Eli Natoli: It’s Time to Learn to Scale Your Business

Would you like to develop your relationship with your client?

Eli Natoli, like many of us, spent many years feeling unfulfilled, unmotivated and extremely frustrated with her job. No matter how hard she pushed or how many hours she worked, she wasn’t getting what she wanted from her career.

She came to the realization that these seminars and programs she went to in order to help “solve” her career issues, were telling her the same things every time; how to get more clients, how to make more money, and so on and so forth.

The question she wanted answers for wasn’t “how do I get more clients?” or “how do I make more money?”, it was “how can I better serve my clients?”.

She wanted bigger and better results for her clients, but to do that, she needed to change how she ran her business.

“I started to approach all of my marketing efforts from the perspective of ‘how does this help me serve my clients better? How does this set me (and them) up for quick wins up front and measurable results throughout our relationship?' ” – Eli

Now Eli is on a mission to help business leaders get the best results possible from their clients.

Learn more about how Eli Natoli can help you improve your relationship with your clients by listening to this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur above and don’t forget to subscribe on  Apple Podcasts – Stitcher – Spotify –Google Play –Castbox – TuneIn – RSS.

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0:01
Welcome to the thoughtful entrepreneur Show. I'm Josh Elledge, founder and CEO of up my influence.com where we turn entrepreneurs into media celebrities, grow their authority, and help them build partnerships with top influencers. So we believe that every person has a unique message that can positively impact the world. Even you stick around to the end of this show, where I'll share info on how you could be our next guest. Three times a week, five to 15 minutes each learn from successful business owners and professionals. It's time to get inspired. Let's go. Eli Natoli, you are an online marketing strategist and business coach. And it's so funny, like we- you and I were talking and then like, I just did hit record you I'm having so much fun talking with you. Because again, I think you know, what you and I are advocates for is an important critical message. that people need to hear in terms of audience building, connecting with audience and ultimately le scaling a business. And so you know, we started off. You're in DC and how long have you lived there?

1:15
Well, I actually have been in this in this area my entire life my entire life. Wow, I've been in the US. So since 35 years ago.

1:25
Oh my goodness. Yeah, I know the place pretty well. And maybe you don't go and do all the touristy stuff very often. It's like friends I have we live in Vegas. Now I live in Orlando. I do all the touristy stuff all the time. My wife and I do I can't get my kids to go to Disney World anymore but they're older they're too cool for right now. So and plus they've been there enough time

1:47
and only when we have relatives over you know friends over we go to see the sightseeing areas. But other than that, yeah,

1:54
we just so I got in a hurry. Hurricane and so on the first day, so I had a free day at the end then I had a free afternoon, you know, before I had to leave first day, so I went to the Holocaust Museum, which I hadn't been to before, I think that was relatively new. And then the spy museum 10 out of 10 experience,

2:20
I love both of them.

2:21
Yep. You know, someone who loves World War Two history and believes that, you know, we need to, you know, learn from our history. What a moving, amazing experience. Incredible. The last day another newer one that I had not been able to get to previously was the African American Museum. And that's another one. So moving, and it's challenging. It's really challenging, especially on the first floor, but by the time you get through, you know, up to the third floor, and I didn't even get up to the upper floors, which is I mean, you could spend all day here. I mean, it was Truly, truly powerful but it's it's it's it's a journey of redemption. It's a beautiful it's it's a journey of hope that we're headed in the right direction with some things. And wow, oh my gosh what I mean, I cannot wait to get back to DC.

3:17
That's that's a great part about DC all the museums and you like no matter how many times you go like I've been to Holocaust Museum twice already. Yeah, love to go back again, it's just if you can keep on going back and see the things that you missed the first time Believe it or not because there's just so much to see. I totally agree with you.

3:34
You know, it's and since you've lived there I didn't mean to make this the show about Washington DC. But wasn't one observation. I was there five, six years ago, and it seems from what I recall, like even in five to six years like it's it's a very I mean, it's always been a very pedestrian friendly city but it's really like I'm see, you know, it just feels like safe city and it kind of didn't have that vibe, especially maybe like 10 years ago, you know, when DC was, I think known for a while as the murder capital of the world. I mean, it's, I see, you know, I was seeing families strolling up and down the streets, you know, even outside of the downtown, touristy area, families strolling up and down the streets at night, single women walking their dog, I'm like, Okay, well, if they feel safe, I guess I can feel safe. And so it seems like they've they've worked really, really hard to make the city a much safer environment.

