Business Marketing Consultant

8 Killer Ways to Leave Less Money

on the Table

Experts|EmpiresYou’re a Leader. Be a Legend.

Experts|Empires 2011 ©

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Meet Brook.

Brook Kreder is the Founder of Experts|Empires, a fast growing society of corporate warriors and entrepreneurs turning their visions in to impressive empires. Through on-site strategy sessions, 1-on-1 executive coaching, life-changing retreats and a 12 week Empire|Blueprint Program, Experts|Empires helps clients boost their sales, create an irresistible brand and build a knockout business.

For over 12 years, Brook has worked with clients to amp up their U Factor (wow factor), roll over fear and deploy results driven marketing plans. Her results speak for themselves...clients often far-surpass their marketing and fiscal goals. Brook also has the uncanny ability to hone in on a client’s greatest asset and find fast and simple ways for them to make more money, have more freedom and build a legendary brand.

According to Brook, everyone has the capacity to be a legend…the only thing stopping them is fear. The good news is *action* cures fear. “When we commit to scaring the hell out of ourselves daily, even in a small way, we inevitably move from being a leader to living life as a legend. We become more authentic, step in to our power and claim the success and freedom that is rightfully ours.”

www.ExpertsandEmpires.com

"Got the kick in the pants I needed today from an old friend and amazing BEYOND amazing coach, Brook Kreder! Thank you so much for your belief and honesty!!! Look out world – it’s global domination time!!!"

Christa Peppard Sutton


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8 Killer Ways to Leave Less Money on the Table

Do you know you are leaving money on the table but you’re not sure what to do about it?

Maybe you’ve tried different sales strategies and the newest marketing tactics, only to be disappointed in the lack of results? You’ve done seemingly everything, and nothing seems to be impacting that ROI, leaving you frustrated and at a loss.

You are not alone.

Millions of other business owners just like you are exhausted. They’ve been running around blindly in circles, distracted and overwhelmed by all of their to-dos and they’re still not making the money (or having the success) they know they deserve.

I’ve worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs who are desperate, overwhelmed, anxious and unsure. They hire coaches, take classes, spend time researching next steps online, get angry, get sad, and give up. They go fetal in a corner at the thought of trying just one more thing because they have tried everything and nothing has had any kind of lasting impact.

It’s time to stop that cycle, together.

This free report includes 8 Killer Ways to Leave Less Money on the Table. Yep, eight real, actionable strategies to start adding dollars to your bottom line on the cheap. Because you’re a brilliant business owner, some of these you already know, some of them will be new to you. Test one, or test them all. Take what you can use and keep the rest for when you need a fresh start or a new idea.

1. Package Your Products or Services.

Your ideal customers (we will call them your peeps) want value. More than a discount, they want a smokin’ hot offer that includes all of the tools, steps, how-tos and support they need to have what they want. Your peeps want to know what’s in it for them and it’s not just your job to tell them, but to give it to them in a way that is easy to digest, apply or buy. They want to be taken care of so take care of them!

You are leaving money on the table if you are trading dollars for hours and you’re stopping the flow of money into your business by not finding a way to turn a one time customer into a long-term client.

Let’s look at Peter, for example:

Peter owns a photography studio in Minneapolis. He offers several services including weddings, senior portraits and family pictures. The majority of his peeps are one-time sales because they only get married once (hopefully) and their kid(s) only graduate from high school once. Peter has to work hard to get each individual client, only to have the relationship end when the sale is over. He doesn’t have a way to expand his relationship with his peeps and provide more long-lasting value.


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Peter sits down and thinks about what his peeps want. He’s “in the field” with them every day so he knows their concerns, questions, fears and wants. He knows from experience his wedding clients (brides and their mothers) want to be pampered and feel special. Using those concerns and wants, Peter decides to create a package that addresses them, while stacking his service with value.

He starts by adding new services – a “finding the perfect dress” photo package that gives his brides a record of the time before the big day, and his studio extra business.

He also puts together a how-to guide with tips for guaranteeing spectacular photos the day of the event that he offers on his website and in his in-person consultations, alleviating some brides’ fears of doing something to affect the final wedding album.

He then adds limousine services to and from his studio for engagement photos and the post-wedding shoot. (Note: the post-wedding shoot is new too; this gives the bride and groom a photo for their Christmas cards celebrating their first Christmas).

Because Peter knows he is one of the first businesses to discover a couple is getting married (they call to schedule their engagement photos), he partners with a salon, caterer, baker, and dress shop and creates an affiliate marketing program that allows him to make money by referring the happy couple to his power partners, which also makes life easier for prospective brides, since his all-in-one packages give them direction for all the other wedding details that bride is juggling. Everybody wins -- Peter gets longer-term customers and lots of word of mouth from his partners, his partners win from the extra referrals, and most importantly, the brides win, by having all of those millions of details and choices covered with one phone call -- to Peter.

Do you see how this works? Peter went from just a wedding photographer to a value-added service provider that gives brides an entire experience. Weddings are emotional and people are willing to spend more money when their heart is involved. Knowing this, Peter became instrumental to the event and expanded the relationship with his customer from one day to several months, for a premium price.

He was leaving money on the table but by thinking about what his peeps wanted he was able to sell less, make more and provide an outstanding service.

ACTION STEP: Think about your product or service. How can you package that, either within your organization or with partnerships? Come up with several ideas today.

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“…people are willing to spend more money when their heart is involved.”


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2) _________________________________________________________________________________

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2. Diversify.

It’s easy to hit a financial plateau in your business. You can either find yourself within an easy comfort zone, or you may think you’re just too darn busy to go out and drum up new business.

Combat that plateau and grow some new revenue quickly by adding a product or service that compliments your existing offering. It gives you the chance to pull more money from your current clients and attract new peeps with something different. Since it’s much easier to tap into a peep who has already spent money with you than it is to go after someone altogether new, you can easily build new revenue streams without the time it takes to go out and forage for new clients.

For example:

Let’s say you run an architectural firm that provides all the basic services. You have a great business, a decent client-base, and give great service with what you do. Yet, you’ve reached a financial lull in your business and you’re not sure how to get more clients.

It’s time to think differently, and look at diversifying those services. You could:

1) Start offering space planning (or design, marketing, fund-raising assistance, etc.) to existing clients;

2) Put together and sell a product that teaches others to do what you do (on a much smaller, home use scale); or

3) Find a product line you can get behind and use to grow your business (become a furniture or carpet vendor, or partner with one on a joint-venture level, maybe with a co-branded label or for referring customers back and forth).

Diversifying allows you to sell more to your existing clients and lessens the burden of finding new customers, while keeping your name in your paying clients’ minds. You build your brand and your reach...all in one.

ACTION STEP: Where, in your existing business, can you diversify your offerings to add even more value to your customer’s experience with you? What steps do you need to take to get that started?


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Two areas you can diversify:

1) _________________________________________________________________________________

2) _________________________________________________________________________________

Action steps to get started:

1) _________________________________________________________________________________

2) _________________________________________________________________________________

3) _________________________________________________________________________________

3. Be the Expert You Are.

The very best way to distinguish yourself from your competition and improve your market share is to build your authority. Volumes could be written (and have been) about how to position yourself as an expert in your field(s), but there are some simple ways you can increase your authority while not adding too much to your already-burdened to-do list. Try a few of these:

1. Create a video series and post it to YouTube showing/teaching people what you do. YouTube is second only to Google for searches. Your videos should be educational or informational in nature, and show your potential customers exactly what your business is about and why you are the service provider who would be the perfect choice to give it to them. It doesn’t need to be technically perfect, but do make sure that the information you’re providing is helpful, useful, or actionable for your viewers.

2. Start writing articles and posting them on websites like www.submityourarticle.com or www.ezinearticles.com. These can be posted to your own blogs, as well, providing double-duty for your content and adding to your authoritative clout. If you know of well-known blogs in your industry, offer the articles (or new ones) to them as guest posts, as well. The key is to get your name out there as someone who knows his/her subject matter and is willing to share that knowledge. (Not a writer? See #4.)

3. Book speaking gigs (or have someone book them for you). Create a personal media kit and send it to local or relevant media letting them know you’re available for interviews. Blog, and mention your availability in a sidebar or your “about me” post.

4. Join online forums and share your knowledge. Most forums have restrictions on self-promotion (either rules-based restrictions or social restrictions -- avoid being seen as a spammer or just “that guy” who constantly promotes without providing any relevant discussion or you’ll do more harm than good.) By answering other people’s questions, you show how much you know, rather than telling how much you know...and your authority grows.

The fact is, if you really know your stuff, you’re doing a disservice to the world by not sharing it. Chances are, you know more about your industry than the vast majority of the world outside that industry, and by sharing that stuff, you can pretty quickly position yourself as the person to go to when a problem arises with which you can help.

“…distinguish yourself from your competition…build your authority.”


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Your visibility and credibility -- both important in most decision-making processes -- are impacted in a big and positive way when you establish your authority.

ACTION STEP: Pick one of the above-mentioned possible ways to build your authority, and try it today, right now. Search for some new forums in your industry while you’re at it, and observe the culture of each. How can you get in there and really start positioning yourself as the expert you are, today?

To build my authority today, I will:

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4. Leverage Your Content.

Many business owners struggle with “what should I say?” Even people who know their customer bases intimately can draw a blank -- it’s not just you.

Choose your soap box (or message) you want to communicate on a daily, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis. Then, to make it easier on yourself, identify your customers’ pain points, or the places where they most often have problems within that soap box content. Speak to those pain points, solve the problems, give light at the end of the tunnel -- and you’ve got an irresistible body of content that people won’t fail to read.

Expand the content under each message and use it across multiple platforms. Your platforms may include an e-zine, social media posts, your blog, online articles, a letter to your clients, a free training call, a white paper, whatever creative thing you can come up with. Having one message work across many forms of media will help you leverage your time. Don’t be afraid to re purpose content for different niches, too, if your business serves more than one.

If it’s the writing that scares you, services like elance.com, odesk.com, and contentauthority.com can give you fairly cost-effective writing on the subject of your choice in almost no time. While most of the resulting content still needs a little “tweaking” to fit what you had in mind, it can be a time and sanity saver if you’re simply drawing a blank for a starting point, or if you need a quick-and-dirty article to put up across several article sites. Writing it yourself may be best, but in a pinch, call in an expert.

ACTION STEP: Make a list of ten different “pain points” that your customer may have that your product or service could solve. For each of those pain points, come up with several aspects that you could write an article or blog post about that would solve, highlight, or help alleviate the pain for your customers. Then write one. Yes, today.

Pain Point _________________________________________________________________________________

Solution ___________________________________________________________________________________

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Pain Point _________________________________________________________________________________

Solution ___________________________________________________________________________________

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Pain Point _________________________________________________________________________________

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Pain Point _________________________________________________________________________________

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Pain Point _________________________________________________________________________________

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Pain Point _________________________________________________________________________________

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Pain Point _________________________________________________________________________________

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Pain Point _________________________________________________________________________________

Solution ___________________________________________________________________________________

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Pain Point _________________________________________________________________________________

Solution ___________________________________________________________________________________

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Pain Point _________________________________________________________________________________

Solution ___________________________________________________________________________________

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5. Do it Scared.

This is one of the most powerful tools available to you...action. Business owners who refuse to get out of their own way and into the flow of money, abundance, recognition, and success leave huge sums of money on the table. Doing it scared means being willing to take action even if it feels yucky or, worse, hard.

Here’s the deal: Action cures fear every time.

Pick up the phone and call a potential peep. Connect with power partners on LinkedIn. Do that radio show call in. Whatever it might be, take your cue from Nike and just do it! There is nothing more empowering than showing up on the other side of fear, no matter what the result. And considering that every time you stand up to fear, you build new “muscles” that help you face the next challenge head-on? It’s the single best thing you can do on a regular basis to springboard yourself straight to the top of the heap.

Show up. Take a deep breath. And do it scared.

ACTION STEP: Pick one thing that you’ve been putting off because it gives you that knot in your stomach full of butterflies. Then make the call, put in the connect request, answer the email or make the decision. Just do it.

I want ____________________________________________________________________________________ ,

but I am afraid _____________________________________________________________________________ .


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Action you can take NOW to overcome this fear: __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Mine Your Customer List.

Are you always working on your website, making last minute changes that you hope will help? How about trolling Facebook? Do you know more about your Twitter friends’ lives than you do your own?

Let’s give these activities a rest and start working on building you a list of peeps.

