Corporate Branding And Trade Shows 8 Tips For Marketing Managers

Writen by Julia O'Connor

Trade shows are part of the marketing mix and the appearance by your firm should be a continuum of your entire marketing including advertising, public relations and events.

While you may introduce a new product or showcase a service, many firms make mistakes by not connecting the overall corporate branding with the show. How can an exhibit staff person be up to speed on what the company is doing?

BEFORE THE SHOW …………

1. Make sure you have information about the exhibit – what is in it, why it is there – before the show. Not the day before but as soon as you get your assignment. The exhibit manager has the responsibility to make sure the exhibit is on time and looks great - among many other duties. The marketing team decides the theme, products highlighted and rationale.

2. Read your company and division web sites. Sure, there are lots of pages but there are hidden nuggets in there that you may have forgotten or may be new to you. Here's what you may not know – attendees who are serious about meeting with you – well, they will check your web site. Best to be as informed as your prospective clients are.

3. Read all the promotional materials that you will hand out. If an attendee has a question while at the booth, your answer will not be – DUH?

4. Know what is in all the demonstrations. Are there cues to expand on the demo? Clues as to how to lead a conversation? Listen carefully and make your life easier.

5. Read advertising in your trade publications. What does your firm promote versus your competitors? Can you explain the differences?

6. While reading the trades, look for articles and releases about your company. Check your online press release section or ask the PR department about releases sent before the show.

7. Understand the role of your firm if a sponsor of an event.

8. Ask. Ask. Ask until you get answers that satisfy you. Your goal is to make you the best representative for the company you can be.

Having an understanding of the broad marketing aspects before the show makes your firm well branded at event.

Julia O'Connor
Speaker, Author, Consultant
Trade Show Training, inc.
PO Box 17155, Richmond, VA 23226
http://www.TradeShowTraining.com
804-355-7800

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The Most Important Thing That Sells Your Product Or Service

Writen by Nancy Wigal

As a copywriter, it'd be so easy if all I ever had to do was list the features and benefits of your product or service. But while these are important and even necessary, there's something else that's equally as important that you may not think about.

Emotion.

Now that's a loaded word. Some people read it and immediately think of loud, exclamation-point-laden phrases. Some people think of excessive capitalization and way, way too much bolded and/or yellow-highlighted copy.

That's emotional alright - too much of it will cause headaches, seared eyeballs, and most importantly...the potential customer quickly clicking on the "Back" button on her browswer!

However, exclamation points, bold, and highlighted text can be effective if used properly. But the kind of emotions I'm talking about are the real ones that you get directly from the client who uses your service or product.

And what's the best way to capture those real emotions? Simple - through interviews. I ask questions that bring out all the emotions that compel your customer to buy from you. After reviewing your product and services, I'll develop a comprehensive set of questions to discover every emotion, even ones you may not have thought of.

During the interview I let the customer talk. I don't interrupt her, and I don't change the subject until she's done.

Even more important is to avoid rushing in to fill a conversation silence. I'll let it go on. Often, your customer will come out with the most valuable gems if you just wait and listen. We have two ears and one mouth for a good reason - use them in that proportion!

Why are we going through this effort anyways? Because it's well known we all buy with emotion, then we justify it with logic. Tap into your customer's most prevalent emotions, write them up in real words, and let her know you have the solutions to heal those particular emotions.

Conducting the interview, listening hard, and capturing all the emotions are just a few of the many tasks your copywriter does for you to produce significant marketing results. When hiring a copywriter, be sure to ask how he/she will find those emotions that match the benefits of your product or service.

If this crucial step is skipped, all you'll have is flat copy that lists what you offer. It'll either put the potential customer to sleep, or send her off to a competitor.

http://www.purposefulmarketing.com/

Nancy is the owner of Purposeful Marketing. Contact her about significant marketing to acheive higher profits.

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The Advantages Of A Business Marketing Plan

Writen by Ross Lincoln

Business is an important form of investment where it primarily targets sales and profits. Most people who are putting up a business can either succeed or fail. However, failures can be prevented or minimized if you make a precise business marketing plan.

Review the following advantages and take the initiative to incorporate it in your business.

1. It unites you and your employees to a common goal. A business marketing plan will give your employees something to achieve. Being the head of the business, you are igniting self confidence in them to do their best, to support the company's marketing goal, and to gain success within a specified time.

Most companies failed because of underestimating the marketing plan impacts. Remember, your employees also wanted to feel that they are part of the team. Nothing can compare to the sense of fulfillment that they experience when they are also engaged in a complicated yet exciting joint endeavor.

Your employees will become more committed to the company if you share your vision with them. They might not always understand about financial projections but a business marketing plan that is written well will do miracles.

2. It will help you follow a definite path to success. It is a fact that business without market plans for at least 5 to 10 years increases the danger of failures. Business marketing plans helps you to study accurately the different market conditions. In return, business problem solutions were already prepared if ever something goes wrong.

But remember, you cannot successfully make a marketing plan without involving other people. No matter how small your business is, obtain feedbacks from the different segments of the company. It includes manufacturing, finance, supply, and others.

Your employees can give realistic input on the things that are easier to achieve, potential marketing opportunities that are not yet realized, and new planning dimensions. Make sure to reach out for your employees.

3. It prepares ready made instructions for the entire operation of the company. The business marketing plan is your chronological guide for running your company successfully. The whole structure of the company is being assessed in a manner that every part is working efficiently and effectively. It also envisions the company's status in the future.

4. The business marketing plan acts as a written agreement between you and your employees on what to do today and in the coming years. It will contain all the recorded financial reports and the whole marketing layouts. So, in case one of your employee leaves or a new employee arrives, the goal still remain intact.

5. The business marketing plan gives you exact basis of business reflection. Competition today is very tight. Without a ready made plan, it will be difficult to survive business rivalries. What more if you are going to deal with the things that are not related directly to the business daily operation, yet it gives you headaches. To create the best plan, it should be thoroughly studied and reviewed. Well, other businessmen even find a place where they feel comfortable and relaxed to make accurate sketches of their business ventures.

The success of your business starts with a good business marketing plan and gets its profit in the end. It will help you stay stable besides any business change, customer preference, market evolution, and employees leaving your company.

Ross Lincoln makes it quicker and easier for you to create profitable business ideas, develop your marketing strategy or start brainstorming on any topic. For a free trial of the ultimate innovation software, please visit http://www.ideacenter.com

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How To Turn 100000 Into 1191817 In Just One Year Part Ii

Writen by Andrew Cavanagh

Turning a modest $100,000 annual turnover into $1,191,817 may sound outrageous but if you really understand the fundamentals of marketing this becomes quite achievable.

Once you realise that just improving every area of your marketing can create a multiplying effect on your turnover it's time to look in more detail at exactly which areas you should target...

The Three Main Ways To Increase Any Business Are...

1. Increase the number of clients...

2. Increase the size of each sale you make...

3. Increase the number of times your clients buy from you...

Imagine if you have a 6 step sales process.

That may seem a little long but most businesses actually have a sales process longer than this once you take into account your client first finding out about your business all the way through to when your client actually parts with their cash.

Imagine if you improve the response of each step of that 6 step sales process by just 10%.

"Improving Each Stage Of That Sales Process Creates Exponential Improvement In Overall Sales..."

Think of it this way.

Say you doing a very modest $100,000 in turnover with your 6 step sales process.

If you improve your response from each of those six steps by just 10% that will create an overall increase in sales of 77%!

Every improvement in the sales process multiplies on the next.

If sales accounted for $100,000 of turnover you could increase this turnover to $177,156.

A $77,156 Increase In Turnover Just By Improving Each Step Of Your Sales Process By A Mere 10%!

But this is just the beginning...

You can find out how you can turn $100,000 into $1,191,817 in the $297 Underground Marketing Report # 1 available for a limited time completely free. With your $497 marketing gift.

Claim your report now at http://motherolode.50webs.com/underground.html

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Six Secrets To Creating Successful Tourism Marketing Websites Ads Tradeshow Booths Amp More

Writen by Tim Warren

If you want to substantially increase your tourism prospects and sales without a lot of effort and expense, then read on and prosper. You are going to learn the power and impact of the written word.

Today's tourism prospects are very busy. Decisions that influence purchasing decisions can be made in seconds - based on how your marketing materials are written. Your best prospects are choosing to give you business or not based on how effective and compelling your written word communicates your company or destination information. Is your marketing material compelling and selling prospects effectively?< br>

The Most profitable Words You Will Ever Write

Writing sales and marketing words (copy), that quickly enrolls and sells the prospect on your tourism related business offer is challenging -- and some of the most important words you will ever write. And, it is something you or your team can learn. This is the doorway and path to increased sales. Many designers and web masters overlook the core function of your marketing material. It is to sell!

