Beating Email Overwhelm

Most business owners have a love/hate relationship with their email. Mostly hate. But like it or not, business owners and executives often "live" in their email inbox, so it makes sense to learn to control the beast before it controls us.

The first step in getting past email overwhelm is to clearly define who the boss is in this relationship: you or your email. That might sound like a silly question, but ask yourself if:

• Your email client is set to automatically check for new messages every few minutes.


• You read your email on multiple devices -- computer, smartphone, iPad, etc.


• You feel a compulsive need to see who is sending you email as soon as you hear the sound that indicates a new message has arrived.

If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you are not in control of your email. It is in control of you, and you need to fix that.

Begin by setting a schedule for checking and responding to your email. That might mean 30 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes at noon, and 30 minutes at the end of the work day. Choosing specific times to check your email isn't as important as making an effort to not allow email to remain the time thief it currently is. You set the schedule. That's the first and most important step.

When you begin to follow this schedule consistently, you train customers and friends who have come to expect an immediate response to realize that even though you don't respond instantly anymore, you will respond... but on your schedule.

The urgent messages will still find you. You can let your important clients know about your schedule and that they can still call you if there's something that truly can't wait. Also consider setting up folders and rules. Use your email client to automatically sort your email into folders based on the subject or sender, then when it's time to check your mail, you will easily be able to find the most important messages first.

Getting past email overwhelm isn't hard, but it does require conscious decisions and actions on your part. The first step is to simply decide to take control over your inbox.

The next step is to create a system to control the incoming daily emails. Make four folders and label them "to read," "to do," "to answer," and "maybe." File your emails accordingly. Your goal is to leave your inbox with zero messages by the end of each day. Now, during your allotted email time, you can first respond to any new and urgent emails and then file the rest. In the time you have left, you can begin working your way through the folders.

When it comes to taming the email inbox, there are three points to keep in mind:

1. Be the boss -- don't let email have control over your life.


2. Use email the way it was intended -- and use other tools to handle the jobs email isn't very good at.


3. Keep your inbox clean -- as with your office desk, clutter accumulates, so do your best to keep up with it.

Start mastering these simple concepts, and you'll be well on your way to getting rid of email overwhelm for good.

Please Don't Buy!

One of the most important steps you have to take in order to attract ideal customers and grow your business is to actually know who those ideal customers are. That's the first step that many understand. But there's another, less understood and talked about step you should also consider, and it begins with a question:

What kind of customer should you repel?

That's right. You need to figure out what types of customers you don't want to attract and do business with. As counterintuitive as that sounds, it can be just as important as knowing who you want to attract.

The 80/20 rule tells us that in most businesses, 20% of the customers provide 80% of the profits. Knowing who you want to attract can help you greatly improve the odds of increasing the ratio.

At the same time, most businesses also have to deal with a percentage of customers who create the most headaches while providing little profit for the business. Knowing who you want to repel should help reduce the impact this group will have on you.

Knowing the types of customers you want to repel will have many side benefits besides simply increasing the bottom line. It will improve employee morale since coworkers will not have to deal with as many problem-causing customers each day. It will also allow you to spend more energy and resources on the customers who actually provide the most value and profits for your company.

Go through your existing customer list. Pick out the customers that provide the most headaches and the least profit for your company. Figuring out how to repel this type of customer could be as simple as raising prices enough to either make them not want to do business with you or, at the very least, make the pain of dealing with them more profitable and bearable.

The benefits of knowing what types of customers you don't want can prove to be nearly as important as knowing who you would like as a client.

You Have to Be Easy

Making it as easy as possible to do business with your company seems like a logical and simple concept, yet many businesses unwittingly create hurdle after hurdle for their customers to jump just for the privilege of doing business with them.

Customers are already overburdened with complexities, rules, and regulations. Companies that deliver with the least hassle win more business than others.

To be sure, there are some necessary steps and processes for each business transaction, but the task for every business should be to do away with as many of the unnecessary ones as possible.

Let's take Apple computers and their packaging as just one example. An Apple product comes in a package that combines elegance, simplicity, and art. When you hold the typical Apple product package, you realize before even opening the box that this is a different kind of product. Everything has a place and reason. Much thought has gone into what is usually an afterthought with most companies.

Steve Jobs was known as an obsessive person. A big reason for his success was his obsession with removing complexity and simplifying. He knew that the company which removed the most confusion actually ended up gaining the most customers. Jobs wanted his products to be so simple and intuitive that they didn't need an owner's manual.

If you want to grow your business and for your clients to actually enjoy the buying process, you must obsessively work to continually remove as many obstacles as possible, while at the same time simplifying how customers buy from you.

Start by regularly asking yourself: "How can we make ordering from us even easier?"

It's a process. You'll know you've arrived when your customers actually have pleasant thoughts and smile when ordering instead of the typical angst most experience. Being the easiest to do business with will bring many long-term rewards.

Give Prospective Customers a Plan of Action

One of the greatest mistakes marketers make is to assume that interested prospects will automatically know which steps to take next when they receive a marketing piece in the mail, via email, or from a salesperson. Without a clear plan of action, many of your prospects will simply discard your marketing piece and move on to a different company...most likely your competitor.

Too many people assume that once a prospect shows interest, the next step is to close the sale. But rather than rushing to that conclusion, perhaps the best thing to do is to field any questions the prospect might have. Once your prospects are more informed, they will be able to make an educated decision about pursuing your products and services.

With that in mind, here are some phrases (and related information) you should include in your marketing materials to let prospects know you are there to help, not just make a buck:

• Stop in and see our products! Include an address, business hours, and directions for reaching your building. Make sure you include a Google map on your website or landing page, as well.


• Call and ask for more information! Include a phone number, contact name, extension number (where applicable), and hours. If you have an after-hours phone number, include that, too.


• Call to set up an appointment! Again, provide all of the pertinent details, including the best time to reach you.


