The Millionaire Mind Support Network™

Part 4

Authors produce compelling publishing projects —
Entrepreneurs market, successfully distribute publishing projects — at a profit

If you don’t actively promote and sell your work, you have a hobby, not a business enterprise.

Author Entrepreneurs, like Joe Vitale and Jack Canfield, certainly write about those topics for which they have a passion. They write about what inspires them and what they think will be helpful to their readers. Joe Vitale, Jack Canfield, Wayne Dyer, and T. Harv Eker KNOW their readership, and understand what will motivate that readership to buy their books.

After my first Millionaire Mind Intensive weekend, I realized I had the research and writing skills to produce viable publishing projects. I also realized that I needed more information as to how to successfully market myself, and my publishing projects, if I wanted to develop residual income streams. In Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, T. Harv Eker tells his readers to find someone who is successful in the field you wish to master and model their behavior.

I signed up for Vitale and Canfield newsletters and marketing lists. I studied how they built interest for their latest projects. I also bought Vitale’s marketing books — I wanted to study an acknowledged “Master of Marketing and Self-Promotion”.

It was time well spent. I want to share a few of those ideas here.

The potential market for a book is a key factor in the decision process for all traditional publishers. If you have ever submitted a manuscript or book proposal to a mainstream publishing house, you are keenly aware of how target market considerations affect the probability of publication.

The issue of “who will by this book” is even more important to self-publishers.
Why? Well, for one thing, it’s your money and investment of time at risk.

From the inception of your publishing project, marketing must be a prime consideration. Before you commit to any print production expenses, you must have a firm marketing budget and implementation plan in place. In fact, your marketing program should start before your project has reached press. Publication promotion should start with the launch of the project.

For some self-published, Author Entrepreneurs the reality of working a marketing plan, hits when they hear the reverse beeper of the delivery truck as it is pulls up to the loading dock — the area formally known as their garage.

Author Entrepreneurs, who do not want to see several thousand unsold books every time they walk through garage, learn to instigate multiple guerrilla promotion techniques.

Having identified your target market…

Brainstorm the various ways you can reach them

As self-confessed folder-freak, I like to organize all my ideas by category. I also index the ideas on my computer. I also know that anal-retentive has a hyphen when used as a modifier, but I digress. Sample categories might consist of: magazines or catalogs your target market might read; press kits that include demographics and pricing; professional or membership organizations to reach your customers; on-line discussion groups; or newsletters. Consider how to effectively use social networking and viral marketing media to promote your publishing projects. Fellow Millionaire Mind Intensive alumnus, Chris Sherrod, whom I consider a ‘peer-mentor, is a social marketing Ninja!

Consider co-ventures; look seriously at premium and cross-promotional ideas. An old friend produced a Graphic Design Basics book. He worked a deal with a newly formed trade association to include his book as a membership premium. His book was great incentive to join an, as yet, untried organization; and the positive word of mouth about his book helped push it to best-seller status. It was an all round win/win situation.

Potential clients are also potential partners. Several years ago I self published a technical manual — The Fundamentals of Desktop Publishing. The book had been developed to support training seminars my company taught through out the United States and Canada. A Fortune 500 executive saw the publication and negotiated a license to publish the manual as an internal training tool. Additionally, a training firm based in Sweden paid for publishing rights, in the UK, Norway and Sweden.

The enthusiastic endorsement of these two nationally recognized organizations, made it easier to sell the next manual.

If you feel that developing information products is a viable path to developing streams of residual income, you have to learn all you can about marketing your product and master the art of self promotion. Treat your publishing projects as you would any other business venture.

You are a money magnet, and your publishing projects are your golden eggs.

YouPublish is Mark Victor Hansen’s Latest Publishing Innovation

Last night’s Peak Potentials Ambassador program teleconference was lead by Manny Goldman. It was OUTSTANDING! At the beginning of the call he mentioned that all the suggestions he intended to discuss would be applicable to any business venture. Manny referred listeners to several social networking sites as a way to expand our professional networks. He mentioned a site that Mark Victor Hanson had developed, YouPublish, went live on May 11, 2008. As soon as the Ambassador Talk was finished I reviewed the YouPublish site.

WOW!!