Sales and marketing copy is a very special way to communicate and not usually the way you would speak or write. Here are some quick tips, followed by a link to a hands-on tool, guaranteed to help you create better marketing and advertising communication. Read on to better promote and sell your tourism offerings.

1) Less is more

Keep copy brief, concise, descriptive. Bullets work well. Prospects are very time challenged, so you need to communicate your benefit-oriented information very quickly - usually 3 -6 seconds -- or they are gone.

2) All promotions must have a benefit and clarity to the prospect

Dominate the top 1/3 of any promotion material with benefit oriented headlines, concise words, and short descriptive text, i.e., Free • Special • New • Sale • Guaranteed, Alaska Dog Sledding, etc.

3) Credibility Sells

Maximize your credibility - i.e., years in business, # of guests, safe destination, endorsed by, #1 in… licensed, bonded, Voted best…, etc.< br>

4) Use Testimonials Everywhere

Guest comments are written "word of mouth" endorsements.

5) Your Company Name And Logo Doesn't Sell

Utilize maximum/premium space to promote consumer benefits and clarity in what you are selling, not your company name, logo and telephone number. Put them at them bottom or side of your web site, ad or tradeshow stand.

6) Secrets of Profitable Marketing & Advertising

To help increase your prospects and sales substantially, check out the book "Tourism Marketing Success". You'll discover more helpful tips, see specific examples and learn about the Defining/Credibility Statement © - a step by step secret you and/or your staff can use on your web site, brochures, ads, tradeshow booth and more to better market and sell your ecotourism services and destinations.

Since 1994, Tim Warren and Adventure Business Consultants, has helped dozen's of ecotourism, adventure travel, nature and cultural tour operators, travel agents, destinations, tourism associations and boards with training, consulting and creating exceptional marketing material. Click Here For Free Bimonthly E-zine – Outdoor Tourism Marketing Business Success http://www.AdventureBizSuccess.com - News, tips, tools and specials that you can use to increase your ecotourism and adventure travel business success. 800-707-7570

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The Biggest Marketing Timewaster

Writen by Anne Duncan

I get asked a lot… "What's the best marketing strategy for me to use to promote my service?" Well it's NOT Cold calling, NOT Direct Mail, NOT Networking… If fact NO marketing strategy will bring you all the new clients you need, when you need them, without first having created and learnt how to deliver a Powerful Personal Marketing Message.

Without being able to talk about your business in a clear and compelling way, you're only ever going to get lukewarm results from your marketing efforts.

In my experience at least 80% of small business owners can't talk about the service they offer without sounding confusing or bland. I'm left not exactly sure what it is they do, or what might be in it for me.

Having a Powerful Personal Marketing Message is the FOUNDATION for ALL your marketing strategies. Without it, you'll always have to spend more time trying to get your message heard by a whole bunch more people before you make enough sales to keep your appointment book full. You'll be throwing time and money down the drain.

Before you spend any time or money marketing your self and your services, it's wise to make some time to sit down and work on your message.

How….?

First get clear on what it is you have to offer. Then decide who you want to work with. Who makes an Ideal Client for you? Then figure out why they should buy from YOU and not one of your competitors. You must Dig Deep.

Sounds simple? Well it is. It's also probably the hardest work you'll do in relation to marketing your services, but it'll also the one thing that will bring you the highest rewards. Best of all… you'll only have to do this ONCE.

Small business is the fastest growing sector of "business" in the world today. So there are literally 100s of 1000s of marketing message out there. This means yours has to be crystal clear and compelling to your ideal prospects. You need to have visibility, to be seen as an expert in your field. You need to have a Powerful Personal Marketing Message so that clients will want to work only with YOU.

Put in the work on your marketing message and you'll get a infinitely higher response rate from all your marketing strategies. You Ideal Prospects will be compelled to take action and contact you.

You'll have as many new clients as you want… when you want them. You'll spend much less time having to market your service leaving more time for you to focus on what it is you do best… looking after your clients.

Copyright Anne Duncan 2006

LIKE TO USE THIS ARTICLE AS CONTENT FOR YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can as long as you include my Copyright and the following: By Anne Duncan, The Reluctant Salesperson's Coach. For more marketing article, quick, easy tips and great resources on marketing a professional service visit Anne's web site at http://www.thereluctantsalespersonscoach.com

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5 Secrets To Compelling Headlines The Fish Of 10000 Casts

Writen by Caroline Melberg

If you are an avid reader of Blue Chip Tips, you'll know that I spend a good deal of time on the water, and a portion of that time on the water is spent fishing. Living in The Land of 10,000 Lakes makes this not too difficult to do, but I also enjoy fishing everywhere our travels take us (hence our recent fishing and photographic expedition to Alaska).

Over the course of my lifetime, I am pretty sure I've reeled in just about every type of freshwater fish available in our northern lakes – except one. The Musky.

Walleye and bass and northern pike – all day long. Sunfish and crappie and bluegill – no problem. But muskies? Not one.

I've had what is referred to in fishing parlance as "a follow" – where you look down at your lure as you reel it toward the boat just in time to catch a splash and hear the water ripple as a giant musky is tempted by your lure – only to turn and swim away at the last minute. But I've never reeled one in.

Muskies are a sport fish – they can grow to be huge – the world record muskie, caught in Hayward, Wisconsin, was 63-1/2" long and weighed 69 lbs. – and just in case you aren't into fishing - that's a big freshwater fish. But you wouldn't want to eat one.

Muskies don't just bite at anything you throw at them – they take work. While you can go out and catch walleye with little effort, the musky is the fish of 10,000 casts. If you haven't put in your time on the water, you won't catch one. Muskies take sweat equity.

Advertising headlines are a lot like the elusive musky. While writing body copy comes fairly easily, the most important element of your ad or direct mail piece – the headline – takes hard work. You've got to put your time in "on the water" to nail one – and even the experts consistently write over 100 unique headlines for each promotion before they settle on the most compelling choice.

Fortunately – just like fishing pros use all sorts of "special tricks" to improve their musky-catching odds – copywriters use secrets of their own to consistently craft powerful, arresting headlines.

That said, here are 5 secrets you can use immediately to improve your headlines and improve your odds of reeling in your prospect:

1. Keep it Simple! The best headlines are difficult to write because you must eliminate every unnecessary word and focus on one compelling idea – one and only one. Too many ideas will confuse your reader and you'll lose your prospect.

2. Focus on Now - Your headline needs to create a sense of urgency to break through the clutter and get your prospect to focus on what you have to say. Something isn't going to happen – it IS happening.

3. Benefits – By reading your ad or direct mail piece, your prospect should learn something they didn't know before. By providing an inherent benefit in your headline, you build trust with your prospect which encourages them to read further.

4. Useful – Make sure the information conveyed in your headline is useful to your prospect – implying or referring to information that they need or want to know.

5. Specific – Tell your reader what you are talking about – what will your product or service specifically do for your prospect that your competitor's product or service will not? Tell your prospect and watch your sales grow!

Entrepreneur and outdoor photography adventurer Caroline Melberg is President and CEO of Melberg Marketing, Inc., a full-service virtual Marketing Communications Agency. She has over 20 years of experience creating marketing communicatins materials and writing copy for some of the largest and most successful companies in the world. She publishes the popular eZine, "Blue Chip Tips: The Secrets of Blue Chip Marketing...Revealed!" Get your FREE subscription at http://www.MELBERG.COM

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Increase Your Sales By Followingup

Writen by Joe Love

The difference between a successful business and one that just gets by is that the business that is just getting by thinks that the marketing is over when the sale has been made.

One of the main reasons customers leave, change suppliers, or stop buying is because of apathy on the part of the company. There is never any follow-up after the sale. Customers often feel neglected. They feel that the company doesn't appreciate their business so they will give it to another company that does.

In order for your business to maximize its profits, you have to realize the immense potential value of each customer. And it begins when the first sale is made. Each customer is a potential repeat customer and potential referral source leading to other customers.

So the follow-up begins with a thank-you note or card sent out within 24 hours after their purchase. If they have purchased from your web site, within minutes after their purchase. When's the last time a business thanked you for being a customer?

Your follow-up must continue on a regular, using a variety of the many follow-up opportunities that are available to you. And the variety of effective follow-up opportunities that you have available to you, is a limitless as your imagination. Here are ten ideas to help get you started:

1. A preferred customer show

2. A birthday card

3. A special sale for preferred customers

4. A newsletter

5. A personal letter with facts of interest plus a special offer.

6. A personal telephone call follow-up.

7. A holiday card.

8. A contest or sweepstakes.

9. A special thank you card on the anniversary of when they became a customer.

10. A special report, book, or e-book for customers only.

Marketing studies have shown that it costs a business six times more to sell something to a prospect than to sell the same thing to current customer. So, your goal should be to develop a long-term relationship with every customer or client. Long lasting relationships with your customers or clients will yield a wealth of benefits for your business.