• Send us an email to request more information! For email and web-based communications, provide a link to a simple contact form where prospects can enter their details and receive confirmation that their request went through. On print pieces, include an email address, and consider adding a QR code that links directly to a contact form on your website.


• Visit our website for more information! Make sure you provide your full website address. Again, consider a QR code that links to your homepage or (better yet) to a landing page designed specifically for the promotion you're running, with additional details about your products, services, and any current specials you have available. An FAQ page is also helpful here, and don't forget to include full contact details so the prospect can easily reach you with questions.

Making yourself available to answer questions and provide your prospects with more information will make a positive impression and help boost sales.

Are You Doing Too Much?

Once a business is established, it's common practice to add products and services in the name of diversification and the desire for more profits. It's a wise business move to choose products and services that will appeal to customers you're already doing business with.

But what's the point of diminishing returns? When does adding more products become less profitable or even start losing you money?

Lego is known for its beloved interlocking toy bricks. The company has been around since 1949. You and your children have probably built many fun projects using their colorful, iconic blocks.

As with many other successful brands, Lego decided to diversify. The Denmark-based company added games, movies, clothing lines, and six themed amusement parks (Legoland). Lego added many new colors to the primary colored bricks originally available. Costs were added at a much higher rate than new profits to pay for all this diversification.

The once very profitable company began bleeding red ink. A new CEO (Jorgen Vig Knudstrorp) was brought in to fix the problem. One of the first questions he asked was this: "What do we need to stop doing?"

Beginning in 2005, Lego sold the theme parks and whittled down half of the brick colors. They became more efficient and creative at doing what they were good at by concentrating on less rather than more. By the end of the same year, Lego was profitable again.

Sometimes the answer to doing more is to actually do less. Doing less frees up time and resources to concentrate on the key products and customers that bring you the bulk of your profits. If you have too many services or products, start considering what things you should stop doing, so you can focus instead on what really matters.

If Sales Are Slow...

You've probably heard the saying, "People like to buy, but they don't like being sold to." But you may wonder what it really means.

It means that people are buying what you sell. It means people are spending money. But it also means that people are only willing to open their wallets and part with their money if one condition is met first. That condition is met when you've presented a clear value proposition.

Wikipedia defines a value proposition as "a business or marketing statement that describes why a customer should buy a product or use a service. It is a clearly defined statement that is designed to convince customers that one particular product or service will add more value or better solve a problem than others in its competitive set."

In plain speak, this means a prospect won't buy from you until the value of your products and services is clearly presented in such a way that the decision to buy is second nature. This value must also be superior to what competitors are offering.

This value proposition doesn't mean lowering your price or being the cheapest in the marketplace. That's typically a losing value proposition. A winning value proposition is one where you add benefits that others can't or won't match.

Once you've defined your winning value proposition, it's time to clearly communicate that statement with your audience via all of the marketing and sales channels available to you.

Sales will improve dramatically once you've articulated a clear and powerful value proposition. You'll know it's the right one when your prospects feel like they're buying from you, not just being sold to.

The Power of Partnerships

If you're looking for a creative way to grow and create new business opportunities, you may want to consider a marketing partnership. By bringing two (or more) complementary companies together, businesses can tap into audiences they may not normally reach, providing exponential marketing exposure and increasing their customer base.

When considering a marketing partnership, it's important to choose a company that aligns with your product quality, reputation, and overall business strategy. By partnering with a company that has a high reputation of providing quality products or services, you can not only increase your perceived value, but also provide customers with additional reasons to purchase from you.

Rather than joining forces on all aspects of marketing, many businesses create a marketing partnership that is targeted to a specific market sector or audience. They typically maintain their individual identities and continue to sell outside the partnership.

One example of a potential marketing partnership might involve a financial institution partnering with a real estate agent and/or title company to target home buyers in their area. By combining forces, both partners can offer potential customers a smoother path to home ownership.

If you need ideas for creating a joint direct mail marketing promo that can help you reach into new markets, build relationships, and increase sales, give us a call today.

About Your About Us Page

One of the primary reasons a prospect comes to a website is to learn more about a business. The prospect wants to learn not only what you do and how you do it but -- more importantly -- why you do it. There are many competing businesses in your industry and community. Statistics have shown that one of the most visited pages on any company website is the About Us page.

Why is that? Whether you are a B2B or a B2C company, your prospects are people first. So it's natural for them to want to know more about the people behind the company they're considering working with. Prospects hire the people in the business, not just a faceless company.

Unfortunate Reality

The sad truth is that most company About Us pages are filled with industry jargon. Or they're carbon copies of all the other websites in their space. This makes them boring to read and easy to bypass quickly.

Clues

You know you've landed on one of these About Us pages when the page is filled with boastful claim after boastful claim. You see words like "industry leading," "unique solutions," "award winning," and "innovative brand." With eyes glazed over, most visitors can't exit these pages fast enough.

People want to learn about people. They already know about what you do from the other pages on your website. The About Us page should focus instead on why you do what you do.

How to Fix It

If your About Us page has these issues, the good news is it's not difficult to fix. You need to get a pen and pad of paper. As you sit to think about re-writing the page, don't be afraid to let some personality shine through.

Your About Us page is a selling tool. To sell more of what you do, you have to get the visitor to establish a bond with your company and trust you. To establish this bond, you must let the visitor know the people behind the company. A big part of your brand is your company culture. Your About Us page is an opportunity to tell visitors your story and what your culture is about.

Here are eight ideas to think about as you create the content for your About Us page. Weave them into your brand story.

1. How did the company start?


2. Why are you in this business?


3. Avoid all hype and jargon.


4. Say what you want to say in as few words as possible.


5. Include a few testimonials from happy clients. It won't seem boastful if others do the advocating on your behalf.


6. Make it personable and interesting. Don't be afraid to show the human and vulnerable side of your company. Your visitors aren't perfect people either. So showing this side of your business allows your brand to connect and build a bond.


