Marketing Fleet Washing Services To Corporations

Writen by Lance Winslow

Most large corporations have fleets of vehicles to wash. They have corporate aviation departments with expensive jet aircraft and they have pool cars for transportation. If they are in or near the transportation or products business they may have fleets of vehicles delivering their products or someone else's.

Indeed many small businesses have delivery vehicles, service vehicles, rental equipment or company cars. Then there are rental car agencies, bus companies and even armored car services? And guess what; all these vehicles have their company names on them and they must be washed on a regular basis you see.

Now then if you own a pressure washing business, mobile truck or mobile car washing business you might like to have some of those accounts right? But how do you go about marketing and securing such contracts to wash those types of vehicles?

Well it is simple really you need to design customer letters for several types of customers and explain what types of services that you can offer and explain your billing criteria, waste water reclamation and your insurance policies. Next you hand deliver these sales letters with a business card stapled to the letter and then call back sometime in the next week to schedule a free demo you see? Consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Just A Click Away Using The Internet To Facilitate Your Market Research

Writen by Susan Friedmann

Market research is one of the most valuable selling tools a show organizer has. Up to the minute, accurate market data arms you with the type of valuable information you need to 'sell' your show to potential exhibitors, including who is attending your show, how well your exhibitors did at last year's show, and what type of sales numbers resulted from participating in the event. Savvy exhibitors -- those that can contribute meaningfully to the success of your show -- will want to know this type of information.

Any information you provide to potential exhibitors must be both timely and accurately. Unfortunately, hiring a market research team, especially on an annual basis, can be an expensive proposition. Doing the market research yourself can be time consuming and frustrating. What if there was a way to streamline the process, making it effortless and efficient for both you and your customers?

Enter the internet. Trade show organizers have been woefully behind the curve when it comes to exploiting the internet's potential for market research. As the Online Expo becomes more and more of an industry presence, it is imperative that show organizers incorporate web-based elements into traditional shows to accommodate exhibitor needs, especially as they pertain to market research. The transition to a more virtual society has creating an expectation of instantaneous, accurate information -- an expectation that we need to meet if we are going to survive.

Here are five techniques you can use to meet this expectation:

- Constantly Gather Information: Market research is not a once-a-year phenemeon. The dynamic nature of the marketplace means that new exhibitors are constantly setting up shop, while other companies that have exhibited with you for years may run into financial difficulty. Use Google or other new-alert programs to e-mail you when any of your exhibitors make news -- their prosperity (or lack thereof!) may affect your show. At the same time, monitor news related to your show's location, the demographics related to likely attendees, and other items of interest.

Make a commitment to reach out to your exhibitors at least quarterly via your website or targeted e-mails. Invite recipients to participate in a poll, answer a survey, or give feedback. Many will, especially if the poll, survey, or feedback form is quick and easy to navigate. This gives you a steady stream of data throughout the year.

- Invite Open Communication: Exhibitors and potential exhibitors should always know how to reach you. An easily navigable website is a must for all businesses, but imperative for show organizers. Consider having direct links to frequently asked questions, easily found contact options, and even 'live help' via e-mail chat for the crunch time just before the show.

- Create Discussion Forums: Discussion forums, whether they're constructed as a bulletin board or group format, offer a great opportunity to invite feedback, ask your exhibitors questions, and brainstorm new show features. Any group should be constructed with an RSS and XML feed so that it can be easily picked up by news aggregators, ensuring the widest possible audience is invited to participate in the discussion. You'll need an employee to monitor the group on a regular basis, which includes filtering out spam and inappropriate messages, but the data gathered will be well worth the result.

- Explore Other Communities: You're in the exhibiting business, but your customer's aren't. Take the time to visit their internet hangouts -- industry specific bulliten boards, discussion groups, and e-mail lists. You can either actively participate or simply passively read what's going on -- this is known as 'lurking', and is frowned upon in some communities, accepted in others. Either way, you'll be presented with a front row seat of what's going on in your customer's industry, and gain a deeper understanding of their needs. Occassionally the talk will turn to industry conventions and shows, and that can be a very valuable learning experience.

- Provide Content Rich Incentives: Attendees will only visit your website or participate in polls if you offer them something of value in exchange for their time. This could be educational -- content rich articles outlining some of the how-to's of effective exhibiting, for example -- or social. The new generation of exhibitors fully expects there to be a social element to their web interactions, be it a busy discussion list or a forum always filled with heated debate. It will cost you little, if anything, to provide these items, yet will help you keep exhibitors engaged with and committed to your show.

Of course, these techniques work best when they augment traditional market research methods. Nothing can replace actually getting out on the show floor and talking face to face with your exhibitors. People may divulge a great deal of information over the net, but often don't feel like they know someone until they meet them IRL - In Real Life.

Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: "Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies," working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. For a free copy of "10 Common Mistakes Exhibitors Make", e-mail: article4@thetradeshowcoach.com; website: http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com

5 Ways To Upgrade Your Existing Marketing Materials For Practically Nothing

Writen by Stephanie Ward

In addition to direct marketing strategies you want to be sure your existing passive, or indirect, marketing activities are as effective as possible. When is the last time you took a good look at your existing marketing activities?

Here are some fast, easy (and free to inexpensive) ways to update and upgrade your existing marketing activities.

YOUR VOICE MAIL MESSAGE

Does your voice mail message give additional information about your business? Use this opportunity (you have a captive audience) to provide some additional information. You can mention your website or newsletter, promote an upcoming event, or offer a free report.

YOUR E-MAIL SIGNATURE

This is a chance to send a marketing message along with every e-mail that you send. Remember, e-mails are often forwarded. Think viral marketing (if this term is new to you, check out Seth Godin. It's a good thing). Do you have an upcoming event? Do you offer a free article or report? Are you having a sale? At a minimum put a link to your website in your e-mail signature. In addition to interesting content, think about the color and font of your e-mail signature and create something that is attractive and fits with your brand.

YOUR BUSINESS CARD

Use the back of your business card. Don't leave this valuable space blank. Make an offer for something like a free report, your newsletter, a sample of your services, a discount, etc. Get your business cards out into the world so people can hear about your offer. Ask for permission to leave a few cards at places your clients frequent like stores, restaurants, gyms, waiting rooms, etc.

YOUR EXISTING PROFILES

I hope you have profiles on networking websites, directories, clubs, industry associations, and the like out there. Has your marketing message, your offer, and/or your products/services changed since you first created your profiles? I am betting that is a yes! Review all your profiles to make sure they are up to date. This is a great chance to take inventory of all of the places where you have profiles and create a list you can refer to later. If you have a photograph of yourself to add to your profiles, please do so. Add your photo to your own website if it isn't already there. Connecting your face with your company makes your company more human and personal. Remember, people buy from people they know, like, and trust. It will also help people recognize you at events.

YOUR COMPANY LETTERHEAD

This may seem like a no-brainer but I have seen business owners who don't have their contact information on their letterhead. Your letterhead needs to include your phone number, e-mail address, and website. This goes for your printed hardcopy letterhead as well as the electronic version.

The only way to know which marketing strategies are working for you is to keep track. This includes the activates above as well as all of your other strategies (networking, referrals, direct marketing campaigns, etc.)

Always, I mean always, ask people who contact you how they heard about your business and record this valuable information. It is easy to do, simply create a list of all of your marketing strategies and how many people respond to each one. It is easiest to do this electronically using a spreadsheet so you can easily calculate percentages and totals. You can also use old-fashioned pen and paper if you must. Whatever method you prefer, just make sure you do it!

It's time to get into action. Take some time and go through all of your marketing materials. What marketing tools do you have laying around that could be dusted off and upgraded up to work even harder for you?

(c) 2005 Stephanie Ward

Life & Business Coach Stephanie Ward helps business owners set their profits on fire! Get your free monthly profit tips plus bonus report at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com

Top 7 Ways To Get Your Products In The Hands Of Celebrities

Writen by Thomas King

Celebrities are the tastemakers that drive brand awareness and usage. Celebrities drive the direction of trends. For example there has been a huge resurgence in the Pabst Blue Ribbon brand. They are the second fastest growing beer in the US and they have not spent a dime on advertising. How did they resurrect this brand without spending a fortune on re-branding efforts? Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer has risen to the top through celebrities using the brand. Rock musician "Kid Rock" was seen wearing a PBR belt buckle and T-shirt and from there it's history. Here are 7 solid ways you can build your brand through celebrity and tastemaker usage without breaking the bank.

1.) Sponsor local or national high profile events. Sometime you can do this on a product donation basis.

2.) Underwrite bands or artists in your market that you believe have a chance to make it big. Sometimes your investment will be as small as printing posters or placing ads for them that always contain your logo.

3.) Create and produce your own signature event and invite the press and local celebrities and tastemakers. Remember, if you give somebody and experience… they will never forget you.

