This episode is for those in Phase 2 – 4 of the Lifestyle Entrepreneur Roadmap™
Resources Mentioned:
SweetLife Podcast™ Love:
Need faster business growth?
Schedule a complimentary business triage call here.
Full Show Transcript:
264
[00:00:00] Hi you guys and welcome to the Sweet Life Entrepreneur Podcast. I’m April Beach, your host, and I am so glad you’re here. You have tapped into one of our best of episodes. These episodes are cherry picked from our most popular episodes with the most downloads with the most comments. So these are the ones where whether it’s in a speaking engagement, or whether it’s by writing to us or sending us messages on social media where you guys have reached out and said, Hey, listen, this episode you did was really powerful for me. Thank you so much. And they’re also the other episodes that we believe are the most important as we move into the next year for the online business landscape that we are going into, for coaches and consultants and experts and speakers, and authors.
[00:00:43] And so this episode is absolutely amazing, though it’s previously recorded, all of the resources can be found by clicking on sweetlifeco.com. You can visit us online and just very simply select the podcast and you’ll find all of the show notes [00:01:00] in there for you, with up to date links, making sure that you’re getting to the right place if you’re looking for a resource.
[00:01:08] Now special message to those of you guys that have been waiting for this show to come back. I am so excited to announce that the next generation of the Sweet Life Entrepreneur podcast is dropping the week after Christmas, before New Year’s. As we roll into the new year, going from 22 to 23, and I can’t thank you guys enough.
[00:01:30] If you are a new listener to the show, you probably have no idea what I’m talking about, but after five years of faithfully dropping a business training, a recording a strategy for you every single week in winning awards for this show. I needed to step back and take a break, and you guys have been so gracious in actually encouraging me to do that. So what turned out to be one month off turned out to be about a year off of recording this show, but the reality is, is that we [00:02:00] have been producing so many business trainings, hundreds and hundreds of them for five years, that entrepreneurs have relied on. I needed to take a step. And get a perspective of what you guys really needed for the next generation of the show.
[00:02:15] How should this show actually help you to continue to grow your businesses? And many of your businesses have significantly grown since we first started this show. And you’re growing and we’re growing and what does that actually look like? So I have had the gift of spending almost a year to build the entire next generation of the Sweet Life Podcast for you, and I can’t wait for you guys to hear it. I’m so excited.
[00:02:37] So the wait is almost over and I wanted to send you a message about it. Thank you for the emails and the comments on social media encouraging me to enjoy my time off. But April, please come back. I need your show to grow my business. You guys are amazing and you have really been the fuel to the fire. That has helped me see clearly, clearly of where this show is gonna go in the next gen.
[00:02:58] It’s gonna sound a little bit [00:03:00] different, but it will continue to be the place where you can come to for true proven business trainings that are transformational for your company. That is business coaching that isn’t pulled out of thin air from experts delivered to you in such a way that you can implement it. That’s why this show has been so popular over the years, and that’s what we will continue to do for you.
[00:03:25] I can’t wait for you to hear what we have planned. The first series we’re kicking off is called Becoming Known and the Experts, so we have in here that are teaching you these proven business trainings without a hook to sell you something. They’re just coming in here to pour into you, are absolutely epic. I can’t wait.
[00:03:42] So if you haven’t yet subscribe to the show, please click subscribe. Please share this with your friends. Please resubscribe in case that you were unsubscribed during my little hiatus. And I just love you guys so much, and I’m so excited to be back here. I can’t wait to drop the whole entire NextGen of the show and the [00:04:00] episode’s coming for you. And in the meantime, enjoy this best of it is very powerful and it’s been chosen for you for a reason. I’ll talk to you guys soon.
[00:04:13] You’re listening to The Sweet Life Entrepreneur podcast, simplified strategies to grow your service business, and launch a life you love faster with business mentor and entrepreneur activator April Beach.
[00:04:31] Hey, you guys, on this week’s show, we are talking about a very cool conversion tool, in order to turn those people on your list to buyers that fervently follow every single thing that you do. This is episode number 244 at the SweetLife Entrepreneur and Business Podcast, which means that all of the show notes can be found by visiting our website. Which is sweetlifeco.com. Simply clicking on the podcast, and this is episode number [00:05:00] 244. I’m April Beach, the host here at the show, and we are known for delivering proven business trainings that you can absolutely bank on. That other coaches will charge you thousands for you. Get them all here free. Advertisement free on this show because this podcast is an extension of the outreach that we do as a company. So welcome to the show. If you’re a new listener, I’m super glad to be connected with you.
