More Than A Few Words

To develop really effective marketing, you need to be clear about your brand position, what makes you uniquely qualified to earn the business of your customers. Look beyond the technical skills and product specifications to the intangible elements. What should customers think and how should they feel as they interact with the brand. Sounds simple, but it isn’t. Being high quality, hardworking, offering leading-edge technology or providing good service are important but they are not things which really set a company apart. Why? Think about it, how often to you hear about a company which offers crappy service, high prices, poor technology or inferior products? These benefits put you on parity with everyone in your market. Your position statement must be more. So the hunt for  something unique begins. Unfortunately, it’s hard work, and many companies take the easy road, trying to combine two or more benefits which really don’t go together. The result is marketing that feels like a giant game of tug-of-war, pushi

According to our guest Merit Kahn, it is one thing to be really well versed in what you're going to say to a prospect and how you're going to go through your sales process but you need to engage the prospect. If you are having your best presentation ever, but the person that you're talking to is not open to hearing new ideas it won't matter how great your solution is the conversation isn't going to end well.  She suggests you begin any conversation by confirming your audience was open to receiving your message with four simple words:  "Are you open to"  The phrase is so simple, yet so powerful.    About Merit Kahn CEO of SELLect Sales Development. Sales & Business Development expert. Certified Emotional Intelligence expert. Certified Speaking Professional. Entrepreneur since 1998. Author. Stand-up comedian. Writer, producer and performer of a one-woman inspiring comedy show. Single mom of a teen.

It isn’t practical to drive looking only in the rear view mirror. Even if you think you know what is in front of you, sooner or later you will run into something you didn’t expect. When you run your business simply by reviewing your bottom line, you are driving using your rear view mirror. Why? Because the monthly revenue number is a lagging indicator, telling you how well you have done. There is no preview of the months to come. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is important to look at your P&L as a score sheet, but if you want a road map, you need to pay attention other business tools which are leading indicators. These numbers tell you months in advance if you are heading in the right direction, or if a course correction is needed. Closing Rate is one of the Great Predictive Business Tools This simple number drives your marketing budget. The better your closing rate, the fewer leads you need and the less you need to spend on advertising. So how good are you? How often do you walk away with a sale after a

What is the difference between an thought and an idea.  It is not just semantics according to my guest Bruno Pesec.   A thought is something fleeting.  It becomes an idea when you write it down and start formulating a process to bring it to life.    Ideas are free, but the time and resources required to bring them to life are not.  So before you pull the trigger on that idea you need to think about the value of the idea. Who will it serve, how does it fit into your business and what will it take to bring that idea to reality?    About Bruno Bruno Pešec helps business leaders innovate profitably. He is one of the rare innovators who can claim that he has worked on a regulation-defying freight train and an award-winning board game for teaching entrepreneurship and innovation. With ten years of experience in different industries—including defense, manufacturing, education, entertainment, and financial services—he has delivered projects that had positive impact on GDP of several countries, succeeded and failed

Has this happened at your house?  It is Christmas morning and after your child gleefully tears open a present, finding their much anticipated toy inside, they are disappointed because the batteries were not included. What usually ensues is a mad dash around the house as everyone searches for the right battery, followed by a trip to the store which may or may not be open on Christmas morning. Regardless of how the battery is ultimately found, the chaos and the time between opening the box and eventually turning on the toy diminishes the enjoyment of that first moment of play.  This could have easily been avoided if someone had simply checked to see if batteries were included in the box. The same is true for many websites.  The eagerly anticipated launch date arrives and suddenly there are questions. What about the SEO or social media links and profiles?  Why is there still Greek text on some of the interior pages?  Much like the batteries, these issue arise because there isn’t clear understanding of what is in

Some people think that chaos is a dirty word. But as my guest Robert Raymond Riopel suggests, a little bit of chaos in your life is a good thing. He suggests that as as human beings, one of our primary functions is to evolve and chaos is actually what forces us to evolve.  When you courageously volunteer for chaos, instead of allowing it to overwhelm you can takes steps to proactively change and improve your situation.     About Robert Raymond Riopel An international Best-Selling author, App Designer, Entrepreneur and Trainer who has spent the past 18+ years travelling around the world sharing his passion. He has also shared the stage with and trained many of the top trainers and thought leaders in the world today.

