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Top 10 Biggest Marketing Mistakes Consultants and Coaches Make

This article is more than 8 years old.

During the last 15 years (as an adjunct professor at the University of California San Diego and as a workshop leader) I have taught thousands of consultants and coaches how to attract high-paying clients. Here are the top 10 biggest client-attraction mistakes that I have observed during my research studies.

  1. They name their business after themselves. Create a business name or a website name that gives potential clients a hint at the results you can produce for them. The worst possible business name or website name is your name. I know, I know, Ford, McKinsey and Price Waterhouse are named after the founders. But you are not them. At least, not yet. Sorry to say, clients don’t want you — they want results.
  2. They don’t boil it down for prospects. Write a headline for your website and marketing materials that describes your audience and the results you produce for them. Do this in no more than ten words.
  3. They can’t name their client’s pain. What are your client’s worries, frustrations, and concerns that you help solve? This is also called the FUD factor: fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
  4. They won’t tell prospects how to fix it. Describe your solution or methodology for solving these pains. What process do you follow to produce results? Offering a proprietary problem-solving process that you name and trademark is best. This answers the all-important question in their minds: “Why should I do business with you instead of one of your competitors?”
  5. They don’t identify the common myths that hamper prospects. State the common misperception that holds many back from getting results. Why doesn’t everybody do what you named in step four?
  6. They can’t tell prospects how to solve their problems step-by-step. Tell your clients in speeches, books, blogs, articles, and in person what they need to do in general to solve their problem. Pretend they weren’t hiring you and you had to describe the steps they should take for success.
  7. They don’t mention the extras. List any other benefits they get from following your methods. What other good things do people get when they do what you advise?
  8. They don’t quantify their track record. Elaborate on your track record of providing measurable results for clients. Be specific as much as possible. Use numbers, percentages, and time factors.
  9. They don’t give it away. Create a website with free tips articles on how to solve these pains. Each article should be about 300 to 600 words. What’s a good format? Consider the numbered tips approach you are reading right now (easy to write, easy to read).
  10. They don’t make prospects an offer they can’t refuse. Make prospects an offer of a free special report on your website. You are offering to trade them a valuable piece of information for their email address. Tell them they will also receive a tips from you. Assure them you will maintain their privacy and they can easily opt off your list any time they want. Provide great content.

Want a good book on the subject? I recommend anything by former Harvard Business School professor David Maister (you can start with his website, www.davidmaister.com).