The More Clients Blog

Marketing and Values

Many people think marketing and values are incompatible. I happen to disagree. Values are at the heart of marketing - your marketing. Here are the list of marketing values that I do my very best to live by. They may fit you as well.

Part I - The Approach to Marketing

Honesty and Integrity

Much of marketing and selling is seen as dishonest or, at best, "stretching the truth." Good marketing has integrity. It offers products or services that provide real value and that are actually delivered as promised (or exceed the promise). This is the foundation of all marketing.

Straightforward and Clear Communication

Much of marketing is convoluted and confusing. It doesn't have to be. To market oneself effectively, one needs to communicate simply and with clarity: "These are the clients we work with; these are the areas where they have problems; this is the solution we provide; this is how it works and this is what it costs."

Education, not Persuasion

All good marketing educates, rather than persuades or pushes. It gives a prospect the information they need to make an informed decision. When someone encounters good marketing, they feel elevated, not debased.

Do no Harm

The service you market should provide a real benefit, not only to the person who buys those services but to the community and to the planet. For instance, you could be great at marketing cigarettes, but that would miss the point entirely. You should never have to justify your marketing. It will speak for itself and will communicate true value.

Part II - The Mindset of Marketing

High Intention and Focus

Most people market themselves in a haphazard, unfocused way. Successful marketing takes real intention (what do I want to produce and why? What is my plan? What are my obstacles and how will I overcome them?) This kind of clarity of intention and focus can produce extraordinary results.

Expansiveness, not Constrictiveness

Where you come from about your marketing activities is just as important as what you do (if not more). When you are being expansive, full of possibility and enthusiasm, you will be much more successful than if you are being constricted, limited and and cautious. Good marketing is fun and people can get great benefit just from being exposed to high-integrity marketing.

Marketing as a Contribution

Ultimately, the purpose of any business is not to make money but to make a contribution, to make a difference. The tragedy is that many small businesses are unable to attract enough clients to be a viable business and to make their contribution real in the world. Through effective marketing, this no longer has to be the case.

A Bias for Action

To get marketing to produce results, it takes more than words, values and promises. It takes action. But action is hard! It takes planning and a one-step-at-a-time approach to tackling the "Marketing Elephant." This makes the process manageable and helps people get marketing wins right away.

I hope this summary gives a better idea of what I think marketing is about, and how you can approach it with dignity, and an understanding that marketing is not an evil to be tolerated but an art to be cultivated.

*

The More Clients Bottom Line: Take the time to think through the values that are important to you in your business and your marketing. Then work at applying these values in everything you do, from networking to the content of your web site, from selling to client service.

*

What are the values you practice in your business and marketing? Please share on the More Clients Blog.

Playing the Game

As I lead my Fast Track Workshops around the country, work with my Marketing Coaches and interact with business owners in general, I pay a lot of attention to how well (or how poorly) people are following my Seven Principles of Marketing.

The Seven Principles are:

1. Marketing Ball - The Game of Marketing
2. Marketing Mindset - The Inner Game of Marketing
3. Marketing Syntax - The Language of Marketing
4. Marketing Message - Getting Attention and Interest
5. Marketing Currency - Written Marketing Materials
6. Marketing Strategies - The How-to of Marketing
7. Marketing Structure - Marketing Action Plans

Where do you think you're the strongest? The weakest?

All of these principles are important, and if you are weak in one or more of them, you're going to have problems attracting clients consistently. But for me, one stands out as the most important, yet least understood and practiced.

And that's "The Game of Marketing."

To most people, this is the least interesting as it's very process-oriented. We're more interested in strategies - the marketing how-tos and techniques that actually do the job of attracting new clients (from speaking to blogging).

But if you don't know how to play the game, all those great strategies won't get you very far.

Let's look at the Marketing Ball analogy.

Take a rookie baseball player who has great talents and abilities in the four major activities of baseball: throwing, catching, hitting and running. He's the best there is in all four areas -- a potential champion.