7. Invite visitors to connect with you in other online places where you're active (LinkedIn, Facebook, blog).


8. Tell them where to go and what to do next. This is the "call to action" part of the page.

Tell them not just what you do and how you do it. Instead, tell the visitor why you do what you do. Your About Us page is the perfect place to share that message with the world.

Content Marketing: An Age-Old Strategy that Still Works Today

Content marketing has become one of the buzzwords in the business marketing world. Many claim this is a new way to market. That is not correct. Providing valuable content to lure prospects and visitors has been around for a while. The distribution channels for this content may have expanded recently, but the strategy has been around for many years.

One case in point involves a tiny electronics firm in Seattle. The company opened in 1954 as Magnolia Stationers and Camera Shop in the Magnolia Village shopping district of Seattle. The owner, Len Tweten, loved music, which eventually led him to move the business into the world of high-fidelity audio. This transition over time also prompted a business name change to Magnolia Hi-Fi.

High-quality products and commitment to service were just a part of the overall plan to grow the business. Being a small business with no real marketing plan or budget, Magnolia Hi-Fi decided the best way to differentiate itself was to educate prospects with valuable information about the Hi-Fi world. To do this, the company introduced stereo buyer's guides (over 30 years ago), which provided educational content and answers to commonly asked questions on buying audio equipment.

The buyer's guides set Magnolia Hi-Fi apart from the competition. They also positioned the company as leaders and experts in their field in the eyes of their audience.

Did this content marketing plan work?

The tiny store grew into a small chain, which was acquired by Best Buy in December of 2000... for $87 million! In 2004, the Magnolia brand was incorporated into Best Buy as a store-within-a-store, known as Magnolia Home Theatre.

Content marketing works. It works best when you use multiple channels to distribute and share your content (print and digital work in perfect tandem for this strategy). Creating valuable content your prospects are looking for takes some work and resources. But don't overlook the rewards that can come from that work. It may not net you $87 million, but it can prove to be nearly as valuable.

You can read more of the details behind this remarkable story here.

The One Radio Station You Should Tune To

There's a radio station you may have never heard of, but it's one you need to tune into each and every day if you really want to grow your business. It's called WIIFM, and it stands for "What's In It For Me."

Yes, this is a fictional radio station, and yes, it's a bit cheeky, but the message is one you can't ignore. Your customers are being bombarded with messages every single day. The only messages that will register are those which adhere to the WIIFM principles.

You must clearly spell out what's in it for them, or your listener will quickly tune you out.

Here's a good quote to remember from Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales:

"It's actually surprising how many people don't follow this simple guideline of courtesy. I often get long, tedious emails from people explaining to me in great detail how I can help them and how great it would be for them if I would work on their project, or endorse it, etc. But they fail to consider my context. Why should I care, and even if I do care, why should I act on this rather than any of a thousand other things?"

This is what your prospects and customers are thinking every time you broadcast your messages. So recall this quote when you sit down to create your message, whether in print, web, social media, or any other communication channel.

Are You A Little Bit Country or Rock n' Roll?

To understand what your prospects want to listen to or what they regard as important to them, you need to speak with and understand your customers. Pick up the phone, conduct surveys, go visit your customers, and take them out to lunch or coffee. There are many ways to find answers to this very important question.

Rome Was Not Built In One Day

Pablo Picasso painted over 5,000 drawings and images that very few people cared about at the time. But during the same period, he also created masterpieces that the world loves to this day. Don't expect to find answers the first time you visit a client. Keep asking, probing, and analyzing your findings until the answer becomes crystal clear.

Seth Says

If you're not attracting the right prospects to your business or converting them into customers, selling products, or building a strong brand in your community, it may be because you're not clearly stating what's important to your audience. Seth Godin said it best:

"Ten years later and the ego pendulum has clearly swung in the direction of the virus. That's what we brag about and what is too often measured. How many eyeballs are passing by is a useless measure. All that matters is how many people want to hear from you tomorrow. Don't try to convert strangers into customers. It's ineffective and wasteful. Instead, focus on turning those momentary strangers into people eager to hear from you again and again."

Favorite Station

Building and growing a lasting business brand takes a little work. Attracting audiences that care about what you have to say comes down to providing value for the type of audience you want to attract. You now know how to find out what they care about. Take those findings and craft the type of messages your listening audience will never want to tune out. When you do that, your channel will become one of the coveted favorite stations of your listening audience.

How to Make Marketing and Sales Work Together Like Peanut Butter and Jelly

Marketing is about telling your story. Sales is about having conversations.

From the point of view of marketing, every single business is unique. No two are exactly alike. The mistake occurs when everyone in the industry looks at what others are doing and copies it. The story is no longer unique.

To sell more and to make the job of sales easier, you need to position your marketing message in a unique way that resonates with and attracts the types of customers you're looking for.

When you do this right, you will end up having conversations. Conversations that will ultimately lead to sales.

If you don't tell your story, you can be sure that your competitors will tell the story for you. And that is not the story you want prospects to hear.

Stories and the Caveman

From the beginning of time, when early human beings drew paintings on cave walls, people have been telling stories. Stories are in our DNA. Stories connect one generation to the next. The human brain has a special soft spot for stories.

That's why the most successful brands have a story wrapped up in everything they do. We're bombarded with marketing messages every day. Why do we remember some brand messages and not others? Because those brands have planted a seed in our brains with their unique and interesting story.

No one forgets Coke and their story of a top secret recipe kept in a vault. Apple, Starbucks, and Virgin are among other brands that tell their story very well.

Why Do We Do It?

Your story should be not just about what you do or even how you do it. The story really should be about why you do it. That part of the story is what connects people with you and your business. That's what becomes the story of your brand and business.

How Do We Do It?

