THE 15 MINUTE MARKETER: Make Time For Your Most Important Client

by Nancy Gerber

One of my oft-repeated ‘mantras’ is that the most important job of every business owner is to market their business.  When I ask entrepreneurs about their biggest challenges, one of the most common things I hear is, “I just don’t have the time to do marketing!”

How do we find the time to do what is THE most critical element in the continuing success of our companies? 

It’s all about creating new habits of thought and action, one step at a time.

There will always be urgent and important items that require our attention.  There’s a never-ending stream of e-mails to answer, phone calls to make, bills to pay, topics to research and meetings to attend.  If you keep expecting to ‘find’ the time — you won’t. The key is to adjust your thinking:  it’s about MAKING the time. 

When we attract a new client, we delegate tasks, postpone reviewing e-mails and eliminate all other distractions so that we can focus completely on their concerns and goals. We must begin to treat ourselves in exactly the same way — in essence, to realize that we are our most important client.

When you make a commitment to a client, don’t you keep it?  When you’re meeting with them, you set aside specific, uninterrupted time completely dedicated to them, right?  It’s time to think of yourself and your company as deserving — and needing — the same treatment.

Here are two suggestions for your 15-minute-a-day Marketing Mambo activity for this week:

First, to create a new thinking habit, it helps to observe your beliefs and attitudes.  Pay attention to your self-talk whenever you think about marketing or someone mentions it.  What are you saying to yourself? It even helps to write these thoughts down.

Often a shift in language — even one word — can change everything.  For example, if you’re thinking, “I can never find the time!” notice that.  Catch yourself, and ask, “OK. I’m going to MAKE time this week for marketing. What needs to happen for me to do that?” Take a moment right now and consider both of these self-talk options.  Which one is energizing, hopeful, action oriented, promises possibilities?  Which one shuts down thinking, closes off opportunity, derails problem solving?

Changing behavioral habits CAN be accomplished, step-by-step.  Start by looking at your calendar for this week.  Come on, grab that day timer or open up your Outlook!  Block out 2-3 small segments — 15 minutes each — during which you will ABSOLUTELY COMMIT to working on your marketing. Pretend these slots belong to a brand new client who is paying you the highest fees you have ever received. 

The specifics don’t really matter — do some reading, start revising your bio, make a list of e-zine topics — just as long as you are focusing on taking actions that directly relate to marketing YOUR business.  And, to help you keep your commitment to yourself, share your intentions with someone who will hold you accountable — a business buddy, coach, assistant.  Set yourself up for success by telling them what you’ve scheduled.  Promise to let them know that you’ve kept your appointment with yourself and share what you’ve done. Request that they follow up with you if they
don’t get your report. Often, just knowing that someone else is expecting to hear from us propels us forward!

In the safety lectures before flying, we’re told that if oxygen masks drop down we need to help ourselves first by putting ours on before we assist anyone else.  A great reminder!

Copyright 2008, 2009 by Nancy Birnbaum-Gerber 

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“We cannot seek or attain health, wealth, learning, justice or kindness in general. Action is always specific, concrete, individualized, unique.”
– Benjamin Jowett

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Boost You Bottom Line!

F*r*e*e MP3 recording; over 60 minutes of “no-fluff”, practical, immediately useful info.

“7 SIMPLE LOW OR NO-COST MARKETING, PROMOTION & PUBLICITY STRATEGIES TO BOOST YOUR BOTTOM LINE — FAST!”

Presented by The Nancys — Nancy Gerber & Nancy Spivey

Go to http://www.themagicofmastermind.com
Enter your info in the sign up box at the right, and you’ll get this recording as an additional bonus.

The 15 Minute Marketer: “You Don’t Ask, You Don’t Get”

by Nancy Gerber

So many business owners are frustrated by the challenges of getting and keeping lifetime customers — the ones that like our stuff, buy it, tell their friends, and eagerly await new products.  It’s our ‘holy grail’ – what we’re all striving to achieve.

We slave over our sales letters.  We struggle with our web sites.  We try to perfect our products.  We plan every minute of a teleseminar presentation.  We spend hours crafting the perfect e-mails or articles for our subscriber lists. Often we do everything EXCEPT the most important action of all — WE DON’T ASK FOR THE SALE!  In marketing lingo, this is called “making the offer”.

