Do It! Marketing Blog: Marketing for Smart People™

I got a phone call a few days ago from my friend Steve who is a fellow independent professional. He said to me at the beginning of the call, "David, I'm calling you as a reference."

So I'm thinking, "OK, he wants to hire someone I've worked with or someone I know - perhaps even a client of mine whose testimonial he saw on my website."

I say, "Steve, what can I do for you?"

And then he mentions someone's name. Let's call this person Larry. Now I like Larry and he's a good guy - perhaps a little confused about his marketing and messaging... and frankly that's OK because Larry is NOT a client of mine (although I've given him plenty of chances!)

Steve stops me and says, "No, no... I don't want to hire Larry. Larry wants to hire me. I'm calling you to ask you what kind of client do you think he would be?"

Wow. It's not a consultant reference, speaker reference, or service provider reference - Steve was asking me (essentially) "Would this guy be a good client?" FYI Steve saw me connected to Larry through LinkedIn and some other social media sites.

Lessons for YOU:

• We live in a hyper-connected world
• People DO read your social media profiles
• People DO judge you on the "company you keep" both online and off
• If you're a pain in the ass - as a consultant, speaker, vendor, partner, OR client... word will spread faster than you can imagine
• The top people in their field (ahem, YOU) do not have the bandwidth nor the interest to work with folks who are a pain in the butt
• YOU can't afford to be a pain in the butt on EITHER side of the professional services buying equation

Comments? What do you think? Have you had some experiences to share along these lines? Would love to hear from you in the Comments section below...

Business Card Kung Fu

As a marketing speaker and marketing coach, I often get asked about business cards - what should go on a business card? Do I use the back? Should it have my picture on it? What do I say? What are some good ideas for using my marketing "real estate" on the card?

Finally, we have some answers in Business Card Kung Fu - in the form of a funny, fast-paced 7-minute whirlwind tour of good business card marketing ideas.

Guest column by Lisa Sasevich

As a marketing speaker, during presentations I often have the occasion to mention other people. You have those opportunities every day too. You may do this through a success story one of your clients enjoyed or by sharing a quick anecdote.

In either case, mentioning other people can bring great rewards. Here are three categories of people to mention in your sales presentations, why you should do it and how it benefits you and your audience:

1. Your Mentors
When you mention your mentors, you establish the value of having a mentor. When you're on stage, your audience sees you as a role model. You inspire them. If even you have a mentor, the prospect would think, it must be worthwhile. Thus, by mentioning your mentor, you demonstrate that having one is worth the investment. And that subtly encourages prospects to consider more closely the possibility of having you as theirs.

When you mention your mentor, you also show your vulnerability. I've written before about the power of vulnerability and transparency for establishing a connection with your audience. You're saying to them, "Yes, I have accomplished a lot, but here I am. I'm just like you."

When you're being transparent and sharing your own growth, you're also establishing the credibility that you are an action-taking, decision-making person who invests in growth...just like you'll be recommending to them.

2. Your Clients
Success stories remind us all that we are capable. Success stories, before and after stories involving your clients, are particularly powerful because they clearly authenticate the transformative value of what you're offering. So, when you talk about the success of your clients, not only are you establishing your credibility as an expert who is showing people how to get results, but you're expanding what the prospects think they might be capable of. They're sitting there thinking: "If her client had that result, I could too!"

When you mention your clients, you also give them exposure. That's wonderful for your clients, who are grateful, and it also lets prospects know that you might be mentioning them in later talks.

By sharing the stories of your clients, you may even create a little healthy competition among new clients for success. Whenever I step into a new mentorship relationship, I always have that little thought, "I want to be the biggest success story they have!".... Don't you?

3. Other Experts
Some people don't want to mention other experts because they think it diminishes them, when the opposite is actually true. When you mention those high-level people, not only are you giving credit where credit is due, but you associate yourself and uplevel yourself with them. For instance, if you say that, "Dan Kennedy says that the fastest way to grow your business is to go on the road and speak," it puts you and Dan on the same level.

However...Don't Forget Yourself!
When you're mentioning others in your presentation, don't go overboard and exclude your own stories. They are powerful, too, for conveying your authenticity, vulnerability, and establishing your credibility. But beyond that, they create a feeling of connectedness with your audience by bringing you into intimate contact with everyone who's listening. As I've written before, that's powerful!

