If you teach what you know in some way (as a speaker, author, coach, trainer, or consultant), you'll soon discover that no one buys training, consulting or coaching. They buy a solution to their problems. So, rather than trying to sell your service (a group coaching package, for example), sell a signature program system that helps your target market achieve measurable results.

What's a signature system? It's a way of putting together a package of what you offer in a step-by-step system that makes your process more easily understood by your target market. Your system helps promote trust in your business because your prospect can more readily understand what you do when you spell it out for them and thus make it easier for them to decide to work with you.

When you create a system of how you work with your clients, you create a higher perceived value with your service, as systems connote that you're sharing an "insider secret" on how something is accomplished as opposed to selling an individual service. A signature program also helps you build your brand awareness in a way that is easily understood by your target market and is easily explained by them when they speak about their experience with you to their friends and colleagues (new prospects). Lastly, you make life much easier for yourself with a system in place because you now have a simple way of describing what you do, and you have created a base foundation of content that you can then develop into multiple profit centers, all based around your signature system.

Here are the 5 steps to follow to help you create your own signature system:

1. Outline your approach. Think about the process you go through when you work 1:1 with your clients. I bet that you've created a way of working with them that is similar from person to person. Jot down the 5-10 processes that you take each of your clients through during the course of your work with them.

2. Determine results. What does your client get out of the process of working with you? If you don't know, be sure and ask your clients. A system has to have an end result in mind that is produced upon completion, so note the kinds of results a client will experience and how their life or business will be different after completing your system.

3. Create your catchy name. The name of your system should hook your target market's attention immediately. Typically, you will want to incorporate the major result experienced by your clients as the name of the program. For example, author and coach Michael Port's signature system is the Book Yourself Solid program. Doesn't every service professional want to be booked solid in her practice?

4. Devise the steps. Take another look at your approach outline and refine your approach into a set number of steps. Typically, 5-10 steps is most effective, as anything more looks too difficult and overwhelming for most people, and anything less is looked upon with some degree of skepticism as not being broad enough to work effectively.

5. Brainstorm the spin-offs. Once you've got your signature system in place, then look for ways to break it down into smaller parts and sell access to those smaller parts. Perhaps each of your steps might make sense as a stand-alone module, or a combination of 2 or 3 of the steps would get a prospect on track toward her goal. No longer do you have to keep creating new programs and services. Everything you do comes forth as a part of your signature system.

If you don't market your business with a signature system, stop now and incorporate this process into your business model. A signature system will make your marketing so much easier, help you help more people with your expertise, and enable you to create multiple streams of income on your way to creating a prosperous business.