Six-Figure Secrets of Fractional Experts

Crafting Killer Proposals for Fractional Expert Clients This episode of Six Figure Secrets for Fractional Experts dives into the art of crafting proposals that land you high-paying clients. Bradley Jacobs, the host and founder of Mylance, a community and lead generation platform for fractional experts, shares his insights on how to structure a winning proposal. The key takeaways focus on creating a strong introduction, actively listening to client needs, and presenting clear deliverables and pricing. Start Strong: Don't underestimate the power of a good introduction. Briefly remind the client of your expertise and accomplishments. This jogs their memory and reinforces why you're the perfect fit for their needs. Listening in Action: Demonstrate that you were truly listening during the initial call by incorporating the client's goals and challenges throughout the proposal. Mirroring their own words personalizes the proposal and shows a deep understanding of their specific situation. Tangible Deliverables: Avoid generic jargon when outlining what you'll deliver. Instead, use clear and specific language that allows the client to visualize the project's outcome. This eliminates any confusion and builds trust. The episode also tackles the often-dreaded topic of pricing. Ideally, budget is discussed during the initial call. However, if that conversation doesn't happen, prioritize finalizing the project scope first. You can then address pricing in a follow-up call. Bradley suggests aiming high on pricing. Go in with a rate 30-40% above your minimum. An initial "no" might simply indicate you haven't maximized your earning potential. Negotiation becomes easier when you start from a higher point. The episode concludes with a crucial reminder: follow-up is essential! Don't be afraid to send multiple reminders after submitting the proposal. Persistence is key to securing the client and starting your successful collaboration. Want to learn more? Check out Mylance's free community for fractional experts: https://www.mylance.co/site/community Check out Bradley’s initial pitch deck that earned him a 25k/mo client: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1PjwxNXvg5mjZ4rW8h6baGJ5an8rjreYpp6OhxVHZiKA/edit#slide=id.g42af2ca2be_0_0 Connect with Bradley Jacobs on LinkedIn for daily content and industry support. 00:00 Intro 00:31 Crafting a Killer Proposal 01:35 The four proposal sections 07:02 Discussing Budget 12:03 Sending the proposal 13:59 Wrapping Up

Crafting Outreach Notes that Convert In this episode, Bradley Jacobs, founder and CEO of Mylance, dives into the art of crafting outreach notes that resonate with your ideal client and land you calls. Why outreach notes matter: Every consulting project starts with a call. You need messaging that resonates with your target client to get them on the phone. Deconstructing a winning outreach note: Bradley analyzes a stellar outreach note he received on LinkedIn, highlighting its key strengths: Conversational and concise: Short, clear, and avoids clichés or jargon. Targets a specific pain point: Asks a question that directly addresses the recipient's struggle (being a busy founder managing marketing). Highlights unique value proposition: Clearly explains how the sender solves the pain point (surgical marketing efforts leveraging existing resources). Focuses on the client first: Prioritizes the recipient's needs before introducing the sender. Clear call to action: Encourages a response (open to connecting sometime). Tailored to an ideal customer profile (ICP): Targets early-stage founders without a marketing lead. Steps to crafting your own winning note: Define your ideal customer profile (ICP): Who is your perfect client? Be specific (e.g., CEO of B2B SaaS company with 10-50 employees). Identify their pain point: What challenges does your ICP face? Understand their emotions. Articulate your unique value proposition: How do you alleviate their pain point? Be clear and concise (avoid consultant speak). Crafting your outreach note: Start with a pleasantry: Acknowledge the connection (e.g., Thanks for connecting). Ask a question about their pain point: Engage them and show you understand their struggles. Introduce yourself and your ICP focus: Briefly explain who you are and who you typically help. Articulate your unique value proposition: Explain how you solve their pain point in clear, layman's terms. End with a clear call to action: Ask a question or suggest a short call (15 minutes). Tips for success: A/B test call to action approaches: See what works best for your audience (starting a conversation vs. direct call). Non-perfectionist attitude: Focus on getting started, feedback helps refine your message. Get feedback: Mylance community offers a platform for peer review. Track and analyze results: Monitor response rates and refine your messaging based on data. 00:00 Intro 00:25 Writing an Outreach note 04:59 Writing an Outreach Note 09:59 Outreach Template 12:06 Wrapping Up