A lot of us hesitate to directly ask our prospects and customers to buy.  There are many reasons for this — but WHY we do this IS NOT IMPORTANT. What IS absolutely essential is to notice that you’re doing it and figure out what you need to add, change or adjust so that you’re making offers more often.

The way you make an offer can be gentle, subtle, firm, excited, insistent, encouraging, etc.  It depends on what you’re offering, and in what context the message appears. Sometimes an offer is a suggestion, other times it comes with a dose of verbal tough love and a firm nudge in the rear end.  What matters most is that a ‘call to action’ appears frequently and prominently — and fits your business and your style.

So here’s this week’s “15 Minute Marketer” call to action:

1.  Pay attention to your actions and thinking around making offers and asking people to buy from you or become your customer.  Notice your self talk, where you hold back or hesitate, what kind of language you use, what feelings come up. Do your attitudes and behaviors encourage or block the actions you desire?

2.  Start studying how other businesses make their offers.  Pay attention to commercials and infomercials, display ads, web sites, e-zines, direct marketing snail mail, on-line sales letters, teleseminars, and so on. What’s clear and specific?  What’s vague and confusing?  Where are there no offers at all, and how does that affect you as the potential consumer?   Which offers are most compelling to you? To your potential ideal customers? What repels you? What resonates with you?  What helps you decide to buy – or not?

3.  Start a “swipe” file of offers that you think are good ideas that you might like to try (not copy, just use for inspiration!) OR are great examples of what NOT to do.

The more attention you pay to this vital ingredient in your customer attraction process, the more money you’ll
make.  It’s that simple.   

Copyright 2009 by Nancy Birnbaum-Gerber 

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Asking is the beginning of receiving. Make sure you don’t go to the ocean with a teaspoon. At least take a
bucket so the kids won’t laugh.
– Jim Rohn

*******************************************

Boost You Bottom Line!

F*r*e*e MP3 recording; over 60 minutes of “no-fluff”, practical, immediately useful info.

“7 SIMPLE LOW OR NO-COST MARKETING, PROMOTION & PUBLICITY STRATEGIES TO BOOST YOUR BOTTOM LINE — FAST!”

Presented by The Nancys — Nancy Gerber & Nancy Spivey

Go to http://www.themagicofmastermind.com
Enter your info in the sign up box at the right, and you’ll get this recording as an additional bonus.

THE 15 MINUTE MARKETER: “Are You Neglecting Your Most Valuable Marketing Resource?

For about 5 years, I’ve been happily using a particular shopping cart system to manage my on-line business.  It saves me time and  money, streamlines my product purchases and program  registrations, and helps me keep in touch regularly with my “tribe”.  It’s fairly easy to use 99% of the time, and delivers the quality results it promises. Whenever I’ve called in with a question or issue to be resolved, the staff has been unfailingly helpful, courteous and professional.  

Of course, they have grown, accumulating more satisfied customers like me along the way.  And, with more customers, changes and updates to systems are inevitable.  So it was no surprise when I recently received notice that the  company is restructuring their technical support services.   Since I’ve been a customer, telephone tech support has been free and immediate during their usual business hours. Starting this month, unless I’m willing to pay additional fees, I will no longer be able to get live telephone support
and will have to use their e-mail and on-line tutorial options.

Although an inevitable outcome of a growing business, I must admit I’ve been a bit grumpy about it.  Earlier this week, when I had to call to check on a billing issue, I brought it up with the person on the other end of the phone.  “You’re not the only one to complain,” she told me, “but we had no choice. People were calling tech support just to get their passwords and other info that was easily available on our web site. Our staff just can’t keep up any longer.”

That information ramped up my irritation.  Apparently, my status as a long-time customer — one who has referred others to the company and shared my satisfaction with their product — has little value.  My only occasional use of tech support, and my willingness to take the initiative to solve my own problems whenever possible, counts for nothing.  I’m being lumped into the same category as newer customers who are acting lazy and irresponsible.

While I’m still happy overall with the company and their product, this experience has left a sour taste.  It wouldn’t have taken very much effort for them to do something special for their  loyal customers in the midst of this transition.  They could have offered one free tech support call a month — or even every other month.  They could have given a discount off of the
regular fee for the new service. Any kind of acknowledgement of my loyalty and how that has contributed to their continuing success would have made
me feel special and valued.  Even a simple thank you would have been welcome. 