So, mention your mentors and other experts, share the stories of your clients along with your own, and, like your new clients, you'll find results beyond what you thought was possible too!

---
Sales-from-the-podium expert Lisa Sasevich has x-ray vision for seeing the sales opportunities that exist in every company, and the creativity to convert them into gold! If you're looking for simple, quick and easy ways to boost sales without spending a dime, get your FREE Sales Nuggets now at http://www.theinvisibleclose.com/

"Keep your mind on the hole you're playing."
-- Tom Kite

I'm a marketing speaker - I am not a golfer, but the following bits of wisdom from former US Open champion Tom Kite contain value for you that you can apply way beyond the links...

• You can only play one hole at a time. That's the first step toward how to think like a pro. An important key to a successful game is staying in the present.
• Resist the urge to add it up. If you anticipate your score, you'll be distracted from the task at hand.
• Focus. Concentrate on hitting great shots rather than worrying about bad ones or what others will think.
• Visualize the ball going to your target. If your mind wanders, refocus and start over again.
• Don't worry about the shot you just missed, or how you're going to play the 18th. Taking care of the present lets the future take care of itself.

Brilliant advice from marketing expert Maria Marsala. Maria is a Business Builder and former Wall Street Trader. With her motto of "Powering-UP service businesses and their owners," she provides articles, tips, classes, and resources to do just that. Learn more at www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com 

1. My charge for an initial consultation is "x." If we turn out to be a good match, and you hire me, I'll apply 1/2 of "x" towards your commitment.

2. I'm happy to give you 5 minutes or less of free time, however, most issues are more quickly & effectively resolved in an undisturbed session(s). May we schedule a meeting so I can give you my undivided attention?

3. If someone is very persistent, whip out a stopwatch & say "For $2 a minute I'd be happy to go into this now. May I start the clock & do you prefer to pay with cash or check?"

4. What I can do is refer you to a free resource on "_______."

5. I do work with two pro-bono clients, who are in desperate need financially. I'll take your card and add you to the waiting list.

6. Yes, I do work with clients on "name the issue." Would you like to set up a consultation?

7. That will cost "x" per hour.

8. There's a lot I can do for you that's similar to the work I did for "xyz" client. Would you like to get together and build a marketing plan? (And then charge for those services.)

9. Well, I'd love to suggest something; however, my fees are "xxx" per hour.

10. Are you looking to hire me?

11. Are you looking to hire _____? Well, I'd love to talk to you about that; my fees are "x" per hour."

12. You may call me for a 15-minute talk, very focused, on that issue.

13. "Well, the answer to that question depends" and then spend a few minutes explaining some of the options and considerations. For example, I may explain that the best way to identify the "solution" is to work backward from the desired end result and process. That provides a natural lead-in to: "If I were to work with you on this project, here's how we would do it..."

14. Sorry, I can't answer that unless you pay my fee (or hire me).

15. A complete answer to your question is going to take more than 15 minutes over the phone. Would you like me to send you a proposal on this?

16. I have really enjoyed talking with you and would like to help more. May I send you one of my brochures and a rate card?

17. Do you have a time line and/or budget in mind for solving this problem?

18. Have you looked at cost estimates from others who would like to help you solve this problem or complete this project?

19. It's not a good time for me to begin a session right this minute. Would you like to briefly discuss session times and fees?

20. Are you seeking generic free information on "the topic" or to work with a "your profession here" to address your specific situation? [If I have a free resource, I'll ask for their email address and send it to them.]

21. I provide a general 3-4 sentence overview of how I would address their concern with them. Then I say that I've found that the sorting of the information available and subsequent application of that information is so specific to each individual that I always recommend hiring a "your profession here" for getting that one project completed.

22. Well what I can offer you on that subject is an ebook (CD, audio, etc) called ________. I'll email you the link.

23. Refer them to these "free" or "almost free" resources:

• The library has books/tapes/audios/CD/reference librarians.
• To an outsider, your local SBA and SCORE Offices "look" free. They're really not "free" either. Their classes "cost $" and their advice is paid for by all of us as part of our taxes.
• Find a professional who needs your services and see about some sort of in-kind exchange or barter. Again, this isn't totally free, as you do need to report it on your taxes, but in most cases, there isn't any money exchanged.
• Join lots of ezines by experts in the area you're looking to learn about, but do it quickly while they are still free. And know that the 'best of the best' contain ads and affiliate programs, too.

