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Expat Women: Business Ideas: Interviews with Entrepreneurs

Business Ideas: Stephanie Ward

Firefly Coaching

Stephanie Ward


Stephanie Ward is an American citizen who lived in Tulsa, Houston, Dallas and Columbus before moving to the Netherlands in 1999. Her passion for helping people inspired her to start Firefly Coaching in April 2002, which aims to help small business owners grow their businesses into long-term sustainable enterprises... and have a great life at the same time.


Expat Women's Interview with Stephanie

Expat Women: Stephanie, more and more expat women are delving into coaching as a highly-mobile career option. Please share with us how someone can become an accredited coach?

Stephanie: I completed my coach training virtually at in the evenings at Coach Inc. while working full-time. It took me two years. There are many excellent coach training programs and I recommend choosing one that is accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF). The ICF provides a list of accredited programs on their website. Coach training can take place in person, virtually, or a combination of both.
Expat Women: When you opened Firefly Coaching in 2002, 'coaching' was not yet a widespread phenomenon. How did you successfully convince clients to try it?
 
Stephanie: The key to any service, whether or not it is something new, is to focus on the results that your service delivers. Most people do not really care what you call your service or for that matter what you call yourself. What your prospective clients are most interested in is that you understand their problem and that you can help them solve it. A great way to do this is to give away a free sample of what you offer so prospective clients can understand the value.
Expat Women: What are the most common small business marketing mistakes that you see?
 
Stephanie: A big problem for many small business owners is that they are mainly interested in delivering what their business offers, not marketing. Many people are apprehensive about marketing or underestimate the amount of time and attention that needs to be devoted to it. It has been said that you are actually not in the business of providing what your business offers, but rather you are in the business of marketing your business.

Once you accept the importance of your role as the marketer of your business, you need to get very clear about what you offer and exactly who you want to market to. Trying to market to everyone is a mistake that many business owners make. It is a waste of time and money and even worse, it's not effective. Marketing to a specific niche makes your business extremely attractive and positions you as the expert.The main obstacle business owners face when deciding on choosing a niche is that they are afraid they will miss out on business. But as long as the niche you select has enough prospective clients, there is nothing to worry about.

Another big mistake small business owners make is not marketing consistently. Mediocre marketing that is done consistently is far more effective than sporadic actions.

And finally, do not make the mistake of not measuring your marketing. It does not sound exciting but it is essential to analyze your marketing efforts so you know what works and what does not.

The great news is that it is possible to market your business in a way that feels great for you. Once you have decided on your marketing strategies, created a marketing plan, and set up systems to support your plan, it is actually not that hard. In fact if can even be fun, no kidding.
Expat Women: What is your marketing advice to start-up entrepreneurs on a low budget?
 
Stephanie:
1.
Be very clear about what problem your business solves and for whom you solve it. Find the courage to select a niche and focus on it. This will keep your marketing budget focused and allow you to grow faster. You can always expand what you offer once you have created a successful business from your current offering.
   
2.
Offer something for free that is valuable to your prospective ideal clients. It could be a special report, audio tips, or a consultation. Make this offer on your website, on the back of your business cards, in your e-mail signature, and in person. In exchange for this free gift, ask for the person's e-mail address so you can continue to stay in touch. It is vital to build a list of people who are interested in what your business offers. I recommend you automate the entire process using a service like AWeber or Constant Contact.
   
3.
Select two or three marketing strategies that feel authentic for you, create a plan, and do them consistently. I outline eight marketing strategies to choose from in my free special report that is available on my website.
   
4.
Asking for referrals is a highly effective marketing strategy, especially for someone on a tight budget. You do not want to waste money on marketing activities that do not work so be sure to measure the effectiveness of each of your marketing strategies.
   
5.
Clearly communicate the offer you are selling and speak in terms of the results that your clients will experience. Focus on the value you deliver and not on the process or 'how' you deliver it.
   
6.
Follow up and follow through. I know this one seems like a no-brainer but you would be surprised at how many times business owners miss opportunities because they fail to do this. Be sure to thank people who support you and help you along the way. It is an inexpensive way to stay in touch and build relationships.
Expat Women: You have self-published No Sweat Networking: Simple Solutions to Overcome Networking Obstacles and more recently, 100 Things to Be Before You Die. How difficult is it to self-publish and what advice would you give other women who have toyed with the idea?
 
Stephanie: My advice for women who want to write a book is to stop toying and start writing. If you think you have got a book in you, and most people do, then make the decision to do it and begin. If you are a business owner, writing a book is a fabulous way to build credibility in the market and position yourself as an expert.

Self-publishing is a great option, I used Lulu to publish my book. If you would like some support getting your book started and published I can highly recommend the services of Jo Parfitt. She is an expat who has written 26 books and is an absolute expert.
Expat Women: Finally, we have to ask... what took you from the United States to The Netherlands in 1999 and what has kept you there these last ten years?
 
Stephanie: I moved here to be with my Dutch love and we are still together and extremely happy. He has always been immensely supportive of my business, which makes it that much more fun.
 
Expat Women: Stephanie, thank you very much for your valuable time and insights. We wish your coaching business all the very best.
 
 
Firefly Coaching specializes in business strategy and marketing for business owners who want to create a profitable business for the long term. Stephanie will show you how to make sure you have a business model that works for your unique business and create a marketing plan that fits you like a glove - allowing you to attract all the clients you can handle!
 
 
Links
 
Click Here to grab your free copy of Stephanie's informative and practical special report, "7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time".
 
 
September 2009
 
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