4.) Find out where your local tastemakers are hanging out and get your products there.

5.) Send care packages with your products to local tastemakers, celebrities and news personalities. Make sure your contact information is enclosed.

6.) Create a loyal street team or crew of individuals that can sample your products where tastemakers are hanging out.

7.) Build a relationship with one tastemaker and make them your brand surrogate.

With these efforts and good timing your products will be in the hands of tastemakers and from there... it's history.

Thom King is the president of Multimediary Entertainment Marketing. Multimediary builds brands through making them part of the entertainment experience. Visit the web site at http://www.multimediary.com.

Marketing 101 Give Clients What They Want

Writen by Kevin P. Dervin

Are your giving your clients what they want? Do you know what your clients want from a business like yours more than anything else in the world? If you knew the answer to this question would you market your small business differently?

Most small businesses seem to fall in to one of two camps on this issue. A small number create a product or service based on something that they really want to do, but they really have no idea if anyone would ever want it. A much larger majority tends to have some general knowledge in a particular area, but what they communicate is so broad and vague that they end up reactively taking whatever business they can get through the door.

I'm blown away when I ask someone what it is that their clients value most from their services and they don't know. If you don't know what your clients want, then how can you ever hope to provide great services to them?

Take some steps to position your business for success that others in your field just can't generate.

First of all, I do think you should determine what it is that you do best.

* What are you committed to and totally passionate about?

* What are you out to cause?

* Who do you want to help and what do you want to help them get done?

If you love what you're doing it makes the game of business a whole lot more enjoyable.

Figure out what it is that your target market would love to have more than anything in the world from a business like yours.

* What are their greatest challenges and issues that your company could get involved in helping them overcome?

* What is the greatest result or outcome you could ever hope to deliver to your ideal clients?

* If time and money weren't an issue, what service would you offer that would consistently produce the greatest possible outcomes?

Take some time to carefully consider and write out your answers to these steps and questions offered above. You may not know all the answers, but do the best you can. Then call up a handful of your best clients and a couple of your most trusted business contacts. Offer to buy them lunch and then sit down to talk through what you've come up with to get their input.

Sometimes if you want to know what people want, you just gotta ask. But, your conversation will go deeper and you'll get better results when you do it with your thoughts already outlined.

Once you know what your clients want, you can begin aligning your service offerings and developing your core marketing messages around that. And suddenly marketing becomes easier.

About the Author:

Kevin Dervin is the owner of KPD Marketing and creator of the ABCD Growth System. If you find this article useful, you'd probably enjoy Kevin's FREE eZine called ABCD Grow. To subscribe, just go to http://www.ABCDgrowth.com and follow one of the links to the FREE Stuff page!

Eyeing The Competition

Writen by Deborah Henken

"Never underestimate your competition." Today, that old business adage holds more meaning than ever, but many companies do not take time to objectively assess their company or products and compare them to their adversaries in the marketplace. Worse yet, some companies even feel that their products have no competition. Though it can be daunting to look at the realities of your market, understanding your competitive business environment is critical when planning for your company's future profitability.

Hammers Vs. Crowbars
First, let's clarify: everyone has competition, though it may not always seem obvious. Marketing experts cite two categories of competition: indirect and direct. Every company has indirect competition, no matter how unique or high-tech their product or service.

Indirect competition provides the same benefit the customer obtains from your product, only in a different form. Take, for example, the Acme Hammer Company. Acme's indirect competition comes from whatever customers use instead of hammers. Those more creative in the craft of carpentry might use a crowbar to drive a nail into a board or pry it out of wooden siding. That makes a crowbar manufacturer an indirect competitor.

Looking at it this way, the possible indirect competition seems almost limitless, but it is critical to acknowledge all the options your customers have to meet their needs. You can use information about indirect competition to realistically target your markets, create your positioning and messaging or creatively and efficiently developing new products and marketing strategies. Remember, even though the indirect competitive product is not at all like your product, you can still lose an order because of it.

Hammers Vs. Hammers
Acme's direct competition might come from other tool manufacturers such as Stanley, Husky and Craftsman. Because direct competitors are easier to identify and research, you may want to start your analysis here.

Gather as much information as possible including the competition's sales materials. Have your employees keep their ears open for anecdotal data they obtain from discussions with industry experts, manufacturers' representatives or trade show participants. Ask your customers about the quality of the competition's products, services and management.

You should also gather quantitative data such as information about the competition's gross revenues, ownership, number of employees, legal issues, new products, industry awards and relevant trade articles. Libraries, databases, trade literature and Internet web sites can help you fill any gaps in your knowledge.

Orders are won or lost over small advantages or disadvantages. Knowing your competitors' strengths and weaknesses allows you to tailor your products and services to get that critical advantage. More specifically, you use this information to strengthen relationships with your customers, stay informed about your competitors' activities, remain knowledgeable about industry trends or acquisition prospects and identify potential product problems.

What's an example of using competitive information? Let's say your new competition has recently lowered their pricing, leading you to pricing pressure. However, the competitor is having legal problems due to inferior product quality. In this case, you can emphasize the high quality of your product in your sales materials to take advantage of the weakness of your competition, rather than meeting the price point of your competitor.

Knowing your competition leads to new products or product improvements, sales tools positioning your product positively against your competition's weaknesses, finding new distribution strategies and many other business decisions.

Deborah Henken served as VP of Marketing at several Silicon Valley start-ups, quadrupling revenues in 18 months, and in senior marketing and channel positions at Hewlett Packard, Informix and BEA Systems. As Founder of Highland Team, she and her team brings strategic marketing thinking and rapid implementation to assure increased sales revenues and optimal ROI to both large and small companies. She earned her MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

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.

4 Methods To Master The 1 Success Secret Of Infopreneuring 2 Of 3

Writen by Stu McLaren

If you don't have good fresh content to use for new products, your momentum comes to a crashing halt and so does your business. So the question begs itself, how do you consistently create new content?

Here are your four basic options:

1) You can continually write your own materials...and you should.

2) You can record your thoughts and get them transcribed... and you should.

3) You can hire a ghostwriter to write materials for you... and you should.

or

4) You can purchase the rights to content that you can resell... and you should do this as well.

Each option has its own positives and negatives but in my opinion you should be doing a little bit of each.

Let me explain...

3) You can hire a ghostwriter to write materials for you

Hiring a ghost writer has some major advantages and disadvantages. First and foremost it takes a HUGE burden off your shoulders to create original content. Secondly it frees up a lot of your time. Third, it feels great when you get an email from your ghostwriter and the ebook/book/manual/article(s) are all complete and ready to go - it truly is the magic pill.

There are some downsides however. The first one is the cost.

Depending on your project, it can cost anywhere between $400-$3,000 to get an ebook, book or manual created.

This is relatively cheap when you think about the fact that you can now sell that content and profit from it as long as you sell it, but it still costs quite a bit.

The second major downside is the time it takes to communicate with the ghostwriter. If you are anything like me, you don't want to be sending out crappy information. So that means YOU DO have to involve yourself in the process.

Forget what all the "gurus" try to tell you about how easy it is to just hire a ghostwriter and wake up with a finished product.

You tell me if this process is as easy as slapping down a check and receiving a perfect book a few days later:

First you send your initial thoughts and plans for what you want. Then they send back their outline, you make adjustments to the outline, and a few days later they send back the proof for the outline.

Once the outline is completed you give the go-ahead and they write the rough draft. Obviously this takes some time (usually between 1 week and 2 months depending on your project) but once they have completed the rough draft its up to you to read the rough draft and suggest any changes.

You'll want to go over the rough draft with a fine tooth comb to prevent the writer from going in a direction you didn't want. This isn't any small task but its well worth the effort because you are ensuring that the product you are creating is of a high standard.

When you finish the edit of the rough draft the ghostwriter makes the adjustments and then sends you a final draft. You read the final draft and give the final ok. Phew!! That's a lot more than just placing a bid on eLance and having a book show up on your doorstep ready to sell.

Now, if you care about the quality of the products you create please pay close attention to this next sentence.

You need to actually READ what the ghostwriter has created for you.

It will almost always require you to make some final changes. Make sure you get EXACTLY what you are looking for otherwise it's a product that you yourself haven't even completely read.

Would that make you comfortable selling something with your name on it and you don't know everything contained inside?

I can't tell you how many products I have purchased only to find it was the same old stuff just rehashed. Read what they write for you. Create quality content!!

So although a ghostwriter does save you a TREMENDOUS amount of time, please don't be fooled into thinking that once you hand over the assignment your work is done. It's not... unless you want to create a crappy product.

