MARKETING

The Micro Mastery Series

​Get More
Clients

Brought to you by
Contents
Welcome 3

Business Plan 4
Why you need a plan
Start with the big picture

Getting started with marketing 8

KISS: Keep it simple, soloists

Mind mapping 12
Think outside the square

Target market 15
What do you do and who do you do it for?

Unique Selling Proposition 17

How unique are you?

Communication 20
Communicate clearly

Features and benefits 22

Know the difference

Test and measure 25

Tools and analysis

Just do it 27
Time to take action

Conclusion 29
Introduction
For all the joys that soloism brings, there are of course
some very real challenges. Hence our Micro Mastery Series.

It’s no accident that Get More Clients is the first in our series, as finding customers
and clients continually tops the ‘hot button’ list in our community research.

Having a steady flow of potential business is at the core of every successful solo
enterprise, and it takes work to get it right. We’re here to help.

n!
In the pages that follow, you’ll find hand-picked expert articles from Flying Solo
alongside commentary from members of the community - all designed to get

ni
things cranking!

Grab a pen and paper, sit yourself down and take the first steps to micro mastery.

eo
The Flying Solo Crew Div

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 3

Business plan

Why you
need a plan
Does your version of flying solo involve soaring above the
clouds or spinning out of control and landing with a thud?
A good flight plan could make all the difference, as learning
and performance expert Mark Moore explains.

I meet plenty of soloists. Some fly solo to get away from a bad or frustrating
situation. Others feel they have no choice, or decide to jet off on their own simply
because they fancy it. Some have come into money from somewhere else and no
longer ‘need’ to work.

Of the soloists I’ve met like this, many haven’t had a clear idea of where they’re
going. Some haven’t even seemed that bothered about the purpose of their flight.

Many have had a very bumpy flight. Some have nose-dived.

The soloists I meet who are flying high (or even looping-the-loop or victory rolling)
tend to have started out differently. They chose a different sort of flight – one with
an important purpose.

These are the soloists who’ve spotted a group of people with a particular need.
They feel compelled to help and they know they’ve got the skills, passion and
experience for the job. They also know the personal rewards they’ll gain in return.

But these are no impetuous, caped crusaders heading for the skies at the drop of a
hat. No, these super-soloists have made a point of planning their flight thoroughly.
They plot their course, check for turbulence, undertake regular safety checks and
keep a close eye on their dashboards. Above all, they know their destinations.

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 4

Whether your business is still on the
tarmac or already in the air, take some
time to review your flight plan:
Where are you flying to, and why?

What will you do when you get there?

How are the flying conditions?

Do you know what you’ll do in an emergency?

How can you improve your fuel efficiency?

What would make your flight more enjoyable?

Still tempted to move

“
Several people have experienced
starting a business without initial
ahead without a plan? guidelines or planning the day-to-day
Here’s what Flying running of their businesses… like myself!
Solo forum members “Obviously this cost me time and money because I

sixx and Karen Wardle was doing so many things that could have so easily
been sorted out prior. I found myself double handling
would say to that idea, things… New things were popping up every day that
I had given no consideration to, so it was many,
based on their own many hours researching, emails and phone calls and

experiences of doing getting basic things done that I hadn’t thought about.
This happened because I was never told to stop for a
just that. minute and dissect every element of the business and
foresee what problems or issues may arise and how I
could adequately deal with them.”

sixx, Flying Solo forum member

“
… in my defence, I was very young! I didn’t have a
business plan. But more importantly I didn’t see the
need for one. I foolishly believed that if my goal
was to just have a ‘small’ business then I really didn’t
need one. They are only for the big players right?
Not only did I not have a written business plan, but I
didn’t even have it clearly laid out in my mind either.
Oh I had an idea, but it was pretty rough. I thought
that I could ‘wing it’ as I went, BIG MISTAKE.”

Karen Wardle, Flying Solo forum member

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 5

Start with the
big picture
Before you get down to the nitty gritty of marketing,
you’ll want to make sure you’ve really nailed the big-
picture aspects of your overall business plan. In this article,
business coach Peter Morgan talks you through the process
of formulating your vision, mission and values, which
should underpin every business decision you make.

2017
Formulate your vision:
What does your ideal future look like?

This is the fun part! It’s where you ask yourself: Where am I going? What am I

2018
going to do there?