Sadly, this is an all too common mistake that many companies make. How many special offers do we see, how many great values are created to attract new clients, while the long-time customers are asked to  continue paying full fees?  How much effort is put into attracting  new business while those who have helped us grow and prosper are taken for granted?

Many forget that the absolutely BEST marketing of our business happens when loyal customers become raving fans. The referrals and testimonials of others carry far more weight than anything we say ourselves.

What can you do today to show your loyal customers how much you appreciate them?  Even a small gesture can go a very long way.  It’s the best  investment you can make in the health and longevity of your business.

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Statistics suggest that when customers complain, business owners and managers ought to get excited about it. The complaining customer represents a huge opportunity for more business.
– Zig Ziglar

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Boost You Bottom Line!

“7 SIMPLE LOW OR NO-COST MARKETING, PROMOTION & PUBLICITY STRATEGIES TO BOOST YOUR BOTTOM LINE — FAST!”

Presented by “The Nancys” — Nancy Gerber & Nancy Spivey

F*r*e*e MP3 recording; over 60 minutes of “no-fluff”, practical, immediately useful info.

Visit The Magic of Mastermind   and enter your info in the sign up box at the right.  You’ll get this recording as an additional bonus.

The 15 Minute Marketer: How Do You Like Your Chicken Soup?

My Mom makes the best chicken soup on the planet (well, maybe I’m just a little biased).  She doesn’t cook it often these days, so I was especially delighted to have it again last week while I was visiting her for Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New year.

During our Best Business Minds Mastermind Group this week (http://themagicofmastermind.com/join-a-group), we
were discussing the variety of marketing activities now available to any business professional, such as: speaking,
article marketing, social networking, in-person networking, e-zines, blogging, contacting former customers, and many others. One of our Mastermind Group Members remarked that she’s feeling rather overwhelmed, and is having a tough time figuring out just where to begin and what marketing activities to choose.

That’s when it hit me that creating a Marketing Plan is just like making chicken soup.  There are certain basics that every good pot of soup must have: in this case, water (or broth), chicken, some vegetables and spices to add flavor, and matzoh balls to make it special for the holiday.  [Mom makes them SO light and fluffy -- if you've never tasted home made chicken soup with just-cooked matzoh balls, your life is not yet complete!]

The proportions and quantity you use of each ingredient, how long it cooks, when you add your spices, how far ahead you  prepare it before serving, how much fat you skim off the top — these and other factors determine the unique flavor of the  soup. 

So it is with Marketing.     

Which ingredients are the basics of YOUR special soup? How will you stay in touch regularly?  What proportion of in-person to on-line networking?  Will you speak? Write?  Present  teleconference programs? How will you make a memorable impression that differentiates you from others so people will want to be part of your ‘tribe’?  Where will you stay within your comfort zone? Where will you stretch?  With what new ingredient will you experiment? How much time will you spend on consistent marketing  activities?  What’s highest priority and what’s optional?

Perhaps you’re someone who’s easily distracted. You might choose only a few activities and dedicate your marketing time to ‘going deep’.  Easily bored? You may need to figure out how to get some variety without going into overwhelm.  Shy about in-person  networking events?  What strategy can you develop that will help you work around your challenges and have a successful outcome?  Resisting Social Networking?  Perhaps its time to make a  commitment to yourself to play with it regularly so that you can learn how to make it work for YOU.

Once you develop a plan, your marketing efforts become an automatic part of your schedule.  There is no need to re-invent the wheel, no more wasted time figuring out what to do and trying to squeeze it in to an already crowded calendar. You’ve developed your basic recipe.  You may vary the proportions,  try new spices, adjust the cooking time. However, the basics will always remain the same.

So, what are YOUR basic ingredients? How do you like YOUR marketing chicken soup?

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No matter what your product is, you are ultimately in the education  business. Your customers need to be constantly educated about the many advantages of doing business with you, trained to use your products more effectively, and taught how to make never-ending improvement in their lives. 
– Robert G Allen

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Boost You Bottom Line!

F*r*e*e MP3 recording; over 60 minutes of “no-fluff”, practical, immediately useful info:

“7 SIMPLE LOW OR NO-COST MARKETING, PROMOTION & PUBLICITY STRATEGIES TO BOOST YOUR  BOTTOM LINE — FAST!”

Presented by The Nancys — Busines Coaches Nancy Gerber & Nancy Spivey

Go to http://www.themagicofmastermind.com Enter your info in the sign up box at the right, and you’ll get this recording as an additional bonus.