But imagine that this baseball player doesn't yet know the rules of the game. What will happen when he gets out onto the field? He'll throw, catch, hit and run. But it will become painfully clear to his teammates that he's not really playing baseball (and not helping them win the game).

He'll need some remedial training in the rules of baseball.

The whole aim of the game of baseball is to score runs. Throwing, catching, hitting and running are are only means to that end.

As I was writing this, I got a testimonial from Mim Grace who just attended my Cincinnati Fast Track Workshop. She said:

"I have given dozens and dozens and dozens of talks about EFT and TAT and have never gotten a client. Last Friday night I gave a talk to 15 cancer survivors following your guidelines and got two long term clients! I look forward to more successes! Thanks!"

What was the difference? After all, she'd already given a lot of talks before. But they didn't result in any clients. Then she learned how to play the marketing ball game. She took the steps to move the prospects around the bases.

Think of all the marketing activities you've tried but haven't gotten very good results with. In the marketing game there are six distinct marketing steps, from your initial connection with a prospect, to an appointment where the selling process starts.

How many of these are you using?

1. Affiliation - Marketing to those you have a connection with
2. Attention - Using a marketing message that generates interest
3. Familiarity - Becoming a known and trusted entity
4. Information - Providing the materials to educate your prospects
5. Experience - Giving your prospects a taste of your work
6. Follow-up - Being proactive in making sales appointments

Chances are, you're using only one or two of these. And if you skip steps, you get struck out. Here are some losing plays you may be familiar with:

• Trying to get attention before you have affiliation. Also known as cold calls. Typically results in a high rejection rate.

• Getting attention and trying to jump right away to follow-up. The prospect feels pressure and does not reciprocate.

• Developing familiarity with a group of prospects (say, in an organization), and then not providing detailed information on your services.

• Providing information and even an experience of what you do (say a presentation), and then failing to follow-up.

Those are four ways of striking out at Marketing Ball. What I want everyone to get is that marketing isn't the problem. It's how you're playing the game. Your effectiveness as a marketer starts with mastering the rules and then applying the best strategies.

It goes without saying that the Fast Track Workshops are a great place to learn the rules of the game and how to play in a way that attracts more clients. There are four upcoming workshops on the current summer schedule and I'm working on three more for the fall.

I'm also recording the San Francisco Workshop, and will have that program available for sale in August. I'll keep you posted.

*

The More Clients Bottom Line: The big key to attracting more clients is learning how to play the game. If you use marketing strategies without considering the game plan, you are going to skip bases and get struck out. Master the art of moving around the bases and you'll consistently score more runs.

*

What bases do you skip when playing the game of marketing? Please share on the More Clients Blog.

Life on the Road

As I'm officially on vacation, I'll keep today's eZine short.

For the past two weeks, I've been on the road leading my "Fast Track to More Clients" Workshops. It's a bit like being a rock star, except the gigs are 11 hours long and there are no screaming girls chasing me around!

I love leading workshops, but I certainly have compassion for speakers and workshop leaders who are on the road all the time. It's exciting for awhile, but it sure can wear the body down.

Yesterday I spent about 8 hours sitting in airports due to flight delays. Last week in New York I had to contend with a room that was about 90 degrees when I arrived. (It took two fans and some prayers to get it to cool off.

And in-between workshops (when I'm not flying) I've been managing my business, meeting with my Marketing Coaches and answering email as usual. The eZine still gets written on Monday.

Today my wife and I converged in Denver and drove to Breckenridge Colorado for a much needed break. Some hiking and lots of relaxing are on the schedule.

This road trip actually began in Chicago on May 29 where I attended the System Internet Seminar. I spoke there as well, but also attended some great presentations and made many valuable connections.

I attended a presentation at the System Seminar that will change my business dramatically. I'll be sharing these changes with you soon in a future issue of More Clients.

This road trip has given me the opportunity to do a lot of thinking about where my business will be going in the next ten years and I've had many powerful insights.

My goal is to translate those insights into action over the next few months. I'll keep you posted as I go.

