This story is part of Bplans’ “How I Did It” series—true stories of real businesses getting started, solving problems and finding success. Read the previous story here.
Cailen Ascher at CALM biz:
“In the beginning, instead of focusing on sales, I focused on establishing myself as a niche expert—I created a free weekly newsletter, I hosted free webinars and I also wrote for industry publications (and all of these practices I continue with to this day). I knew that before people would buy from me, they would have to know, like and trust me, so I concentrated on adding value and showcasing my expertise.
“My first customer came to me thanks to the some free content I had posted on a LinkedIn group we were both part of. After realizing the quality of the information I was giving away, they purchased nearly $1,000 of one-on-one coaching!
“I think one of the most important things for any business that’s just starting out is to act like a professional, whether you’ve made any sales or not! That’s something I always emphasize with anyone I work with—if you want to be seen as an expert in your field, you have to act, think and speak like one. No one ‘anoints’ you as an expert—you earn that title by consistently showing up and providing valuable content to your audience. And when you consistently provide great content, people start to find you and ask if they can work with or buy from you!”
Cailen Ascher, founder of CALM biz, is a marketing expert and yoga teacher who shares empowering business practices with yoga teachers to help them transform their teaching “hobby” into a fun, fulfilling, and sustainable career.
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