More Than A Few Words

In this encore episode, we talk about how to use the frustrations, fears, wants and aspirations or your audience, as the foundation of your marketing.    You have probably heard multiple times you need to start your sales process by defining your niche because when you do, you can create more relevant content.   But our guest Leon Streete, says just defining the “who” is not enough.  The demographics only gives you half of the picture. The second part, which is usually the most important part, is to think about what is going on psychologically with your audience. Why is this important?  When people make a buying decision, they make it first with emotion. So if your message has no emotion, you’re not going to get people to the end result. Your sales pitch will be missing the very thing that’s going to get them engaged and interested.   Once you understand those elements you can begin to outline a list of things which frustrate them.  Make the list as long as possible, because every customer will be a little di

Once you're done writing your business plan, pulling together all the numbers, charts and other information the most important thing you can do is share it with other people. Reach out to the smartest people you know, even if they're not in your industry and get their feedback.  Share it with your employees and with your family because they're going to be involved in supporting you as you implement your plan. They need to know what you're planning on doing to they can help you create the business that you really want to build.

Most people think about email marketing as a sales tool. But my guest, Jeff Felten thinks it is so much more.  Email can play a valuable role as a way to build trust and relationships with your audience.  He believes trust is the currency of business.  Without it people don't make buying decisions. So your sales process needs to start with trust. One of the best ways to build trust is with social proof.  When you can demonstrate what you have done for others with case studies and testimonials, it makes it easier for people to visualize what it will be like to work with you.  About Jeff Felten  Jeff is an email marketing strategist and copywriter who helps service-based professionals hustle less for leads and build armies of loyal fans. In 10 yrs of marketing experience, Jeff has written thousands of marketing emails and hundreds of web pages - driving more than $1M in revenue for clients. LEARN MORE https://www.contentremedy.co/welcome-email-mini-course  

What is the right price for your product or service? Most business owners struggle with this question because they confuse the cost of producing the product, with the value that it brings to the customer. Establishing prices for your goods or services  relatively little to do with what it costs you to make it. The real value is how much you help your customers save, increase, reduce or improve . If you can quantify those benefits then you have a foundation for establishing an appropriate price for your goods or services. To calculate your value answer a few questions. How much can my product help a customer earn? Can you help them increase their income directly or indirectly? Does it create a foundation for future opportunities or establish valuable relationships with their customers? What are some of the intangible benefits that your customers might realize and is it possible to quantify those benefits? Will your product improve their abilities, confidence,  appearance, or peace of mind? When you focus on th

Returning guest Ross Keating says that sales is a people business.  While people may say it is the product or the features, it ultimately comes down to people and how well you connect.  The more you understand about your customers, the easier it is to connect.  And Ross shared how using the BANKCODE method can help you do just that.  The simple assessment takes less than 90 seconds to help you discover your Bank Profile based on what you value. Listen to the conversation, then take the assessment for yourself. 

In this encore episode, our guest, author Matthew Turner doesn’t think owning a business needs to feel like your are on a treadmill running hard, and never reaching your goal  In his book Beyond the Pale, he explains that many of us think we own a business, but somehow it starts to own us. When you make a decision to work less, if forces you to think about who do you want to work with? If you have to  choose a type of client what does that client look like? If you are going to choose one personal project what will it be? And finally, what do you want to commit to over the next year, two years, three years. When Matthew made the change in his business he ended up working half the time and earning twice as much.

While I think business goals are important, there is more to life than checking things off your list. If you never stop and celebrate the win, it all becomes really tedious. So find a way to reward yourself, when you actually achieve your goal. It doesn't have to be a big deal. It doesn't have to be very expensive. Pick something that's a little treat or a little reward that will make the moment special. For me, it might be going to visit a friend and then taking a photograph of us together so that every time I look at that picture, it reminds me not only of the fun that we had, but the goal  I achieved. Maybe it's buying a little treat for myself and every time I wear that pair of earrings or that new shirt. It reminds me that it was a reward for something I accomplished. Then I am more likely to be excited about working on something for my next goal. How about you? How do you reward yourself?  

