Why You Must Keep in Touch

When you communicate and keep in touch regularly with your list of potential clients, say weekly or twice per month with a short and sweet, helpful message, it says this about you... "I'm here for you when you're ready. In the meantime, please accept this quick tip to help you address X challenge I know you're facing. My treat. It's on me. Glad to be of service! I'm thinking of you and I'll be in touch in a week or two with another valuable tip."

(Replace "tip" with insight, video, audio message, article, resource… you get the idea. There are so many ways to deliver your know-how. You get to choose what works for you. Use the language that suits you.)

If you communicate to them infrequently, your potential clients get the sense that you only reach out to them when you have something to sell.

This is contrary to what most people thing. Most wellness pros think if they only communicate to their list now and again, they'll avoid bothering their audience, but the exact opposite is true.

The greater truth is this…

1 - If you write once in a while, you and your services will be forgotten.

2 - If you write once in a while, you actually end up bothering people (contrary to popular belief!).  It makes it seem like you only reach out when you have something to promote, instead of staying in communication like a good, reliable, trusty-worthy advisor that you are.

3 - So stay in touch regularly. I recommend twice per month to get started. Keep it short and sweet and valuable and people will love hearing from you.

To your success,

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband and baby boy.

What Makes a Good Target Market? 4 Things

How do you know if your wellness target market is one that will allow you to make a good living while making a difference? It's simple. Your market (or audience, tribe, niche market, or whatever you like to call it) must meet ALL of the following four criteria:

1.  They are aware they have a health and wellness challenge that is affecting their life big time.

No convincing needed. They are aware that they have a problem. If you find yourself convincing, you are talking to the wrong people.

There is a big distinction between educating people who are eager to learn more and interested in improving their lives, and trying to convince people to be remotely interested in your work and its value in their lives. Stay away from the latter and you'll do great.

For example: Let's take women baby boomers worried about the affects of aging and their ability to enjoy life in the years ahead. A segment of this population is already thinking about taking an active role in staying healthy, active and vibrant. (Of course, not ALL women baby boomers are into this, but a some are.) No convincing needed.

2. They are willing to pay to solve this challenge.

If they can't afford your services, products or classes or they are unwilling to part with cash in exchange for the solutions you offer, they are not a viable target market.

Let's continue with our baby boomer example: The kids are out of the house, the career is settled and things are a bit more established. For many, it's the first time in years that they are ready, willing and able to give attention to themselves. Read: invest in themselves via services that you offer.

3. They are easy to reach in groups.

This means they get together on their own accord - online or locally - and gives you a place to test out your message and offerings.

Nothing is more brutal in private practice then trying to get people to come to you when you don't have a following or a specific target market to focus your efforts. (I've been there!)

Okay, so what about baby boomers? Are they easy to reach in groups? A quick search online and you'll find speciality social networking groups, online clubs, web portals and publications all catering to them. That's just online!

Search offline and you'll find AARP Magazine, Prevention magazine, and many other "micro niche" publications that cater to this group. All of a sudden your marketing outreach becomes very specific and you don't waste time, energy and money on ideas that won't put you in front of your tribe.

4. You enjoy serving this group of people.

Not everyone will enjoy serving this group of people and they don't have too. But you do.

Now of course, serving baby boomers (people in their 50s and 60s) may not be your thing. But if connecting with this group of people and what matters to them lights you up, it could be!

All four of these criteria must be present in order for you to make a living doing what you love, no matter your chosen target market. If even one is missing, you are left with an expensive hobby or running a charity.

Please take a moment to make sure your target audience meets these criteria.

I promise you, it will help you put an end to burn out, struggle and financial loss in your wellness business, and finally allow you to truly make the difference you are here to do.

To your continued success,

Karin

Need help with this?

Consider joining my How to Brand and Launch (or Re-Launch) Your Wellness Biz the RIGHT Way here: http://wellpronet.org/branding/

This Saturday, April 30th is the last day to receive the early bird savings and get the best deal!