The starting point of any follow-up should be your commitment to your customer's or client's happiness. Your goal is not simply customer satisfaction but rather exceeding the expectations of your customers, giving them more than they anticipated. Showing them that you care about them more than they're used to from a business.

To do this, you've got to learn about your customers. You learn first by listening to them, then by asking more questions and listening carefully. One of the best follow-up tools to use is sending them a questionnaire after their purchase. You can also have them fill out a questionnaire on your web site. By knowing the personal likes and dislikes of your customers you can render personalized service, such as clipping articles of interest to special customers or recognizing their achievements, and the achievements of their families or businesses.

When people purchase from your web site or subscribe to your newsletter you should have some type of auto responder. With an auto responder, you can create a series of e-mails designed to consistently communicate with your customers. You can set up your auto responder to automatically send a series of e-mails to your customers at predetermined intervals. For example, as soon as they sign up for your newsletter, they will receive the first e-mail in the series. And you can set the rest of the series to arrive every 2 days, or once a week, or whatever time frame you think is best.

Stay in touch with your customers because if you don't, someone else will. Marketing studies have shown that nearly eighty percent of business is lost because of apathy after the sale. Built-in follow-up, set up as an automatic procedure by your company, is a barrier to apathy. It requires time, energy, and imagination but it does not require a lot of money.

For example, a customer representing $200 in profit to you can mean a $200 profit without follow-up. Or that same customer can mean $60,000 in profit with follow-up. Here's an example of how the arithmetic of consistent follow-up can work:

* Follow-up transforms the $200 yearly profit into a $600 yearly profit per customer with two repeat sales.

* Follow-up results in four referrals, each representing $600, for a total of $2,400 per year. $2,400 plus $600 equals $3,000.

* Even if you earn no more referrals after the first year, $3,000 times a 10 year relationship you should have with your customers means at least $30,000 profit per customer - - if you follow-up!

Customers are much more willing to buy from a company they have already done business with than from a different company that they don't know. Once a customer has purchased from you, the chances of them buying from you again are very good. Take advantage of this human phenomenon to increase your sales effortlessly and automatically with immediate and consistent follow-up.

Copyright© 2005 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved

Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. A former ad agency executive and marketing consultant, Joe's work in personal development focuses on helping his clients identify hidden marketable assets that create windfall opportunities and profits, as well as sound personal happiness and peace.

Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com

Read more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com

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Are You Charging Quotthe Ideal Pricequot

Writen by Larry Galler

The price you ask for the products and services is critical.

If you charge too much customers leave and go to the competition. If you charge too little then profits are diminished, sometimes to the point of loss. So the right price is somewhere between "too much" and "too little." I'd like to advise you to charge "The Ideal Price" but have to admit that unfortunately there is no such thing as the "Ideal Price."

So how do you establish the prices you charge? A simplistic overview of pricing strategies covers a wide range of options. Some charge a percentage markup of the cost because that is the "industry norm." Others charge a price based on pricing charged by their competitors. Those with excess fulfillment or production capacity can increase sales volume and profits by lowering prices while others choose a pricing structure based on what they think their customers will pay.

Complicating the pricing conundrum is the fact that some customers will pay more for a given product if, for some reason, they find more value or have a greater need while others will only purchase that same service when the price is reduced by being "on sale," with a rebate, or via negotiations. An example is the pricing differentiation in air travel; there are substantially different prices for the same flight depending on whether the ticket is purchased two weeks or two hours in advance and there are different prices depending on the amenities one wishes to purchase (coach / business class / first class).

No matter what you sell and the pricing structure you currently use, consider your pricing strategy based on the goals you have established for growth, profit, and market share. Basing your prices on an industry formula, your competition, or the costs associated with delivering your product is the starting point but, if you can add value and deliver your product / service in the manner you customer most desires, it is quite possible that you can raise your price while your customer gains more satisfaction from the transaction. When you can do that, you've found the "Ideal Price."

Larry Galler coaches and consults with high-performance executives, professionals, and small businesses since 1993. He is the writer of the long-running (every Sunday since November 2001) business column, "Front Lines with Larry Galler" Sign up for his free newsletter at http://www.larrygaller.com Questions??? Send an email to larry@larrygaller.com

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Spring Cleaning How To Do It In Your Business To Make More Room For Success

Writen by Tresaca Hamilton

With the arrival of Spring, I decided to get outside and into my garden. I had neglected to do some basic maintenance during the previous months and wondered if my plants suffered any permanent damage as a result.

My flower bed was full of dead foliage and there wasn't a sign of new growth anywhere. I spent a considerable amount of time removing the dead foliage in order to allow room for the new growth to emerge.

I was pleasantly surprised to see new growth already emerging once I removed all of the dead foliage. I gave the plants plenty of water and fertilizer as a final step, and moved on to other yard work tasks.

A couple of hours later, I looked at my plants and was amazed at how much they had grown. They had literally doubled in size! I was expecting to see some results, but not so much in such a short amount of time.

After assuring myself that I wasn't seeing things, I realized what had happened and why, and how it relates to Marketing your Business.

Here are the lessons from my garden:

1. Look At What You Have Already Planted:

How are you currently marketing your business? Think about who you are marketing to and the results you are getting from your efforts.

Are you getting the results you want, such as more clients and increased revenue?

2. Remove The Dead Foliage:

If you are not getting the results you want from your current marketing efforts, it is time to look at what is working and what is not.

Once you determine what is not working, you need to remove it and replace it with more of what is working or add something new that will work for you.

If something is dead, it can not grow. Stop focusing your time and money on marketing that is killing your business.

3. Prepare For Growth:

Once you have removed what is not working, you will have more room to focus on improving and growing your business.

Analyze what is working for you and why. Then do more of it and add other strategies that will give you similar results.

Create systems for your business based on effective marketing in order to ensure continuous growth.

It may seem like magic when the growth suddenly appears in your business, but it will actually be the result of simply removing what is not working for you and replacing it with effective marketing.

The magic is in watching your business bloom!

Copyright 2004 Black Unicorn Communications, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

Tresaca Hamilton is the CEO of Black Unicorn Communications. Black Unicorn Communications helps Service Businesses attract more clients in less time. Visit http://www.blackunicorninc.com for a FREE Business Success Toolkit, including the 7 day e-course: 7 Steps To More Clients

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With Online Business Directories To Help You Track Information Youre Sure Never To Be Led Astray

Writen by Michael Hanna

If you've ever tried to track a business through a phonebook, only to discover that the company has moved or seems not to 'exist' when you call or visit, then you're familiar with a few of the frustrations that can ensue from using phonebook directories; and if you've ever attempted to use a phone booth directory only to find that the pages you require have been ripped out, then you're certainly aware of some of the inconveniences which can follow as well. It's an ironic occurrence, considering that phonebook directories were designed to make business exposure and the tracking of information easier; yet at the same time, it's certainly not surprising when one considers all the potential drawbacks that accompany their use.

One of the primary setbacks of phone book directories is that they become outdated far too quickly. And aside from being irritating for people who rely on them to find specific goods and services, frequent outdating means regular replacement - which also means that the environment is damaged along the way. New editions of phonebook directories are continually required to provide users with up-to-date information; yet even with extensive printing and re-printing, out-dating occurs at a rapid rate.

However, an ideal solution has been at hand for some time; fully comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date business directories are available online, allowing anyone with internet access to find the information they need in no time. Many online business directories can help to bring together information from existing local, national and international, marketing and print directories, providing access to key information across an extensive range of industries. Additionally, apart from being more convenient, with automated search functions and simple to use, an online business directory does not require any additional printing. So by tracking a business online, it is possible to save a lot of time and trouble, as well as additionally helping to reduce the effect on the environment.

Of course, online directories provide advertising opportunities for businesses of all kinds as well. And because online directories are often search engine optimised, businesses can gain even more online exposure - because close to 70% of people conducting an online search use the major search engines in addition to online business directories.

Gone are the days when one had to flip through massive directory books just to track a business, product or service; now it can all be done with the simple click of a button.

Michael is a keen writer living in Edinburgh. Michael's Website: Belfast Airport Taxis

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Love Is Blind Product Planning With Your Eyes Open

Writen by Deborah Henken

You're sitting at your desk, and suddenly it hits you; a breathtakingly beautiful idea for a new product, that "one and only" offering to catapult your company into instant success. You know it will work. You know everyone will want to buy it. Even your family loves the idea. You invest a good deal of time and a substantial amount of money developing and introducing this product you love, but a year passes and not one unit sells.

What at first seemed like an exciting, profitable new concept has become an extremely expensive, disappointing undertaking for your company. How could this have happened?

Quite simply, you were blinded by love and you fell for the wrong product. More than a mere business decision the product became a powerful new passion for you or your company's product development team. The obsession for this new product was so strong that normally pragmatic business people ignored logic to pursue the glittering profits they felt it promised. It's not an unusual problem. Actually, it happens to 80 percent of new products and it's not exclusive to small businesses. Remember "new" Coke, McDonald's McLean burger and the DeLorean?