This doesn't have to be difficult to do. All you need is a pad of paper, a pen, and a quiet space to think. All you have to do is answer the question: "Why are we doing what we do?"

That's a big, hairy topic, I know. But you have to tackle it and get it down on paper. If you can manage to answer it in an authentic way that captures the imagination of your prospects, you'll make your marketing messages focused and much more effective. People may not remember you or your logo very well, but they will always remember your story.

In turn, that makes the job of sales much easier. It opens the door to conversations. Those conversations will lead to real sales. Your story will make it easier to reach prospects looking for what you do.

A unique marketing story told in an authentic way will make the job of selling much easier. That's what successful marketing is all about.

The two go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Why You Need a Competitive Advantage

A successful business follows one core marketing concept: "Find a need and fulfill it." However, there may be many players offering similar services and products in your field. This is where having a competitive advantage can lead you to the top.

To be in the top 10% of your field, you need more than just a competitive advantage. You must also communicate that advantage loud and clear through everything you do.

Competitive advantage is defined as "a superiority gained by an organization when it can provide the same value as its competitors but at a lower price, or can charge higher prices by providing greater value through differentiation. Competitive advantage results from matching core competencies to opportunities."

In other words, when you create a competitive advantage for your business, you can win either by charging less than your competitors through improved efficiencies or by charging higher prices than others because of the added value you provide.

In 1985, Michael Porter, a Harvard Business School professor, wrote the definitive guide called Competitive Advantage. In his book, Porter defined three ways companies can have a competitive advantage:

1. Being the Cost Leader: offering lower prices than your competitors by providing a reasonable value while still making a profit. Wal-mart is one company that's famous for this strategy, but Costco may have mastered it even better. Low prices are in Costco's DNA and have become the company's competitive advantage. Costco still charges just $1.50 for a hot dog and a fountain drink. As prices increased, Costco began manufacturing its own hot dogs in order to keep the prices low. Massive buying power and a super-efficient distribution system, coupled with a lower-overhead warehouse business model, have allowed Costco to remain a leader with this strategy.



2. Differentiation: providing products and services that stand apart from your competitors. This strategy involves creating a brand that clearly communicates how your company delivers value in a way others can't match. The result is a product or service people are willing to pay more to receive. Starbucks has mastered the art of charging higher prices than its competitors by selling more than coffee. The company sells a brand and overall coffee-buying experience others can't duplicate. Buying a Starbucks coffee includes the atmosphere the company creates for its customers. It's an added value the company's thousands of locations "sell" and which customers continue to buy into every day.



3. Focus: providing your products and solutions to a niche target market that you know well. With this strategy, you understand your customers' pains and problems better than your competitors. Therefore, you can offer the best solutions at the best price. Apple understands its target audience. While others have tried slashing prices to remain relevant, Apple has been able to innovate and charge premium prices because the company understands who its market is.

Where does your business fit in these models?

If you haven't defined your competitive advantage or aren't clear what it could be, first answer these questions to help refine your search.

1. What is it exactly that you provide? What problems do your services and products solve? Be crystal clear on the products, services, and solutions you provide.



2. Who are you serving? What is your target market? Who are your ideal customers?



3. Who is your competition? This could include local businesses or Internet-based companies. It could also include services and products from other industries that your customers are purchasing to solve their problems.

Once you've completed these steps, the research phase is done. Now you must analyze your findings in order to discover where your products and services can realize a competitive advantage. The answer may not appear right away, so you must continue to revisit the process until it becomes clear.

Once you've found your competitive advantage in the marketplace, it's time to communicate that advantage in every marketing piece and everything you do until it becomes a part of the DNA and culture of your company.

Email versus Direct Mail Marketing: Which Works Better?

As more businesses and marketers have turned to email marketing, it is fair to wonder if direct mail marketing still works as effectively as it once did.

Email marketing is a good way to stay in touch with customers and prospects. Just like social media marketing, it has its place in the marketing mix. However, a downside to the massive increase in marketing emails is that only an estimated 19% are even being opened (according to the Direct Marketing Association).

Direct mail marketing still works, and it works very well. However, marketers cannot just create any type of campaign and expect it to be successful. Here are some tips and suggestions from the pros:

• Keep specialized lists, and target each with the right message. That means no mass-mailing everyone the same message and offers. This requires a bit more preparation but will generate the best responses because you are offering the right message to the right audience.


• Instead of mass quantity, think quality first. Fewer, better-targeted and better-crafted mailing pieces are more effective than regular, lesser-quality pieces.


• Think lumpy mailings. People still enjoy receiving freebies, so include a logo pen, pencil, tiny Frisbee, mini-DVD, or mini-CD card with your contact info on it. Although these types of mailings can be more pricey, the retention and response rates can pay a handsome ROI on the investment.


• Be creative. People still enjoy programs that offer discounts or a gift with repeat purchases. Set up a loyalty rewards program that ties a buyer's repeat purchases with discounts and rewards. Then announce it with a direct mail campaign.

Head to the link below to learn more information from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Then start setting up your next direct mail print campaign today!

3 "Old School" Marketing Tactics that Still Matter

Should you focus on the process or the outcome?

If the economic doldrums still have you down, take action with these quick, simple, yet very effective "kick in the pants" steps for a fast turnaround.

It's no secret that you must have a process for continually bringing qualified leads into your sales funnel. This is the lifeblood of your business.

Some things are out of your control. Businesses close, move, and change ownership. Any of these could lead to the loss of a client you thought would never leave. To prepare for these moments, you must have processes in place to bring in new prospects to replace the ones you lose.

Preparing for client turnover is something you control. Whether you have an existing process, need to dust off an old one, or are creating a brand new procedure from scratch, your client-generation plan must have goals.

Base your goals on the process, not just the outcome. What does this mean? Simply put, you can't control how many leads will end up hiring you, but you can control how many of these prospects you reach.

