Badges And Bruises The Client Attraction Strategy That Works

Badges And Bruises
The Client Attraction Strategy That Works
By: Karen Pattock

The majority of the questions I get asked as an online marketing mentor revolve around client attraction. Whether it’s how to get more ‘likes’ to a Facebook page or how to get more paying clients, it always comes back to client attraction.

Today I want to share with you one of the lessons I learned as I began to build my business online. It’s the same lesson I share with my clients each and every time we discuss client attraction.

As many of you may already know, I’ve been a business owner for 20+ years. I love being an entrepreneur. Until I decided to start my current business, Make A Difference Make A Living, all of my businesses had been in more of a corporate setting. That setting lends itself to an atmosphere that often encourages some type of “dog and pony show”, (if you will), to make yourself stand out among your competitors.

It took me a while to understand that the online world doesn’t operate that way. Sure it still requires due diligence. It still requires that you know your stuff and can present yourself in a professional manner. The component of building an online business that was new to me was that people wanted to know the real me. They wanted to hear my war stories and they wanted me to show them my badges, bruises and scars.

“Be proud of your scars, those are the badges you’ve
earned from the challenges that life gave you.”
~Unknown

When I first started my Health Coaching business I knew I could help people improve their lifestyle. I knew I could help them eat healthier, lose weight and overall help them design a more balanced life. How did I know I could do all of that? I knew because I had done it for myself.

But when I first started out I kept my story a secret… kind of hidden. I didn’t tell anyone about the days when I stumbled while I was on a journey to lose 40 pounds. I was still trying to maintain that professional and polished appearance because that is the only thing I knew. That’s what the corporate world had taught me.

Then came a day when I was doing a presentation at a fitness center and during the question and answer session I decided to crack the door open to the personal side of my journey. Sure I was terrified that it would make me appear less professional but I felt it would help a couple of people in the audience so I knew I had to share my story.

To my amazement the response was overwhelmingly positive. The audience responded so well to my personal journey and much to my surprise resulted in two new health coaching clients. I could see now that my openness took me from being someone that was talking ‘at’ them to someone that was talking ‘with’ them, which made all of the difference in the world.

It was that day that I knew for sure that my badges and bruises mattered in my overall success as a health coach and business owner.

Since that day I freely share my story. I regularly include personal trials and tribulations in the trainings and coaching sessions that I do. Sure I tell you about the things that are going well because I want you to incorporate those things into your business. But at the same time I tell you about the things that didn’t go so well so you can learn from my mistakes. I believe with my whole heart that’s the sign of a really good mentor.

So let me ask you a question… Are you sharing your badges and bruises with your potential clients? If you’re holding anything back I encourage you to STOP that behavior right now. Client attraction begins with them knowing and feeling that you’re the real deal. No one lives a perfect life so when you try to present yourself in that way, (like I used to), it only builds barriers between you and your audience.

Don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and show people your scars. Sure there will be those that can’t take it and will leave your sphere of influence but I promise, that in doing so, your client attraction ratio will go through the roof. I’m living proof!

Did you find this article helpful? Has something I’ve said here today contributed to a change in perspective for you? If so, I want to hear about it. Come over to my –>>Facebook Page<<– and leave me a message. Tell me how it made a difference. You’re the reason that I do what I do every single day. Your success means the world to me!

With love & support,
Karen Pattock