What can your business do to avoid the "love at first sight" new product mistake? Here's how to identify the proper, and profitable, product needed for your business expansion.

A Proper Product Planning Process

We have combined a number of existing new product development systems into the following practical process. We explain each step in the process below and follow each step with a critical assessment question. This system can help you design a new product offering for your company with less risk and more control.

In the process, make sure you create a cross-functional product development team that includes representatives from sales, engineering, operations, marketing, finance, executive, legal and other areas critical to new product success. Also, guard against any one member of the team dominating the discussions or decision-making process. All team members must honestly critique and support the project, or the new product's chances of success are minimized.

Step 1: Search for a Concept
This is the fun part of product development! Generate concepts for new products from employee recommendations, an engineering or managerial "think tank," customer suggestions and brainstorming by the product development team.
Critical Question: None. Just be as creative as possible within the parameters of your chosen market.

Step 2: Select the Best Concept
Examine all the ideas generated in Step 1 and reduce the number of new concepts to a manageable size. Rank each new product idea by a set of criteria customized to your company's strategic objectives. Some examples of important criteria are:
• Production / Technology Capabilities. Competitive / Legal Environment
• Financing Issues
• Marketing Requirements
Critical Question: Is the product compatible with company resources and objectives? If the answer is no, you must modify this idea or return to Step 1.

Step 3: Develop and Test the Product Idea
Turn the broad general product concepts into a specific product idea that will appeal to your target market. You must decide how this new product will benefit your customers. It is critical to obtain their direct input or reaction to the concept through market research such as surveys and focus groups.
Critical Question: Do your potential customers have positive reactions to your new product concept? If not, you need to modify the product or return to Step 1. Be sure to objectively analyze your primary research to confirm your answer to this question.

Step 4: Look at the Business Potential
Perform a complete financial analysis of your new product's potential. This analysis should be as detailed and realistic as possible. Product costs, profit margins, return on investment, cash flow issues and volume projections are financial considerations to closely examine.
Critical Question: Can we manufacture this product profitably with our company's current resources? If the answer here is no, you must abandon the product and start over. Do not attempt to juggle the numbers to reflect positive financial impact when the impact is really negative. Remember, love is blind - trust your numbers.

Step 5: Make the Product
After answering yes to all critical questions in the previous steps, now, and only now, you can begin the prototype construction. This phase of your product development requires a complete commitment of the budgeted resources and the entire company's support in a variety of unexpected ways. This level of commitment could strain the nerves as well as the pocketbook, so be prepared.
Critical Question: Does the product work? Do we have the ability to manufacture and market this product profitably? If no is the response to either question, you will need to prepare for added expenses as you hire outside assistance, modify the product or develop a more suitable offering.

Step 6: Test the Product
Roll up your sleeves and get going! Manufacture a small quantity of your new product and put it in a test market. Your company should use the same marketing, selling, pricing and distribution tactics it plans to use in larger markets. This is the time to check volume potential, marketing effectiveness and customer perceptions.
Critical Question: Do the test market results indicate satisfactory market potential and customer acceptance? If you feel the results are unacceptable, abandon or redevelop the product.

Step 7: Commercialize the Product
If your answer to each of the critical questions has been a resounding YES, you are ready to roll your product into an introductory market. Go for it! Start selling!
Critical Question: Are sales results satisfactory? A no answer here means that you may need to modify your commercialization program or abandon the project. If the product still appears to have potential, it may be time to refine marketing strategies. Objective external assistance may help you modify your marketing program.

Although the success rates for new products are low, using these steps may help your company increase the odds of success by identifying a new product with good profit potential before you invest significant company resources.
Critical question: How can you tell you are finally in love with the proper product? Count your profits, of course.

Deborah Henken served as VP of Marketing at several Silicon Valley start-ups and in senior marketing and channel positions at Hewlett Packard, Informix and BEA Systems. She earned her MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Deborah is the Founder of the Highland Team.

Susan Henken has directed marketing at consumer and health care companies for more than 15 years. She provided marketing consulting to manufacturing companies at Minnesota Project Innovation through a grant from the SBA and Department of Commerce and ran her own consulting business. She is currently Director of Marketing for Consumer Products at Compex Technologies. She earned her MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

medical health hospital

5 Steps To Massive Profits A Business Marketing Tip

Writen by Steve Majors

Here's a business marketing tip to gain maximum profit from any product or service in your business marketing lineup, and how you will gain extreme profits when you follow these 5 simple, LAZY steps;

1. Look not at what you are offering through your business marketing efforts - look at WHO WILL BUY your product/service. Make a picture of your 'typical buyer' - who they are, their age, what they like to do, etc.

This is often known as the 'target market prospect', yet, the more detailed you define this 'target' in your business marketing, the better.

I've even gone to the point of giving this 'target market' person a name and put a picture up on my computer monitor (find a 'friendly face' on the Internet somewhere and 'tag' it as your target market prospect) - get your business marketing centered around every aspect of your target - the more you know them, the easier it is to chat about what they need.

2. Develop a list of your target market prospect's likes and dislikes as it would relate to a product/service similar to yours. (You'll get a 'third party' look at your competition, as well as some inside looks at their business marketing efforts.)

Consider some questions they would have, or some typical objections to buying this similar product/service (this may come from your previous research, or you may have to simply do some).

One way to personalize the business marketing research of your 'target market prospect' is to 'role play' - think about your prospect as a good friend that you are having a picnic with (or even a co-worker at the water cooler, etc.) and in passing, your friend brings up that 'similar' product/service.

What do they say about it?

What are their questions/concerns?

Is there a 'running joke' about the competition's product/service that defines a hole in their business marketing? (i.e., "Did you hear about the lady that used X?")

All these things need to be addressed, and documented.

Let your mind be creative and wander, but keep it to a time limit - about 15-20 minutes per business marketing 'play' session. Think of nothing but this 'conversation' during this creative (often fun) time.

It might even be helpful for you to say everything that comes to mind out loud during these business marketing planning sessions(as silly as that sounds, it works...) and record it, as some of the best business marketing ideas get overlooked when you are trying to write them down quickly.

Listening back for those 'nuggets' might even trigger other 'bits of business marketing gold' for you to work with.

3. Figure out how your product/service and business marketing plan is similar, yet different than the competition. Just how does your solution overcome all the questions, concerns and yes, even 'jokes' from your target?

If you can't answer these questions for yourself, how would you expect to answer them from your prospect?

The beautiful part about this business marketing exercise is that, if you go through it with commitment, you will already know the answers to the prospect's questions BEFORE they ask them - which quickly eliminates any fears you might have about talking with them.

4. Continue this simple exercise - every couple days for a week or so. Giving 15-20 minutes of serious thought to your business marketing plan and role playing every couple days will stimulate your conscious mind, as well as keep your unconscious mind actively thinking about it.

You'll be surprised at the outcome of taking these steps seriously.

But be forewarned - you will very likely have a very different outlook about your prospect after one week of this simple, yet extremely effective business marketing, 'target market' finding tool!

You will know them as well as you know yourself, so you will be able to talk with them about things quickly, simply and with the best, consistent results of your business marketing efforts.

5. Now, take a look at your product/service and business marketing plan - through the prospect's eyes (now that you can clearly see through them...)

Does it fit your prospect's needs?

Does it answer their questions and eliminate their fears?

Is it priced right for your target prospect?

Is there a market for your product/service other than your personalized target market prospect? (This step is vital as a 'reality check" - and one that many business marketing planners miss)

When you follow these five steps faithfully, you will have credibility, knowledge and successful long-term relationships with your customers (who used to be simply 'target market prospects' before you understood the power of this business marketing tip!).

Steve Majors - To-the-point training and coaching for business and wealth creation through creative Real Estate investing. Known as "The Lazy Investor", with courses and training sessions to slingshot your success. http://SteveMajors.com

medical health hospital

Customized Service Builds Client Loyalty

Writen by Kim Proctor

Client loyalty is best built with customized services that specifically meet client need. It is time to banish the "standard" treatment including standardized letters and invoices in favor of customized support.

Think of amazon.com, for example. They learn about their customers (purchases and behavior) then adapt to fit their needs. What other bookstore knows the books you have read and recommends others that you might like? With the right information about each site visitor they can provide custom recommendations and services.

The ideas in this article can help you get started or go even further in building loyalty.

Step 1 - Gather existing client data

Start by collecting your client data. Do you have a central database to track all client interaction, client needs, meeting summaries, recommendations and conversations? Or just paper folders.

If you have data in various places, put it together and get a fuller view of each client. A database should display a full history and will ideally include each action and communication (outbound and inbound), a history of services employed for this client, feedback from them as well as whatever else is relevant to illustrate the full relationship and their preferences.

This kind of data viewed all together can reveal opportunities to provide custom services for each client.

