Biz Solutions & Success: Closer Than You Think

My client Joe asked me to help him transform his website from prospect-repelling to client-attracting.

I offered several suggestions, including, “Put some testimonials on the front page.”

“I don’t have any testimonials,” he said.

“I bet you do,” I replied…

…and then I trotted out the tale of my summer fling, Kathy.

I was 19, home for the summer following my freshman year, when Kathy and I started dating.

A few weeks into the relationship, she had her wisdom teeth pulled. A few hours later, she called me to complain.

“I can’t stand the pain,” she whimpered.

“Have you rinsed with salt water?” I asked. “When I had my wisdom teeth pulled, rinsing with warm salt water helped.”

(Long pause)

“We don’t have any salt water around the house,” she said.

(Another long pause)

“Ummmmmm,” I said…

(I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.)

“…Do you have any SALT around the house?”

“Uh huh,” she said.

“How about WATER?” I asked.

(Snarky, I know. But I couldn’t resist.)

It took her a moment (the longest pause yet), but then she said,
“Ohhhhhhhh. I can MAKE some salt water.”

(Kathy and I didn’t last past August.)

Fast forward to Joe and me.

After sharing the salt water saga, I asked Joe, “Do you have happy clients?”

“Of course, I do,” he said.

“Have they ever told you so in an email?” I asked.

(Long pause)

“Ummmmm, yeah,” he said.

“Then you have testimonials,” I said.

Most of what you need is right at your fingertips.

When I suggest “testimonials,” Joe imagined a long, difficult process. Identify candidates. Reach out to them. Request a testimonial. Follow-up if they don’t deliver. Etc. Etc. Etc.

My suggestion: Dig up a few happy client emails. Ask the client whether you can quote them in a testimonial. Done.

Better yet, establish a system to keep track of happy client emails or positive feedback delivered during Zoom meetings. (Record Zooms. You never know when something valuable will surface.)

Before you know it, you’ll have an organized collection of rough-draft testimonials. Ask the client if you can quote them. Done.

Same goes for market research. The Story Discovery system I teach begins with understand what your existing clients and prospects think and feel.

You don’t have to start from scratch.

Emails. Zoom recordings. Meeting notes. You have it at your fingertips.

You have the salt. You have the water. It doesn’t have to be so hard.

Speaking of Story Discovery…

I teach that in my Content Transformation Academy. I’ll reveal systems to transform your content from prospect-repelling to client-attracting. No long, difficult processes. Simple, easy-to-master strategies, tactics, and habits.

I have some open seats if you want to join us. Reply if you want to know more.