This episode of the Six Figure Secrets for Fractional Experts podcast offers tips on how to convert introductory calls with potential clients into paying engagements. Host and founder of Mylance, Bradley Jacobs, details different strategies to make sales calls feel more natural, and how to turn them into successful business relationships. Instead of forceful pitches, this episode discusses strategies to focus on client needs through insightful questioning and active listening (encouraging the client to do 75-80% of the talking). By building trust and rapport through techniques like mirroring and labeling, you can effectively qualify leads and determine if there's a perfect fit for your services. Even if it's not a perfect match, requesting for two introductions can fill your plate with enough inbounds to last a lifetime. The episode also tackles setting boundaries for free consultations and crafting compelling proposals that leverage the client's own language for maximum impact. Lastly, Bradley shares tips for crafting a killer proposal using mirrored language. If you found this episode valuable, visit Mylance.co where you can find tons of free resources such as: a community of like-minded entrepreneurs and fractional executives, rates databases, contract and proposal templates, and more. 00:00 Intro 00:20 Converting Calls to Clients 2:45 Keep verbal pitch concise 3:38 What questions to ask 7:22 Tactics to get people to feel good and talk about themselves 9:28 Transistioning to a formal arrangement 12:03 How to handle a client that asks for too much information 13:54 How to craft a proposal 14:46 Outro

Discover how job postings can be a goldmine of potential clients for fractional executives. In this episode, Mylance founder Bradley Jacobs reveals his strategy for turning full-time role offers into lucrative consulting gigs. Learn how to leverage your expertise to tap into this underutilized lead source. Job postings signal a company's immediate problems and their willingness to invest in solutions – making them ideal targets for fractional experts. Rather than focusing solely on the job description, approach companies with tailored solutions that address specific pain points. Learn how to identify needs, personalize outreach, follow up strategically, and craft compelling conversations with potential clients. Mylance streamlines this process with monthly curated leads and a supportive community to help build your fractional business. 00:00 Intro 00:23 Finding Clients is Hard 02:55 Bradley shares his experience turning a job posting into a client 05:27 Hiring a full-time position is a big bet 07:24 Job descriptions have the key information you need to sell 08:52 The most important point to include in your pitch 09:58 Follow-ups are crucial 12:21 Legitimize yourself without hard-selling 14:03 Outro

On this week's episode Bradley shares his experience of turning a $5,000 budget into a $20,000 project and subsequently closing a retainer, emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries and valuing one's expertise. Bradley discusses techniques for negotiating higher rates and securing long-term partnerships, with a focus on delivering value beyond the client's initial scope. We delve further into strategies for managing scope creep in project-based work. Bradley emphasizes the significance of integrity in business, particularly the ability to say no to projects that do not align with one's value or expertise, and the long-term benefits of attracting clients who appreciate and compensate for true value. Mylance offers a free vetted community for fractional experts, including resources, templates, networking opportunities, and a lead generation product to help fill pipelines and find new clients. Learn more at Mylance.co 00:00 Intro 01:01 Project details 04:37 Showing You're the Best Person for the Job 07:32 Scope change 09:14 Asking Additional Questions 11:49 The Moral of the Story

Follow Lisa's empowering journey as a thriving entrepreneur as she shares insights on launching a consulting agency. Discover how to combat imposter syndrome, promote yourself on LinkedIn, and craft engaging content. Gain wisdom on marketing, pitching value to clients, and knowing when to decline projects. Don't miss this episode packed with practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. 0:00 Lisa's journey to starting a consulting agency 6:34 How are you finding mom's looking for work?, 7:59 How big is your team? 8:57 How to build your consulting business into a job that replaces your W2 income 12:38 What was the most effective growth strategy for you? 14:40 How did you overcome imposter syndrome? 18:25 What would you say to someone who doesn't like to self-promote on LinkedIn? 21:59 What do you actually post on LinkedIn these days? 25:00 Where did you learn so much about marketing? 26:28 How do you pitch your value add to a client? 32:04 When is it good to turn down a client? 36:48 Business development is like brushing your teeth 40:30 What do you want your business to look like in 3-5 years? 44:23 Where you can find Lisa

In this episode, we delve into the realm of automated business development (BD) and its transformative potential. Discover how to structure your system effectively and weigh the merits of Email Marketing versus LinkedIn as lead generation tools. We'll break down the costs involved in automated lead generation and offer recommendations for your stack. Lastly, we discuss monitoring progress and making necessary adjustments to ensure sustained success. 00:00 Introduction 01:00 Structuring an Automated System 05:31 Email vs. LinkedIn 10:08 What's the cost of automated lead generation? 11:13 Recommended Automated Lead Generation Stack 12:54 Monitoring Progress and Adjusting 14:40 Outro

