Do It! Marketing Blog: Marketing for Smart People™

Don't take this personally but... you're making a BIG mistake. 

Yeah... it's bad.

And you don't even know it. 

But it's costing you money, time, relationships, and ultimately it's impacting your bottom line in ways that you cannot even imagine. 

In a word, it is... 

LAZINESS. 

Yup. Sorry. Truth-telling time. 

You're a lazy bum.

What do I mean?

You're marketing mindset is set to "bulk mode."

Over the last two weeks alone, I've had several of my smart, professional, experienced and (otherwise) emotionally intelligent clients either ask me about (or worse - tell me that they already did) the following: 

1. Send out a mass email prospecting for a six-figure consulting program
2. Use a LinkedIn status update to request LinkedIn Recommendations from their 900 connections
3. Use a bcc email to about 20 high-profile authors, speakers and experts soliciting blurbs for their upcoming book

In each of these cases, my reaction was swift and simple -- and as painful for them to hear as it was for me to convey:

This is jaw-droppingly stupid.

Even if you needed to communicate with 100 high-level decision makers at one time (and you don't) - do you think you'd get better results if you sent a private note OR if they see that you put in ZERO effort to reach out to them INDIVIDUALLY because at the bottom of your note it says "Click here to unsubscribe or change your email preferences - Sent by Constant Contact."

Come ON, folks... 

Similarly, would you be more likely to help someone who sent you this LinkedIn Recommendation request via 1-on-1 email...

===

Lisa,

Thank you again for inviting me to keynote for your GPPCC Mini-Summit last week. So glad to hear that Bob is recovering from his accident and that the direct mail project we discussed is off to a roaring start!

Would you be wonderful enough to write a few sentences by way of a LinkedIn recommendation for me based on your great feedback you shared with me right after our program last Friday?

Thank you in advance for considering it and let me know how I can be helpful to YOU. 

-- David

===

...OR someone who posted this as their LinkedIn status: 

===

I'm collecting testimonials or recommendations from my past work. If interested in contributing, please email a testimonial that I can use on my website and other marketing materials... I am positioning for a new book... more to come soon! Many thanks in advance!

===

Not even close, right? 

Here's the math you need:

1x100 is 100X Better than 100x1

Send the same core email - personalized and tailored to each person - to 100 people. 

Do NOT send 100 generic emails to a list and hope for anywhere near the results you want. 

I don't care if you're asking for sales, asking for leads, asking for referrals, asking for book blurbs, asking for help, asking to sell Girl Scout Cookies, or asking for a date.

If you don't make THEM feel special and worthy of your precious time, you can be sure they will reciprocate with the exact same level of effort - aka ZERO - in helping you get what YOU want. 

Not the outcome you're after.

Final note: I've had salespeople and internet marketing types tell me, "Yes but you can personalize those emails."

Come on... your clients, customers, advocates, allies, referral partners and friends aren't stupid. They can tell the difference between a true PERSONAL email (the good kind) and a PERSONALIZED email (the bulk kind). Doesn't matter how cleverly you disguise it.

They. Can. Tell.

Want one more cautionary tale? See this post for a great way to NEVER get a referral. 

Anytime you need a reminder - just print this out and post it in your office where you can see it nice and big (right-click the graphic and select "Save Image As" to save it to your desktop):

Tags: sales mistakes, 1x100 is 100x better than 100x1, doit marketing, marketing speaker, marketing coach

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Use the COMMENTS area below to leave your advice, insights and recommendations on these ideas and join the conversation...

Guest column by Ryan Pinkham, Engagement Marketing

Engagement marketing is a lot about relationships.

Your current customers are the lifeblood of your business. These are people who know you, the products and services you provide, and who return week after week and month after month to see you again.

Your current customers are also your best source of new business—especially those who you’ve built a relationship with in the past.

That’s because when you build a relationship with your target audience, they’ll not only be more likely to do business with you again, but will also feel more comfortable referring you to a friend, family member, or colleague.

Email marketing is a powerful tool in your toolbox for building those relationships online.

[Ed: The email marketing software we use at Do It! Marketing is Constant Contact. Click here for a 60-day free trial.] 

By connecting with customers in their inbox each month, you’ll stay top of mind with your target audience. And by delivering content they enjoy, can use, and want to engage with, you’ll build trust with the people who already know you best.

Here are 10 tips for building long lasting email marketing relationships:

1. Get to know each other before things get serious

You should never start any relationship until you really get to know each other. You may think that you know your customers, you might even see them every day, but until they are comfortable enough to share their email address with you, don’t assume anything.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask. Having a sign-up sheet at your business or a Join My Mailing List feature on your website or Facebook Page is a great way to start things off.

2. Make sure you have something in common

Without common interests, your relationship is never going to work. If someone has signed up for your email newsletter, that means you have at least something in common, but you have to make sure the content of your emails remains relevant to keep the relationship going long term.

Keep an eye on whose reading and who’s opting out. It’s a good way to see who’s engaging with your content and who is not. Just keep in mind, sometimes it’s just not meant to be and it might not always be your fault.

3. Don’t take them for granted

Your customers should be the most important thing to you … or at least to your business. They aren’t just names on a list; they are people who want to be appreciated. Once your subscribers start to feel like they aren’t being valued, they’ll be packing their bags.

Show that you appreciate them by getting exclusive with content, whether that’s an informative article or a coupon. Also keep an eye on how often you’re sending emails. Be careful not to smother your list by overloading their inbox—remember, sometimes less really is more.

4. Be yourself

Think of every newsletter as a first date. It’s your chance to make a first impression and to show your list what you’re all about. You already know they’re interested, they said “yes” to joining your list, didn’t they? Be confident. Don’t be afraid to have fun with it.

5. Make sure your signals are getting through

Your relationship’s not going to go anywhere if your signals are getting lost in translation. When you get someone’s number for the first time, you better make sure you get all the digits, right?

It’s the same thing with your emails, make sure your recipients have an easy way of giving you accurate contact information so your messages get to where they are meant to go.

6. Earn their trust

Trust. It’s the most important part of any relationship. The best way to prove your customers can trust you is by showing them you can keep a secret. That means never EVER sharing your customer’s contact information with someone else. They trust you to protect their email addresses and once you break that trust, it’s tough to get it back.

7. Set realistic expectations

A great way to set expectations for your customers is by sending a welcome email. It helps make a good first impression and gives you a chance to show your intentions. Just don’t make promises you can’t keep. If your newsletter is going to be a monthly newsletter, it needs to be a monthly newsletter.

8. Dress the part

This should be an easy one. All you need to do is find the best “clothing” store for email newsletters.

Constant Contact has plenty of outfits to fit any business or organization and they’re easy to customize to fit the look and feel of your brand. Not only that, it's easy for you to use the same template for each of your newsletters. That way you don’t have to worry about showing up wearing two different colored socks. 

9. Be responsive

Just because you’re the one sending out your newsletter, that doesn’t mean you’re the only one who has something to say. Like in any relationship, you need to be good at listening.

Send out a question in your next email or use a survey to get customer feedback. This is a good way to show you care - and to get valuable feedback on what your buyers want!

10. Pay attention to the details

I don’t mean that you need to clean your fingernails and brush your hair (although you probably should anyway). I mean you need to be aware of how things are going AND pay attention to how your relationship is progressing.

Keep an eye on your email reports. Watch your open rates, click-through rates, and opt-outs. They’re a good way to see if things are really going as well as you think they are.

Build relationships online and off with a WOW! experience

Remember: the best way to build relationships is by providing a WOW! experience online and off.

Make sure your email marketing reflects the type of service you provide and you’ll build long lasting relationships to help grow your business.

What rules do you follow with your email marketing relationships? Use the COMMENTS area below to share your advice and insights...

My marketing coaching client was redoing his website. (Can you FEEL his exhilaration?)

He just got his fresh, minty business cards back from the printer. (Can you SMELL those new cards?)

During our next conference call, he asked me, "David, what should go in my email signature file?"

A-ha! Trick question. 

What followed was my mini-seminar, pocket rant and micro-manifesto on email signature file Do's and Don'ts. And we'll throw in a few examples of the good, the bad and the ugly to keep you entertained along the way.