Check out the details here: http://wellpronet.org/branding/

To your success,

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband and baby boy.

Do You Really Need a Target Market??

Do you really need a target market? You know... a niche or a tribe.

I mean, Deepak, Dr. Weil, and Christiane Northrup don't really have one.

Why should you have to get one?

I mean, you wouldn't want to leave anyone out who possibly wanted help, right?

Well, here are some things to consider about your wellness biz that may help you get clear about this, once and for all.

1 - Deepak and the other wellness pioneers, were first to the marketplace. Before there were tons of wellness pros available in every community...

... before holistic health, wellness and life transformation stuff was pretty mainstream.

And so who they were was different and "stand out" enough. In fact, it was down right edgy and out there.

Now, there are LOTS of people, in your community and online, offering very similar, if not exactly the same, service as you.

They even dress like you, talk like you, and kinda look like you.

And their website probably looks like yours too.

2-  People's inboxes and personal bandwidth for advertising and marketing is at capacity.

We are all so used to marketing/advertising and "special offers" that it's like white noise in the background of our life.

And so we just ignore everything unless it's absolutely relevant to what's going on in our lives RIGHT now.

Which means...

3-  If you try to help everyone,  your work gets ignored.

... and you end up helping no one.

Why? Because in an effort to help EVERYONE, your emails, newsletters, brochures, business cards, flyers, classes, workshops, etc... CONNECTS WITH NO ONE.

It's too broad, generic and sounds like every other wellness pro's business.

It's so overwhelming and mind-numbing to the general public that very often, they choose nothing because they just can't relate.

If you do this for a few years, you might even start to think that people "aren't ready" for your work or "American's aren't interested in wellness."

Not true.

It's not the general public's job to get you. It's the other way around. You have to help people get past the "So What Factor" about your work and connect it to what matters to them.

Which means...

4 - Here's a doozy...The general public doesn't care about wellness per se, but they DO care about how your work will impact what matters to them

... only then will you have their attention.

For example, don't talk about nutrition. Talk about how nutrition will make what they value in life better or that without proper nutrition what they hold dear is at stake.

Once you have their attention, then you show'em how nutrition is the hinge that will swing big doors in their life.

Which means...

5 - You gotta be irresistbly relevant...

Since it's impossible to please everyone and be relevant to EVERYONE at the same time without being very broad, generic and sounding like all of your colleagues and everything else that's already out there (which we know doesn't work)... there's only one thing left to do to get through to people.

You decide to speak to a specific type of person about a very specific type of issue that matters to them.  

Something that you too can get excited about.

It's kind of like dating. If you say I'll date any person who is nice, likes to travel and is funny. (What most people say on all those dating sites) It's like saying "I'll date anyone who has a pulse." And then all the potential hot dates out there feel your "lack of specification" as a lack of standards, which reads as desperation. (Ever notice that? When you're willing to date JUST ABOUT ANYONE you get no dates?)

Same thing is true in your wellness biz.

Lack of specification equates lack of standards, focus and expertise to the general public. And it makes you and your work sound wishy washy, woo-woo or just plain irrelevant and out of touch.

This is America. We love our experts.

Claim YOUR expertise by claiming your target market, your tribe.

And then get to work helping THEM.

Need help with this?

Consider joining my How to Brand and Launch (or Re-Launch) Your Wellness Biz the RIGHT Way here: http://wellpronet.org/branding/

This Saturday, April 30th is the last day to receive the early bird savings and get the best deal!

Check out the details here: http://wellpronet.org/branding/

To your success,

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband and baby boy.

Marketing Material Tip: Use of "We" vs. "You"

In marketing materials, and in particular your newsletters, health and wellness pros tend to use the word "we" when speaking to their reader. "We all need to… " or "When considering XYZ, we must also think about…"

I find this to be habit of softening your opinion's effect and make it palateable to a wider audience.