It still takes work but it's A LOT easier and takes WAY less time once you have the raw materials to work with. Your job is to polish that collection of raw ideas into the high quality product that would make even your Mom proud :)

If you enjoyed this article make sure to look up the other two articles in the series dealing with the other 3 methods of creating content: Part 1 - Writing your own materials and Recording Your Thoughts and coming soon, Part 3 - Purchasing The Rights Of Content You Can Resell!

Don't let your brainchild go to waste! Discover how to start making money with your ideas by grabbing a special report entitled 11 Creative Methods To Make More Money With Your Ideas In Less Time And With Less Effort at http://www.myideaguy.com.

Get Rid Of Your Lead Generation Problems Once And For All

Writen by Neal McCrea

Every business needs a good lead generation plan. No matter how well you retain customers, some of them will leave you. Customers no longer need your products, go out of business or change location. Sometimes, even if you're the best, you'll lose them to competitors.

So it's important you keep filling that sales funnel. Don't expect to achieve high enquiry and conversion rates right away. As long as you're creating enough new ways for customers to learn about your value proposition, you'll get plenty of quality leads filtering through.

Here are the first five of my top ten methods of lead generation:

1. Risk removal - new business can be a scary area for some people because it's outside their normal comfort zone. However, you must keep adding new customers in your business. It's almost certain you'll lose existing customers for a variety of reasons, so you must keep replacing them (and more) to move your business forward. One way to achieve this is to lower or remove any perceived barriers to doing business with you. Offer a risk-free guarantee or a free trial to get new customers on board.

2. Mailing lists - somewhere out there is a mailing list that would be perfect for your business. It will contain the right type of target customers for your products and services. You can often determine this from the characteristics of your current customers.

3. Telemarketing - we all hate those cold calls, don't we? Your telemarketing needs to be smart to overcome the perception that all cold calls are intrusive. You need some degree of certainty that the prospect already is, or will be, interested in what you have to offer.

4. Public relations - often the cheapest, but most overlooked, method to get your messages out there. A good, targeted press release or news article can out-perform even the most effective advertising.

5. Directory ads - most businesses advertise in the local Yellow Pages or trade directories. How effective is it? Do you do it just because everyone else in your industry does?

I'll give you the other five (plus maybe a bonus one) next time. Then look out for a more detailed article on each of the top ten.

Neal McCrea has generated over $20 million in business over the past 15 years. His website http://www.newmarketingplan.com contains hundreds of ideas, tips and templates to help with your lead generation.

Calculating Trade Show Roi

Writen by Ron Adler

"If you're not keeping score, it's just practice" – Vince Lombardi

Calculating your trade show ROI (return on investment) can be difficult for most businesses. Unless you take orders at a trade show, you must rely on accurate tracking throughout the year in order to figure out how valuable the show was for you. And because clients tend to need several different "touch points" before buying (seeing a magazine ad, hearing a colleague speak of your product or service, receiving a sales call, etc.), it's tough to tell where the sale actually came from. You can, however, estimate your trade show ROI – here's how:

Meet with your sales team to determine a few things first–

1. The average number of qualified leads it takes to get an appointment

2. The average percentage of appointments that turn into sales (your close ratio)

3. The average dollar amount of each sale

Now, here's the calculation–

Multiply the total number of qualified leads by the percentage of leads it takes to get an appointment. (Example: 200 x 25% = 50)

Multiply that number by the average percentage that turn into sales. (Example: 50 x 30% = 15)

Multiply that number by the average dollar amount of each sale. (Example: 15 x $2,500 = $37,500)

Divide the gross sales by total cost of show to get your ROI ratio. (Example: $37,500 divided by $17,000 = 2.2 Your ROI ratio: 1:2.2 – for every $1 you spent, you got $2.20 back)

Warning! This calculation is black & white, and will only show you the dollar value of your show investment. When reporting your overall trade show ROI to management, you must also assign value to more non-tangible things like brand awareness, relationship building, total lifetime value of a client, or whatever other items of value your clients bring you. For instance, if your business does 50% of its sales through referrals, each new client you obtain may be equal to 2 new clients over the course of year.

Ron Adler has been working in the exhibit industry with Adler Display (http://www.adlerdisplay.com) for over 30 years. Ron has designed and created some of the most unique and creative displays in the mid-Atlantic region including several Visitor Centers in Maryland as well as dozens of exhibits for museums and hospitals throughout the United States.

Good Vibes Bad Vibes

Writen by Maggie Jean Wahls

Have you ever walked into a store or business and felt uncomfortable there for no apparent reason? Have you ever walked into a store all happy and left quite frustrated? Have you ever wished your house could feel happier? The process called energetic clearing can make a significant improvement to any location.

There are many kinds of energy all around us. They effect where we live and are present where we work, where we go to school, in our homes and businesses. It is amazing how much these energies influence our days, our emotions, our relationships with those around us and our businesses.

Martha owned a souvenir shop in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Since September 11 she had lost 40% of her revenue. She could only blame it on the fear of people to spend money but the loss of business was catastrophic to her livelihood. She called for an energetic clearing of her business. The Energetic Clearer went into the store and spent about one half hour actually moving the energies around, throwing out the negative influences such as fear, force fields, false beliefs and bringing into alignment the positive energies that naturally occur there. It was quite a show with the Energetic Clearer swinging her arms and throwing invisible frisbees around the store! But the next day Martha had twice as many visitors to her store as the day before. Within the first week she had increased her business by 40%. The Energetic Clearer had also given her some ideas on how to maintain the positive flow of energies and Martha shared those tips with her employees. Everyone felt happier, calmer and more positive and actually looked forward to coming to work. What a significant change!

A young fellow named Drew called an Energetic Clearer in to help with his advertising business. His company had been doing ads for small to midsize companies but were unable to land those big accounts. The Energetic Clearer found that the building was sitting on an old railroad station where thousands of strangers had started or finished their journeys at the turn of the century. People leave the energy of their presence in places like these so Drew's customers were feeling this "travelling" energy. The Energetic Clearer moved that energy back to it's source and brought into alignment the actual energies of Drew and his coworkers. Drew picked up four major accounts in 3 months as the clients could then feel the sense of permanence, trust and reliability in Drew's building.

An energetic clearing can remove any blockages of positive energy, clear any obstacle and allow the natural state of harmony, prosperity and balance to again be felt clearly. Obstacles can come from a variety of sources including but not limited to astral influences, network gridding, telepathic pathways and negative beliefs. The clearing process is a spiritual technique using the assistance of highly evolved spiritual beings that guide the healer to manipulate the energy vortexes. It is based on shamanistic practices and teachings.

Energetic clearing can remove undesirable energy from homes and businesses. Clearing real estate can speed up the time it takes to sell a property. Cleared businesses always benefit from higher sales and more traffic. Employees and customers alike become more positive and joyful emotionally. Public places can be energetically cleared allowing tourism and public community events to flourish. Often, amazing results will happen within just hours of a clearing bringing significant increases of positive attraction to the location. Dentists, business owners, realtors, physicians, lawyers and property owners can all benefit from an energetic clearing. Anyplace where there is a high traffic pattern, a high level of emotion, strangers interacting, any risk of crime, even prisons and hospitals can see a significant increase of calm and prosperity.

Michael and Chris had their house cleared energetically. They had just moved into a historic 4 bedroom Tudor and felt some kind of strangeness in it. The feeling had worn off a bit as they lived there but it was still present and Chris felt it would not go away by itself. They also noticed that they were arguing with each other more than they had been before the move. The Energetic Clearer found that some discarnate souls were still present in the house and were bringing their own unhappiness into the lives of Michael and Chris. By cutting those cords of energy and manipulating the energies of the house, the Energetic Clearer was able to release those entities and restore the natural positive energy back into the home and lives of Michael and Chris. Three months later, Chris was pregnant with their first child and they both were extremely happy that they had taken care of the house before the baby was born.

An energetic clearing can do no harm and has proven to always bring an increase of harmony, peace and abundance on the location. Energetic clearings can also be done for individuals. This is a spiritual way to release feelings of despair and frustration and bring back the balance into our lives and businesses.

About The Author

Rev. Maggie Jean Wahls has been offering Energetic Clearings for seven years. She is new to the California area and is available for a free consultation by calling 805-550-6953 or emailing magnoliaz@usa.net. Her website is www.angelfire.com/enpire/freeflight/energeticclearings.html

magnoliaz101@yahoo.com

How To Market And Protect Your New Ideas

Writen by Neil Armand

The intellectual property transfer market is now estimated to be worth over $100 billion. If you have a new idea, a patent or an invention, you may be able to license it or sell it for millions of dollars. Many Fortune 500 companies are now making their intellectual property available for sale or licensing at new online intellectual-property exchanges. These companies are trying to maximize their return on research and development investment and generate a new source of revenue by licensing their unused and underutilized inventions to others.

