If you’ve read a few of my blog posts, you’ll know by now that when you sell a service to your clients, such as coaching, consulting or training, you don’t have anything tangible to sell. There is no product that your potential clients can pick up, look at or compare to others. Instead they are buying you, your time and your expertise.

So how can you promote something that no one can see?

Well, unless you’re a Vampire Bat that can see in the dark (see what I did there?!) then you’ll need a way of explaining what a prospect will get when they give you their money. One of the simple ways in which you can do this is by talking about the VALUE of what you provide. What do your clients really get from working with you? It might not be what you expect, or what you’ve been talking about when you promote your business.

Let’s look at a couple of examples:

• If you’re a health coach, a potential client might come to you because they want to lose a bit of weight and look better in their favorite outfit. They might be buying your 3-month programme, with an hour of your time on the phone every month and some tips and factsheets, but is that really what they want and need? The real value could be the support that you provide to help your clients to stay on track with their healthy eating programme, when they are tempted by cup cakes and glasses of wine. (Yes, I am speaking from experience here!)

• Perhaps you’re a consultant who spends time with clients, helping them to set up a Marketing Plan that shows them the best marketing to do for their business. While you might be able to see the value to any business of having a Marketing Plan, what your clients may value more is having someone show them them how to simplify their marketing; or someone they can speak to when they’re not sure in which direction to take their business. (Another personal example.)

What you think you are selling might not be what your clients are actually buying from you. They could find far more value in the ‘added extras’ that you provide, rather than the features that you shout about when promoting your business – the little things that you take for granted, or understand, but that can make all the difference to a client.

Your marketing messages need to focus not on the features of your service, but on the benefits and the true value of what you do. This is what will help you to stand out from all the other coaches, consultants and trainers who are competing with you.

How do you know what your clients value?

The simplest way to find out what your clients really value about your service is just to ask. At the next meeting you have with each of your clients, ask them what they like about what you do for them. Ask them what you could do better. “What is the real value that you get from working with me?” You could be surprised by the answers and you can use them to improve your marketing messages and make them clearer. You can also use your clients’ words to create testimonials and LinkedIn recommendations from your clients. Asking your clients what you could do better can be a scary thing to do – you might not initially like what you hear – but you can use what they say to make your service better and to provide them with even more value. You can ask this question of each client at the start of each year, to really keep on track and show how much you value feedback from your clients.

Go on – ask your clients what they truly value about working with you. And then let me know what they say! If you need some help turning their words into some clever marketing, give me a call on 01635 578 500 or click here to email me and I’ll help you to do it – and help you to get some new clients, while you’re at it!