See yourself in five years – how do your business and your life look?

Allow yourself to dream. Don’t censor it, and don’t be embarrassed. And as you

2019 allow yourself to form a vision of your future you should feel a tangible surge
of energy and excitement as you start to get the clarity you desire about your
direction. It’s the same thrill you would have felt as a child before a fun day out, a
trip to the beach or an exciting holiday.

2020 Identify your mission:

What makes you do the things you do?

Your mission statement is the why to your business. It gives you the reasons to

2021 keep going when things are tough, or when you ask yourself “Why am I doing
this?” and can’t remember the answer.

The answer, interestingly, has nothing to do with you and what you want for

2022
yourself. It has to do with your sense of purpose – your personal mission – to be
of service to others; to give, or to make other people’s lives better, easier and more
enjoyable. You may be here to inspire or guide others, or help them be their best.

Whatever your life purpose is, when you find it you will know it, unmistakably, by

2023 how you feel inside. You may even be moved to tears – tears of joy, or tears of
sadness for the years passed without knowing your mission.

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 6

Determine your values:
How will you behave along the way?

This is the GPS navigation system for your journey! Your values are what guide
you every day in your business decisions. Whether that is your willingness to listen
to your clients, your integrity or your sense of fun, your values are what is most
important to you and what will ultimately distinguish your business from the one
down the road.

A big clue in identifying your values is to look at what you find most annoying
when it’s lacking in what you receive from others.

For example, poor customer service and lack of communication are what irritate
me most. As a result, excellent customer service and clear communication are the
most important values in my work.

Remembering that enables me to clearly define the actions I need to take to stay

?
on track, which may be as simple as a quick phone call to a client to check they
are happy with the way the work is progressing. This is ultimately where we find
our fulfilment – giving of ourselves in a way that we truly value.

If you haven’t already done so, put a bit of time aside to address these high-level
aspects of your business plan before you start the process of developing your
marketing plan. That way you’ll know where you’re going, why you’re going there
and how to get there – and you’ll have a lot more fun along the way!

Here’s what forum

“
I wish I had taken more time and
care when writing a vision statement,
member Elizabeth mission statement and values I intend
Richardson had to to live by as well as my goals.
say when asked what “Getting the foundation right in the first place makes

she wished she’d making decisions further down the track a breeze.
If an opportunity presents itself that isn’t in line with
known before she your foundation, saying no is empowering and
opens the space to move you towards your dreams
started her business. so much faster.”

Elizabeth Richardson, Flying Solo forum member

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 7

Getting started with
marketing

K.I.S.S: Keep it
simple, soloists
If you’ve never done it before, the idea of putting a
marketing plan together might sound complicated. Don’t
despair though, because as small business marketing
consultant Dean Parker explains here, the best marketing
plan is one that’s a simple, easy-to-use guide to attracting
new customers and retaining the ones you’ve got.

Keep it short and simple

If you really want to use your marketing plan, don’t make it too long. For most
micro and small businesses, three to four pages will be sufficient.

Recall your mission statement

GO !
Start with a brief one- or two-line introduction to your business that defines what
your core business is, your competitive scope and who your customers are.

The purpose of including this statement in your marketing plan is to give yourself
focus and clear direction. It’s also beneficial if you ever need to share your plan
with third parties such as PR agencies or your accountant.

8
The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients.
Look around you
Next, look at the external (macro) and internal (micro) business environments you
operate within. This is known as a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
(SWOT) analysis. Your SWOT analysis will help you set your marketing objectives.

The macro-environment covers issues you have no control over, such as the
political situation, laws affecting your business, technology changes, and your
competition. Do these situations represent opportunities or threats for you?

List four to five opportunities and threats, and when describing each issue,
include both the scenario and its potential impact on your business. For example:
“Reduced consumer spending due to increased tax rates is expected to lead to
reduced sales.”

To review your internal or micro-environment, list the key strengths and

weaknesses of your business. These may include market share, customer
satisfaction, product offerings, and the skills or personal attributes of yourself and
any team members.

What do you want to achieve?

Set out your sales and marketing goals by creating marketing objectives.

Your objectives can be drawn from your SWOT analysis, and should include
subjects such as market share, profit, sales goals and other relevant terms.

Be realistic with the number of objectives you set. Having too many objectives
means most will be unreachable, rendering much of your plan useless.

