3 tips on how to sell your professional services online
I got my driver's license at the age of 33 - never needed it, always lived in the central hubs of European capital cities, plus I'm working from home, so no need to commute anyway. However, my childhood dream was to own a Jag - an old, rusty, V6-monster with a cherrywood-interior, leather seats, and the comfort of a luxurious battleship. So my very first car was a Jag - and I loved it. A true weekend-car, we had unique experiences together.
I sold her a few months ago, though - with a shameful 20.000 miles extra in her within four years of usage. Most of the time, she was sleeping in a heated garage.
I realized I cared more about the experiences of driving a great car than the actual car itself. Tools and things are not the ones where one should look for happiness, obviously. Relationships inspired by experiences are the ones that make us happy. To realize that, I had to own a 'thing' that I was craving since my childhood.
Why do I tell this story to you? Because your customers will pick you above others, not because of the brand you project for them, but the relationships you build with them. You are in the experience/relationship business, where titles and your background have nothing to do with your sales and marketing efforts.
I believe there are fundamental changes in the way we sell professional services.
Don't be the Jag in the room - stop focusing on yourself
In the people's business, things are your titles: background, skillset, pedigree, brand. While they are, of course, important, but not as important as you might think, if you are a lawyer, for example, the number of clients who work with you based on the family tradition is shrinking.
The new generation of customers doesn't care about your titles, your qualifications, and your background. They only care about their needs and the relationships you can build with them. Instead of focusing on selling you as the service provider, focus on selling your service's impact. Focus on how you can solve your customers' needs, instead of just appeal as you are.
In practical terms, lawyers/accountant/financial experts won't call themselves "lawyer"/"accountant"/"finance expert" anymore - they will focus on how they help others with their specific skills.
Be specific with how you can help others
It's not enough anymore to pick a niche and operate within. You have to be super specific on how you can help others. There are millions of lawyers out there who are practicing family law. Very few of them can help with particular divorce issues that appeal to specific demographics. To market your services, you have to be super targeted and extremely specific in helping others.
Besides the extreme targeting, focus on the outcome as well. If you can coin how your prospective clients feel when helping them, it would be a more natural choice. Professional services are all results-driven - why wouldn't you communicate these results to your prospects then?
It starts with a simple tagline on your professional profile. From "John Doe, based in Chicago, Attorney-at-law specialized in Family/Marital law" to "I'm John Doe, I help young families in the Chicago area to get through their most challenging times." It's just a tagline but can ultimately define your whole marketing strategy.
Battle the shortened attention span further with precise offers and education on your services
I bought my Jag way before I purchased it. As a teenager, I had a poster in my room featuring the particular car. When it was buying-time, it was inevitable to buy that car. However, the world has changed; people don't have years, not even minutes, to decide.
Focusing your services on the results they generate for your clients is the most crucial part. But it is still not enough - you have to make sure when they are interested, they will understand your offer immediately.
For most professional service providers, hourly rates are the go. That is not the case anymore - a packaged service is more natural to comprehend and much more straightforward to buy. Try to package your services - ditch the hourly fees. You won't lose a dime, I promise. You will gain a lot in the long-run.
Some services need the knowledge to understand. Sometimes, the need is not yet there - that is why informing your prospects should be your number one marketing priority for you. On-site, inbound content and marketing activities should be your key activity. Wasting too much time on social media marketing might kill your marketing results instead of focusing on creating compelling content that drives relationships with your prospected clients. Remember, most of your clients will seek out your help proactively - your job is to be there when they need you with a simple offer, a killer results-driven message, and a searchable background for those who still doubt you.
The next few years will be exciting for those who haven't changed their marketing goals in the recent decade. But it is now or never - because those who buy off the shelf because of traditions, childhood dreams, or brand loyalty will be switched off by those who purchase services because they need to solve a specific problem in their life. Be that professional service provider who helps others to live better - to build better, long-lasting relationships.
