Turnaround Tuesday is a free website makeover clinic. But this week I’m going to share some tips for the would-be life coaches, guru’s, fitness experts, location independents and manifestation mystics out there.
A lot of the applications I get for makeovers fall into the general “coach” category. There are great coaches in all areas of life. There are also a lot of people who think coaching is an easy path to riches. If you clearly don’t have the skills to lead people, I’m not going to help you take their hard earned money.
But Turnaround Tuesday isn’t about judging people. It’s about learning how to be better marketers. And we all have to start somewhere. So rather than poking holes in individual coaching websites I’m going to share a few tips, so that the would-be guru’s (especially the young ones) might find a path they can follow to providing REAL value…
It’s not about you, it’s about me.
Personal musings, self discovery, connecting with like minded people are all great. I love nothing more than self aware people trying to shape their own lives. But that is not the same as building a business based around your wisdom and authority.
Your readers only care about you, to the extent that your story helps them live their own lives.
I’ve shared some deeply personal stories about high and low times over the years. But always in the context of; this is what I’ve learned, or this is how to try and avoid my mistakes.
So stop thinking about your blogs, articles and videos as your personal diaries. Start thinking – how will this be valuable to my readers?
Connection and authority are not the same.
Following on from the first point, I see a lot of people mix up the ability to connect, with the ability to instruct. If you’re having a bad day and you moan about it on Facebook, you’ll get a ton of other people connect with you. People can’t wait to tell you how their day sucks as well. In fact their day sucks more than yours. Great, you’ve got a bunch of people “connecting”. But no one’s going to buy your coaching sessions or DVD’s because all you’ve done is created a connection. You haven’t created any authority.
Highlighing a problem can be part of the sales process, but at some point you have to prove that you actually have a solution.
It’s not enough to be on a journey with your audience. You need to be far enough ahead to be seen as the guide. You need to know the path. You need to know the terrain. You need to have the answers, the tools, the wisdom. Before you try to sell anything.
Who’s going to take you seriously? We prefer to buy from people who are just like us, but more successful.
Finding the right audience is a critical part of the marketing process.
When you’re starting out, you’re likely just repeating what you heard the number one guru in your field say the day before. But that’s not going to cut it. Why should I listen to you, when I can go direct to the source myself?
You need to find the people who are most likely to find you credible. And speak directly to them and no one else.
If the number one guru in your field is a middle aged white guy from a particular background, ask yourself – how am I different?
- Maybe you’re the female version of him?
- Maybe you’re the African American / English / Japanese / Samoan version of him?
- Maybe you’re the teenage version of him.
- Maybe you’re the gay version of him.
- Maybe you’re introverted version of him.
- Maybe you’re the “New York attitude” version of him.
- Maybe you can communicate more clearly than him.
- Maybe you’re the funnier version of him.
- Maybe you’re the scientific version of him.
- Maybe you’re the Buddhist version of him.
How you’re different doesn’t matter. What matters is knowing who you are. Owning it. And using your uniqueness to deliver a similar message to a group of people who are more likely to listen to YOU than to HIM because you are more like them than he is.
A cautionary note: You should understand that, what makes you the perfect leader to some people, will also attract criticism and ridicule from the wrong people. That can work to your advantage. But only if you’re strong enough to deal with it. Don’t try to cast your net over the whole world then spend all your time fighting with the sharks and trolls you catch. Learn where your ideal audience hang out, then throw out some lines with just the right bait. Build a foundation of support. Build your confidence and your skill-set before you expand into the wider world.
You better know your shit and you better be able to prove it.
I wrote a book on sticking with healthy habits once. I actually put on a ton of weight from the stress of the writing process. I didn’t publish the book, because I didn’t deserve to. I had great information. But I couldn’t prove its value. I couldn’t live it.
I took some heat for admitting that at the time. But that’s ok. You’re going to take some heat whatever you do. What’s more important is how you judge yourself.
There’s nothing that will destroy your confidence, your self esteem and your ability to act more than bullshitting yourself.
That painful process of learning, stretching, failing. You have to go through that. And you have to expect that it’s going to take time before you actually know what you’re talking about. Your pop-up guru fantasies are just that. Fantasies. That doesn’t stop you from starting. That doesn’t stop you from learning. From sharing your perspective. From growing. But don’t expect to have the authority to earn a living from being a guide, until you’ve actually developed the skills to lead.
Summary
It’s not about you, it’s about your reader. Build authority by leading the pack not being everyone’s buddy. Find the small group who can take you seriously and build a foundation. Expect ridicule. Know your shit, learn it, live it, lead. Then, you might make a living from it.
This was a free Turnaround Tuesday marketing makeover (Sort of).
As a marketer it’s my job to help you make products your customers actually want. And to communicate your value in a way that moves them to buy. Anyone can sign-up for a free marketing makeover with Turnaround Tuesdays…
http://www.turnaroundmagazine.com/blog/turnaround-tuesdays/
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