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Growing a Brand Organically – a conversation with marketer Jeanne Omlor
0 Playsin 8 hours
To maximise profits, you need to have a strategy that makes you stand out as an ideal supplier.
Jeanne Omlor is a solo parent at home, and a team player in business. Faced with the challenges of raising a child alone she searched for ways to make a secure income. Learning how to grow a brand organically opened opportunities for her to sell a service that helps her clients make lots of money.
In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds Jeanne describes how she realised that conventional ways of marketing were not working for her target market, coaches and business consultants.
Jeanne explains to host Michael Millward the organic approach that she developed for her own coaching business, which she eventually turned in to a business to support other coaches and consultants. A business that Jeanne structured around the Henry Ford approach to management of surrounding herself with experts and letting them get on with their work.
Their conversation covers
- How convention networking and referral programmes are not sustainable
- The new approach requires research into potential clients before reaching out to them
- How to create compelling messages that will create connections with great clients
- The content you need on your website to support your marketing activities
Discover more about Jeanne Omlor and Michael at Abeceder.co.uk
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Transcript
00:00:05
Speaker
Made on Zencastr. Because Zencastr is the all-in-one podcasting platform that makes every stage of the podcast production process, including editing and distribution, so easy.
Introduction to 'The Independent Minds'
00:00:18
Speaker
Hello and welcome to The Independent Minds, a series of conversations between Abbasida and people who think outside the box about how work works, with the aim of creating better workplace experiences for everyone.
00:00:34
Speaker
I'm your host, Michael Millward, Managing Director of Abusida. Today, my guest is Jean Enlors. That was good.
00:00:44
Speaker
Cool. Great. Who's going to
Jean Enlors: Building Brands and Sustainable Businesses
00:00:47
Speaker
be explaining how to build a brand organically without advertising. Jean is a business coach for coaches and consultants, helping them build their brands and create sustainable businesses.
00:01:02
Speaker
Jean is based in Florida in the United States. I have visited Florida. It was one of those ups and downs sorts of trips on all the roller coasters. But if I return, I will make my travel arrangements at the Ultimate Travel Club because that is where I get trade prices on trains, flights and hotels and all sorts of other travel related purchases.
00:01:25
Speaker
You can do the same by using the link in the description, which has a built in discount. As with every episode of The Independent Minds, we will not be telling you what to think, but we are hoping to make you think.
00:01:37
Speaker
Now that I have paid the rent, it is time to make an episode of The Independent Minds that will be well worth listening to, liking, downloading and subscribing to. And also probably good enough to share with your friends, family and work colleagues as well and say, hello, Jean.
00:01:55
Speaker
Hello, how are you? I am extremely well, thank you very much, and feeling quite envious that you are in Florida. Oh, well, you know you can always come and visit. I will, i will, I'll take you up on that, thank you very much.
00:02:08
Speaker
Let's sort out some dates. But before we do that, let's start this episode of the Independent Minds, please, with ah a bit of a description of what it is that you do, because you are the coach for coaches, which sounds like it might be quite challenging at times.
00:02:24
Speaker
Well, you know, life isn't worth it if it's not challenging at times. That's true. If we didn't have any challenges, we wouldn't grow in it. There would be no satisfaction or fulfillment. Said like a true coach.
00:02:35
Speaker
Right. ah
00:02:39
Speaker
How did you end up being the coach for coaches? Well, actually, I started off as a coach. i Actually, started off as a life coach, believe it or not. And about five minutes later into it, I became a business coach because we found out, me and my first business coach, that I am naturally gifted at helping people make money. Yeah.
00:03:00
Speaker
And she said, you know, you're a business coach. All of your clients have businesses and you've helped them all market, make money, build the businesses. And I said, that is very true. So then I was kind of like a life business coach and then I dropped the life part and I was a business coach. And then I got certified in executive leadership coaching. So i was a business and executive leadership team, stuff like that. Right before COVID actually, I was deep in debt.
Jean's Shift from Life Coaching to Business Coaching
00:03:26
Speaker
I'm a single solo parent, let's just say.
00:03:30
Speaker
the offline, you know, like meeting people, networking thing is not sustainable. I just thought I've got to figure out how to get clients online without doing the whole bro marketing thing.
00:03:43
Speaker
Or maybe I have to do the bro marketing thing. So I plonked down 10K on three different credit cards and I joined this program, which I knew wasn't going to be great, but it was better than not having any any insight. It got me online and I realized ads were not the way.
