What would you do?

Maria,

First of all, I've seen your articles come
across my desktop for the past few years. You
have a great talent and a lot of knowledge to
share with others.

The advice that Andrea, Michael, and Ankesh have
shared is excellent and is 100% true.
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Allow Me to Share My Experience with You...
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...but before I do, this message might NOT be for
you (or others). You see, if you're happy doing
coaching and you're satisfied with making a
medium income, what I'm going to share with you
might not be of interest to you.

The reason I say that, is that I have worked with
many business owners and coaches that are
comfortable with their business and don't really
want to make a LOT of money (usually because it
means more effort on their part or they're
comfortable trading their time for dollars).
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If I Had to Do it Over Again I Would Have Never...
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...started my Marketing Best Practices business.
You see, its a general small business marketing
company and really doesn't target any one niche.

Bad idea.

I still make quite a bit of money from this
company selling information products but it still
doesn't bring me the income that my niche marketing
practice does.
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After A Couple Years I Finally Took My Own Advice...
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...and began my niche consulting practice in
the spa and pool industry (yes, you read that
right...spas and pools). You can read more about
how I've done that and the results I've achieved
on this site www.Market-Your-Services.com

I have never sold a spa or pool. Don't know how
their built, nor do I know any of their features,
but what I do know is how to get people "in the
door." And that's what I teach spa retailers
and pool builders.

My list to that industry is 3,500 today and will
be over 8,000 by the end of the speaking season.
I make twice the money sending a single email to
that list than I do my 40,000+ Marketing Best
Practices list.

Why?
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It's All About Niche Marketing...
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People want products built especially for them
and their unique situation. They'll pay more
money, they'll pay it faster, and they'll pay
it again and again if you provide EXACTLY what
they want.

So my advice...STOP working on your general
web site. (I have) and START working on a niche.
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I Work with a Lot of Coaches and Most Experience
Two Problems...
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1. They're afraid to niche themselves for fear
that they won't have a big enough customer base
to market to. (I only have about 10,000 spa and
pool people in my niche)

and...

2. They don't know "how" to niche themselves.

Let me just give some final thoughts about the
second point.

** Niching can be as simple as taking three
testimonials from customers in the same
industry and promoting your product as a solution
to that industry using the three testimonials as
your "proof."

** You don't necessarily have to have experience
in the niche, although it helps and gives you a
"story to tell."

** Pick a niche that you can easily and affordable
market to! I had a business coach just buy my
Small Business Marketing Bible the other day.

She told me her niche was to "help people re-
connect with the outdoors."

There are two problems with this type of niche...

1. How are you going to find people who want to
re-connect with the outdoors. Where's the list?
(there might be one...haven't looked in my SRDS)

2. Do these people feel that it is a big enough
problem in their lives that they would actually
PAY MONEY to someone to help them solve it?

Very doubtful.

I would never pick a niche that I couldn't easily
and cost effectively communicate with.
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When You Start to Niche Yourself You'll Immediately...
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...find that...

1. Your reputation will be spread faster.

2. People will be willing to pay you more money

3. It will be easier to sell your products and services

4. People will come to YOU for speaking engagements

5. Referrals will start flying

6. Your marketing costs will go down

7. Your solutions will become more precise and
effective (because you'll more focused on a fewer
set of problems)

8. You'll find it easier to create "marketing
systems" that bring predictable results

9. You can start more profit centers such as,
"mentoring groups", "bootcamps and seminar",
"outsourced marketing services", "group coaching"
etc. etc. etc.

10. You'll be able to leverage yourself and your
time much easier.

11. And lastly, your website will start working
like a well-oiled machine (which is what you said
you wanted)

Whew! Hope that helps...

David Frey
Author, The Coaches and Consultants Marketing Bootcamp




The Coaches and Consultants Marketing Bootcamp