What is the marketing flywheel?  A real flywheel, that builds energy, as you push it slowly over time it gets faster and faster and faster.  A marketing flywheel will do that as well. With consistent action, the marketing flywheel will deliver more and more results.  Out guest, Josh Ramsey explains there are three parts to the marketing flywheel that work together to accelerate your business. Building memories so customers think of you when they are ready to buy Maximizing availability so customers can find you when they are ready Reach the market  by building connections between your products and needs of potential customers.  Put your messages where they can find you    About Josh Josh Ramsey is the Business Development Manager at ClearBrand.com. A digital Marketing Agency focused on data-driven marketing that gets results; more leads and sales. He believes that without good marketing, businesses die and people suffer, and that ethical, scientific marketing can change the world.

 It would be wonderful if you just hung a sign out, opened your doors and customers came.  Unfortunately, for most of us that's not how it works.  You don't accidentally bump into business on a regular basis. If you want a sustainable business you need to have a sustainable process for your sales.  That process includes a standard  procedure to generate leads and then  screen and identify who's a good prospect and who's not.  You need to have a process for stepping people through a sales conversation, following up and eventually closing the sale.  And finally, after the sale is is important to stay in contact, requesting those testimonials and keeping that conversation going so customers refer you to your next opportunity. The sales plan is just one element of your overall business plan.  Ready to start working on your plan or updated your existing one?  Check out our new self-paced Business Map Class. 

Maybe you think your business is too small to take advantage of PPC.  Our guest, Ameet Khabra doesn't think that is true. You can use this powerful tool as long as remember that Google is not doing something out of the goodness of their heart.   Google is not a charity, it is a business.  Everything they do to improve search and analytics is ultimately designed to increase their advertising sales.  So use the tools, look at their suggestions, but always remember their goals are not always aligned with yours.  About Ameet Look up the definition of "obsessed" and you'll find a picture of Ameet. She has spent the last decade figuring out why people do what they do online, what prompts them to take action, and how to use this insight to make marketing work better. Today she uses that experience to design dazzling campaign strategies for our clients and teach future generations of PPC pros at the university level.

I am an optimist. I believe things will work out.  However, when it comes to my business I also know that things can go wrong, and planning is not being negative, it is being prepared. Accidents happen. Even minor mishaps can be major catastrophes for small business owners. Every year, thousands of companies are unprepared for the interruption caused by a minor fire, flood, and burglary or computer meltdown. Creating, and implementing a Business Continuity Plan as part of your overall business plan ensures your business survives any disaster. Are you prepared? I have seen studies which say anywhere from 25 – 75 percent of businesses suffering a disaster fail to reopen or close soon after. While the stats may vary, the general consensus is a well thought out recovery plan matched with appropriate insurance makes the difference between survival and business extinction. What should your disaster planning process include? Computer Backup – For many small business owners, the computer is the heart and soul of the

In this episode we chatted with Jan Cavelle about connecting your emotions to your marketing, and more importantly, connecting to your customer's emotions.   How do you do that? Jan suggests you start by being consistent about the picture of yourself you are putting forward in public, both in person and on social media. This helps people frame a firm picture of who you are allowing them to connect to you and your brand.   More than a Few Words is a  marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball 

From our archive:  You have only a few moments to make that great first impression and you  won’t stand out by sounding like everyone else.  You need to find a way to be first, best or different. And if you choose different, make sure your point of difference is actually relevant to your customer.  Beyond that first impression, our guest Mike Verret explains that your words will have an effect on others, so choose them carefully.    Mike solves problems that plague small businesses by giving them a unique perspective of what he sees in their goals. He believes that any marketing message is wrong if it doesn’t speak to us in normal human terms. And he thinks that corporate language is absolutely nuts. Who “ideates?” We think. We don’t have “Key Performance Indicators.” We have goals. Business forgets to be human. Mike understands how consumers think, and he helps businesses avoid the risk of losing their Humanity!