Again, think of amazon.com: They know your history, suggest new books and store your credit card data plus provide 1 click ordering. They are so easy to use and personalized, that many customers have no interest in buying books any other way (a.k.a. loyalty!).

A single client database with such granularity may sound hard to maintain. Don't be intimidated – try recording what you can. If you can record and store (and then use -- I'll get that later) even 10% more information about your clients and their interactions with your firm – you will find opportunities for customization.

Step 2 - Segment clients based on similar characteristics

Once you have all your client data (regardless if you have the one database in place yet or not) start looking for patterns and similar characteristics.

For example, clients using the same kind of services can be a segment. The groups are defined by those who have similar needs. Feel free to create sub-segments so that each group includes clients that are similar on as many factors as possible.

This step will help because clients in each group may need the same kind of specialized services – and that is ok. What is important is to convey to the client that you are considering their specific needs and addressing them – even if other clients are getting the same kind of customized service. And for those of you already customizing services, drill down to the individual level and you will create the strongest loyalty bond.

Step 3 - Analyze your client data to understand client needs

Think about each segment - what services might they need, how could you customize your interaction, services, or even invoices to better support them? Consider how they want to do business with your firm. For example, what kind of updates do they want on what basis and in what format? What you know about their processes, lives and preferences will help you create greater customization and thus loyalty.

Step 4 - Customize client care, relationships and offerings. Listen and learn what works.

With the above information in hand you can begin to implement specialized support.

Continue to listen and learn from your clients, and record it all in the database. Over time, this database will host a wealth of information about your business. Learn from it, adapt, and increase loyalty each step of the way.

Kim Proctor is a Customer Relationship Consultant with http://www.CustomersThatClick.com She brings 11 years of experience in creating positive customer relationships that last. Her experience includes being Director of Customer Service, and developing a dot com and growing it to one million unique users with mostly relationship techniques and word of mouth programs. Kim has a blog with 2 new ideas about how to improve your customer interactions and relationships each week at: http://www.customerevangelism.blogspot.com

medical health hospital

Planning Your Postcard Marketing Campaign

Writen by Martha Retallick

Before you create your postcard, do a little planning. Ask yourself:

1. Why are you doing this card mailing? Do you want to get new clients? Or do you want to stay in touch with existing clients?

2. To whom are you going to be mailing these cards? Which begs another question: who's on your mailing list?

Now, you may be saying, "Martha, how can you ask such a thing? I don't even have a mailing list!"

Okay, you don't have a proper list quite yet, but do you know anyone? I mean, do you have any friends, family, colleagues, former classmates, former coworkers, military buddies, or neighbors? I'll bet you do.

Now, all you need to do is get their names, addresses and other pertinent info into a database program like Act!, Capstralia Contact Expert, Microsoft Excel, Goldmine or Microsoft Outlook. There. Now you have yourself a mailing list.

And, furthermore, you have the best kind of mailing list there is, because it's made up of people you know. They're going to be much more interested in what you have to offer than a list that's made up of a bunch of strangers.

Your list of people who know you may well do a lot of business with you. Or your list folks may send you business. Mine sure do!

Martha Retallick, "The Passionate Postcarder," hails from Tucson, Arizona, USA. She is the author of Postcard Marketing Secrets, a downloadable PDF manual will show you how to put postcards to work for your business--profitably. Learn more about it at:

http://www.PostcardMarketingSecrets.com

medical health hospital

All Marketers Are Thieves

Writen by Stoney DeGeyter

A famous marketing has been quoted as saying all marketers are liars. I certainly won't argue with that principle. Marketing is often about who can BS the best. But I also think it's true that all marketers are thieves.

Several months ago Chevy started an "Employee Discount" marketing campaign where us average Joes can get a car for the same price as Chevy employees. Guess what, it worked! Shortly after Ford started their own campaign called the "Family Discount". It must have worked for them too because they extended the sale a few extra weeks.

Every great while someone comes up with a stellar marketing idea. It isn't long before that idea is copied, rinsed, washed, and repeated over and over gain. How many different bumper stickers do you still see copying the "got milk" campaign? "got sand", "got jesus", "got fruit", "got laughs" and so on and so forth.

If it's good, they will copy.

But if something works, why shouldn't it be copied? Why shouldn't you take someone else's concept and make it your own? As a marketer, it's your job to see what works and then find ways to apply that to whatever you are selling.

Of course, the more popular a marketing campaign is and the better it works, the harder it will be to steal it without looking like a thief. The trick is to take an idea and turn it into something new, something different enough to be yours, but the same enough to still be effective. The idea here is to not get caught copying the obvious.

Look around, there are plenty of good marketing ideas all around. I didn't go to Burger King looking for a marketing idea, but because my eyes were open, I found one, and stole it. What have you stolen lately?

Stoney deGeyter is president of Pole Position Marketing, a Reno SEO firm providing search engine optimization and marketing services since 1998. Stoney is also a part-time instructor at Truckee Meadows Community College, as well as a moderator in the Small Business Ideas Forum. He also contributes daily to the (EMP) E-Marketing Performance search engine marketing blog.

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15 Ways To Promote Elearning Programs

Writen by Catherine Franz

Pre-note: In this article, teleclass is an example used to illustrate one type of eLearning market. The tips work the same for other eLearning programs, including, but not limited to, teleseminars and ecourses.

In the mid-1990s, the teleclass format began and was named, distance learning. During these early years, learning institutions, particularly universities, were chief users of this format. Mainly due to the large equipment investment needed at that time. Now, due to technology changes and cost reduction, people can give and attend ePrograms without leaving their chair or selling their first child. No parking challenges, auto expenses, or travel time required. Another benefit to learning by phone is that your listening skills will reach new heights quickly.

In 2003, technology allowed a single conference line to expand from 30 to 150 participants per line. Affordable conference lines were previously only available in certain states, Florida and Nevada. Now other states, like New York, are jumping in on this bandwagon with affordable rates.

Currently, a 24/7 conference line, is available to rent around $600 a year. An alternative is to rent the line by the hour. This can range between $10 to $20 per hour depending on the service features desired. You can also share a line with one or two others to reduce your cost. I recommend finding line-share partners who are in other time zones, it makes sharing easier.

Zero-cost teleconference lines at available at http://www.mrconference.com and by other vendors. Most of these services have flaws that range from automatic disconnect if no voice is detected every 8 to 10 minutes, to being blocked from entering the call because of overstressed lines. I recommend the leader dialing in 5 to 10 minutes early to secure the line, however, this doesn't mean that all participants may not experience over trafficked busy signals.

Actually, teleprograms will not take the place of "being there" for all people. The skills and experience of the teleclass leader or host can also make or break the learning experience. There are just as many teleclass leader styles as people. If you have never experienced a teleclass, I recommend attending four or five before deciding if the format is or isn't for you.

15 Tips To Help Promote Your eLearning Programs

1. If you produce your own eNewsletter, electronic newsletter, or eZine, electronic magazine, or printed newsletter, add an eLearning announcement section.

2. Contact other newsletter editors and ask to have your program announced in their issue. You can swap ad space, your ad for their ad, exchange ad space for participation, offer a commission option, purchase the ad, or pay per click-through. I don't recommend paying for click-throughs unless excellent tracking systems are in place. In order to attract, make sure their target market and yours match.

3. You can also use pay-per-click through search engines like Google's AdWord program. If you go this route, I suggest you purchase an ad analyzer software (about $100) or a service (average $19.95/month) to maximize time and reduce mistakes.

4. Place notices all over your web site -- especially your main page -- about the program. Remember: posting announcement notices is actually passive marketing. You will still need to pull visitors to the site.

5. Write and distribute Internet articles on the same subject. Unable to write, hire a ghostwriter. Allow four to twelve weeks for this process to begin pulling visitors to your website. The number of articles distributed will proportionally be your return. My low end measurement has been: 1 article = 10 visitors or more = 8 new eNewsletter subscribers = 1 sale. High end: 1 article = 350 new visitors = 125 new subscribers = 10 sales. This is now one of the top five Internet promotion building attractions.

6. Since ePrograms don't require people to be physically present, attendance is now open internationally. Thus, you will want to distribute information about your eLearning opportunity globally. Find places in other English-speaking countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. If you speak a foreign language, you can even offer the same program in that language. Spanish speaking ePrograms are in high demand.

7. Mention your eProgram on other ePrograms you attend. You can slip it in with a question or when presenting your personal information to the class.

8. Add a promotional paragraph about the program to all your outgoing e-mails, called signatures in Outlook. Choose HTML design in your software and add a picture of the leader/host along with a link to where someone can register or find out additional information.

9. Join market-rich discussion lists, billboards, or chat rooms. If direct solicitation isn't permitted, sell gently through your signature or indirect questions.

10. Write a press release for each eProgram. Become a member of PR Web http://www.prweb.com/. Membership is fr*e*e. This number one website attracts a very high percentage of media personnel.

