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reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
Copyright (c) 2005 by Michael Port, All Rights Reserved
First Edition, 2005
Published in the United States of America
Michael Port & Associates LLC
http://www.michaelport.com
2 Contents Your Introductory Gift…………………………………………… 5 Key Number 1: Know Why People Buy What You're Selling…………….. 7 Key Number 2: Choose Your Ideal Clients…………………………………… 9 Key Number 3: Be Bold, Be Brave, Be Yourself, For Profit & Fun……………………………………………………………… 12 Key Number 4: Develop A Personal Brand……………………………….. 14 Key Number 5: Learn How To Articulate What You Do………………… 16 Key Number 6: The Simple Selling Process……………………………….. 20 Key Number 7: Self Promotion Is Easy And Fun…………………………. 22
NOTES:……………………………………………………………. 25
3 Disclaimer
This report is designed to provide information about marketing and
promotion. It is provided with the understanding that the publisher and author will not do your work for you. Your success is based on doing the exercises in this special report and putting the principles into action. You are urged to read all the available materials, learn as much as possible about marketing, and tailor the information to your individual needs. For more information, visit http://www.bookyourselfsolid.com.
Required Legal Disclaimer: The purpose of this report is to educate
and entertain. The author shall have neither liability, nor responsibility, to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained in this report.
If you do not wish to be bound by the above, you may return
this report to the publisher.
4 Your Introductory Gift Hi!
I promise the time you invest in tuning into these 7 keys will be well worth your time. I'll be teaching you proven techniques for successfully booking yourself solid.
Also, don't forget to become a member of...
The Think Big Revolution
It's FREE and it'll help you think bigger about who you are and what you offer the world.
What could be better!?
When? Every Monday at 12PM Eastern (11AM Central, 10AM
Mountain, 9AM Pacific)
Where? On the phone with hundreds of other big thinkers!
How long? 60 minutes
What you're going to experience: Every week I bring a new topic
that will help you think bigger about who you are and what you offer the world. Sometimes I'll teach. Sometimes I'll prod. Sometimes, I'll challenge... but I promise to make you laugh, make you think, and make you do the things you say you want to do.
5 Oh, and I promise to love you very much (but not in a weird way).
To join the Revolution go to http://www.thinkbigrevolution.com
Whatever you do, DON'T enter your credit card info. I don't want it.
The Revolution is my gift to you.
Now, let's get started with Book Yourself Solid, Key #1: Know Why People Buy What You're Selling
Think Big,
Michael Port The Guy To Call When You’re Tired Of Thinking Small
No matter what you say, think, or do - take the attention off of
yourself, your business and your services. Every second of every day stay focused on clear, specific, and detailed solutions, benefits and advantages that appeal to your prospects. Clearly define the root of your prospects' problems and needs. Identify their urgent needs and compelling desires and then offer them an invest-able opportunity and you'll be booked solid in no time.
WRITTEN EXERCISE:
Develop a list that starts to identify what your clients are actually buying when they are buying your services.
7 What are your clients' compelling desires? 1. _____________________________________________ 2. _____________________________________________ 3. _____________________________________________
What invest-able opportunities are you offering your
Now, every time you communicate in person, through writing, on
the internet, in an advertisement, on the phone, etc… articulate and re-articulate these urgent needs and compelling desires and the invest-able opportunities that you offer.
8 Key #2: Choose Your Ideal Clients
For maximum joy, prosperity, and abundance, think about the
person you are when you are most fully expressed… when you are with all the people who inspire and energize you. Make a long list of the characteristics these people have, because they are your ideal clients.
When you are able to define your ideal clients you'll have permission to release any dead wood in your calendar. Then, and only then, will you be able to Book Yourself Solid because you'll be working with ideal clients, the people with whom you do your best work.
Start to define who your ideal clients are and the qualities that your ideal clients possess. Here are a few of my clients' essential qualities to get you started:
Bright (full of light and easily excitable)
Resilient (keep coming back for more)
Courageous (dream big)
Think big (their projects benefit large groups of
people)
Naturally collaborative (they contribute to and
focus on their outcomes)
9 WRITTEN EXERCISE:
Now, come up with your own.
1. _____________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________
6. _____________________________________________
7. _____________________________________________
8. _____________________________________________
9. _____________________________________________
10. ____________________________________________
10 The Benefits of working with Ideal Clients:
You'll have clean energy to do your best work
You won't feel drained or tired
You'll feel invigorated and inspired
You'll connect with clients on a deeper level
You'll feel successful and confident
You'll know your work matters and is changing
lives
The magic of you will come to life!
Sounds pretty darn great, doesn't it?!
