So, they're as good as the next guy.

Is that any way to advertise yourself? Is anyone going to switch battery brands (or, more importantly, start working with a "virtual" partner on mission-critical tasks) because they're "as good as the next guy" ?

Marketers talk about your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) for a good reason. If you can't show a prospect why you are the only possible choice, why you are the perfect match for them, ask yourself: why should they choose you?

If you're only as good as the next guy, what happens when the next guy gets just a little bit cheaper, or a little better, or both?

(By the way, even if you're far better than the next guy, if you can't show a prospect why you're a perfect match, consider the possibility that they aren't a perfect match for you.)

If you answered 'yes', it's time to unplug and recharge your batteries. Take a weekend off, ignore your email, don't Tweet and only use Facebook to stay in touch with friends and family.

This past weekend for the first time in many months I took time to read a novel. It was so relaxing to be unplugged and not concern myself with reaching out to my peers and prospects. I feel relaxed, recharged and better equipped to start the new week.

Take time this weekend to unplug and recharge your batteries. You may just find creative ideas come to you as you relax. Jot them down and take another day to explore how you can implement them in your business.

You just know those words are going to be followed by a pitch, don't you?

First, I'll get the rant off my chest: telling me that you have $10,000 worth of 'products' for only $297 is selling, period. It's not special, it's not a gift. In fact, if these are electronic products with zero cost to reproduce, there's no such thing as a 'special' price because even if I only give you a nickel, your profit margin on that sale was 100%.

Folks looking for yet another tricky advertising gimmick (you can tell them a mile off because all their prices end in '7') are delighted to imply that they're giving you a gift, some amazing mega deluxe special extra deal, in order to make a sale.

Let's stop corrupting what the words 'gift' and 'special' mean. Don't you dare imply you're doing someone a favor, and then ask them for money. Making a smaller profit isn't a favor, it's business.

Remember when you used to be able to ask someone out for coffee in order to get to know their business better? Smart folks realised that by unselfishly learning about others in order to send them qualified prospects, our networks grew and in the long run, it came back around to us.

Selfish folks figured this out, and started asking networking victims out to coffee to 'learn about your business.' And then, as soon as they'd trudged through the formalities, the hard sell started. Pitch pitch pitch.

Try asking someone out for coffee so you can learn about their business. Watch the panic in their eyes, the scramble for an excuse. Selfish sellers have done their best to suck the juice out of an unselfish but brilliant method of organically, humanly, growing your business.

Promise me that you, yes you, reading right there, will never resort to deception, no matter how subtle, in your marketing or your business. Promise me that if you offer a gift, it is truly a gift, with no thought of return. Promise me that your 'special' price is actually less than what you've actually sold for in the past, and explain why you're reducing the price (otherwise, it just looks like you couldn't sell it for a hundred so you'll try fifty.) Promise me that you'll stop ending prices in the number 7 because even if it works, it's psychological trickery and it's unethical and immoral.

Find someone who's corrupting the gift culture which has been fundamental to civilization for thousands of years, and send them a link to this post. Let's make sure everyone everywhere knows that we're not gonna take it anymore. At the very least, the lazy clowns will have to find something else to corrupt.

Rise above the garbage and noise. You're better than that. You know that, of course, but you're afraid. I get it.

Sometimes being a hero is hard.

These days I know better. No project is certain until the money's in the till.

So many metaphors come to mind. Don't count your chickens before they hatch, f'rinstance. It's easy to say, look, we've got eggs, therefore, we'll have chickens. Or, look, we've got hot prospects, therefore we've got a project.

Speaking of eggs, don't put 'em all in one basket. If you earn your living primarily from a single client, that client owns you. In reality, you're en employee, not an entrepreneur. Have plenty of smaller eggs, not just one large one.

And more than one basket, if you can arrange it.

Twenty small streams of income is more stable than 2 large streams. Seems nothing is stable these days, so when you start juggling all those chickens and eggs and baskets, be prepared to lose a few.