“What a gift to the technically timid! I LOVE the clarity of the instructions, the visual simplicity of the site, the ease of posting, and the flexibility to change things, whenever. I first posted my ebook for sale and then changed it to free — and now will unabashedly invite my list to check out YouPublish.”

— Esther Jantzen, YouPublish Customer Comment

You publish.com lets you publish any file, so you can upload books, music, videos, photos, spreadsheets, CG files, seminar packages, software… whatever! And you can sell your creations — or share them for free. It’s up to you!

You can even do combinations of files, like a book and audio together. Just select both files when you upload. When you join YouPublish, (IT IS FREE TO JOIN!) you’ll get your own URL (web address) and a public profile page to showcase your works and creations—and every file you publish has its own URL too! You’ll also get a referral link to send to all your friends.

My referral link is:
youpublish.com/referredby/millionairemind

The site is VERY user friendly. Click the instructional video. It will guide you through the registration and publishing process. This site really addresses the issues setting up a shopping cart, accepting payment; download capability, all of the ecommerce stuff that usually stops would-be authors at the starting gate. In just a few minutes you will be able to:

* Publish any file, in any format.
* Create your own public profile page to showcase your works.
* Join a community of users from 26 countries (and growing!).
* Sell your creations or share them for free.
* Find useful files and download them at your convenience.
* Get paid for referring your friends.
* Dead simple and wicked fast.

There is no fee for setting up an account on YouPublish and no fee for posting your publications (e-books, audio, videos, photos, software, seminar packages, and the like).

The largest file YouPublish accepts right now is 100MB. This will improve this as site develops.

When you sell products on YouPublish, you get 50% of the revenue, and they get 50%. (Traditional publishers pay 7% to 10% to authors, and last time we checked, Amazon was paying 35% to its e-book publishers.)

You will also receive 7.5% of publication sales from user accounts registered using your Personal Referral Link. This will expire in two years. You can’t get paid for referring yourself or somebody else in the same household.

To keep things efficient, YouPublish will only make payments when there is $100 or more owing to your account.

Payments are made monthly.

The first time YouPublish pays you, they will ask you for all the information they need to get the job done. You need to claim money owing to you within one year.

You are responsible for paying your own taxes (guess we all are).

The stuff you publish can either be free or you may require a payment for downloading. If you set a price for your stuff, it needs to be at least $1.00. (The credit card companies won’t process anything less.)

You get to keep all the rights to the stuff you publish through the YouPublish site. You give YouPublish the right to store the stuff their servers, make back up copies, and do all the other stuff they need to do to provide their services. You also give the other users on the site the right to download, print for their own use, and generally use the stuff they download.

There is much more information on the YouPublish site. Spend some time looking around; sign up as part of the community.

This site is ONLY FIVE DAYS OLD…

and with Mark Victor Hansen behind it — you know YouPublish will be HUGE!

When you go the site please use my reference link —
youpublish.com/referredby/millionairemind

I’m really focusing on my “Lucrative opportunities always come my way,” and Being an EXCELLENT Receiver” Attitudes of Wealth.

I’m ready to receive “Lots of Link-Love!”

Live Well, Publish and Prosper,

Sandi

Four Key Components for a Small Business Marketing Program

Every marketing program contains four key components:

• Products and Services
• Promotion
• Distribution
• Pricing

Products and Services: Product strategies may include concentrating on a narrow product line, developing a highly specialized product or service, or providing a product-service package containing unusually high-quality service.

Promotion: Promotion strategies include advertising and direct customer interaction. Good salesmanship is essential for small businesses because of their limited ability to spend on advertising. Good telephone book advertising is also important. Direct mail is an effective, low-cost medium available to small business.

Distribution: The manufacturer and wholesaler must decide how to distribute their products. Working through established distributors or manufacturers’ agents is generally easiest for small manufacturers. Small retailers should consider cost and traffic flow in site selection, especially since advertising and rent can be reciprocal: a low-cost, low-traffic location means spending more on advertising to build traffic.

Price: The right price is crucial for maximizing total revenue. Generally, higher prices mean lower volume and vice-versa; however, small businesses can often command higher prices because of their personalized service.

These all combine into an overall marketing program.

The nature of the product or service is also important in citing decisions. If purchases are based largely on impulse, then high-traffic and visibility are critical. On the other hand, location is less of a concern for products or services that customers are willing to go out of their way to find. The recent availability of highly segmented mailing lists, purchased from list brokers, magazines, or other companies, has enabled certain small businesses to operate from any location, yet serve national or international markets.

