🖐 Happy Quarta-feira!

Issue #62 is a 3.0-minute read.

Bob’s Cat, Dress Socks, New Clients

At 10:34 a.m. that Sunday morning, Zack the cat was winning. 

I had to put a stop to the Freddy Krueger fun he was having with my ankles under Bob and Elaine’s white IKEA table.

My problem was that the handbook of client presentations has no advice on cat horror.

How do you…

1. stop talking with the client?
   

2. crawl under the kitchen table in your suit?
   

3. tell Zack to dig his 3-inch slasher claws into the red leather Lazy Boy instead of your shins?

“So, Erik, if we move our money to your firm, how do we know you’ll do a better job?” Elaine calmly asked, sipping her lemon zinger tea.

Normally, that was a softball question for me.

I had no clue what to say.

My only goal was to move the overflowing litter box Zack had pulled toward my feet and pour out the three pounds of litter he was angrily kicking into my dress shoes.

I’d spent seven hours building a bold solution for Bob and Elaine.

And I was doing so well, giving that big presentation in their freezing country kitchen.

Even with the 74 distractions, like…

• talking over their kids’ sing-along to Frozen
  

• eating Elaine’s carrot cupcakes with dog hair frosting
  

• watching their son draw Sponge Bob on my suit

For me, though, it was feeling Zack’s dirty litter fill my shoes that clinched it.

“Elaine, Bob, this has been a helpful chat,“ I said, standing up and shaking my pants.

“I’m giving you back your Sunday morning. I appreciate your time.”

Outside in the driveway, I threw my filthy pants and shoes in the trunk of the car.

Driving back to my office in gym shorts and Chuck Taylor high tops, it was clear.

I had to get my business out of the litter box and go from pitching any client to winning the right client.

When I built a new brand strategy I found a bold, new voice that said, “PREMIUM.” 

That voice attracted high-end clients for years.

If Bob, Elaine and Zack are your target audience, go with my blessing.

If not, here’s how you get out of cold kitchens and attract premium clients.

How to Go from Everyone to the Right One

🎯 3 Steps to Build, Refresh and Position Your Premium Brand

When you create your brand strategy put together the pieces that reflect how you want customers to view you and what you want them to feel when they work with you.

Your logo, type face and color palette can help you express your brand.

Your brand personality, ideal buyer persona and brand message help build your brand.

1. Pick your brand personality

Your brand strategy starts with a brand personality.

Here, you pick an archetype to shape the traits you want your product and service to reflect.

Three common archetypes that premium brands use include the Ruler, the Explorer and the Sage.

Each high-end archetype has unique traits and qualities.

The archetypes you choose give you a blueprint for your brand’s voice that your audience will attach to your business.

2. Craft your ideal buyer persona

It’s impossible to position your brand unless you know which buyers and clients you want to target.

Create an ideal buyer persona and make them come to life.

The more detail you add to your buyer persona the easier it will be to shape your social media posts, web design and marketing.

3. Hone your brand’s key messaging

Your brand’s message tells your customers what you represent and what they can achieve when working with you.

Ex: You’re a financial advisor for high net worth clients.

Your brand messages might include:

• A bold financial future

• A stress free retirement

• Your money: your dreams

The key is to craft your message so your customers know your beliefs and how your business will make them feel.

Your new brand strategy is the first step to winning premium clients.

Build it, use it and I promise you’ll stay out of the litter box.

P.S. Three weeks after I left Bob and Elaine’s kitchen, Zack sent me an email and asked if I’d manage his 401(k).

📢 A subscriber made a shout out request for their home city beaches in Santa Barbara, CA, below. Stunning.

I appreciate your sharing this newsletter with your friends and contacts.

Stay curious in your business and keep opening doors.

-Erik

P.P.S. If you dream of getting to $150K of sales, let’s do it!

When you’re set, here’s your custom, 90-minute consulting session to bring you there. Faster.