Commit to a plan that will help you uncover prospects well-suited for the products and services you sell. Don't rely on any one single platform or marketing tool to spread your message. Instead, use multiple channels, including print, email, social media, and the Internet, to bolster your communication and lead funnel process. If you commit to the process, the outcomes will take care of themselves.

Be encouraged. Take action. Businesses are waiting for the kinds of solutions you offer. You just need to let them know that yours are the ones they're after.

Enhance Your Business Credibility

Customers have more choices than ever in today's competitive business world. That's why it's so important to do everything possible to stand apart from the competition. One great way to gain a competitive edge is to increase your credibility. Here are a few tips to help you establish and enhance credibility with your prospects and customers:

• Provide customer testimonials, references, and customer success stories that enable prospects to hear about your company from a relevant point of view.


• Encourage people to get to know you, especially on your website. Promote what you do, what you sell, and your full business address (not your P.O. box). Include your phone number, fax, email address, and other ways to contact you.


• Talk about your history. People are always curious how businesses got started. By providing some background you'll not only personalize your customer's experience but also increase your business legitimacy.


• Popularity sells, so consider providing a list of customers on your website. If you're worried about customer privacy, use a map instead to show customer locations.


• Use professional photos on your website and marketing materials.


• Contribute articles to industry publications, or volunteer to speak at industry events. Start a podcast, create a newsletter or blog, or write a column in a local newspaper that offers how-to guides and helpful tips.


• Portray a professional image by using quality printed marketing materials, forms, letterhead, envelopes, labels, business cards, and more.


• Create a strong online presence through your website, social media, and online business directories (D&B Credibility Review, MerchantCircle, etc.).


• Promote any awards, registrations, certifications, or other reputable, prestigious information that will increase your credibility.


• Create a customer referral program that enables prospects to hear about you from a fellow customer's voice.


• Become involved with your community. Attend local events, buy from local businesses, and sponsor local fundraisers.


• Offer a seminar, training class, or webinar to share your knowledge with others.

If you need help creating print materials that will enhance your credibility and professional appearance, give us a call today!

How To Make Yourself Memorable in 60 Seconds

We've all been there...

You're at a Chamber of Commerce networking meeting or a neighborhood party and meet a new person. Relatively quickly the conversation turns to what you do for a living. You respond, "I'm a (fill in your profession here)." Your new friend tries really hard to express interest and not have their eyes glaze over while discreetly scanning the room to see if they can find somebody more interesting to move on to.

Ouch!

How do you change from boring to being memorable?

Step One:

Your listener is expecting you to say that you do this or that. Instead, learn how to explain what you do wrapped in a story or an example. Think about how you solved a customer problem with a solution you provided. Make it short, concise, and easy to remember.

Your goal here is to quickly and clearly state a common problem (the antagonist) that your service or solution solves in the form of a story. Obviously, if you can weave in a little drama and excitement, your story will have more impact and become memorable.

You want your listener to imagine themselves being in the circumstance you describe. The next part should be about how you and your company (the hero) came to the rescue and wiped away the problem. You want your listener to be able to easily remember this story, so they can connect you with the story and tell anyone else they meet what solution you provide because they remember your story.

You could stop here and be head and shoulders above most of your competitors, but why stop when you can really amp this up?

Step Two:

Steve Jobs was known for his amazing presentation skills when Apple would unveil a new product. He learned how to demonstrate his new products in such a memorable way that throngs would come from far distances just to attend one of his presentations.

When Steve Jobs introduced the iPod, he didn't present it with boring engineering data. Instead, he pulled an iPod out of his shirt pocket and showed the audience that the tiny device held a thousand songs.

Can you think of a prop or example that you could pull out of your pocket that would demonstrate what problem you can solve?

This may not be practical or applicable in your situation, but if you can think of an example like the one below, you can really hammer home your message.

A psychologist raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?"

After a few guesses, she replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

She continued, "The stresses and worries of life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while, and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer, and they begin to hurt. Think about them all day long, and you'll feel paralyzed by them, incapable of doing anything.

"I'm a psychologist that helps you put down that 'glass of water' before you go to bed at night."

Who can forget a story like that?

Your way of demonstrating the problem you solve doesn't have to be elaborate. It doesn't even have to involve a prop. It just needs to be memorable. The key is to be able to quickly use the story and demonstration to connect it with your solution.

Step Three:

The final step is crucial to make this work.

You must practice your story to the point where you not only remember it but where it sounds natural and not scripted. There's a fine line between the two, and your success will hinge on practicing this continually until it becomes second nature.

Your task now is to create your memorable story, come up with a way to demonstrate your solution, and practice it until you can deliver it in 60 seconds or less.

Those 60 seconds will be the difference between being unforgettable and being forgotten in the next 60 seconds.

Increase Sales, Not Postage

If you're looking for an easy way to get more bang for your buck on regular mailings, try inserting statement stuffers. These printed promotions can be easily slipped into an existing mailing, such as a monthly invoice or statement, without adding additional postage fees or the hassle of a separate mailing.

Here are a few tips to consider when creating statement stuffers:

• Highlight a different product or service every month to educate customers about unique products or services they may not know you offer.


• Insert valuable coupons to increase sales and show customer appreciation.


• Use statement stuffers to introduce new personnel or include an employee spotlight as a way for customers to get to know existing staff.


• Provide information about a customer loyalty or customer referral program.


• Use statement stuffers to announce upcoming sales, open houses, holiday events, or corporate anniversary celebrations.


• Reinforce your brand image by coordinating your statement stuffers with your company colors, imagery, logo, and brand.


• To easily track offers, design them as a coupon that must be turned in to redeem the discount.


• If you enclose an exciting offer, consider applying a label to the outside of the envelope to increase excitement. Have it read something like this: "$20 coupon value inside!"

We're here to help if you need creative money-making ideas to stuff in your statements!