[00:05:25] So this is what you can expect from today’s episode. First of all, this episode is great for businesses in phases two, three, or four of my business growth roadmap. If you are not sure what business phase that you’re in, please visit sweetlifeco.com/quiz, or you can simply text the word quiz to the number 8, 0 ,5, 2, 5, 4, 0, 8, 8, 0, and you can take a very short self assessment, which will give you a complete breakdown [00:06:00] of all the phases of business growth long term, and tell you exactly what you should be focusing on based on the phase of business that you are in right now.
[00:06:09] So this show is great for people in phases two, three, or four. And it’s really great for those of you guys who want a conversion tool that moves your leads into buyers. So if you’re a coach or a consultant or a niche skill provider, you’re always looking for great ways to position yourself as the perfect solution to those people that you’re in connection with.
[00:06:33] And whiteboard sessions are a great way to do that, and that’s what we’re gonna talk about here on today’s show. I’m gonna unpack how to use whiteboard sessions to further connect with your list and increase your sales. And I’m gonna detail out the eight steps that we use as a company and literally giving you our steps of how we plan and host our whiteboard sessions. And at the end of this episode, you’re gonna know our exact [00:07:00] process and you’re gonna be able to plan for your own whiteboard sessions to turn your leads into buyers. All right? So if you’re ready for that, let’s go ahead and dive into today’s show.
[00:07:19] First of all, let’s go ahead and answer the question. What is a whiteboard session? So a whiteboard session is like a live webinar where you work with your leads, you help them to solve a specific problem, thereby gaining trust and positioning you as the ultimate solution that they were looking for.
[00:07:38] You can host it in Zoom, you can host it in another live streaming platform. But overall, it’s very similar to the webinars of old, but you’re doing it live. It’s not prerecorded where you actually have people show up and you lit, literally get to work their problem with them, and they are an amazing conversion tool. So let’s kind of talk about [00:08:00] that terminology as well. A conversion tool is what we refer to as an event or a way to turn your leads into buyers. So we’re using these whiteboard sessions to turn leads that are already familiar with you into faithful buyers, selling them into your higher ticket programs. Now you can totally use whiteboard sessions to generate new leads as well.
[00:08:24] We, in the past, as a company have primarily used them to take our existing leads, our warm leads, and turn them into buyers. I would love for you to go and test these to cold leads as well, because I’m sure that would actually convert very high as well, because very few people are doing this. So I’m gonna break down the eight steps to host these whiteboard sessions and really just pull back the curtains on what we do as a company and give you this step by step process.
[00:08:50] So let’s go ahead and get started. If you’re taking notes, this is a great episode to take notes. To save it, you can replay it.
[00:08:57] So step number one, I need you to choose a [00:09:00] specific problem that you are solving in your session. So one specific problem that you are going to address in your whiteboard session, your whiteboard session shouldn’t be, you know, let’s go ahead and solve the whole world’s, you know, hunger issue. it should be, let’s talk about one specific problem and let’s go ahead and whiteboard out some potential solutions to.
[00:09:21] And here is a pro tip for those of you that are really interested in being strategic about your business, I want you to make your whiteboard session a piece of the problem that you solve in your signature offer. So hopefully you caught what I just said. Right. So number one, you’re gonna choose one specific problem that you will solve in your whiteboard session, and one only.
[00:09:45] Number two, send out a warmup email to your list, letting them know that you’re aware of the problem that they’re facing and you’re planning something really special for them. It’s like dangling the carrot in front of them. Say, Hey, listen, [00:10:00] you guys, I know that you’re struggling with this. I know that this has been a common issue for many of you, and I just wanted to let you know I’m planning something really special to help you solve that. So stay tuned because I’m gonna tell you what that special thing is that you can be a part of very, very soon. So, step number two is get your list excited about what is to come.
[00:10:22] Step number three is to schedule your session. Now, here’s the deal. I recommend you pick two different times to host your whiteboard session. Usually within the same week, try to do them possibly even in the same day, one in the morning, one in the evening, depending on when your clients are, are most available.
[00:10:39] When your audience is, is most working on the problem that you solve, picking two different sessions gives them an opportunity to say, Hey, yes, I wanna come to session number one or session number two, but make sure that you schedule this in.
[00:10:53] And then step number four is to send out an invite to this session. And when you send that [00:11:00] second email invite out and you’re saying, okay, here it is. This is what I’m doing. Call it a whiteboard session. I’m hosting this whiteboard session and it’s gonna be amazing. But here’s the deal. There are limited seats. Now, one of the things that we are not fully addressing here right now in this show. But if you’re a faithful listener to this podcast for the last four and a half years, you know that you will see these trends, right, where we have gone from these mass programs to boutique, very personalized events and programs and signature offers. People don’t wanna be part of the cattle herd. They don’t wanna be in a cookie cutter thing.
[00:11:37] So when you offer something that’s limited seats, that’s really exclusive, those are the things that people are craving right now at the recording of this in 2021. So just be mindful, mindful for that. So Cindy and I, your invitation and say, Hey, listen, you know, there are limited seats to this. Fyi, make sure you RSVP for your seat right.
