DYFConf Notes: Amy Hoy – Consulting-ized Products

Brainwashing and why you should do it to your clients.

“Don’t write a book for the money” – Publishing companies

Write it for the exposure!

eBook as onboarding for clients AKA brainwashing

Done right, an ebook, online course, workshop – can lead to lead gen, respect, trust, money

#1 Cause of Client Failure – you expect us to actually do what we paid you to tell us to do?

The second law of consulting

No matter how it looks at first, it’s always a people problem – “Secrets of consulting”, Weinberg

New clients. you gonna waste my time? no? let’s work together? What are you doing? Why is the secretary here? Liar!

You can brainwash your clients before you work with them.

“Don’t build a better X, Build a better user of X” – Kathy Sierra

Don’t build a better project management app, build a better project manager

Don’t build a better consultant, build a better user of consultants AKA clients

Number one cause of failure is inaction.

a better class? build a better student.

Brainwashing to create a positive life change.

Marketing funnel that leads to an actual big buy. Making them better.

• help learn
• help think
• help act
• help win/result
• they will trust you more

How many of us have gotten jobs when someone just tired/failed themselves and wanted to hire you?

• What do your clients suck at?
• Help them achieve what they want to achieve
• Help them how you already help them
• Create a consulting-ized product
• Give them a manual for your process. so they can know exactly what they are buying
• Provide an emergency exit an escape hatch for an escape plan. You can do the work for them!

Focus on your client’s business, not your tools

• you’re a consultant, not someone who runs photoshop
• Help your clients understand what they’re struggling with

Your best clients

What do they need, want, and buy?

look for the intersection between need, want, buy

People who love Excel will never let go of Excel even with their cold, dead fingers

Build a better client

If they’re not ready to hire you yet, how can you help them become ready?

“I never have to write a proposal again” – Nick D, dues to the success of Cadence and Slang

Idea of multiple “yes”. Persuasion is a gradient

• yes, I’ll read this [blog post] $0
• yes, I’ll give my email $0
• yes, I’ll attend this webinar $0
• yes, I’ll buy this book $49
• yes, I’ll take this workshop $449
• yes, I’ll hire this person $10,000+

even with the $0 they are still paying you in time and effort.

Consulting-ized product

1. What do your **clients suck at? ***Help them achieve what they want to achieve*
2. Help them **how you already help them. ***Create a consulting-ized product*
3. Give them a manual for your process **so they can know exactly what they are buying
4. Provide an emergency exit. **an escape hatch for an escape plan. **You can do the work for them!

Q&A – creating a consulting-ized product

Problem: Startups – clients come to you after they’ve tried the cheaper solution.

Amy: How can you educate startups from trying out the cheaper solution. That could be a $30 info product

“You don’t want to put info products out for people who are so broken that they can’t be saved.” You can’t polish shit.

Pick your best clients and optimize for educating them

“Focus on the people actually taking your advice” Double down on the people who are actually doing it.

GTD gets most of their money from executive training. GTD wasn’t designed for creatives. It was designed for executives.

How do you sell something that is boring?

Who in the value chain are the ones that care for time tracking software? Managers of internal departments. Mainly because they’ll enter the information incorrectly.

Further Reading:

• Why you should do a tiny product first
• How do you create a product people want to buy?
• The Secrets of Consulting – by Gerald Weinberg
• Badass: Making Users Awesome – Kathy Sierra
• Kai Davis‘s notes on Amy’s talk

Site: https://unicornfree.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyhoy