the most fun newsletter in a while

Mar 28

Written By Stefanie Small

Always Find Your Camera!

It's school fundraising season and this past week I had the amazing pleasure of sitting with this gorgeous human, artist Wendy Ackrell.
It tickled me deeply that mid-selfie she asked, “oh, where's the camera?” and without missing a beat I pointed it out and on we went.
(She sent me this live pic later that captured the moment and I had to share with you. Always find your camera!)

Could you use more clients?

It's what we're all hustling for.

So how do we do it??

There's no button on LinkedIn
No secret in an Ebook.
No IG Reel with a pithy answer at the end of the scroll

That's because it's not a trivial question!

How we attract more clients - the right clients, the ones that make us excited to do our work and pay us accordingly - requires honest internal searching as if you were looking to seriously date someone.

The parable of early aughts dating

I met my husband online in 2002, when the internet was dial up and Match.com was so new they let women join free.

As I wrote my very first dating profile - my heart exhausted from recent disappointments - I figured “what do I have to lose?” And so I spewed all my dating baggage and expectations out to the world.

I learned what love is from early MGM musicals like “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”, so I've pretty much expected that at some point an enormous, strapping baritone would sweep in when I least expected it and literally save me from an avalanche or something while I metaphorically saved him from himself. 🙄 (I know.)

But, prior to this, I hadn't actually ever taken stock of what I brought to the table in a relationship. The profile questions made me consider all the good, bad, ugly, virtuous, and surprising things about me.

I listed all the ways I thought I would be an effective and dynamic partner…or maybe be a huge pain in the butt depending on their perspective.

I'm sure my language and style repelled many…but it attracted the right one. (23 years later, here we are!)

So when you ask yourself, “How do I find clients?”, take the time to fill out your own profile honestly. (If you only want to work with strapping baritones…say so!)

Clearly state what you want and identify who you serve, then name what you bring to the table that meets their needs.

Trying to be all things to all people will only frustrate you.

Sure you'll repel some potential clients, but you'll attract the right ones.

Book a Call With Me Now!

A delightful testimonial from JaJa Lang, M.A., LEP.

Let's Gather Your Testimonials!

How do you figure out what your special sauce is?

Whether for your professional or personal online profile, stating what you bring to the table can be hard to figure out. Here's how to go about it.

1. What do you want them to hire you for?You start by assessing all the things you're great at (e.g. what do you have degrees in? gotten awards for?), and then weed out the things that may be in your skills set but you don't want to do. It's YOUR business after all…you don't have to do anything you don't want to! Example: if you can sew, does that mean you want to make quilts or dresses? Quilts? Great! Talk it up!

2. Who do you want to hire you? I am quite clear on my love languages, and my choices in working with clients are no different. Are they respectful? Are they decisive? Does the company align with my values? These are just examples of questions you might ask yourself, of course. But the point is to draw in your clients with intentionality and not out of desperation. (Could have used that advice while dating, too, right?)

3. Ask your friends and colleagues for feedback. In the testimonial above, JaJa identified the thing that was most of value to her in our working relationship - the narrowing down of protocols and wants that my custom intake forms guide people through. Now I know that's part of my special sauce!

Book a Consultation With Me Now