Do It! Marketing Blog: Marketing for Smart People™

Guest post by DJ Waldow

Are you wondering how to add social media to your email communications?

Email and social media marketing go together like Batman and Robin.

They both can be effective on their own; however, when combined, their (super) powers can save the city and exceed your marketing goals.

Is Email Dead?

In this article I’ll show you how to combine email marketing with your social media efforts.

In a recent StrongMail survey, ”More than two-thirds of business leaders (68%) say they plan to integrate social media with their email marketing efforts."

As a guy who lives, breathes, eats and sometimes dreams email marketing, I was thrilled to see email getting some mainstream love.

You may be thinking, “Hey, isn’t email dead?”

Think again. I mean, sure, there are certainly case studies of companies forgoing email and replacing it with social media. I’d argue that these are exceptions, certainly not the norm.

This blog post and infographic on the value of email by SmarterTools will quickly dispel the “email is dead” myth.

Need one more proof point that email is not dead? How many times have you checked your email this week? Today? Since you started reading this blog post? Okay. Now that we are all in agreement, let’s continue...

Read the rest of this article here...

Guest post by Mark S A Smith

Image source: BellaDomainMedia.com

When you’re an expert on a topic, people want to learn from you, and if they can, they want it for free.

They’ll say, “I want to pick your brain. Let me buy you lunch.”

Worst case, they’ll take you to a fast food restaurant and buy you a $5 meal and get thousands worth of advice.

Best case, they’ll take you to a great restaurant, spend $100 and get thousands worth of advice.

While it’s great to meet new people, here’s how can you say, “No, I won’t have lunch with you just so you can get an hour of free consulting” without sounding like a jerk.

1. Just Say, “No”

If you don’t want to discuss your expertise with them, reply with “Sure, but I have ‘no talking about work’ policy at lunch.”

2. Just Say, “Yes, but…”

Or say, “I’d love to have lunch with you. But, if you are looking for input on your project, I charge a consultation fee even if we’re dining. Otherwise, I never discuss work over food. What day works for you?”

3. I Will, If You First…

Get them to do something that shows commitment and shortcuts the process before you accept their invitation.

Say, “Sure! I’m happy to meet with you if you’ll first…” Have them send you an email describing their biggest challenge. Or have them fill out your assessment form. Or, if you’re a content creator, have them first take one of your mini courses.

Guess how many people call to follow up? Very few. Those that do are serious. Those that don’t, aren’t. Do this, and you don’t waste your time on those who aren’t committed.

4. Send Them to Your Website or Blog

Say, “I’ve got a really full schedule for the next month, so why not check out my blog (or website) that answers many of the questions that I get when people invite me to lunch. So, take a look, and send me a list of questions, and we can then schedule something next month.”

5. First, Buy My Book

If you’re an author, say, “I recommend that you first read my book. I specifically wrote it to answer the most common questions that I get. Whatever advice I have to give on [your topic], it’s in there. And it’s cheaper than lunch. So, jot down your questions as you read it, then call me and we can schedule lunch.”

6. Bring a $100 Bill

Say, “Brain picking isn’t free and I don’t eat cheap food. Bring a $100 bill and buy me lunch at a nice restaurant. If you’re not happy with the value of my advice, keep the hundred.”

One of my colleagues does this and he always keeps the hundred.

If they object, say, “I tell you what. I’ll give you three free pieces of advice right now that will make you more successful. Your first free success lesson: never do free consulting. Your second free lesson: free advice isn’t acted on like paid advice. Your third lesson: if you don’t get value in exchange, there is no real value generated.”

And I invite you to pick my brain with free instant access to the questions I get frequently asked when people invite me to lunch. Go to http://CompetitionProof.com now to learn great ideas to sell more, keep more margin, and keep your competitors out of you accounts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_S_A_Smith

What do YOU think? Please use the COMMENTS area below to share your advice, insights and recommendations on this topic and join the conversation... 

I asked one of my favorite marketing coaching clients, "How's your DIP?"

She responded, "Dip? We're talking party recipes now?"

"No, no - remember the acronym I shared with you last time? DIP stands for Dollars In Play." She remembered.

Then she asked me to hang on as she shuffled through some notes and papers.

"Where are you looking for these numbers?" And she said that she keeps a scratch pad by her keyboard and has a more detailed tracking document that she updates every couple of weeks on her computer. 

