You’re out there everyday, telling the world how great your service is, that what you have to offer is exactly the solution they are looking for.

The best way to prove that your services are the answer to your prospect’s problems is to build your credibility as a professional and to show that you’re the expert in your field.

photo credit: gcoldironjr2003

Here’s how to prove that you are the solution:

• Prove that you deliver what you promise. Live by this mantra: Under-Promise, Over-Deliver.
• Look at your marketing material with a critical eye. Would you hire yourself?
• Add an element of tangibility to your services by sharing real success stories and testimonials.
• Write and publish articles about your area of expertise.
• Fill your pipeline by getting others to introduce you and refer your services.

Career Overview just came out with their top 100 best social sites for entrepreneurs.

Click here for the list of 100 Best Social Sites for Entrepreneurs

While many won’t be a surprise, you may just find a few new social sites to network and build your business in 2010.

Really quick post. Today is a holiday in Quebec, and we’re getting ready to go out biking. I didn’t have time to type out this post, so I recorded it for you to listen.

Click here to listen to today’s post. [a little under 11 minutes -- I know!]

It’s not edited, not scripted, and I did it in one take. So there are lots of “ahs,” “ums” and long pauses. I hope it makes sense.

I’ll write it out later on so you can all read it! Enjoy!

Have a great one!

8 Steps to a Profitable Teleconference
By Kathleen Gage

Teleseminars are likely one of the most effective methods for promoting a product or service, building an opt-in subscriber list, increase credibility and establish your expert status.

However, to achieve optimum results you must have your systems in place. It takes more than simply hosting a call to make this work.

Countless individuals have attempted teleseminars as a route to business success, yet failed miserably when they have attempted to make money from teleconferences. Often it is because they have not been trained in how to position the call, create enough of a market demand for what they are selling, there is no call to action, nor do they have a solid follow-up plan.

With the right vision, planning and action steps, you can do extremely well with teleconferences. Here are a few of the steps involved in successful teleseminars.

1. Decide on the purpose and topic of the call. Is it to inform, educate, motivate, inspire or promote?

A simple way to determine the topic (and purpose) of the call is to address a problem your market needs a solution to. Ask your market using an online survey or even by sending a fax or letter to a portion of your market to receive great input.

2. Pick a suitable date and time based on your market. For some markets, daytime works best. For others, evenings. Find a time that works best for your audience.

3. Secure a bridge line. A bridge line enables callers to dial a single phone number and hear each other as if they were in the same room. There are numerous services available ranging from free to very high fee. I use Instant Teleseminars for my primary service.

4. Market the session. How you do this will be determined on whether or not the call is open to the public or only a select group of your current clients are invited.

5. Host the call.

6. Develop support materials. You may want to consider providing a handout or learning guide for the call. This allows listeners to easily follow along, write down points that are especially important to them and refer back to the notes long after the call is over.

Additionally, you can use the learning guide as a promotion piece for other products and services you have available.

7. Record the session. There are software programs available that allow you to record from your phone and computer. Some experts prefer this method while others prefer to outsource all the recording, editing and distribution of the audio file and call transcripts.

8. Follow-up. After the call you should have a definite plan of when and how you will follow-up with those who were on the call and those who were unable to make it. If you are selling a product or service, sales are often made hours, or even days, after the call is over.

Access the FREE report, The Truth About Making Money with Teleseminars.

Yesterday, I shared Pam Ivey’s response on how NOT to reply to a request for proposal.

For most service providers, RFPs can be a great resource for new clients – if you respond professionally and thoroughly, with a great call to action (sounds like a marketing strategy to me).

So, how do you professionally respond to a request for proposal? Pam offers these points:

• Restate the request in your own words to demonstrate your understanding of the project and requirements.
• Describe how you will perform the project.
• Describe ways in which you will measure effectiveness.
• Describe your past experience with past projects.
• Suggest a time-frame for project completion or if warranted, you can suggest an ongoing (or retainer) program – which is of course, is often our ultimate goal.
• Thank them for the opportunity to submit your proposal and offer to answer any questions they may have or to provide further details.
• Remember to include your contact information – both email and phone number, along with a link to your website.

I hope you found yesterday and today’s series on Responding to RFPs useful and informative.

I can’t wait to meet Pam in person and hear her presentation Answering and Responding to RFP’s at the IVAA Annual Live VA Summit 2009 in April (right here in Montreal!!). Pam Ivey is a Virtual Business Manager and Owner of the Canadian Virtual Assistant Network (CVAN).

Time to go out there and start making some noise!

You’ve heard me rant about an RFP I wish I never received (and maybe that person wishes they never sent it!!) and the discussion has come up again on a VA group I belong to.

This time Pam Ivey, Virtual Business Manager and Owner of the Canadian Virtual Assistant Network (CVAN), chimed in with her suggestions on replying to a request for proposal. While her message was specifically directed to the Virtual Assistant who asked the question, the same guidelines can be applied to any service-based entrepreneur.