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 9

Be SMART
Don’t set vague objectives such as “increase productivity” or “add 50 new
customers” as these objectives are unlikely to be achieved. Instead, draft your
objectives according to the SMART goal-setting principles, so that you and any
team members clearly understand what needs to be done:

Include precise details of what you

Specific
want to achieve.

Can you measure whether you are

Measurable
meeting the objective?

 an you really achieve this, or are you

C
Achievable
attempting too much?

 o you have the resources to make

D
this objective happen?
Realistic
(Think about cash flow, materials,
equipment, and personnel.)

Timed When will the objective be completed by?

Be strategic
To achieve your objectives you’ll need strategies. These form your To Do list, and
this is the section of your marketing plan that you’ll refer to most.

For each strategy, include a timeframe, a budget and, if necessary, the name of
the person responsible for delivering it.

For example, if your objective is to add two new varieties of jam to your product
range by 1 September of this year, one of your strategies might be to complete
customer research into popular flavours by the end of March, with a budget of
$400 for the associated costs that will be incurred by outsourcing this task to your
virtual assistant. (You’ll find some tips on market research for soloists in the next
report in this series.)

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 10

Tweak as you go
Work on your marketing plan doesn’t finish here. Regularly review your objectives
and strategies, and don’t be afraid to make any necessary adjustments to your
plans as you go.

If you work with others or with a business coach or mentor, including progress
reports in your business review meetings will reinforce your commitment to
achieving your objectives.

Don’t get too caught up in making your marketing

plan perfect, because it’s going to morph over
time anyway. The only way you’ll know whether
you’re on the right track is to try your ideas and
see how they work out, as forum member JayTurn
reiterates here.

“
… I can sum it up in three words: ‘trial and error’. It’s
an ongoing process of trial and error based upon what
marketers THINK will encourage further sales…

There is no right or wrong in marketing… There is only

planning, testing and analysing.”

JayTurn, Flying Solo forum member

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 11

Mind mapping

Think outside
the square
If you’re one of those people who finds the idea of
committing your marketing plan to paper overwhelming,
don’t let that put you off the planning process. Try making a
visual record of your plans instead.

Freelance writer Megan Hills favours mind maps as a way of

turning her natural flow of ideas into a document that helps
bring her plans to life, and says, “Looking at them I actually
feel enthusiastic about what I have to do and can see how
I’m going to achieve it all. In no time, I’ve jumped off that
black, ‘to do list’ conveyor belt and now have some colour,
order and creative planning in my life.”

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 12

?
What is Mind Mapping?
A mind map is essentially a diagram of ideas, tasks and solutions centred on a key
concept. It’s a more intuitive and lateral way to look at something you’re working
on and it’s great for brainstorming, organising projects and solving problems.

Mind maps often take up only one side of paper, making it more a compact
method of note taking. By just glancing at your map, you’re effectively looking at a
series of cues and so are more likely to remember key aspects of the job.

Popularised by author Tony Buzan, mind maps now support an industry of

software programs, the most popular being Mindmanager, MindGenius and
Freemind, but there’s no reason you can’t start your mind map with an ordinary
piece of paper and a bunch of colourful textas.

One advantage of mind mapping is that it taps into your intuitive side, just because
you’re letting your thoughts loose on the page. And don’t worry: you don’t have
to be an artist. As you can see, I’m certainly not one!

This example shows my brainstorm

on ‘Time management’ and tries
to identify the problems and find
solutions. By using key words, colour
and even little illustrations, these
tools will help highlight important
areas and trigger my memory
whenever I look back on it.

Okay, it looks a bit like a dog’s

breakfast, but I can modify this map
into something more presentable
later. Getting every idea down first is
important. One of them might prove
to be a key solution to a problem.

The main topics are in the centre of the map. This layout allows space for other
ideas to expand out like branches and twigs from a tree trunk. Some branches
link with other branches – it’s all about seeing the relationships. Don’t worry about
designing the structure. It will evolve on its own.

Other ways to create mind maps include using the drawing menu in Microsoft
Word (if you know how to design in Word, then the process is pretty
straightforward), and using specific mind-mapping software (such as FreeMind,
which is easy to use).

These options create more restrained looking maps and allow tasks to be grouped
together by colours to help you see your priorities at a glance.