11. Accumulate a list of all the local newspapers that offer fr*e*e community event announcements. Inquire into their deadline and submission requirements. You will also want to ask how can may confirm receipt of your information. They don't intentionally leave information out, however, they move at a fast pace and things do get lost in the shuffle. Special note: Most community list ads are for fr*e* events.

Use a three-ring binder to record the advertising information. You can also save the information in your e- mail software, like Outlook, and your Internet browser software, in a separate "Community newspaper" section. However, if the hard drive crashes, make sure the information safe. Due to the value of this information and the amount of time you spent accumulating it, you still may want to keep updated printouts just in case. Even a backup diskette in the binder. Having a paper version also helps when the computer is off or you need to transport the information. This is also a great item to delegate to a virtual assistant.

12. Add your announcement to your telephone answering script. Change it whenever you are offering a new eProgram. Give instructions as to how to register -- and it's important to make this as easy as possible for them. Don't forget some marketing tidbits of "what's in it for them (WIIFM)" to register and do it now.

13. Use fr*e*e ePrograms or offers to provide a taste and attract participants to register for longer paid programs. Offers can include: ebooks, ecourses, special reports, or even a professional white papers. Offering a transcription of the program or an audio copy is another great offer.

14. List your class in teleclass directories. Some directories require that you attend their particular teleclass-leading course. A big downfall in time and expense in the short-run, however, good investment for the long term. Here are a few directories to get you started:

http://www.seminarannouncer.com
http://www.teleclass4u.com
http://www.teleclasslive.com
http://www.teleclass.com
http://www.thefeelgoodplace.com/freetele.htm
http://www.Yahoogroups.com -- over 30 places to post your eProgram listing.

15. If you give speaking engagements or even when you participate in other events, seminars, workshops, give out flyers on your eProgram. Works well in networking groups too. Take the flyers to the libraries, senior and civic centers.

FYI, names of ePrograms can seem confusing at times, however, there is a standard for what to expect depending on the name. A teleseminar usually has very little interaction between leader and attendees. It is set up to instruct and participants to solely listen. Sometimes a brief Q&A period is spaced in-between subtopic changes.

On the other hand, a teleclass provides more time for participant to participant or participant to leader interaction. It has a higher ratio of free forming. A teleclass format copies more of the workshop atmosphere. A teleprogram, is a teleclass delivered over a period of time, like a class at a learning institution. The term eProgram is a compilation, or overview term, of all electronically delivered learning programs.

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing & Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com

medical health hospital

Use These Two Numbers To Double Your Business In 12 Months

Writen by Charlie Cook

Everyone wants to see growth in sales and net revenue. It's important for small business owners to set income goals and to watch sales results, but too much emphasis on these numbers can prevent you from reaching your goals.

Using your revenue figure to guide your marketing is like driving by looking in the rear view mirror the whole time. That number tells you where you've been. It doesn't tell you how to get where you want to go.

There are a couple of key numbers and ratios to keep in front of you that will help you get to your sales 'destination'.

Like an Iowa farmer growing soybeans, you've got to carefully plant seeds and nurture plants to maturity to ensure a good harvest and a good profit. The amount of seed you plant and the percentage that germinates and grows well determines your farm's profitability. The same is true in marketing and sales; the number or leads you generate and the number you convert to sales determine your income.

These are the two most important numbers to pay attention to in marketing. Use them to evaluate your marketing and determine how many sales you'll generate:

1. The number of qualified prospects in your database.

These are people who've told you they have a concern or problem you can help them with and who want to hear from you again.

2. Your prospect to client conversion rate

The percentage of qualified prospects you convert to paying clients.

The math is simple; the more qualified prospects you have and the higher your conversion rates, the more revenue you'll generate.

Your sales will stay frozen at present levels if you focus on how much revenue you're making and ignore the importance of building your list of qualified prospects. You could double your business in the next few months by building your database of qualified prospects and improving your conversion rates.

Marketing Numbers You don't need to be a math wiz to become an expert at marketing math. Pay attention to these numbers on a weekly basis;

- The number of people who saw your ads, read your articles or received your mailings.

- The percentage of these people that responded to your ad or article. It's not how many ads you run, but how many people pay attention to your ads that matters.

- The percentage of respondents that actually gave you their contact information and added themselves to your database. These are the people who have identified themselves as qualified prospects who are interested in learning more.

If you're marketing through your web site, it's incredibly simple to identify these numbers daily and weekly to track the success of your marketing. Here's how;

1. Look at the number of unique visitors to your web site daily or weekly.

2. Divide this number by the number of people who contacted you. This is your conversion rate of site visitors to qualified prospects. If your site is set up correctly, at least one out of ten people should be contacting you and adding themselves to your list of qualified prospects. If you use Google Ads to drive visitors to your site, you can send visitors to specific landing pages and increase your conversion rate to 20 or even 25%.

What should you expect from your web site? For every hundred unique visitors to your site per week, 10 to 25 should be sending you an email requesting more information about your products and services. Each month your list of qualified prospects and your sales should grow.

Before you finish this article, make a commitment to apply this simple marketing math to grow your business. Set a goal for your business. Look at how many qualified prospects your marketing is currently generating.

Write this number down, then put a diagonal line across it and next to it write down the number of qualified prospects you want to add to your database each week.

I've been doing this little exercise for two years with my current web site. My goals for acquiring qualified prospects get larger each month as my business grows. My latest goal is 500 new prospects per week. This translates into 6 to 7 percent more business each month. With a little planning, you can see your business grow just as fast.

2006 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved

The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals, small business owners and marketing professionals attract more clients and be more successful. Sign up to receive the Free Marketing Strategy eBook, '7 Steps to get more clients and grow your business' at http://www.marketingforsuccess.com

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How To Work Smarter Catch A School Of Fish

Writen by Rudi Jansen

Working Smarter – we're forever being told to work smarter.

Yet – so many people have no idea how to stop working harder and how to start working smarter.

Here is a simple concept to help you work smarter:

A fisherman goes out to sea and throws out his line.
He waits for a while to catch a fish.
Eventually a fish bites, he pulls the fish out of the water and throws his line back in again.
Then he waits for a while to catch a fish.
Eventually…
And so it carries on.

Another fisherman goes out to sea and follows a different strategy.
He spends time looking for a school of fish.
When he eventually finds a school of fish, he throws out a net and pulls in hundreds of fish.

Which fisherman do you think is more successful?

Most likely, the one who goes after the school of fish.

When you think about your business - where are your schools of fish?
Where do a lot of people who make use of your service get together?

A few weeks ago I met a wedding photographer at a networking event.
He admitted that at networking events he did pick up some business here and there, but it wasn't particularly successful (well, of course not – he was a fisherman throwing out a line and waiting to get lucky.)

However, if he made an effort at getting to know 50 florists really well.
If he got to know wedding planners really well.
If he got to know wedding shops really well…

By taking the same hours that he would have spent at a networking event and rather spend that time working on/ with his schools of fish – he is much more likely to get his effort rewarded in a much better way.

Stop wasting your time – make sure that you are in fact chasing after schools of fish as opposed to single fish.

You'll turn your business and your cash in-flow around in no time.
Guaranteed.

Happy Fishing.

Rudi Jansen is a Business Growth Specialist and Chartered Accountant. Get his free e-book, "7 Easy Ways To Grow Your Business" at http://www.kando1-2.com

medical health hospital

The Best Business Card I Ever Saw

Writen by Jeff Goulding

I knew from the first moment I saw his card that I had to talk to the person who left it for me. Why did I feel so strongly about it?

Well, for a start, it made me laugh. Nothing is as important as being alive, so enjoy it while you can: "Carpe Diem". We've all heard it said, but how many of us really know much about it? Where it came from, or who said it?

"Carpe Diem": the famous advice "Seize the Day" is from Horace's Odes. (Odes in Horace's case, being his thoughts on lots of different things). The full thought is: "Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero", which may be translated as: "Enjoy today, trusting little in tomorrow."

Thus, "carpe diem" from ancient times until now has been advice expressed in many different ways, e.g. eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die; make hay while the sun shines; enjoy yourself, it's later than you think. Or in 2006: "Life's a bitch – and then you die."

Anybody who can make me laugh in the middle of my business day is someone I want to associate with, I can tell you.

The other reason I wanted so much to see the person who called and left the card, was that I needed to give it back to him. In selling, they say that the best way to succeed is by giving someone what they want. Because, in doing so, you're fulfilling a need – or at least, what your potential buyer perceives as a need. (The latter being the reason why so much advertising is designed to create a perceived need). And this guy had certainly created a need for me to see him, simply by leaving his card!

I guess the third reason is that curiosity, as they say, killed the cat. How many of us respond to something simply because our curiosity is aroused? I freely confess that I do. The need to know is one of our strongest, human urges – some would say weakness.

(No reading ahead, please!)

