In the past, business was about selling products and services to make a profit. From my personal observation in the mid 1980s, while working as an advertising photographer in Chicago, I watched the advertising business turn from creative focus to focusing on bottom line results. The industry never really recovered from that change. Heres the problem with bottom line focus. There are hundreds of thousands of people vying for each others business attention. Conservative estimates put the number of advertising messages each person sees at about 1,008,000 and climbing every year. No one cares about your bottom line. As a result, if your message is focused on generating revenue, it will fail a majority of the time. So, how are sales made? How do we convert interruption into money? 1. By telling authentic stories about your talent and passion in business to people who care. 2. By having well defined systems to deliver your story consistently and continuing the process of Edutising to keep interest and value high right up to the time of need. 3. By touching each prospect you have permission to talk to at least 27 times before dropping them. 4. By developing a mission mindset. Your mission is something you MUST accomplish with your business. When you have a mission you will give people value no one else can offer them. You will be using your true and authentic talent in business to stand out from the crowd. Where do you start? Start by discovering your greatest talent and passion in business. Ask yourself the question My greatest talent and passion in business is_________? and fill in the blank. Then look at your existing client list. * Who do you most enjoy working with? * What industry are they in? * How do you help them? * What do they receive as a result of working with you? We will call this group your ideal client list. Now you have the basis for your story and you know what your ideal client looks like. Next, what do you tell them? Start by educating them about your expertise. Create an article, e-book, audio product or other information that you can give away. Then call up people who share the traits of your ideal clients and ask them if you can share your findings on _________ (the topic of your information). Follow that up with a telephone call. Talk about their business in relationship to the report you sent. Find out if they would like to take another step toward you. Set a clear follow up time and date. Follow the phone call up with a thank you or good to meet you card. Please do NOT send email at this step. Send something on paper that conveys warmth and a sense that you went out of your way. See See Marketing Made Easy; Step 1: Creating an I Care Campaign for exact ideas on how to accomplish this step. Document your process and follow it consistently. 1. Gain permission to educate 2. Give something of value to the reader 3. Ask how that information was helpful 4. Find out how you can add more value 5. Keep your promises 6. Deliver service that is worth talking about 7. Exceed expectations 8. Give your new client a way they can share you with people they know I know what youre thinking. This is way too hard to do, right? Compare these ideas to the way you are currently working? Are you happy with your results in 2005? If not, consider new thinking. 2006 is a week away. The New Year starts in earnest next Tuesday. Whatever you do, use the power of your true and authentic talent in business to be unique in a commodity driven world. |
