We launched our firm in ’99 and the initial goal with our small team was – make enough money to not have to work for the corporate house. By 2004, we were in full swing with corporate projects and 1-1 executive coaching engagements – many who were trying to a) land a new job or b) start a new venture.
Out of these engagements, we invested in developing career transition certifications, executive development certifications, and a full entrepreneurial 101 program from idea to launch.
These programs yielded a dramatic reduction in client acquisition time and dollars, we believe, because we had ARTICULATED OUR VALUE and had the testimonials of prior clients who gained that value. Put x-amount of dollars & y-time in, get a,b,c value. And, our client value over time rose in revenue, reduced acquisition, a 90%+ repeat engagement rate, and an increase in referrals. We offered two program types – a small number of sessions/3mo engagement at a higher rate or a year engagement at a reduced rate. Regardless, our client value soared in 2005.
By 2010, the financial markets were clenching. People had a tough time succeeding with job transitions and launching new ventures. Our programs were the same, but the fast successes our clients realized were not. We did (2) things. 1) Expanded our network and social media presence to support our client’s career and venture funding goals and 2) rolled out our Personal Branding (vv. Fast Company’s “The Brand Called You”) programs to support our client’s networking on and offline.
Now, our clients are succeeding again! This turned into great referrals and repeat engagements at the rate we were seeing in 2005. We yearly review our client engagements, compare with prior years, and actively identify the social (on and offline) programs we will roll out in the coming year.