Your $325,000 Gift

Ivy Lee was born near Cedartown, Georgia, on July 16, 1877. The son of a Methodist minister, he studied at Emory College in Atlanta before graduating from Princeton University. He went on to found a PR firm, among many other accomplishments, before becoming a management consultant.

About a hundred years ago, Bethlehem Steel found itself in trouble operationally. The company's chairman, Charles M. Schwab, hired Ivy to study the company's ills and report back.

After some research and interviews, Ivy handed the chairman his findings and recommendations on a small sheet of paper. He then said, "Follow this, and your company can correct its problems."

This short list of recommendations was directed at all the executives of the company:

1. In the evening, each executive was to write down the six most important tasks to be done the next day and arrange them in the order of importance.


2. The next day, they would start the first task and finish it before starting anything else.


3. After finishing the first task, they would start the second-most important task, finish it, start the third task, and so on down the line.


4. After their day's work, before leaving the office, they would spend five minutes reviewing the day's tasks and making a list for the next day. Unfinished tasks could be put on the new list.


5. Each executive was to do this for the next 90 days and check the results.

Ivy left the chairman's office, asking him to put the plan into action but to pay him only if the company got results. He further asked to only get paid whatever the chairman thought the advice was worth.

In two weeks, Schwab sent Ivy a check for $25,000. At the time, the average worker in the U.S. was being paid $2 per day, so this was worth approximately $325,000 in today's dollars. He added a note saying this was the most profitable lesson he had ever learned.

Did it work?

Within five years, the Bethlehem Steel Company had become the biggest independent steel producer in the world. Schwab became the best-known steel man of his day and went on to make a hundred-million-dollar fortune.

The story of Lee and the advice he gave to Schwab is well-known in the business and self-development world. But even if you do already know it, it's still worth studying again and again until it's ingrained into your daily habits. The lesson to be learned is the importance of defining top priorities and focusing on those important items until they are finished, rather than letting the mundane and unimportant distract us. Master this habit, and you might be able to write your own $325,000 check.

Sell with Sincerity

In a sea filled with competitive businesses, sincerity is a must if you want to get (and keep) customers. Here are a few tips to help you sell with sincerity:

• Sincerity is more than just a smile or a firm handshake. It can be heard in your voice, your words, and your actions.


• Don't read from a script. No one wants to listen to a sales pitch that sounds like a recording. Mix in your personality, passion, and even personal experiences with the product.


• Ask questions and listen with interest. Show that you really care about what the person is saying (in contrast to simply listening because it is the polite thing to do).


• Be yourself. Remember that people buy from other people. If they like working with you, they are more likely to remember you and return again.


• Back off the business mode when using social media sites. Rather, use them for their intended purpose: to be social and build relationships.


• Remember that sincerity has to last. It doesn't end after the sale. If customers have a problem with a product or service, sincerity is a must to resolve their issue.

George Henry Lewes once said, "Insincerity is always weakness; sincerity even in error is strength." Sincerity in sales can not only help you build a stronger relationship with your customers, but will also help your business receive honest feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Features Tell, But Benefits Sell!

When it comes to marketing, it's often necessary to rethink what you're really selling. For example, rather than selling life insurance, vitamins, or digital cameras, you may really be selling peace of mind, longevity, or treasured memories. Here are a few tips to help you focus less on features and more on the benefits your products and services have to offer:

• Sell the sizzle, not the steak, by explaining the direct benefits your customers will experience if they choose your products or services. For example, instead of telling a customer that the cell phone they're looking at has 16GB of memory, tell them it can hold XX songs, videos, and photos. By repositioning a product feature as a benefit, you'll show your customers the many positive ways your product features will impact them directly.


• Highlight benefits when creating a headline for brochures, flyers, or other promotional materials. While features are also important, they're not the hook to get customers interested. For example, instead of writing a headline about a car's six side-impact airbags, focus on the added safety benefits and peace of mind for your customer and their family.


• If you haven't already, create your own features and benefits sheet. Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. On the left side, write all the features of your product or service you're offering. On the right side, write out the corresponding benefits that go with each feature.


• If you're having a difficult time thinking in terms of benefits, consider a freelance writer. As an outsider, a freelance writer can separate themselves from your company and look at your products and services from a new perspective. They can also more easily put themselves in the shoes of your customer.


• You may also consider a customer focus group that will help you identify issues that are important to customers, so you can gain a fresh new insight and perspective.

Lessons from the Humble Shopping Cart

In 1937, Sylvan Goldman, owner of the Piggly Wiggly supermarket chain, noticed that customers would stop buying more groceries when their arms got too full. He decided the solution would be to create something that would help his customers and, in turn, help him sell more groceries.

Sylvan and an assistant took a wooden chair, put a basket on it, and added wheels to the bottom to form the first crude shopping cart.

But the new invention didn't catch on like Mr. Goldman had hoped. Men thought the carts were too feminine, and women said the carts reminded them too much of baby strollers. It seemed like the only folks using them were the elderly.

Instead of giving up, Mr. Goldman hired some young male and female models to push the new carts around Piggly Wiggly. The greeters would point out the models to the skeptical shoppers and explain the benefits. In a short time, the shopping carts became very popular, which in turn made Mr. Goldman a very wealthy man.

Here are a few lessons you can apply to your business from this story:

• Pay close attention to your customers and how they use your products and services.


• Observe and ask questions.


• Determine what you can do to make customers' lives better when using your products and services.

Sometimes an increase in revenues comes from simply helping your clients in small but meaningful ways, like the humble shopping cart.

What Does the Fortune Inside Your Cookie Say?

A fortune cookie has an average taste at best. So why do people look forward to eating them? Because of the little piece of paper inside the cookie. You know, the one that tells a story: your fortune.

The text on the fortune is rarely profound, yet we still excitedly break open the fortune cookie to see what it says. Why? Because those simple and sometimes silly words illicit an emotional response.

