Tired of the "Feast or Famine" Cycle in Your Resume Writing Business?

One of the most frequently asked questions I get from resume writing colleagues is has to do with the "feast or famine" cycle that is common in many businesses -- but especially for career services professionals.

In my annual survey of resume writers, there is definitely a cyclical nature to when jobseekers seem to naturally seek us out (January and September are usually the two busiest months -- which is no surprise, given New Year's Resolutions and kids returning to school after the summer break). But what do you do in June … or October … or December … to keep the phone ringing?

The answer is to do a simple series of marketing activities every day -- incorporating up to 10 simple tasks into your day each day (or at least several days each week) will keep an endless stream of prospective clients coming your way. Some of these tasks may only take 5 minutes, and many of them won't cost you anything. But it's being mindful about your marketing -- instead of waiting until you have a lull -- that will keep your appointment book full.

I wrote a blog post back in December 2013 about the "feast or famine" cycle, and I talked about the GET CLIENTS NOW! book in that post. I've been using C.J. Hayden's GET CLIENTS NOW! system in my own business since I first heard her speak at a resume writing conference back in 2003. But last month, I decided to become a licensed facilitator for the course because I've seen the positive impact that it can have if you learn and implement the system. Although I've been in business for 19 years now, there are still times when I need to reactivate my referral sources or fill a couple of empty spots in my appointment book. (Although I use the program most often now to fill group programs and attract new members to my membership sites, since I'm a strong believer in the power of passive income!)

Earlier this week, I taught a teleseminar that shares some of the principles behind the program. You can listen to the recording of the "5 Secrets to Attracting All The Clients You Will Ever Need" teleseminar here:


I'm offering three upcoming sessions of the GET CLIENTS NOW! program for resume writers. The first, which starts Feb. 23, has already sold out. There are two more sessions with a limited number of spaces available. One session is on Tuesday evenings, starting March 10. The other is on Wednesday mornings, starting March 25. If you take the time to listen to the call recording (it's only 38 minutes), you'll get a special promo code to register for 50% off the regular program price. But that offer expires Feb. 19, so take the time to listen soon!

If you want to learn more about the program, check out this page:
Get Clients Now

Get Clients Now!™ is a trademark of Wings BusinessCoaching LLC and is used under license.

www.getclientsnow.com

4 Advantages of Creating Your Own Little Monthly Payments Membership Site

You know how much I believe in creating passive income and recurring revenue in your resume writing business. If you've been following my trainings and writings for any time, you may have considered creating your own membership site. 

By starting one of these services, you can sell the same item (like short reports or LinkedIn training or even a monthly teleseminar call on a job search-related topic) to hundreds or even thousands of subscribers. But that’s just one benefit of creating a subscription service/membership site. If you’d like to learn more about this business model, then read on to learn more.

Advantage #1: More timeAs a resume writer, time is one of your most valuable assets. With a subscription service, you don’t have to go out looking for new buyers in order to get paid again. You just release a new "product" each month and reap the profits. You’ll save time that you can use to deliver one-to-one resume services or to spend with loved ones.

Advantage #2: Keep costs downWhile you may have to pay for a few technical tools in the beginning, the long-term cost of running a membership site is low. This is not a business model that you’ll have to sink hundreds or thousands of dollars into every year. You pay the initial costs then just up-keep or maintenance costs for things like hosting and domain names. You can spend as little as $25 a month for Wild Apricot membership software and it's as easy to use (or easier!) than Microsoft Word. (It's what I use for BeAResumeWriter.com.)

Advantage #3: Subscriber loyaltyWhen you consistently provide good content to your subscribers, they will become loyal. This is important to growing your business because happy, loyal customers are likely to tell their friends or co-workers about your one-to-one resume services (or become one-to-one resume clients themselves!). This can put even more money into your pocket each month.

Advantage #4: Subscribers spend more
As mentioned in #3, once you’ve converted a subscriber into a loyal customer, then he is likely to look at your other services (and information products). A customer that feels like he’s receiving a lot of value for his $10 subscription will be more willing to pay for a $350 resume than a cold prospect would. This means that you shouldn’t be shy about sharing information about your one-to-one resume services with your current subscribers.

