Selling Coaching and Courses with Melissa Bolton -

How does branding can play a role in helping creators sell smarter and better? After many years of running successful ventures and consulting dozens of other companies, Melissa Bolton had a intuition: to sell effectively it is essential to understand who you are as well as who your client is. Then it's simply a matter of aligning the message with both. Turns out she was right and her vast list of clients who have achieved success can confirm. She shares what designers should be aware of when it comes to branding and how she helped her coach and classes up a notch.

 By age 23 you were producing 7-figure sales. By 27, you had earned vice president status at the Fortune 500 financial company. Today you're a highly sought-out Brand Therapist - a specialty you've trademarked and made personal. We'd love to hear how your incredible adventure began and the most important lessons you've taken away so far.

I've never treated a customer as a prospective customer, or thought of them as a potential possibility. They are real people who have actual needs, objectives, and wants. The opportunity lies in how you help people. It's like this answer could be longer but in reality, this is it; treat people as you'd want to be treated, listen, and then help.

 Do you have an explanation of the role of a brand psychotherapist as well as your unique archetype-based method?

I've always been interested in behavioral science and psychology However, I've never wanted to be a traditional therapist. In my free time I would read up on psychological principles and patterns of behavior, especially in decision making. I began applying these ideas to my branding efforts and the outcome was absolutely amazing. As someone who believes in being unique, I'm big on creating 'titles' for your professional self. 'Brand Therapist' seemed perfect.

I created the brand archetype course in 2010. At the time, there was nothing like it available. People were using archetypes for branding purposes, however the course wasn't yet out there. The concept is to use the scientifically proven principles and apply them to purchasing behaviour. You can doubt behaviors, but patterns are hard to deny. Archetypes reveal patterns in behavior , and help you to cater your words as well as your style products to those who need these most.

 In your research, you realized that most entrepreneurs and creators did not succeed because they neglected branding and were focusing on marketing. What are some simple steps creators can take to develop an authentic brand image?

Well, you can't very well market something if you do not know who you are, what it is you're selling or who your best customers are, or the product you're truly selling. What I mean is that, in reality, we're not selling products or services. We're selling solutions; We're selling people a better version of their own. Understanding and being able to communicate the core of your company's brand and reflect it throughout all you do is essential to the success of every brand.

You provide a range of helpful, no-cost resources to potential customers, most notably your complimentary brand archetype quiz and study. How have these sources had on your business and how can creators integrate promotional offers into their marketing campaigns?

The test for free has made an enormous influence. It took me a long time to learn not only what to ask, but how to ask for the most accurate results. More than a million people took this test over the course of time. That's still mind-blowing for me. However, it's extremely informative and deep. I understand the allure. I'm happy to see it has been beneficial to many. It's helped me grow my list of mailing addresses and broaden offerings to my ideal clients as well.

You can create the freebies you want to distribute that match your personal style. As a Luminary (archetype) teacher, I like learning and sharing that knowledge. For me, taking a test is a good idea. The offer could look like another thing. It might be a design, a white paper, an ebook, or any other graphics or downloadable information. Be sure to get something in return, the most popular being the email address. They can always unsubscribe if the content doesn't suit them.

 Being someone who has several years of experience in consulting What suggestions would you provide to creators that might want to offer coaching services?

Oh I have lots of advice on this one:

• Don't give your time away for free. It's fine to have a free consultation to determine if you're a fit, but make sure you don't give away too much. It's best to have a handful of questions you'd like to inquire about prior to you make the phone call. Try to stick to the time limit. Make them curious and want to know more.
• Make boundaries, and stick to the rules. Everyone will try to get more. If someone is looking for or wants more then they will be willing to pay for your time. If not, they don't respect your time, and you ought to move on. It's that simple.
• I'm all about working only with your ideal clients. Be a good judge of your own. If you believe that a customer isn't a good fit the first time you speak with them, they most likely aren't. Never try to defend your pricing or convince them to cooperate with you. They are happy to collaborate together and will be eager to give up their money in exchange in exchange for their time.

 With regards to branding, what is the role social media have and what kinds of content are the most effective for you as an artist?

Social media is more a part of marketing more than branding. I personally prefer Pinterest to the other platforms. There's less chatter , and there's more focused. The people take time to curate and organize. It's highly intentional. I love that. Additionally, I am able to find out what other things people are saving. Those are unique features in comparison to Facebook as well as Instagram. I suggest going to a platform where you have the highest number of followers. Look at your website visitor statistics to find out which sources your visitors are coming from, and then spending your time and effort on these places.

 Which tools have been the most useful in creating and marketing your services?

One of the most useful tools is actually a feature rather than a tool.

Review reviews are extremely helpful for selling. Social proof is extremely valuable: People want to know the risks involved when they invest into an item. Hearing honest feedback from someone other then you (the seller) can be quite effective.

Additionally, I utilize coupons frequently for various reasons. Being able to personalize codes has been amazing. People love it whenever I create a personalized code using their names or business name. It's enjoyable, as well as it has a sense of professionalism to it.

I couldn't love 's 'Courses' feature more. It's one of my top online tools that makes it easy to create and develop courses. I've not even made use of all of the options, like quizzes or video and can't wait to get them. My courses were launched just last month and am already surrounded by satisfied students.

 What has been the most helpful way to advertise and sell your product online?

I sold digital downloads frequently through my site until GDPR came into force. Since I am a U.S.-based business, I found it frustrating and confusing and time consuming to try to navigate the recently adopted tax law, so I just paused selling downloads in total. After I discovered they dealt with all matters VAT taxes for myself. I was immediately intrigued. This has helped me sell thousands of dollars worth of digital items without losing rest over VAT concerns.

Also, the name has been growing in recognition and notoriety. Because the name is a source of confidencein buyers, they know they can buy without worry.