(00:00:00.363) AJ Riedel: Let me jump right in if it's okay with you.
(00:00:02.363) Edna Harding: yeah
(00:00:03.163) AJ Riedel: Go through the results of the assessment. So first, before we jump in, was there anything surprising? Not really, like I told you, I've...
(00:00:18.363) Edna Harding: I actually came from a marketing background, as well as I hired a marketing consultant a few years back. And so not really. I know what to do. It's a matter of doing it, if that makes sense. So it's like, I have all I have, like, what is essential. I mean, it's getting me by, meaning I'm handling what I can handle right now due to my limited time, if that makes sense. If I wanted to scale it quickly and fast, I absolutely can and could. I just don't have the bandwidth right now unless I hire other coaches under me, which is what I wanted to talk about in the future. Like, if I wanted to outsource some marketing work to you, how would that work in the future, right? So, yes, that's really where I'm at right now. So nothing, nothing too surprising. Could I do it better? Absolutely. But do I really want to? Not right now, just because I'm already at my bandwidth. If that makes sense. Does that make sense?
(00:01:27.463) AJ Riedel: Absolutely. Yes, it does. Yeah. And you nailed it. I think you did a great summary. You have the elements in place. Especially on your conversion, you're really good at that. Lead nurturing and lead generation could be better.
(00:01:49.163) Edna Harding: but
(00:01:49.463) AJ Riedel: That's true for everybody. But you've got some fabulous core strengths. Your conversion mastery. You've got the proven offers, which is important. You have a systematic approach, you're confident and you use discovery calls. So those are the kind of markers that I look for in the conversion program. And you've got an amazing conversion rate,
(00:02:13.463) Edna Harding: amazing
(00:02:14.863) AJ Riedel: conversion rates. So, kudos for that. You've also got strong. One of the things I look at with my clients is their foundation, and you've got a strong foundation. You know who your ideal client is, you have a deep understanding of their pain points probably better than they do, than they know them. You again, you've got that confidence in explaining what you do. You're uniquely positioned and you regularly collect testimonials and document case studies. So those are all the elements. The ideal, you know, your niche definition, how well do you understand your clients and your value proposition or propositioning? So you've got a really strong foundation and that effective value creation. So, you're providing and communicating ongoing value, and you have a systematic automated process again really good and you're getting high quality. So for the future, when you are ready, if and when you're ready to scale up, or to grow and you have the bandwidth for it. These are some of the areas that would be worthwhile. Looking at your lead generation is still it could be systematized more
(00:03:38.163) Edna Harding: and
(00:03:39.563) AJ Riedel: That's one of the most important things I work on with my clients, systematizing their lead generation systems so that it works when they're not working. It's always working for you. The pipeline could be fuller. You said it's how you answered and what you're doing in lead generation is maybe not getting you the biggest return on investment of time as it could. There may be other ways to generate leads that might be more effective. Your lead nurturing, where the gaps are here, you have a tracking system, but maybe it's not as automated as it could be because you said your records are not always complete or up-to-date. And that you're sometimes using generic methods like a newsletter or something like that. Maybe the relationship maintenance could go back to the one before that. I don't just do.
(00:04:46.723) Edna Harding: I don't just do newsletters. I don't know what I put. Maybe I was clicking a bunch of stuff. I actually have different... What did I put? Yeah, that would be helpful.
(00:04:58.923) AJ Riedel: Let's see. You said it's just... So, I don't know how. Oh, here it is. So, you have automated... You have good relationships, you share relevant insight.
(00:05:15.023) Edna Harding: Oh
(00:05:16.523) AJ Riedel: Here, moderately personally, I sometimes use personalized but often use generic approaches,
(00:05:21.223) Edna Harding: which is understandable. I mean, we all do.
(00:05:22.523) AJ Riedel: understandable. I mean, we all do
(00:05:25.823) Edna Harding: as far as like, what do you mean? Because I guess for me, when I, when I nurture people, it's not just like an email campaign, I actually do videos for them. Specifically, I do research on their on their, for example, if they have a company website, I do research on themselves or branding, as far as their personal brand and business brand, I do like a very personalized video, as far as like I use dubb. I don't know if heard of dub.com and basic, I record videos for them, on just one tip to help move the needle forward. So I wouldn't say, It's generic if that makes sense. It's it's actually very robust compared to my peers, who just like, for example, they just send a mass email to people and things like that, it's never like that. I always have my team, my assistant do research on the client before, even having a sales call like this. And the second thing is they have intake form. They have to complete prior to even meeting with me in person. So I do when I do have, there's a personalization aspect to it even prior to going on a call. So I wouldn't say it's generic, I would say it's a little bit better than that
(00:06:46.723) AJ Riedel: Sounds like it's way better than that. Yeah,
(00:06:49.523) Edna Harding: so.