Starting a membership site can feel overwhelming. But that’s where a course like Little Monthly Payments can help you. You’ll find that the process of launching a membership site is broken down into easy-to-follow steps that you can start taking today. Check it out!



Little Monthly Payments will give you the confidence and courage to start your own micro-continuity program. Find out how here: http://bit.ly/littlemonthlypayments
If you are reading this before Feb. 28, 2015: use promo code SAVE30BUCKS

The 5 W's of Client Accomplishments

When collecting client accomplishments, keep in mind the "5 Ws" -- principles most commonly associated with journalism.

The 5 W's are Who, What, When, Where, and Why.

You want to find out:

• Who does your client work with -- both within the company, and outside the company?
• What do they do? Initially, this is about finding out what their responsibilities are, but we need to take it further.
• When -- not in the context of time, but when would they be missed?
• Where -- again, not in the context of geography, but where do they have the biggest impact? Where are their accomplishments most noticed? By their colleagues? By their boss? By their customers?
• Why -- why does your client's specific contributions matter -- in this job, and for this company?

Interested in more strategies to gather client accomplishments? Check out "Write Great Resumes Faster."

Do You Have a Kindle? Use It To Learn

If you have a Kindle, have you heard about the Kindle Owners' Lending Library (KOLL)?

If you have an Amazon Prime membership, one of the benefits of membership is that you can take advantage of the KOLL – allowing you to borrow one book a month from over 500,000 available titles.

Better than a public library because of the sheer volume of books available, you can use the KOLL to learn. Study resume writing techniques, borrow business books, read biographies of successful business owners.

Not an Amazon Prime member? Try the Kindle Owners' Lending Library for free as part of a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime. Use my affiliate link to give it a try:

Leave me a comment below and let me know what book you borrowed first through the Kindle Owners' Lending Library!

Resume Writers: Get Ready for the Biggest Corporate Layoff in U.S. History

I've seen this reported over the last few days from numerous sources -- IBM is poised for the biggest layoffs in company history. In fact, some are saying this will be a record-setting layoff among all U.S. corporations. IBM is expected to lay off more than 110,000 employees (or about 1/4 of its workforce):
http://www.itworld.com/article/2875112/ibm-is-about-to-get-hit-with-a-massive-reorg-and-layoffs.html

While many of these folks will be directed to company-paid outplacement firms, others will no doubt be seeking out the services of professional resume writers. (And, as the article surmises, even those who aren't laid off are likely to update their resumes and LinkedIn profiles in case this round isn't the last.) These aren't just IT professionals -- there will be folks in administration, marketing, operations, customer service, and finance too.

You may be contacted by media in your area looking to "localize" this issue, especially if there are IBM offices in nearby. (Google "IBM" and your city name and see if there is an office in your area. We have one in Omaha, for example.)

OR, if you are looking to generate media coverage for your resume writing services, today would be a great day to reach out to your nearby news media (especially TV) and offer yourself as a source to interview about what to do when you're laid off.

For example, you could call one of your local TV stations and ask for the assignment editor. Ask if they are planning on doing a local story on the impact of IBM's layoffs, expected to be the largest corporate layoff in U.S. history. Introduce yourself: "I'm (name), of (company name). I am reaching out to you to offer information and resources to help those among your (viewers/readers) who will be laid off, and their families. I can share information and advice that will help these folks, and it's applicable to any of your audience who have recently been laid off or fired."

If you are interested in reaching out to the media, I'm offering my teleseminar recording and transcript of "Feed the Media: How to Get Free Publicity for Your Resume Business" for free download until Feb. 1, 2015. It will help you prepare to be a media source. Click here to download it.

Want some resources to help clients if they are fired or laid off? Check out this Pass-Along Materials package: So You Got Fired! (Or You Think You're About to Get Fired)

Should I Discount My Resume Services?

There's been a lot of discussion recently about offering discounts for resume writers  -- especially for friends and family. But discounts might not be the best way to convert a prospect into a client.

Prospects who ask for discounts may be more likely to turn into PITA (Pain-in-the-A$$) clients. But even if they don't ask for discounts, sometimes resume writers may feel pressured to offer a discount to get the client to sign on.

