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Barbara Casey's NICHE NEWS
Marketing Ezine
(formerly New Radiance Updates)
Vol 5, No 9 - May 29, 2006
In This Issue:
- Welcome New Subscribers
- Knowing Your Value by Robert Middleton
- How to Make Keyboard Bullets, Copyright, Heart Symbols
- A Business That Makes Your Heart Sing... and Your Name Famous
~ Welcome New Subscribers ~
Normally I write the lead article for NICHE NEWS myself, but this
guest article by Robert Middleton is so timely and important, I
wanted to include it before we amble into summer.
I'd also urge you to browse Robert's informative website, subscribe
to his newsletter (so you can receive articles of this calibre
weekly)... and download his free marketing plan workbook.
If you're a private practitioner or independent service
professional, you'll find his InfoGuru Marketing Manual
indispensable.
Here's the link for Robert's marketing plan
workbook.
~ Knowing Your Value by Robert Middleton ~
This article about under-pricing your services is number 3 in a
series of "dumb marketing mistakes" most of us make at one time or
another...
The third dumbest marketing mistake in our series is one that is so
insidious that it's invisible to most of us. In speaking with
thousands of Independent Professionals over the years I've asked
this question: "Do you think you're getting paid what you're worth?"
And never, not once in twenty two years, has anyone said, "Yes, I
am." Everyone feels they are not getting paid what they are worth,
and yet almost nobody does anything about it.
Even if I gave you a dozen strategies to raise your rates or to
repackage your services for higher value, you'd likely have a
problem doing it because your "wealth thermostat" is set at a fixed
position that always springs back to where it was.
Your wealth thermostat is set for the amount of income you feel
comfortable earning in a year. Perhaps it's $50K or $100K or $200K
or $500K per year. And anything much beyond that level is not only
uncomfortable to you, it's downright scary.
Do any of the following statements seem true to you?
- You see money as a scarce commodity that's hard to get more of
(no matter what you earn).
- You think people that make more money than you do are morally
inferior to you (even while you envy them).
- You find it hard to invest in yourself (workshops, books,
programs). Investments always look like expenses to you.
- When you make good money you tell yourself that it won't last
or that it's not enough. The glass is always half empty.
- You feel virtuous when you work hard and do a good job, but
feel a little (or a lot) guilty when you charge a high fee.
All of these are symptoms of a scarcity mindset. And for some
reason, most of us seem to be afflicted with it to one degree or
another. Having money naturally flowing into our lives easily and
effortlessly is a foreign concept to most of us.
Starting to Value Yourself
What can you do to start moving from a scarcity to a sufficiency or
abundance mindset? There are a lot of ways, and I won't pretend that
you can change your whole money mindset overnight, so I want to
focus on one simple thing - what you actually charge your clients.
What you're going to do is change the settings on your wealth
thermostat. It's a simple, 5-step process that won't take long and
will help you shift your perception of the value of your services.
1. Make a list of the things you have helped your clients with. This
should be a long list that includes everything you can think of.
2. Narrow this list down to just five clients that you had the most
success with and try to estimate the actual value each client
received from you. Make it as tangible as possible.
3. Next ask yourself, given the actual value that each client
received, what would be a fair price for your services? How does
this compare to the price you actually charged?
4. Now take this new, fairer price that's based on real value
provided and double it. So if you originally charged $1,000 and a
fair price would be $2,000, then write down $4,000.
5. Then do this exercise out loud (with yourself or a friend):
What's your price for this project? You: The price for this project
is $4,000. Repeat several times over a period of time until it feels
natural and easy to say it.
The next time you quote a price at the real value of $2,000, it will
seem very reasonable, if not downright cheap. You will have shifted
your wealth thermostat and you will feel much more comfortable
charging higher fees.
Not only that, the prospect will show less resistance in paying
those fees. As this new wealth setting becomes a reality for you, it
becomes a reality to others.
Try it, it works!
*
The More Clients Bottom Line: You're as wealthy, successful and as
valuable as you think you are. Before you earn more money, you need
to believe you are worth more. Change your wealth thermostat and
money will start to come more easily, with less struggle.
(By Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing. Please visit Robert's
web site for additional marketing articles and resources on
marketing for professional service businesses.)
Click here for Robert Middleton's Action Plan
Marketing.
~ How to Make Keyboard Bullets, Copyright, Heart Symbols ~
Just a reminder that I have posted a full page of keyboard symbols
you can type, using the "Alt" key on your PC.
You'll find instructions and keyboard shortcuts for: bullets -
copyright - trademark - French accents - German accents - cents -
1/2 - hearts - checkboxes - checkmarks - scissors - and more.
Here's the link for Alt key symbols.
~ A Business That Makes Your Heart Sing... and Your Name Famous ~
If the quality of your work is exemplary, but your business is still
struggling financially, you're probably due for a summertime
assessment of what's working and what's not.
I specialize in "Extreme Niche Makeovers" - helping you design a
business niche that makes your heart sing... and can make your name
famous.
The way to get known in your field is to distinguish yourself from
others providing similar services.
When you focus and clarify your business vision, it's much easier to
figure out where to find new clients... and marketing becomes a more
"natural" experience, not something you have to struggle with.
When the picture of your business niche becomes clear, you can't
imagine the difference it will make. I know. I finally got very
clear myself just last fall. I knew that my target audience was
holistic and personal growth home business owners. My heart sings
when I work with coaches, healers, spiritual teachers and others in
the body-mind-spirit professions.
But deciding what I wanted to be known for - what I would get up on
a soapbox about - that was trickier.
It wasn't until I had a major breakthrough with one client helping
her create a VERY specific niche that the vision of my own business
solidified.
And I no longer let clients hedge or compromise about designing a
business makeover that makes THEIR heart sing... and can make them
famous in their field at the same time.
Extreme niches. It's what I do best.
Call me to chat, if you'd like to learn more: 727-397-2702.
Click here for more details about extreme niches.
======================================================
Barbara Casey's NICHE NEWS Marketing Ezine - Carrying the Niche
Marketing Crusade to Home Business Owners with a Dream.
Copyright 2006 Barbara Casey
New Radiance Corp., PO Box 86674, St. Petersburg FL 33738
727-397-2702 ~
www.extremeniches.com
~
www.newradiance.com