Join Mylance founder Bradley Jacobs as we uncover the art of social selling with expert Brynne Tillman. Discover how to lay the groundwork for effective sales, manage time efficiently, and avoid cold calling by building strong relationships on LinkedIn. Create a robust business development system and sidestep common pitfalls like imposter syndrome. Gain valuable insights into staying connected with your network and receive actionable advice for success in social selling. 00:14 Being an expert in social selling 04:48 Laying the groundwork for selling 08:40 How to manage your time in business development and sales 11:22 Don't cold call! Leverage your relationships 14:04 Creating a business development system 18:21 What is the biggest mistake you see in social selling? 24:25 How do you recommend staying in touch with your network? 30:41 Avoiding imposter syndrome in sales 37:02 Final advice for listeners

In this episode, Bradley delves into the importance of niche specialization in professional success, particularly in securing high-paying projects and significant monthly income. We explore strategies for legitimizing oneself in front of potential clients, including leveraging existing connections and clearly defining one's niche. We discuss common challenges in finding a niche and provide tips for narrowing down and defining it effectively. Additionally, we explore the possibility of working outside one's niche and offer guidance on crafting a compelling niche statement. 00:00 Intro 00:43 Two ways to legitimize yourself 05:24 How to nail down your niche in one sentence 08:18 Does a niche narrow down your potential client pool? 12:39 5 Characteristics of a Niche 14:30 Testing your Niche in the wild 16:25 Outro

This week Bradley Jacobs (Founder/CEO Mylance) interviews Julie Crabill about her experience building a business, then evolving into a CMO and board executive. Julie details her journey building Inner Circle labs, then later selling the company, moving to Santa Fe and beginning a new career as a fractional CMO. This episode is packed with great advice on how to grow and maintain your business, when is the right time to scale, and how to manage work-life balance when owning a business. 0:00 Intro 0:40 Julie Crabill details her business experience 4:03 How did you first acquire clients as a fractional CMO 8:00 How Julie "accidentally" built an agency 10:58 Advice for growing a fractional into an agency 14:20 Building a company around passion projects 16:40 Event hosting as business development 21:06 What enabled Julie's business to grow 27:15 What was the process of selling your agency 29:52 Handling imposter thoughts 36:53 Outro

In this episode, Mylance FounderBradley Jacobs shares his experience on LinkedIn and how consultants can use the platform to attract new clients. Bradley details the process of writing quality blog posts that demonstrate expertise, builds reputation as a thought leader, and drive engagement. We go over three optimizations you can make to your LinkedIn profile to better convert visitors, including writing a great job title, headline, and bio. Lastly, Bradley discuss different strategies to build connections on a daily and weekly basis that build your LinkedIn network.

In this episode Bradley sits down with Aaron Berger, the founder of ASB strategies, a boutique communications agency, and talks about building an agency from the ground up. They discuss the fears of starting a consulting business and how to overcome them. Aaron details his strategies and experience in building his freelance services into a mid 6-figure business, including his advice on payment structures, client acquisition, and how he treats each client with honesty and transparency. 0:00 Introduction to Aaron Berger 2:16 How did you grow your business year after year? 4:10 Overcoming your fears when starting a business 9:35 Landing your first 2-3 clients 13:36 How Aaron's offer has shifted over the years 17:46 The strength of Aaron's referral network 19:20 Promoting the client, not yourself 21:48 Aaron's client acquisition strategy 24:00 How Aaron would build a 500k consulting company 26:20 Payment structure with clients 28:10 How many clients can you comfortably manage? 32:45 Brutal Honesty as a long-term strategy 34:50 How to 5x your Fractional Business revenue 37:43 What does consulting for agencies look like? 40:20 Final thoughts

Jake Huber is the founder and Chief Scale Officer of Venture Scaler. In this interview, he goes into depth talking about building his productised service business. He also shares his growth strategies including how he is able to get one lead per week by posting on LinkedIn. Resources: Jake's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/huberjake/ Venture Scaler - https://venturescaler.com/#recruiting Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 03:47 Creating a productised service model 12:34 Scaling the Venture Scaler Business 19:06 Streamlining and Standardizing Procedures 21:10 Acquiring clients through LinkedIn 23:08 Content creation process 29:39 Creating Opportunities for Serendipity 37:45 Being a mentor at Techstars

