SELF-EMPLOYED PROFESSIONALS THAT OFFER SERVICES TO BUSINESSES:

The question every B2B professional asks:

Right now, with the Coronavirus, and social isolation, what will you do to keep your business going and attract new clients?

The More Clients Program – Going Radically Virtual

Dear Business-to-Business Professional,

I’ve been working with self-employed professionals for 35 years. And here are some of the things they tell me about their marketing.

• I want to grow my business and be successful, and earn great money without compromising my values.

• Making a difference to my clients is important to me – to do great work that leaves my clients in a better place than when I started working with them.

• I want to be able to communicate my business powerfully so people really get what I do and see the value.

• I want marketing materials that represent that powerfully and communicate who I am and how I can help.

• Client relationships are important to me. I care about those I work with and want to see them succeed.

And, on the other hand, so many of these independent professionals have issues about marketing.

• Putting myself out there and communicating about what I offer isn’t easy for me. In fact, it’s something I resist and put off.

• I often don’t know exactly what to say or do to get the attention and engagement of my ideal clients. What actually works?

• I’m overwhelmed by all the options to marketing myself and don’t know the ways that will be the most effective. I don’t want to spin my wheels.

• I’m confused about all the social media noise and wonder if I should go all-in with it or ignore it completely.

• Most of my business comes from referrals and word-of-mouth, but are there ways I can increase both of these?

• Although I know I’m good at what to do and have the results to show, I sometimes have a crisis of confidence. Who am I to say I can help my clients make powerful changes?

If you can relate to some or all of the above, please keep reading. I’d like to share my story with you.

Robert Middleton

MY PERSONAL MARKETING JOURNETY

When I started my business in 1984 I had no idea what I was doing. None. But that didn’t stop me. I read voraciously about business, marketing, and personal growth and development. I attended workshops and classes. I worked very long hours.

And remember, 1984 was about 10 years before the Internet! I didn’t even have a computer until 1986.

But in everything I studied, I hear a theme repeated over and over again: “Get Out There and Communicate About What You Do.” 

And that’s exactly what I did. I joined the San Francisco Chamber of commerce and did a ton of networking. I met a whole lot of people and did my best to communicate about my work. I started to give talks at professional groups. I launched a newsletter and made a big commitment to growing my list.

And from these activities, I started to attract some clients. I got to know many people and improved my ability to communicate my value to my prospective clients.

In 1995 I moved to Palo Alto in Silicon Valley. And to jumpstart my marketing I called every professional group in the area to get speaking engagements. And I went from no clients to 26 new clients in 26 weeks. And, of course, I taught them my approach to marketing and how to get out there as well.

But when I launched my website in 1996 and my email newsletter in 1997, things really took off. I put lots of focused work into SEO and improving my website, and my email list grew by leaps and bounds. In about 5 years it reached 50,000 subscribers. And I started to attract clients from all over the world.

I then wrote a bestselling marketing manual and sold it online with great success. (In fact, I made enough to buy a house.) Soon after, I began to offer group programs via teleconferences. And then, several years later (after moving to the Santa Cruz Mountains), I’ve been conducting more advanced marketing action programs (like this one) via Zoom video.

But I’m really teaching the same things, just with more sophisticated tools and knowledge. You might sum up my marketing approach with these very simple, but powerful ideas.

1. Make marketing a game with rules and a gameplan.

2. Work at getting attention with value-laden marketing messages.

3. Engage prospective clients with written marketing materials that educate, not sell.

4. Give your prospects experiences of what you do through presentations.

5. Keep-in-touch with your prospects and clients by providing valuable information.

6. Reach out to prospective clients and speak with them to explore how you can help them.

7. When you get a new client, go the extra mile with the commitment to make a difference.

These are the exact same things I do today. And it’s also exactly what I show my clients how to do as well. And thousands of them have seen the results – more clients and growing professional practices.

I’ve come to the conclusion that all the marketing bells and whistles today (especially social media) are absolutely useless unless you use them to accomplish the above seven things more efficiently and effectively.

What I’m talking about is substance, not the newest, coolest bright-shiny-object!

