A simple 3 step formula to create a compelling message

What do you do?

The question that we want to hear when we are business, and also the question that can be the most terrifying.

Terrifying in the sense that because you are so passionate about what you do that you could speak about if for hours, but you have experienced the “glazed over” look and polite excuses to get away many times over, and just don't want to go there again.

I know I have. When I first set myself up in business as a Life Coach, and people would ask me what I did and I answered, “I'm a Life Coach”, there was usually a puzzled look and then a hasty retreat or a complete change of subject. And if someone did ask me “what's that?”, and I tried to explain, we would inevitably get to the hasty retreat bit, or change of subject pretty quickly!

With my previous business it was pretty straight forward when someone asked me what I did, I would say “I have a business importing food and drink from the UK for the ex-pat market.” Everyone knew what that meant and most people would want to know more. They got it.

But with a service based profession, it can be very challenging to relay what you do in a way that engages your audience and has them wanting to know more. And by audience, that can be anything from a guest at a party or family dinner to a networking meeting or speaking at an event.

In marketing terms it's what you might have heard called the “Elevator Speech”, where you would get into an elevator and when someone asks your what you do, you have 30 seconds to do it! It's not my favourite term, I like to call it your Message from the Heart or your Authentic Message.

Whatever we call it, it is still a crucial piece of marketing your business. If you get this right, it will lead to more of your ideal clients coming to work with you. Get it wrong, and you are virtually closing the doors to them and putting up the closed sign (or at least the out to lunch sign!)

Once I learned the 3 step formula, I am about to share with you here, the conversations I had with people completely changed. No more hasty retreats, glazed over eyes, or changes of subjects!

And the best part of all, was that it has led to lots more clients which means being able to help lots more people and make money in my business of course :-)

Your message from the heart can make the difference between opening the doors to your business and letting people in, or closing the door and locking them out. So wouldn't it make sense to spend a little time on it and create one that really says it all?

I want to make it as straight forward as possible for you, no beating around the bush! Here you have it, my simple 3 step formula. If you are ready to open the door to more ideal clients, I strongly encourage you to take the time and give your business an authentic voice via your message from the heart.

Step 1
Who do you help? Your target market.
Step 2
How do you help? What struggle/problem/challenge do you solve?
Step 3
What are the benefits and results people receive from working with you?
And so to put it altogether, I am sharing one of the templates I provide on my Marketing from the Heart Programme.

You know how ___________________________________ (target market) struggle with _________________________________________rn(struggle/challenge/pain when they work with me they ________________________rn(benefits)

So an example for a Life Coach who works with women going through a divorce could be:

You know how women who are going through a divorce often struggle with low self esteem and worry about finding a relationship again, well when they work with me they learn tools and techniques that catapult them back into feeling super confident again.

Very different to the coach saying “I'm a Life Coach”.

So there you have it, a simple 3 step formula that can make a huge difference to your bottom line, and who doesn't want that?

If this is the type of practical help you need right now, may I suggest you take a look at my *Marketing from the Heart programme, an easy to follow step by step system that is designed to help heart based service professionals to build their businesses, help more people and make more money.