Your products and services are like a fortune cookie. In your mind, they are second to none, but to your audience, you may be one of many.

Your values, vision, and especially your story are like the fortune in the cookie. Your prospects and customers want the fortune as much if not more than the cookie itself because that's how they connect and how they will remember you.

Strive to make your services and products the best they can be. But don't forget to tell the stories behind them, so you can connect with your clients emotionally. That's the key to what will make you unforgettable.

Marketing with Email Signatures

Think about how many business emails you send each day. Now think about the email signature you're currently using on your emails. While email signatures are commonly used as a way to identify the sender and provide important contact information, many people are missing out on the valuable opportunity to use their signature line as a marketing tool. Here are a few tips to help you create an effective email signature that your recipients will remember:

• Create brand recognition by including your logo, tagline, mascot, or other graphic that is tied to your brand.


• Choose images carefully and use them sparingly, so your signature doesn't overpower your message.


• Increase web traffic by enticing readers to visit your web link for a free sample, free white paper, or to subscribe to your newsletter.


• If you include a web link, spell out the address rather than using hyperlinks. This will eliminate trust issues caused by opening an unknown link and will also make it easy for recipients to copy and paste the address into their browser.


• Offer a teaser that entices the reader to ask for more information or to click a link to learn more.


• Personalize your email signature with a photo to help readers put a face with your name.


• Consider adding a brief quotation that represents your business or provides an insight into your personality.


• Create a consistent brand image by standardizing email signatures throughout your company.


• Change up your messaging frequently to keep it fresh and interesting for email recipients.

The Secret to Selling to Someone Who's Not (Yet) Ready to Buy

There was once a man named Charlie who sold insurance for a living. Charlie was a salt-of-the-earth kind of guy who enjoyed what he did. Charlie had a friend named Steve. Steve was in his late thirties and happily married, with a wife and two kids.

Charlie and Steve would play the occasional round of golf with some friends. Charlie would tell Steve about the importance of having life insurance for someone in his situation, but without being pushy.

Steve had his reasons for not buying at the time and would always put it off. Charlie, being the good, persistent salesman that he was, would bring up the topic regularly without being annoying.

One morning while Steve was at work, a colleague who was about the same age, with two kids and in seemingly good health, had a sudden, unexpected heart attack and was taken by ambulance to the hospital.

Guess who Steve called that very afternoon to get the paperwork started for the life insurance policy he had been putting off for years?

What's the moral of our story as it pertains to your business? You can have the greatest product, the best service, and a great price, yet some of your prospects will still not buy. The reasons are many, and some are a mystery that you won't be able to solve right away.

While you're scratching your head trying to find those answers, your real job is to continually market your services by educating your target audience about what you can do to help them achieve their objectives. Why? Because one day soon, your prospect will be ready to buy, and she will remember the persistent, but pleasant person who has been looking out for her best interest all along.

Charlie knew that secret, and now you do, too.

Information Overload?

The amount of information (images, videos, blogs, etc.) available to businesspeople is increasing at dizzying speeds. This can be a problem. A big and messy problem.

You see, there's a lot of junk out there. Yet amid that trash valuable information exists that can help you and your customers achieve exactly what you're looking for.

As with any problem, there are opportunities to be had.

Can you become the go to source for your top customers to help them find the gold? If you can manage that, you'll become their trusted ally and vendor of choice.

That in essence is what "content curation" is all about.

You can send your customers and prospects copies of articles and links to important information -- basically any resource you think will help them grow in their personal and business life.

Some think that content curation is a brand-new concept, but it's been around for many years. Where the information comes from has evolved, but the essence has not changed.

Zig Ziglar said it best: "You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."

You can't go wrong with that kind of philosophy.

Information Overload?

The amount of information (images, videos, blogs, etc.) available to businesspeople is increasing at dizzying speeds. This can be a problem. A big and messy problem.

You see, there's a lot of junk out there. Yet amid that trash valuable information exists that can help you and your customers achieve exactly what you're looking for.

As with any problem, there are opportunities to be had.

Can you become the go to source for your top customers to help them find the gold? If you can manage that, you'll become their trusted ally and vendor of choice.

That in essence is what "content curation" is all about.

You can send your customers and prospects copies of articles and links to important information -- basically any resource you think will help them grow in their personal and business life.

Some think that content curation is a brand-new concept, but it's been around for many years. Where the information comes from has evolved, but the essence has not changed.

Zig Ziglar said it best: "You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."

You can't go wrong with that kind of philosophy.

Lessons From the Greatest Direct Mailer of All Time

Direct mail has been a proven money maker for many years and continues to prove its worth to this day. In this age of all things digital, it's ironic to note that many who have tired of wasting valuable time and resources with unproven tactics are once again turning to direct mail.

If you're one of the wise ones who have penciled this powerful strategy onto your marketing calendar this year, it would be smart to learn from one of the best direct mail sales letters ever written.

In 1974, Martin Conroy wrote a simple, two-page sales letter which was continuously mailed out with very minor changes between 1975 and 2003. Not only did it have amazing longevity, but it was responsible for raking in over a billion dollars in new sales.

This letter was a simple story. The best salesmen, teachers, CEOs, and communicators know that stories told well sell! Whether you're selling something or trying to get others to take action, simple but powerful stories can do much of the heavy lifting for you.

There are many reasons this piece proved to be so successful. The classic formula of attention, interest, desire, and action are beautifully articulated in the piece. Here are a few other lessons to learn:

1. It pulls you in with a story and emotional hook which makes you want to read more.


2. It's simple and clear, so you can follow to the end without getting lost.


3. Emotions and hot buttons are weaved throughout the copy so your interest remains high.


4. The benefits are crystal clear.


5. There's a clear call to action.


6. It offers a risk-reversal and guarantee for those on the fence.


7. It makes a promise and restates that promise at the end.


8. It provides three options: Good, Better, and Best.

These simple 781 words proved to be a key circulation builder for subscriptions to the Wall Street Journal for over 30 years. There are seminars and courses which have been taught using this letter as a prime example. Studying the letter and learning the techniques and power can make your next direct mailer a big success as well.