Marketing Performance

After implementing a marketing program, entrepreneurs must evaluate its performance. Every program should have performance standards to compare with actual results. Researching industry norms and past performances will help to develop appropriate standards.

Entrepreneurs should audit their company’s performance at least quarterly.

The key questions are:

• Is the company doing all it can to be customer-oriented?
• Do employees ensure the customers are satisfied and leave wanting to come back?
• Is it easy for the customer to find what he or she wants at a competitive price?

Are there any additional marketing issues ypu would like to see addressed in the Millionaire Mind Support Network™? Let us know — We are here to support each other personally and professionally.

I’m a very capable marketing technician. I’ve been trained to know what to do, and why, to what probable result. Over the years I’ve had lots of practice and plenty of lessons learned. Joe Vitale, however is a “Guru status, marketing maven. He knows all of the above and executes with panache. Any marketing book by Joe is a good business investment.

As a retired SBDC counselor, I know where to find business-related information — both online and IRL. In this case my marketing source Is years and years as a business counselor and mentor. For individual business support with any aspect of your business contact the nearest SBA-sponsored Small Business Development Center.

Millionaire Minds Love to Market!

Copyright © Millionaire Minds, LLC 2007
All writings here are copyrighted. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts. And remember, You Have a Millionaire Mind!

Our SBDC small business marketing case studies continues with,

“I can’t start marketing; my website isn’t done yet.”

Pleiades Publishing Services produced its first client-funded website in 1994. Marketing a business online wasn’t a common practice until the turn of the last century. Pre-millennium (late 90’s) businesses managed to successfully market their products and services, with old-school media.

When did we all buy into the notion that having the PERFECT, Search, Engine Optimized website is a rigid requirement for a successful business launch?

This does not mean I think a company website is superfluous. I’m passionate about the advantages a great Internet Marketing economic model. However, if you don’t have a fully functional business site yet, do not go into marketing fetal position and wait for delivery. There is some marketing steps you can take today. Go do them.

Yes Virginia, eventually you do need a really outstanding website

The more I’ve studied the Insider Secrets to Marketing Your Business on The Internet, the more I have become convinced that the company website(s) must be developed with passive sales in mind. Professional service providers need to think differently about their business and look to developing information products that will give them residual and passive income streams. But I digress that is an another day(s) blog topic.

Once you have worked with your business customers over a period of time, and had a few real sales conversations, you’ll have a better idea about what potential clients want to know and what motivates them to use your products or services. With that information and insight, you’ll compose a much better website.

Until your business website is up and active use email to give your prospects additional information about you and your business. Convert your existing company marketing literature to PDF- files (Adobe’s Portable Document Format) and attach them to your email correspondence.

Baby Steps and Back to Basics

Powerfully written, beautifully designed brochures, eye-catching Ads, sales letters, and websites are all valuable, powerful and informative sales tools; but, please don’t let your business marketing be put on hold because you haven’t yet found, or approved, the ‘perfect words’ or images. In the process of marketing your goods and services, actions really are much more important than the perfect words.

With the exception of the Internet Marketing economic model, basic business marketing hasn’t fundamentally changed over this past decade. Most business is about personal contact. This is especially true for professional service providers.

In the beginning was the Word — word of mouth — clients come from pre-existing personal connections — folks the business owner knows, or the friends and colleagues these personal acquaintances. There’s no need for an initial web presence to bring clients such as these, to the business.

I’m a very capable marketing technician. I’ve been trained to know what to do, and why, to what probable result. Over the years I’ve had lots of practice and plenty of lessons learned. Joe Vitale, however is a “Guru status, marketing maven. He knows all of the above and executes with panache. Any marketing book by Joe is a good business investment.

As a retired SBDC counselor, I know where to find business-related information — both online and IRL. In this case my marketing source Is years and years as a business counselor and mentor. For individual business support with any aspect of your business contact the nearest SBA-sponsored Small Business Development Center.

Millionaire Minds Love to Market!

Copyright © Millionaire Minds, LLC 2007
All writings here are copyrighted. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts. And remember, You Have a Millionaire Mind!