In this interview, Abhishek Kumar, founder of Deep Research, shares his insights into his unique approach to starting a successful independent consulting business. Starting from humble beginnings in multiple side hustles, Abhishek quit his full-time job to focus exclusively on his market research agency. In this conversation, he explains his process of targeting a small, appropriate audience rather than casting a broad net to reach hundreds of thousands of people. He also shares his hiring strategies and pricing strategies. 0:00 Introduction 09:50 Working in IT to being a Market Research expert 15:19 Getting the first client 18:18 Networking with 5 people instead of 100 23:03 Raising Prices and Evolving Buyer Persona 25:34 Delivering Value at Different Price Points 26:43 Acquiring the First High-Paying Client 28:16 Finding clients in small communities 35:47 The Role of Mentors in Business Growth 39:19 Building a Team and Delegating Tasks

In this conversation, Jacki Leahy shares her journey of building a flourishing consulting agency, Activate the Magic where she helps companies optimize their revenue operations and go-to-market strategies. She discusses how being 'aggressively helpful' helped her grow her business and how building a strong, helpful member of her community helps her get clients. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:30 Jacki's secret: Being Aggressively Helpful 05:26 The First Few Clients and the Growth of the Agency 09:22 The Puzzle Piece Shuffle Strategy 21:54 The Risks and Rewards of Agency Growth 25:24 How $100M Offer changed her life 27:34 The Value Equation and Entrepreneurship 29:44 Experimenting with New Services 31:14 Creating a Mastermind Community 32:51 Creating a Private Community 36:43 Transitioning from Personal Brand to Business Brand 39:06 Time Blocking and Setting Guardrails 46:07 Personal Branding 49:48 Growing LinkedIn Audiences 52:27 Conclusion Resources: Jacki Leahy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackileahy/ Activate the Magic - https://activatethemagic.com/

In this mini-episode, Bradley Jacobs shares a 4-step process to help fractionals nail down their niche. This process has gone through multiple evolutions and the one shared in this episode is the latest one that works best.

In this episode, fractional marketing executive Mark Osborne dives into his experiences publishing his first book as a tool to establish credibility designed to serve his consulting practice. He describes the process, systems, and strategies he employed for self-publishing, offering valuable tips for others considering a similar journey. Mark also shares his unique insights into developing efficient lead generation systems, with concepts such as focusing on the 'right' leads instead of more leads, and the importance of diversity and referrals in lead sources. Chapters: 0:00 Spotify version 01:04 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:49 The Inspiration and Process Behind Mark's Book 03:54 The Impact of the Pandemic on B2B Marketing and Sales 05:30 Target Audience of Mark's Book 11:18 The Investment and Process of Publishing a Book 13:34 Does publishing a book help in your consulting business? 25:42 The Importance of Systems in Business Growth 36:06 The Role of Referrals and Diversification in Lead Generation 41:59 The Power of Differentiated Positioning Strategy 46:50 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Resources mentioned: Mark's book: Are Your Leads Killing Your Business? Free download: modernrevenuestrategies.com/freedownload Mark's website: modernrevenuestrategies.com Kindlepreneur One Book Millions Method by Mike Shreve Systemology book by David Jennings

In this podcast, Bradley Jacobs, CEO of Mylance, discusses the importance of dedicating time to sales and business development, and how overcoming fear is crucial to make this time productive. He highlights the importance of understanding and overcoming the obstacles preventing us from engaging in crucial business activities. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 01:20 The Importance of Sales and Marketing in Business 03:08 Reframing the Concept of Time for Sales 03:39 Understanding the Fear of Business Development 04:40 The Reality of Sales and Business Development 06:28 Overcoming Fear and Prioritizing Sales 07:18 Effective Strategies for Business Development 10:04 Leveraging Tools for Business Development 10:50 Overcoming Uncertainty and Fear in Business Development 16:27 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Kate Lingoni is the founder and CEO of Bon Bon Strategic. Kate's company focuses on helping businesses that have hit a growth ceiling by stepping in as a Fractional COO and establishing efficient systems. In this interview, we talk about: Kate’s journey into operations consulting The attraction of fractional work Working across various industries Importance of client evaluation Building a flexible team Difference between virtual and executive assistants Starting out without a network The impact of a business coach --- Links: Kate’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/katelingoni/ Bon Bon Strategic - https://www.bonbonstrategic.com/

In this mini-episode, Bradley Jacobs, founder and CEO of Mylance, discusses strategies for finding your first paying client for your consulting business. He'll talk about things that you may feel you should do but don't ultimately end up moving the needle. And he'll also tell you what the most things are that you can do to get your first client.