I have a better idea.

Creating a sense of urgency — buy now! — is the single most important factor in turning résumé prospects into résumé clients. Ask any résumé writer: It’s critical to get a client to commit on the first call. The longer they wait, the slimmer your chance of getting them to open their wallet.

But you don't have to offer them for a discount to get them to sign on.

Here's a strategy I share in my special report, "Turning Browsers Into Buyers":

1. Offer Time-Sensitive Bonuses

How to use a low-cost, high-value bonus to clinch the sale.

Just offering a bonus is a great way to incentivize people to buy what you’re selling. But when you make the bonus time-sensitive, you increase the urgency. And that means increased sales!

Think about the infomercials you see on television. Many of them offer a “gift with purchase” — something extra when you make your purchase. Simply offering a special bonus — and it doesn’t have to be anything expensive — can increase your conversions. But when you combine that bonus with a deadline, you make this strategy even more powerful. That’s because a sense of urgency can help get people to commit.

This does not have to be a high-pressure sales tactic.

Examples:

·       “I’m offering a special bonus for new clients who decide to take action today. If you order the Deluxe Résumé and Cover Letter package, I’ll also enroll you in our ‘30 Days to Your Next Job’ Challenge, which is a $49 value, for free.”

·       Order your Résumé Rewrite package in the next 48 hours, and you’ll get a free 8-day “Leveraging LinkedIn In Your Job Search” training — a $49 value.

·       Buy the “Six Steps to a $6,000 Raise” and you’ll get a free 15-minute salary negotiation strategy session — but hurry, this special offer ends tomorrow!

You can also use this tactic for products and services you sell on your website. For example, “If you purchase a one-hour job interview coaching session, you’ll receive a free ebook, ‘55 Questions You Should Be Prepared to Answer in an Interview,’ — if you reserve your coaching session by May 31.”

Low-cost bonuses can include:

• Ebooks or digital special reports

• Workbooks or tip sheets

• Recordings and/or transcripts of teleseminars you’ve done

• 15-minute “strategy sessions” when the client makes a high dollar purchase. These can also be lead-ins to your coaching services or coaching packages, giving prospects a “try-before-you-buy” sample of what coaching can do for them.

Most of these are things that won’t take you a lot of time to create — but have a high perceived value for clients. Just offering a bonus can increase your sales — but putting a time limit on it makes it even more powerful.

So next time you're tempted to offer a discount, offer a bonus instead.

You can purchase the "Turning Browsers Into Buyers" special report for $27 here.

Some People Are Not Cut Out for Self-Employment

I was talking to an acquaintance last week. He's a "stylist" for J. Hilburn, an upscale clothing company that uses the "direct sales" model -- think Pampered Chef, Avon, Tastefully Simple, and Arbonne. His "real job" (he was the one who called it that -- I'd just call it his "day job") is as an insurance agent.

He had the opportunity to set up an exhibit booth at a conference for insurance agents, brokers, and agency managers. There would be 300-400 of these folks at the conference, and most of them wear suits (or anything the opposite of "Casual Friday") at least once a week, if not daily. They would be great prospects for his products.

But here is what he said when I talked to him about participating in the conference:

• "I would have to take the day off of work to man the booth."
• "I incur costs for marketing materials, and with that many people, that would be expensive."
• "I can't afford a booth because I might not make any sales."

When I suggested he could partner up with another J. Hilburn agent to provide a personalized customer service experience -- with limited breaks and 300 people roaming the Exhibit Hall simultaneously, he might not get to talk to very many people, but if he paired up, they could talk to more people. Plus, they could split the cost of the booth, this was his response:

"No, I want them all myself."

Sigh.

This guy is not cut out to be self-employed. He'll have a day job for the rest of his life. (He actually told me that! He said he would never leave the agency he works for. He plans to keep working there until retirement.) 

Resume writers who start their business need to invest -- not just money, but TIME in meeting qualified prospects. When you get the opportunity to get in front of people who need your services, take it! If that means teaming up so that you can meet the needs of your customers, don't be selfish! 