[00:11:57] Step number five, get your tech [00:12:00] set up ready. Okay, so when we say a whiteboard session, I actually mean a whiteboard session. So that is usually a combination between an iPad or something that you can cast sketch on and cast it into Zoom. There are so many different tools that you can do this. We use iPad.
[00:12:18] We used to use iPad with Notability, but that kind of broke a little bit. So now some of the solutions that we dive into are EAM mixed with Stream Yard. There are a bunch of different technology setups that you can actually do in order to host and cast your iPad live into a Zoom so people can see you actually sketching your whiteboard session.
[00:12:40] Because this is a true whiteboard session that isn’t like a marketing thing , you’re actually gonna host a whiteboard session and sketch out their results, which I’ll dive into here in just a few minutes. So you need to get your text set up ready.
[00:12:53] So, so far you’ve chosen this specific problem. You’ve sent out an email to your list saying, Hey, listen, I know you’re, you’re having this [00:13:00] problem, something special is coming. You’ve scheduled your session in your own planning calendar, and then you’ve sent out the email to your list saying, Hey, it’s scheduled now. Get on the list right now. You’re filling those seats. Meanwhile, while the seats are filling to your event, get your technology set up, practice it, and get it ready. And that was step number five.
[00:13:21] Step number six is to send reminders out to your list to make sure they fill up those seats. Just cuz people sign up doesn’t mean they show up. So we need to send reminders, send dms. You wanna blanket those people who have registered, letting them know, Hey, you got one of these exclusive seats to this really special whiteboard. Don’t lose it. Like don’t miss it. Don’t miss your seat. This is really, really special. Get them excited about it. Reiterate how exclusive it is and send them tons of reminders so we’re increasing the show up rate for your event.
[00:13:55] And then step number seven is to host this event. And now I’m gonna break it down [00:14:00] into six substeps under the Hosting Your Event. So this is why, if you’re taking notes as a great episode to take notes too. So as you’re hosting your event, I recommend you only do a one hour event, okay? So you’re gonna deliver a lot of value in a very, very short period of time. So you want people wanting more, all right? So in the steps to host your.
[00:14:23] Step number one is start by sharing like your philosophical genius, well rooted view on the problem that you are solving. So start by sharing. Here is a problem, here is why I know this is a problem. Here’s why I’m so well rooted in part of the solution to this problem. And load your view. Load your intro with case studies of how you’ve helped other people solve the problem that you’re helping this group of people whiteboard about. So you open it up, you position yourself as I’m aware of this problem, [00:15:00] I’m part of the solution to this problem. This is what other clients do that we have helped them work through this problem. And hey, now I’m here to work with you. So you’re fully positioning yourself as being completely aware. Being an expert in this space and having helped other people, and that’s how I want you to open up this strategy session, this whiteboard strategy session.
[00:15:22] Step number two is then you open the floor for others to share about their issue with whatever problem it is that you’re solving and why they’re still facing it. What is the problem? What is the struggle? Why are they still here? Why have they not moved forward? What are the other things they’ve. And if you’re a marketer right now in your brain, you’re realizing that these whiteboard sessions are super gold for doing, you know, figuring out what the problem is and doing market research as well.
[00:15:50] Okay, so later we can talk about transcribing this and turning the, the voices and the, the issues people are saying into marketing copy. But right now [00:16:00] you’re hearing your present in this event. And I want you to open up the floor to others to explain those things. This is my problem. This is why I’m still here. This is my frustration. This is what I’ve tried and open the floor to those people that you’re helping in this whiteboard session to share sharing quickly, because we wanna keep the session moving. We wanna keep it fresh. We wanna, we wanna keep everybody engaged and we really do wanna give them a chance to talk, or at least a chance to post into the chat, depending on how many people you’ve allowed in your session.
[00:16:29] And then step number three, you’re going to use your whiteboard to visually represent solutions. Demonstrating what people have said and documenting their comments. And collecting their frustrations. So part of your white boarding can be just writing down on the whiteboard, the words people are using, or a list of the problems, which by the way, you already know their problems.
[00:16:52] But writing down a list. So each time somebody says, oh, this is a problem. Oh, this is a problem. You can be starting to use your whiteboard, [00:17:00] enlist out all of those problem. So you’re gonna document the things that they are saying, and you’re gonna collect it all in this whiteboard session based on what they’re sharing with.
[00:17:11] And then step number four, you’re gonna summarize all of their pains collectively. And you’re gonna say, Hey, listen, I get it. This is what all you guys are saying. And so what we’ve done there in this whiteboard session is we’ve created community, we’ve created camaraderie amongst the people who’ve been there. They don’t feel like they’re alone anymore. They’re in a place where other people are experiencing the same pain. And guess what? You are the king or queen that leads them out of this.