I’ll her break answer down in 2 posts. Today, I’ll highlight Pam’s list of what NOT to do when replying to a RFP:

1. Avoid using “canned” responses when responding to RFPs. Show genuine interest in the project – visit the prospect’s website (if the address is not supplied, do some research — the majority of businesses have a website). Note his or her target market, how many listings they have, learn more about them in the “about us” section of their website. Then personalize your response in their style that you’ve deduced from their website and request for proposal.
2. Do not include a resume!!! This cannot be stressed enough. In fact, if you have a resume, throw it out, delete it from your computer – get rid of it! You are an independent service provider, a.k.a. entrepreneur or small business owner. You are not an employee. Act accordingly. Would you ask your lawyer, plumber or teacher to see a copy of their resume? Not likely. If you’re smart, you’ll ask for reference but certainly not a resume. Get out of the employee/employer mentality!
3. Do not include a fee or price unless explicitly asked to provide such information. Instead, insert a call-to-action such as offering a free consultation to discuss the scope of the project in more detail in order to determine cost. You want to speak to the prospect personally. It is much easier to sell your services in this manner and provides a better opportunity for the prospective client to get to know you and for you to get to know the prospective client.

I agree 100% on points 1 and 2.

I am half-way on point 3. I agree that a set price should NOT be put in a request for proposal until you have a better idea of the entire scope of the project. However, I feel you should at least offer a fee range. Giving your potential client a ballpark idea of your fees will aleviate much of the hesitation the prospect may have in continuing the conversation. Plus, it serves as a “sifting” tool — if your range is higher than they expected or can afford, you avoid wasting time figuring that down the line.

What do you think?

Stay tuned tomorrow, as Pam offers a few more points on how to submit a RFP to a potential client.

Thanks, Pam, for allowing me to share this with my readers!

Clients often lament to me, “I’ve tried everything to get clients, Cristina, and nothing works!” And that’s the problem, right there.

First of all, with the plethora of marketing strategies available, there’s no way they have tried everything. And if they’re even coming close, it means they’re doing too much.

Second of all, they often don’t truly know what is and isn’t working; when they do get new leads or new business, they have no way of knowing where it came from.

Lastly, their focus has been to get clients, rather than on encouraging their readers and prospects to take a simple, straightforward call to action that triggers a well-planned marketing process.

Here is what I suggest they do instead:

1. Pick a handful of marketing strategies and do them consistently for one month. Don’t make matters worse by spreading yourself all over the marketing map. Choose 7-10 marketing strategies that you’ll engage in on a daily or weekly basis for at least one full month and see what kind of results you get. It’s just not reasonable to expect results after just one week of marketing. Some of my favorite strategies are: article writing, speaking, networking events, blogging, sending an email newsletter, podcasting, personal emails, letters and phone calls.
   The trick, at first, is to use strategies that you enjoy and that come naturally to you. As time goes by, you will gain the confidence to stretch yourself a little more, come out of your comfort zone and try something new.
2. Track where people are coming from. You need to know which strategies are making the most impact and attracting the most attention. The easiest way to find out is to ask. If someone mentions that they heard about you, ask them from where. Or add a ‘referred by’ box to your sign-up form.
   If you’re a little more tech-savvy, you can use Google Analytics to see where your website traffic is coming from, and you can usually also track which links people click on in your email campaigns. Pay attention to these numbers. When networking (online or offline), test out just one group at a time, e.g., for one month. Once you know what’s working, you can replicate your success to other groups and to other marketing strategies.
3. Choose one measurable call to action. Without a clearly defined, simple and free request, your audience won’t know what to do next and will move on to something else. A compelling call to action like, “Want more tips about marketing? Grab your free copy of my special report,” gives your readers a reason to stick around. The best calls to action are to sign up for your mailing list, to register for a free event or to request your free information product.
   When you have one specific call to action as the focus of all of your marketing efforts, you’ll have clear evidence about: (1) whether your marketing strategy is working to attract people to your website and (2) whether your call to action is compelling enough for them to take action once they’ve arrived. You can tweak either of these as needed.

Don’t get bogged down by the latest must-try marketing strategy or by what everybody else is doing. Be clear, consistent and targeted and keep track of your results. Eventually, you’ll see a pattern emerge and then you’ll know exactly where to spend your precious marketing time, energy and money.

© 2008 Cristina Favreau. All rights reserved.

ABOUT CRISTINA
Cristina Favreau specializes in teaching independent service professionals who struggle with marketing, so they get more visibility, build their credibility and increase their self-confidence. Get her complimentary “12 Mistakes To Avoid in Your 30-Second Intro” ecourse at http://www.cristinafavreau.com/index.htm

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered, including the “ABOUT CRISTINA” info above. Please send a copy of your reprint to web (at) cristinafavreau (dot) com.

The Top 4 No-Brainer Shortcuts to Achieving Expert Status, Fast!

Independent service professionals often ask me how they can become a sought-after expert in their field, especially if they are just starting out. The secret lies in getting others to perceive you as an expert in your field. To achieve this, you must BE (and believe you are) an expert. After all, if you don’t believe you are an expert, how can you convince your audience that you are?

Done over and over again, the following four shortcuts will help cement your expertise in the eyes of your target market and potential clients, and keep you on their minds whenever they think of the topic that you specialize in.

1. Writing. There is no status-building strategy as effective and as cost-efficient as writing. Don’t let the common excuse of, “I’m not a good writer,” stop you from tapping into this credibility-boosting opportunity. I’m not necessarily the best writer, but I know that the more I write, the better I get. I also know that my audience cares more about content than about proper writing protocol. There are many different writing avenues that will get your name out there, such as:
   • Blog. This is my favorite form of writing, because I’m the kind of person who writes the way I speak. Blogs allow me to take a fun, conversational tone and to attract people who appreciate this approach. Write at least one longer post per week about the topic that you specialize in, that you can use as an article.
   • Article marketing. Submit your articles to online submission sites (like ezinearticles.com) to attract traffic back to your website.
   • Newsletter. Capitalize on your hard work by sending your articles to your mailing list as a newsletter. Many email broadcasting services are free when you have a small list, and are affordable as your list grows.
   • Other options. Write press releases about your new products and services, e-books that solve a problem your target market deals with; write a printed book, white paper or special report; contribute as a guest author on someone else’s blog.

   The key to using this status-building shortcut effectively is VALUABLE CONTENT. Avoid being overly general or blatantly promoting yourself; instead, inform and educate your readers, and be laser focused on their needs and concerns.

2. Speaking. Being a speaker instantly supercharges your status as an expert; it boosts your visibility and credibility and you become a sought-after and skilled professional. It is another highly effective and inexpensive strategy, and it’s another time to let go of the excuse that you’re not good enough to do it. Speaking does not need to mean giving a 45-minute keynote address in front of 500 people. Here are some simpler and less intimidating ways for you to gain expert status by speaking:
   • Volunteer to give a 5-minute presentation at local networking venues like Chambers of Commerce and Rotary Clubs.
   • Apply to be a speaker at online trade shows or expos.
   • Accept opportunities to be interviewed on radio shows or podcasts.
   • Teach a class at your local library.
   • Host a monthly teleclass.
   • Record 10-minute audios and post them to your blog, send them to your mailing list or submit them as a podcast.

If there are no events for you to speak at, create your own speaking opportunities:

The key to using speaking effectively is (can you guess?) VALUABLE CONTENT. Make sure you provide your audience with informative and educational content about a topic that they are interested in.

3. Information Products. In order to be perceived as an expert, you must consistently provide the information that your target market is searching for. Information products are the best way to give your audience this information without you having to actually “be” there.
   • Ebooks
   • Audio recordings
   • Membership sites that offer exclusive access to a variety of products
   • Special reports
   • Guidebooks
   • Ecourses
   • Tutorials
   • Teleclasses
   • Live training events
   • Coaching programs

Information products may include:

The possibilities are endless. While VALUABLE CONTENT is also the key to this strategy’s effectiveness, you will want to offer products in a wide range of price points (from free all the way to your big-ticket item).

4. Accessibility. This shortcut may not seem obvious, but as soon as you make yourself available, visible and accessible to your target market, you gain respect and people will seek out your advice. This doesn’t mean spending your day giving away your expertise on the phone or in emails. Instead, tap into the social networking scene. Let your “followers,” “friends” or “fans” know what you’re up to by updating your status. Post surveys. Answer questions relating to your field. Join groups where your target audience hangs out.

Showing up, in real time, and participating in these interactive forums will not only remind your audience that you are an expert in your area, but will also help you to gain the “know, like and trust” factor that is needed to cement your expert status.

Remember that the first key to gaining expert status in the eyes of your target market is to believe in your own expertise. Use these four strategies to share your knowledge in your own unique way, and you’ll be the first one your audience thinks of when they’re looking for an expert in your area.

© 2008 Cristina Favreau. All rights reserved.

ABOUT CRISTINA
Cristina Favreau specializes in teaching independent service professionals who struggle with marketing, so they get more visibility, build their credibility and increase their self-confidence. Get her complimentary “12 Mistakes To Avoid in Your 30-Second Intro” ecourse at http://www.cristinafavreau.com/index.htm

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered, including the “ABOUT CRISTINA” info above. Please send a copy of your reprint to web (at) cristinafavreau (dot) com.

There is a difference between conceit and confidence. Conceit is bragging about yourself. Confidence means you believe you can get the job done. — Johnny Unitas

If you want to get the business, you must instill this kind of confidence in your potential clients. In order to instill it in others, it must first be inside you.

If you sincerely believe your service will solve their problems, don’t worry about coming off as egotistical. If you can back up your claims, you’re no longer a braggart, you’re a solution provider.

Seeing as I haven’t given birth yet, I figured I’d mosey on over to LinkedIn Answers and pose a new question: What are the 3 biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when giving their 30-second intro?

As usual, the responses received so far have been insightful and informative. Want to join the discussion? Click here to post your answer.

Mistakes aside, what are your 30-second intro pet peeves?