010-Bridget Richard-Engaging the World Where They're At

Journey of the Entrepreneur

Episode 10 : Engaging the World Where They’re At

Bridget Richard’s background is in Social Services. After giving birth to her first child, she knew she wanted to do something more, but wasn’t sure what that would be. After doing her research, she found a need in her field; caring for the mental and emotional health of teens.

As she transitioned into private practice, she learned that engaging the world where they are at is key to bringing them along the pathway to becoming a client. As a result, her practice rapidly expanded 3-4 times and today, she has two filled locations with 10 therapists.

Come learn to apply these useful tips in order to “engage the world where they are at” so you, too, can build your audience along your own unique journey.

Do Your Research:

• Google the topics of interest in your area.
• Find a gap to fill.
• Get on the phone and call business which most closely resemble what you’d like to do.
• Check out their websites, customer experience, etc., to see what is available and what you can improve upon.

Local Marketing and Searchability:

• Find online advertising forums relating to your field and get connected.
• • Bridget connected to Psychology Today, which is a reputable forum in her field.
• Local search engines offer free listings so go and claim them.
• • Examples include Bing & yahoo. Bridget found 20 in her area, claimed them all and updated pictures, contact info and links.
  • Chamber of commerce also gave her a website.
• Build a website.
• • Wordpress, Wix etc. Just do something. Get started.
  • Link each platform together and use twitter, pinterest, blogs etc, to boost your searchability.
  • Update regularly to stay fresh and relevant.
  • 70% of Bridget’s business comes from search engines.
• Connect to local schools and offer to speak to the students on applicable topics.
• Talk to relevant businesses (in her case, doctors offices) to let them know there’s a face to your name and that you provides legitimate and valuable services.

Do the Hustle:

• “Say yes, tell the world, then figure it out.”
• • Don’t be afraid to do the work.
  • Don’t wait until you have it “all figured out” either.
• Go with what you think is possible and what you really are going to do.
• • If you think you ‘should’ do a website, but it’s too technical and you know you won’t do it, start with a “drag and drop” site like Wix instead of a more technical type of website; or have someone build one for you.
• You can do all the research in the world, but you won’t truly understand what it takes to run website, search optimization, etc until you go and do it.
• • You’ll learn as you go.
• Set goals.
• • Without a goals, urgency, etc, we all procrastinate.
  • Track your progress and evaluate.
• Get outside of your comfort zone.
• • Unless you feel anxious you’re not doing it right.
  • When we move toward change, we start to feel anxious.
  • When we feel anxiety we think “that’s anxiety. It’s bad. I need to stop,” but instead frame it as “that’s anticipation. It means things are building and I need to go.”
  • 1. Pushing through is the difference between success and failure.

Meet Them Where They Are:

• Network, Hustle and find your target demo.
• Remember what the customer journey looks like so you can connect with people where they are and meet those needs.
• • Bridget knew her target demo would be in crisis so she put together a clean, simple website which allowed users to access relevant info quickly.
  • 1. Her website provided services listed in 3 simple tabs.
    2. Knowing her target demo created a unique customer journey which had been lacking in other websites in her field.
• Website must look bigger than you are.
• • Perception is huge in the decision making process.

When the Going Gets Tough:

• Bridget’s journey felt like trying to ride a wild horse.. . . she didn’t feel like she was in control, but as she moved forward, she discovered why things worked and didn’t work.
• To move past doubt and feel more in control, do something proactive.
• • Anytime she has a bad day she asks herself, “What can i do for my business today?”
• Remember, it takes time to build that customer journey, to hustle and to connect.
• • Ready fire aim!
  • Throw it up, tell the world then go do it.
• Keep your purpose front and center and push through it.
• • If you have the purpose you’ll have the fortitude.

Final Thoughts From Bridget

• Remind yourself, “The only thing holding me back is me.”
• Other’s opinions and judgments don’t matter, what matters is “if you believe it and dream it, you can do it!”

Connect With Bridget

• The Influential Parent Facebook Page: Facebook Lives Wednesdays at 2 PM (EST)
• [e-mail]
• The Influential Parent Website