The intention is good, as you want your message to resonate with as many people as possible, but it's largely ineffective.

It can also be an unconscious way of not standing out too much and avoiding the risk that not everyone will like what you have to say.

However, if you want to make your message memorable, you have to have an opinion.

Not a loud, pushy and obnoxious opinion (unless that's your authentic style) but an opinion that gives the reader a sense that you are taking a stand for what you know to be true and that you're not afraid to share it.

Your willingness to state your opinion actually gives confidence to your readers in your services and products.

Anything less weakens your message and frankly, makes you sound less confident about your expertise.

A better and more powerful way to present your work is to use the word "you."

This is more direct and speaks to the reader as if you are writing only to them. It really hits home and it's more personal. It's bolder, fresher and doesn't 'beat around the bush.'

And in the health and wellness field, most potential clients desire that wake up call. They need it in order to take the risk of investing in your services/products and chance giving their health goals another go.

One way to help you step into this more effective communicating style, is to imagine one particular person that you loved working with, who achieved great results working with you, and write to THEM.

Those who are similar to them will REALLY resonate with your words and those who simply aren't ready yet, won't — and that's actually perfect.

Let your writing speak directly to your readers, rather than speaking about them, and you'll have a greater impact.

To your success,

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband and baby boy.

The Big Lie and the Problem with Passion

When I went to wellness school in 1999, half way through the program I quit my full-time job and started seeing clients. My class mates clapped and cheered me on. I was following my dreams! I was going for it! I was finally going to make a living from my passion! No more boring corporate job! Waa hoo!

I attracted a surge of first clients, enough to make me think I knew what I was doing. But since I didn’t know anything about running a business or attracting clients in any systematic way, I wasn’t able to replicate it when those clients finished my program.  

 Darn it.

 And so I started to feel a wee bit down on myself.

 Solution? Get re-inspired! Work harder! See what everyone else is doing and try that!

 So I started to invest in more books, classes and pretty much anything that would get me feeling passionate again.

 Things like…

Spending time with  colleagues talking about my passion –  usually very long lunches under the guise of helping each other with our practice.

Spending even more time learning more about my passion – investing in books, classes, conferences and other continuing education in my modality to make me feel like a professional.

Spending countless hours reading up on the web, fussing with my website and checking out what my colleagues were doing.

To my surprise and increasing debt load, none of it helped me attract clients and actually help people.  

But I was passionate!

Looking back, I was engaged in busy work that felt productive but did nothing to move my practice closer to what I had envisioned for myself, my work and my quality of life.  

Hook, line and sinker, I had bought the big lie.

And here it is: If you’re passionate enough you will succeed.

Can I save you about three years of frustration, overwhelm and expensive trial & error?

Passion is a given. No one starts anything, let alone a private practice, without passion.

But passion alone is not enough to succeed. (Shocking, I know!)

The thing that connects you to your clients and the tribe that you were meant to serve, isn’t learning more about your modality or feeling passionate. (While it's important, it's not the bridge to the people you want to help.)

It is learning a few business skills and becoming good enough at marketing.

That is the only difference between the vast majority of passionate wellness pros who wish they were more successful and those who are passionate AND successful.

On Wednesday, January 19th at 3pm eastern I'll be talking more about this topic on a free teleclass about How to Transform a So-So Practice into Rock Star Status.

Click here to join this free call and reserve your place.

Wishing you continued health and success in 2011,

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been showing health and wellness professionals how to grow their businesses since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of good marketing.

In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network http://wellpronet.org as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about all the real-world business stuff they never learned in wellness school like: messaging, marketing, making a great living. Karin lives in Upstate New York with her family – her son, two cats and a dog and works from home with her husband, Drew Rozell.