I spent the early part of my career in manufacturing. One of the most important lessons I learned was that of capacity.  When you know how much you can produce you can set realistic targets for your our sales team, making sure they don't  sell more than you could produce. At the same time you don't want them selling so far below your capacity you are sitting around twiddling your thumbs. Understanding your capacity is gives you tremendous control over your pricing. If you're bumping up against your capacity constraint, don't add another employee. Just raise your price. Now you make more money and actually do less work.  Capacity Planning is just one element of your overall business plan.  Ready to work on your plan?  Check out our self-paced business plan workshop. 

Influencers, people who have a following comprised of people who pay attention to who they are and what they do can help you deliver your message.  In this episode, Madison Masterson explains how those people can impact your marketing, even if you have a small business. You may not be able to afford a celebrity for your brad, but that doesn't mean you can't find someone who has influence with your audience to tell your story.  About Madison At the age of twenty five, Madison Masterson has created Mad Marketing from the ground up. She was told by doctors from a young age that she would not be able to attend college due to health problems where she experienced upwards of 15 seizures a day. Madison proved them wrong. She graduated top 25 and obtained a master's degree with a perfect 4.0 at the University of South Florida, all while running a successful marketing business. That business is Mad Marketing   More than a Few Words  a marketing conversation for business owners is just one of the resources in the Digit

With all of the emphasis on A.I. driven content, search and advertising, the question is how will human beings survive. Like any good sci-fi, the answer lies in human innovation.  It is in our ability to think outside the box and not follow the rules that is the essence of a smart content marketing strategy. Sure you can do what everyone else is doing or you can create innovative, independent.  and individualized content to help you survive the rise of the machine.

Stacey Hall wants to shift your paradigm on the role of the salesperson. She believes traditional, old school techniques of always closing and working to overcome objections just aren't the best approach for the majority of salespeople and their customers.  Instead, she has developed a new approach she calls the ABC's of selling : Alignment, Belief and Consistency.    About Stacey  Stacey has coached thousands of entrepreneurs on how to attract sales, satisfaction, and success. She is a bestselling author, a TEDx presenter, and a leading social media marketing expert. She is founder of Success with Stacey Hall and of the groundbreaking social media marketing training program, Go for YES, which has helped thousands of people attract more sales, customer, and employee satisfaction and success. Her new book is, Selling from Your Comfort Zone: The Power of Alignment Marketing

I a sci-fi geek.  As a kid I discovered Isaac Asimov's stories of good robots who were driven by a code driving them to helpful an supportive of human beings and dystopian sci-fi with the rise of evil machines that take over the world. As I'm evaluating the emergence of A.I. in content creation, advertising and search I'm trying to decide are we in the era of Isaac Asimov's good robots or there dystopian terminator? Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum it is clear, A.I will dramatically change digital marketing. Looking to keep up with the changes?  It is time to join the Digital Toolbox Club  

I have often been told that I have a strong personality and it kind of came through in my business but I never really thought about the fact that all businesses have personality. Guest Naomi Garza talks about the  importance of including ourselves in our business strategy. So many business schools teach us to get to know our ideal customers and competitors but none that I've seen start the process of looking at ourselves first - how can our businesses thrive based on what works for US as well as our customers. How do you do that?  Start with your personality, core values and aspirational state.   Learn more about your brand personality https://brandwhisperers.com.au/

From our archive - Originally broadcast on 2/14/2020 enjoy this encore conversation with Matt Nettleton.  Sometimes, as a sales person heads out to make cold calls, it feels like they are trying to storm a castle.  They prepare to battle their way in the door.  My coach, sales professional Matt Nettleton says it doesn't have to be that way. Armed with a series of strategic questions, and a willingness to really listen to the answers, a sales person can actually encourage prospects to lower their defenses and actually invite the sales person in. KEY TAKEAWAY: Always go into a sales conversation with a list of prepared questions to uncover what a prospect really needs and guide the conversation.