THE 15 MINUTE MARKETER: “The 7 Building Blocks That Make Social Networking”

THE 15 MINUTE MARKETER:    “The 7 Building Blocks That Make Social Networking  Work”

by Nancy Gerber

We all know (or need to!) that marketing is really
just another word for community building. Once you get
very clear on who’s in your tribe (your target
market), the critical first step to growing a group of
loyal followers who buy from and recommend you is to
find them and get their attention.

The current hot zone for finding and attracting
customers is Social Networking. For some entrepreneurs
(including baby boomer me), this represents another
new skill set we need to learn, and an additional and
potentially time-sucking activity to add into our mix.
We know it’s important, and see the great results
others are getting. Yet, we continue either to put it
off or do it halfheartedly because we’re just not
clear about how to approach it in a way that will
maximize our efforts most efficiently.

In a recent conversation with my long-time friend, PR
expert Debra Dixon (www.lightofgoldpr.com), I learned
that there are seven essential building blocks to
getting started in and getting the most leverage out
of the Social Networking universe.  Paying attention
to these basics will insure a tangible and satisfying
ROI (return on investment) for our efforts.

1.  Have your on-line foundation in place before you
begin.  At minimum, you need to have a web site – or
at least a page – as a home base to which you can send
folks who respond to your Social Networking
activities.  Make sure you offer them a free taste of
you and your work so you can capture their contact
information.  If you have several sites or different
types of products or services, decide on your
priority.  PICK ONE and focus your efforts there.

2. Be deliberate and realistic about how much time you
can and will spend on-line in Social Networking
activities.  Decide on a schedule that is do-able and
fits your  calendar, and stick to it.  Consistency is
more  important than frequency. Debbie suggests about
an hour minimum per week per site once you have
completed the set up activities.  That can easily be
split up into smaller segments if you work better that
way.

3.  Get up and running on and maximize one Social
Networking site before moving on to the next.  Use
your first site to create templates (see below).

4. Create a Master file / template of your profile
information from your first Social Networking site in
a Word document so your brand will be consistent and
congruent on all of your sites.  Use the same photos,
language, logos, etc. as a foundation.  Cut and paste,
and then tweak as appropriate for each additional
site.

5.  Think of groups on Social Networking sites in the
same way as you do in-person networking groups.   Find
relevant groups to connect with – a maximum of 2 to 3.
Be an active participant; join the conversation and be
willing to give as well as receive.  Include  links to
your blog, web site, etc. as appropriate. Within 4-6
weeks you’ll be able to tell if your  investment of
time and effort is yielding results.

6. Schedule separate follow up time weekly for the
contacts you make while on-line.  If you have a follow
up system already in place, adapt it for this purpose.
If not — create one. No sense getting all of this set
up and rolling if you don’t have a plan in place for
staying connected and adding interested people into
your marketing funnel.

7.  It’s not necessary to upgrade from free to fee for
enhancements unless you’re spending most of your time
on one site only or on that site much more often. It’s
hard to justify paying when there are so many Social
Networking sites that are free.

Now it’s up to you.  Where are you right now?  Which
building blocks need attention?   Which days and times
every week will you dedicate to this vital marketing
activity?  What’s your first – or next – Social
Networking site that you’ll be working on?  How will
you hold yourself accountable for keeping these
commitments?

Copyright 2009 by Nancy Birnbaum-Gerber

THE 15 MINUTE MARKETER: 5 WAYS TO QUICKLY ATTRACT CUSTOMERS

THE 15 MINUTE MARKETER:

“5 Ways To Quickly Attract More Customers Without Spending a Dime”

 by Nancy Gerber

My Dad owned a printing supply company in Brooklyn, NY back in the days when there were no computers, cell phones, fax or answering machines. He sold what printers needed to complete their customer jobs on small printing presses — typical supplies were ink, solutions to clean the type and presses, lubricants for the machinery and specialty paper stock. Growing up, I was in the store often after school to help out. I watched him build and maintain relationships with his customers. I can still see him standing in front of his large drafting table, planning out his next day’s route, laying out the index cards with information and notes about each one. I remember the laughter and warmth between him and the people who would call or stop in to see him. I know that he and his customers were understanding and supportive of each other when times were tough. He spent his time, rather than his money, on creating and maintaining customer attraction, and kept that business going successfully for over thirty years. Although times have changed, I’ve learned a lot from my Dad’s actions, attitude and commitment to the processes and systems he developed for his business. If Alzheimer’s hadn’t robbed him of his abilities, I know he’d get a kick out of what’s going on today. Here are some Morty Birnbaum-inspired low or no cost customer attraction tips.