Here's a link to the letter's text, along with some information about its amazing success.

Start Spreading the Word!

When it comes to making introductions, first impressions are very important. Whether you're introducing a new business location, new employees, or even a new product or service, introductory marketing pieces are a great way to make a lasting impact.

A professionally printed introductory piece can establish credibility, build report, and pique interest. However, it's important to remember that this is simply an introduction. Give readers adequate details, but don't overwhelm them. Instead, develop it as a lead-in piece that entices readers to learn more.

The creative options for direct mail introductions are endless and can include letters, postcards, self-mailers, statement stuffers, personalized note cards, brochures, or even a simple folded flyer. In addition to direct mail, you can distribute introductory materials at trade shows and other events, include them with purchases, or deliver them door-to-door with eye-catching door hangers. To increase staying power, consider including an elite offer, coupon, exclusive invitation, or tear-away business card that recipients can use to keep your information at their fingertips.

If you need ideas or want help getting started, give us a call today. Our creative team would love to help you start spreading the word!

The Right Mindset

Many people start off the new year with high hopes and aspirations for a successful future. They dutifully set goals, make plans, state their objectives, and promise themselves that this time they'll really stick with it.

But sometimes life gets in the way and throws a curve ball (or two or three!), diverting our eyes from our path just long enough to derail the whole plan.

If you have plans this year to ramp up your business and want to really see it all the way through, there's one thing that can help you stick with the agenda even when things seem to be going sideways.

Solve their pain.

If you can remember that one phrase and make it a theme for your entire year, you'll be much closer to achieving all of your goals than you have ever been.

Your customers, prospects, and even your friends and family have some kind of pain. They're all either actively or unknowingly searching for someone to help them cure their problems. Your task should be to find out what these ills are and then help provide solutions. You'll become the one they always look forward to hearing from because you care about them.

The late Zig Ziglar once said: "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." It's somewhat ironic that achieving goals in your life and business requires a mind shift change from "me first" to thinking about what's in the best interest of other people.

So as you set your sights on having the best year of your life, remember to always strive to be the one that presents answers to problems and puts the best interests of others before your own. If you can master these skills, you'll never be without a friend and will achieve more goals than you ever have before.

Be a Real Partner

Business used to be much simpler. The formula for success was to provide value, convenience, and great customer service, which in turn led to referrals that became new clients. This tried and true cycle kept the business world moving forward.

Somewhere along the way, however, the rules seem to have changed, and the apple cart has been upset.

To win business today, you must provide more than value and customer service.

Change is an inevitable part of life and must be dealt with. Change can lead to transformations in which we are active and willing participants, or change can occur despite our best efforts to stop it. In these cases, the outcomes are not necessarily in our power.

An important part of transformation and evolution is to learn from the past. This is a great time to review the past year and make decisions about changes that need to be made for a successful new year.

Reflections On the Past Year

Was 2012 a success for you? If not, where did things go wrong?

-- Did you have enough sales opportunities?

-- Were you presenting the right solutions for your prospects?

-- Did you learn enough about your clients and their needs in order to implement the right solutions for your clients?

There are no right answers here, just honest introspection.

Resolutions For the New Year

To make changes for a successful 2013:

-- Know what goals your clients have for their businesses.

-- Help them achieve their goals with the solutions you have to offer.

To be as successful as you would like to be in the new year, you need to accomplish one important task: look for ways to make your clients achieve their goals. When you can do that, you have aligned their goals with yours. You have become a true partner in their success. This can go a long way in making your new year the best ever.

Spice Up How You Answer Your Phone

If you're looking for a creative way to spread the word about new products or services or to announce an exciting special or upcoming event, it may be time to reconsider how your business answers the phone.

You or your receptionist can add marketing value by simply changing what is said when answering the phone. For example, pizza delivery companies get straight to the point when you call. "Thanks for calling Pizza Palace, this is Joe. Would you like to hear our specials?" As a customer, the thought of saving money is very intriguing and can often entice callers to learn more, even if they already had something in mind before calling.

A captivating introduction can include any type of announcement you'd like to make. For example, you might say, "Thanks for calling XYZ! Did you know that our X products are 30 percent off this week?"

You might also consider tooting your own horn or thanking customers, with a greeting like this: "XYZ is celebrating 50 years of business, and we couldn't do it without customers like you! What can I help you with today?" Even just a simple statement can add excitement. Here's one of our favorites: "It's a great day at XYZ! What can I help you with?"

By adding a creative twist to your phone greeting, you can not only increase awareness and boost sales, but also expand your marketing reach without touching your budget.

Are You the One?

Are you in control of your life, or does it feel like life is tossing you around like a boat in a storm?

Only one person in a hundred may look ahead, picture in their mind what they want, and set a plan to work toward their goals. The other ninety-nine may think about what they aspire to, but that vision will quickly fade, as they consider all the reasons why they can't make their dreams a reality. So they settle for what life throws their way. That's why life for the ninety-nine feels out of control and chaotic.

In order to go from the ninety-nine to the one, you must answer three important questions:

1. What do you really, really want out of life?


2. What is your plan to get there?


3. What is your next step?

All three of these are critical steps to get off the out-of-control merry-go-round and take control of your destiny.

Some people will take the first step and stop. Some will even go to step two. But very few get to step three. The people in the "one percent" group take step three and continue on until their goals are achieved.

Ninety-nine people will read this and believe they knew all of this already. Yet they still won't do anything about it. One will take action.

Life throws challenges in everyone's paths. The ones who are not easily discouraged and remain resilient because they believe in their dreams are the people who end up as the one in a hundred.

Which are you?