Great Resource for Wellness Pros: Fiverr.com

My husband Drew, always ahead of the technology curve, discovered Fiverr.com via one of Seth Godin's book. Fiverr.com is a  fun, quirky and also quite practical resource for getting all kinds of stuff done for your business for only $5. Yes, you read correctly. Five bucks.

And it's also a great resource for a quick laugh (some of the things people will do for $5 is laugh out loud funny.)

Drew had his hand writing turned into a font (you can see how he used it in the images of this blog post) and also paid $5 a customized graphic for his Facebook professional page (it's the image on the upper left hand side of his FB page).

Why are people doing this? It's an unusual way to get the word out about their business for sure. The idea being, if you like what I gave you for $5, perhaps you'll invest in something else I'm doing. Some are doing it just for fun. Others to build a portfolio. Who knows. No need to think about it too much. It's only five bucks. If what you paid for stinks, it's not a big loss.

The point: Gone are the days where you have to invest a lot to get attractively designed marketing materials. No more excuses not to have a personalized web presence.

Have fun at Fiverr.com.

To your continued success,

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been showing health and wellness professionals how to grow their businesses since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of good marketing.

In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network http://wellpronet.org as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about all the real-world business stuff they never learned in wellness school like: messaging, marketing, making a great living. Karin lives in Upstate New York with her family – a son, two cats and a dog and works from home with her husband, Drew Rozell.

WellProNet Featured Member: Meet Ali Shapiro

Meet WellProNet member, Ali Shapiro. Ali helps career dieters who want an exit strategy to feeling healthier, lighter and in charge of their health – without going on another soul-crushing meal plan.

As a founding member of WellProNet for the past year, she has a lot to say about how she and her nutrition practice benefit from the resources and trainings in the Wellness Professional Network:

"What I’ve learned is that you can want to save the world with the work you do, but in order to do so, you have to play buy the rules of business. This means challenging yourself in ways that can be new and sometimes uncomfortable. Having the wisdom and practical advice of Karin and the resources of WellProNet (WPN), I'm able to take my pie in the sky vision and apply real world application with confidence.

I also love hearing about how other wellness practitioner’s are succeeding. When you are on the cutting edge of a new industry, it's important to have like-minded individuals who are also making real health-care reform possible. I like that members in WPN are serious about some field in wellness and are doing the hard-work to make it happen. It keeps me going.

Finally, I can't say this enough – my favorite thing from WPN is the real advice you get on marketing and running a business. So many people out there tell you it's just about your mindset or just visualizing your life and practice turning out the way you want. But with WPN, you get some of that, but more than anything, you get the real-world advice you need to run a wellness business, which is different than a traditional for-profit business. The tools and teachings are all informed by a desire to help others while also keeping yourself and your business well.

If you’re in the life transformation business, I highly recommend membership to WellProNet.”

Ali Shapiro Helping Career Dieters Who Want an Exit Strategy http://www.alishapiro.com/ Philadelphia, PA

To learn more about joining WellProNet and developing your own authentic marketing skills for wellness pros, visit http://wellpronet.com/whyjoin.

To your success, Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.com: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners.

In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband, Drew Rozell, who also runs a successful coaching business.

WellProNet Tele-Training: Avoiding Networking Turnoffs, Jul 8

As wellness pros, we all have to network.  Some people attend a weekly networking meeting and others prefer a more intimate, one-on-one setting meeting with potential referral partners for tea. Knowing how to do this right can bring momentum to your practice. And when you do things the wrong way, you'll get very little results. Who has time for that?

In July's WellProNet tele-training I'll be sharing my best practical tips and mindset insights for making your networking profitable, enjoyable and completely authentic.

We'll cover:

- What are the turn offs you want to avoid when networking in groups or one-on-one (I've been on the receiving end of some bad networking, and been in some seriously awkward situations and I'll share the behind the scenes of what works and what doesn't)

- The secrets to inspiring someone to help your business grow (No, it's not asking people "can I pick your brain?" HINT: That's a turn off.)

