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Back in the ‘80s Tavares sang a song called, “It Only Takes a Minute, Girl.”   (I’m dating myself here, but somebody’s gotta do it.)

Accustomed as we are to the speed and convenience of the Web, that seems to be the theme song for the vast majority of entrepreneurs these days when it comes to acquiring new clients.  

Fast food, high speed internet, purchase decisions - We want it all to happen right now, in a minute.

When clients come to me for help with their Irresistible Free Taste (you know, the freebie I keep telling you to have on your website so you can collect visitors’ contact information), I always ask them what their top two goals are for the project.

Invariably I hear some version of “I want them to download the article (or audio) and then hire me.”

As Master Po told Caine in the 1970s TV series Kung Fu (my goodness, there she goes with the ancient history again!), “Patience, Grasshopper.”

I’d like to share a bit of wisdom with you today - Remember that leads often aren’t “sales ready” right at that moment.  

That’s why we call them “potential” clients.

Your job at this point is to be welcoming, helpful, and patient.   You need to create a sense of rapport so they feel connected to you.   To do that it’s important to be both curious (about their situation and the challenges they’re facing) and informative (about how they can solve those problems, possibly with your help).

The other unpleasant aspect of wanting clients to hire us right now is that it often springs from a sense of lack.   The resulting anxiety is not especially attractive.   Clients can smell desperation a mile away – and they tend to steer clear of it.

If you stop expecting that one exposure to your brilliance is going to turn every prospect into a raving (and paying) fan, you’ll take the pressure off both of you.   Embrace the mantra, “Everything in its own good time.”

In my experience, education is the foundation of quality marketing.   And most learning happens over time, not in one sitting.   Don’t worry that you’ll run out of things to share.   You have a lot to offer.   And they have a lot to learn!

You don't need a big budget, but you do need to be willing to learn as much as you can about your clients and your field of expertise.   And you need a desire to share what you've learned with others.