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 13

Mind mapping is an
“
Frankly the best option I have found of all is called
Pencil on Large Piece of Paper. A bit hard to modify
ideal planning method neatly, but at least it has almost unlimited options…
Consider it list writing on steroids!”
for those who like to
Flying Solo forum member Paul Perry’s
give their imaginations conclusions after checking out a range of online

free rein, and best of all, mind-mapping tools.

you can do it any time,

anywhere, using the
simplest of tools.

Want to really get your creative juices flowing? Flying Solo’s

founder, business coach Robert Gerrish recommends
creating a vision board as a way of bringing your plans to life.

Grab yourself three or four magazines. Not the
type packed with celebrities, but ones with images
that suggest aspects of life and business you find
appealing. They don’t have to be current, so the
neighbours’ recycling bins should provide ample
fodder.
Next up, tear out images that depict situations
you’re looking to create more of, the marketing
objectives you’re planning to achieve and ideas that
you think would work well for your business, and
paste them onto a board.
Add hand written phrases or headlines from the
magazine to emphasise points.
Scarily like my partners Sam and Peter and the
wonderful crew at Flying Solo HQ, I now realise.
Also on my vision board were images of high-rise
office buildings indicating Flying Solo’s intention of
growing relationships with the pointy end of town –
a scenario that certainly manifested in the months
that followed.
Indeed, aside from the absence of a car built in
Stuttgart, all aspects of my vision board have been
realised. And who cares, my family wagon is really
very sleek.

Make the board quite large and ideally clear a space

on the wall to hang it.

In a recent clear up, I dug out a vision board I

created a few years ago. It featured images of a
handful of people working happily in their funky
little offices. They looked like really nice, interesting
people, the sort I’d love to work alongside.

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 14

TARGET MARKET

What do you do and

who do you do it for?
Once you’ve identified your marketing objectives it’s time to
start thinking about your target market and how you’re going to
communicate with them.

If you already know your target market inside and out, you’re
ready to get on with the important job of creating your
marketing messages.

Tempting as it might be to wax lyrical about your new product or service, the secret to
effective marketing is to be as single-minded and consistent in your messaging as you
can. As marketing consultant and Flying Solo Concierge Jayne Tancred explains, the
more specific and targeted your message is to your intended audience, the better your
results are likely to be.

E T
G
TAR
MARKET

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 15

Defining your target market
and messages
As a soloist, it’s up to you to steer your business in the direction you want it to go.
Getting your marketing messages right won’t just help you financially, it will also
influence how you spend your days, what your business comes to be known for,
and the kinds of people you do business with.

How? Because the customers and opportunities your business attracts will be a
direct consequence of the messages you convey.

It’s all about knowing EXACTLY what you want, and being clear and consistent in
positioning your business in a way that attracts the right people, and gently points
the others in a different direction.

Send out vague messages, and at best you’ll end up with a vaguely successful
outcome. I’ve lost count of the number of newbies who’ve introduced themselves
to the Flying Solo forums by telling us “My target audience is anyone who needs
bookkeeping/a website/children’s clothes… or anything at all really”.

Sadly, these tend to be the folk who lose heart with soloism quickly, often giving
up on their dreams after finding it tough to get their first few clients or sales.

What you offer and to whom needs to be super-clear. When you’re really specific
you’ll also gain clarity around when, where and how to deliver your message in a
way that gets results.

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 16
UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION

How unique
are you?
Perhaps the most crucial of your marketing messages is
your unique selling proposition, or USP. Ironically, this
boring-sounding term is what makes you really exciting to
other people. Your USP is what makes you special. Here,
Megan Hills helps you fast track the process of defining
your USP by asking yourself two simple questions.

For your marketing to be even remotely effective, it’s absolutely vital for you to
know what your USP is, and to be able to summarise it in a single line.

Why? Because if you don’t know what makes your business special, why should
anyone else care? 

Question 1: What makes me different

from everyone else? 
How do you know what makes you different if you don’t know what the others in
your market are doing? You don’t exist in a bubble – and neither do your clients.
Like it or not, you’re going to be compared. 

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 17

Here’s a simple way to discover what
makes you different: 
Define what you do as best you can (e.g. plumbing)

Define the people you want to do it for (e.g. people in Bondi, Australia)

Google those terms (i.e. plumbing, Bondi, Australia) to find out how others like
you are promoting themselves

Take note of the key services and products they’re promoting and the messages
they’re conveying

Take note of what’s missing from their sites that you know you offer (or could
offer in the future). 