4:34
Oh, yeah, absolutely. Well, I'm kind of biased, because again, I grew up there and 1415 that was like the hangout place to go down to DC because the area, but you're right about that. It's, it's, it's gotten so much better lately, especially parts of it that, you know, you sort of stayed away, like, let's say 20 years ago, and now it's changed a lot. Yeah.

4:54
Great place to bring a family for sure. So let's talk about the service. First framework le and this is the title of your book. But But explain your philosophy and it's one that I love, and I share.

5:10
Absolutely. So, if I were to say, Josh, that as business owners as entrepreneurs, majority of us right on day to day, we're constantly thinking about two things. And those two things are how do I get more clients or customers? How do I make more money? Would you agree with that?

5:29
Yeah, of course. It's it's, and and, you know, otherwise. I mean, it's, I mean, listen, I failed in business six times. I've gone through bankruptcy, I've gone through foreclosure, like I've made all the mistakes in business and, and I can tell you that when I adopted what I think you're about to talk about, it changed everything for me. And we went from that to you know, well over $6 million dollars in revenue six figure months, like all in all, it was a mind shift that needed to take Place.

6:00
And I'm glad you touched on that, because that's exactly how I came across using this framework or creating this framework in the first place. Because I was struggling in our business, my husband and I were running a software design and development company. And we had left corporate world thinking, you know, now that we're running our own business, we're going to be, you know, everything's going to be great roses and rainbows. And we were struggling, and still, you know, had to finally come up with a system for us to work. And really system. All it is, is like I was saying, you know, as business owners, all of us, most of us, we get up every morning. And there's two things that we think about is how do I make more money? How do I get more customers and clients? So as a result of that, what happens is majority of our decisions like our day to day tasks, they're actually driven by these two things, right? Yeah. Explain. Let's say that I'm invited to speak to be a guest on a podcast right as I'm thinking about how to show up, how to present myself what to say. Really what I'm thinking is, is this going to help me resonate with my ideal audience, right? Is this podcast going to help me ultimately land maybe new clients or make money? Or let's say I'm about to build a brand new website, every decision that I'm making about that website or the copy of that website, ultimately, what I'm thinking is, am I you know, on the right direction here to attract my ideal buyers or to ultimately buy from me. And so we take on every task and activity we make every decision based on those two things. And what it comes down to as we're building our platform as we're building our business, you know, because we're making our decisions based on these two things, and using those two things as the measuring sticks on you know about how well we're doing. Yeah, it creates tremendous amount of anxiety and stress, okay. So because of We're really setting ourselves up for failure. Because that anxiety, that stress, it comes through your prospects, your you know, your customers, clients, they pick up on that anxiety comes through on that websites copy it comes through, if you're on social media, it comes through on that podcast. It just comes through. And what I say all the time is that you know, at best, you come across desperate to your customers. Yeah. And that's worse, what you're really doing is you're not allowing yourself to show up as you truly are. I present your offer in a way that resonates with your prospects in a way that they can clearly see that you know, who you really are, what you stand for, and the kind of outcome that you offer your products and services can, you know, break their lives. So, I'm sorry, go ahead,

8:53
please. And I'm just thinking about you know, you know, when you stop with the incessant stuff, Selling, selling. And instead you're like, you know, I, you know, matter of fact, it's kind of funny. I remember one time, I shared something on social and I said, You know, I was starting to do some freelancing. So I mean, I already had savings Angel was already keep me pretty busy. And so I started getting these people were reaching out to help them with their, their media. And so I made a post, as I said, Well, you know, my two and only spots that I have available to do any kind of work with clients are filled. I was just kind of making kind of a light hearted joke about it or whatever. And I had someone direct messaged me, I had no idea they wanted my services or whatever. And they were like, Can I still get in? Can I still I'm like, yo, let's talk a you know, and, and, you know, let's see, you know, kind of compare some time tables or whatever, but I thought that was kind of funny. And it was insightful. It's like, you know, when you let people know, it's like, you know, look, I'd love to serve more people. I just don't have the time to do it. That You find that people Oh, it's a scarce commodity.

