Marketing Consulting

If you are new to marketing or are not sure to start, you may find our podcast, How To Stop Throwing Away Money on Marketing That Doesn’t Work By Creating a Marketing Plan helpful.

Imagine having your own personal MBA executive to guide you through all the tough challenges of marketing a small business without paying the high salary costs. That's what Morningstar gives you with our one-on-one monthly marketing coaching and consulting services.

These sessions are for individuals who already have a marketing system in place but may need guidance to make it more efficient, stay on track, and measure results. The weekly 50 minute phone conversations focus on making your marketing, sales, and follow up processes more efficient. They are ideal for people looking for situational, objective marketing help.

Common topics include:

• creating client-focused, education based marketing strategies
• making your marketing message more attractive to your target audience
• creating better offers in your promotions
• generating more leads from your website
• blogging for business
• expanding into a new market
• obtaining more referrals
• improving your e-newsletter's open and click-through rates
• improving your follow up system with prospects
• clarifying the value of your services to your target audience
• ways to cross promote your firm's services
• getting commitments from prospects and overcoming objections
• measuring return on your marketing investment

Client Testimonial

Krista's patience can only be surpassed by her expertise & willingness to help! Krista is someone I'd proudly recommend-she steers you in the right direction, helps you focus on your goals, has a breadth of knowledge in the intricacies of eCommerce & internet marketing & is a warm, understanding listener, support & guide! Krista is a great resource as I enter the world of online marketing. She's boosted my income and I'm confident that she'll do the same for you!
- Marcia Merrill, Solo-entrepreneur, www.eCareerCorner.com

Program Secifics

We offer 3 one-hour phone sessions delivered over a period of 30 days. All calls are recorded so you clients can re-listen to the calls for added benefit. Coaching participants will also have access to their coach via email during normal business hours, through postal mail, and through Morningstar's company extranet. Ideally, we prefer to work with clients for at least 3 months, but clients will start to see initial results after the first few sessions.

What Types of Marketing Results Can You Expect?

Many of our clients are initially skeptical about marketing, so here are some results you can expect from our marketing coaching programs.

1. You will learn what works and what doesn't. The most common questions we're asked are "how should I market my services?" or "what marketing tools are most effective for my business?" The answer is that it depends - there aren't any magic pills that work every time, all the time. However, you will learn the marketing systems other professionals just like you are using.
   
   
2. You will attract clients easier. Good marketing brings in clients. In our sessions, you'll learn what to write about and what to say to attract the clients you want to do business with.
   
   
3. You will start generating more referrals. Not only does good marketing attract clients, but it brings in referrals as well. You'll learn the best ways to ask for referrals to attract clients who are good fits for your services.
   
   
4. You will generate more income. It almost goes without saying, but if you bring in more clients and get more referrals, you'll bring in more income. That means you'll feel more secure knowing you don't have to worry where your next client will come from.
   
   
5. You will learn better time management skills. A common question I'm asked is "why don't I ever seem to get anything done?" In our sessions, you'll learn to schedule time for your work activities and still have personal time to spend with family and friends.
   
   

Who Will Benefit From Marketing Consulting?

The best candidates for coaching are ready to devote time, commitment and a willingness to learn and grow. These candidates:

1. Allocate time weekly to improving their business. In addition to regularly scheduled weekly phone sessions, your coach may give you reading materials or worksheets to get you thinking strategically about your business. You can expect to spend at least 2-3 hours a week thinking about improving your business.
   
   
2. Think of their coach as a partner. You should think of your coach as your business partner. You should feel comfortable being honest with your coach in all situations, including sharing successes, admitting problem areas and concerns, and letting your coach know immediately if something is not working with the client/coach relationship.
   
   
3. Are willing to look at things from new perspectives - Coaching is about learning new ways to handle daily routines, so candidates should be willing to try new ideas.
   
   
4. Realize that coaching is a long term investment. Coaching works in incremental steps over time, so it may take 3-6 months to see significant results.
   
   
5. Take responsibility for the coaching results. You'll get the most out of coaching if you regularly commit to regular calls, completing the assignments, and applying these new techniques to your business.
   
   
6. Realize that coaching is not a form of therapy. It is not remedial in nature. It is a structured process that helps individuals reach beyond their current limits and achieve even more than they would on their own. Your business can only grow if you build upon your strengths and manage your limitations, which means you must be brutally honest with yourself, your goals, and your expectations.