Peekay the Wonderdog came into my life shortly after the passing of Violet, the heart-faced rottie.
My ex-husband and I were devastated after losing Violet, and Jeff swore he wasn’t going to get another dog and go through that again.
Two weeks later he had “just stopped by the shelter” and I had to meet this amazing dog — the shelter called him something like Snickers or Buster – who was full of energy and smart as a whip.
I named him Peekay after the protagonist in the book, The Power of One. Peekay was short for “pisskop,” meaning pisshead, a name which proved painfully accurate.
Peekay was shy and submissive with someone at the door and peed if they gave him attention. He was my cat-dog, a little punk, who refused to listen if he had better ideas.
In order to get Peekay to come when called, we had to offer him something he wanted. Treats were great, especially bits of meat, but a game of throw-the-donut or a snuggle session would work, too.
Once we understood what Peekay wanted, it only took a bit of creativity to get him interested in doing what we wanted him to do.
Getting more clients for your business is similar to training a dog.
I’m not saying your potential clients are dogs – they’re people and likely very lovely ones at that – but there’s a behavioral principle at play that’s essential to understand if you want more paying clients. Let me explain.
Coaches often come to me with the question, “How do I convince people to hire me?”
The short answer to this question: you don’t.
Trying to convince someone to hire you is a losing game. You’ll waste a lot of time talking and explaining (some might say begging) them to give you a chance.
It’s like me trying to get Peekay to come inside when he’s still busy chasing his donut toy. He’d give me that stubborn stare and refuse to move.
People aren’t interested in hiring a coach – #sorrynotsorry, ego – but they are interested in solving a problem or reaching a goal that you as a coach can help them achieve.
Speaking to what someone already actually wants is like me dangling a juicy treat in front of Peekay – I have his full attention and he’s ready to go with me.
(Apologies again for the crude metaphor. I generally don’t compare people to dogs, but it’s helpful to see how people are always motivated by what’s in their own interest, not yours.)
So step #1 in getting more clients is offering them something of interest. To them.
Fortunately, this isn’t hard to do. All you have to do is ask, and people will tell you what they want and need. In fact, they’re probably already talking about it on Reddit or at community gatherings.
If you’ve got a pair of ears and an open heart, you can listen. People will tell you exactly what they’re interested in.
In just 5 days, the CREATE experience begins.
Together, we’ll test offers with real people to find out what they’re already interested in. Then we’ll turn it into a real offering that’s a natural YES for the people you’re here to help.
4 simple steps over 4 weeks with a community of supportive creatives to help you get it done and enjoy the journey.
https://theawakenedbusiness.com/create-sales-invitation/
Yours in love and play,
Steph
