Business Success

Claude Hopkins is a man who knew a thing or two about Advertising …

He was one of the legendary Copywriters and Advertising men at the turn of the last century. To this day his book ‘Scientific Advertising’ is considered one of the great classics in marketing and is a must read for all marketers.

So what made Claude so great?

Well many things really … but one thing that really stood out for me is his ability to explain the not so obvious in his marketing materials.

Often what he included in his advertisments were things that were not obvious to the customer … but plainly obvious to the company making the product or service. In fact in most cases the company in question simply ignored many of the key selling features of their product or service simply because they overlooked them as being to obvious.

For example … Claude was asked to come and consult to Schiltz Beer company. Take a look at one of his Ads for Schiltz:

In this Ad Hopkins goes to some length to describe the process of manufacturing of Schiltz Beer. He uses language like … ‘All beer is cooled in a plate glass rooms, in filtered air’ to describe the purity of the beer. What he is doing in essence is describing the not so obvious process of how beer is manufactured to the end customer. Remember that to the Schiltz beer company this was just there standard everyday process so it was very obvious to them.

Now when he first proposed to the owners of Schlitz Beer that he describe the process they went through they exclaimed that this approach would not work as this is how all beer manufacturers make beer.

As Claude pointed out though … while that may be the case (ie all beer manufacturers follow the same process) no one was pointing this out to the customer. In other words … no one was using this to their advantage.

So in a series of Ads Claude highlighted the exact process used by Schlitz beer and naturally sales of this beer went through the roof. Schlitz beer remained number one for a decade as a result. Simply by pointing out and explaining the process they were able to dominate their market.

Naturally a number of the other beer manufacturers tried to play catch up. They used the same process so they tried to market the same story but they had lost the first to market advantage. To the end consumer it sounded a bit like me-too-ism.

So what is it that you do in your business that is obvious to you … but may not be obvious to your target market? What is common amongst your competitors … yet if you explained it in your marketing might give you a first to market advantage?

People love to understand the process you will take them through. This is especially true with professional services. If you take the time to lay out your process or step-by-step system to them it helps your prospective client to feel a level of comfort that they are in safe hands.

Right now I can almost assure you that your competitors are not marketing the obvious for your industry. Why don’t you decide to the be the first to do so and gain a first to market advantage?

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Get your copy of The Attraction Marketing System for just $497 by going here www.TheAttractionMarketingSystem.com

Popularity: 14% [?]

If you are in Small Business or are an Entrepreneur then you will want to join us for the worlds first ever “Mega Networking & Referral Event”. There has never been an event quite like this one.

At the event we are giving you 10 different opportunities for you to promote your business. You will have the chance to:

* Meet New Business Contacts
* Generate Referrals
* Identify & Establish New Joint Venture Partnerships
* Attract New Clients
* Plus … You will hear from leading Australian Business Growth Specialists

To place yourself on the Priority Notification List and be the first to hear all of the details when we officially launch head over to:

http://www.MegaNetworkingEvent.com

Popularity: 43% [?]

What I love about the work I do is seeing my clients go onto achieve greater success. There is no doubt that Attraction Marketing plays a huge role in the process … but when you combine it with someone who is passionate about their business and willing to work hard to achieve their goals then great things happen.

This week I would like to congratulate Ludwina Dautovic of The Red Tent Woman for achieving her first $20,000 month as a Business Coach. Ludwina works primarily with woman in business and has developed a step-by-step system for them to grow their business.

When I first started working with Ludwina I could see opportunities in her business that she may have been missing. Often we get too close to our business and miss the goldmine we may be sitting on. So with a few adjustments to her marketing funnel and systems, development of a unique step-by-step process plus a few minor adjustments Ludwinas business has taken off. In fact her average value of a new client has grown by six times.

Congratulations Ludwina!

It just goes to show that working with a Marketing Coach can transform your business. Will it work for you? Find out by requesting a Marketing Audit (Valued at $297) www.ProfitMinute.com/audit.htm

Popularity: 19% [?]

For many small business owners, marketing is something they think about when their cash flow drops off, or they haven’t got enough new business in the pipeline. This is a huge mistake!

Typically the first thing they think about is TACTICS. They want to find a new magic tactic to instantly produce a flood of new clients. They need a quick solution to the cash flow drain on their business. Sound familiar?

Thats usually when I will get a phone call … when marketing has become a necessary evil.

The problem is for most small business owners they only think about tactics. They think that if they update their website and maybe add in some video … that will do the trick. Possibly a new flyer, or what about an eMail blast out. I have even had clients who thought that if they rebrand, change their logos, new colour scheme and so on that this would result in new clients beating a path to their door.

Sadly this focus on tactics rarely ends the way small business owners hope and pray it will.

So what should they focus on?

First and foremost they must focus on developing their MARKETING STRATEGY. Without a well thought out strategy none of the tactics you play around with will work. When you have implemented the right strategy though the tactics fall into place far easier.

Here is a clue … you need to think of marketing as being a step-by-step system … not a one off cataclysmic event. You need to define and understand what each of the steps are in your marketing system. Then develop appropriate tactics to ensure that you effectively implement the strategy.

In the Attraction Marketing System I take you through seven keys. These are all designed to focus you on your strategy. We start with clearly defining your TARGET MARKET and gaining an understanding of what will make you ATTRACTIVE to them.

From there we take you through various other elements of an effective marketing system that you will need to implement. This includes developing strategies to gain visibility in your target market, centering your business around PERMISSION MARKETING (this is critical), using what I call Sell-U-Cation to presell those on your database, creating Top of Mind Awareness, and how to turn your clients into Raving FANS!

You need to have an effective Marketing System that incoporates each of these elements.