If you've got spares, there'll always be enough for that omelette.

I've been able to do this more than once at local networking events where I was invited to speak to a group of business owners about what a virtual assistant does. I've also done this on telecalls. So how do you prepare to speak to a group of business owners?

1. Determine what you will speak about. Create a title that grabs their attention and that shows the benefit they will receive. For example, my title is "11 Ways a Virtual Assistant Will Help You Get More Done".

2. Write up an outline detailing the challenges your audience faces and the solutions you can provide.

3. Create a bio that demonstrates your knowledge, background and experience.

4. Include testimonials of clients who have worked with you and used your services.

5. Contact local groups and pitch your idea to come speak to their group. Often local organizations are looking for speakers and would be very happy to have you come speak to their group.

6. Prepare a handout to give each attendee providing valuable information and of course include all your contact information.

I'd love to hear from any of you that have done this or something similar. Tell us how it went!

• Marketing Your Services
• Defining Your Ideal Client
• Networking Creates Word of Mouth Referrals

The next call will be on June 1, 2010 and the topic is Converting Prospects to Clients.

Today I'm announcing a special promotion. Anyone who provides a meaningful comment on any one of our blog posts here at Chief Virtual Officer between now and May 30, 2010 will be entered into a random drawing to win the next coaching call on June 1, 2010 free!

Learn more here about the call on June 1 on Converting Prospects to Clients.

1. Professional design. Ask a couple of trusted colleagues to review your site and give you their honest opinion as to its attractiveness and professionalism. You don't have to spend thousands of dollars to have an attractive, professional looking website. However, you do want a website that shows you are a professional. An obviously 'home-made' website turns prospects away.

2. Targeted, clear marketing messages. Ask these same trusted colleagues for their feedback on the marketing messages on your website. If it's unclear what your services are or they seem unfocused, prospects will look somewhere else for what they need. Your website messages need to clearly show prospects what it is you can do for them.

3. Concise content. Short, punchy sentences and bullet points work much better than long rambling paragraphs. Your content should let visitors know why they should do business with you. You may want to get some assistance in writing compelling copy for your website.

4. Call to action. Is it clear and obvious what you want your visitors to do? How can they contact you? A clear call to action is vital to convert prospects to clients.

Additional tips for your website can be found at an earlier blog post.

Instead of approaching people at networking events with the idea of pushing your business, attend with the thought of getting to know other people and their business. You start to develop relationships that build to a point where you can know what the other person actually needs and if they need your services.

We'll talk about this in greater detail in our group coaching calls in May. Learn more at the Chief Virtual Officer website.

Your marketing messages should be clear and full of value. If all you do is say, 'hire me', your message is vague and does not offer your prospects any reason to find your services valuable.

Examine each marketing message your create and include these 4 items:

1. Your ideal client should find your messages appealing
2. Describe the challenge your prospects are facing
3. Describe the solution you will provide
4. Include a story of how you've helped someone else

Once your prospects can see that you are talking to them, understand their challenges, can provide a workable solution and can back it up with a story of how you've helped someone else, they are much more likely to pay attention and ask you how you can help them.

If you're in business, you're in sales. So let's think about how we can sell our services the right way. Here are 3 things to consider:

1. Diagnose - How can you make a recommendation to your prospect about how your services are their solution when you haven't yet diagnosed their problem? And how can you diagnose until you've come to thoroughly understand the prospect's situation?

2. What do they want? - Just because you and your prospect agree on the problem does not mean you agree on the desired outcome. Find out what they want the desired outcome to be so you can then offer the solution that will result in that particular outcome.

3. How will you provide what they want? - Explain in as much detail as possible exactly how you will provide their desired outcome. Be specific in what they will get, how you will work with them, what will happen. The more they know, the more reassured they will be that you can provide the desirable outcome they want.

This requires communicating with prospects. Listen to them, understand their situation and needs and desired outcome. Explain clearly how your solution will benefit them. Give your prospects solid reasons to work with you. Then invite them to get started!