"Oh my goodness, there's your problem right there. You have to keep this info right in front of your face all day long." 

REALLY in front of your face. My suggestion - make a poster using something as simple as a piece of flipchart paper and two different size Post-It notes: the Jumbo size and the smaller 3x3 square size.  

Here's what a DIP (Dollars in Play) wall chart looks like: 

Here's how it works:

1. Two categories: one called "In Play" and the other one for less serious prospects ("Jokers") You can see in the photo above, I've had a little fun and made a silly cartoon joker card. These are folks who are in my pipeline but (in my estimation) less serious, less committed, and less capable of making the financial commitment to hire me.

2. Post your prospects' full names, the service/product/program you discussed with them, the dollar value, and the source. For example, Jane Doe came from a referral from Frank. We have not talked yet, so there's no dollar value. Nat Cole came from Linkedin and we talked about a $1500 1-on-1 marketing consulting package.  Sam Smith is hiring me for a $6500 speech in October. (All prospect names have been changed for the purposes of this blog post and photo - could you tell?)

3. Real time updates. Sometimes I'll even grab my pad of 3x3 Post-Its and write someone's name down WHILE I'm on the phone with them, walk over to the wall chart and stick their name on it. Can't tell you how satisfying this physical act can be. 

4. Fluid movement. Don't be afraid to upgrade a joker to the serious column and don't be afraid to take a (formerly) serious prospect and move them into the Joker column. The factors to consider are their commitment level based on email and phone communication, their level of responsiveness, and how rapidly you are moving them from point to point in your sales process.   

5. Reminders rule. If you see someone on your chart whom you have not spoken with or heard from in a few weeks, you probably need to get back in touch. Ideally, you never have a prospect who is just "floating" out there without a firm decision call on their calendar. But it happens. The chart reminds you to close those loops and corral your prospecting mustangs back onto your sales ranch.  

6. Relentless removal. Remember the old sales adage, "Some will. Some won't. Who cares? Next!" That's the point of the chart. Up or out. If you're not going to buy, I'm going to cut you loose and throw you back in the ocean. The SECOND most fun you'll have with this chart (after slapping a brand new prospect's name onto the chart) is grabbing a prospect who said no - or who has disappeared on you despite your best efforts to hold them to their commitments - and RIP their name off the chart and tear it into tiny little pieces and chuck it in the trash.  

7. Do the math. Feel the power. The point of tracking your sales pipeline in this manner is so that you have a real-time sense of "Dollars in Play." Every so often, you should glance over at your chart and add up the numbers that you see in the "In Play" column ONLY. (Don't add the jokers because that's why they're in the joker column - instead, do everything you can to move your jokers into the "In play" column or remove them altogether!)

In the photo above, you would have a "Dollars in Play" number of $21,000. For prospects who are considering mutliple options (for example, Mindy Kaling is holding a proposal with a $7500 option and a $2500 option), you should count the higher number.

Two reasons: 1.) It sets your internal expectation in that direction which will enhance your confidence in your subsequent conversations with Mindy. A confident seller creates confident buyers. So it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. 2.) It builds your capacity for marketing optimism, which every entrepreneur needs. Plus if you're going to be relentless in removing people (See Rule #6 above), you might as well be relentlessly optimistic about the folks who earn and keep a place in your active sales pipeline.  

Now, are YOU ready for some DIP?

What do YOU think? Please use the COMMENTS area below to share your advice, insights and recommendations on this topic and join the conversation... 

