Selling Coaching and Courses as well as Coaching with Melissa Bolton -

What is the role of branding to help creators sell more effectively and with more success? Following years of successfully running ventures and consulting dozens of other people, Melissa Bolton had a hunch: To sell successfully it is essential to know who you are as well as who your client is. Then it's simply an issue of aligning your message and the. Turns out she was right with her large network of accomplished clients can confirm. She discusses what creatives should be aware of when it comes to branding and what she did to help take her coaching and courses up a notch.

 By age 23 you were producing 7-figure sales. When you were 27, you earned the status of vice-president at an Fortune 500 financial company. Nowadays, you're a sought-after Brand Therapist - a specialty that you've registered and created your unique. Tell us how this amazing journey began and what your biggest takeaways have been thus far.

I've never treated customers like a prospect or viewed them as a potential chance. They're real people with genuine needs, desires and aspirations. The opportunity lies in how you help them. It's like this answer should be longer, but in reality, this is it; treat people as you'd like to be treated, listen, and then help.

 Can you share an explanation of the function of a brand therapy and the archetypal approach?

I've always had an interest in behavioral science and psychology, but I never wanted to be a traditional therapist. When I had time off, I did a lot of reading about psychological principles and patterns of behavior particularly in the area of decision-making. I started applying these concepts in my branding and the outcome was almost magical. Being a person who is a believer in the individualism of each person, I am 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 on the market. Archetypes were being used for branding purposes, however an actual course was not in existence. The concept is to use the scientifically proven principles that apply to purchasing behaviors. It is possible to doubt the behavior but the patterns are impossible to deny. Archetypes illustrate patterns of behavior and make it easy to cater your words as well as your style products to those who need them most.

 In your research, you realized that most entrepreneurs and creators failed because they ignored branding, and instead focused on advertising. What are some simple steps creators can take to build a genuine brand image?

You can't well market something if you don't know who your customers are, what it is you're selling and who your most ideal clients are, or the product you're actually selling. What I mean is, we're never really selling anything or any service. The only thing we're selling is solutions. selling people a higher version of their own. Understanding and being able to communicate the core of your brand's message and transmit it throughout all you do is essential to the success of any brand.

Your website provides a variety of useful, free resources to potential customers, most notably your complimentary Brand archetype questionnaire and report. How have these sources been for your company? And how should creators incorporate promotional offers into their marketing campaigns?

The free quiz has had a huge influence. It took me a long time to learn not only what to ask and how to get the most appropriate results. A million people have completed this test over the course of time. This is still amazing for me. However, it's extremely informative and goes deep, so I understand the allure. I'm glad it's been so useful to so many. It's helped me grow my mailing list and expand services to the people I want to reach as well.

You can create giveaways that are in line with your personal style. Being a Luminary (archetype) educator I love learning and sharing that knowledge. For me, a quiz makes sense. If you're like me, the offer could look like some other thing. It might be a design of a white or black document, an ebook or some other downloadable material. Make sure that you receive some kind of reward, with the most popular being your email address. It is possible to unsubscribe anytime the content doesn't suit them.

 Being someone who has several years of consulting experience What suggestions would you give to creators who are thinking of offering the services of coaching?

Oh , I've got a lot of suggestions on this issue:

• Don't give your time away for free. It's fine to have a free consultation to determine if you're a suitable candidate, but be sure you don't divulge too much. It's best to have some questions you want to ask before you make the phone appointment. Try to stick to the allotted time. Leave them intrigued and wanting more.
• Make boundaries, and stick to them. Everyone will try to get more from you. If someone wants or needs more than they can afford, then they'll be willing to take your time and money. If they don't, then they don't respect your time, so you need to leave them alone. That's it.
• I'm all about working only with the ideal customers. Be a good judge of your own. If you think a client isn't a good fit the first time you speak to them, then you're probably not. Do not ever attempt to convince people of your costs or attempt to persuade people to work with you. They are likely to be thrilled to work together and will be eager to exchange their money in exchange for their time.

 With regards to branding, what part should social media play and which kind of content has been the most successful for you as a creative?

I consider social media as more of a marketing tool more than branding. I personally prefer Pinterest in comparison to other platforms. There's less chatter and more focused. People take the time to organize and curate. This is a deliberate process. I love that. Plus, I can find out what other things people save. Those are unique features as compared to Facebook as well as Instagram. I would suggest logging onto one of the platforms with the highest number of followers. Look at your website visitor statistics to determine where your traffic is coming from, and then spending your energy and time in those places.

 Which tools have been most effective in developing and selling your products?

One of the best tools is actually a feature and not a device.

Reviews can be very beneficial in selling. Social proof is extremely valuable: People want to know what they're in for before investing their money in an item. Hearing honest feedback from someone other that you (the vendor) is quite powerful.

Also, I use coupons frequently to satisfy various needs. The ability to customize coupons has been a huge benefit. People love it that I can create them a personalized code using the name of their company or name. It's entertaining, and it has an air of professionalism.

I could not love the "Courses" feature any more. It's one of my top online tools and it makes it simple to design and create courses. I haven't even taken advantage of the many features such as quizzes and video and I'm eager to try them all. My courses were launched in the past month, and have already had a lot of satisfied students.

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

I had been selling digital downloads regularly through my site until GDPR went into effect. As a company based in the United States, I felt it was frustrating as well as confusing, daunting, and time consuming to try to work through the newly adopted tax law which is why I stopped selling downloads in total. After I discovered they took care of all aspects VAT taxes for myself. I was instantly intrigued. This has helped me sell tens of thousands of dollars worth of digital items without losing rest over VAT concerns.

Also, the name is growing in popularity and notoriety. Because their name instills confidence, buyers know they are able to buy with confidence.