“MY Mama! MY blankie! MY stuffy!”

My two year-old is shouting at the top of her lungs at her 8 year-old brother. She’s oblivious that it’s 5:30 in the morning – and that at the moment, he has no interest in any of these precious items – it’s all about her.

Unfortunately many of us heart-based entrepreneurs, coaches and healers who offer transformational destination retreats are just as unwittingly “me” focused in our businesses, even though our deepest intent is to be of service to our clients.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to review a client’s website only to find a statement like: “Welcome to Heartfelt Business! Maggie Sue is a Reiki Master, Massage Therapist & Energy Worker who has 14 years experience and has served hundreds of clients!”

Then I pop over to Maggie’s retreat page and it says: “Join me in Bali for 6 days and 5 nights of transformation and fun!”

Now imagine that you are Maggie’s client. Your heart has just been crushed. Or you are struggling with your weight. Maybe your finances are in disarray. You have real, serious and pressing problems. You want help.

And yet Maggie’s website is shouting “Me! Me! Me!” instead of asking “How can I help YOU?”

Ouch….

You might also be guilty of having an egocentric rather than client-centric business and website, it’s okay. You are not alone!

Fortunately we can turn your business around from being about “me” (the practitioner) to being about “you” (the client) with a few tweaks of your mindset and several action steps.

1. Solve a Problem, Don’t Advertise Your Modality

Every successful business is based on solving a pressing problem for their customers. This is called your promise. The more clearly you can articulate your promise – what problem you solve, the more profitable and transformative your business will be.

Got back pain? See a chiropractor.

Hungry for breakfast? Stop at a café.

Don’t know how to position, brand or market your retreat? You need a business coach and retreat strategist.

Many heart-based coaches and healers haven’t taken the time to become crystal clear on what makes you uniquely able to solve a practical pressing problem for your clients. I’m talking about the kind of problem that keeps people up at night. The one they worry about when sitting on their couch.

We haven’t identified and communicated their pain points or what tangible benefits are the result of working with us. Heck, we many not even want to point out that our clients have problems or some kind of pain in their life since we want everyone to be happy! And successful!!

We make the mistake of talking about our modalities – all the trainings and certifications that we’ve collected along the way. Of course we absolutely need all our education, expertise and experience to be of service for our clients. Yet we don’t need to lead with this information.

Your training is about “me.” The truth is most clients don’t really care HOW you solve their problem – they just want you to help them solve it. Imagine your knee surgeon telling you the name of each scalpel she’s planning to use on your operation. Most likely you don’t care which tool – you just want her to enable you to walk without limping anymore.

It’s the difference between saying, “I’m a business coach and shamanic healer.” (This is about “me”) versus “I launch heart-based entrepreneurs, coaches and healers who offer transformational destination retreats into profitable online businesses.” (This is about “you” and the problem I solve.)

When you communicate the problem you solve clearly, and a client finds you – they should feel relief. Finally! Someone who gets me, knows what I’m going through and can help me solve my problem. Hallelujah!

I can’t tell you how many of my clients sigh when, after listening to their challenges, I say, “So. You want to have the freedom to work from anywhere in the world. You are all about changing lives – and you want to make a greater impact than you already do, but you don’t know how to do that. Of course you want to make great money, but your website is a bit embarrassing, you’re fuzzy on your offerings and you’re constantly struggling to bring enough clients in. Plus, you’re tired of doing this alone. You’re ready to share your message in a bigger way and you want someone to tell you how to do it.”

Ah. Finally! Someone who can solve a real pressing problem in their life!

Action Step: What’s your promise? What real, pressing problem can you solve for your client? Use this on your website and when you introduce yourself!

2. Speak Normally

Picture yourself talking to your best girlfriend. Most likely you are talking a mile a minute, in a relaxed conversational tone, right?

Now go read your website or promotional material. Or imagine yourself sitting down at your computer to write copy for your website. Most likely you’ve shifted into more formal language. You’ve probably adopted spiritual speak, therapeutic speak, or healer speak. Talking “normally” just flew out the window.

As a healer, coach or therapist, we are trained to see the underlying issues that our clients struggle with. Perhaps they have entitlement or self-worth issues. Maybe they could benefit from the physiological and mental benefits of restorative yoga. Or their real issue might be that they haven’t connected to divinity or found their authentic self.

Yet how many of our clients tell their BFF that their real problem is that they haven’t connected to source lately? That the physiological benefits of yoga would make a huge difference in their life? Or that they are struggling to feel less entitled?