After reading this post, you will be armed and dangerous in the email signature file combat zone. Suit up, soldier - we're going in HOT!

1. Don't NOT have one. An email signature file is FREE marketing. If you send 50 emails a day, that's 50 marketing opportunities wasted if your emails don't have a signature block. You wouldn't go out in public naked - so don't let your emails do it, either!

2. Don't make it about YOU. "Read my blog" - "Buy my book" - "Hire me" are all incredibly juvenile, self-centered, and (frankly) REPULSIVE ways to close an email. This approach is completely devoid of value for the reader - and you're actually REPELLING prospects because you smell desperate and needy.

3. DO include a Call-to-Action focused on VALUE. You do want people to take action - but you want to also give them a good "reason why." Here's an example from a signature block I've used successfully in the past. Pay attention to the "So What?" factor that gives people both the ACTION to take - and the VALUE/BENEFIT to THEM: 

_____________________________
David Newman :: Tel 610.716.5984
http://www.doitmarketing.com

President, National Speakers Association Philadelphia Chapter
National Speakers Association "Member of the Year" 2009

Three FREE resources you can grab right now:

1. Subscribe to get fast, brave, and smart marketing ideas: http://www.doitmarketing.com/blog

2. Follow me on Twitter to get cool micro-ideas to grow your business: http://twitter.com/dnewman

3. Let's connect on LinkedIn so you can tap into my 2,000+ connections:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjnewman

4. DO include your phone number. It's a real basic point but you'd be amazed at how many business owners and entrepreneurs forget to include their phone number in their email signature block. This is becoming increasingly important as 40% of emails are now read on mobile devices, primarily smart phones. And some of your prospects, clients and colleagues simply PREFER the phone. So make it easy for them to reach you that way.

5. DO include a testimonial. Or three. You do great work, right? Your clients and customers love you, right? Why not PROVE that point with every email you send out? ESPECIALLY prospecting and new client outreach emails. My nickname for testimonials is "punching people in the face with proof." (My other violent metaphor is content marketing, which is "punching people in the face with value." Maybe I should've been a boxer.)

6. Don't feel limited by ONE signature file. Have 2-3 different versions ready to go based on who you're writing to, what product or service you're writing to them about, and how you'd like to frame your positioning. In my own business, there are two main types of clients I work with - speaking and seminar clients and marketing coaching/consulting clients. Thus I have a speaking signature file that includes my value prop tag line and 3 speaking client testimonials. And I also have a marketing coaching/consulting signature file with the same contact info but different value prop statement and an awesome testimonial from one of my consulting clients.

7. DO seduce - DON'T solicit. Here's what doesn't work in an email signature file (or anywhere else in your marketing) - brute force solicitation. "Buy my crap" is a pretty lousy marketing message. Rather, focus on seduction - pull rather than push. Two specific marketing recommendations to make you more seductive (in emails and everywhere else, too!) are: 

a. Offer value ("Here's a resource - idea - tool - article - recommendation")

b. Invite engagement ("What do you think?" "What's worked for you?" "How can I help?" "Let's discuss this soon...")

Soooo... (wait for it)... What do YOU think? What's worked for you? How can I help? Let's discuss... like right here in the COMMENTS section below!

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!

Had a high-output day today after hearing my friend, personal productivity and goal achievement expert Michael Gidlewski present a seminar yesterday.

By the time you're done reading this post, you will get the secrets to create your OWN high-payoff productivity burst any time you wish.

But it takes more than wishing - it takes resolve and action. 

One hint - It is simple but not easy. 

Back to today. What made it so special? Imagine having a day where...

• You get IMPORTANT stuff done
• You have more FOCUS 
• You FEEL better about what you accomplished
• And you accomplish more of what really matters to you and your business

In fact, it's very possible I accomplished more today (Friday) than in the four prior days this week combined. 

After Michael's executive workshop, I got a better handle on what my key high-payoff activities TRULY were. I then put them on my calendar in specific time slots. And the screen that was under my nose all day was my CALENDAR, not my email INBOX.

Quick tips for you: 

1. Plan your day - what MUST get done and WHEN?

2. Chunk your day down into blocks and assign specific tasks to those blocks - Phone calls, emails, client tasks, whatever it is YOU want to do that will move you closer to your GOALS.