For sure, curiosity has been the downfall of many an otherwise, over-cautious individual. I wanted to know not just who he was, but who had designed the card; what the person looked like who had presented it; and whether he meant what he said – sorry, no, that last bit isn't true! I knew he didn't mean it. He couldn't possibly mean it.

So, it made me laugh; it aroused my curiosity; and it achieved its primary objective: it made me want to see him. What did his card say? Well, his name, business address and contact details were on one side. On the other side however, it read:

(The first two words were handwritten – the rest of the message was printed on the card.)

"Dear Hilary,

I would like to go to bed with you. If the answer is yes, please keep this card. If the answer is no, please return it – as I am running out of cards."

What card does he use, you might ask, when the recipient is a fellow male . . . ?

Written by Jeff Goulding (jeff.think@hotmail.co.uk) for the Goodprint Challenge. Goodprint offer Business Card Printing and instant matching stationery from their website.

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Sell More Online By Offering A Big Fat Bonus

Writen by Alexandria K. Brown

I don't know about you, but I secretly love watching infomercials. I enjoy dissecting how they sell, how they get people excited, how they entice people to take action now and pick up the phone and order something they completely don't need!

As you know, these programs always offer a huge bonus or multiple bonuses for people who buy. Often the bonus is worth even more than the featured product itself. You know what I mean... they're selling you a little vegetable chopper, but they also throw in a blender, toaster, and coffeemaker!

Why do they do this? Because it makes the offer completely irresistible. The prospect thinks, "Jeez, I'd be crazy not to buy this right now!"

The same strategy works extremely well online too. Using BONUSES is also a great way to add more value to your program or package, enabling you to raise your price point. And you don't have to spend any money creating your bonus products if you don't want to.

Here are 7 ideas to get you started offering a bonus ASAP:

1. Special Report

Think of some information that relates to what you're offering that would be very helpful for the customer. Exciting titles with numbers are shown to work best, like "31 Easy and Fast Ways to Get More Clients" or "5 Mistakes Most Families Make When Choosing a Puppy." Write it in Microsoft Word, format it so it looks nice, and then use Adobe Acrobat to save it as a PDF file for easy downloading. (Be sure to promote your business and website in there too - remember it may get passed around.)

2. Resource List

Compile a list of your personally recommended resources, websites, books, and vendors that are related to your product or service. You can set this up as a PDF file as well, or create a password-protected area of your website that customers and clients can access. Example: One bonus that comes with my Boost Business With Your Own Ezine system is the "Ezine Queen Private Resource Library." It's simply a select collection of links to websites and tools that can help my customers grow their lists and run their online businesses.

3. Checklist

Are there any checklists that would be a good tie-in to what you offer? That help people do what you're teaching them to do, better or easier? Example: I have a program called "Insider Secrets to Making M0ney With Teleseminars," and one of the bonuses is the checklist that I myself use when I plan any teleseminar event! My customers love it because it makes it super easy for them.

4. Collection of Articles

Hopefully you write articles or tips on a regular basis for your own ezine or newsletter, and you may even have them posted at your website as well. Why not package your favorites into a PDF document and title it your "Top 10" or "Best of" collection?

5. Action Guide

Look at the principles, strategies, and tactics you teach in your program, and put together a separate guide to help the user do assignments, stay on track, and document her progress. (Some marketing experts say calling it an "action guide" or "success journal" is better than "workbook," because "work" can subconsciously deter people.)

6. Audio Class

Record a 60-minute audio introduction or orientation to your program. If you already offer a free introductory teleclass or do live speeches, you can simply record that. Offer it online as an MP3 download, or even better, let people listen right from the website. (You can see exactly how I set mine up here.)

7. Consultation With You

A consultation is a great bonus to offer, for several reasons. First, it lets you get to know your customers better and hear the questions they ask and issues they face. This will help you further improve your products and services to offer what they want. Second, it's a great opportunity to upsell these folks to a higher-priced program at the end of the call. For example, if they enjoyed the advice you provided on the call, they may be interested in your six-month coaching program. Don't fear that everyone who buys your product will actually take advantage of your free consultation - they won't. When I got started, I offered a free 30-minute consultation to all purchasers of my Boost Business ... system. I estimate that less than 20% of the people who bought it actually scheduled a call with me.

Digital or Physical?

I'm a big fan of digital bonuses because they cost nothing to create and there's no packaging or shipping involved. But of course you can also go with physical bonuses, especially if you're already shipping the main product to the customer anyway. My Boost Business... system is a physical package that we ship, so we add in a 2-CD program that teaches people how to get more sales from their ezine. It's simply a recording of a great teleseminar I did about two years ago.

If you're offering printed material as a bonus, don't go crazy spending a ton of money making it look great. "Good" is okay! A simple report that you have printed and bound cheaply at a copy shop is fine. Remember that people are paying you for the information you provide.

What's most important is the cover -- even if you only produce a digital report or audio product, having a graphic of it will help increase your response and make you look more professional. I use and recommend Killer Covers.

Give Your Bottom Line a Bonus This Month

So get YOUR bonuses in gear! Make a note of how your sales have been so far, and then add some bonuses and watch the numbers rise.

© 2005 Alexandria K. Brown

Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is creator of the award-winning 'Boost Business With Your Own E-zine' system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to articles and FREE audio class, visit http://www.EzineQueen.com

medical health hospital

Image Is Key To Your Marketing Success

Writen by Debbie Dahmen

In virtually any business first impressions are lasting impressions. Most people have heard this statement for years, and yet some people completely ignore the first impression they are conveying to potential customers or clients.

Regardless of the industry you are in image is a part of your marketing. Take the real estate industry. An often-overlooked part of marketing is the image an agent projects. This includes marketing collateral, clothing and the type of car you drive.

Do you convey the image that is appropriate for your market? If you are dealing with first time buyers, does your image match the market? If you are dealing with very seasoned buyers, what is the nonverbal message you are communicating? Not that you should become something you are not, but you should be aware of the message you are conveying. Image doesn't mean you have to go into debt over it. However, it does mean to make appropriate investments.

An aspect of your image is the company or corporation you work for. If you are part of a larger company remember you are part of a larger company. No matter how much you may want to do things that are outside company policy, if you are with that company then your agreement is to follow their structure.

Your image is also reflected in how you talk to customers about the company you represent. Speak well of any organization you are connected with. If you can't then perhaps a change of the company you are associated with is in order.

You phone skills are also a part of your message. How do you answer the phone? Are you happy to hear from customers or are they an annoyance to you? If they are an annoyance, you definitely need to get out of the business you are in. And FAST!

Whatever your profession keep in mind the impression you are leaving behind. Is it one you want to be remembered by?

About The Author

Debbie Dahmen is a member of the Distinctive Properties team, a unique personalized real estate agency serving the south end of the Salt Lake valley including Draper, Riverton and Sandy. Family owned and operated, Darlene Dipo, Debbie Dahmen and DeAnna Dipo pooled their 60 years of experience to offer their clients flexibility and individualized attention. All three women have achieved the coveted designation of Certified Real Estate Specialists, a designation held by only 3% of real estate agents. Offering services including buying, selling, and relocation, Distinctive Properties offers relocation services throughout the United States. Visit www.distinctivepropertiesSLC.com for further information.

dahmen@aros.net

Create An Event At Your Trade Show

Writen by Dick Wheeler

Trade show conferences are gathering spots for favored clients, client prospects, industry leaders, as well as competitors. Trade show visitors, however, have hectic schedules. They are busy attending educational industry seminars, networking with their colleagues, learning about new products and seeing first-hand the latest innovations in their specific fields. But it is also important to note that trade show attendees have unscheduled times of the day and evening when they can pick and choose what they'd like to do. This is your company's golden opportunity to entertain and educate trade show attendees about innovative aspects of your company.

But how do you go about capturing the trade show visitors after or before the hours of the trade show exhibit? Do you want to reward your targeted list of clients and suppliers with a special recognition outside the trade show display arena? Do you want to have your executives and sales representatives get to know the power players of your industry to increase your sales? If you decide you want to host a rewarding and satisfying event, how can you plan for a venue that your trade show display visitors will clamor to attend?

These are the questions that can best be fielded by the professional meeting and event planner. According to Karla Krause-Miller, Director, Cappa and Graham, Inc., the event planning company in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, the more creative the venue outside the trade show display, the better. First she identifies the client's primary objectives and goals, whether they are educational, or a special recognition ceremony, or a strictly social time. Then make the decision on where to hold your event-- whether it is a museum, gallery, private home, mansion, cruise, winery tour or even a Wax museum.

After you have decided on the venue, you then need to find a tie-in to your trade show exhibit theme—one that supports your business and trade show marketing messages. Let that theme of your trade show display drive the central promotional concept for your special event.