00:03:59
Speaker
And then I thought, what do I do? And I said, what am I going to do here? And they said, well, you've got to do organic. And I didn't know what that was then. And I said, what? Like carrots? And they said, no, Jeanne, not like carrots. And I said, what like? They said, did you know that you can get clients that online without running ads.
00:04:17
Speaker
And my head exploded at that point. that but That revelation changed everything. I said, really? you One can do that? They said, absolutely. I said, how do you do it? They said, go talk to people.
00:04:28
Speaker
That was my coaching, four words, go talk to people. and I thought, well, I'm good at talking to people and I've got to figure this out right now. So I threw myself at it and I just experimented and talked to people and I figured out...
00:04:40
Speaker
In eight weeks, how to get clients with no ads, high ticket. And then I just started getting a flood because people wanted to know how to do this without building funnels and ads and dealing with digital marketers and all of this. And
Achieving Million-Dollar Revenue in 17 Months
00:04:52
Speaker
I got my business to a million dollars in revenue in 17 months at 92% profit.
00:04:59
Speaker
Very good. On my own. I didn't have a team. I did have a little VA here and there helping. So that's what started. That was six years ago. The rest is history. Now we've worked with over 600 coaches and consultants.
00:05:14
Speaker
That's a lot of coaches and consultants, 600. Mm-hmm. What sort of clients is it that you're getting? Because one of the things I'm thinking is like, does this approach work for coaches and consultants who are looking to find another coach to have as their client, as you were? Or will it also work for a consultant or a coach who wants to find a big organization that will deliver them lots of work?
00:05:44
Speaker
Does it work for across the full spectrum of potential client sizes? o Okay. So first of all, you said, what kinds of clients do I get? Well, I get amazing clients because at this point I've decided I only want to work with high achievers.
00:06:02
Speaker
So we're very careful about who we work with. And then we have a model that works better than anything I've ever done. It works better than one-on-one and it works better than group. It's a hybrid. So we have a hybrid group one-on-one.
00:06:19
Speaker
model. And I have other coaches in my program because I'm very much of the mind that I'm not everything to everybody. So I've hired other expert coaches that are experts in specific areas like a mindset coach, like a heart-based sales coach. He happens to be British actually.
00:06:39
Speaker
And, ah you know, a content and copy coach that used to run Universal Studios video content department. So i'm I'm sort of like Henry Ford. I always remembered the Henry Ford model, which was just not the model T, but the model of business, which was surround yourself with experts.
00:06:55
Speaker
So I learned that early when I read about Henry Ford and I thought that is so smart. I'm going to do that. So that's what I've done. So we are much stronger because it's not just me. Yeah, that makes an awful lot of sense. And when I first became a manager many years ago, the chief executive of the organization asked me into his office and asked me to describe all the things that I'd been given as objectives. And he didn't tell me it was a Henry Ford quote. I have lasted all this time believing that he was full of wisdom. Because he said to me, you've got an awful lot on your plate. You'll never get it all done yourself. Find yourself some experts to help you and trust them.
00:07:35
Speaker
m Let them get on with it and trust them. Exactly. I thought that was really good advice. Very good advice. So you you found the right type of people, not just in the United States, but also in the United Kingdom as well, who are in a position to not just be knowledgeable, but the ability to share that knowledge with high achievers. who can be very demanding because they very often expect other people to be as high performers as they are. And they'll all have different needs from this type of activity. So are they going for know finding other people in situations or are they winning business with big organizations as a result of this?
00:08:22
Speaker
That depends. So we coach all sorts of coaches and consultants. So for instance, I have a very
Innovative Business Models and Lead Generation
00:08:28
Speaker
well known, he's very well known for this creating initiatives and he's consultant world known. So that is definitely for big business.
00:08:38
Speaker
Okay. So he's going to work with me because we want to double what he's making and we're going to change his model a bit to find lot, you know, find time, do a little bit of hiring and not do everything himself. And then do actual lead generation because he's been ah relying on on referrals. And when you're only relying on referrals, we know there's money on the table always in a business. A business that is just referrals, it's kind of broken because you can't scale people. And I know people say, oh, but you know i've been busy. However, you have no control over that. So you're actually at risk that they might just end and then you won't have any clients. So you always want to own your own racetrack in business. So you want to just always have the backup that you have control over your lead generation.
00:09:22
Speaker
Okay, so he has none of that. Does very well. Then we have all sorts of coaches. Sorry, did you want to ask a question about that? I was just sort of thinking that there are models that are designed around, you will just get your business from other people referring their clients to you. And it's always seemed like a strange model to me, but your business is based upon relationships, not just with your clients, but then also with the referrers. And the more people that you have in that that chain, the more relationships you have to manage. You could end up being very busy managing relationships rather than managing relationships with referrers who may not actually be referring business.