3. Keep that damn calendar under your nose. All day. Make it your default screen. Hide, minimize or (gasp) close your email until "check email" pops up on your calendar.

4. Make note of COMPLETING your high-payoff activities. Check them off your task list or change their color on your calendar so you have a visual roadmap of achievement for your day. 

So what's the big deal? What did I get done? 

• Coaching call with one of my awesome clients in Canada
• Answered LinkedIn request for conversation with new prospect **
• Followed up with FIVE key prospects who were in various stages of follow-up mode by sending high-value article on referrals
• Wrote this blog post
• Connected with my 2 co-presenters for the Magnetic Marketing Seminar (if you're near Philadelphia, you're invited - it's FREE.)
• Followed up with an editor of a financial publication about doing a podcast and speaking at several of their banking conferences over the coming year. 
• Took care of some financial nonsense which I've been procrastinating on for 2 weeks. (I hate that stuff, thus keeping my bookkeeper and my accountant profitably busy!)
• Made one important prospecting phone call (the only thing I hate more than financial detail work is using the phone.)
• Connected with my Vistage Chair to ask him an important favor. 
• Got a solid No from a prospect on the phone and ended the prospecting/sales process with her on a strong positive note. (Did I mention how much I hate the damn phone? Gotta use it, though...) 

All together, I had EIGHT high-payoff activities on my calendar and knocked all of them out before 3pm. Changed their colors, made follow-up notes, and felt great about the results of the day.  

** NOTE: You may have noticed that my second item was to respond to a LinkedIn request that came in via email. The reason I was able to do that was because of point #5 in this post - I did a "Money Pass" through my email inbox and the new prospect inquiry from LinkedIn QUALIFIED as a high-payoff activity so I proactively added it to my day in real-time. 

The short lesson is: Live Out of Your Calendar and NOT Out of Your Inbox!!

p.s. For a smart support system and specific tools on HOW to do precisely that, check out my pal Marsha Egan's awesome program called INBOX DETOX. 

p.p.s. If you'd like some personalized help - and your very own customized marketing and sales toolkit PLUS an easy-to-implement speaking-driven game plan for 90 days, book your free speaker strategy session here.

Case in point - a Philadelphia area communications and design firm whose list I have been on for more than 7 years. They have never - NEVER as in NOT ONCE - sent me a single solitary message that was relevant to me, my business, my marketing, my design needs, or my ANYTHING. Not a shred of value in sight. Zilch. Nada. None.

Every single flippin' email blast they send out is about THEM, THEIR awards, THEIR staff, THEIR media mentions. I mean it's over-the-top ridiculous. I could go on and tell you - but I'd rather SHOW YOU...

For some bizarre reason, I'm removing their name to protect the guilty. I dunno - maybe it's the holiday spirit of thankfulness that I'm not this big of an IDIOT myself. (See previous post on the Real IDIOT's Guide to Social Media for the backstory on this acronym.)

I've used green bold text to show each instance of "I, me, my" syndrome in this incredibly self-centered, years-long and completely ineffective email marketing approach.

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Subject: Good things come in three for IDIOT Design+Communications 

Good things come in three for IDIOT Design+Communications
25th Anniversary, ranked 7th and scholarship winner 

[Unnamed town], PA - November 21, 2011 - IDIOT Design+Communications (ID+C), a brand design firm, is proud to announce three major milestones for the company. 

ID+C celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2011.  What started as a freelance graphic design job in 1986 has grown into a full service design agency serving the Northeast corridor from Virginia to New York. Their expertise includes integrative brand campaigns that span internal and external audiences. Branding initiatives include brand touch points that create and spark perception of brand positioning. ID+C specializes in employee communications and internal branding. According to President and founder, Susan Idiot, "I would have never imaged owning my own graphic design and communication business. It is the support of long-term clients and friends that has allowed me to do the work I love and for that, I am grateful." ID+C built their reputation in the industry on strong partnerships and would like to take this opportunity to thank each of their clients. 