Look at how are you capturing your customers’ contact information. Do you have a system in place that pulls them to your business, gives them what they need and leaves them begging for more? If you don’t, it’s time to start collecting that information and delivering your message, right now.

It’s been said that you can make a million dollars out of a list with just 1000 people, depending on your business model and your price-points. While no one can guarantee that kind of success, think about it: what if you did 10% of that?

Work tirelessly at building your audience so you have people to serve. Once your list is built there are many, many creative ways to talk to your peeps that will leave them eager to buy from you.

ACTION STEP: Look at how you’re capturing customer information. Do you even have a mailing list set up? If not, start today. Pick a mail provider (like Constant Contact or Mad Mimi) and put the sign-up form on your website. If you have one already, look at how you’re using it. Are you just sending sales messages, or are you providing value? Look at how you can engage those peeps instead of just talking at them, and send a new message today.

Who is your mail provider? ___________________________________________________________________

What types of messages can you send to provide value and engage your peeps? (Hint: These can also be the solutions you identified earlier when exploring your peep’s pain point)

1) _________________________________________________________________________________

2) _________________________________________________________________________________

3) _________________________________________________________________________________

7. Teach Others to Do What You Do.

Continuing education is a multi-billion dollar industry. Everyone on the planet is buying self help books for every thing imaginable. We’ve already established that you know things...valuable things...so it’s high time to start tapping into that education market to get your own piece of that highly-lucrative pie.


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This doesn’t have to mean teaching an in-person class (although it might, if you are so inclined.). It can also mean teaching a teleseminar or webinar, creating a DVD series, a workbook, checklists, how-tos -- anything that leaves your peeps with more knowledge than they had before your teaching.

People love to learn and they are willing to part with their hard earned dollars to do so. What can you teach the world that is valuable and that they are willing to pay for? Once you have decided to teach, think about what products you can develop to support your message, your brand, and your business.

ACTION STEP: Sit down with a notebook and a pen and think for a minute about all of the things you know about your business or industry. What do you know right now that most people don’t know? Make a long list, and pick one or two to develop into potential classes or learning opportunities to your visitors, peeps, and potential customers.

Three things you know that most people don’t:

1) _________________________________________________________________________________

2) _________________________________________________________________________________

3) _________________________________________________________________________________

How could you turn these into classes or learning opportunities?

1) _________________________________________________________________________________

2) _________________________________________________________________________________

3) _________________________________________________________________________________

8. Double Your Price.

If your peeps are buying on price alone then you’ve positioned yourself as a commodity. This is a losing game. There will always be someone out there willing to do what you do for less money than you’re willing to take. Always.

Whatever price point you’re at today, or whatever you think you are worth…*drum roll please*….double it. That’s right. I said double it.

And that’s just a starting point.

If you’re trying to expand your business it’s time you start operating from a place where people are willing to pay good money for your time, energy or product. You need to be charging what you deserve for the value that you’re giving.

“…you need to be charging what you deserve for the value that you're giving.”


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You may lose some peeps initially (if you do, they weren’t your peeps anyway) but you’ll make just as much or more money working with people who find that value in what you provide.

*Side note: this is where that gnome inside your head is going to rear its ugly face and say, “who are you to charge more? Your time, energy, heart, know-how aren’t worth that much! You have to work 100 hours a week to make that much! You can’t do that!” If this is you, go back to number 6 where we talk about doing it scared. The operative here is do it. The gnomes don’t stand a chance against your consistent action.

ACTION STEP: Need I even say it? Look those gnomes straight in the eye, and double your price. Right now. Today. This second. Your game just changed. Sorry, gnomes.

BONUS Lucky # 9

Take the Leap.

Making decisions and taking consistent action over time is what leads to positive results in your business. The big question after you learn something new is ALWAYS how to apply everything you’ve learned (and actually take action). This is where most business owners wonder, can I do this on my own? What happens if I don’t know the answer? Who will grab my hand, pull me out of my own stink and show me the way? Who will hold me accountable so that by this time next year, I barely recognize myself or my business because I have grown so much? (You do know this is possible, right?)

Well here’s the thing. This same thing used to happen to me. I’d get all of the information (like what was outlined in this e-book) and inspiration. Then I’d try to figure out how to make it all happen (overnight of course). In a short amount of time I’d start to feel isolated, frustrated and sometimes even silly. Once in a while I did manage to implement a few new things in my business but the results were always SLOWER than I anticipated.

