The Authority Builder Podcast

Hugh Liddle has a simple philosophy when it comes to sales: people don’t buy what they need, they buy what they want. He says only when you apply that principle to your interactions with prospects will you get the sale. And it’s even essential for products and services you don’t think people would ever “want”… like tax prep help or legal services. Hugh explains that in those cases, you must understand the difference between the service you provide and the result you deliver as you put together your sales process. Essentially, he says, prospects only care about one thing – and you have to address that when you talk to them. We discuss that in-depth, including… The biggest mistake service providers make in their sales and marketingThe worst type of question you can ask when talking to prospectsHow to make a sales script… not sound like a script – and why everybody needs one The power of You Statements and Value Statements – and how to use themAnd more

For consultants and coaches, working with clients one-on-one is just not sustainable, says Jane Sagalovich, CFA, and actually limits how big the business can grow and the revenue you bring in.  After all, there is only one of you and just so many hours in the day. And raising your prices can only get you so far. By growing the business beyond you and “packaging” your expertise, you can still provide value to clients and help them get results… while you work less and make more money, says Jane. With this model, you can build a business that helps you get what you want out of life. We get into detail on that transition, including… The absolute first step to scaling up your business – and it doesn’t have anything to do with your businessWhy online “education” appeals to every target market and demographic todayHow to put together an effective online course people will actually join – and stay inMarketing strategies for people who hate marketingAnd more

Podcasts are one of the best ways to reach more prospective clients for your business. Not just from the audience but from the person you’re interviewing – or who is interviewing you, not to mention the referrals they can send your way. Podcasts are a great way to “speed up” a potential business relationship. You get to know your potential client or partner – and can quickly see how you can provide them value… perhaps even to people they know. But what works best:  1.     Hosting your own podcast and inviting guests?2.     Being a guest on other peoples’ podcasts? We’ve tested this proposition and have come up with a definitive result for the method that gets the most – and best – leads that might surprise you. Tune in to get the answer and find out how that should impact your own podcast marketing efforts, including…Why audience size doesn’t impact how effective a podcast can beHow podcasting works as the ultimate networking tool… that actually gets resultsThe must-have giveaway when guesting on podcastsWhat you should include in your podcast to boost referralsAnd more

If you want to pursue the dream of entrepreneurship but are leery of starting from scratch with a new venture, franchising can be a compelling alternative.  As franchise owner and expert Giuseppe Grammatico puts it when he first got into this business model: “I didn’t want the burden of having to figure everything out.” In many ways, franchising is a “business in a box,” giving you an established product, marketing strategy, and brand recognition… not to mention support from the franchisor.  Of course, that doesn’t mean you won’t be working hard when you invest in a franchise, says Giuseppe, especially in the beginning.   We talk about the specific advantages of franchising, as well as… The thousands of franchise opportunities – it’s way more than just fast foodDetails on the franchisor/franchisee relationships you should knowHow to pick the right franchise for you (passion doesn’t always mean profit)The level of investment you should expect and unexpected funding sources to look out forAnd more

Access to capital in the startup phase – and to propel further growth – is a must-have for small businesses. But it’s not easy to get those much-needed funds, especially if you go through traditional channels.  Lendio, led by founder and CEO Brock Blake, is a lending marketplace that has facilitated $1.7 billion in small business loans to more than 73,000 businesses. These aren’t the next Ubers or Facebooks but rather small retailers, restaurants, and the like – businesses Brock calls the backbone of entrepreneurship in this country.  Lendio makes it easy to get funding and the process is transparent, and Brock goes into the how, but more importantly, the why, as well as... The most important criteria for securing a loan (it’s not what you think)How to face down a “near death” experience in your businessWhy persistence isn’t enough by itselfWays to balance business with family life (how you set up your day is key)And more

When it comes to coaches and consultants, it’s the “gurus” that get all the attention… at least on the surface. But, says Dov Gordon, you don’t have to be a guru to build a successful business. In fact, he says that most people don’t have the right personality to be an effective figurehead like that. Another thing: trying to land prospects through social media, paid ads, or the like doesn’t really work in the long term. So, if you’re not going to be a guru, and you’re throwing out typical digital marketing tactics… what do you do to bring in new clients? Dov walks us through a more effective model based on building profitable relationships.  Tune in to find out… What technology can and can’t do to get you quality leadsHow to form an “Alchemy Network” – and who should be in it to create a steady stream of clientsWhy too many leads is a bad thingTurning complexity into simplicity in your business – it’s easier and harder than you thinkAnd more

What you learned about business development for your professional services firm… is probably dead wrong. Networking – at least in the traditional sense – doesn’t work.   That’s a bold statement. But in this episode, I unpack exactly what this means for you and your business… and what you should be doing instead to cultivate contacts with the right people that turn into long-term and lucrative business relationships.  Not only that, they become raving “fans” who bring new clients to you… almost automatically. We get into detail on that strategy, which was inspired by one of the world’s most popular TV hosts, as well as…Leveraging an existing audience – that’s not yoursHow you can get a steady stream of “pre-sold” leadsCreating a massive referral event The real reason you should be podcasting – and why it doesn’t matter how many listeners you haveAnd more

Robert Glazer, founder and CEO of Acceleration Partners, has a recipe for business success: invest in your people. Help them grow… and watch your business grow.  Part of that process is creating a company culture that supports this process… and finding people who fit in that culture. But Robert says creating culture doesn’t mean putting in a foosball table in the breakroom, and it’s not a mission statement sent around in a memo or on a poster. It’s a set of guiding principles that inform everything you and your employees do. We talk about the hard work that should go into this process, as well as… The most dangerous myths about company culture Tips for hiring best-fit employees (and having those that don’t fit “self-select” out) How company culture fits into your management style The biggest mistakes in setting core values And more

As a business owner, one of your primary roles is to land new clients. And one of the most important parts of that process is to know which clients to pursue now, which to “catch and release,” and which aren’t worth talking to again. It’s a strategy that takes patience and persistence… but definitely pays off in the long run as you end up working with more of your ideal clients – and people who truly value your work. This mindset throws high-pressure sales techniques out the window. In fact, the trick is to sell without selling. Listen now to get more details on that, as well as… The #1 job of an effective salespersonHow to tell if you’re “scaring away” potential clientsWhy having fewer leads can be a good thingThe public commitment technique for getting stuff doneAnd more

As a business owner, your taxes shouldn’t be an afterthought, something you only think about when you’re getting ready to file. Jamie O’Kane is a CPA who gets proactive when it comes to creating custom tax planning and preparation strategies that can lead to business growth.  Jamie uses her podcast, (Abundant Beans) to help promote her accounting firm. But that’s just the start of her online marketing efforts. We get into detail on the channels she uses and, along the way, workshop a lead generation strategy that any professional services provider can use.  Tune in to find out…Why she narrowed her target market – and the benefits it’s brought to her business An unexpected lead generation and conversion toolHow she uses her podcast to support her CPA firmThe key social network she uses to contact potential clientsAnd more