A number of online forums, including Minnesota-based NewIdeaTrade.com (http://www.newideatrade.com), California-based Pl-x.com (http://www.pl-x.com), and Connecticut-based PatentTriage.com (http://www.patenttriage.com) now link buyers and sellers of intellectual property. The traditional transfer of intellectual property is complicated, costly, and can take up to one year. However, these online forums simplify and speed up the process for transfer of new ideas.

The Internet currently reaches more than 560 million users around the world. This makes innovators' potential for exposure much higher than with traditional forms of media. The worldwide online commerce has reached $2.2 trillion in 2002 and is expected to reach $6.8 trillion by 2004. The innovators today can leverage the massive reach of the Internet and promote their new ideas to the global market without substantial marketing costs.

Official copyright registration and patent rights can be obtained from appropriate authorities. A directory of Patent and Copyright Offices around the world is available at http://www.newideatrade.com/government_patent_copyright_offices.htm. When a potential buyer contacts the seller for more information about the intellectual property, the seller should require the buyer to sign a non-disclosure agreement before revealing the details.

Additional information on how to market new ideas and inventions is available at http://www.newideatrade.com.

Neil Armand
Intellectual Property Professional
Global Commerce & Communication, Inc.
Telephone: 320-253-3139
URL: http://www.gcchq.com

The Secret Of Getting Your Customer To Say Quotyesquot

Writen by Kenneth Ajoku

Have you ever been at the point when your customer is just about to buy something and they decide not to, or simply say no?

If you are like me then this would have happened to you more than once.

Today I will show you a way to encourage your customer to say yes and actually make that purchase.

My wife and I went to a fish market very early one morning a couple of weeks ago, to buy a large quantity of fish. If you have not been to a place like this before, allow me to set the scene for you:

Picture a large indoor warehouse with several market stalls with market traders selling every type of fish you can imagine, you can also imagine the smell, not the kind of place that you would like to spend too much time in!

The funny thing is that quite a few of the stall owners are selling pretty much the same thing, at more or less the same price.

My wife and I are never quite sure which stall owner to purchase from. So we go around each stall comparing prices and receiving sales pitches from each of the stall owners.

One particular sales pitch till this very day comes to the front of my mind after my wife asked this particular fellow, "how much is this box of fish?" After a few moments of giving us the price he literally started packing the box into a bag and then concluded by saying "would you like one box or two?" You see, this sharp fishmonger worked on the assumption that we were definitely buying from him, and it was just a matter of us deciding on how many boxes of fish we wanted. Guess what? We bought two boxes!

So don't say "would you like it or not?" say "which one would you like?" or "how many would you like". This powerful sales marketing statement was used very well at the point of sale.

You see you do not leave room for the customer to say no. It's either one sale or another. On the other hand if you ask them, "would you like to buy this or not", then they can easily say no.

As a business owner which would you prefer?

Give this a try, it really does work.

Ken Ajoku is the author of "45 Powerful Marketing Strategies". To receive for FREE "The Secrets of Powerful Marketing", a seven part course by email worth £199.99 visit http://www.kajoku.biz now!

Also check out http://www.kajoku.biz/internet-marketing-tools/ for all your Internet marketing Tools.

This is an excerpt from my marketing book "45 Powerful Marketing Strategies That Will Not Only Make Your Business GROW! But Will Also Make You More Profits! Keep a look out for more of my Powerful Strategies coming soon.

Determine The Viability Of Your Target Audience Before You Begin Marketing

Writen by Fabienne Fredrickson

You've heard a hundred times before how important it is to have a plan for who to market to, an ideal client profile or target audience. In my book, it's one of the most crucial things to put in place for attracting clients like crazy, because if you don't know who you're talking to, you won't know what to say.

The question you now have to ask yourself is, "Have I chosen a viable target audience?" meaning, is it actually worthwhile to market to these people?

You can have all the focus, drive, good intentions to market to a group of people, but if they're not easily reached in large numbers and inexpensively, if they don't congregate often or they're too difficult to locate, it's going to make your Client Attraction attempts much more difficult.

Here are some questions to ask yourself (be a hard grader):

• Can you find them easily?
• Is there a "list" of these people somewhere—an association of them, support groups, alliances, for example?
• Are there enough of them? Even if your target audience is small in the grand scheme of the population, there still needs to be a massive number of these people for you to stay in business.
• Do they have a problem worth solving?
• Does this problem hurt enough?
• Do they have the ability to pay for your services?

Your Assignment:

Once you've gotten clear on a target audience or a niche, it's important to ask yourself the hard questions listed above. Take out a sheet of paper and really answer these. If the answers are repeatedly "no," then consider looking for another niche. It'll make the whole Client Attraction process much easier in the long run.

If you're not sure where to start with fine tuning your target audience in the first place, check out The Client Attraction Home Study System™. Step by step, I take you through everything you need to do to stand out in the marketplace, pull clients in easily and consistently, and exactly what to say to turn them into paying clients. Go to www.TheClientAttractionSystem.com. You'll also get hundreds of other ideas and resources to help YOU become a Client Attraction machine like thousands of my previous clients.

© 2006 Client Attraction LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Expert, is founder of the Client Attraction System™, the proven step-by-step program to help you attract more clients, in record time and consistently. To learn more about Fabienne's Client Attraction Home Study System™, sign up for her FREE client attraction tips and no-charge teleclasses on attracting more clients, visit http://www.ClientAttraction.com.

Should We Use Brochures For Marketing

Writen by Paul Cris

Yes, brochures are good marketing materials. The brochures should be designed very well. It should be eye catchy. An experienced graphic designer and marketing professional can provide great ideas for designing an attractive brochure. A brochure is usually printed in both the sides and folded. Most of the companies use brochures to market their products and services.

If you go to any event you get lots of brochures. These brochures are printed in normal or glossy paper. Brochures are used to promote products and services, so the text and graphics should attract the people. A brochure creates an identity so the design should be very good. The front page of the brochure should be simple and the corporate logo should be incorporated.

Some useful tips for brochure designing:

1) The headlines should be short and catchy.
2) The headlines should attract the target audience. Suppose if you are targeting children, include "Favorite cartoon characters".
3) The text should be easy to read with a proper flow.
4) Paragraphs should be short.
5) There should be no typing mistakes or errors.
6) The photos should match the content. If the brochure content is about chocolates and the photograph is of an old man, it does not add meaning to it.
7) There should be no more than 3 fonts in the whole brochure.
8) Use creative captions, it attracts people.

Paul has been providing answers to lots of queries through his website on a wide variety of subjects ranging from satellite phones to acne. To learn more visithttp://www.askaquery.com/Answers/qn1608.html

You are welcome to republish the above article only if you add our hyperlinked URL.

Private Practice Marketing Is It Wrong To Let Others Know What You Do

Writen by Jeff Herring

When I first started my marriage and family therapy private practice in 1986, it was considered bad form to advertise your services. It was not considered unethical, just something a "professional" did not do.

That never really made a whole lot of sense to me.

I think it came from the never was true notion that all you had to do was hang up your shingle and the clients would flock to your door.

Breaking the rules

So when one of my colleagues and I put an ad in the paper for a teen therapy group we were running, you would have thought we had shot someone. The reaction varied from stunned silence to comments such as "What are you guys, ambulance chasers?"

Well, what made all the flack easier to take, besides the fact I have a fairly thick skin, is that it worked. We tapped into an underserved niche (teens and their parents), the practice took off, and I've been busy ever since.

Unexpected results

Because I had run a few adds in the local paper, when it came time to interview an expert, the reporters came to me. For years I had everything from one line quotes to full feature interviews in the paper. This was nice, as it upped my perceived "expert-ability" and brought in many clients.

And then came the mother lode. I was asked to write a weekly mental health column for the local paper. This brought in a flood of clients. That would have been great enough in and of itself. Then the parent company of the local paper picked up the column for syndication and began to run it all over the country and then all over the world.

Almost 20 years later

Here it is almost 20 years later, and at the last local marriage and family therapy association party, I had people following me out to my car asking questions about how I do what I do. The funny thing is that some of these folks asking for tips are some of the same ones that gave me flack years ago.

I don't tell you this to impress you. I tell you this to impress upon you the answer to the question in the title of this article - "Is it wrong to let others know what you do?"

The answer is a resounding NO! Not only is it acceptable to let others know what you do, when you have something inside you that can help others, you not only have the right to let others know what you offer.

I believe you have the obligation to let others know what you have to offer.

Visit BuildingYourIdealPractice.com for more tips and tools for creating your ideal practice and filling it with great clients. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e Getting Clients Newsletter.

Trigger Button Marketing

Writen by Ronny Berglund

Sometimes, experiencing bleak sales is a matter of failing to find your prospective customers' trigger buttons.

By trigger buttons, we mean anything that the customer would find of peculiar value. It may be the quality of the product, the promptness of the delivery, the added perks in the offer, the after-sales service involved, or any combination of these factors. There is no doubt that discovering, and complying with, these trigger buttons would greatly increase our number of successful sales.