1. How can we offer a risk-free trial of our product/service?
2. What would make our work more fun?
3. Which of YOUR talents and capabilities would you like to use more of?
4. How can we do better in generating inbound leads?
5. What should we be doing more of?
6. What should we be doing less of?
7. How can we be more valuable to our clients?
8. What's the smartest decision we made in the last 3 months? 
9. What's the dumbest decision we made in the last 3 months?
10. Where are we hitting it out of the park?
11. Where are we missing the mark and need to raise our game?
12. How do we know the metrics we're tracking are the right metrics? Do we need to add, change or delete some key success factors? 
13. What are the DNA markers of a 2-year client? 5-year client? 10-year client?
14. What extra services could we offer in a super-premium version of our core product/service? 
15. What "lite" services could we offer in an entry-level version of our core product/service?
16. Do we have enough staff, capacity, and bandwidth to handle bigger, better projects? If not, how quickly can we scale with outsourcing, partnering, or subcontracting?
17. What can we simplify, eliminate, delegate, or outsource?
18. How can we work with prospects who are ahead of the curve in our area of expertise? (Advanced level program)
19. How can we work with prospects who are behind the curve in our area of expertise? (Quickstart program)
20. Are we doing too much marketing and not enough selling? 
21. Are we doing too much selling and not enough marketing? 
22. How are we making our prospects smarter - even if they DON'T buy from us? 
23. Are we articulating clearly and concisely our level of expertise, experience and empathy with our target market? 
24. Are we articulating clearly and concisely the exact types of heartaches, headaches, pains, problems, challenges and gaps that we can fix? 
25. Are we investing in thought leadership marketing strategies like speaking, publishing, and social media to elevate our expertise and stand out from the crowd? 
26. How can we zig where the competition zags? 
27. How can we show - not tell - our clients that we offer products and services that are BFS (better, faster, smarter)?
28. How can we offer depth with variety? 
29. What can we do to encourage our favorite customers to serve as our most effective salesforce?
30. How can we provide indisputable points of proof that what we do works, is cost-effective, and is better than any competitor or alternative (customer testimonials, industry recognition, videos, demonstrations, references, case studies, expert endorsements)
31. What else can we do to qualify the right prospects, disqualify the wrong prospects, and get our sales process to be shorter, sharper, and more streamlined? 
32. When we win business, do we know (exactly) why? When we lose business, do we know (exactly) why? Where has this data been captured and how are you using it to improve your odds with every new prospect day by day and week by week?
33. Have you shared this post with three people whose business might benefit? Have you bought this book that comes with over $747 of marketing bonuses? Have you noticed there are more than 33 questions in this list? <Smile>.  

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!

What makes someone interesting? Or - as they say in marketing lingo - a person of interest to others? 

It's a combination of factors, really... and here are five of them for your consideration: 

1. They are not vanilla. They're quirky, pugnacious, determined, and they don't give a rat's ass what the rest of the world thinks. (They also don't mind using terms like "rat's ass" in a blog post.) Bottom line: wolves don't lose sleep over what sheep think of them. Think Donald Trump or Bill Clinton. How vanilla are YOU?
2. They are articulate. Love 'em or hate 'em, these folks can articulate a point of view. Opinionated, loud, proud, and never dull. The sound bite "frequently wrong, never in doubt" was made for them. Think Bill O'Reilly or Rachel Maddow. How quotable are YOU?
3. They stand FOR certain things. And they stand AGAINST other things. They energize their followers, antagonize their foes, and polarize the rest of us in the middle. Sound bite: If you don't risk turning SOME people off, you'll never turn anybody on. Think Howard Stern or Sarah Palin. What stand are YOU taking?
4. They build movements larger than themselves. No matter how big, loud, rich, and famous they are - they're building something bigger than themselves and strive to make an impact beyond themselves. Think Oprah or Bill Gates. What's YOUR movement?
5. They don't seek media - they ARE the media. They are tastemakers, movers, shakers, interviewers, and relationship-builders. They don't wait for the media to come knocking - they are more likely to post videos, write articles, and interview others to feed their tribe a steady diet of top-notch content. What media did you create today?     

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!

1. Sometimes, visuals can stand alone:

2. Use font sizes to help you make your point:

3. Use screen shots and visually focus your audience on key ideas:

4. Use arresting, unusual graphics, not the same old tired clip art:

5. It's OK to use graphs if you summarize the A-ha insight they provide:

6. Sometimes it helps to SHOW and TELL on the same slide:

What do YOU think? Please use the COMMENTS area below to share your advice, insights and recommendations on this topic and join the conversation... 