And ultimately, the most powerful strategy is to build relationships with your clients. In fact, at the recent Social Media Marketing World Conference, the phrase that I heard more than any other was BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS!

And that is exactly what my work and this program are all about. Getting out there and building relationships with prospective clients. That is the royal road to growing a successful practice as a B2B professional.

So, let me tell you in a little more depth what we cover in the More Clients Group Program (MCGP).

THE MORE CLIENTS PROGAM

OK, so what exactly happens in this program? What do we cover, and how does it help you attract more clients?

You want your marketing to improve. You want to get the attention of your prospective clients, you want to get meetings, you want to close more business. So we get to work.

We meet in both group and individual coaching sessions. We gather, we talk, we learn, we brainstorm, we plan, you work on your marketing, and I give you ideas, direction, support, and feedback.

To be more specific, here are the kinds of things we’ll work on in the program:

• Orienting you to the “Game of Marketing” so you understand exactly what it takes to get results with your marketing.

• Nailing down your Marketing Message and clarifying your “Clients’ Core Question.” (I.e., “How do we increase productivity while making our company a great place to work?”)

• Developing written marketing materials that clearly explain what you do, how you do it and the value you offer. You can’t assume your clients really understand your value. This includes an “Executive Summary” and in-depth “Sales Letters.”

• Coming up with proactive marketing outreach strategies. This is the heart of the program. You’ll learn exactly how to get the attention of your prospective clients and get more conversations and meetings with them.

• You’ll learn how to use emails, presentations, LinkedIn, and other mysterious marketing tools to get you and your message out there. And you’ll develop step-by-steps plans to do so.

• And you’ll also learn how to close new business. Marketing gets you in front of prospective clients. The selling process converts prospects into paying clients.

• I’ll also share my best strategies for creating and selling high-end programs. (You can’t sell a high-end program unless you create it and package it clearly and effectively.)

OK, did all of that overwhelm you? Well, yeah, there’s a lot to learn, but more important is the support you’ll receive to help you put it into action. In many cases, you know what to do. You just don’t do it.

• In our group sessions I’ll be giving you hands-on marketing information and how-tos, followed by action-oriented assignments. You’ll have direction, a plan and be motivated to take action. I kinda have that effect on my clients. They get stuff done they’re been putting off  – sometimes for a long time.

• In our individual sessions, I’ll be coaching you on the finer points of attracting clients while supporting you in getting past your resistance, uncertainty, and sometimes abject terror of putting your business out into the world. I believe marketing your business can and should be fun. Strange, I know, but true nonetheless.

And hey, you actually just may start to enjoy marketing yourself! I can’t tell you how many people have told me that marketing is now one of their favorite business activities. Why? Well, they now understand the game, and know how to play and win at it by consistently attracting new clients. And that’s fun. Really.

OK, that’s it. That’s a pretty good overview of what we’ll cover and how it will help you. Now a little on  the structure of the program:

THE STRUCTURE OF THE MORE CLIENTS PROGRAM

I like to emphasize that the MORE CLIENTS program is an ACTION program, not an information program. That is, I don’t just give you a lot of information and wish you luck in implementing it.

You can read a book or articles online if you want information. And in many cases, those might be enough. But if you really want to develop skills, it starts with information and then continues with study, practice, testing, feedback, coaching, and support. And that’s why I call this an Action Program.

And you really will go into action. I demand a lot from program participants.

What it looks like to be in action. Fun, right?

Here are the main components of the program:

1. The MORE CLIENTS program is conducted over nine months, and 18 group training and coaching sessions held via Zoom video. In these interactive sessions, you’ll learn how to make marketing work for you step-by-step.

2. In addition, you’ll have 18 individual marketing coaching sessions with me, Robert Middleton. In those sessions, I’ll give you coaching, input, and feedback on your marketing strategies and plans.

3. You’ll have access to a complete online program page with all the MORE CLIENTS templates and systems. Plus we’ll post the recordings of all the sessions, program assignments, and a wealth of resources. Plus, all of this material will stay available online indefinitely for you to access.