- What to do when you're at a networking function that doesn't involve shaking everyone's hands and forcing your business card upon others (whether you're a networking natural or really nervous about it)

- Some very practical strategies that cost practically nothing and make you look like a total pro

- And some bonus resources for those of you who really want to super charge your networking an essential part of your practice success 

This class is like giving you my Cliff Notes to 10 years of networking experience ,  and all the books I read and trainings I took ( I even won an "notable networker" award once). And believe me, I'm NOT one of the natural types who loves to chit chat with anyone and everyone. If I can do this, so can you.

This tele-training is for current members of WellPronet.org only.

Not a member yet? Click on the following link to find out if membership is right for you: http://wellpronet.org/whyjoin

We’d love to have you join us!

Can’t make the live call? No problem. WellProNet members receive a word-for-word transcript and audio recording of the monthly tele-trainings. So you can listen to the training on your own time. In fact, 75% of members access the membership resources on their own time, so you’re in good company.

Hope you decide to join us!

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of branding with archetypes.

In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network http://wellpronet.org as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love. Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband, Drew Rozell, who also runs a successful coaching business.

WellProNet Featured Member: Alexandra Jamieson

What does publishing two books do for you?

Make you rich?

Unfortunately, not usually.

Make you an expert? You betcha.

And when you've positioned yourself as an expert witha book or two, just like WellProNet Member Alexandra Jamieson of NutritionforEmpoweredWomen.com has, then you get companies like Kashi asking you to do a little video on what you know.

Learn more about Alexandra Jamieon here and click here to see her feature video on food and mood on MSN.

It's a great example of how to use video to share your expertise.

Karin

Like what you read? Then don’t miss another issue of WellProNet’s Wellness Business Trends and get business savvy about your passion for wellness fast. Sign up for free on the homepage of http://wellpronet.org.

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband who also runs a successful coaching business.

WellProNet Tele-Training: How to Design and Deliver Get-It-Done-In-One-Day or Done-for-You Programs, May 6

Your clients want quick fixes and fast results. So let's give them what they want in a way that you can feel good about. (Hint - this is the art of making your services irresistbly relevant in action!)

In this members only WellProNet tele-training, I'll go over one of the hottest trends affecting the wellness market - Get-It-Done-In-One-Day and Done-For-You Programs.

I call these 1-day programs "Wellness Retreats".

They're like hosting a private workshop for a client.

And what they're essentially investing in is speed, instant results and your personalized attention in getting there.

I promise you there is a percentage of your clients RIGHT NOW, within your niche, who would really LOVE this idea.

And so will you once you understand the benefits of offering these types of 1-day Retreats and how effective they are for you and your clients.

In this Thursday, May 6th, 2010 WellProNet tele-training beginning at Noon eastern...

I'll show you why these kind of offerings are a super fast way to boost your income...

I'll explain why a certain percentage of your client base wants to spend more one-on-one time with you...

How you can deliver specific, high quality results in just one day... (this could be 3 hours, 4 hours or an actual full-day spent with you)

What kind of services work best in these types of one day programs...

How to creatively design a one-day program for a private client using YOUR talents (and add it to your existing offerings)...

Simple ways to deliver great results in one day...

And a little insight as to where in the world I got this idea from (I got one part from watching a popular Television show - Hint: That is another way to make your services relevant! -  and  the other inspiration from the business consulting world) and how I've been doing this myself for the past year.

This tele-training is for current members of WellPronet.org only.

Not a member yet? Click on the following link to find out if membership is right for you: http://wellpronet.org/whyjoin

We'd love to have you join us!

Can’t make the live call? No problem. WellProNet members receive a word-for-word transcript and audio recording of the monthly tele-trainings. So you can listen to the training on your own time. In fact, 75% of members access the membership resources on their own time, so you’re in good company.

Hope you decide to join us!

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of branding with archetypes. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband, Drew Rozell, who also runs a successful coaching business.