You’re specifically looking for any gaps that are likely to be well received by your
ideal client.

It could be a particular service, product or guarantee. Or it could be that you

know everyone in Bondi is groovy-savvy and there are no plumbing websites
that look remotely groovy-savvy… and you are pretty groovy-savvy yourself (yes,
even plumbers can be groovy-savvy). But is being a groovy-savvy Bondi plumber
enough to serve as a unique selling proposition? Maybe. This leads us to the next
question… 

Question 2: Why should they care?

What does your ideal client care about?

Essentially, most people want to know that:

You are reliable; and/or

You are responsive; and/or

You are worth what you charge; and/or

You are someone they want to be associated with (e.g. using your product/
service makes them feel groovy-savvy). 

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 18

 Your unique selling proposition
The plumber in Bondi will need to promote that he is reliable, responsive and
reasonably priced. Why? Because who wants dodgy plumbing for more than
a day? And people are watching their wallets – even the groovy-savvy ones.
However, most plumbers advertising in Bondi are likely to be saying they are
reliable, responsive and reasonably priced.

You need to say it, too, but by having a groovy-savvy-looking website you will be
also saying “AND I am one of you. I, too, am groovy-savvy”. Of course, you don’t
actually print the words ‘groovy-savvy’. It is just obvious from the design of your
website – and your business card, flyers, other marketing collateral and personal
branding materials .

Work it baby, work it

Your unique selling proposition could be a particular service, a guarantee offer or
just a style that your ideal client wants to associate with. The point is that once
you know your unique selling proposition, you’ll then be able to work out the
most effective way to promote it (a topic we’ll cover in more detail in the next
report in this series).

Got the message yet? You really can’t spend

too much time perfecting your USP, because
it’s the way you’re going to stand out from
your competitors. Think of it as the marketing
equivalent of jumping up and down with your hand
in the air calling out “Pick me! Pick me!”

“
Your USP or unique service or value proposition is the foundation of your
marketing... it is the base of your marketing pyramid… If you don’t get your USP
right (and it is a changeable dynamic thing) you are just throwing money down
the drain...”

Warren Cottis, Flying Solo forum member

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 19

COMMUNICATION

Communicate
clearly
In your quest to attract and keep new customers, clear, simple marketing
messages work best. These tips on communicating in an engaging way come
courtesy of small business marketing consultant, Dean Parker.

Speak the same language as your

customers
Many business owners are experts in their field. They have years of experience
and could talk the leg off a chair about their product or service. However, their
marketing messages can be hard to understand or bogged down with industry-
specific terminology.

Don’t forget that your potential customers are not experts. They may not know a
lot about your product and service. And honestly, in many cases, they simply don’t
share your passion. That’s why you should step back, put yourself in the shoes of
potential customers and ask, “Are my marketing messages easy to understand? Do
they motivate customers to purchase?”

COMMUNICA TION

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 20

Use terms they relate to
Talk to your customers in terms they relate, trust and respond to. Avoid overused
words such as “quality” and “superior service.” These generic terms need
statements of fact to back them up. 

If you’re not sure what to say, try asking existing customers why they use you.
Doing so should unearth a number of statements that will help you attract other
like-minded customers. It might be something as simple as “Your gift-wrapping
service is so elegant”. Bang! There’s your point of difference. Now, rather
than saying, “We provide superior service”, you can highlight something your
competitors don’t do: “We professionally gift wrap for you.” 

Not only have you provided a point of difference, you’ve spoken directly to your
target market in a way that demonstrates to them that they’re going to get a
better level of service than they would from your competitors. A simple statement
like that could be the single deciding factor for customers choosing you over
someone else.

Don’t assume it’s obvious

I recently did some consulting with a hairdresser who wanted to attract more
customers. The salon looked great. It was modern, open, bright, funky and
inviting. From the street you could see lots of salon product and stunning images
of female models. Window signage simply featured their logo. 

When I asked if they cut men’s hair, they replied that they did, but that not many
men came into the salon. 

I mustered up all my marketing experience, drew deep on my Masters of Marketing

degree and suggested that perhaps they tell potential customers that they cut men’s
hair by writing it on their window. “Oh yeah,” they replied. “Good idea!” 