And then leave a comment below with your questions, thoughts, and advice on the ideas above.

Are you a DO IT freak? Welcome to the club!! Please use the social media buttons at the top of this post to share it with your network. YOU are a rock star!

Branding is everything - and I mean everything.
-- Scott Bedbury

Branding is overrated.
-- Regis McKenna

I'm going to go with Regis McKenna on this one.

There is so much hot air being blown around about brands
and branding, by everyone from Tom Peters ("Brand You!") to
hundreds of smalltime business coaches who have glommed
onto branding as a buzzword - and refuse to let go!

Small business branding is often code for a lot of BS from marketing consultants and ad agencies who are more interested in what's in your wallet than what will grow your small business and make the phone ring!

I'm going to define brand very clearly and plainly...

A brand is a promise of an experience. Period.

You walk into a McDonald's for lunch versus a Ritz-Carlton Hotel because that's the kind of lunch you want that day. You would probably be confused and more than a little upset if you found waiters and linen tablecloths in that McDonald's or if your bill came to $110.

So in order to punch through a lot of the mystique around building a brand - especially for small business owners - let's call it a promise.

• Who can make a promise? Anyone.
• How much does it cost to make a promise? Usually nothing.
• Can you make a promise to someone across the hall? Sure.
• Across the country? You bet.
• Can you make promises to people in just your local area? Of course.
• Do you need to be crystal clear on what that promise means, before you try to communicate it to others? Yes, that would be smart.
• If asked, could your top level executives say what your promise is or means? Would the answers be consistent?
• Hmmmm...

Brand is communication. Brand is consistency. Brand is integrity. Brand is simply recognition for a job well done.

Boiling all these timeless business ideas into a 5-letter word doesn't change them.

Just came across GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parson's list of 16 Rules for Business and Life and found these incredibly relevant to small business marketing and entrepreneurship.

See if you agree with me (and mainly Bob) on these words of wisdom...

1. Get and stay out of your comfort zone.
I believe that not much happens of any significance when we're in our comfort zone. I hear people say, "But I'm concerned about security." My response to that is simple: "Security is for cadavers."

2. Never give up.
Almost nothing works the first time it's attempted. Just because what you're doing does not seem to be working, doesn't mean it won't work. It just means that it might not work the way you're doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and you wouldn't have an opportunity.

3. When you're ready to quit, you're closer than you think.
There's an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true. It goes like this: "The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed."

4. With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be.
Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of "undefined consequences." My father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, "Well, Robert, if it doesn't work, they can't eat you."

5. Focus on what you want to have happen.
Remember that old saying, "As you think, so shall you be."

6. Take things a day at a time.
No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don't look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time.

7. Always be moving forward.
Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new. The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.

8. Be quick to decide.
Remember what General George S. Patton said: "A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow."

9. Measure everything of significance.
I swear this is true. Anything that is measured and watched, improves.

10. Anything that is not managed will deteriorate.
If you want to uncover problems you don't know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven't examined for a while. I guarantee you problems will be there.

11. Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you're doing.
When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance. Even the planet Earth, if you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place.

12. Never let anybody push you around.
In our society, with our laws and even playing field, you have just as much right to what you're doing as anyone else, provided that what you're doing is legal.

13. Never expect life to be fair.
Life isn't fair. You make your own breaks. You'll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare).

14. Solve your own problems.
You'll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you'll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: "You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others." There's also an old Asian saying that I remind myself of frequently. It goes like this: "A wise man keeps his own counsel."

15. Don't take yourself too seriously.
Lighten up. Often, at least half of what we accomplish is due to luck. None of us are in control as much as we like to think we are.

16. There's always a reason to smile.
Find it. After all, you're really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. More and more, I agree with my little brother. He always reminds me: "We're not here for a long time, we're here for a good time!"