The Fearless Trade Show Warrior
And the the Enchanted Perfect Sales Letter

“The Industry trade show was really worth the expense, the customer response was great; but I can’t follow up on these leads yet because my sales letter isn’t ready.”

OK this statement rates a double “WHAT??”

I sometimes refer to this as “Spanky and the Gang” marketing. “Hey kids, lets do a show.” Enough people have famously pulled this off this gambit, to make it an almost irresistible lure. Entrepreneurs see an annual Industry Show as the perfect way to show case the marvelous WIZBANG-2007.

Sometimes the gamble is worth it, IF you follow up.

In April of 1977, Jobs and Wozniak did not have the perfect sales letter to follow up the debut of the first personal computer at West Coast Computer Faire. But they followed up every sales lead that trade show floor generated, by phone and in person…an started an industry or two.

The Enchanted Perfect Sales Letter

The quest for the enchanted perfect sales letter often finishes the mighty entrepreneurial enterprise before it really starts. The lack of this fabled marketing tool stops many of us from reaching out to prospective clients.

IS there such a thing as the Enchanted Perfect Sales Letter –the one that results in eager clients clamoring for your product; filling your email, voice mail and inbox with orders as soon as they receive it? That would be a no.

Forget marketing’s holy grail — the Enchanted Perfect Sales Letter. Just contact your leads before they grow stale. Time is never on the side of small business. When Joe Vitale says money loves speed, he is not using a metaphor. He is being perfectly serious. The faster small business owners move, the more money they make.

So instead of focusing so much on the content of your sales letters, put your emphasis on repeat contacts using multiple channels over time. Place a call, then send a note, call again, and then send an e-mail. You could make contact with a prospect four times over a two-week span in less time than it takes you to write and rewrite one “perfect” letter. A series of action steps like this will have much more likelihood of resulting in a live conversation than almost any letter you could write.

Our SBDC small business marketing case studies continues Aug 31st with, “I can’t start marketing; my website isn’t done yet.”

I’m a very capable marketing technician. I’ve been trained to know what to do, and why, to what probable result. Over the years I’ve had lots of practice and plenty of lessons learned. Joe Vitale, however is a “Guru status, marketing maven. He knows all of the above and executes with panache. Any marketing book by Joe is a good business investment.

As a retired SBDC counselor, I know where to find business-related information — both online and IRL. In this case my marketing source Is years and years as a business counselor and mentor. For individual business support with any aspect of your business contact the nearest SBA-sponsored Small Business Development Center.

Millionaire Minds Love to Market!

Copyright © Millionaire Minds, LLC 2007
All writings here are copyrighted. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts. And remember, You Have a Millionaire Mind!

Marketing 101 — The Basics, started as a cautionary tale…

I wanted to stress the importance of doing some marketing immediately. Small business owners must market daily even if all the pieces of your marketing plan are not yet in “perfectly” place. Think Joe Vitale… he markets his books for pre-sale months before they are available at stores and on-line booksellers.

Why am I stressing the “early and often school of marketing” to the point of repetition?

Because, everyday, businesses with wonderful products, that fill a need in the marketplace, go out of business, before they make their first sale.

Why?

They ran out of money before their ‘perfected marketing’ plan was fully implemented. All business has a bottom line and the statement is always the same:

Nothing Happens until SOMEBODY sells SOMETHING and GETS PAID for it…a lot and often!

NEVER! EVER let your self be hypnotized into inaction by the shiny sheen of perfection.
If you have a product or service, a business card and a phone, get out there and sell; and after you have pitched, close the sale, after you have taken ‘yes for an answer’, deliver and take the money. Repeat often.

As SBDC counselor, I saw too many clients, too late. They came to the office for help after they had blown through their start-up capital. Many were trying to arrange a second round of funding through the SBA 7(a) guaranty loan program. Some were the walking wounded who had no idea how they had burned through so much capital so quickly. I’ve held so many business post mortems, I feel like I should have a flack jacket with CSI on the back.

Here are a few composite SBDC case studies.

Cranky SBCD Client

“I spent thousands of dollars on this brochure, and I haven’t gotten a single client from it.”

If spending money guaranteed marketing success, I would not have seen so many “Oncepreneurs™” in my SBDC office wondering what happened to their startup capital. Business marketing is more prudent persistence, than ad agency art and hot media placement.