This simple action may potentially double their customer base.

Put simply, if your

“
Please speak the language of the layman.
How many people do you think understand what
audience doesn’t you are saying? If it’s very few, your efforts …
will reap very little.”
understand the message
Khalid Adam, Flying Solo forum member
you’re trying to convey,
you’ll lose them at hello.
And that’s something you
simply can’t afford to do.

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 21

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

Know the
difference
Crucial to creating effective marketing communications

50% off
is understanding when to talk about the features of your
product or service, and when to talk about its benefits. In
this article, copywriter Sara Howard steps you through the
process of working out which is which so you can arrive at
your competitive advantage.

What makes your business truly remarkable? Unless you know your features and
benefits and what they mean to your customers, they won’t really care.

I recently met with the partners at a small financial planning company who wanted
a new brochure and sales presentation. My first question, as usual, was “What
makes your firm different?”

The answers were fairly predictable: “We can handle most financial issues… you
can have confidence in our advice… we have experience… we create a plan that
suits your needs.”

Well, yes, but the same goes for just about every other half-decent financial
planning firm. I was reminded of the old saying “Discounts are taxes placed on
brands for being unremarkable.”

Sometimes I need to ask my clients a lot of questions before I get a clear answer
about their competitive advantage. So, to save you a bit of time, let me share my
number one copywriting tool with you. It requires no software. No fancy timers.
Nothing but a piece of paper and a pencil.

It’s a features and benefits table. And it’s where I start with any new writing brief.

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 22

Do you know the difference between a
feature and a benefit?
When I ask business owners the benefit of their service, I often hear: ‘We have 20
years’ experience.’ Or, ’Our account managers have small groups of clients.’ Or,
more worryingly, ’It’s a turn-key solution that drives innovation.’

These are all features. Except perhaps the last one because I still don’t know what
it means. Please don’t use jargon-y clichés to describe a feature or benefit.

What will those features actually do for me as a customer? That’s what I’m
interested in: the benefits.

Here’s how you work out the difference.

Step 1: Get a blank A4 page. Draw a line down the middle and write the headings
Features on the left, and Benefits on the right.

Step 2: Make a list under Features of everything your service or product offers.
Here are some examples in case you go blank:

Download updates online

Can be customised with your branding

Local customer service team

Dedicated account manager

WiMax technology built for data

Small classes

Simple automated systems

Step 3: Now, put yourself in your customers’ shoes. What does that feature mean
for them? It might mean different things for different types of customers. Write it
all down next to the relevant feature.

If you find it tricky, add the words “which means that…” to the end of your feature,
and then complete the sentence. If a certain feature doesn’t mean anything to the
customer, than it’s not really worth bothering them about, is it?

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 23

Here are some examples of benefits to
match the features above.
Convenient, saves time

Promote your business professionally

You won’t spend time on hold, and we’re empowered to help you

Proactive support, focused on your needs

It’s fast and reliable

You’ll get the attention you need

Spend more time on your business, less time on paperwork

Step 4: Is there anything in your benefits list that really stands out? It may be
something customers have mentioned they especially love about working with
you, or something that you know no one else can offer.

Step 5: Write down a few different ways to express that benefit from your
customer’s point of view – keep it clear and simple.

And then make that benefit shine on your website, direct mail, flyers and
presentations. If you think you need a tagline, there it is. You’ve also now got a
quick response for networking and elevator pitches.

See? Now that wasn’t so hard.

Why put your benefits in the spotlight? In a

nutshell, they’ll do your selling for you. If you’re
still not convinced, try putting yourself in your
customers’ shoes, and asking “What’s in it for me?”

“Features don’t sell. Benefits Do.

Instead of pointing out the features, point out the benefits that these features
provide and how those benefits effect your potential customer. Don’t sell the
product. Don’t sell the features of the product. Sell the benefits.”

TJ Madigan, Flying Solo forum member

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 24

TEST AND MEASURE

Tools and
techniques
As you start rolling out your marketing plan, you’ll want to
know what’s working and what’s not so that you can adjust
your activities and messages accordingly. Getting into
the habit of testing and measuring everything you do is a
fantastic discipline to implement early in your soloist career,
and will help you make increasingly better decisions every
step of the way. Here, performance measurement expert
Stacey Barr explains how to get started.

