Do It! Marketing Blog: Marketing for Smart People™

Professional speakers, coaches, consultants, and independent professionals should not present themselves as technicians, number- crunchers, or talk about their “techniques, approaches, and methods.”

Newsflash – Your customers and prospects don’t care.

Instead, present yourself as a problem-solver.

For years now, large accounting firms have taken the lead in portraying themselves as "business partners." They know the danger of being viewed as "number crunchers" or “geeks” or... heaven forbid, “consultants.”

Why have they changed their tune?

Simple. Experience shows that today's customers want both solid results PLUS personalized help, guidance and direction. And as a small business owner, YOU are ideally suited for this role!

For many customers, your business can become a one-stop shop, giving customers the benefits of a product expert, service partner, information advisor, strategy planner, and personal guide all rolled into one.

There is another factor here that should not be ignored: It is never in your best interest to be viewed as a commodity. Today, your small business must offer the value of a consultant in order to secure lasting and price-irrelevant relationships.

You must be able to subtly and regularly communicate to every customer: “These are the measurable ways I am enhancing your results.” Do that, and they won’t leave you for a slightly cheaper alternative down the street. And do it consistently, and you’ll develop customers for life.

• If you were to fully live your life, what is the first change you would make?
• What areas of your life could be upgraded or improved?
• What could you start working on today that would make the biggest difference?
• How could you make this goal more specific or measurable?
• What would be the biggest impact from achieving your goal(s)?
• What do you love? How can you bring in more of it?
• What do you hate? How can you eliminate/reduce almost all of it?
  
• What's one thing you would love to do before you die?
• What could you do right now that would really put a smile on your face?
• For your life to be perfect, what would have to change?
• What do you really, really, REALLY want? (Really!!)
• Are you willing to be the hero of your own story?
• What obstacles might stop you?
• Who are your allies? What weapons and tools do you have?
• What - or who - is at hand right now that might hold the key to your success?

As you know, the LAST thing I ever want to be called is a "social media expert" or social media marketing coach. Yech. That ain't what I do and it aint' who I am. Ain't. Ain't. Ain't. 

There, that feels better... now what I AM is a social media enthusiast. I love it and I think it's a great tool to add to your internet marketing game plan.

Is it perfect for everyone? No.

Is it useful for some? Yes.

Is it vital for a few? Certainly.

So... to help you ramp up the effectiveness of your social media efforts, you need to know what to say and how to say it.

And most outreach "templates" that these social media tools offer you are pretty weak. Things like the standard LinkedIn connection invite, the Facebook friend connection, and others. No worries, you're about to get hooked up.

LinkedIn:

Quick Marketing 101 review - Do people care about YOU or do they care about themselves? Yes - that's right! 5 points. They don't give a rat's tushie about you and they care 100% about themselves.

Now look at the standard LinkedIn connection invite:

===

I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.

===

Hmmmm... how do you feel about being "added"? And who cares about "my professional network"? This is all wrong.

Here's your new template - notice the switch in focus and benefit. Plus I added a new line with even more value. Finally, I prevented someone from clicking the "I don't know them" button which LinkedIn penalizes you for:

===

I'd like to put my professional network on LinkedIn at your disposal. After we connect, if there's someone to whom you'd like a personal introduction, just let me know.

If you prefer not to connect at this time, please archive this message now. Thanks in advance.

===

Facebook:

You can't really go wrong here but I still have a useful connection "script" for you.

Let's say you notice that through your Facebook "Suggestions" (currently on the right side of your home page immediately below the section labelled "Requests"), there are people listed with labels like "37 mutual friends," "51 mutual friends" and so on. 

You can connect with these folks, but chances are excellent that they might not know you from Adam - or Eve. Thus, you need a fun, approachable, and appealing script to drop in when you want to click on them to connect.  After you click "Add as Friend" you'll want to click the link in the dialog box that says "Add a personal message" and type:

===

Vanessa - Wow! We have 37 mutual friends. We GOTTA connect simply so we can talk about all these people!