The problem is that our consumers' behavioral patterns are quite irregular. Predictions on how a client would react in a given situation can never be conclusive, as each individual has his own quirks and idiosyncrasies. One client may prefer post-delivery confirmations, for example, while another would find it irritating.

This fickleness in consumers' behavioral patterns have been a bane for marketing ever since. Campaigns can never be universally applied without adapting some of their components to conform to the wishes of a particular segment of potential clientele. Market analyses produce many variables that are dependent on the shifting tastes of customers.

But you could find a method to this seeming madness. You could use the unpredictable nature of this vital market component to your advantage. You only have to discover their trigger buttons.

By pushing your prospect's trigger button, you would be able to win him to your side. This would make sales a whole lot easier, and the client's loyalty to your business is almost a given.

Here are some techniques you could use to find those beneficial trigger buttons:

• ESTABLISH A CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION. Knowing what your customers need is vital to knowing how to please them. You have to encourage them to speak up, so that you may learn some of the things they expect from you. This way, your business can address to their needs in a more efficient manner. This is easier said than done, but with a proper feedback system, you would be able to garner their thoughts on a frequent basis.

• BE DIRECT IN YOUR DEALINGS. Ask them straight what they want, but to it politely of course. Clients would appreciate your honesty and willingness to please their wishes, however eccentric they may be.

• DO YOUR FOLLOW UPS. Once you have found what they want, do something about it and inform them in writing about the steps you're taking to remedy their concerns. This would make you look more reliable in their eyes, and they would start treating their communication with you as an investment that should be tended until the very end.

• BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. This is essential, more so if you're operating a small business. The advantage of small businesses over their larger competitors is that they can deal with clients in a more personal level. Building relationships and establishing goodwill with your clients would go a long way. They will be able to trust you more, which would eventually lead to brand loyalty and a symbiotic affair that would only bring great things for both parties.

• ALWAYS PROVIDE SOMETHING EXTRA. Whether it is through a simple giveaway, or an additional remark that you wish to add to their feedbacks (i.e. "I thank you for voicing out your concerns, and I wish to add something to your list…"), giving them something that they did not ask for would make them happy to have considered your business.

Employing these steps would guarantee that your clients would warm up to your service, and eventually reveal the things that make them tick. From there, you would know how to convert them into successful sales, over and over again.

Ronny Berglund is a marketing professional, which owns and operate http://www.traffic-plus.com that can help you to instantly get website visitors, do popup advertising or any type of instant website traffic increase. He also owns and operates http://www.marketingpatch.com where you find strategic marketing tips. And you can learn the marketing tips and tricks that pro's use! MarketingPatch.com also have a great forum where you can talk about everything marketing related, he even let you post your in a Buy / Sell forum.

How Well Do You Know Your Clients

Writen by Mike Yates

How Well do You Know Your Clients? Many people new to business often make the classic mistake of creating a product or service out of their personal passion (or talent) then try to sell their product or service into the marketplace without fully understanding the intended customers needs and desires.

In other words - they make 'guesstimate' assumptions and then jump into business. Their belief being (more often than not) 'I like it so you will like it as well'. This then leaves them confused when the business they are running is just not working at all after repeated different attempts to get it to fly (or there simply isn't enough business coming through the door to support their dream).

The danger then is to fall into the trap of working harder and harder (longer and longer hours) whilst also finding fault with everything that doesn't work. This ultimately leads to a serious work / life imbalance, and ultimately stress and illness.

So what's a solution? Focus your thoughts on becoming a hyper-critical thinker. Allow time out every day to ask yourself what you are doing, how you are doing it, who you are doing it for and also (probably most importantly), why they will care.

Many people think of the 'How' before they think 'Who', 'Why', 'Where' and 'What'...

If you are not seeing consistent growth within your business, then take a look at the level of attention you are paying to one (or all) of the following:

• Gaining increased sales from your existing clients and database
• Maximising the profitability from your existing sales (upselling)
• Getting new clients through the door

Understanding precisely who your customers are is critical to building any business. Try asking yourself the following questions... If you don't know the answers yet, make a commitment with yourself to find the resources to get them - maybe via a library, through other business owners (even researching what your competition does well - you may be surprised what you'll learn), or employ a professional business coach. Ask yourself these questions: Get Critical!

• Who are my clients? What's their age? Where do they shop? Learn as much as you can about them
• Why do they need my product / service?
• How will they know when they need it?
• How will they find out where to obtain it?
• What experience will they have when they discover it?
• What will the experience be like when they purchase?

To Your Success, Mike Yates

Business Coaching gives you: Training-Inspiration–Motivation–Education 121 Business Ltd, Unit 33 Stephenson Road, St Ives, Cambs, PE27 3WJ T: 0870 16 24 121 F: 0870 16 24 122 E: info@121business.co.uk W: www.121business.co.uk ©MikeYates121BusinessLtd 2006

Mike Yates is a Business Growth Specialist, trainer, speaker and author who inspires and motivates business owners to create and attain their business and lifestyle goals and to accelerate business growth and success. Utilising the most advanced business tools and business strategies, Mike practices the belief that running a business should be a fun and rewarding experience which encourages a life / work balance that enables business owners to work 'on' their business rather than 'in' it and to attain their life dreams

Improve Your Business Marketing With Great Headlines

Writen by Sharon Jacobsen

Picture the scene. You're sitting in a doctor's waiting room, flicking through the pages of a magazine when you suddenly start reading an ad. Why? What drew your attention to that particular ad? An attention grabbing headline, that's what.

Think about how you 'read' magazines. What do you look at first? My bet is it's the headlines. If the headline grabs you, you'll scan the rest of the text to see if there's anything more that grabs you. If there is, you'll read the whole thing. Those who know about good business marketing know about writing great headlines.

Your job, if you really want to sell your products or services, is to make sure whoever picks up the magazine containing your ad will actually stop and read what you have to say. The day you went into business, marketing became a number one priority - without it you'll never sell a thing.

So let's see what you can do to make sure your business marketing is up to scratch when it comes to writing great headlines that will grab the reader and compel her to read on. We want her to want to know more.

First of all, to create a great headline there are three things that need to be fulfilled.

1. Hook your reader quickly
2. Give them a personal benefit
3. Give them a reason to continue reading

The following takes a closer look at how you can achieve the above.

Use A Headline

As obvious as this may sound, far too many businesses omit the use of a headline when compiling their ads in a bid to get as much information into as little space as possible. Unfortunately, this is bad economy.

If there's no headline, there's nothing to grab the reader's attention so it's far better to cut out some of the waffle in your text and make room for a great headline that'll reach out from the page and entice potential clients to read your text. When it comes to writing ads, there's no such thing as good business marketing without the use of headlines.

Know Your Market

An ad placed in "The Lady" will be targeted at a completely different audience to one placed in "Mother and Baby". Both groups could well be potential clients but when it comes to business marketing, it's important that each ad is individually directed at the audience in question. Give plenty of thought to the type of headline that's most likely to be compelling to the groups of women that read each of the magazines.

Give the Reader A Reason to Stop

People lead busy lives and even while browsing magazines, they'll only be willing to offer you a certain amount of time in which to grab their attention, with three seconds being the average. Not long is it?

It's been proven time and time again that great headlines are those that offer the reader something. By that, I don't mean "Read This and Get A Free Dinner", but you do have to let them know there's something in it for them.

"Clear Skin Can Be Yours Today" and "Take The Dream Holiday You Didn't Think You Could Afford" are examples of good business marketing through the use of ads that promise personal improvement.

Again, consider your target market and tailor your headline so that it offers the reader something that she considers valuable to her lifestyle.

Create Urgency

In business marketing, it's important that your headline compels the reader to act quickly. The more time that passes between reading the ad and acting on it, the greater the likelihood that they'll never actually place an order.

Words and phrases such as "now", "ending soon", "don't delay", "today" and "final offer" all tell the reader that this is an opportunity they'll lose out on if they don't act now.

Use Facts

People like facts - they trust them.

A headline that says "Ten Thousand Satisfied Mothers Can't Be Wrong" will be more compelling than "The Whole World Is Using Our Nappies". Nobody is going to believe that everybody in the whole world is using your product are they? But they are likely to believe 10,000 mothers have been satisfied.

Notice that we haven't actually mentioned what the product is? By leaving this out of the headline, if the reader wants to know exactly what it is 10,000 mothers are satisfied with, she'll have to read on. That's good business marketing.

Follow the headline up with information to support the fact. Something like "More than 10,000 customers return to place a second order - why not join those mums and put your baby in the nappies he'll love best?" will give them a sense of buying a tried and tested product. They may even feel they're not doing what's best for baby if they don't use your products, which is an extra bonus.