1. There's no good time. Now is the time.
   What are you waiting for?
2. Put out your best material. For free. 
   Do you want to be SHARED or SCARED? 
3. YOU may be your biggest obstacle.
   What would happen if you got out of the way? 
4. Stop STARTING things and get more into DOING.
   What can you do today - right now?
5. A few may wish to see you fail. A lot more are rooting for your success.
   Where is your attention?
6. Forget the word vision.
   Better: What do you SEE in your future?
7. You're aiming too low.
   How can you elevate your sights, your fees, and your value?
8. Stop blaming others. It's ALL your fault.
   Move on - what's next?
9. A bend in the road is never the end - unless you fail to turn.
   Where do you need to turn? 
10. It's not what you think it is. And it's bigger than you think it is.
    Why not embrace that? 
11. There are no silver bullets, secret sauces, or magic beans.
    Now what's your plan? 

What do YOU think? Please use the COMMENTS area below to share your advice, insights and recommendations on this topic and join the conversation... 

1. Prepare, don't memorize.
2. Practice out loud. Yes, out loud. 
3. Audio record yourself. Relisten. Repeat.
4. Stop apologizing for everything.
5. Unless you're late. 
6. Never start late. And never EVER end late.
7. If you feel you MUST use slides, you're not ready.
8. If you PREFER to use slides, put photos - not words - on them.
9. If you ignore #8, then never EVER read your slides.
10. Talk with the audience, not at them.
11. Never forget that an audience of 500 is just 500 1-to-1 conversations.
12. It's OK to use notes. Really. Anyone who says otherwise is an idiot.
13. Especially if your notes make you more concise, focused, and impactful.
14. Get off the stage and out INTO the audience. 
15. Get up in their grill and make speaking a contact sport.
16. Have an opinion. Take a stand. Piss some people off.
17. Part of the speaker's job is to serve as a productive irritant.
18. If you don't risk turning some people off, you'll never turn anybody on.
19. The 1-way speech is dead. Interact, interview, connect and confer. 
20. Script your opening and closing 30 seconds. 
21. Everything in between is just good conversation.
22. You don't "forget what to say" at your job or on a date. Same thing here.
23. Every great speaker has 2 traits: Expertise and Authenticity. That's it. 
24. Say half as much and repeat it. Say half as much and repeat it. 
25. Read Seth Godin's free PDF titled Really Bad Powerpoint
26. Check out books and blogs by Nancy Duarte
27. Move first - THEN talk = Emphasis is on your words.
28. Talk first - THEN move = Emphasis is on your movement.
29. Humor is a must but don't tell jokes. 
30. Let humor emerge then polish it (situational or self-deprecating - or both!)
31. If they could've simply found your content in a book, you lose. 
32. If they could've simply found your content via Google, you lose.
33. Take them on a ride. Highs, lows, suspense, drama and a happy ending.
34. Show both your character and your characters.
35. Don't retell your stories - relive your stories.
36. Vary your pace, rhythym, tone, and volume.
37. Dazzle them with their own potential - not your ego or resume.
38. Make the complex simple. Boil it down. Make it easy.
39. Turn every "me" story or example into a "you" takeaway or lesson.
40. Preaching is about you. Evangelizing is about them. Make it about them.
41. Sharing your missteps and mistakes shows strength, not weakness.
42. Every time you say "I," you lose just a little more influence and impact.
43. Slide timing: Assume 1 slide for every 2 min. 60 min. = 30 slides.
44. Using significantly more - or fewer - is for pros. Do not try this at home.
45. Watch this 2-min. video and NEVER do those things!
46. If your handout reminds them of being back in school, you lose. 
47. If your handout isn't TOO GOOD to throw away, they will.
48. Make sure you conclude with a call to action and a clear next step.
49. Watch this video to learn how to capture leads from every speech. 
50. Be brilliant. Be brief. Be gone. 

p.s. Wish more speakers followed these 50 rules? Join me for the America Talks Business Conference in Philadelphia on July 25th. It's a living laboratory for the principles above. And a chance for YOU to take part in something very special indeed. Early bird tickets are active so you can register for ridiculously affordable rates right now.

What do YOU think? Please use the COMMENTS area below to share your advice, insights and recommendations on this topic and join the conversation... 

Unless you're brand new to me and this blog... you know that my new Do It! Marketing book is about to be released. 

You may also know that we hit Amazon #1 bestseller status not once - but TWICE already - and the book isn't even out yet. 

What you may not know is that I had help. Amazing help from amazing people. Gurus and friends and colleagues and people I consider my personal and professional heroes. 

Some helped a little. Some helped a lot. Some helped WAY above and beyond my wildest dreams... 

