We recently connected with Suzanne Reilley and have shared our conversation below.

Suzanne, appreciate you joining us today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

I believe my first client in this business came about because I’d purchased Jeff Walker’s Product Launch Formula course. I either posted a message in the PLF Owner’s community about wanting to find a mastermind partner (or) I may have responded to an existing post. I can’t quite remember. This was around 2015!

Either way, I got connected with someone who was interested and we had some great synergy in supporting each other’s businesses. (I’ll keep this anonymous because I haven’t specifically asked for permission to write up this case study!).

We were a mastermind of two, and got to know each other over time.

Their business was much more established, and they’d recently done a launch that didn’t go so well. I was really excited about the idea of working from a place of objectivity, and working to optimize someone else’s launch!

So we talked about optimizing this launch and re-running it. We decided that I would optimize the brand strategy, and all launch materials, including the landing pages, emails, thank you pages, sales video script, everything. My mastermind partner set up all the tech and taught the course, and we agreed we’d split the profits.

In the days before the launch, there was a hurricane looming in their location outside the US. So we had to make a plan for how to keep things rolling in case the power went out. Tech is not my top strength, so this was a point of stress! but this definitely taught me how to roll with all the unexpected glitches that can come with this work!

The weather actually held out.

And they wanted min 15 enrollees (up from the prior 2) to run the course. We had 17 paid signups, and 2 refunds. (PHEW). When we looked back at our launch goals, we had met them all. And I had my first paid client project under my belt!!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I didn’t have an interest in business or marketing until I was thrown into having to get my own clients in my first job out of college (in another industry).

And honestly the journey was steep, winding, and messy.
(For more years than I’d like to admit).

But I absolutely loved the clients I got to work with. And it was such an honor to be part of their transformation. So I kept learning, learning, and learning how to connect with them.

Through the process I came to see that business and marketing didn’t have to have to be pushy, spammy, or scammy. But instead, it could be a highly respectful process of connecting the dots between people who need specific solutions, and the brilliant, ethical business owners who can help them.

With this shift in perspective, it got to be kind of fun.

So I learned everything possible about product launches, online business, funnels, email, UX, customer journeys, messaging, conversion copy, from the strategy behind all of it down to the nitty gritty details.

These days, I clearly see how all the pieces fit together, to cultivate a highly profitable business.
And whether I work with clients for just one visioning session, or longer term, it’s my greatest joy to reduce their steep, winding learning curve as much as I possibly can.

To be more specific about what I offer, I’m a business coach, marketing strategist, and conversion-focused copywriter, trained through Jeff Walker’s Product Launch Formula, Joanna Wiebe’s Copy School, Hubspot Inbound Certification, and 7+ years of experience (as of this feature).

I’m also an iPEC Certified Professional Coach.

I help successful online business owners identify the root cause of low conversion rates, respectfully engage their audience, boost online sales, and nurture long-term sustainable growth.

Some standout metrics from my work include:

— Shaped messaging for top 3 sales cycles in 20-year company history
— Sold out an event one month early, with only 3 emails (and oversold it once more seats opened up)
— Crafted core message of a Facebook ad which led to 816,599 peopled reached, 61,810 engagements, 2512 reactions, 205 comments, and 930 shares
— Shaped brand foundation, and wrote all elements of copy at BailyBiederman.com
— In a previous business, I was featured in The Washington Post, and invited to teach at award-winning international destination spa, Rancho la Puerta.
— Do you remember DailyCandy, the highly addictive and wildly successful brand for fashion and lifestyle-conscious women? DailyCandy featured me when they were at the top of their game.
— I worked individually with over 100 clients (and helped 1000s more through my teachings, courses, ebook, and interviews)
— And booked 25 weekly 1:1 private client sessions in 2 months’ time

I’m passionate about using my skills for “good,” and work exclusively with B corporations, heart centered solopreneurs, mission-driven brands with personality, and similar.

I think what sets me apart from some others is that I’m highly empathic, as well as highly data-driven and focused on results. Which you don’t always find in the same person. I’ve also been told that as an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, I know how to ask the right questions to draw out the most necessary gems, and this has a real positive impact on the work.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

I believe some of the best success can come from business training, experience, and action (and) from doing the inner work, as well. Because being in business can bring up a lot of inner stuff!

I’ve gained a lot of experience and done a lot of my own inner work. In years past, as I worked my way through this, I would build a business. Have big successes (but alongside a lot of strife). Or stress. Pivot. Build again. Dislike it. Search for what my next niche or offer would be. I had a full time role for 3 years. Then covid hit. And we all know how nuts that was in so many different ways.

During the pandemic, I took a bit of a pause. Winter was pretty dark. And coming out of that time, I thought I’d put together some of the materials I’d created, with some metrics and case studies.

I got on Upwork, and shared my portfolio with a bunch of people and. the. floodgates. OPENED. I heard from SO many people who loved my portfolio, wanted to work with me. I’m serious. I could barely keep up with the work and the messages. I know people say to choose your favorite clients, but 80% of them were my favorite! I wanted to work with all of them!

I scrambled to set up a calendar scheduling link. Consider how a wait list would work. And people were finding me outside Upwork, too. And asking me to be Marketing Director, optimize their whole funnel, or be fractional CMO. It was WILD. A complete 180. I was able to sort through it all, set up contracts, pricing, necessary back end stuff. And I had to say no to more projects, so I could do my best work with the ones I chose!

I have found more balance since then. But that was the best “challenge” ever!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I keep having to unlearn ideas from traditional school, and the traditional workforce. (Ones I didn’t even realize were still stuck with me!)

In school we learn we need to complete certain things to get a certain grade, to move to the next level. We need permission to join a certain club, or get a specific internship. We need to keep a certain schedule, put in a certain amount of hours, etc. Don’t take breaks in between jobs. Understand income ceilings. (Don’t get me wrong, there are major benefits to the traditional workforce and school system).

But in many types of business, you can create whatever you want! Certainly, it comes with the responsibility of running it wisely, providing quality service, and managing pressing challenges, etc. And we need to be respectful of different spaces we’re in. But you can create any type of offer, work with any clients you want, be in any location you want, earn what you want, there’s so much choice in that.

I have to keep reminding myself, I don’t have to submit permission slips. As long as something works for both me, and my ideal clients, I can create it, share it, offer it, test it. And shift and refine as I go.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.suzannereilley.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzannereilley/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannereilley/

Image Credits
Image Credit: Amanda Nichols Photography