Ranked 7th Among Philadelphia Design Firms  In July, the company was ranked Number 7 in the 2011 Philadelphia Business Journal among Graphic Design firms in the Philadelphia region.    

[Blah blah Name Changed here too] Executive Scholarship ID+C wishes to extend a special thank you to Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) for their continued support and for awarding Susan Idiot the [Blah blah Name Changed] Executive Scholarship. Idiot used the opportunity to attend Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management's Executive Program on Branding. From elite scholars in marketing to an international contingency of fellow business owners and branding professionals, Susan Idiot gained invaluable insights into branding strategy. As a result, ID+C can assist its clients to discover and express their brands' positions and future direction in a dynamic, global marketplace.         

IDIOT Design +Communications
address block
website
phone number
Susan Idiot

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Questions for YOU:

• Is this the kind of email you would pass along to your best business colleagues?
• Would you be motivated to go through your database and see who else could benefit from such a terrific email newsletter?
• Would you rush to your web browser and immediately check out their site to see what OTHER valuable resources they have to offer you?
• Finally, would YOU give these people your email address so they could spam you with their accomplishments, awards, milestones, and anniversaries and spend nary a second in 7 whole years talking about branding, advertising, communications, or marketing ideas that might help you, your organization, or your career?

Yeah... me neither. Click. Unsubscribe. Bye, bye.

BOTTOM LINE: Don't let this happen to you.

What do YOU think? Please use the COMMENTS area below to share your thoughts on "I, me, my" Syndrome or share a success story of more prospect-centered email marketing! 

Email marketing campaign tip: A slimmer email can lead to healthier results for 2009...

Many people enter into the new year with a personal goal of living a healthier lifestyle and shedding the unwanted pounds brought on by another season of holiday excess. The same commitment should also be applied to the messages being sent to your subscribers-messages that may have slowly packed on the pounds right under your nose without being noticed.

How It Happened
Emails tend to start off with very streamlined designs, making them easy to use and less likely to run into display errors in different email clients. However, as marketers reach a level of comfort with email marketing, and quality content continues to be developed, more and more of that content begins to find its way into their email communications.

It can start with something as simple as a sidebar, or additional space for images. As the months go on, additional content accumulates on your email template, and soon it hardly resembles the streamlined communication vehicle it once was.

Think this might be the case with your own email? Ask yourself a few questions about your email marketing campaign:

What am I trying to communicate?
Trying to communicate more than two or three main ideas in an email is difficult in light of how quickly most email recipients sift through their inboxes. Identify the one idea, if you could only choose one, that you would want recipients to take away from your email-is it the first thing you notice on your test message? If not, consider moving or eliminating excess content.

Am I overloading?
Giving visitors to your website a variety of options is fine, but an excessive number of links and linked images on an email can make it difficult and frustrating to engage with. Many marketers rely on emails to drive traffic to their sites, but the amount of clicks an email receives has much less to do with the number of available links than the relevance of those links. Also, too many links on an email increases the chances of frustrating site visitors who wait for a page to load only to realize they clicked on the wrong link in your message-an easy mistake to make with several links in close proximity.

Where can I make changes?
Some content on your emails will be non-negotiable, but be mindful of including any non-essential elements. For example, a large graphic about an event could have a negative impact if it's the first thing a recipient sees. In this case, the recipient may believe the event is the focus of the message-even if that is not the case-and could abandon the message due to lack of interest in the event. Scaling the graphic down, or simply using stylized text to promote it, would slim down the message and make sure the recipients' focus is on your products, editorial, or whatever else you consider to be the key takeaway (see #1 above).

One common email element not likely to be eliminated by any marketer is advertising space, but there is no greater contributor to a bloated-looking email than a slew of rotating banner ads. At the very least make sure clearly defined borders separate advertising from your own content, and avoid using any unnecessary images of your own, which can contribute to the cramped appearance.

Your email marketing campaign: Less is more
The tendency of emails to become inflated stems from marketers' desire to communicate as much information as possible with their subscribers. While this desire is perfectly understandable, it does not always take into account the user-experience of those who will be receiving the messages.

It's a good thing to have more ideas than can fit onto one email-for your subscribers' sake, try not to overload your messages. One idea on an email can still get great results, but only if your recipients can find it.