KNOW YOUR CLIENT

When marketing to the affluent you have to know Who your client is and What they want!

According to Unity Marketing, as the young affluent are now really beginning to earn their wealth they are choosing 'one-time' luxuries - consumables like wines, fashion or vacations.

On the other hand, those consumers over 40 choose investment-type purchases (real estate) or consumables That Will Last or appreciate in value, like art, antiques or a luxury watch.

What this means is that you MUST focus your message to your affluent clients through an attraction-based direct marketing approach!

You must be so attractive in your industry that your clients know that YOU are the one to do business with.

Begin by fine-tuning your tag-line and your message and alter your marketing so that prospects come to you!

By understanding what they use their money for, you will know and appreciate Why they want your services and be better able to communicate your offerings and win a client for life!

Be Persistent

I'm visiting a client on Tuesday. We have a meeting for 1:30 in the afternoon.

This is a client that I have been courting for quite a while and that I Want to do business with.

He fits into my ideal client profile for my accounting business:

*he has an EXPANDING business
*his offices are in a good location and are extremely well kept with matching furniture and good interior decorating (signs of affluence)
*his receptionist and manager are very professional
*he is an entrepreneur (as opposed to a 'businessman'-KNOW THE DIFFERENCE, LADIES!!)
*he has great ideas on where he wants to take his company. This is a visionary! (I love those)

And so... I will court until I get his contract.

Persistence will pay off. But be selective.

Investing is key!

As an enterpreneur, it is vital that you use your business to increase your wealth.

And as a female professional this is even more important if you want to 'ramp up' your lifestyle, have time for the kids (if you have any) and time for yourself!

I just got a call today that a piece of land I purchased this year for just under $0.25m will increase in value very soon as an investor is building a 6-star hotel on my doorstep! (and I don't even know what a 6* hotel looks like :) )

Anyway here's the key point and one that we look at in depth in my FABULOUS Business system... this is the "S" in FABULOUS for "Spend Wisely. Invest in Yourself and Your Business".

There are so many ways to take money out of your business, but it's what you do with it.

Start by setting up a business savings account and/or a wealth account for investment purposes.

Of course begin by making monthly payments into this account.

Start scouting for investment properties or pieces of land that will appreciate in value quickly. This strategy does wonders for your portfolio!

Look for investments that will either bring you cashflow (eg. a rental) or that you can hold for speculation. (Please note that I am not an expert in investment strategies. Please seek the proper advice on this.)

I have been coached by Loral Langemeier's team at www.liveoutloud.com and they helped me see my investments differently and what having my business is actually for...

...Wealth Accummulation then

...Freedom based Lifestyle!!!

Client Attraction Mindset Retreat

Okay so I am going to Miami for Fabienne Fredrickson's Client Attraction Mindset Retreat in September.

Dealing with self-sabotaging issues is SOOOOOOO important when building your business. According to Fabienne, here are some ways we sabotage ourselves:

You often use excuses, usually about money and time, for not taking advantage of opportunities that are right in front of you

You sometimes come from a fear mentality

You regularly focus on what's lacking in your life, rather than on what you want

You most always stop yourself in the 'belief' process

You allow fear of rejection and failure to get in the way of taking action

You look at your existing situation, rather than focusing on your dream

Deep down, you may feel you don't deserve abundance and success on a grand scale (whether you know this consciously or not)

Sometimes, if you're really honest with yourself, you may feel you are not "enough" as a person

You resent rich people (even though you don't really mean to)

In fact she talks about 30 or more ways!!

Now I know for the ladies in the financial industry, we can't allow these saboteurs into our minds when dealing with our clients or they'll smell your fear a mile away!

So, why not join us in Miami September 22-24 2008 at The Trump Miami 5* Hotel.

See you there!

Belief=Confidence=Knowing

I spent this Sunday watching Gene Simmons Family Jewels and they were showing the episode with Gene Simmons on Donald Trump’s The Apprentice. This quote by the Kiss front man stuck me and stood out in my mind.

"Once I saw who else was on Celebrity Apprentice I had no inhibitions. Why? They are celebrities, I am an entrepreneur!"

One thing about Gene Simmons, he knows who he is and has an amazing confidence that blows you over and endears you to him. Having seen him speak at the Dan Kennedy’s Super Conference in April, I can assure you he is in fact an awesome guy!

So can you as a professional woman in the financial industry struggling to build her business learn something here?

Sure!

Unequivocal, unashamed confidence in what you believe.

Belief is a knowing.

Again an excellent quality to have to attract those affluent clients that you want!

It’s who you know!

To attract more affluent clients, you have to be seen around more prosperous people.

You become known by the company you keep.

Here’s what I recommend.

Get out of your office and start attending seminars and conferences that successful people attend. Go to those conferences where ‘well-to-do’ people are going to be speaking…published authors, celebrities, TV personalities.

Try and get a quick photo with them and then let your clients know
about it!

Your clients will automatically assume that because you ‘know’ these wealthy people (well enough to get a photo with them) that you do business with a more affluent type of client.

Word will soon spread and before you know it, you will begin to attract the client that will WANT to work with someone that surrounds herself with these types of people.

Invest a year in this strategy. It’s a win-win-win-win situation:

You’ll grow yourself.

You’ll grow your business.

You’ll meet some fabulous, successful people.

You’ll attract better paying clients.

How can you go wrong??!

Sandra & George Ross of "The Apprentice" =>

Your 3 year vision

What’s your 3 year vision?

This is a vital part of my FABULOUS business system for female financial professionals…creating a 3-year vision.

Do you have a vision for your business? One that will support you in whatever lifestyle you want?

You have to know where you want to be in 1,2 or 3 years…or you’ll continue working and struggling hard as an employee in your own business!

When you create a powerful vision of your life (first) then of your business (remember your business should support your lifestyle) you will start creative energies in motion to manifest that vision into your life.

If you don’t know what your vision should look like, get our FOCUSNOW™ Prosperity Program for Professionals that will help you create your own powerful and exciting vision.

How important is location?

Having moved our office to a more affluent area, I thought it would be good to talk about location for your business.

Yes it's true, people always judge you by how you look.. both personally and in business. So as a professional woman in the financial industry, you should know that you must look like you have your act together, but also the location of your office is very important as well.

When I first started my accounting practice (see http://www.antigua-accountant.com/ ), I worked from home mostly unless I had to visit a client. This was not only exhausting because whereas my client wanted the service, I was the one travelling so many miles per day, waiting on them if they were busy when I got to their office and not having good use of my time.

Then I moved into a house on the outskirts of town that we converted into an office. This was okay for a while but what I noticed is that we never seem to get the 'affluent' clients that we wanted.

We needed to move!

Although I resisted this for a while, I realized that if I wanted to play a bigger game, then I must employ the "BE-DO-HAVE" principles of success.

I must BE the professional I wanted to be, DO what they would do (including having my office in an upscale area which is frequented by the type of clients I wanted to attract) and then I will become the successful professional I wanted to be.