And yes, you need to invest in marketing! Sometimes you have to spend money to make money. (This guy doesn't have to give everyone their own J. Hilburn catalog, but having 1-2 on display is critical, and he can provide catalogs only to people who agree to be measured -- so he can enter them as a customer in the  J. Hilburn app, or those who are otherwise identified as serious prospects.)

If you're so tied to your day job that you're not willing to make some sacrifices to be your own boss, you're probably not cut out for self-employment. And that's fine, but don't be confused about it. Owning your own resume writing business requires a leap of faith.

“Whenever you see a successful business, 

someone once made a courageous decision.”

– Peter F. Drucker

What I'm Doing Differently This Year

As I mentioned earlier this week, my word for 2015 is "FINISH."

I love starting projects ... I even enjoy the middle ... but sometimes, finishing is hard.

I was talking to a couple of resume writing colleagues about this today, and they suggested some ideas to help ... but I think the biggest thing for me is focus and mindfulness. Making it a priority to finish the projects is the first step. That includes actually putting tasks on my schedule so that I spend time on them each day.

I'm also using Evernote to help. Each day, I start two notes. One is a daily journal to help me keep track of my time. If I don't track my time (even loosely), it gets away from me. The second note is a daily to-do list, with no more than 10 items in bold that are my priority for the day. I try to at least get the bolded items checked off each day. (And I love checking off items!) I can copy-and-paste the items that are still on there to the next day's note.

The second thing I do is I write "FINISH" at the top of both of the Evernote notes. This reminds me of my overall goal for the year.

The third thing I'm doing is actively focusing on learning. I'm dedicating a minimum of 1 hour a week (my ideal goal is 2 hours a week) to continuing education and learning. That includes NRWA teleseminars, Career Thought Leaders Expert calls, and courses on Udemy. (I shared my affiliate link with my colleagues who want to learn on Udemy -- they're offering a $10 special on more than 9,000 courses, but it ends at midnight Pacific time tonight.)

I saw this statement on Facebook just before the end of the year:
If you want things to be different, do something different.

What are you doing differently?

Email Marketing Is Critical to Your Resume Writing Business

Yesterday's blog post hit a nerve, it seems. A mailing list can be a valuable tool for your resume writing business. Whether you're creating an opt-in incentive to build your list to help convert prospects into clients, or using your mailing list to stay in touch with clients after you've worked with them, I believe a mailing list is instrumental, and you should start one now.

You can take AWeber for a free test drive using the form below. Put in your name and email address and it will show you how easy it is.

Email marketing made easy.

Want to get an email marketing campaign up and
running in minutes? AWeber can help.

Powered by AWeber

Create an Opt-In Incentive for Resume Prospects On Your Website in Under an Hour

Right now, I'm running a Challenge for Bronze members of BeAResumeWriter.com -- and one of the projects (As outlined in my Dead Week post) is to create an opt-in incentive for visitors to your website.

It's a great idea to collect the email addresses of resume prospects, because it allows you to develop a relationship with them -- and the best way to get their email address is to provide them with an opt-in incentive (an immediate gift they receive for providing their email address).

Here's my step-by-step for it:

1. Pick one of the PAMs to use.

2. Re-name it. (Here's a free tool-- click on the FREE WIZARDS tab -- to help inspire you!)

3. Order a cover on Fiverr.com (it's $5.50) (if you're new to Fiverr, your first Gig is free using my affiliate link: https://www.fiverr.com/s/6hjwbp). I use Vikiana for my cover designs, but there are others on there. She's currently working 5 days out, so you might pick one that delivers in 2-3 days if you want to get finished faster!

4. Edit and format the PAM content. Insert the cover design (flat image) on page 1. Create a title page with your contact information (you can copy the format in my Special Reports, or just open the nearest book and use that format). Change the font. Add footers. Add design elements, if you'd like. (I recommend graphics from Fotolia.)

5. Save as a PDF.

It takes me about 45 minutes to create one, start to finish (not including waiting time for the Fiverr cover ...)

Then, set up an email list contact form and autoresponder to deliver the report.
This is easy to do in Constant Contact or AWeber.