Buying Print Media

The printing industry calls them ‘leave behinds’ — business cards, rate cards, coupon specials, brochures, trade shows flyers, product spec sheets, capability statements, proposal sheets, sales letter follow-ups and the pocket folder that holds any and all of the above.

These materials are just an introduction to you your company’s products and services. They are sales-tools. Tools require someone to use them. You or your sales person need to follow-up and close the sale.

There is so much to share about how to buy and use print media. If our Millionaire Mind Support Network™ members indicate an interest we’ll do a series of blogs about how small businesses can use print media effectively to build customer interest without breaking the budget.

Our SBDC small business marketing case studies continues Aug 29th with The Fearless Trade Show Warrior and the Enchanted Perfect Sales Letter.

I’m a very capable marketing technician. I’ve been trained to know what to do, and why, to what probable result. Over the years I’ve had lots of practice and plenty of lessons learned. Joe Vitale, however is a “Guru status, marketing maven. He knows all of the above and executes with panache. Any marketing book by Joe is a good business investment.

As a retired SBDC counselor, I know where to find business-related information — both online and IRL. In this case my marketing source is years and years as a business counselor and mentor. For individual business support with any aspect of your business contact the nearest SBA-sponsored Small Business Development Center.

Millionaire Minds Love to Market!

Copyright © Millionaire Minds, LLC 2007
All writings here are copyrighted. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts. And remember, You Have a Millionaire Mind!

“Marketing 101 —Review of the Basics…continued”

Establishing a Web Presence

When we started this marketing journey at the beginning of the month, we were discussing action steps — the need to take steps every day, even ‘baby steps’ to reach our business goals. For many of us, the need for the “perfect something” meant that “Nothing” went out the door.

It is critical to those of us who aspire to create wealth through our business, understand that ‘good enough and out’, to be improved upon next time, is better than ‘not at all.’

I cautioned new business ventures not to hold up on marketing their products and services just because their website wasn’t ready. Unless your business model is completely internet-based — an internet marketing business that has a publishing or training product that can ONLY be sold on a website — you do not need a website to START marketing. That does not mean your website isn’t a critical aspect of your business marketing plan, every business needs a URL-home in the Wild, Wild Net.

Lets visit the need for PERFECT again. Your first website does not have to the website of your dreams, immediately. Your site can continually evolve and improve as time and budget allow. Even if you choose not to sell your goods or services online, a business web site can be a virtual marketing brochure that you can update on demand with little or no cost. Your presence on the Internet can be a useful marketing tool by providing richer pre-sale information or post-sale support and service. This might temporarily differentiate your product or service from your competitors’. E-marketing has lessened the disadvantage that small businesses have faced for years when competing with larger businesses.

eCommerce has redefined the marketplace, altered business strategies, and allowed global competition between local businesses. The term “electronic commerce” has evolved from meaning simply electronic shopping to representing all aspects of business and market processes enabled by the Internet and other digital technologies. Today’s business emphasis is on ecommerce - rapid electronic interactions enabled by the Internet and other connected computer and telephone networks. Rapid business transactions and unparalleled access to information is changing consumer behavior and expectations.

Many small businesses assume that the Internet has little value to them because they feel that their product or service cannot be easily sold online, but inexpensive information processing and electronic media can help most small businesses provide better, faster customer service and communication.

Many of you have expressed an interest in how Internet Marketing can be used to expand passive income opportunities for your current business venture. There is a great deal of information to share about Internet Marketing so ’ll pursue it as a separate blog string. Thanks for the feed back.

Do you have any marketing tips and trips that have worked for your business. Please share them on our blog or forum.

I’m a very capable marketing technician. I’ve been trained to know what to do, and why, to what probable result. Over the years I’ve had lots of practice and plenty of lessons learned. Joe Vitale, however is a “Guru status, marketing maven. He knows all of the above and executes with panache. Any marketing book by Joe is a good business investment.

As a retired SBDC counselor, I know where to find business-related information — both online and IRL. In this case some of my marketing source is a SBA publication (National Women’s Business Center, Washington, D.C., 4/97). The balance is just years of experience. For individual business support with any aspect of your business contact the nearest SBA-sponsored Small Business Development Center.

Millionaire Minds Love to Market!

Copyright © Millionaire Minds, LLC 2007
All writings here are copyrighted. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts. And remember, You Have a Millionaire Mind!