So here is what you must do at some stage. You need to block out 2 or 3 days in your schedule as time to work ON your business and not in it. Yes I know … you are busy doing stuff … however if you don’t take time out to work on your overall Marketing Strategy then you will always be chasing your tail.

Take time out and develop your marketing strategy … only then should you worry about the tactics.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Discover how to use Attraction Marketing In your Small Business:

www.AttractionMarketingRevealed.com

Popularity: 29% [?]

Have you ever wondered …

I am sure you have. Its an interesting thing to ponder.

What is it exactly that moves prospective clients to become paying clients for your service? If you could answer that question … if you knew specifically what it is that persuades your prospects to say yes to your service then you could double or triple your number of clients.

Its mostly unconscious …

If you were to ask most of your clients what was the trigger that motivated them to finally say yes to you … most of them would struggle to articulate it.

In this weeks Profit Minute Radio program we are going to talk about those unconscious triggers. You will want to listen in … it could help you to massively increase the number of clients you have.

Full details are here:

http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/profitminute

Popularity: 23% [?]

The written word is one of the most powerful mediums for achieving the one thing most small business owners are looking for … more sales! If you are looking for more sales, increased revenues and greater profits then you will want to consider hiring a professional copywriter.

A copywriter can help you turn your website into a lead generation machine, write sales letters that get results and make your advertising efforts actually produce results.

The challenge is … not all copywriters are equal!

To find out how to find a copywriter that will help you increase results visit:

http://www.HypnoticCopywriter.com

Popularity: 25% [?]

Do you know what your prospective clients really want?

If you knew specifically what it is that they Googled when seeking solutions to their problems then marketing your service based business would be a lot easier, right?

Well let me share with you some interesting information …

Last year in Australia there were 287,000 10 millimeter drill bits sold.

On its own that is not really that interesting, but consider this … not one of those 287,000 people actually wanted a 287,000 10 millimeter drill bit!

So what did they want?

Of course they all wanted a 10 millimeter hole!

We can take it another step further of course … they really do not want the hole either.

No what they really wanted was to use the hole to build a cubby house for their children to play in. Perhaps they wanted the hole to hang their wedding photos on the wall.

This is what people really want … the end benefit is what drives and motivates people to action. Its not the drill bit!

How is this relevant to you and your business?

Well most small business owners market their drill bits.

So if you are an Accountant for instance you typically market the fact that you provide taxation services (which is your drill bit).

If you are a Fitness Professional or Personal Trainer you advertise the fact that you have the relevant qualifications, and a new studio with shiny equipment. Again this is the drill bit.

If you are a life coach or business coach you tend to market your credentials and the process you go through when you work with clients. Drill bit!

Now this is an easy mistake to make … most small business owners don’t know any different. So we tend to go and market our drill bits and wonder why we get average at best results.

What if you started to market the hole?

Even better … what if you started to market the end benefit of having the hole?

How much more effective would your marketing efforts be?

Lets see …

Now the Accountant can market more along these lines …

‘Let me show you how to save thousands in tax and build financial security for you and your family … for life!’

Isn’t that more appealing than just marketing the fact that you do tax returns or compliance issues?

What about the Personal Trainer. Now her marketing might look like this …

‘Imagine jumping out of bed in the morning bursting with energy and looking totaly awesome when you look in the mirror!’

Do you think a few more people would respond to this than marketing the fact that you are certified in three different training styles?

I am sure you get the idea here. Take a look back at all of the marketing efforts you have tried in the past and evaluate them.

Are you marketing the drill bit or the hole?

In our complimentary Sales & Marketing Audit (Valued at $297) we assist small business owners like you to identify your drill bit and the hole. Your marketing effectivness will increase dramatically.

Popularity: 76% [?]

SOLD!!!!

That’s right … your clients (and prospective clients) hate to be sold. They don’t like to be interrupted by telemarketers at home in the evening, they record TV onto their digital drives and skip the ads when they watch it when it suits them, they are guarded and skeptical of anything you have to say about your products or service (no matter how good they are) and they haven’t got time to review your website, marketing collateral or follow up emails.

They hate to be sold …. BUT … and this is interesting … they still LOVE to BUY!

Think about it … aren’t you like this?

If someone is trying to sell you something and you don’t really need or want it what is your natural reaction? Most of us want to turn and run, right? We hear the voice of our parents from when we are young telling us not to sign anything etc etc.

Contrast this when you have a need or desire for something.

If you have a particular need for some service in your business then what do you do today?

Yes … you probably Google it.

You do some research … you click and flick. That is where you click on the web sites that come up in your search and make a 30 second assessment if you believe that site has what you are looking for and then you give it the flick if it does not.

When you come across that one site that appears to have the right solution to your needs you maybe make contact or research some more.

The point is … today when we have a need or desire we research for a specific solution and are happy to make contact when we believe we find it … and are more than happy to make a positive purchasing decision ie we love to buy.

So how does this apply to your business?

Well if you are still using interruption marketing today and trying to sell your products or services to people who don’t want them then … well good luck for the future! The web is changing everything.

The key to marketing your business in the future is to position yourself as an expert service provider in a specialised niche and gain visibility within that niche.

When your prospective clients go searching for your solution you need to show up.

When they land on your web site you have 30 seconds … the strategy behind your web site will determine if you have any chance of building a relationship in those 30 seconds or not.

You will need to ensure your total marketing strategy facilitates the purchasing process that they buyer wants to follow.

Your marketing strategy needs to make it easy for your prospective clients to say yes to you.

Does your marketing strategy do this …. find out here?

Popularity: 33% [?]

Is the furniture removal industry stuck in the old days?

Ok maybe it is not a sexy industry to do a marketing case study on, however they do provide a much needed service and like all small businesses have a need for effective marketing.

Continued

Popularity: 30% [?]