00:10:04
Speaker
Well, the thing is, um I don't network anymore. No, neither do I. At all. I only meet people that I want to meet anyway. So for instance, I'm in a very high level group and
From Networking to Meaningful Connections
00:10:19
Speaker
I joined it because I really wanted to learn more about AI and longevity.
00:10:23
Speaker
And I wanted to be around people. I wanted to have better conversations. And the level of people in this group, I thought, oh, that's going to fulfill that desire to, you know, it's not a marketing type place. I know a lot of marketers and I'm in, you know, in that, in that sort of milieu, right?
00:10:39
Speaker
And I thought, I really just want to not go somewhere where it's all about like people networking and try to sell each other. So that has been fantastic. So yes, I do go to that event once a year and I meet with my friends and I have great conversations and I learn a lot, but that is not networking.
00:10:56
Speaker
That is hanging out with cool people. yeah That's very different from networking. I don't, I feel that's just hanging out and connecting and meeting new people that are, that are great. yeahp Where you're left with the feeling that you're not the you're not the most intelligent person in the room.
00:11:11
Speaker
Oh, I love that i'm you know that. You just said something very interesting. I never want to feel that I am the most intelligent person in the room because that means that room's pretty dumb. Yes. I'm to be pretty dumb if Jean-Amlaur is the, you know. yeah Yeah. I share the same view. It's like if I'm feeling like I'm the most intelligent person in this room, it doesn't happen very often. We've a problem, Houston. I've got a problem. You've got a problem, Houston. I'm wasting my time if i if I'm ever in that situation. egg Please, heaven help me. Exactly. So that's the thing. um As far as networking and turning up, I used to do that years ago, and that is what I let go of. That is why I was so happy.
00:11:52
Speaker
to be online and not have to network. Now, have I done some networking online? Yes. I still do not like it. I'm i'm very bored because it's just a bunch bunch of people trying to sell to each other.
00:12:02
Speaker
um So I won't do that anymore. It's not a good, you know, I have networked and I guess I got a couple of clients here and there, but it's not my model anymore to, to,
00:12:13
Speaker
you know, do that, that kind of fishing, right? Yes, of course. If you're marketing, yes, you are fishing. Yes, you are. I mean, some people say, I don't want to chase. Well, that's just a negative word for the word marketing. there There's a lot of people that say, i don't want to chase. Well, yeah, I mean, none of us want to chase. If you're going to use that word interchangeably for marketing, that's just your mindset's off.
00:12:36
Speaker
Does sense? Yes. You can make anything sound negative, but the fact is you do need to do lead generation. If you're going to call that chasing, then don't be in business because you got to do some lead generation. So yeah, the networking i used to do, I stopped doing that, that was broken. And also I look at the yield from my time.
00:12:56
Speaker
Yes, if I go somewhere and I, whenever I do go to an event because I want to be at the event, I pick up clients. I'm not going to the event to pick up clients, but inevitably I will. Because then while I'm there, people say, what are you doing? And they go, wow, my goodness, I want to speak with you. So, but I would never go to an event to network for clients. Does that make sense? Yes, if I go to an event, it's because of the speaker that they've got or it's a location that I'm interested in going to.
00:13:22
Speaker
All sorts of various different things, but I'm more interested in talking about people's hobbies and things or the event that we've actually gone to and the speaker that we've heard at the event rather than talking about myself. Right.
00:13:35
Speaker
Right. You get a better relationship. But when you're talking about marketing and you're talking about, you use the word fishing and you help people build their brands without having to pay for advertising. And that when you use the word fish fishing, i was thinking, yeah, when you're fishing on the riverbank and you've got your rod in in the water, sometimes terms you'll take some of your bait and just sort of throw it onto the water to try and attract some fish to the area.
00:14:05
Speaker
you'd have no idea what is actually happening under the water and sometimes I think that advertising must be a bit like that you have no idea who is actually going to see your advert whether it's your competitors who will see your advert more than your customers will see your advert and so they they know what is going on and it's like When you talk about growing it or business organically and making it sustainable and using content, I'm sort of thinking like, okay, you're going to be quite specific, haven't you then, I suppose, in what you' what you're doing with that content. Right. Well, that's the thing. With
Importance of Targeted Marketing
00:14:45
Speaker
organic marketing, you're not doing that. It's not it's not random.