===

Twitter:

First rule, don't use automatic Direct Messaging (DM). People hate 'em. I hate 'em. Most savvy Twitter users hate 'em too.

They're used by spammers, affiliate marketers, and MLM salespeople. Just awful.

Not sure how to set that up? Good. You don't need to know. Didn't I just specifically ask you NOT to do it? No matter how "cool, valuable, friendly" you think they are - DON'T do it.

This next bit isn't a script, it's more of a practice. It's called ENGAGEMENT. Rather than simply pumping out clever tweets and retweeting others, build relationships. My formula for social media success (as a social media enthusiast, remember!) is the 3 R's formula:

Resources - Yes, certainly share your blog posts, your micro-ideas, and retweets of cool links and thoughts from others. Your first week on Twitter, this is fine if it's all you do. The second week, though, you better get busy with...

Relationships - Build relationships with other users you follow, admire, or resonate with. Use public @ messages or private DMs to connect with them, comment on their latest contributions, or thank them for an idea. Be detailed - so don't just tweet "@dnewman Hey - Cool!" Instead tweet this: "@dnewman David, awesome ideas on your blog about those social media scripts. Thanks!!!"

Reciprocity - Once you get the Twitter thing going, you've built some good relationships and you're seen as a valuable resource and contributor, it's only natural that people will start to promote you with some reciprocal love. They'll respond to your ideas, they'll Retweet you, they'll promote you in their #followfriday recommendations, and they'll scratch your back as you scratch theirs. 

Your Email Signature:

This is where I see all kinds of stupid stuff. For example:

====
Joe Shmoe
Profession - Email - Phone
Feel free to subscribe to my newsletter / read my blog / check out my articles - Web link
====

What's wrong with this signature file? 2 little letters - MY. MY. MY. Remember marketing 101, nobody gives a hoot about YOU. 

Consider my new signature file - and one that you should feel free to copy, emulate, or steal:

====

_____________________________
David Newman :: Tel 610.716.5984
Helping professional services firms do a better job of marketing themselves
to get MORE leads, BETTER prospects and BIGGER sales

Three resources you can grab right now:

1. Fat-free marketing ideas for the brave, fast, and smart:
http://www.doitmarketing.com/blog

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

3. Connect with me on LinkedIn so you can tap into my 1600+ connections:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjnewman

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!

She asked me what I thought of that name.

I told her - we gotta be careful.

The name is not going to stand on its own - it's going to become your methodology, your approach, your brand, and the umbrella that spans all of your offerings.

Soooo.... make sure you love all of the following, too... (Go ahead and plug in YOUR brand or YOUR words that articulate your fabulousness below):

• Responsible Leadership Assessment
• Responsible Leadership Retreats
• Responsible Leadership Survey
• Responsible Leadership Seminar
• Responsible Leadership Training
• Responsible Leadership Coaching
• Responsible Leadership IQ
• Responsible Leadership Conference
• Responsible Leadership News
• Responsible Leadership Blog
• Responsible Leadership Ezine
• Responsible Leadership Summit
• Responsible Leadership Tools
• Responsible Leadership Certification
• Responsible Leadership - the book
• Responsible Leadership - the keynote
• Responsible Leadership - the MBA guest lecture
• Responsible Leadership - the podcast
• Responsible Leadership - the PBS Special
• Responsible Leadership - the video series
• Responsible Leadership - the E-learning course
• Responsible Leadership - the 6-month leadership development course
  
• ... and so on!

So naming your company is no joke. And I'm not just saying that because I'm a marketing speaker and marketing coach and do this work all day long for a living! It really is a BIG, far-reaching decision.

You want everything to line up under your brand so you get a self-reinforcing marketing system where all the pieces "fit and click" - or in sales-speak, so you have plenty of opportunities for cross-selling, up-selling, and cross-pollination.

You want to own the "thought leadership platform" around your name and your offerings.

Question: How does YOUR professional services empire stack up?

Please leave a comment below and let us know!!

Now go charm the socks off someone!!

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.

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...