(00:06:50.023) AJ Riedel: I guess you can actually disregard this, let's just take it right out. So, and then, you know, buying tuning. You could your value, you said that some prospects require additional explanation so maybe your value proposition could be fine-tuned a little bit. There may be room to make your positioning even more compelling. Maybe, maybe not but you know, but you've done all the basic stuff. So that's
(00:07:25.723) Edna Harding: for that. And just for that one, the one you just said, I don't know where it went. Sorry. The people that I notice who need help with value proposition are people who are broke, so if they don't have money, that's when they're like, well what they're very nickel and diming and asking more questions and those who are qualified and know the values. So, I would say, yeah, does it require additional explanation, but it's usually people who don't have the funds to pay for the services that are more cumbersome and having those conversations, you know, they want to go. What is this gonna like? It's very easy and then they never buy in the end. So I've cut my I've over the years, something for 10 years I've been able to narrow down and that's why. If you look at, for example, my offers in my website, there's four different offerings. If you notice the, the one to one, the training and development, the speaker is very short and sweet, but if you look at the group growth and mentoring, it's so long like people. Like that's so much stuff is because I pretty much answer every single question that I've had from those people who don't want to like 500 a month. For example, those are the ones that require additional explanations. So I just wanted to clarify what I mean by that one.
(00:08:47.523) AJ Riedel: Yep, yep, absolutely. So these really mean that the people that require additional explanation are actually not your target market.
(00:09:00.623) Edna Harding: Exactly.
(00:09:01.323) AJ Riedel: Because they can't afford you.
(00:09:02.923) Edna Harding: Yeah, basically, yeah.
(00:09:04.923) AJ Riedel: Yeah. But
(00:09:05.523) Edna Harding: then, but then that's like created a course. Like an online course, that's more affordable like 497 for those people who can't afford me so I could still add value to them if that makes sense.
(00:09:14.823) AJ Riedel: Yep, absolutely. So here are some recommendations that, you know, we haven't talked further, so they're just off the top of my head, but, you know, this is probably the best way. One is transferring, I mean, it sounds like just based on your sporadic podcast generation and into a predictable, consistent pipeline. It sounds like you're targeting people like you and me who are coaches and consultants. Your pipeline isn't as full as you'd like. Well, also the lead generation from your podcasts, systems I think it's called the Stigmatization Consultants Coach or something. What would I call myself?
(00:09:49.313) Edna Harding: Well, I've done it before. It's where the podcast is thriving and basically throughout I would go and do speaking engagements. Okay, yeah, so I have speaking engagements and then from there, I pivoted to more like versus speaking in person, I had online free masterclasses that I would do once every quarter and that generated a pop-in for me. But then also nowadays, people, that's like back then, now you have the self-paced ones where they just click on a thing and then watch the video on their own time. I also have books, I have journal planners, I have, of course, my LinkedIn, my social media TikTok, and all those things. And then, of course, I've done ads in the past. But to me, it's a dime a dozen, like a lot of what I found the most value for me, as far as generating consistently leads, is speaking. So when I speak at different events, like podcasts, for example, that's why I said yes to you, because I know that's getting exposure to people who don't have it. That's where I found the most in sync target clientele because I'm not working with everybody. In fact, if you've been to a presentation, I always say I'm not called to the many, I'm called to the few, which is kind of strange. I'm called to the few people. Because I rather work with a small group of people than the masses. The masses have access to my books, the free stuff. But the people I really want to work with are the ones that truly believe that God wants them to create a business, specifically, to serve God's people. And a lot of times, and I'm sorry, I just wanted to emphasize that this is why I know which is why I'm like okay I don't work with everybody. I want to work with a few and that's probably why it's kind of like backwards for marketing because the whole point is you want to work with a lot of people but for me I actually don't want to work with a lot of people. I want to work with a few people that will work with a lot of people. Does that make sense? Like I'd rather keep it small, intimate. And then have those small intimate people reach the millions. That make sense.