If you're interested in marketing success, business success, and life success - well, there are a lot of so-called experts out there.

Many are called. Few are chosen.

I've made the choosing easy for you...

Here are 37 super-smart, generous, prolific, sometimes contrarian, and always fascinating people worth following...

p.s. The best thing about them - none of them would CALL themselves a "guru" - they simply consider themselves lucky to be sharing their insights with others who can benefit.

Here they are in no particular order (although each of them is truly #1)

1. Jay Baer - http://www.convinceandconvert.com
2. Stephanie Chandler - http://www.stephaniechandler.com
3. Corey Perlman - http://www.ebootcamp.com
4. Melinda Emerson - http://succeedasyourownboss.com
5. Chris Murray - http://www.chrismurrayeditor.com
6. Henry DeVries - http://www.marketingwithabook.com
7. C. J. Hayden - http://www.getclientsnow.com 
8. Scott Ginsberg - http://hellomynameisscott.com
9. Dan Janal - http://www.prleadsplus.com
10. Art Sobczak - http://businessbyphone.com
11. Mary Foley - http://maryfoley.com
12. Gene Marks - http://genemarks.com
13. Viveka Von Rosen - http://linkedintobusiness.com
14. Brian Tracy - http://briantracy.com
15. Geoff Ramm - http://www.geofframm.com 
16. John Jantsch - http://www.ducttapemarketing.com
17. Joe Calloway - http://joecalloway.com
18. Jay Conrad Levinson - http://www.gmarketing.com
19. Jim Meisenheimer - http://www.meisenheimer.com
20. Mark Sanborn - http://www.marksanborn.com
21. Marshall Goldsmith - http://www.marshallgoldsmithlibrary.com
22. David A. Fields - http://www.davidafields.com
23. Pamela Slim - http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com
24. Mark Hunter - http://thesaleshunter.com
25. Bob Bly - http://www.bly.com
26. Sean Carroll - http://www.seancarrollspeaker.com
27. Bob Burg - http://www.burg.com
28. Jeffrey Hayzlett - http://hayzlett.com
29. Sam Richter - http://samrichter.com
30. Howard Lewinter - http://www.talkbusinesswithhoward.com
31. Stephen Lahey - http://smallbusinesstalent.com
32. Jose Palomino - http://www.valueprop.com
33. Karyn Greenstreet - http://www.passionforbusiness.com
34. Avish Parashar - http://www.dinghappens.com
35. Michael Dalton Johnson - http://www.salesdog.com
36. Greg Williams - http://www.themasternegotiator.com
37. Marnie Swedberg - http://www.marniesfriends.com

Bookmark this blog post - stay connected with these people - implement their big ideas - and you WILL profit, prosper, and succeed.

What do YOU think? Please use the COMMENTS area below to share your advice, insights and recommendations on the people who have made the biggest impact on YOUR professional success...

As you may know, my new book is coming soon... and I need your help...

If you pre-order the book today, you will get over $747 in business-building bonuses RIGHT NOW and LATER, you'll also get a minty-fresh book jam-packed with savvy marketing, sales and business development strategies, tactics and tools. (You'll be among the first to take delivery of the book the moment it is released - on or about June 5.) 

To check out the pre-order bonuses you'll get immediately when you buy today, visit: 
http://doitmarketing.com/book-bonus 

I'd love your help in climbing the amazon charts today - even before the book is released. Is it a good book? Obviously I think so... but fortunately, I'm not alone! Here are just a few other people's opinions...

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"One of the most practical marketing books you will ever read - so what are you waiting for?"
-- John Jantsch, author of "Duct Tape Marketing"

"Do It! Marketing is a complete system for effective marketing. It is a fun read and the ideas, tactics, strategies and exercises it provides will set you apart from your competition."
-- Mark Sanborn, author of "Fred 2.0" and "You Don't Need a Title to be a Leader"

"A terrific book packed with a gazillion smart ideas you can use immediately to supercharge your marketing. But beyond all those great ideas, Do It! Marketing shares key concepts and simple systems that will bring you more business with much less struggle." 
-- C.J. Hayden, author of "Get Clients Now!"
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When you pre-order today, you'll get more than $747 in instant-access bonus material from some of America's TOP business experts. Everything is waiting for you here:
http://doitmarketing.com/book-bonus  

-- David