Do YOU have any rules you'd like to add to this list? Use the comments feature below and fire away... we'd love to hear YOUR rules!!

p.s. There are over 100 small business marketing and sales tools, templates, scripts, and strategies waiting for you in the Simple Marketing Success 10-Week Virtual Bootcamp experience. The program is open by application only. Let me know you're interested (email or call me 610.716.5984) and I'll forward you the application materials and program guidelines right away. We begin September 5, 2012. Join us!

Guest column by Peter George

When it comes to marketing your services, two facts hold true.

One is, when things are important to people, they buy -- or at least attempt to buy -- from a recognized expert.

The other is, to be most profitable, you must differentiate yourself from your competition. One of the most effective ways to differentiate yourself is to be a recognized expert in your field.

So why don't more people market themselves as experts? It's simple. It's only because they do not believe themselves to be worthy of the title.

Let's take a look at what an expert really is. It is not some mythical stature, achieved by a select few. The Oxford Dictionary defines an expert as "a person who is very knowledgeable about or skilful in a particular area." Nowhere does it state that you have to be the absolute best at what they do.

Take Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees, for example. Is he an expert hitter? You bet. Is he the best hitter to ever play the game? No, but that doesn't make him any less an expert. Is Dr. Arun Singh at Rhode Island Hospital an expert cardiothoracic surgeon. Definitely. Is he the best in the world? Most likely not, but he is one of the very best in the New England region.

How to be recognized as an expert
First and foremost, you have to decide that you are, or will be, an expert. If you need additional knowledge, skill, or experience, get it. Read, take courses, give free services ... do whatever it takes to overcome what it is that keeps you from being an expert. Perhaps all you have to overcome is your fear of sounding pretentious. Don't give this a second thought. By using the word judiciously, this isn't a problem.

Although considering yourself to be an expert is the first step, being considered an expert by your target audience requires consistent demonstration of your expertise. Following are some of the ways you can accomplish this.

Here's one caution. Do not try to become an expert at everything.

I often here people say, "I specialize in all aspect of my profession." I highly doubt that's true. Even if it is, does it benefit them? Would you want to have brain surgery done by a doctor who told you he is a neurosurgeon, cardiologist, otolaryngologist, and proctologist? Probably not.

Speaking
Speaking is an excellent way to showcase your knowledge, accomplishments, and abilities. The opportunities are almost endless. They include being a keynote or breakout speaker at conferences. You can produce your own seminars or do so with the help of your local Chamber of Commerce or other organization. The same is true for workshops. You can serve on a panel at your industry's meetings -- local, regional, or national.

Because there are so many opportunities, you might not know where to begin. My suggestion is that you look at your industry or a related field. If there are monthly meetings, do they have speakers? Are there special events where speakers are featured? Do chambers in other areas of the country invite people in your profession to speak, and if so, on what topics? Once you begin investigating, you'll be surprised at the number of possibilities that exist.

Writing
When I mention writing, people think of newspapers, magazines, and books and that their chances of getting published are slim. Even if that were true, there are many more avenues available to those who want to write about subjects they know well.

Let's discuss writing articles. To begin, you don't have to look any further than the Chambers of Commerce. They are often looking for well-written articles that they can use in their newspapers. You can also provide articles to your local newspaper and industry journals. Of course you can publish your own newsletter or write for someone else's. The correct option is the one that works for you.

Above are some of the outlets for articles on paper. Online vehicles offer you a completely new set of tactics. Just like the paper versions, you can write for your own newsletter (often referred to as an ezine) or for someone else who already has a list of subscribers or recipients.

Another venue for articles is online article repositories and distributors. These are places where you submit your articles for review. If accepted, the articles are included in the databases. From there, people can either read them or actually use them in their online publications. This is done at no charge. How does this help?

The people who use the articles agree to include your resource box. This is where you let readers know how they can benefit from your services or obtain additional information -- much like my resource box at the end of this article.

Writing a book or books is an extremely powerful way to demonstrate that you are an expert. Whether published by publishers or yourself, a book has long been the epitome of writing. Even accomplished news columnists are compelled to write books. And it's not as difficult as you may think.

Let's say you have written a number of articles. Then you have the basis for several chapters in your book. And a book does not have to be lengthy. It can be as short or long as necessary to get its point across. You can also write an e-book, which is a short book that is made available for downloading online.

