| I met Rod at a Chamber of Commerce function in | | | | There are a million examples of this concept at work |
| 1998. While everyone else took turns introducing | | | | all around us everyday. My local Starbucks tempts me |
| themselves to the other business owners at the table | | | | with a tray of cut-up cookies and muffins on the |
| telling them about their business, Rod was massaging | | | | counter. Several photo studios sent me freebie |
| my neck and shoulders. By the end of the morning I | | | | coupons to capture the image of my beautiful new |
| was asking him for his phone number. Now before | | | | baby last year. A month ago, I saw a salon offering |
| your mind races too far ahead, let me tell you that | | | | free haircuts at an outdoor fair. A virtual assistant I met |
| Rod owned a business providing Shiatsu massage. | | | | offered prospects two free hours of work to help |
| And he didn't just massage my shoulders - he worked | | | | them feel the true relief that comes with delegating |
| his way around from one person to another during | | | | administrative tasks. |
| introductions. While we hawked our businesses | | | | This has been going on forever. I remember the story I |
| nervously putting on our best sales pitch, Rod enabled | | | | was told when I was first hired by the corporate |
| us to FEEL the value of his service. | | | | offices of Circuit City. Sam Wurtzel started the |
| What did it cost him? Nothing. Now, we don't all have | | | | company in 1949 when he saw the first television |
| the luxury of being able to let prospects sample our | | | | tower being constructed in Richmond, VA. Television |
| services so easily, but if we're creative we can help | | | | was just being introduced in many cities. He would go |
| prospects FEEL the benefit of working with us. | | | | door-to-door to offer families the free use of a |
| Most of us work so hard developing our sales pitch, | | | | television for a week. During that visit, he would have a |
| creating and refining it numerous times over the first | | | | nice chat with the family making sure to find out what |
| couple of years as we obtain a sharper focus of | | | | show was their favorite. If they accepted the offer to |
| exactly what we want to do in our business. But, | | | | keep the television for a week, he would wheel it into |
| ultimately, all of this hard work results in the same type | | | | their living room right there on the spot. Now, these |
| of pitch - "Hi, my name is Kimberly and I'm a Business | | | | were times when most families had never seen a |
| Coach. I work with business owners to help them | | | | television, so this was big news. The family would start |
| increase their sales, profits, and rate of success." | | | | telling all of their friends and neighbors about this |
| Okay, that sounds fine. Quick and to the point. But, | | | | wonderful new television they got to use for a week |
| what did you really get from it? You know who my | | | | for free with no strings attached. They would invite |
| target customers are - business owners. You know | | | | family and friends over to watch their favorite show all |
| the results they will achieve by working with me - | | | | together. It was an event. |
| increased sales, profits, and rate of success. But, | | | | But guess who showed up right before the show |
| what's missing? Do you know what it's going to feel | | | | came on? That's right - Sam. From there, it went |
| like when your sales increase? Do you know how | | | | something like this ... "Well, I'm here to pick up your |
| exhilarating it will be when your business is growing | | | | television. I hope you enjoyed it this week. Oh, your |
| faster? No. | | | | favorite show is just coming on? I'm really sorry, but I |
| You hear what I say, but it's still a gamble for you. | | | | have to take the television back now." You get it. He |
| These days, coaches are everywhere promising all | | | | approached them exactly when their interest was at |
| sorts of things from helping you find your spiritual | | | | its peak. They knew how it felt to watch television, and |
| center to helping businesses to deal with the impact of | | | | they liked it! |
| the economic downturn on their staff. So how do I | | | | What can you take from Sam's story to apply to your |
| enable business owners to FEEL the benefit of | | | | business? What could you do to enable prospects to |
| working with me as a Business Coach? | | | | FEEL the benefit of your business? Provide a |
| I offer them an opportunity to participate in a free | | | | limited-time trial? Offer a product sample? Give them a |
| 4-week MiniSeries of my FastTrack MBO (Mastering | | | | free hour of service? Be creative. Brainstorm with |
| Business Ownership) Program. I invite them to | | | | other business colleagues to come up with ideas for |
| experience exactly how business coaching and a | | | | each of your businesses. |
| structured learning program will increase their sales, | | | | Just remember - you can TELL prospects all you |
| profits and overall rate of success. This is my offering | | | | want about yourself and your business. It's when they |
| of a trial or sample. This is how I give them an | | | | FEEL the benefit that they'll start calling you. |
| opportunity to FEEL the benefit of the service I offer. | | | | |