(00:12:13.613) AJ Riedel: Yes, yes. So you're, you're, it's your network that spreads out. Yes. A person here, they affect people, and that's how you spread.
(00:12:24.613) Edna Harding: Yes,
(00:12:25.113) AJ Riedel: Yes, yes, yes. Well, so the assessment, I think the results of the assessment at this point in time, because you're not speaking as much. That's why your lead generation is maybe not as effective, or you're not getting as many leads predictably.
(00:12:46.113) Edna Harding: But
(00:12:47.013) AJ Riedel: It's not a problem. It's a choice right now because you're not speaking.
(00:12:50.313) Edna Harding: Exactly. I haven't spoken. I think I have it really. I usually speak at conferences and events and, in fact, I've turned down invitations just because right now, my priorities are the children. I have a 5-year-old and a 4-year-old. My husband's military, he's always traveling. I have soccer, we have piano, we have all of these things, so I'd rather do my group. I have my 12 students and my online program, and I have four high-ticket clients right now. I'm fine with that, we're debt-free. Like I mentioned, people like myself who may not have, you know, the thing though I'm assuming is your, do you have your own framework or are you certified through something and you're using someone else's?
(00:14:32.093) AJ Riedel: I do. I pick bits and pieces, but it's my own unique program, and it picks up from all of my experiences as a self-employed consultant and in the last couple of years of launching a coaching business, which took so much longer than it did to launch my consulting practice way back when. Also, my training in mental fitness and, you know, sort of all that. But my program, I finally decided that I am not going to take short-term monthly clients because it takes six months.
(00:15:09.793) Edna Harding: Yep.
(00:15:11.193) AJ Riedel: You know, and usually, I typically work with clients who have not scored. You can kind of tell from the assessment. I look at people who don't have the foundation in place, who don't have lead generation. I mean, you know, you have a proven lead generation system, you're just not working it right now.
(00:15:34.793) Edna Harding: but it's people that
(00:15:36.393) AJ Riedel: that have weaknesses in lead generation, lead nurturing, and conversion.
(00:15:40.793) Edna Harding: that maybe haven't done the homework to develop that foundation.
(00:15:41.593) AJ Riedel: I take them through a six-month program, where what they end up with is a customized client acquisition process that they have tested and proven. So I'm not cramming a, you know, you have to do this. I'm saying, what have you done now? What's working? What do you like to do?
(00:16:06.693) Edna Harding: And then let's build on that.
(00:16:09.593) AJ Riedel: It's a combination of training, coaching, and accountability.
(00:16:13.193) Edna Harding: Yep.
(00:16:14.193) AJ Riedel: So it's those three things in the six-month program, we covered the foundation, and then the three pillars: Legion,
(00:16:22.093) Edna Harding: What is it? Is there a sweet spot for you? Where is your focus more on? Like, for example, have they already made six figures, or are you looking for people who don't have money at all? What does that mean? Good? Yeah, yes, yeah,
(00:16:37.993) AJ Riedel: People who are not making six figures yet. I mean, what I really look at, I guess the basic criteria is, are they in feast or famine? So do they have good months and bad months?
(00:16:47.993) Edna Harding: Yeah.
(00:16:48.493) AJ Riedel: Then have they cracked the 100K or the 120K ceiling because anything under that you can't make, you can't make a living, I mean comfortable, unless 120. So if they haven't cracked the 120K in revenue annually, those are the people I work with. Typically, they've been in business a couple of years, they do have revenue coming in, they can afford me because it is a higher ticket program. It's 6,000 dollars.
(00:17:21.493) Edna Harding: 6,000. Okay.
(00:17:22.693) AJ Riedel: Yeah, 6,000 for a six-month program, which actually isn't all that much.
(00:17:28.393) Edna Harding: No, not at all, that's actually pretty reasonable. But for people who don't have much, that's a lot.
(00:17:35.093) AJ Riedel: Yes,
(00:17:35.593) Edna Harding: I feel. Yeah, yeah, okay. So what I'll do then is, if I run into people that I can't take on and especially typically people who don't believe in God, believe it or not, if they don't want to incorporate biblical strategies in their business in marketing or sales, they're not my people. And not to be mean or anything, they just they're gonna be. They're gonna hate me. That's all I do. That's all I talk about, right? So I'll send them your way, especially because I'm very vocal. I'm very like, look, by the way, I'm gonna use a lot of scriptures, a lot of reference to Jesus, a lot of if this was not your cup of tea, I'm not the right person and I'll be able to forward them to you if I run into those folks.