Don't Bore The Reader

It's a fact that too many headlines are just plain boring. Clichés and churned out statements we've all seen time and time again just don't provide the hook you need if your business marketing is going to have any chance of success. Look for something fresh.

Use Words That Attract

Certain words attract the reader more than others. Those involved in business marketing know which ones are winners and by using them they have the edge of amateurs who are writing their first business ads.

The following words will attract the reader to your ad:

* Today
* New
* Reveal
* Improve
* Quick
* Discover
* Important
* Be the first
* Discover

Now that you know what kind of ad works, it's time to learn how to actually write them.

* Start by writing a few headlines that tell the reader what you want them to know.

* Re-write a few times so that you have several alternatives of each.

* Without adding any text, ask friends what the headlines tell them and find out how they'd react. Try to find friends from different backgrounds and who have different lifestyles.

* Ask yourself which type of people did your ad work best for and which magazine they'd be likely to read.

Now that you know the secrets of improving your business marketing by writing great headlines, all that remains is for you to place your ad and start reaping the benefits.

Sharon Jacobsen is a full-time freelance writing living in South Cheshire, England. For a competitive fee she'll happily write entertaining, well-researched articles on any subject from business to baby care. Sharon also writes compelling sales copy and other marketing material.

To contact Sharon, or to learn more about her work, please visit her website at: http://www.sharon-jacobsen.co.uk

How Rural Businesses Can Gain Hundreds Of Long Lasting Leads

Writen by Andrew Pearson

Latest research pinpoints the problems facing rural business owners who have been forced to diversify and how to harness the latest marketing methods to achieve enduring growth.

Recent research carried out by specialist marketing firm GB Solutions showed that 93% of rural business owners and managers felt that their biggest problem is finding new leads for their businesses.

What is also evident is that some 74% of these are using traditional marketing methods; direct mail, advertising and telesales. The reality is that little is achieved – partly because everybody is following the same commodity-based tactics and in part because few have the skills to get the basics right!

Achieving enduring growth
The survey consistently highlighted the key challenge as the need for simple, effective methods to obtain more and more qualified prospects, month after month, build long term customer relationships with the right clients… and even better turn this income stream into additional sales opportunities!

Simon, a manager of a produce business, told me that when he started his business he depended on word of mouth contacts but then as the business grew he began to spend fortunes on advertising, leaflet drops and telesales - none of which seemed to work.

The problem is exacerbated since much marketing fails to differentiate between lead generation and lead conversion. A further problem is an almost casual approach to relationship building - if buyers do not immediately buy sellers tend to move on to the next one. Sound familiar? You are not alone.

Harnessing the power of innovative marketing
Bluntly stated, the significance of this is that we should separate out the merits of list building and relationship building and find novel ways to achieve success in both fields.

There are four things that contribute to overall profits that add to the overall success of our marketing;

1. Identify the niche and a compelling promotable message that creates an "I've got to have that!" response.

2. The list. When it comes to marketing the most important thing is the list of contacts and warm leads – without this pool of potential clients, you're unlikely to create a business strong enough to stand the test of time.

3. The offer - by this I mean the package that demonstrates the overall value of the offer is worth the cost of paying for it.

4. Marketing materials. These need to speak to the niche and tackle its needs and wants convincingly.

The net should be harnessed to attract leads through on-line advertising, PR, articles and partnerships based on specific, targeted, stand-alone web pages carrying compelling offers for designated niches. Sequenced mailings may then be carried out in a process of patient communications and relationship building, in pursuit of advocacy.

The power of your contacts
This brings me back to the beginning of this paper. Work on building your list. You might have the best product in the world but if you're not reaching your target audience you'll be doomed to failure so it's absolutely vital to build your database of hungry buyers clamouring for your product.

(The above article is submitted on the basis that the following attribution is printed with it, using the exact wording below.) © Andrew Pearson, May 2006

ANDREW PEARSON works with forward thinking rural business owners and managers helping them to find more customers, revenue and fulfilment - in less time. For a no-obligation discussion on how to build your contacts, email andrew@realmarketingresults.org and for a complementary copy of 'How to Achieve Real Results for Your Rural Business' contact andrew@realmarketingresults.org

Gaining Business Intelligence

Writen by Jerome Bergerou

A white paper on how companies should analyse customer data to gain better business intelligence and how they can use that knowledge.

In an increasingly competitive world, using your client database smartly, to gain a better understanding of your number one asset – your customers – can make or break the success of your company.

Most companies use databases to store information about their current customers, previous customers, business partners, and potential customers. The challenge lies in finding a way to harness the useful information contained within these high volume databases in order to produce intelligent business solutions.

Business intelligence (BI) refers to the process for increasing the competitive advantage of a company by intelligent use of available data in decision-making. Business intelligence consists of sourcing the data, filtering out unimportant information, analysing the data, assessing the situation, developing solutions, analysing risks and then supporting the decisions made. This white paper describes the business intelligence process, some elementary methods of data mining, and how you can use business intelligence in your company.

Database Enhancement

The first step towards gaining business intelligence is to start with a 'clean' database. Incomplete and inaccurate data invariably translate into incorrect management decisions. Duplicate data is also a problem as it can wrongly weigh management decisions to one side. Whilst a good quality database does not automatically lead to intelligent management decision-making, it is a pre-requisite for all types of analysis that attempt to elicit intelligent management. We could draw an analogy with cooking, where starting with the right ingredients does not guarantee you will bake a good cake, but there is very little chance you will bake a good cake if you start with the wrong set of ingredients.

One of the primary reasons companies do not fully realise the potential competitive advantages they can gain from their own databases is the lack of proper integration of datasets across departments. Even though all the information might reside within the company, it may remain elusive due to a fragmentation of the data across incompatible databases. Regrouping all internal data into a single dataset or a series of interconnected datasets could be the single most useful step a company might take towards providing a solid foundation on which quality business intelligence can be developped.

In some cases, data entry errors and/or missing data can also severely impair the quality of information that can be derived from corporate databases. Sorting these issues can range from very straightforward fixes (e.g. matching one list against another) to more time consuming processes (e.g. contacting all client companies to update contact details of individuals working there). Ideally, all inaccuracies should be weeded out of the databases. However limited time and monetary constraints dictate that you should bear in mind how this database will be used. The level of accuracy required will vary greatly depending on the expected use for that data.

Data cleansing and database integration can provide significant advantages for a company over the medium to long term. However, they are both extremely time-consuming activities and can create a significant strain on internal resources, making them difficult for a company to justify. Hiring a third-party to do this job is often the best solution, allowing valuable information to be gained, without disrupting day-to-day business activities. 

Data Mining

Analysing the information that your company stores in connection with all customer interactions can reveal a lot of remarkable facts about the buying behaviour of your customers, what motivates them and what might make them stop buying from you. It also provides a scientific method to monitor your business performance.

When deciding to mine information from a database, one is faced with a wide number of available techniques. Some of the more popular data mining methods are described below:

Statistical models
Basic statistical measurements – such as means, variances, and correlation coefficients – are useful in the early stages of data analysis to gain an overall view of the structure of the data. By revealing simple inter-relations within the data, statistical modelling can show which in-depth technique is likely to bring further information relevant to your interests.

Clustering
Clustering is a technique that aggregates data according to a pre-determined set of characteristics. It can be used to differentiate groups of customers that behave similarly on certain factors, for example it can classify customer behaviours according to credit worthiness, income, age or any other factor of interest.

CHAID Analysis
CHAID, which stands for Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detection, can be seen as the opposite of clustering, in the sense that the CHAID analysis starts with the overall database, and then splits it according to the most important variable until it achieves homogeneous sub-groups that cannot be split any further. A major advantage of this technique is that the results can be presented as an easy-to-read classification tree; each split in the tree being accredited to a single variable (e.g. credit worthiness, income, age, etc).

Propensity models
Propensity models – also known as predictive models – have proven to be very valuable in predicting which customers are most likely to purchase a certain product based on a set of current customers. The results of such a model can be directly used to develop more appropriately targeted marketing campaigns.

Other recognised techniques to extract information from datasets are database segmentation, neural networking, and wavelet analysis among others. It can be intimidating to choose which method will provide the best results. As shown above, analysis tools can differ greatly in their approach of the problem. It is therefore very important for a company to consult someone with extensive experience in data mining processes before going ahead with a business intelligence project. The best method to use will vary greatly depending on the time available to do the analysis, what the results will be used for, and the type of data that is available for the analysis.

An important point to consider is whether your analysis is guided by pre-defined questions or not. Predefined points of analysis are aimed at understanding certain types of behaviours by analysing relationships between various pre-decided influencing factors. For example, a predefined analysis of customer service Vs sales would illustrate the effect of good and bad customer service on sales, and would answer questions such as how important customer service is to customers and how much it influences future sales. On the contrary, the objective of an open-ended analysis is to discover trends that are not anticipated by ordinary immersion in the day-to-day business. Performing an open-ended analysis internally is often impaired by the expectations brought on by individuals working within the company.

The techniques used to analyse data are complex. In order for your company to be able to use the results of the data analysis, it is crucial that the results should not be clouded by the complexity of the calculations but are delivered in a straightforward manner.
Intelligent Marketing

It is important for a company to recognise that a good understanding of its customers is useful only to the extent to which this knowledge can be translated into real business practices. Business intelligence refers not only to the data analysis in itself, but also to how you relate the results from the data analysis to every day business decisions and how you translate the recommended actions stemming from the analysis into live campaigns.

It is therefore important for you to ensure that the marketing department in your company interacts with the data analysts constantly throughout the process. That way, when the data analysis is complete, the marketing personnel will already be in tune with the issues the company is facing, and will be able to develop campaigns to capitalise on opportunities and strategies to mend weaknesses quickly and effectively.

Detailed analysis of your customer data will provide you insight into their needs and wants. The exercise will analyse and segment customers' buying patterns and identify potential services that are in demand. You can use this information to shorten response times to market changes, which then allows for better alignment of your products and services with your customers' needs.

An in-depth understanding of your customers, provided through comprehensive data-analysis, will also allow you to pick and target better prospects, achieve a higher response rate from marketing programs, and at the same time identify reasons for customer attrition and create or alter programs and services accordingly.

Understanding how external market conditions affect your business will enable you to react quickly to future changes in the market. Finally, understanding customer behaviour and the way they use your products and services will enable your company to improve its service to its current client base as well as to target new business more effectively.

Visit http://www.accuracast-marketing-agency.co.uk/business-intelligence.shtml to learn more about gaining business intelligence.
 
About AccuraCast

AccuraCast is an integrated marketing, business intelligence and data analysis agency, providing small and medium sized companies in the UK a more accurate picture of their business environment via comprehensive data analysis, business intelligence, and marketing consultancy services.

AccuraCast helps companies gain a better understanding of their customers and market their products and services more effectively. The company uses high-tech data analysis methodologies to investigate client databases smartly, and proven sales and marketing methods to reach the target markets. AccuraCast delivers costumer specific marketing solutions and information based on tailor-made analysis of the databases, allowing companies to gain the necessary edge over the competition.

© AccuraCast Limited 2004

For more information contact:

Jerome Bergerou
AccuraCast
Tel: 0870 240 7847
Fax: 0871 277 1371
Web: www.accuracast.com
Email: j.bergerou@accuracast.com

Marking Your Territory

Writen by Bonnie Jo Davis

We all know the familiar adage "if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck..." it's nearly always a duck. The same is true with image, particularly when it comes to the images we portray of ourselves as writers.

My e-book "Articles That Sell", teaches the how-to's of effectively marketing your business by writing and publishing articles. These ideas will help you literally take your marketing act to the street by presenting yourself as a professional writer.

A professional writer? Of course...the last image that you want to convey is that you're an amateur. If you want to brand yourself and your business professionally, then you've got to conduct all your marketing efforts with the perspective of a skilled and accomplished pro.

First, you'll need to erase any stereotypical images of writers. They aren't all philosophical types in glasses and black turtlenecks. Writers are real people, just like you. They come from all walks of life and have their own mortgages to pay. Very few writers are able to boast successful careers based only upon the words they have authored. In fact, most of the prominent writers we read today all have certain elements in common.

What are the marks of a professional Writer?

Business Cards - Does yours make any mention of the fact that you're a writer? If it doesn't, then you're sending an alarming signal that you write as a hobby.

Resume - Does yours note the names and dates of the publications that have featured your work? No listed works, no credibility.

Portfolio - Do you have a beyond-your-hard-drive collection of the articles you have written? All writers should have a hands-on cd or floppy portfolio. If possible, you should also have a physical portfolio containing your work, particularly any work that has been published in print.

Current Contact List or Database - Can you put your hands on a complete list of contact information? We're not talking sticky-notes here. This should include the names, addresses, e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, and web site addresses of any publications to which you have submitted an article. Ideally, you should also include the contact information for any new publications about which you learn. Make certain to include the name of the article you have submitted and whether it was published. If you sold an article, list the price for which you sold it. Review your information regularly and follow-up with each publication periodically.

Letterhead and Envelopes - Think it's too expensive? If it's a business expense then it's tax deductible. While it's true that editors are primarily interested in the content of your work, unprofessional correspondence sends up a red flag that you're trying to break-in to writing. You probably have a software program on your computer that you can use to create an impressive letterhead for yourself. Visit your local office supply store to find a quality paper to print it.

Editor - Now, we're talking some real money, aren't we? As I've said before in a previous ATSU Newsletter, there are affordable editors out there. You can even find one at a local college who might be willing to work for a nominal fee. If using a "for-pay" editor isn't an option, you should at least have all your work proofed for grammar, spelling, and flow of content by someone who is qualified and is objective. It's important that you be open-minded to constructive criticism.

Library Card - Who has time to read? The best way to learn to better express our own thoughts and further develop our writing is through reading the thoughts of others. Ask anyone whom you consider to be a professional writer. That person will always tell you that they have either always been or have become an avid reader. In the area of reading, venture out and read beyond your normal scope of preferences. You'll be amazed at how expanding your horizons can truly fine-tune your own writing skills.

Success in marketing with articles is a reciprocating enterprise. The more you write and publish articles to market your business, the more exposure you will gain as an author. Presenting yourself as an across-the-board professional in your area of writing will propel your success even further. Maximize the mileage you can earn through your writing!

(c) 2004, Davis Virtual Assistance. All rights in all media reserved. Permission to reprint granted so long as the by-line and article are printed intact and links are live.

Article marketing guru Bonnie Jo Davis offers free and paid article marketing resources on her Squidoo Lens and at her membership site Article Submission Sites.com.

Loan Officer Training A First Step To Realtor Marketing

Writen by Chad Weber

Today's article will be short and to the point. Don't let the length of the message fool you though. Some very strong points will be made in this article. We will be discussing an effective way to get the attention of your target agents.

Many times I have heard the complaint that realtors just don't seem to pay attention to loan officers anymore. They are either already using a loan officer that they are happy with, or they just don't seem to have the time to be bothered by just one more loan officer. Have you experienced this?

My suggestion to those of you who are shaking your heads yes, is to set a little bit of time aside each week for some education. What I want you to do, is jump onto your favorite browser (Google, MSN, Yahoo etc.) and do a search for your local association of Realtors. You can search by state, or you can search by city if you are in a larger area.

Once you have found the nearest association, I want you to save it to your favorites, and visit it once each week. I also want you to subscribe to the free newsletter if one is offered. Why do I want you to do this? Simple. I want you to keep up to date on what is going on within your local realty community. If you are up top date on the current hot topics, and points of interest, you will be better prepared to hold a great conversation with those you come in contact with.

This information will allow you to demonstrate the truth behind your words when you explain to agents why you are different. Most loan officers cruise along oblivious to what is going on within their real estate community. Do you want to be lumped in with every other loan officer? Of course not.

Not to mention, this strategy also allows for great conversation starters when you are the one to bring up current issues and concerns. Why not print out a newsletter, cut out an article and send it to your target agents? These are just 2 ways you can use this information. There are many more great ways to use the information gleaned from these sites. Before you go, I just want to reiterate that if you are serious about earning realtor business, there is no excuse not to make yourself familiar with the community. The information is free, easily accessible and even archived for your convenience. Why not visit your local Association of Realtors site right now? You'll be glad you did.

Average Joe L.O. provides truly unique, and hype-free marketing solutions to loan officers. If your goal is to close more purchase loans in a shorter period of time, then you need to visit http://www.averagejoelo.com today. Enjoy our free articles and training resources.

Slogans Creating And Using Them In Life Career And Business

Writen by Catherine Franz

Information is coming at us from all directions nowadays. This pace requires us to demand that we receive it fast and predigested in order to inch ahead of the game. This also requires a new filing system method for storing the bites and bytes.

In this article, we will go into greater details on:

* Why slogans are important in today's society fast-pace information systems.

* What is a slogan?

* Learn the six major types of slogans.

* The many uses for slogans.

* Seven ways to make slogans memorable.

First, lets create a clear definition for a slogan. A slogan is a noun, usually repeated and persuasive that creates a memorable catch phrase, motto, or jingle, that expresses a particular aim or concept. A concept that you want to stick in your audience's mind like glue to paper.

Second, what makes a slogan memorable? Brevity is first in line -- normally 10 words or less. Rhythm is the only exception to brevity. Rhythm is easier to create if there is an association to the receiver's past -- like a particular jingle on TV during their teen years for those now in their 50s. I still hold one from a TV ad long ago, "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should." And I never smoked.