*

The More Clients Bottom Line: Subjecting yourself to new experiences is the ultimate growth program. It certainly provides ideas, insights and inspirations you wouldn't have had otherwise.

*

What's stretching you in your business right now? Please share on the More Clients Blog.

Hidden Marketing Assets

As I'm leading the "Fast Track to More Clients Workshops" around the country (Just did Cincinnati and Detroit - New York is tomorrow), one issue that keeps coming up are hidden marketing assets most Independent Professionals do not take advantage of.

It's like raw gold ore in the ground you own but haven't yet mined. Nevertheless, it's there for the taking.

Even better, it's like bags of gold coins sitting in your basement collecting dust. But you don't even know they're there.

As a result, you're not putting these assets to work.

In your business, you may have many hidden assets like this where you don't realize their value, so they just sit there not giving you any marketing advantage.

Here are some assets that you may not be leveraging:

1. Your Business Relationships

Everyone has business relationships. But if you're not leveraging them, they aren't doing you much good.

Unleveraged Assets:

How many business associates and community members know you but don't understand what you do? These people already like and trust you. They would happily send more business your way if they knew exactly who you work with, what you do and the kind of results you produce.

Leveraged Assets:

Invite everyone you know to be on your newsletter or eZine list. They may not be potential clients, but over the years, the chances are excellent that they'll direct good leads your way once they're in the know about your services.

2. Testimonials and Case Studies

What about all the testimonials you've received and the case studies you've recorded about the work you've done for clients? Again, those are very powerful hidden assets that most don't leverage.

Unleveraged Assets:

Even if people know what you do, if you don't keep reminding them of the results you produce, they are unlikely to pass your name along.

Leveraged Assets:

When you get a testimonial, find a place to use it immediately. For instance, right after the Cincinnati workshop I got this email from Ray Perry of MarketBlazer:

"I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the Workshop yesterday in Cincinnati. Fast Track to more Clients and 7 Simple Steps to attracting more Clients were very informative, thought provoking and concise.

"I found Marketing Ball to be an effective methodology for communicating the marketing process to clients and having an organized structure to deliver marketing. I could have spent all day on Marketing Ball.

"You also really hit a home run with Marketing Mindset. We all question our abilities and value to clients and are constantly creating delay tactics to slow us down. I felt as if I was at my therapist, yet having fun.

"Marketing Syntax and the Core Marketing Message, especially the Audio Logo were spot on for developing and communicating your marketing message.

"I could go on, but the bottom line is your course delivered the goods. Great value, very entertaining and well worth the time and money. I can’t imagine anyone has ever taken advantage of your money back guarantee."

Thanks Ray!

It was nice getting that email. But after I received it, I asked Ray if it was OK to share with my subscribers and post on my web site. That testimonial is now an asset that builds the credibility of my workshops, especially for someone who is considering attending, but on the fence. (P.S. Learn more about workshops here.)

What client testimonial or case study could you get out to those on your list? They're not doing you any good sitting somewhere in your email box.

Past eZine Articles

Have you written a number of articles for your business? Those who are writing regular eZines soon end up with a substantial body of written work.

Unleveraged Asset:

When I attended the System Internet Seminar last week, I attended a very good talk on "Article Marketing." It reminded me once again that I have a huge asset in all my past eZine articles that are just sitting somewhere on my computer hard drive.

Leveraged Asset:

I'm now going to take the time to create a system and get the support to get these 500 or so articles listed in various eZine directories. They will draw people to my web site and improve my search engine rankings.

Again, this is an asset I already have. It's like gold sitting under the stairs in my basement. I'm just not spending that gold. And if I die with all that gold unspent or uninvested, it's really a waste, isn't it?

What Are your Hidden Assets?

I hope this article provokes you to make an inventory of all the hidden assets in your business that could have a huge impact on your marketing.

As your business grows, your assets will probably grow at the same time (relationships, testimonials, information, skills, etc) but they won't do you a bit of good until you apply them.

I'll be writing more in-depth on this topic in next week's More Clients eZine.

