Want to know how to attract new clients into your online ecosystem?
Have conversations with your current ones and share them with the world.
It’s no secret that the key to building and maintaining a sustainable business model rests with your ability to attract and gain consistent attention from those you serve.
That’s why posting informational, entertaining and inspirational image content is essential in helping lay the foundation for building trust with those you serve.
But image content is just the start.
Bearing this in mind, I’ve recently started to incorporate video into my content creation strategy.
Although there are many ways to leverage video – behind-the-scenes footage and direct addressing camera to share an informative message, to name a few – I’ve been focusing solely on one specific, and simple, type of video content:
One-on-one conversations with my clients through video conferencing software such as Zoom or Skype.
(Here’s one way that I’ve been leveraging these conversations.)
No crazy equipment. No need for hours to set up the shots. No high-level producing required.
Just a nice conversation with someone that you’ve helped get over some things that were holding him/her back, 🙂
What Do We Talk About?
The goal is to record a 30-60 minute conversation that lays out the what, why and how behind their decision to hire me for my lifestyle photography and content creation services.
As for the conversation itself, I’ve created a simple format that I follow for each:
- Introduce who they are, who they serve, and why they do what they do
- Ask them why they felt the need to invest in branded lifestyle portraits
- Was there any objections or apprehension before they decided to work with me
- We then talk about the experience:
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- Strategy sessions
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- Portrait session
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- Post-portrait session
- What are the results that they’ve received from working with me – could be tangible and intangible benefits
- What would they say to someone on the fence about working with me to illustrate the value of the session
Now, these are the basic topics I steer the conversation towards, but I often freestyle follow-up questions based on their answers.
Either way, this is an initial framework for you to figure out the specific questions you’d want them to answer.
The Benefits of Conversations With Your Clients
Although a pretty simple setup, there is work involved when creating these videos, fortunately, the juice is worth the squeeze, 🙂
Here are some of the benefits of recording these conversations with your clients:
Show how you solve your client’s pain points in their own words
Although you’re already sharing this through your written content, and in some cases, your other video content, it’s much more impactful and powerful when it comes out of the mouths of those you serve.
If a potential client listens to the conversation where your client is laying out their why for hiring you, that will resonate much more deeply with them.
Why?
They emotionally connect with your client because their success gives them hope that they, too, can get over the hump with their own issues and challenges.
And, here’s another fun wrinkle:
The more clients with whom you have recorded conversations, the more opportunity you have to relate to a wider group of folks within your specific niche of service since everyone’s reasoning for hiring you has their own unique spin on it.
The moment they connect the dots and discover that you’re a viable option to offer them the specialized help that they need, they immediately lean in more and pay closer attention to the posts that you share and the services that you provide.
Although they may not be ready to invest in your services at that particular moment, the nurturing process has officially begun.
And, when they are ready, guess who’s on top of mind, 🙂
Share the “Client Experience” Through Your Client’s Eyes
When you’re running a business and looking to invest in help, the bottom line results are what we’re after, but, the processes, experiences and hand-holding that produce these results are just as important.
This is something that you can deep dive into with your clients during the conversation; talk about the onboarding process, frameworks, strategy sessions and self-reflection work that led your client from where they were to where they are now with their businesses and lives.
Not only is this informative for your potential clients watching these videos, but, it’s also a jolt of inspiration to show them that working with you leads to positive change and results that matter to you.
That’s solid social proof right there.
When your clients share their experience working with you, it demystifies and highlights the process for everyone watching, giving them a clearer picture of whether or not you’re the type of person with whom they want to work.
Showcase Your Personality as a Qualifier for Potential Clients
When you share a long-form conversation with a client on video, that offers potential clients an in-depth view of how you communicate with those you serve.
Yes, your audience gets a taste of that through your written posts and articles, but on video, that impact is magnified exponentially.
Unlike a written piece of content, you’re talking with your hands, speaking in your own voice, making jokes and illustrating the unique way in which you create rapport with your clients.
Either your personality tunes people in or they’ll tune out.
Regardless, video leveraged in this way is a wonderful qualifier that will help save you time from having exploratory conversations with people who aren’t a good fit if your personality doesn’t mesh well with theirs.
Learn the Value of Your Services in a Way That You’ve Never Thought of Before
Although you have your own ecosystem with your own lingo that illustrates the various elements of your expertise, your clients aren’t you and they interpret your value through their own lexicon that lives inside their own heads and within their own communities.
Pay close attention to the way that they do so and share it through your own content.
Rather than doing keyword research online in order to create content that will resonate with those you serve, conduct it with those that have already paid you money for your services!
It’s a much faster and way more personalized process when you do it in this one-on-one setting.
Strengthen Your Relationships with Existing Clients
Before I committed to recording these videos, I had a ton of negative mind-chatter surrounding how much of a burden this will be for those I ask.
I mean, who’s going to want to spend an hour BS’ing with their photographer, right?
Not one person has said no thus far, and several, in fact, said it was an honor that I asked.
Well, guess I was wrong on that one, 🙂
These are your people. They are part of your community. They’ve paid for your specialized attention and are a much better person for it. You’re not a burden – you’re a game-changer.
And once you’re talking, the rapport that you had while working together will be reinforced and strengthened throughout this conversation.
If you feel like you’d be imposing on someone to have them take an hour out of their day to talk with you, stop it right now!
Of course, some people’s schedules are tough with which to coordinate, but, keep in mind how valuable this video is in the long-run and keep asking former clients until you get as many yes’s as you wish.
Amazing Content Assets to Leverage Everywhere
If you’re going to put in the work, you better leverage it everywhere in order to truly maximize the effort.
In addition to the client page that I created on my website, I’ve also leveraged these video conversations with my clients in the following ways:
- Blog
- The full conversation sent out in a blog article to my email list
- Soundbites that have been taken from each conversation and sent out to my email list
- Social Media
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- Posted selected soundbites on all social platforms – IG, FB, LI, Twitter
- Created content from some of the insights my clients’ shared about the experience
- Drip campaign
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- Re-worked my “Welcome Aboard” email sequence to incorporate soundbites taken from 5 of the conversations I’ve had in order to nurture new signups into my process through the words of those I serve
Give me another week, I’ll probably come up with a couple more avenues to leverage this content, 🙂
Either way, you can see the value that this type of content offers you.
Empowering your clients to do the heavy lifting for you when it comes to promoting your services is an amazing way to draw attention to the magic that you do.
It’s a wonderful compliment to the work that you’re already doing with your social posts and blog articles.
And, it gives your potential clients hope that they’ve found the person that will help them get past what’s holding them back.
Pretty magical, if you ask me 🙂
John DeMato is an NYC branded lifestyle portrait photographer and content creation expert who serves speakers, authors, coaches and high-level entrepreneurs across the country. His 50+ page e-book, S.H.A.R.E. M.A.G.I.C.A.L. I.D.E.A.S., lays out the how what and why behind creating a memorable and referable online presence – sign up to get your FREE copy today.