4. The program is scheduled on Wednesdays, starting in March 2020. The time of the sessions will be at 12 noon Pacific (1 pm Mntn, 2 pm Cntrl, 3 pm Estrn, 8 pm UK, 9 pm EU and early morning Friday AU). Check TimeandDate.com for your actual time.

The starting date for the program will be Wednesday, April 8. Here are the dates of all the group sessions:

(2nd and 4th Wednesdays)
April 8, 22, May 13, 27, June  10, 24,
July 8, 22, August 12, 26, Sept 9, 23,
(1st and 3rd Wednesdays)
Oct 7, 21, Nov 4, 18, Dec 2, 16 

6. Next steps. Read the rest of this page and then scroll down to the response form. 

WHAT OUR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS SAY

Although all the people below attracted more clients and increased their incomes, this is what they told me was most valuable about the program. 

“One of the things that sets you apart is your ton of help, and high-quality content. Working with you is like getting a personal guided tour by an expert who can listen to my needs, use his experience (30+ years – you’ve seen it over and over again) and teach the basics, then sets me on a journey to use the content to take effective action.”  – Bill Branson

“Robert transformed the way that I think about marketing, he gave me tools that are simple and work to this day, he gave me perspectives that changed my mindset and perhaps most powerful of all, he connected me with people who continue to be invaluable in my business and life. If you struggle with marketing, there is no better teacher in the world.” – Sharon Rich

“Robert has an exceptional talent for understanding what you are trying to say, and boiling things down into simple language that resonates with potential clients. You and I are too close to our own businesses. We need the clarity that comes from an expert with a talent for seeing the essence of what we do, and helping us communicate it.” – Robert Sherlock

Who will be joining you on this journey? 

Since this is a group program, who will be participating? This should give you a good idea of the typical participant.

Everyone in this program will be a Self-Employed B2B professional. Most programs include a number of consultants, coaches, and trainers (and often a combination of these) We’ll often have writers, designers, and financial professionals.

The typical age range is wide – from the mid 30’s to mid-60’s. Sometimes we have younger or older participants. But nobody in this program is a rank beginner. They typically have several years experience in their field. Their clients range from other self-employed professionals to multi-national corporations. They most commonly serve SME’s (Small to Mid-Sized Enterprises).

Participants tend to be very intelligent, with one or more academic degrees (although this isn’t a requirement). They consider themselves to be very good at what they do and are concerned about making a real difference through their professional work.

They’ve had some success in attracting new clients, but what they’re doing now is not working as well as they’d like. They want to upgrade all of their marketing – message, materials, and strategies. Ultimately, they want a systematic approach to attracting more of their ideal clients.

So, if that sounds like you, next read about my guarantee.

DOES THE MORE CLIENTS PROGRAM COME WITH A GUARANTEE?

Yes, I guarantee the MORE CLIENTS Program.  No kidding. Most particpants will earn back the program tuition by attracting just one or two new clients. So I guarantee that as a result of applying the ideas in the program, you will attract new business worth a minimum of twice what you invest in the program.

All that I ask is that you attend all the live group sessions, engage in the individual coaching sessions, and also do all of the program assignments. If you do this and don’t achieve these minimal results by the end of the program, I will work with you individually until you’ve produced those results. Whatever it takes to help you get the results you signed up for.

Finally, you actually get to test-drive the progam for a month. And I give you an opportunitty to leave the program if you don’t feel it’s right for you. I don’t want people in the program who are not all-in, ready to do the work and get results. If you leave the program, you are welcome to take all the materials and marketing systems you’ve received up to that point.

IS THE MORE CLIENTS PROGRAM FOR YOU?

This program is for business-to-business services only. It is ideal for management consultants, business coaches, corporate trainers, web developers, business writers, and other professionals who offer services or programs to businesses.

It’s for people who want to make a difference and who are clear on their values and life priorities. Being in business matters. It’s shouldn’t be just a way to earn a living, but a calling to change lives and companies for the better.

It’s for people whose marketing is lagging or stagnant and they are ready to give it a jumpstart. And they are serious about making this happening.

But I have no idea if this program is for you or not. We need to do a few things before we know. First is to fill out the form below and then set up a time for an informal conversation to explore.

THE NEXT STEP: AN INFORMAL CONVERSATION