Marketing 101 — Brief Overview of Opt-in eMarketing

E-mail marketing is one of the most effective ways to keep in touch with customers.

It is generally cost-effective, and if done properly, can help build brand awareness and loyalty. At a typical cost of only a few cents per message, it’s a bargain compared to traditional direct mail at $1 or more per piece. In addition, response rates on e-mail marketing are strong, ranging from 5 to 35% depending on the industry and format. Response rates for traditional mail averages in the 1 to 3% range.

One of the benefits of e-mail marketing is the demographic information that customers provide when signing up for your e-mail newsletter. Discovering who your customers really are - age, gender, income, and special interests, for example - can help you target your products and services to their needs.

Points to consider when creating your e-mail newsletter:

• HTML vs. Plain Text: Response rates for HTML newsletters are generally far higher than plain text, and graphics and colors tend to make the publications look far more professional. The downside is that HTML e-mail is slower to download, and some e-mail providers may screen out HTML email.
• Provide incentive to subscribe: To get customers to sign up for your newsletter, advertise the benefits of receiving your newsletter, such as helpful tips, informative content, or early notification of special offers or campaigns.
• Don’t just sell: Many studies suggest that e-mail newsletters are read far more carefully when they offer information that is useful to the customers’ lives rather than merely selling products and services. Helpful tips, engaging content, and humor are often expected to accompany e-mail newsletters.
• Limit questions: As each demographic question you ask may reduce the number of customers signing up, it’s best to limit the amount of information you solicit or give customers the option of skipping the questionnaire.

Do you have any marketing tips and trips that have worked for your business. Please share them on our blog or forum.

I’m a very capable marketing technician. I’ve been trained to know what to do, and why, to what probable result. Over the years I’ve had lots of practice and plenty of lessons learned. Joe Vitale however is a “Guru status, marketing maven. He knows all of the above and executes with panache. Any marketing book by Joe is a good business investment.

As a retired SBDC counselor, I know where to find business-related information — both online and IRL. In this case some of my marketing source is a SBA publication (National Women’s Business Center, Washington, D.C., 4/97). The balance is just years of experience. For individual business support with any aspect of your business contact the nearest SBA-sponsored Small Business Development Center.

Millionaire Minds Love to Market!

Copyright © Millionaire Minds, LLC 2007
All writings here are copyrighted. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts. And remember, You Have a Millionaire Mind!

“Marketing 101 —Review of the Basics…continued”

Special Events and Outreach

• Get a booth at a fair/trade show attended by your target market.
• Sponsor or host a special event or open house at your business location in cooperation with a local non-profit organization, such as a women’s business center. Describe how the organization helped you.
• Give a speech or volunteer for a career day at a high school.
• Teach a class or seminar at a local college or adult education center.
• Sponsor an Adopt-a-Road area in your community to keep roads litter-free. People that pass by the area will see your name on the sign announcing your sponsorship.
• Volunteer your time to a charity or non-profit organization.
• Donate your product or service to a charity auction.
• Appear on a panel at a professional seminar.
• Write a How To pamphlet or article for publishing.
• Produce and distribute an educational CD-ROM or audio/video tape.
• Publish a book.
• Publish an e-book and offer as free download on your company website

Sales Ideas

• Start every day with two cold calls.
• Read newspapers, business journals, and trade publications for new business openings, personnel appointments, and promotion announcements made by companies. Send your business literature to appropriate individuals and firms.
• Give your sales literature to your lawyer, accountant, printer, banker, temp agency, office supply salesperson, advertising agency, etc. (Expand your sales force for free!)
• Put your fax number on order forms for easy submission.
• Set up a fax-on-demand or e-mail system to easily distribute responses to company or product inquiries. DO NOT BECOME A SPAMER — Send emails and Faxes ONLY to those contacts who have specifically “Opted IN” to your marketing/Information programs.
• Follow up on your Opt-In direct mailings, email messages, and broadcast faxes with a friendly telephone call.
• Try using the (Opt-In) broadcast fax or email delivery methods instead of direct mail. (Broadcast fax and email allows you to send the same message to many locations at once.)
• Use broadcast faxes or email messages to notify your (OPT-IN) customers of product service updates.
• Extend your hours of operation.
• Reduce response/turnaround time. Make reordering easy - use reminders. Provide preaddressed envelopes.
• Display product and service samples at your office.
• Remind clients of the products and services you provide that they aren’t currently buying.
• Call and/or send mail to former clients to try and reactivate them.
• Take sales orders over the Internet. Upgrade your website to secured e-commerce site so clients can place orders at their convenience.