Next come the invitations. Where you might send a highly targeted list of trade show exhibit visitors a hand stamped, handwritten invitation, you might merely send an email blast to hundreds of trade show attendees. A good way to build trade show booth traffic is to request that your trade show display guests pick up their special event invitations at your trade show exhibit. That way, you not only have a better accounting of how many people will attend, but you will also give your trade show booth staff an opportunity to talk with VIP trade show visitors.

According to Miller who has handled the full range of events based on clients' needs, from a hospitality suite at a hotel to a large gala at City Hall, each organized program starts with identifying whom you want to attend.

For example, if you plan to invite a medical group, your event planner must be aware of FDA guidelines and follow them explicitly. Be aware that there may be a dollar limit per person that the FDA requires you stay within. And if you want to attract medical personnel attending a medical trade show, offering Continuing Education Credits (CEU) is a real plus.

Another key element to event planning is to make the meeting memorable –like staging an activity that attendees could not easily do by themselves. An example is to arrange a luncheon with a demonstration of special pairings of wines given by the owner of a prestigious winery.

Another example of good event planning is imparting an emotional message that ties in with the special mindset of the group. For instance, a key ingredient in making a recognition event successful for the Chapter Presidents of American Association of Critical Care Nurses was that they identified with their speaker's circumstances at their recognition luncheon. Rosey Grier, former football player who was at the side of Bobby Kennedy when he was shot, was the guest speaker at this nurses' luncheon. When he talked about that tragic day and described the hectic and emotional scene that ensued after Kennedy was killed, there was not a dry eye in the house.

By thinking in terms of who your attendees are, you will be able to plan an event that is appropriate whether it is close by at the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago, the Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, the Moscone Center in San Francisco, the Santa Clara Convention Center or the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.

Remember, when your company plans to exhibit at a trade show, if you extend your hospitality outside the trade show booth in a venue that ties into your trade show marketing theme, you will succeed in gaining better attention, building goodwill and standing out in comparison to your competition.

Dick Wheeler is President of Professional Exhibits & Graphics, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California with showroom in Sacramento. Firm is full-service premiere trade show exhibit, graphics and management services company. http://www.proexhibits.com

Small Business Marketing A Marketing Funnel Should Be Part Of Your Recipe For Success

Writen by Debbie LaChusa

Your toughest job as a business owner and marketer is to get clients. It's also your most expensive job. So it stands to reason that you'd want to make the most of every single client you do get.

The best way to do that, and one of the most cost-effective ways to market your business, is to use a marketing funnel.

What's a marketing funnel?

Well, you're probably familiar with what a funnel looks like. It's got a large opening at the top and a small opening at the bottom. It looks kind of like an inverted triangle.

The idea of a marketing funnel is this ...

You want to get as many prospects and potential clients into the top of the funnel - the part of the funnel with the widest opening. Ahhh ... the better to hold all those prospects and clients!

So how do you get clients into your funnel?

One way is with a free or low-cost, low-risk offer. Offering a free newsletter or ezine, a special report or even a complimentary consultation are all great ways to get prospects into your funnel.

This lets potential clients "test drive" you before buying

Giving prospects a way to "try you on for size" and see how they like your style and your approach is a great way to entice them onto your list. They can "test drive" you and your business, without first investing a lot of time or money.

And it gives you the chance to create a relationship with them over time.

This is particularly important if you're selling higher-priced professional services. Odds are most people will not purchase from you the very first time they come in contact with you or see your marketing. They need to get to know you first, to see if you're a good fit for their needs.

So what goes inside the funnel?

Inside your funnel, you'll want to have a series of products and services, ideally increasing in value and price as you work your way down the funnel.

My 10stepmarketing funnel starts with my Step-by-Step Guidebook and Resource Center, and is followed by several CD products, my telecourses and my Extreme Marketing Makeover Program. The value and price of these products and services increases as you go down the list.

The idea is that most people will try you out by first purchasing a lower priced, lower involvement product or service. Then, if they are pleased with that product or service, they're very likely to come back to see what else you have to offer.

And, they'll be more likely to spend more now that they know your products or services are high quality and deliver on your sales promise.

Fill your funnel with a variety of products and services

This gives you the opportunity to earn more from every client and helps you minimize the expensive and time-consuming task of always having to be looking and marketing for MORE clients.

Plus, with the right "top of funnel" product, you'll ATTRACT more clients.

So what's at the bottom of the funnel?

This is where your very best clients end up. These are the people who love you and your products and services so much they'll buy anything and everything you make available to them.

So, usually the product or service at the bottom of your funnel is your most expensive, most valuable one.

Take a look at your business and make sure you're using a marketing funnel. If you're not, make it part of your marketing plan to create one. And you'll always have a pipeline full of prospects and clients.

(C) Copyright 2005 Debbie LaChusa

Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to make marketing your own business as simple as answering 10 questions. Learn more about this unique, step-by-step system and get a free 10-week Marketing E-Course when you subscribe to the free, weekly 10stepmarketing Ezine at http://www.10stepmarketing.com.

6 Simple Ways To Determine Which Marketing Ideas Are Best For Your Business

Writen by Jennifer McCay

Did something catch your eye in a direct mailing this past week? Have you recently gone to a website and encountered something entirely new that caught your attention? Did a friend of yours try out a new marketing idea and generate a few thousand dollars of extra business overnight?

As a small business owner, it's all too easy to get caught up in the hype of new marketing techniques that promise quick rewards for little cash. I'll even admit that we copywriters are trained to overcome your psychological objections to buying what we're selling so that you're ready to whip out your wallet right then and there.

And especially in certain marketing circles, the marketing materials for a new whizbang idea are so compelling, you're driven to dump everything you've been doing in order to start trying the latest, greatest end-all be-all marketing technique right away. But this can be dangerous to your bottom line -- or even your entire business.

Whenever you try out a new marketing idea, it's important to proceed with caution. Here are 6 quick tips to keep you on track:

1. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." If you have been sending out a direct mailing that steadily brings in business at a rate that you are happy with, don't stop using this technique just to put new life in your marketing plan.

Instead, test different types of offers/approaches/what have you using a small portion of your mailing list (10% is a good start), see what works best and then test some more using that approach as your control. Make sure that you apply whatever you learn from these tests to your other campaigns, and then test some more.

2. Measure your results in order to determine what works best. There's no reason to try something new if you're not able to see what works.

For example, I recently tested a different approach on a page on my website that is solely dedicated to generating subscriptions to my Avenues to Marketing Success Newsletter. To see if the new copy worked, I sent traffic from one source to the new page and tested the old version of copy against the new. I then tweaked the version that worked best until I found a balance that got the best response from my target audience of small business owners.

3. Marketing isn't just about the numbers.

Sometimes a marketing campaign doesn't work its magic right then and there. It has a slower, but longer-lasting effect that will generate long-term sales for you and build trust in your group of prospects.

This is a concept so near and dear to my heart that I'm literally writing a book on this, in fact, and I have found that over time, even campaigns that don't generate an immediate boost in income have residual effects that ensure the longevity of your business.

So remember that you're selling to people who need time to warm up to you and might not respond the first time you try a new marketing tactic. Give it a little time.

4. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I can't count the number of times I've had clients approach me wanting to use a new marketing idea because 3 people gave testimonials on a website stating that they made millions overnight.

I don't doubt the authenticity of many, many of these testimonials, which often come from reputable marketers who have built a legitimate business rapidly, but there is a reason why the vendors selling these sorts of products use disclaimers stating that the income earned is atypical and may not work out for you. Their market is not yours, their circumstances are not yours, and most good things require work to accomplish, regardless of what is claimed.

But don't let this discourage you. After all ...

5. It's always OK to try something new; just make sure not to discontinue the marketing you've been doing that gets results. The 10% rule works here as well. Spend 90% of your time and money on marketing that you know has worked before and will work again and again, and use the other 10% to try new techniques. This way you won't miss out on a stellar new idea, but you also won't bankrupt your business if your technique fails.

6. Wait 3 days to decide. That's all. Just wait.

Sure, it's tempting to jump right in the moment you read scrumptiously mouthwatering copy that shows you how countless business people before you have turned tiny businesses into multimillion-dollar conglomerates ONLY if you buy today, but that's the point: The copy is designed to get you to act now.

Even as a copywriter myself who's fully aware of the sales techniques involved (and uses them when it makes sense and is ethical to do so), I know how hard it can be to resist the temptation to buy the very moment you encounter it; it happens to me as well, and theoretically I should know better. To ensure that you're making an educated decision, stick a note in your calendar to revisit the idea after 3 days and see if it still looks as good as it did the day you first encountered it.

In any case, expanding your marketing horizons to include new marketing ideas is always helpful if it allows you to learn more about what your prospects are looking for. Just proceed with caution, use a little moderation and you'll see what works and what doesn't in short order.

Are you a coach, consultant or other solo service professional who's struggling to grow your business? Small business marketing strategist Jennifer McCay will show you how to attract more clients more easily. Get her FREE audio course and FREE weekly small business marketing lessons at http://AvenueEast.com