If you'd like to learn more about booking yourself solid
now, visit http://www.bookyourselfsolid.com for more information.
11 Key #3: Be Bold, Be Brave, Be Yourself, For Profit & Fun
Most self-employed professionals present the "diluted" version of
themselves to the world – probably the result of conditioning from time spent in the corporate world before entering the world of free-agency. They hide their creativity, quirkiness, spirit, passion, and spark.
If you are guilty of this… you must quickly change. You must flaunt your quirks and show off your personality for fun and profit. Remember people aren't only buying your solutions to the problems they have, but they are buying you – and they'll buy more of you the more fully expressed you are.
Embrace your authentic self and toss out
the society-accepted version of you. Yes! I'm serious. No one likes the IBM stiff blue suit that follows every rule. We're attracted to that quirky, authentic, confident soul who says it like it is and filters nothing!
Think about how radiant and attractive you are when you are with your best friends. If you let your quirky, unique side shine, you'll experience far greater self-assurance and an immediate client attraction. Sound easy? It is! Works every time like a charm. Test it for yourself.
12 WRITTEN EXERCISE:
Who are you when you are at your best… living in the moment? 1. _____________________________________________ 2. _____________________________________________ 3. _____________________________________________
What can you talk about all day long with respect to your work? 1. _____________________________________________ 2. _____________________________________________ 3. _____________________________________________
How would your clients and colleagues who really know you describe you? 1. _____________________________________________ 2. _____________________________________________ 3. _____________________________________________
What, if anything needs to change?
Are you truly and fully expressing yourself in your work?
It's the single most important element in attracting clients to you and your services.
13 Key #4: Develop A Personal Brand
My inspired friend - never underestimate the power of branding.
In order to create the thriving business you intend to, you will need to be known for something. In my business, I am referred to as “the guy to call when you're tired of thinking small.” This is no accident. I've been saying this over and over since the day I realized that being “the guy to call when you're tired of thinking small” was my call to action.
Your personal brand is something you'll never get tired of. And the first time you hear someone refer to you by it… you'll want to cry tears of joy. I formulated one simple sentence that allows people to define me… in a manner of my choosing!
I never get tired of saying it or hearing it because I really want
people to think big and speak boldly about who they are and what they offer the world. Not only does it very deeply, and truly, mean something to me, but it also sticks with others. People I don't know call me up on the phone and declare that they're "tired of thinking small." I love it!
There are two levels to your brand image:
1. Your "call to action"
2. Your "WHO and DO WHAT" statement
14 EXAMPLE:
My call to action: "I'm the guy to call when you're tired of thinking small."
My "WHO and DO WHAT" statement: "I help people who work for themselves create relentless demand for their products and services."
Your "call to action" lets others know what it's like to be
around you.
Your "WHO and DO WHAT" statement lets others know
exactly what you can help them do.
WRITTEN EXERCISE:
What is your "call to action"?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
What is your "WHO and DO WHAT" statement
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
15 Key #5: Learn How To Articulate What You Do
Another one of the main reasons that service-professionals fail to
build thriving businesses is that they struggle to articulate exactly what they do in this new, vibrant, branded, and authentic way… and most importantly what specific invest-able opportunities they bring to the table.
They aren't compelling and their message comes off as bland and confusing. As a result, they miss countless opportunities to meet and recruit potential clients. Can you personally relate?
Until you are able to clearly articulate exactly what you do, the invest-able opportunities that you offer, and all the benefits that clients will experience as a result of working with you, you will be missing out on enormous opportunities for growth and success. Remember people don't buy products or services. They buy solutions to their problems… solutions that you can personally deliver because of your unique abilities and your personal and professional experience.
If you're a yoga teacher, saying you're a yoga teacher is not
particularly compelling. I may already have a preconceived notion of what a yoga teacher does or is like. However, saying...
"I help professional women reclaim their bodies from the evil corporate empire and access their true feminine qualities of mystery, intimacy, and sensuality…living part two of the life they
16 were meant to live!” may start a more interesting conversation.
It may also get a laugh, which is a good thing.
For now let's keep it simple. Let's build you an "elevator speech." Remember, this should not be used as a "show up and throw up" marketing strategy. Arm yourself with your "elevator speech" and then have a conversation like a real person!
EXAMPLE:
ME: You know how many self-employed professionals decide to go
out on their own because they're looking for the freedom that working for yourself promises but they wind up isolated, frustrated, and overwhelmed?
POTENTIAL CLIENT: All too well.
ME: ...Which means that they are working more hours than they should or want to… are stressed about money… and become disillusioned about working for themselves…
POTENTIAL CLIENT: Sounds like you're talking about me!