Now, you can probably guess how much I believe in having a mentor during the empire building process, but I’ve learned some important things about how to do it right. For one thing, you’ve gotta have some skin in the game and invest in yourself. Once I took the leap and experienced a high-level of coaching (yes, even now, I’m in a coaching program), I began to see OUTRAGEOUS results, wildly increased income, and a level of accountability like I never knew existed.

So, I’d like to share with you the high-level coaching programs I offer so you can massively increase your income, hone in on your unique position, and build your business. My 1-on-1 coaching programs are by invitation only and are for business owners who are serious about taking clear action in the coming year and doing what it really takes to blow the doors off their income in the next 12-24 months.

"Brook Kreder is pure energy. Her creativity inspires and brings the best out of others. She lives at the intersection of innovation AND results. She is brilliant at creating strategic plans and identifying the steps to get there…once you work with her, you (or your organization) will never be the same!"

Mary Colfack, GM, Holiday Inn Express


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I can only accept a few people so they get the level of support and the results they deserve. I only allow people who are truly ready to play a HUGE game, who are ready for a high-level of support and who will unquestionably commit to doing the work. That’s the only way I can help my clients ramp up their business quickly and significantly.

If you know deep in your heart you were born to be a LEGEND and you’re questioning whether you can do it all on your own or you are serious about amping up your business and income this year please e-mail me at [email protected]. I want you to have what you want and I will give you the tools to build it. I can’t do the work for you. I can mentor and guide, but you have to show up for yourself, make decisions and take action. Take the Leap. Do it scared. Turn up the volume and be prepared to shine.

Be a LEGEND!

Brook Kreder, FounderExperts|Empires

ACTION STEP: Visit www.ExpertsandEmpires.com, click on programs and download the 1-on-1 coaching application. There is no obligation. Once we receive your application, I will contact you to set up a FREE “Get Acquainted” call. It's 30 minutes for us to chat and see if we’re a good match. At that point, I will review my programs with you so we can determine which one would be the very best fit for where you are in your business today. You will know within 7 days if you've been accepted into a program.

Picture Yourself in Your New Business

Flying out of bed each morning overflowing with enthusiasm and excitement to start your day.

Committed to imperfect, rapid action and making decisions with clarity.

Losing your biggest client and immediately connecting with a better one (this can and does happen!)

Staying calm in the face of fear and taking action to cure it.

Pulling customers to you with ease instead of fighting constantly to push a sale.

Creating products and services that your customers want and are not just willing to but clamoring to pay a high price for.

Doubling your prices and then doubling them again!

Ruthlessly pursuing your zone of brilliance daily with ample time to work on your business instead of in your business.

Sharing your expertise with the world and your peeps are begging you to do so.


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It’s a pretty picture, isn’t it?

Now, you just need to take action, but you may also be wondering where to start. After all, there are only so many hours in a day and you’ve tried everything with less than desirable results. Not to mention, all this information can be overwhelming at first.

And since that’s the way you feel, I have the perfect solution…

Your final (and arguably most important) ACTION STEP: Join Me.

If you have a fanatic desire to take action, increase your income, attract more peeps and make more money, join not just me, but an entire community of like-minded leaders, entrepreneurs and visionaries that’s building right now – all committed to creating wealth from the inside out. You’ll have all of the information; tools and support that you need to develop and maintain a healthy, thriving business, and leave less money on the table.

Experts|Empires offers 1-on-1 Executive Coaching (with Brook), 1 or 2 Day Strategy Sessions, Double Your Business in 90 Days Retreats and Empire|Blueprint, a 12-week group program that teaches guerilla tactics to boost your sales, create an irresistible brand and build a knockout business.

Stop leaving money on the table.

Click your mouse on over to www.ExpertsandEmpires.com to get all the information about how you can be a part of this community and start kicking your dreams into high-gear.

"There are, when it all boils down, two kinds of people in this world: people who talk about getting things done, and people who actually do those things. Brook Kreder is one of the few people I’ve ever worked with who can not only see with exceptional clarity what needs to be done, but knows exactly how to get you there. She walks the walk, and makes sure you do, too."

E. Metz, Founder, Hometown Girl