[00:17:36] And so step number six is after you summarize their collective pains, then you start white boarding solutions for them. And this white boarding is gonna look totally different. It’s literally a sketch drawing of how you can take people from one place to one place, or maybe in your white boarding session based on your area of expertise, you can list out key words. Common solutions. [00:18:00] You’re literally going to whiteboard out and draw and draft solutions based on the collective communities problems in your event.
[00:18:09] And if you have time, depending on how many people showed up, I want you to pull a few specific people out and ask them if they would like to have their specific problem solved for them. Right there in detail in the whiteboarding session. And what that has just done is it’s helped this one person, but it’s also shown everybody else your skills and what an amazing coach that you are and how amazing the results you can get people in a very short period of.
[00:18:37] And then at the end of your session, you’re gonna restate why this problem exists and why it’s so hard for them to solve it on their own. And so what you’ve done in this session is you’ve positioned yourself as the perfect painkiller that leads them out of it, letting them know you fully understand what they’re dealing with, and sharing case studies of how you have to help the other clients.
[00:18:58] You’re gonna open the floor for them [00:19:00] to share their collective pains and problems, and then you’re gonna use your whiteboard to visual. Collectively gather together all of their pains and document their comments. The next step is you’re gonna use your whiteboards to start sketching out solutions collectively for the group sharing solutions and doing a short teaching.
[00:19:20] And then if you have time based on how many people show up, you can pick one or two people from your audience and you can actually go through their very hyper niche specific problem. And at the end of it, you’re gonna restate why the problem is big, why it exists, and you’re gonna position yourself as the solution for that which you’ve already done.
[00:19:40] At this point in time, you have already fully established yourself as being not only capable, but the perfect solution to their problem. And so how we end these whiteboard sessions is then you make an offer for your next step to work with. Whatever that looks like. You could use a whiteboard session [00:20:00] as a perfect conversion tool into one of your primary offers, one of your signature offers or your whiteboard session could put them into another funnel that warms them up for maybe a live virtual event, then warms them up to, um, maybe have them apply to work for you, work with you, maybe your program is application based and so it’s continuing to be exclusive to work with you. And so your live whiteboard session could perhaps position them just to apply to work with you or you can sell right into your program, whatever works for you.
[00:20:31] And that is how we use whiteboard sessions, and it’s very, very similar actually. It’s kind of how we use clubhouse rooms, but not as visual, and it doesn’t create such an exclusive community with your group of people that are there. Because when we do this in a whiteboard session, you can see people’s faces.
[00:20:49] You can really get to know them, and you can help them on the next level because you’re not only having a conversation with them, you are giving them the results right there that they can visually see, and they don’t have to. Just [00:21:00] envision. Whiteboard sessions are a powerful, powerful way to turn your list into buyers. Very faithful buyers. And I’m so surprised that more people don’t do them. We’ve been doing them for years and I’m so happy to teach you how to do it here on this show. An insider mastermind who work with our clients very closely to create their whiteboard sessions and really pick out the problem they’re solving in them and how to convert their leads into buyers.
[00:21:28] And so I want you to dive into this. Feel free to put this podcast on replay, share this podcast with your friends, and make sure you’re taking notes, because if you follow the steps that we’ve laid out here, you’ll have the same results that we have in our whiteboard sessions, and they’re hugely successful in order to help people build a closer relationship with us, which then in turn, of course, increase our sales because we’ve done a great job establishing you and establishing ourselves has the perfect solution to their problem.
[00:21:57] Which in the coaching and consulting space, that [00:22:00] is always our number one goal when it comes to marketing. So I hope you found this episode helpful. I feel like I’m losing my voice a little bit here at the end, and I’m so sorry about that. So hope my scratchy voice doesn’t get in the way of your understanding these steps, because I really would love for you to apply them in your business.
[00:22:18] And when you do tag me on, Instagram. Show me, say, Hey April, I am using this whiteboard session strategy. I’m so excited to do it. Here’s what’s happening. Tag me at April Beach Life because I always love seeing how you guys are applying the business training that we give you here on this show, and we’re here to make you more money and of course, help you build predictably the business and life of your dreams.
[00:22:41] Thank you so much for tuning in, sharing this show with your friends and being faithful Listeners here of the Sweet Life Entrepreneur and Business Podcast, again, all of the show notes can be found by visiting sweetlifeco.com and clicking on podcast and if you’re interested in applying to work with us.
[00:22:58] And have us roll [00:23:00] up our sleeves with you in your business and get very personalized business blueprinting, architecture, and engineering of your signature offers and your entire long-term business plan. You can find us at sweetlifeco.Com. That is our superpower, and that is what we love doing. Have a great day.
[00:23:18] I’ll talk to you next week.