ME: ...Well, what I do is offer a business coaching program for
these professionals… I train and coach them in 7 keys to booking themselves solid.
POTNENTIAL CLIENT: That sounds like something I could use…
tell me more…
17 ME: It means that they are able to attract more clients than they can handle, work fewer hours, have financial peace of mind, and begin to love marketing… not to mention become completely re-inspired and engaged in their work.
POTENTIAL CLIENT: How do I get me some of that?! :)
ME: Easy! It's all laid out at www.bookyourselfsolid.com!
By the way, if you want to learn more about the 15-week Book Yourself Solid coaching program or any of my other business building products or services please email [email protected] or call me personally on my direct line 215-348-2453.
18 Well, what I do is… (your offering(s)) ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________
If you remember this, you'll never have to sell again.
Think in terms of solutions and problems solved and clients will
beg to work with you. You are a consultant… a life-long advisor. When you have fundamental solutions to help others, it's your moral imperative to show and tell as many people as possible. You are changing lives! You may think of selling as a dirty word. But really all you're doing is making offers. Offers that are invest-able opportunities for your ideal clients.
So inquire…"What is your goal?"
Then show... "What are the benefits you will achieve when you accomplish your goal?"
Then offer… "Would you like a partner to help you with that?"
That's a very simple sales conversation. And I suggest you keep
it that simple - just TALK with people about what they want and ask them if they'd like your help.
One more thing I want you to consider... your offerings may be
expensive and service based. Your offerings have what I call a "high barrier for entry." If I charge $300 per hour for my coaching, that may be a high barrier for entry to those who don't know me and don't even really know what coaching
20 is. I need to remove any and all barriers for entry so that my potential ideal clients have an opportunity to experience what it's like to work with me. And experience is the operative word.
We'll talk more about how to do this when we look at Key #7: Make Self-Promotion Easy and Fun.
For today...
Practice the Simple Selling Conversation.
Call up a colleague or a friend and ask them to practice with you. It's really the only way that you'll get better at the sales conversation. You've got to create habits of making offers and using the Simple Selling Process is simply the best way that I know how. So call a buddy now... go ahead and press the buttons and practice.
21 Key #7: Self Promotion Is Easy And Fun
I'm sure you've heard the expression, "It's not what you know, but who you know?" Well, that's not true. It's "Who knows what you know" that's important.
As I mentioned in Key Number 6, having a sales conversation is very
easy. However, your services may have high barriers for entry. So, even if you have a perfect sales conversation, your ideal client may still not be sure that they should invest in your services. In order to promote yourself, your services, and products, your ideal clients need to know what you know on a deep and meaningful level. They need to know that you have loads and loads of invest-able opportunities that are based on their urgent needs and their compelling desires.
The best way to do this is to have a few compelling offers that have no barriers for entry.
For example: I've been offering a free tele-seminar every Monday at
12pm Eastern for a while now that helps people think bigger about who they are and what they offer the world (it'll also help you book yourself solid).
It's a Membership Club called The ThinkBIG Revolution.
But here's the thing…
Membership is FREE. And I invite everybody that I meet to join. I'd
like to invite you. I bet you'll love it. And if you don't, you won't come back. It's simple. You get an opportunity to
22 participate in something that may add value to your life and test me out at the same time.
And for me, well, it's fantastic, I don't have to "sell" anything. I can offer really great value to the lives of potential clients and customers at no risk to them. And then they have the opportunity to ask me for more business help if they are so inclined. There are tons of ways that you can set up this type of "always have something to invite people to" self-promotion strategy. You may just need to be a little creative.
Oh, if you want to join the ThinkBIG Revolution just send a blank email to:
What kind of compelling "always have something to invite people to"
marketing strategy can you create? That's the first Book Yourself Solid self-promotion strategy I want you to consider.
In my 3 CD program I detail over 80 more super easy and fun self-
promotion strategies. To get the full story go to www.bookyourselfsolid.com.
23 I really hope you enjoyed this basic introduction to the Book Yourself Solid program.
The Book Yourself Solid products and programs are the most comprehensive, content-rich and exciting programs on getting more clients than you can handle. But don't take it from me...
If there is ever anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to
call on me. I wish you all the best of everything.
Think Big,
Michael Port The Guy To Call When You’re Tired Of Thinking Small
Dan S. Kennedy - Speak To Sell - Persuade, Influence, and Establish Authority & Promote Your Products, Services, Practice, Business, or Cause-Advantage Media Group (2016)
Dan S. Kennedy - Speak To Sell - Persuade, Influence, and Establish Authority & Promote Your Products, Services, Practice, Business, or Cause-Advantage Media Group (2016)