 1. Think low tech, high touch. These days, even though we have so many high tech tools available to us, it’s absolutely essential to make human interaction a priority. Instead of an e- mail, make a phone call. Instead of bouncing voice mails, schedule a face-to-face or telephone meeting. Too many of us are using technology as an excuse to remain isolated. Time to get over that, and fast.

2. Reach out to former customers or clients Touch base to see how they’re doing. Find out what they need. Create a special offer (with a deadline, of course!) to get them excited about reconnecting with you and your company.

 3. Treat whoever contacts you like royalty Whoever is the main point of contact — especially first contact — needs to be trained to pay attention and be nice, polite and helpful to every single person who calls, e-mails, or walks through the door. Learn, teach and model a service-oriented attitude. Since this kind of behavior is so rare these days, you and your business will stand apart and above the rest.

 4. Collect contact info from everyone who visits Once you get permission to do so, you can reach out with special offers and opportunities for them alone. You can share useful info not readily available. Make them feel special and privileged. Give them a reason to keep coming back.

5. Reward those who refer others Referrals from happy customers are the absolute best way to get more happy customers. This week, use your 15 Marketing Mambo minutes every day to choose ONE new customer attraction strategy. Make a commitment to incorporating this tactic regularly. Create a SPECIFIC easily do-able plan, and start NOW! Who can you ask to hold you accountable for implementing these actions? **************************************************

 With businesses, you go to the same places because you like the service, you like the people and they take care of you. They greet you with a smile. That’s how people want to be treated, with respect. That’s what I tell my employees.. customer service is very important. — Magic Johnson

15 MINUTE MARKETER: ‘DOES DOING GOOD FEEL BAD?’

‘Does Doing Good Feel Bad?’

Growth is a fascinating and ever-continuing journey.  Just when we think we’ve made some progress, and are ready for the well deserved payoff for our efforts, another unexpected curve appears in the road. At these times, an appreciation of irony and the ability to laugh at our unique human
experience are the best tools to help us navigate through our latest under-construction zone.  A great example is  what happens when we try to do good for ourselves and the others in our lives. 

We’ve worked really hard to become more aware of how we resist and reject success by tossing an endless variety of roadblocks in our own way.  With great effort, we develop other options — different and more effective
self-talk, beliefs, responses and actions that will reduce the quantity and difficulty of the obstacles.  We get to the point where we’re sometimes able to catch ourselves before or right at the moment where we could stray from our newly discovered better way — and we achieve the glorious victory of making a more appropriate choice.  We say ‘yes’ to what will
move us forward, ‘no’ to what’s keeping us stuck, or use our time and energy more wisely.

It’s at this point that we expect to finally experience some pride, satisfaction and happiness.  Ironically, its precisely at this point that the
opposite feelings pop up.  Doing good feels bad!   We’re impatient and remind ourselves of all the time we’re wasting by taking a different track.  We’re surprised when our distaste for cleaning up our clutter or keeping up with the checkbook hasn’t magically morphed into pleasure and delight.  That profound and dramatic shift in the way we think about ourselves and our life does not suddenly land upon our shoulders like a royal satin cloak.  Truth be told, doing what’s right seems to feel WORSE! 

Changing our behavior doesn’t automatically alter our responses.  The tempting seduction of giving in to the quick-fix, short term solutions that offer immediate gratification and the illusion of relief
from feeling ‘icky’ will always be a factor.  Feeling good — or at least better — will come with time and cumulative effort.  Our responses
will begin to change when we have evidence that our new choices are creating different results.   And, just like physical fitness activities, while
we may never truly enjoy taking the actions that are best for us, we’ll certainly LOVE the results.  The key is to acknowledge and own the ‘inappropriate’ feelings while continuing on with what we know we
need to do.

What ‘right actions’ are you trying to include in your life?  What negative or unexpected feelings are coming up?  What needs to happen for you to
continue on your path in spite of these feelings?