Other opportunities
The list could go on, but I will conclude with just a few more ideas.

People who are interviewed by the press are looked at as experts.

By prudently sending out press releases and becoming known to the press, you better your chances of being one of the people they turn to.

Speaking of interviews, you may also make yourself available to other experts who are writing their own books or articles and need opinions and personal viewpoints.

Tips sheets and special reports make wonderful products that you can give to your prospects and clients or use as add-ons. These are generally rather short, but they once again indicate that you have sufficient expertise in your field.

Now you have several ways to be a recognized expert in your field. It's time to jump in and start swimming!

-------------------------
Peter George is the marketing coach and recognized expert who is known for helping self-employed professionals attract more clients, make more profits, and have more time to enjoy life. Immediately download "101 Ways to Attract More Clients" at http://MoreClientsMoreProfits.com

"If Stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?"
-- Will Rogers

"To forget one's purpose is the commonest form of stupidity."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche

Trying to solve problems or find answers with the same set of information that got us "into this mess" in the first place indicates one of several things:

1. We are dangerously insane.
2. We are incredibly irresponsible.
3. We are sadly unaware of our own trailblazing and "off the charts" navigation capabilities.

What only a handful of very successful individuals realize is that, in fact, the current landscape, as perceived by others, is irrelevant as far as you're concerned.

One of the most powerful tools you have is self-knowledge. In the simplest terms, this comes down to answering these basic questions:

• Who am I?
• What am I all about?
• What do I love to do?
• Who do I want to be?
• What's the best way for me to get there?
• Where would I like the journey to take me?

Spend a few moments completing the following. Yes, you! Yes, right now. Find a pencil. I'll wait...

Good. Here we go...

Exercise: List 10 things you LOVE to do. Any context is fine. Use your personal life, professional life, with your family, friends, civic and church groups, anything:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Now review your list and summarize each of these ten items into a 1-word VERB, such as "teach" or "analyze" or "cultivate"

These are ten of your core action words that define you at your best.

How can you bring more opportunities to use these actions into your life? In answering this question, please remember that even a small change can have a huge impact.

You don't need to quit your job in an office in New York and move to a kibbutz in Israel if one of your key words turned out to be "share."

Why don't you share some of what you know with your colleagues? Teach a class, write an article, start a discussion group, create a lunchtime seminar series, or start an interactive message board on your corporate intranet?

So many small business owners are unhappy because the opportunities to use these core actions have evaporated from their lives or have become blocked by schedules filled with "too much to do" and "never enough time."

But stop and ask yourself, "How effective is my mind if my heart and soul are starving?"

And if you don't take care of them, who will?

What have your experiences been in this arena? Please leave a comment below and let's keep the discussion going...

Here's the deal - a boring, plain, blah business card costs just as much to print as a funny, powerful, and attractive business card.

Which category does YOUR business card fall into?

Right now, I'm trying to create a creative, funny, inspirational business card that's gonna have a strong "pass around" factor - funny as hell... or different... or something.

I gave my awesome designer, Erin Hyland, of www.jackoutofthebox.com a design assignment - actually it's not just a design assignment, it's a creative assignment.

Starters / initial thoughts: I wanted to put something clever on the back, such as:

If you hate marketers, I'm a professional speaker... If you hate professional speakers, I'm a marketer. Nyah-nyah!

- OR -

Our firm also does business under ALL of the following names:

• Someone Else ("We decided to hire someone else")
• A Different Direction ("We're going in a different direction")
• A Budget of Zero ("We have a budget of zero")
• Our Current Agency ("We're happy with our current agency")

If you're considering one of these other options, please continue to make checks payable to David Newman

Or I could go in this direction... man, is this ever TEMPTING:

What's the funniest, cleverest, wittiest copy you've ever seen on a business card?

Let me know in the COMMENTS area below - in fact, the best idea will win something cool from me. [No, it's not a puppy.]  

Grab your FREE copy of the Strategic Marketing eBook.

And then leave a comment below with your questions, thoughts, and advice on the ideas above.

Are you a DO IT freak? Welcome to the club!! Please use the social media buttons at the top of this post to share it with your network. YOU are a rock star!