00:14:49
Speaker
Mm-hmm. It's that that's the problem with that kind of, um, advertising, um, is that you are just throwing this net out and hoping you catch some fish. And I don't like that analogy for, for marketing. So for the way we do organic marketing is you are first, you are looking at each person to see if that person might be a potential fit. Um,
00:15:12
Speaker
And only then do you reach out to them. So it's not random. so it's not just throwing mud at walls and hoping you're going or throwing a, you know, a net and seeing what you can trawl, right? Like the trawling nets. So that's, what's different is you are being very mindful of first doing your research to see if this person could be a potential fit and then reaching out.
00:15:35
Speaker
and personally and personably and starting a you know ah good conversation. And that's the difference. And that's what has worked for me and all my clients is starting these real conversations and not just chit chatting and saying, Hey, let's network because again, then we're stuck in the whole let's network scenario. Yes. You get the message on some of the ah platforms where somebody says, oh, well I've seen that we're quite close to one another geographically. I thought it'd be interesting to add you to my network. And then you say, okay. And then you never hear anything from them. Right.
00:16:10
Speaker
We're in the same business space. Why don't we network? And okay. And then you never hear anything from them. Right. Well, you know. Send out lots of invitations randomly. Right.
00:16:23
Speaker
Yeah. So, so that's how it works is you're, you're doing this and it's, um, it works. it It works because talking to people works and it will always work, but talking to people and saying, Hey, let's network. That doesn't work because they all know you want to get them as a client. So we don't teach those methods. We teach more transparent methods of that. They know that you're reaching out because they could possibly need your help. And if you're being targeted enough, they could possibly use, need your help and they will be in in the market.
00:16:56
Speaker
Yes. So reach out to someone almost, I suppose, when you have something to offer them, which may be useful to them because of what you've what they have already put onto their profile, I suppose, about about themselves and what they do. You'd offer
Organic Relationship Building
00:17:13
Speaker
them something, um information without expecting anything in return.
00:17:18
Speaker
Yeah. Build the relationship with them, be a friend. Yeah. Well, I mean, it's also not about like a long, I don't believe in a very long sales cycle. I don't, I don't believe in this day and age we need to do that long nurture sequence. Cause I find that when you do that, people actually disappear. Yes.
00:17:35
Speaker
They don't have the attention span to stay. So I feel like that's been our advantage to, you know, to,
00:17:48
Speaker
To help people quickly process. Like yesterday I got a client that we started a conversation on LinkedIn. She booked a 15 minute call and it went to like 20 minutes.
00:18:02
Speaker
And then she texted me and signed up. then I met her that same day, same exact day. So have to be ready to act quickly. Once you get the the sign that someone is interested, interested be ready to act quickly.
00:18:15
Speaker
Yeah. No, well, it's not, it's more that it's more that we created an environment where they're compelled to, you know, it's, it's about your content also has to be compelling. So they look at that and they go, wow. And of course I have millions or not millions. I have hundreds and hundreds of client results.
00:18:36
Speaker
Well, you went to seven figures in 17 months with your business by yourself. And that was by right adopting, learning and adopting this approach where you're building a relationship with someone exactly organically. Exactly.
00:18:51
Speaker
I suppose if you start with the approach to someone, they've got to have a reason to want to respond to your approach. And if they're anything like me, they will look at someone's profile on social media that you're doing on with it on, whichever platform it is, and make sure that there is something in the profile that seems relevant to me.
00:19:15
Speaker
You know, that you ask someone who's doing... yes and then another HR person, another or business owner, type of thing and they working in a particular type of role in the information that you put out there. So you'd be analyzing or investigating who the right people are to contact, making sure that they are um that that they do these sorts of things online. They could have a profile and then actually not do anything with it. So if you're sending messages off to them, they may not actually be logging in to really answer them.
00:19:51
Speaker
And then you're building from there um information about them, which then means that you can approach them in a meaningful way. Right. Yeah, that's sort of it. Okay. I'm learning. I'm learning.
00:20:05
Speaker
Yeah. You know, having a strong a profile that says what you do, there's not cryptic or bragging. It's just the profile has to say who you're helping with what.
00:20:15
Speaker
That's, that's what it has to say. And, and that's it. You know, who you're helping with what they say, oh, that's me. Yeah. And, um, you're off to the races. Right. When you say who you're helping, do you mean that you have to name the clients My markets, coaches and consultants. So I say I help coaches and consultants.
00:20:35
Speaker
you know Coaches and consultants hire me to you know maximize their profits and blah, blah, blah online. Basically, it's clear that we're going to help people get high ticket clients.
00:20:47
Speaker
That's what's clear by reading mine. So it's got to be not, oh, you know, I'm a this or these. these People use it as like a bragging tool. And literally, you know what? Nobody cares what they care about.
