Wellness Marketing Tip: 3 Presentation Tips from the American Idol Judges

I used to love watching American Idol when it gets down to the top 36.

Now it's all about transforming these passionate, talented people into powerful performers with a genre and style of their own, and getting them to exude a level of confidence that says: "I'm here to stay."

The same holds true for health and wellness pros.

In private practice, you must highlight your unique message (your song genre if you will), express it in your own way (owning your own style) and be willing to really go for it or risk getting lost in the shuffle.

Here's what you can learn from American Idol performances and harness the wisdom shared by the Judges. (I love learning from the most unusual places!)

Tip #1: Pick the Right Song

"You blew it."  That's what happens when you pair great vocals with the wrong song. The stunned artist says, "But I love that song. It really speaks to me."

I hear this all the time. Health and wellness pros clinging blindly to a message that no one really wants to hear. Or worse, trying to serve a target market that doesn't want their help.

The problem with this is that it's only half the equation. Choosing your message, essentially your song, based only on what feels right to you, doesn't mean other people will find it interesting.

While that is fine if your goal is to sing around the house, however, it's not enough to start a business and make an impact.

You want to ensure that the "song" you choose (read: message) also speaks to a specific, profitable target audience. Otherwise you never break past the singing around the house phase of your practice.

Solution: Internal Meaning (what your "song" means to you) + External Meaning (tweaking your "song" to also hit home for your audience) = You Got Yourself a Hit

Tip #2: Showcase Who You Are as an Artist

On American Idol, you often hear beautiful voices trying to sound like someone they admired rather then showing us who they would be as a recording artist.

This is important because the way you share your art, is a powerful way to stand out, get noticed and create connection with your audience.

For example, in your private practice, be willing to share your style of counseling, your unique approach to your modality, and shine a light on your personality or the way you live your life (ie – Are you a no-nonsense person or warm and cozy type practitioner? Does your lifestyle demonstrate that you walk your talk? What makes you or how you work interesting?)

Simon Cowell, the most critical, yet most insightful judge of the group (I stopped watching after he left), kept hammering this point home. "You have no charisma" he told one singer. Ouch. But he was right. Great singer, kinda boring presenter. He needs to work on building charisma (aka, his ability to keep his audience interested in his music).

For the health or wellness pro, charisma is about being interesting, making your work relevant and keeping your audience engaged with the information you are sharing.

Where many practitioners falter with this is believing that their work isn't about "them." While that may be essentially true, the way you deliver your services is a HUGE buying decider in an age where there many similar professionals doing the similar work.

So show us what kind of artist you are. It's wildy attractive. And it makes your work even more interesting!

Tip #3: You Gotta Go For It!

Sometimes, American Idol performers play it safe. They chose a song that they loved and thought everyone would love too (usually some sort of classic or blast from the past), they tried to emulate the original singer (instead of making it their own) and it just doesn't sound very compelling.

No more playing it safe. You have to be all in.

When you're not all in it shows: Your newsletters are sent infrequently, you don't market consistently, you don't make bold promises in your copywriting and essentially hide out.

Another way this shows up is by "niche-ing a little." It's when solo-professionals discover their niche, and then suddenly choose to dilute their new message and go back to what’s more familiar. That is, the “uncomfortable familiarity” of marketing their services the same way to the same people who don’t really want or can afford what they offer.

What the Judges are looking for, and what America is looking for from you, is that you believe in your message and you "sing" it like your life depends on it.

Now you've got our attention.

Here's to finding your perfect song, a captive audience and having the courage to sing all out.

Karin

Like what you read? Then you’ll love my marketing and work-for-yourself lifestyle tips for wellness pros here. Check it out: http://www.wellpronet.com/programs/free-cd/

About the Author and WellProNet.com: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners who have a great quality of life too.

She is the founder of Wellness Professional Network, the go-to place for practitioners to learn the real-life business skills they didn’t teach in wellness school.

Karin is the author of The Fast Start to Clients Program and the forthcoming book: Rockstars of Wellness: Super Simple Ways to Stand Out, Get Hired and Become Irresistibly Relevant to Your Tribe.

Karin lives in Upstate New York, in the beautiful foothills of the Adirondacks, and enjoys working from home with her husband and son.