An additional method is through repetition or language vividness. More on this later.

Third, what are the benefits for using slogans? Brevity, as mentioned earlier, meets the requirements of today's fast pace. Slogans also influence decisions, persuade, and add credibility. Our brains are like filing cabinets. A slogan makes it easier to file and pull when needed. For NLPers, neuro-linguistic programming, slogans create anchors. When people repeat the slogan, then consider it filed.

There are five major slogan types:

(1) A feature -- a uniqueness or difference between a substance, product or object. Ex: "Write an ebook in 7 days."

(2) A benefit -- a result that someone receives. Remember, this saves you [time or money].

(3) A question -- thought-provoking methods. "How would you like to be a millionaire in three years?"

(4) A challenge -- a dare. Ex: The Marines, "We are only looking for a few good men."

(5) A structure -- a design or collection put together for a single purpose. Ex: "The Abundance Center holds all the information you will ever need to know on abundance."

There are seven ways to make a slogan memorable:

(1) Make it exciting

(2) Be boastful or exaggerated

(3) Self-referencing

(4) Metaphorical, playful or humorous

(5) Inspirational or uplifting

(6) To trigger painful memories or possibilities

(7) Use of vivid or freshful language

Okay, the basics are out of the way. Yet to come: How to use slogans in your personal life, career, and business. Including examples for re-enforcement.

Create Life Slogans

Life slogans help energize goals, dreams, and even change beliefs. One of my favorite slogans gets me jumping out of bed every morning (benefit, self-referencing): "Everyday begins as a clean new slate, I am free to choose what gets written there." Is there a slogan that swirls around in your head in the morning? Share it with others -- write a poem or create a story about it.

Playtime: Create a life slogan, two or three, that get you hopping. Try them out for a day or two. Measure their energy from 1-10 (10 being highest). Share and ask for feedback.

Do you have children? Create positive slogans that rhythm and trigger action. I don't recommend negative slogans like, "Last one in, is a rotten egg." Create positive slogans, "First one in, gets a hug (rhythm and action). This slogan is a little too cute, yet it makes my point.

Create Career Slogans

Do you belong to Toastmasters or give presentations? Use slogans for the title, then repeat it in your content along with its meaning, and as the last line. Watch how many mention its affects afterwards. Create a new one for each speech.

Create interview slogans. Ones that help them remember you. Know the company's slogan. Create a slogan that builds on you're your features and benefits of why they need to hire you. Use it during the interview. You can create one that can use one or two of the different types: self- referencing, metaphorical or inspirational.

Slogans are powerful enough that people, like comedians and actors, have developed entire careers around them. You don't need to be famous to start. Slogans can even become book titles later on.

Business Slogans

In business, slogans are usable for self-introductions, prospective presentations, on web sites, in e-mail signatures, and even speaking engagements.

Example: You are a coach giving a presentation for a contract with a company for life coaching or business coaching. Create a slogan for a process or concept on what applications you will be using. Or give the process an acronym, like S.T.O.P. [something]. Let the acronym be the start of the slogan. Create one for your complimentary sessions. You can also create a slogan to share each week with your clients.

Be creative, use a slogan in each of your sales and marketing processes, change them frequently if you need to. Sold a contract a year ago with one slogan, create another, and sell them another contract this year.

Use slogans in article titles, ebooks or books. Sometimes a slogan takes off and becomes so memorable it becomes the brand for a company. Coke Cola with the slogan, "The real thing," took themselves to first place in the marketplace with these three words. Everything afterwards just wasn't the real thing.

Creating a Slogan

Where do you start to build slogan's? Re-read any of your notes or material. Highlight phrases that contain high energy. Do you lead teleclasses, like I do? Ask participants at the end of each call for two or three words of what they are taking away. Whatever they provide was memorable for them. Hear it multiple times, those are sure slogans. This also applies to pilot programs you might give. Ask for feedback, they are usually built in slogans.

Ask, "What do I want people to remember about [me][my company]?" KISS it -- keep it simple and short. That is possibly a slogan.

Next, ask, "What do I want them to do?" This is another type of slogan. Yellow pages had a great one for years, "Let your fingers do the walking."

Another way to create a slogan is to take two phrases that have parallel construction and place them together with a comma. Ex: Prizefighter Ali, "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."

Rhyme helps create memorable. Read poetry for triggers or language that influences or inspires.

Ask friends for help. Make it a game at a meal event. Ask clients too on feedback as to what makes you memorable to them. They always keep it short.

Be playful when creating slogans. Keep take of them too in your business journal or in a slogan file on your computer. Add and use them frequently. Encourage others to do the same. Success attracts success. Share it and it will, "Always attract back everything you need."

Catherine Franz is a Marketing & Writing Coach, niches, product development, Internet marketing, nonfiction writing and training. Additional Articles: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com

Large One

Writen by Craig Garber

Here's a proven, and truly easy way to start increasing your sales, immediately.

All you need to do is add these 2 words to your selling system, and you're good to go.

In fact, this trick's so good, I wish I could take credit for coming up with it, but the truth is, it comes from a little-known marketing legend.

Here's the deal:

In 1947, Elmer Wheeler was one of the best-known salesmen of his time. His "Wheeler Institute of Words" developed a "best practices" of selling, by testing a variety of words in over 19 million selling situations.

I'm right in the middle of reading one of Elmer's most famous books, "Tested Sentences That Sell".

And here's a great little selling trick that comes straight out of this book:

Ever go into a restaurant and order a drink?

Of course you have.

And what does your server usually ask you, right after you place your order?

They usually say "Small or large?", right?

Well, imagine for a moment... you're the owner of this restaurant.

Do you have any idea how much your sales would increase over time, if... instead of saying "Small or large?" after your customers ordered their drinks ... you told your servers to instead, say...

"Large one?"

Let me take the guess-work out of this and make your job easier for you.

Elmer Wheeler tested this experiment out in five-thousand separate selling situations. And the results showed, when your server asked "Large one?"...

7 out of every 10 people, answered "Yes!"

So, let's say a large soda costs you 35¢ more than a small soda -- are you with me on this? This means, by saying "Large one?"... 7 out of every 10 customers that walk through your door, end up giving you an extra 35 cents!

Now you may be thinking, "So what?... It's only 35 cents."

A-h-h-h, but remember....

Little Hinges Swing Big Doors Open!

Follow me here for a minute: If you've got 5 servers... and each of them does this with 100 customers a day, this means each of them will be serving large sodas to an extra 70 people a day.

That's an extra 350 large soda sales a day. (5 servers x 70 large sodas each).

350 extra sales, at 35¢ each, is $122.50 a day in extra gross sales for you... which translates into $857.50 extra a week, and over 52 weeks, this turns into...

$44,590 Dollars A Year... With ZERO Extra Marketing Costs Involved!

Not bad, hey?

And if your large sodas cost 50¢ more than your small sodas, in that case, your annual bump in gross sales would be $63,700 Dollars!

70¢ more? O.K., that one's easy -- just double the 35¢ figure -- now you're selling $89,180 Dollars more!

See how easy this stuff is?

It's insane, isn't it?

But what if you don't have a restaurant?

How can you use this trick in your business?

Well, let's say you own a photography store. When people are filling out their forms to get their pictures developed, instead of saying "Singles or doubles?", you can say "Doubles?".

If you own a landscaping company, instead of asking "Shrubs and lawn?", you'd say "Whole yard?"

And if you're a hairdresser, instead of asking "Cut and shampoo?", you just say "Shampoo?"

Make sense?

When it comes down to it, the basic premise of this selling trick, is...

If You Don't Ask... You Don't Get!

But polishing your request up so it's "benefit-oriented" to your prospect... makes this work smoothly... effectively... and without looking like you're trying to "sell more".

Notice how you're not asking "Do you want a large soda?" -- you're just saying "Large one?"

See, you'll have to experiment a little bit to find out what works best in your situation, but not you've at least got one helluva head start on things, no?

And can you think of any easier way to make this kind of extra money?

Elmer Wheeler really was a "selling genius" and you'll pick up quite a bit from him.

And, from the excitement and enthusiasm he comes across with, you know he enjoyed his work.

Here are a few of Elmer's famous quotes:

"Your first 10 words are more important than your next 10,000."

"People seldom want to walk over you until you lie down." And...

"Don't sell the steak, sell the sizzle."

Unfortunately, Wheeler's books are all out of print. You'll find them showing up pretty consistently on e-bay though, and, you can also find some of them on www.abebooks.com or www.alibris.com.

P.S. Remember, little hinges really DO swing big doors open -- and success lies in the margins, not in the vast open spaces. KSo keep your mind open to finding the small things that others let slip... through the cracks.

"Craig Garber is America's Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You'll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.kingofcopy.com. Copyright © Craig Garber. All rights reserved."