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But goodness alone is never enough. A hard cold wisdom
is required, too, for goodness to accomplish good.
Goodness without wisdom invariably accomplishes evil.
~ Robert Heinlein

Goodness is the only investment that never fails.
~ Henry David Thoreau

To talk goodness is not good. Only to do it is.
~ Chinese Proverb

It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing.
~ Mahatma Gandhi

When we are happy we are always good, but when we are
good we are not always happy.
~ Oscar Wilde

It isn’t hard to be good from time to time.  What’s tough is being good every day.
~ Willie Mays

Take your life in your own hands and what happens?   A terrible thing:  no one to blame.
~ Erica Jong

Do what’s good for you, or you’re not good for anybody.
~ Billy Joel

THE 15 MINUTE MARKETER: “THINK ONLY OF CUTTING”

THE 15 MINUTE MARKETER: 
“Think Only of Cutting”

by Nancy Gerber

We are a society of multi-taskers.  We talk on the phone while we make dinner while we do laundry while we surf the net while we watch TV.  We check our e-mail while on a conference call and order lunch as we write a proposal.  We take pride in our ability to keep lots of balls in the air at the same time. 

The truth is that what we call multi-tasking is actually shifting our attention every few seconds from task to task to task.  In reality, we’re wired to only
do one thing at a time.  We create and buy into the illusion of simultaneous accomplishment, while, in reality, we act superficially with less than optimal results.

We manifest this pattern in our mental and emotional life, too.  We agonize over our choices, delaying action while trying to anticipate every possible
outcome and make the “right” decision.  When we finally DO get moving, we continue second guessing, flagellating ourselves with “shoulds” and guilt for
not being somewhere else or doing that other important activity.  Is it any wonder that many of us feel drained and depleted at the end of the day?

Chin-Ning Chu quotes many wise masters in her life changing book “Thick Face, Black Heart — The Warrior Philosophy for Conquering the Challenges of Business and Life”.  Among them is the 16th century Japanese
sword master Miyamoto Musashi who said, “Whatever state of mind you are in, ignore it.  Think only of cutting.”

What a powerful reminder!  As much as we like to complicate our lives, the answer really is this simple — the key to success is simply to make a commitment, and focus on it’s execution. 

When distracted, our aim is deflected.  Our blade may graze a tree, or bounce off a rock.  It will soon become dull and unable to do the thing for which it was designed. High achievers know this and have sharpened their ability to tune out unnecessary input and focus on the task at hand. 

When we try to do to much, when we fill our plates and stretch our bandwidth to the limit without allowing extra time and space to think, percolate and create, we usually wind up with a lot of incompletes and
disappointments — certainly not the outcomes we want!

Every day business life brings a continuous stream of challenges and distractions. There will always be e-mail to answer, phone calls to make, reading and writing to complete, things to organize. How we plan for — and
choose to respond — will determines our results.

This week, use your 15 Marketing Mambo minutes everyday to consider, clearly decide on and commit to what in your business you’re trying to “cut” in the next 12 months.

What state of mind is necessary in order to accomplish your tasks at the highest level?  What kind of help do you need?  What projects must be “back-burnered” to free up time and space for your main objective?

Copyright 2008 by Nancy Birnbaum-Gerber 

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Concentrate all your thoughts on the task at hand.
The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.
– Alexander Graham Bell

THE 15 MINUTE MARKETER: “Are You Overlooking Your Best Resources?”

THE 15 MINUTE MARKETER: 
“Are You Overlooking Your Best Resources?”

by Nancy Gerber

When in need of input or advice, we often forget that help is usually closer than we think.

A colleague invited me to attend a recent luncheon meeting of the local Atlanta Chapter of an organization of professional women in a conventionally male-dominated field.  She moderated a panel discussion with three successful business owners who shared their unvarnished
advice and practical insights.

I’m always delighted to meet intelligent and successful women who are traveling an unconventional path, and I came away from this meeting motivated and energized.  Although we work in different fields, the issues
were familiar.  Especially amusing was the moment when the animated panel members were asked how they handled stress and life balance issues–they all fell silent, looked at each other to see who would speak up first,
and no one did!

The questions from the audience members were thoughtful, intriguing and challenging–as useful and stimulating as queries from an experienced coach.  The advice and insights from the panel were authentic and wise–one even reminded the group that not everyone is cut out to or has the drive to own their own business, and that there are many ways to honor themselves and make progress in their careers without taking the specific road that the panel members have traveled.  That struck a chord with many of the women present.