Most solo entrepreneurs are bright idea junkies who see business performance
measurement as tedious and non-urgent. Yet wasted time, money and effort can
be avoided by learning which of your bright ideas work and which don’t.

The trick is to make measuring in your small business a minimal affair, so you
can get beyond the boring bits and start getting excited about how business
performance measurement launches your business to greater heights.

Measure as little as possible

Just because you can measure it, just because ‘they’ measure it, or just because
someone said you should measure it, doesn’t mean you should measure it!

Get a taste of the excitement of seeing your results taking off by focusing on just
two or three measures and use those to keep you focused on excelling in those
results. Start measuring the one thing that wakes you up at 3am, or that you find
you’re spending the most time thinking about.
Illustration: Daniel Hickey, The Noun Project

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 25

Document and delegate the routine
for measuring
If you have to fumble around when looking for data, setting up a spreadsheet and
trying to remember which report to pull your sales figures or cash flow numbers
from, it’s going to be all hassle and no hustle. Write down the steps in a checklist
or flowchart, and aim to delegate them to an assistant as soon as you’re able to.
They’ll love it and you’ll love the gorgeous report they give you each week, which
will refocus you on what really matters for your business success.

Establish the weekly ‘Track, test and

tune’ habit
You’ll get super fast and super efficient at measuring and tracking, but only with
regular practice. Spend just 15 or 30 minutes a week looking over that lovely
report, and make one decision from the insights you get from the data, then act
on that decision immediately.

Forming this weekly habit will grow your business much faster than randomly
jumping on the latest fads.

Illustration: Samuel Green, The Noun Project

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 26

JUST DO IT

Time to
take action
So there you have it: the basics of your marketing plan,
now it’s time to start bringing your plan to life. Because as
small business accounting and bookkeeping specialist Rhys
Roberts explains, the best marketing plan in the world won’t
help your business grow if you never implement it.

There are dozens of excuses for not implementing your business and marketing
plans: too little time, too many demands from existing clients, bills to pay, can’t
get the right staff, don’t have the resources. Or maybe you’re not confident
stepping out of your comfort zone, lack the skills required, don’t know where to
turn for help or are afraid of failure.

Whatever the reason, if you continue to do what you’ve always done, you’ll end
up with the same predictable outcomes. 

Failure to include specific actions and timelines that you can measure against
might be part of the problem. But failure to implement is the bigger issue.

Have you ever been guilty of this? I know I have. What plans do you have right
now that need to be implemented? What are you doing to turn them into reality? 

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 27

Try the following step-by-step approach;
it’s certainly proving effective for me.
Write your plan down if you haven’t already: You don’t need a prescribed
template; just write down what you’re planning to do.

Make it SMART: Specific, measurable, achievable, resourced and with

a timeframe.

Share it: Go over your plan with someone – your partner, business coach,
employees, colleagues, anyone. Tell them what you’re going to do and
commit to it.

Start with the first step: Remember the rule for eating elephants? One bite at a
time. The same goes for your plan.

Measure your progress: Adjust implementation if need be, even adjust the plan
if required, but keep track of your performance against your planned targets
and timelines.

Measure the outcomes: Has your plan delivered the benefits you hoped for? If
not, why not? What can you do differently?

Keep on keeping on: Keep measuring, keep reviewing, but most of all
keep implementing.

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 28

Conclusion
We hope you’re enjoying the Micro Mastery Series and getting
stacks of valuable tips and strategies to use in your business.

Don’t forget that as a free member of Flying Solo you get full access to our library of
over 2,000 specialist articles and videos, can listen to our regular podcasts and stay in
touch with all things solo via our newsletters and social networks.

To connect with other community members, get your questions answered and share
your expertise, dive into the Flying Solo forums - home to Australia’s busiest and
friendliest small business discussions. You may be flying solo, but you’re not alone!

Make a
small investment
for
BIG gains
Did you know that for as little as $9.95 (+GST) per month
you can access a full range of benefits? Flying Solo’s
Premium Membership includes a constant stream of
promotional opportunities for your business, a listing in our
member directory, great deals on products and services
and some serious upskilling through Flight School.
All with a money-back guarantee and no-contracts.

Head to www.flyingsolo.com.au/join
to watch our short video and let’s get things flying.

The Micro Mastery Series​. ​Get More Clients. 29