MLM Expert Advice

This is part 4 (of 5) of my synopsis of Michael Port’s Book Yourself Solid: The Fastest, Easiest, and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even if You Hate Marketing and Selling covering the Web and Speaking Strategies.

12. The Book Yourself Solid Web Strategy – In order to be able to start and continue conversations with prospects a web presence is critical as it positions you as an expert, build your brand, has global reach, and provides a forum for self-expression and learning.  A website’s primary goal is to convert the traffic that lands on your site and in order to do this your website should include the information you want to present and be organized and labelled for easy navigation.  Remember to keep your target audience in mind while you build your site because they are the ones you are trying to attract and then convert from a prospect to a client.  In this chapter Michael presents a number of different website formats — the brochure, the menu of services, the testimonial, the portal etc. — allowing you to choose what best fits your audience and how you want to present to them.  Of course a website only can convert if traffic comes to it and Michael shares a few strategies for this such as:
    • Getting Listed in Search Engines through Site Optimization – build content-rich pages that are legitimately filled with keywords and phrases your target audience would use to find you and your offer.
    • Boost Your Link Popularity – create relationships with other sites that have good web traffic and status.
    • Leverage Your Signature – let people know what you have to offer or to sign up for your newsletter through by adding a link to your email signature.
    • Use Article Directories to Promote Your Site – articles can introduce readers to you by including a brief bio at the end of your article with a link back to your website.
    • Cross-Promote through Marketing Partners – promote others that you deem great and have them promote you making it easier to build relationships and prospects.

    But again even if you get the traffic you still need to convert it.  Michael provides five (5) principles for prospect conversion:

    • Enticement – offer something of value as soon as they arrive on your site in exchange for their email address and permission to contact
    • Consumption – follow up to help them make the most of your information
    • Endowment – give your services to qualified prospects
    • Enhancement – offer additional products/services that would be of further service to your clients
    • Abandonment – as people leave your site without purchasing you could ask them why
13. The Book Yourself Solid Speaking and Demonstrating Strategy – Another strategy to reach your target audience is to promote yourself or have others promote yourself.  The former can be of two types:
    • Conference Calls – monthly or weekly calls for clients to learn the benefits of working with you.  You need to prepare new, timely and relevant topics for each call.
    • Demonstrations/Educational Events – same as conference calls but in person.  Best suited for where your clients are located close to you.

    The latter, having others promote you involves presenting to associations or organizations.  Public speaking allows you to address prospects and interest them in your offerings.  Both you and the event organizers benefit, you get to market your offer and they get great content to satisfy their attendees.  Regardless of what type of audience you are presenting to keep your talk simple.  You need to teach your audience something they don’t know or haven’t realized yet.  Michael provides some guidelines to ensure you put out a good presentation:

    • Plan
    • Define your message
    • Know your audience
    • Choose your role
    • Know your materials
    • Be prepared
    • Organize your information

I will be covering the final two chapters on the Writing Strategy and Keep-in-Touch Strategy in my next article.

What I thought would be a 3 part summary of Michael Port’s Book Yourself Solid: The Fastest, Easiest, and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even if You Hate Marketing and Selling looks like its going to be extended.  I’m finding so many great things in his book and this synopsis is barely covering it even with the detail I’m providing.  As before… onward and upward…

9. The Book Yourself Solid Networking Strategy – The rationale for networking is to freely and sincerely provide resources, knowledge, and information… with no strings attached.  This then allows you to build and deepen mutually beneficial relationships. Michael suggests focusing your networking equally on both clients and/or consumers (including prospects) as well as with other professionals where the latter provides a window for growth.  Share what and whom you know as well as how you feel.  Michael calls these intangibles and tells us that they should remind us to always increase our knowlege, thank those who have worked for you by providing them to others in business, and be fully present when networking.  Michael has some dos and don’ts keep in mind for networking events – first the Dos:
   • Be punctual and arrive on time
   • Be yourself and be relaxed
   • Smile and be friendly
   • Identify two or three things you would like to learn from others at the event
   • Ask for a business cared AND keep in touch

   and now for the don’ts

   • Don’t let what you do be the first question you ask
   • Don’t juggle multiple items
   • Don’t complain about networking or about the event

   Keeping in touch is imperative and if you don’t take the necessary actions than you have wasted the event.

10. The Book Yourself Solid Direct Outreach Strategy – This strategy is often employed while starting your business when you have to proactively reach out to prospects. Definitely do not send spam email to mailing lists or newsgroups.  As with all things it needs to be targeted, legitimate, and have value for it to be appreciated and acted upon. Direct outreach tools include:
    • Letters – great for initial connections but do your homework and find out everything you can about the person or company you are trying to reach.  Make it personalized and let them know your objectives at the onset.
    • Calls – used for following up with your prospects after you have permission to contact.  Calls should be brief, direct, and straightforward.
    • Emails – allow you to connect with prospects globally.  Should be used in conjunction with other direct outreach tools.
    • Postcards – work best when its requirements are free and easy and when you’re giving away something of value
    • Brochures and Flyers – should be made professionally to let your prospects know you deliver high quality service
    • Whatever-It Takes Direct Outreach – just what it says, whatever it akes to engage attention but it still needs to present you in a flattering light
11. The Book Yourself Solid Referral Strategy – Referral clients are often more consistent,  loyal and better for your business that any other client source.  Referral opportunities surround you but you may not notice or be aware of them.  To begin your referral process Michael provides 8 steps:
    • Step 1: Identify Your Clients’ Benefits – the reasons why your clients (consumers or business members work with you)
    • Step 2: Identify Why Others Would Refer Clients to You
    • Step 3: Identify the Types of Referrals You Seek
    • Step 4: Identify the Places Where Your References Meet Ideal Referrals – this will allow you to help your client understand who they know and where they will run into those who will benefit most from what you have to offer
    • Step 5: Clarify and Communicate How Your Referrers Make a Referral – you want to make sure that when they refer you they do it in a manner that sets you apart and connects you to the referral
    • Step 6: Ask for Referrals
    • Step 7: Facilitate the Referral Connection – offer to meet or advise anyone that is important to your clients
    • Step 8: Follow up with Referrals and Referrers – introduce referrals to what you have to offer in a helpful way and thank your referrers for the connection.

I will be concluding this synopsis with the final 3 chapters in my next article.  Obviously I can’t cover all of the great exercises that Michael Port has in his book so I will recommend you check it out.  Previously I suggested going to the bookstore but if funds are tight, read it in the bookstore and take good notes or check it out of your local library.