*

The More Clients Bottom Line: What hidden and under-leveraged assets do you have in your business? How can you tap into those assets so that they have an impact on your marketing? When will you create a plan to utilize some of those assets more productively? Why not start today?

*

What marketing assets do you have in your business that you haven't yet leveraged? Please share on the More Clients Blog.

The Remote Control Effect

This past week I learned something about TV remote controls that really got me thinking.

My stepson is visiting us for a month and wanted more TV channels than basic cable, so we signed up for more channels.

Then, when watching TV together, I noticed that he was toggling back and forth between two channels with the remote.

"How did you do that?" I said. "I've had this TV and remote for seven years and I didn't know you could do that!"

I like to think I'm not a complete idiot, but he pointed out that on the remote there was a little button for toggling. Then he also showed how I could program four of my favorite channels and just press the color buttons at the top of the remote to go to them instantly. (I always wondered what those colored buttons were!)

That's when I had my insight (also called a "blinding flash of the obvious.")

There are so many things that we think we know, but we really don't have a clue. And often these things are right under our noses and we miss them completely.

Web Sites Delusions

This past weekend I attended The System Internet Seminar in Chicago to catch up on what was happening in Internet Marketing and to see what I was missing (it was a lot)!

I learned some very advanced strategies, but in this eZine, I wanted to point to some very basic web site marketing ideas that you are very likely missing (just like the buttons on a remote).

Did you know...

• That a headline on a web page can make all the difference between someone reading it or not (let alone responding)? Most web pages have generic headlines like: Home Page, Our Services and About Us. About as exciting as boiled sausage. In fact, with headlines like this you could be selling anything - even sausage! How about a compelling benefit in the headline that makes you want to know more?

• That the copy on your web page is unreadable to about 95% of your visitors? That's right, they don't read ANYthing on your page. Why? Because you haven't formatted your page for readability. You need to capture the attention of your visitors visually before they'll even get into the message. Keys include short paragraphs, indentation, bullet points and the first sentence bolded in each paragraph.

• That most web pages don't tell the visitor to do anything? That is, they read your page (if they do happen to get through it) and at the bottom there is nothing. It just ends. No call-to-action. No link to go to another page. Nothing. So people scratch their heads, scroll up to the navigation bar and try to guess what to do next, feeling more frustrated by the second. Tell them where to go and they'll keep exploring your site.

• That a vast majority of web sites are so poorly designed that most people click off in about ten seconds without even reading anything on the site. The bad news is that the average business owner with a web site has little understanding of good or bad design, so they do nothing to improve it - usually for years. Find a real designer, not your nephew.

• That the actual value proposition or core marketing message on your web site is at best, boring, at worst, fiendishly obscure. That is, if a visitor gets past the poor design, generic headlines and bland text formatting, they still don't understand (or care)what you are offering (and what's in it for them).

Do I exaggerate?

I don't think so. When I ask people in talks or workshops if they are happy with the results of their web sites, I usually have less than 5% who say they are.

But like the remote control that sat under my nose, without me knowing how it really worked, your site sits up on the web, not producing any real (let alone substantial results) for years while you blissfully go about your business, convinced that web marketing doesn't really work for your kind of business.

But there is hope...

During the System Seminar, several people came up to me and told me how their businesses had completely transformed (increased sales, more referrals, doubling their businesses, etc.) once they understood the secrets of a great web site, and took a little time to make the required changes.

Those who put some serious time into their web marketing efforts were making hundreds of thousands, and often millions of dollars, on the web. And these were the ones who were the most excited about knowing even more.

Many of them had first started with my Web Site ToolKit (which made me feel very happy and proud)! More details on the ToolKit here.

* The More Clients Bottom Line: You need to be aware of the disconcerting fact that your web site is not doing the job it was meant to do. Hardly anyone is visiting, reading, or responding to your web site. It's a shame, as it's one of the most important marketing vehicles you'll ever have.

* Is your web site failing to get you new clients consistently? What actions will you take? Please share on the More Clients Blog.