So often we choose to struggle alone, uncomfortable with the idea of requesting assistance, holding tight to our pride and our self-sufficient image.  Although, of course, there are no guarantees, each of us has an
incredible richness of resources within easy reach.  All we need to do is open our mouths and ask.

What valuable sources of support might you be overlooking?

This week, use your 15 Marketing Mambo minutes every day to consider what resources you need to grow your business in the next 12 months.

Who do you know who can help you find and implement these vital items? How will you ask them for help?

Copyright 2008 by Nancy Birnbaum-Gerber 

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Do you know what happens to scar tissue?  It’s the
strongest part of the skin.
– Michael R. Mantell

15 MINUTE MARKETER: Simple 4 Step Marketing Formula

THE 15 MINUTE MARKETER: 
The Simple 4 Step Marketing Formula That ALWAYS Gets Results
by Nancy Gerber

Anything that provides information about your business is a marketing message.  It could be the copy on your web site, an e-mail about an upcoming program or a new development in your company.  It could be a flyer or a yellow page advertisement.  It can be a podcast or a
You Tube video.  Even product order forms (the really good ones crafted by experts) are stand-alone marketing messages.

In the simplest terms, the purpose of a marketing message is to get the people who read it to take specific actions that will serve them while growing your business in some way.

Before you start working on your marketing message, there are two preliminaries that must be in place.

First, before you write a word, know exactly what action you want your readers (or listeners or viewers) to take. 

Also, you must communicate the benefits of what you’re offering to your audience.  We’ve all received messages in one form or another from businesses announcing some “exciting event”.  I’ve received announcements about rebranding, awards, moving to a new location, new programs or services, staffing changes, and so on.  Unless the announcement has relevance to me, and only if I can see some reason
that it will benefit ME to learn more or pay attention, will I keep it and act on it.  Otherwise, it’s tossed in the trash. I’m pretty sure your
response is the same.  This is a vital lesson:  remember that everyone out there is tuned to radio station WII-FM — “What’s In It For Me”.

Think of these two items as the framework — your concrete slab and framing for your house.  Now, here are the walls, doors, windows and roof — otherwise known as “Direct Marketing” principles (I learned this formula from one of my mentors, Dan Kennedy).

Make your OFFER.  Be specific.  Spell it out for the reader.  Describe the opportunity, product, or service.  Highlight how it solves their problems,
reduces their pain and provides specific solutions. As noted above, an offer is NOT your new company name or the industry award you just won.  Create an offer that ties in to that news, and then you’ve got something
the reader will care about.

Attach your offer to a DEADLINE.  It can be a time deadline — this price is good for the next 48 hours only.  It can be a scarcity deadline — only 3 spots are available in this coaching program.  It can be a numerical limit — the first 10 people who order get this additional bonus.

Also, be sure to include a “call to ACTION” in your message — tell readers exactly what they should do and by when they need to do it.

Most important, as I’ve noted in so many other articles, you must know clearly who your TRIBE is. (Dan Kennedy calls this your ‘heard’.) Who are your ideal customers?  What do they want? Where is their pain?  What are their problems?  What’s important to them?  Knowing this will help you create offers that will appeal specifically to and get responses from the
people who want what you have to offer.

Here’s an easy way to remember this formula:  ADOT

A for ACTION
D for DEADLINE
O for OFFER
T for TRIBE

This week, use your 15 Marketing Mambo minutes every day to study offers crafted by the experts.  Read e-zines, look at sales pages and e-mails.  Google people like Dan Kennedy, Kendall Summerhawk, Milana Leshinsky, Alexandria Brown, Tom Antion and Adam Urbanski, to mention just a few of the folks I admire. Check out marketing messages in the media.  Pay
attention to successful infomercials, commercials and ads you see often — Pro Active and Nutri Systems are two examples.  If something is repeated a lot on TV, you know it’s working — a company won’t continue to invest big bucks in repeating it if there isn’t a large response. Look for the ‘ADOT’s’ common to them all.  How can you start applying these principles to
YOUR marketing?

Copyright 2008 by Nancy Birnbaum-Gerber 

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No matter what your product is, you are ultimately in the education business. Your customers need to be constantly educated about the many advantages of doing business with you, trained to use your products more
effectively, and taught how to make never-ending improvement in their lives.
~ Robert G Allen