10:05
Actually, exactly. And that's

10:07
just part of it, the scarcity go. But, you know, for us, you know, without my influence so there's, there's, I always tell people like, you know, because our services, you know, they are paid services, you know, we have, you know, we have a makeover product that retails for just under $1,000. You know, I think our cheapest service is, you know, we can book podcasts for gas for 399 a month. You know, our most popular services are, like 1200 dollars a month, it's still an investment, and that falls outside of the budget for a lot of people and I said, don't worry about that. That's, you know, it's not you know, that's that's outside your budget right now. Don't Don't even focus on that. I do so much stuff pro bono for you, that if all you did was just engage, you know, do what I tell you to do, you know, in these YouTube videos, because I'm going to step you through everything you need to do step by step by step by step. You will get to the point where you will have 1200 dollars a month. And you know, we could chat then if that if it seems like it might make sense for you.

11:08
Mm hmm. I love that. Yeah, absolutely. And that's exactly you know, how I approached it as well. You know, I tell my clients that instead of, you know, just trying to think about those two things, if you can just shift your focus, and instead think about how you're going to show up just like you were saying, five value for your prospects don't even have to be your customers. You don't have to be a clients yet. Just show up and say to yourself, you know, what can I do today to be the answer to their ongoing prayers? Yeah, do from you know, for them to, you know, to bring value into their lives. What really happens is that value that you're putting out there, believe me when I tell you it comes back to you in multiple folds in form of money in your pockets. And you know, that's how I've been able to build and create you know, create to multiple six figure business It says, and help my clients do the same for themselves. Just as simple. That's it.

12:08
You know, you'll you'll be interested to know that I had a conversation. It was so funny, you know, prior to us chatting, I just had an experience where I do a lot of podcast interviews. I mean, this is a show that's now going out, you know, five to seven times a week. And so there are a lot of people that don't make it on the show. And the people who don't make it on the show are the ones that they come on, and they just want to sell. It doesn't go very far. So I had one gentleman was like, you know, well, I could teach people how to write a book in 48 hours, and I was like, Okay, how did they do that? I can't tell you that. Otherwise, no one would buy my $300 thing. All right, Ellie, imagine someone just you just had that experience with someone. What would you do be off the off the ground? Let me let me ask you a question. Why do you think that that doesn't? Well, why why in some, I think you You can make that work but you gotta, it's like you got to talk to like, it's a million people and spamming works. Fishing works catfishing works, all those scams they work. That's why scammers keep doing them. Because, you know, there's one out of them. You know, it's like Jim Carrey from Dumb and Dumber. So you're saying there's a chance? I mean, I guess if you push it in front of more and more and more people, yeah, you'll get someone that will buy that thing at, you know, without getting to know you. But what advice would you give that person?

13:32
You see, I mean, that's not sustainable, like to to span like that. And just to put that out there, but here's the thing. I mean, that the were you going with that? Like that's one of the concerns that I have, and I get asked all the time, where will la you advise us to show up and provide value give our you know, expertise, our knowledge, and if we do that, then our prospects who's going to come buy from us? And if that's not true at all, it's exactly the opposite. That when you actually show up when you provide value, and when you, you know, put your knowledge and expertise out there, people will actually see you as the trusted authority as the experts. They actually want to learn more from you. And just because you told someone a certain thing doesn't mean they can go off and do it themselves. They actually want you to help them to take action or to walk them down that path. Yeah. So don't be scared to give value. Don't be scared to talk about your expertise, your knowledge, it No one's going to just steal it and replicate it. They actually you're actually doing yourself a favor by putting yourself showing showcasing your expertise and showing up as the authority.

14:42
What do you think about the philosophy of your giveaway what other people are charging for and just, you know, for me, I you know, I know a lot of people sell webinar or I'm sorry, they sell e courses and i don't know i i you know, we We have any course or we have, we have a it's like six and a half hours of video content. And I worked very hard to create that. But But we practically give it away. You know, as part of, you know, something that's just an incredibly easy investment. But I think in the age of YouTube and podcasts people are getting, it's getting a little tougher to get people to part with 1200 dollars for just an E course. Do. Would you agree with that?