While as practitioners we may know that incredible, miraculous changes would happen in our clients’ lives if they tapped into their authentic power, we have to meet our clients where they are at and speak their language.

Every good relationship coach knows that someone who craves a passionate, intimate, romantic relationship really needs to start by loving and valuing themselves. Yet who wants to hear that you need to do some deep inner work on yourself before you are going to be in a healthy, fulfilling relationship?

But if you say, “Can’t wait to meet your soul mate? Tired of relationship after relationship not working out? Ready to meet the man or woman of your dreams?”

Now you’re talking – normally!

Action step: Review your website or trip page. Are you talking in the everyday language that your ideal client would use? When it comes to writing copy on your website or retreat webpage, don’t translate what your clients say into clinical or healer speak. Really listen to the words they use. Address their specific problems. Talk to them normally – the way you would to your girlfriend. Please!

3. Give Your Best Material Away – Consistently, for Free

How many times have you received an e-newsletter in your inbox that tells you all about a healer or coach’s next event or program and you haven’t heard from them in months?

Yep, another case of “all about me.”

Ouch again…

Of course as the healer or coach sending out the e-newsletter, we know our event or program is amazing and transformative. We are super excited about it and can’t wait to share it with our clients.

And yet when you send out newsletter after newsletter that only talks about your events, you are not truly being in service to your clients.

What about sending newsletters that have high-value content and info that solves your clients pressing problems month-after-month? You give first. You show that you care. You have expertise and wisdom to share.

You create an enticing freebie on your website – an ebook, audio or video, a report that gives the first steps to delivering on your promise. (No one is going to give you their email to “Join my newsletter for tips & the latest news!” these days.) You deliver a free webinar that is chock full of information and action steps.

Then… and only then do you make an offer to continue working with you. Because you have so much more to share and have established that you deserve to be paid for it.

Come from a place of abundance. Share your best material. Consistently and for free. Don’t worry about giving away for “nothing” because in order to truly implement your material and integrate it into their lives, of course your clients are going to want and need to work with you.

Be generous!

Action step: Do you have an enticing high-content freebie on your website? Are you sending out quality information at least once a month (if not weekly) and then occasionally sharing news on your events, program or retreat? Do you offer free teleclasses or webinars to build your list? If not, start now!

4. Write Your Story, Not Your Resume

For centuries, humans have gathered around the fire or snuggled up at bedtime to listen to stories. A good story hooks our attention, creates connection between the author or characters and the reader and can teach us a lesson.

Your bio should be a good story – not read like a resume. Your bio should help your clients get to know, like and trust you so they are more likely to buy from you (because what you are selling is going to deeply impact their life – right?)

When you tell your story – the challenges you’ve overcome, how you gained the hard-won wisdom in your life and you share yourself in an open, vulnerable (and yes still professional) way, then your clients instantly get that you know what you are talking about. You’ve been through the trenches and have come out the other side all-the-wiser.

Ultimately your bio isn’t even about “me” – it’s about “you,” your client. You are selecting stories that illustrate their problems and how you can solve them. It’s an opportunity to teach, to hint at the process you use, to show your clients that they are not alone and they too can make the change they want to see in their life.

Yes, you can sprinkle in references to your credentials in a conversational way. But no one is all that interested in how many letters you have after your name, how many hours you sat through a training or how many different modalities you have mastered.

Here’s a few examples of bios that tell a story & still establish credibility:

Mine: www.wanderlustentrepreneur.com/meghan-gilroy/
Cara Andershock’s: www.journeystothesacred.com/meet-cara
Sara Dochterman’s:www.getgutsygoddess.com/about-2/

Action step: Re-read your bio. Are you telling your story in a way that lets your clients know, like and trust you? Or does it read like a spruced up resume or CV? Rewrite your bio as a story.

Summing up: There are times when my toddler shifts out of being “all about ME!” and is quite helpful and sweet – she unpacks her and her brother’s lunchbox or rubs his back when he’s chilling on the couch. When she does, you just want to love her up and squeeze her.

Shifting from “me” to “you” in your business will have similar positive results.

As you make the changes I’ve recommended in your business so that it’s less ego-centric and more client-centric, you’ll attract more clients, foster deeper transformation and make more money.

Now that’s being of service!

To your wanderlust life,
Meghan Gilroy Co-Director @ Wanderlust Entrepreneur & Retreat Strategist & The Retreat Blueprint Program

Meghan launches heart-based entrepreneurs into profitable online businesses so you can travel the world, change lives and make a fabulous income. If you have website woes or can’t get your business bliss on, you can find her at meghan@wanderlustentrepreneur.com.