What would you do?

As Michael said: carve your niche.
That niche maynot be some different occupation. It can simply be something you do differently. Something that differentiates you from other consultants.

Maybe you are willing to travel to other locations. Maybe you are really good at bringing out peoples thoughts... there are some consultants who charge top dollars that do nothing but ask questions. They dont give solutions - but just probe into your minds and ask questions which you have to answer. Maybe you could be like them if you are good at interviewing.

Secondly never decrease your prices. I dont agree with Michael that many startups cant afford to pay for consulting. I have seen people who dont have money to pay rent yet they buy 1000$ worth Jay Abrahim stuff.

So if you can churn out good quality work, money will automatically come.

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Your site review: the newsletter just says signup to receive free ebook. Which free ebook? What does your newsletter have that other newsletters dont? Whats the USP?

And one thing that lacked is testimonials. For newsletter as well as your services. Dont expect people to go to another page to read what others say about you. Bring it out in front.

I saw a link to womens biz. You could make yourself stand out by only consulting to women biz. You can be the "Women help Women consultations." That will make you stand out. That will buy you space in peoples brains. Next time some womens organization wants a consultant - they will give you a call.

And try to add some free stuff to your site. Some free articles. Tips. Whatever. Whatever that can make me stay at your site longer. And that can show me how good you really are in consulting.

Maybe you could be different here - get some of your clients permission - and add the whole client consultation session in audio format to the site. Show people the whole enchilada. Show then what they will receive.

Help people make a wise decision choosing you.

Also there are 2 links - pre startup and small business -that link to a same page. I would take out 1 of the links.

Specialize in either pre startup consultations or small biz consultations.

I would be more inclined towards small biz consultations because that way I can have 1 client come over to me again and again. While in pre startup - once their companies are set - they will go find some one else.

But dont try to be both together.

And most of all educate prospects. Educate all your visitors what you can do for them. Tell them step by step - how you will guide them. Reveal all the steps. Something like: 1st session - we will brainstorm on how to save your firm more money. 2nd session we will brainstorm on how to develop your USP. 2rd session we will brainstorm on how to increase revenue. 4th session we will brainstorm on how to get repeat clients.

Reveal all such steps you take in consulting. And if possible - get testimonials for each step.

Best of luck.


Inspirational Quotes and Stories

> Secondly never decrease your prices. I dont
> agree with Michael that many startups cant
> afford to pay for consulting. I have seen
> people who dont have money to pay rent yet
> they buy 1000$ worth Jay Abrahim stuff.

Ankesh,

Not only are most startups way underfinanced, they as I said in my original post are mostly uneducated when it comes to starting a business. They take for granted their knowledge is "good enough" to start a business. It's the classic "technician's sydrome" as precisely described by Michael Gerber in the "E-Myth".

I deal with a good 3-6 startups every week... 98% don't know Jay Abraham from Jay North (Dennis the Menace)... they don't know Dan Kennedy from Teddy Kennedy.

The folks that visit quality forums like this are the exception rather than the norm. Most startups are not sophisticated enough to even consider there is a better way to run their business (that is until the business loses boatloads of money and or goes belly-up). We know about Jay and Dan and Ted Nicholas and Gary Halbert and all the rest... but we're the exception and not the rule. Trying to prospect for new startups or pre-startups that have both the coin and the business sense to seek help is going to be very hard and expensive.

I agree with you on the pricing... I wouldn't cut pricing either. I would find (or create) a market that I'm creating sufficient value for so that in the end I'm being compensated at a level I feel is "right" for me.

> So if you can churn out good quality work,
> money will automatically come.

Not necessarily... why? because our perception (as a business owner or manager) of "quality" is almost always different than that perceived by the customer. We toss around the word "quality" like a $10 bill, but it is not the ultimate key to business success. The bigger determining factor is how much value are you creating for your customer(s)? "Value" encompasses "quality" and a whole lot more. You put out a quality product but not a product that creates value for the enduser and you're dead right out of the shoot.

Take care,

Mike Winicki

> I deal with a good 3-6 startups every
> week... 98% don't know Jay Abraham from Jay
> North (Dennis the Menace)... they don't know
> Dan Kennedy from Teddy Kennedy.

I gave the Jay Abrahim story as an example. I meant to say - there are thousands of people who would spend money - lots of money - even if they cant pay rent - on all sorts of things they cant afford.

But only if they think the product or service can give enough value.


Inspirational Quotes and Stories

My niche is businesses owners with 1-25 employees. My personal brand is "blue chip" services.

To me, a consultant who only asks questions is a coach. I have experience doing both coaching and consulting. I like asking questions then offering my suggestions. However, the clients I do attract want both and sometimes don't want any coaching at all!