15:34
I totally agree with you. I do have the courses. I mean, both businesses, we have total of 80 courses. Well, none of them are more than hundred dollars. And the rule is I use them as like you said lead generation as the first step for my prospects to get to know me it's a low ass so they can see you know, what kind of an offer I have, how I can help them and majority of people who sign on to work with me and to be part of my mentorship. program are the people who actually signed up for one of those courses. Again so low ass now they get to see my teaching style and my expertise and they feel comfortable with me and they trust me enough to make that you know a $10,000 investment to work with me and to get that bigger outcome right

16:20
and so it so it takes a little bit of trust that I'm going to plant all the seeds and you know, I had someone told me to it's, you know, where you plant your seeds is not necessarily where you're going to grow your you know, your harvest. But that if you keep on doing it, and I will tell you that you know, it's kind of like that analogy of farming versus hunting. You know, sales and marketing can be very much I think aligned to Okay, you're just going to go out you're going to nab someone they're gonna buy your service, okay, you get money for today. Whereas if you can spend some time and plant seeds in the field and then water and then fertilize them and you know you keep at it. My experience really is that in your home business where you're just not really gonna have to work very hard because you've already done so much work. So influencers if you have a lot of authority and influence, they just don't have to work very hard like you say you go to even illustrate this by going to a conference. I've gone to conferences where I've been just another face in the crowd. And then I've also gone to conferences where I've been like a featured keynote speaker, it is a comp lately different experience. When you're that featured keynote speaker people are like lining up to like, you know, buy your stuff or talk to you get a selfie with their promote you to their audience, and it's, it's pretty cool. Like, I want that for everybody. I don't want that just for the featured speakers. I want everybody to be a featured speaker. And, and so that's the power of having that. And really the only way to get that is you know, focus on building a tribe and just giving So much value to those those folks. Right?

18:01
Absolutely. And you know, building a tribe, you don't have to have thousands of people paying attention to you, you don't even necessarily need, you know, thousands of people in your Facebook group or all you really need, like hundred people. But those hundred people are your people that are targeted people who are absolutely interested in what you have to sell. And that's all you need to make a great impact and make a lot of money. And it's really hard to do that, like you were saying, to show up. Just provide value, show them that you are there to help them to give them that transformation. Give them balance calm, to build that tribe for yourself.

18:41
Eli, how do people engage with you now? I should note. So someone's listening to our podcast right now you want to go to Eli Natoli dot calm  and I'm going to spell it spelled like Eli, which at first I thought I wonder. And then and I saw that you're a woman I did. She's probably not Eli but it is le ELI natoli.com and Eli when people go to Eli Natoli.com, what will they find?

19:10
So when they go to Eli Natoli.com, they will find a ton of resources based on this service first framework. One of my resources that I, you know, love for everybody to actually go through, it's absolutely free. It's when you go to Eli Natoli.com slash converts is all about the six steps in this framework where you can easily replicate it for your business and basically attract, engage, nurture and convert leads, all by providing value. So and then Aside from that, just ton of free resources on you know, authentically putting yourself out there to connecting with your audience the right way into, you know, instead of being salesy and pushy, just show up and be an expert.

20:00
La I like your philosophy. You are a You are one smart cookie and I think people ought to listen to you, Elena totally. Again, the you're an online marketing strategist, business coach, you can be found at Eli Natoli. com and I'm on your site right now. And yeah, there's a lot of cool stuff that leave, make free resources available. You've got articles you've got, you've got videos, you've got audio, you've got lots of different. You've got samples, you've certainly got books that people can also engage with. And you've got a you've got a podcast is that do you give up your podcast yourself? Is that right or no, I don't have a podcast. All right. But you're, you're you're certainly heard on a lot of podcasts.

20:48
Yeah. I love being on podcasts.

20:52
Excellent. Great. Well, thank you, Eli, for joining us.

20:55
Thank you so much for having me. Thank you. It's been a pleasure.

21:01
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