We will continue “Marketing 101 —Review of the Basics” in the August 22nd Blog

I’m a very capable marketing technician. I’ve been trained to know what to do, and why, to what probable result. Over the years I’ve had lots of practice and plenty of lessons learned. Joe Vitale however is a “Guru status, marketing maven. He knows all of the above and executes with panache. Any marketing book by Joe is a good business investment.

As a retired SBDC counselor, I know where to find business-related information — both online and IRL. In this case some of my marketing source is a SBA publication (National Women’s Business Center, Washington, D.C., 4/97). The balance is just years of experience. For individual business support with any aspect of your business contact the nearest SBA-sponsored Small Business Development Center.

Millionaire Minds Love to Market!

Copyright © Millionaire Minds, LLC 2007
All writings here are copyrighted. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts. And remember, You Have a Millionaire Mind!

“Marketing 101 —Review of the Basics…continued”

Customer Service and Customer Relations

• Ask your clients to come back again.
• Return phone calls promptly.
• Set up a fax-on-demand or email system to easily respond to customer inquiries.
• Use an answering machine or voice mail system to catch after-hours phone calls. Include basic information in your outgoing messages such a business hours, location, etc.
• Record a memorable message or tip of the day on your outgoing answering machine or voice mail message.
• Ask clients what you can do the help them.
• Take clients out to a ball game, show, or another special event - just send them two tickets with a note.
• Hold a seminar at your office for clients and prospects.
• Send handwritten thank you notes.
• Send birthday cards and appropriate seasonal greetings.
• Photocopy interesting articles and send them to clients and prospects with a hand-written FYI note and your business card.
• Send a book of interest or other appropriate business gift to a client with a handwritten note.
• Create an area on your Web site specifically for your customers.
• Redecorate your office or location where you meet with your clients.

Networking and Word of Mouth

• Join a Chamber of Commerce or other organization.
• Join or organize a breakfast club with other professionals (not in your field) to discuss business and network referrals.
• Mail a brochure to members of organizations to which you belong.
• Serve on a city board or commission.
• Host a holiday party.
• Hold an open house.
• Send letters to attendees after you attend a conference.
• Join a community list-serve (e-mail list) on the Internet.

Advertising

• Advertise during peak seasons for your business.
• Get a memorable phone number, such as 1-800-WIDGETS.
• Obtain a memorable URL and email address and include them on all marketing materials.
• Provide Rolodex® cards or phone stickers preprinted with your business contact information.
• Promote your business jointly with other professionals via cooperative direct mail.
• Advertise in a specialty directory or in the Yellow Pages.
• Hire a professional bilingual writer who and develop an ad in another language to reach the non-English-speaking market. Place the ad in a publication that market reads, such as a Hispanic newspaper.
• Distribute advertising specialty products such as pens, mouse pads, or mugs.
• Mail bumps - photos, samples, and other innovative items to your prospect list. (A bump is simply anything that makes the mailing envelope bulge and makes the recipient curious about what’s in the envelope!)
• Create a direct mail list of hot prospects.
• Consider non-traditional tactics such as bus backs, billboards, and popular Web sites.
• Project a message on the sidewalk in front of your place of business using a light directed through words etched in a glass window.
• Consider placing ads in your newspaper’s classified section.
• Consider a vanity automobile tag with your company name.
• Create a friendly bumper sticker for your car.
• Code your ads and keep records of results.
• Improve your building signage and directional signs inside and out.
• Invest in a neon sign to make your office or storefront window visible at night.
• Create a new or improved company logo or recolor the traditional logo.
• Sponsor and promote a contest or sweepstakes.
• Sponsor a local sports team

We will continue “Marketing 101 —Review of the Basics” in the August 20th Blog

As a retired SBDC counselor, I know where to find business-related information — both online and IRL. In this case some of my marketing source is a SBA publication (National Women’s Business Center, Washington, D.C., 4/97). The balance is just years of experience. For individual business support with any aspect of your business contact the nearest SBA-sponsored Small Business Development Center.

Millionaire Minds Love to Market!

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