I don't see Micheal suggesting that I lower my prices. Actually it was me who mentioned that new business owners don't pay for my full services, it was me and I was looking for ways to offer them some of what would be helpful. Yes, they buy "how to stuff" and very often don't use it. They throw 4-5k on quick fixes - then they come to me wanting me to help them for free, cause how they're broke Been there, worked with some and that's not my ideal client.

> Your site review: the newsletter just says
> signup to receive free ebook. Which free
> ebook? What does your newsletter have that
> other newsletters dont? Whats the USP?

MMM I no longer give free ebook with my newsletter. I do have a few pages of free ebooks/ereports on my site right now. They're available to anyone.

I guess I can come up with a USP for my ezine, Elevating Your Business, based on what my readers tell me. My ezine is a "view it and do it", it's long, but jammed packed full of useful, practical information.

> And one thing that lacked is testimonials.
> For newsletter as well as your services.
> Dont expect people to go to another page to
> read what others say about you. Bring it out
> in front.

I have testimonials in the right column of each page (including the home page), throughout the site and on a testimonial page, too.

> I saw a link to womens biz. You could make
> yourself stand out by only consulting to
> women biz. You can be the "Women help
> Women consultations." That will make
> you stand out. That will buy you space in
> peoples brains. Next time some womens
> organization wants a consultant - they will
> give you a call.

All women? OH life would be boring. My clients have been 50-50 and I'm AOK with that.

> And try to add some free stuff to your site.
> Some free articles. Tips. Whatever. Whatever
> that can make me stay at your site longer.
> And that can show me how good you really are
> in consulting.

HUH? I have 200 articles (hidden recently unless someone does a search ) 20 ereports, and about 20 pages of resources that are there for free. Actually there is TOO much for free, and that's what I'm changing.

> Maybe you could be different here - get some
> of your clients permission - and add the
> whole client consultation session in audio
> format to the site. Show people the whole
> enchilada. Show then what they will receive.

Appreciate the idea. I would not ask a client to do that because it's not something I"m confortable with. However, I do have a transcript of an online session on the coaching page. And I'm working on redoing my audio welcome. For people ready to hire a coach/consultant, they get a free 15-20 minute interview. That gives them first hand knowledge on how I work. Between all the free stuff on my site, my ezine, and the free consult, I'm giving away more than enough for people to get a feel for how I can help them, don't you think?

> Also there are 2 links - pre startup and
> small business -that link to a same page. I
> would take out 1 of the links.

I'm really happy with that change I recently made where I put a link for pre-startups and a link for small businesses. I want pre-start ups to have their own set of pages to visit, however, first I have to create the new ones . I just changed the navigation bar two weeks ago.

> I would be more inclined towards small biz
> consultations because that way I can have 1
> client come over to me again and again.
> While in pre startup - once their companies
> are set - they will go find some one else.

Can you explain this differently? I don't understand it. (I do understand your suggestion to specialize in small business coaching/consulting, it's the paragraph above I don't understand)

> And most of all educate prospects. Educate
> all your visitors what you can do for them.
> Tell them step by step - how you will guide
> them. Reveal all the steps. Something like:
> 1st session - we will brainstorm on how to
> save your firm more money. 2nd session we
> will brainstorm on how to develop your USP.
> 2rd session we will brainstorm on how to
> increase revenue. 4th session we will
> brainstorm on how to get repeat clients.

I don't take "steps" that can be written down like you mention. With each client, the steps as well as the plans they can choose, are tailored to meet their needs. Some come to me for business foundation work, others marketing, others Internet marketing. I think I'm clear on what my services are tailored to their needs and what. I also have information on what I do, don't do, etc.

I do educate them. Possibly too much. That's something I have to consider. If they get so much for free, why should they pay me? The best way for me to get new clients, is to get them to request a consultation. Once that's done, they get a feel for my services and me, and we go from there.

I think on the articles, I"m doing to take a poll and ask my ezine readers and R and D Team about selling the single articles.

You mentioned about not charging too low for my ereports. Is there a "too" low and what is "usual"?

I never have a problem coming up with content. I have more of a problem NOT coming up with more things to write about. I have a folder how, that I just throw ideas in.

I don't use content from others in my ezine. Why would I want to promote another coaches work? Wouldn't that be counterproductive? I do refer people to other coaches, but to blantantly advertise my comptetitors in my ezine? Not sure what that would accomplish. Can you elaborate?

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I do appreciate the time you took to view my site. Gave me some ideas, and strengthened my ideas on other parts of my business, too.


Elevating Your Business