00:21:00
Speaker
is they care about whether this is going to work for them and whether you can help them or not. That's all people care about. Can you help me? That's all. Why is this important to me? yes Does that make sense? Yes, it does. Why is it important to me? so So it's like you have on your profile the information that says, I understand the issue that the person you have approached is likely to be looking at. Mm-hmm.
00:21:29
Speaker
But don't sort of be saying, I am fantastic at it. Yes. It's what you put on your own profile is blowing your own trumpet. It is better to get other people to blow your trumpet for you or blow their trumpet about you. So they do endorsements, so they do testimonials.
00:21:49
Speaker
They um do podcasts, webinars, articles about what it is that you have done so that people can see that there is information about you as an individual or your business yeah that is saying great things, but isn't actually coming from you.
00:22:07
Speaker
Yes,
Client Testimonials: Building Trust and Credibility
00:22:08
Speaker
there you have it. Once you start getting testimonials, obviously you want to put those in a very prominent place. Yes. And link to the link to the people that have provided them so they can be backed up. Right. It's about building trust, it isn't it, I suppose?
00:22:24
Speaker
Trust in what you do. Yeah. And you can do that. I have hundreds. So people just scroll and they see hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of videos, screenshots. It's kind of hard for people to find fault or or say something like, well, how do I know? Because there's hundreds. You can't fake that. The more you get the more you want to just create this document that there's overwhelming evidence that you do help other people.
00:22:48
Speaker
That again, I'm not talking, have you noticed I'm not talking about myself here? It's all about us helping other people. That's all people care about. Yes. I suppose in lots of ways, it's like, this is what I do. Here's the evidence that I know how to do it. Here are the people that I have helped.
00:23:05
Speaker
Exactly. Exactly. So you're almost taking people on a story from the claim to the to the evidence to the proof. Yes. When you talk about it like that, I suppose it all sounds really straightforward and simple.
00:23:17
Speaker
It is. Because you're an expert in it. But if you're starting out and you want to try and experiment with it, what is the biggest challenge that people face when they try to do this sort of thing?
00:23:31
Speaker
You
Overcoming Mindset Challenges for Newcomers
00:23:32
Speaker
know, there's so many challenges. The first one is just a mindset piece. There's just so much mind garbage that people feel like they have to sift through. It is really simple. Get rid of the mind garbage. You have something to offer. Get out there.
00:23:46
Speaker
We help create an offer with them immediately. We have people that have never coached before. We get on the first call. We figure out who the market is. We create ah you know an offer, a price, and we get you out there. We fast track all All of that stuff that usually people take years to get through.
00:24:06
Speaker
People get through there eventually by trial and error. But like Henry Ford, I suppose the best thing to do is to find yourself an expert and let them get on with it. Exactly. That's what I think.
00:24:19
Speaker
Of course, of course. And you've got the ah the evidence and the proof to support it. It's really very interesting. Really do appreciate your time, you know, Jean. So thank you for helping me make ah an interesting episode of The Independent Minds. Oh, you're so welcome.
00:24:36
Speaker
Thank you very much. I am Michael Millward, Managing Director Abucida, and I have been having a conversation with the independent mind Jean Omelor, the business coach for coaches and consultants.
Episode Conclusion and Additional Resources
00:24:52
Speaker
You can find more information about both of us at abucida.co.uk and about Jean Omelor at her website. There are links in the description. There is no point in being successful in business unless you are healthy enough to enjoy that success. That is why we recommend the health tests that are available from York Test, especially their annual health test.
00:25:14
Speaker
The annual health test from York Test provides an assessment of 39 different health markers, including cholesterol, diabetes, vitamin levels, organ function, and a full blood count.
00:25:24
Speaker
The annual health test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist who will complete a full blood draw at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests are carried out in a yeah UKAS accredited and CQC compliant laboratory.
00:25:40
Speaker
You can access your easy to understand results and guidance to help you make an effective lifestyle changes anytime by your secure personal wellness hub account. There is a link and a discount code in the description.
00:25:53
Speaker
I am sure you will have enjoyed this episode of the Independent Minds as much as Jean and I enjoyed making it. Please give it a like and download it so you can listen anytime, anywhere.
00:26:04
Speaker
To make sure you don't miss out on future episodes, please subscribe. Remember, the aim of all the podcasts produced by Abusida is not to tell you what to think, but we do hope to have made you think.
00:26:17
Speaker
Until the next episode of The Independent Minds, thank you for listening, and goodbye.