(00:18:20.593) AJ Riedel: Terrific. Yes, I love that. I love that. And who should I be on the lookout for you?
(00:18:27.393) Edna Harding: I guess anybody who it's kind of hard because it's like one of those things like it's you just learn but specifically small businesses up to large corporations who want to incorporate wisdom from the Bible into their businesses. So not necessarily all Christians tend to do that because believe it or not, some Christians think it's we just
(00:18:52.693) AJ Riedel: or they say, you know, there's my spiritual life and then there's my business. Yeah, right? Yes. People that actually
(00:19:01.793) Edna Harding: Like you could tell from the conversation, you know, they keep mentioning God, they keep talking about, you know, you know, I'm struggling. I, you know, I especially oh, thank you whisper, especially if they've gone through like traumatic things, whether it's rape, abuse, domestic violence, bankruptcy like if because my program is called Battle to Booming Business Programs. So, it's people who've gone through traumatic, like, devastating situations, but still want to build the business that God put in their heart. Those are my people because I have, I have audiences like, that's my target audience, but then, they could also be successful business owners that want to incorporate biblical wisdom into their business. So, those are my two audiences: struggling folks and successful people. Struggling people who want to build, even though they're battling, and then, the successful people who want to start thinking legacy, want to start thinking eternal impact, want to start thinking like how to include God in my business. Those are my audience.
(00:20:15.193) AJ Riedel: Good. Okay, good, I will, if I, if one of those people comes into my awareness, I will be sure to pass them on.
(00:20:25.593) Edna Harding: Well, all right,
(00:20:28.593) AJ Riedel: thank you for your time today and I will send this report,
(00:20:33.693) Edna Harding: thank you. So you have it,
(00:20:35.593) AJ Riedel: and I really appreciate your taking the assessment and hope that, oh, I know I have a, I'm putting together a group.
(00:20:43.193) Edna Harding: Yeah,
(00:20:43.793) AJ Riedel: of Thriving is a thriving consultant community, but I'm starting out with the alumni of the podcast.
(00:20:50.793) Edna Harding: Yeah,
(00:20:51.893) AJ Riedel: as my sort of founding members, and it is going to be not just a networking group. There's going to be content, so I will talk about my wheelhouse of business development because that is kind of an ongoing issue for all of us. But there will also be plenty of opportunities to network and to get to know each other. Is that something you would be interested in?
(00:21:14.893) Edna Harding: Sure. Is it like a Facebook group or
(00:21:16.793) AJ Riedel: It is on? I use Kajabi as my platform community. So I'll send you the link for it if you sign up. It's very new. How it turns out will be very much up to the founding members.
(00:21:33.993) Edna Harding: I figure I'd co-create this with
(00:21:36.393) AJ Riedel: my podcast alumni.
(00:21:38.493) Edna Harding: Yeah, and then I also have just for you. I mean, I have people in my network who are not always Christians. I guess they just like it because I don't just bring biblical wisdom. I bring practical stuff into it. This is the online community. I have over 15,000 members in this. It's a global directory. There's a free listing where you could put your business if you wanted to, just so you could potentially target folks to join your community or even your podcast.
(00:22:17.493) AJ Riedel: Okay, cool. I will, I will get signed up.
(00:22:20.293) Edna Harding: Okay, thank you. Thank you.
(00:22:21.993) AJ Riedel: Wonderful. Are you in the US?
(00:22:25.793) Edna Harding: I am. I'm in Alabama. Okay. Alabama, I was gonna say have a good Labor Day, but then I thought, well, if you're not based in the US right now you don't celebrate it. I know you're here.
(00:22:40.793) AJ Riedel: Well, have a good Labor Day.
(00:22:41.693) Edna Harding: for that. The kids will be home.
(00:22:43.193) AJ Riedel: Yes, so they're in school now.
(00:22:46.693) Edna Harding: Yeah, they are. They are in preschool, and everyone's actually, she just turned six. So she's in first grade now.
(00:22:54.093) AJ Riedel: Cute. Okay, well, have a good weekend.
(00:22:56.193) Edna Harding: Well, thank you. You too. Take care.
(00:22:58.193) AJ Riedel: Bye.
