How Your Personal Story Gets You Clients

Many entrepreneurs are drawn to open their business because of a defining moment or series of events that changed everything in their lives. Because of that moment, some of us dropped everything and decided to dedicate the rest of our professional lives to doing what we now do. What I’d like to talk to you today is about not underestimating that.

You can actually use your story to attract ideal clients.

My compelling story is how I went from leaving my corporate job to opening up my own nutrition practice. And even though I had clients right away, I didn’t have enough clients to pay my midtow
Manhattan rent and all of my bills. I made a decision one day to figure out what it would take to get clients. I learned everything that I could and ended up filling my practice to full capacity within 8 months.

Whenever I talk about my story I talk about my “3 AM-I-don’t-have-enough-clients-sweats” and how I was able to overcome all that and fill my practice very quickly. That is my compelling story and it’s something I tell to establish instant credibility with new prospects, in front of an audience or at the beginning of all of my programs.

Your own compelling story may be that you overcame a serious challenge in business, in your health or in life that caused you to change your course. Some people call it the hero’s journey.

You can use your compelling story several ways to attract new clients:

1. First and foremost, it helps the prospect bond with you. Often your prospects are in the “before” of your “before and after” story. If you’re in a business like mine, working with individual clients, your compelling story helps establish that know-like-and-trust factor. People aren’t buying a “business.” They’re buying a solution first and a relationship second.

2. It can be the beginning of your signature talk or your teleclasses, helping you to “earn the right” to be up there speaking to an audience that doesn’t know you yet.

3. If you don’t have a lot of credentials, your personal story can give you instant credibility. You’ve been through what they’ve been through too, you’ve experienced success, and now you’re back to tell them how to solve their problems.

Your Client Attraction Assignment:
What is YOUR compelling story around your business? What brought you to do what you’re doing today with such passion? What is your before-and-after story and how did you overcome your situation?

Sprinkle this in your marketing materials and in conversation. Creating your compelling story to share with others can be a catalyst and one of the most powerful ways for you to attract clients through the know-like-and-trust factor.