also sharing a little on how I started building my Facebook and LinkedIn profile.
Now, any marketing and branding is really a numbers game. So you need to go for numbers. But not just go for numbers, be really strategic about who do you target.
Building Rapport On Social Media
This is a huge topic, which I will surely spin off into a separate article, or even a video course at a later time. But for now, I will provide a condensed, easy to understand and execute version for you, so that you can immediately start to put into action.
There are a few general principles that I apply, based on Chris Widener’s book, “The Art of Influence.” These are also my personal principles, so take note that what works for me, may not be the best for you.
#1: Work with people of similar values.
For those who know me as the Happy Coach, or as the founder of the Happy Man Club, they will know that my values are happiness and helpfulness. Specifically, finding true happiness by being helpful to others. This is evident in who I choose as my clients too, or rather, who I choose to work with in my coaching journey. I will not hesitate to reject potential clients who share different values, and this is not dependent on how much they are willing to pay me.
As a result of this, in the type of content you create, you need to show your values clearly. This will also help to attract people who identify with those values, and make your work of selecting the right clients much easier.
Being a helpful, happy coach, also entails that I give, more than I get, which leads me to the next point:
#2: Be interested in the other party’s interests, more than your own.
As a giver, I am constantly interested in what the other party wants to achieve. It could be an immediate goal, or a longer term dream. Have you ever met people who are exactly the opposite of this? Looking to get, rather than give? They are simply interested in pushing their own agenda, and don’t really care about yours? I have, on more than one occasion!
And I have also made the mistake of “cutting and pasting” my introduction to new people that I met online. But I learn from my mistakes, and now whenever I introduce myself to someone new on social media, I always make an effort to look through their profile, and find an angle or a common topic to talk about before making my introduction.
Facebook and LinkedIn reminds you of special occasions e.g. a promotion, an anniversary or a birthday. Do make full use of this as a way of introducing yourself to someone whom you have not connected personally with online.
And one very underused feature…called the “p________ m_______”. If you want to know what is that, watch my YouTube video here!
#3: Create relevant, refreshing content on your social media
In line of giving value, the type of content you put out on social media needs to be relevant and refreshing. Of course, they will have to show who you are as a person, what are your values, as well as your expertise in a subject matter. Most importantly, they have to be relevant to your target audience, and address a certain pain that they are experiencing right now.
(There’s actually a difference between a pain, and a problem. Do you know what that is?)
These, in a short summary, are the 3 things that guide me in my outreach to my potential prospects on social media.
Of course, you will have to take specific steps to build your prospect list, and I will be covering that in my next topic.
Hope that you have found this article helpful, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