What is a non-fiction brand?  It is a brand that is true and authentic in its reflection of a company.  To build your non-fiction brand, my guest DP Knudten you need to start with a hard look in the mirror. As a business owner you need to go beyond the surface to discover exactly who you are, what you do, and how you do it. Those three things right there which comprise  your brand proposition are absolutely fundamental because that's what makes you different than someone who does the exact same thing across the street.   About DP  DP has worked on some of the biggest brands in the business, including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Great Wolf Resorts, ClosetMaid, and Georgia-Pacific, and at agencies like DDB Needham/Chicago and McCann Erickson/Atlanta. A writer by trade, he enjoys playing in the intersection between the visual and the verbal, using his NonFiction Branding™ approach to move people—and product. DP is also the author of NONFICTION BRAND—Discover, craft and communicate the ‘completely true / completely y

The more you know about a prospect, the easier it is to sell. Asking questions is a great way to learn what you need to know and avoid wasting time talking about your product or solution if you don't know if you are talking to the right person . So, what should you be asking? Of course, there are the basic question which kick off the conversation. Why did you call me? What are you hoping we can do? What kind of time frame are you looking for? Why now? This is my favorite question because it helps me understand what has changed or what their pain point is. I use this information to match the right points in the service presentation to what they need. Beyond the basics are the tough questions salespeople are reluctant to ask because sometimes the answers make them uncomfortable. But these questions are critical to helping determine if you are talking to a qualified prospect, someone who has the resources, motivation, and authority to buy from you.   Here are some of those tough, but important questions:   Do y

If you are like me, you probably spend a lot of time on social Media. While these tools are helpful, are they the best resource for your business.  My guest, Megan Brame has eliminated both her Facebook and Instagram profiles. How is she generating leads? By going back to basics, relying on word of mouth, phone calls and email.    Megan Brame  is a 5x award-winning entrepreneur, author, and Advanced Digital Marketing Strategist. She helps entrepreneurs develop value-based marketing initiatives that create ride-or-die customers for life.  She is also the host of  Stop Sucking at Business Podcast

Like many business owners I made the transition from paper to digital tools a few years ago, but some days it feels as if I am juggling too many digital tools.  So my goal for this year is to streamline my digital toolkit and make those tools really productive.  To help me do that I turned to Dr. Frank Buck, author of Get Organized Digitally for a few productivity tips and tricks.  He suggests:  It is time to get rid of the sticky notes and paper tasks lists and get yourself a good digital task list.  Look for a tool which connects to your calendar and address book with both desktop and mobile versions  Say goodbye to scrambling for pen every time you have an idea. With a good notes application you capture all those brilliant ideas that pop into your head and come back to them when you have time.  Above all select tools you feel comfortable using.  Dr. Frank Buck Most people are overwhelmed by the amount of paper and digital information in their lives. Frank Buck makes organization easy so you can increase pr

Marketing is addicting. You do a little marketing, you get results, you do a little more and suddenly you’re hooked. You can’t imagine your business surviving without the jolt from your social media, Yellow Page ad, email marketing or whatever you use to get your marketing buzz. Your addiction isn’t necessarily a bad thing if the marketing activities are generating results. Just remember that when experimenting with any addictive substance, there is a danger of abuse. So how do you manage your marketing habit in a healthy way? It will take more to get high As other businesses notice a particular type of marketing is working, they will flock to the tool. For example, 10 years ago, average open rates on emails were routinely 50%; even 70% wasn’t uncommon. Today, your readers are overloaded with email as every one of your competitors has jumped into the email marketing game. The same is true for social media, print, radio and even Google AdWords. When faced with declining responses, it is easy to fall into the t

Lots of people make the mistake of thinking good design is just a pretty picture. But, as our guest Jacqui Naunton  explains, it is so much more that that.  And when done correctly can have an enormously positive impact on your business. It starts with a good first impression because people are inundated with images every day and so you only have a split second to make a statement or create an impression, getting people to stop long enough to learn more.  You need to be confident about your brand design so you want to show it off to others. Invest in the visual assets up front to give legitimacy to your business. The quality of your design sets expectations about your pricing and the level of service you deliver.   About Jacqui Naunton Jacqui Naunton is a graphic design expert focused on equipping small business owners with the tools, confidence and know-how to create their own stand out brand and graphics. Through her signature program, DIY Design My Biz, Jacqui teaches passionate business owners including

Have you ever been to a website that just makes you feel right at home? Everything is where it's supposed to be. And you know, you've come to the right place. That's a website that's was designed with the user experience in mind. What is user experience?  According to our guest Joey Donovan Guido user experience is the positive, negative, or neutral experience somebody has when they show up on your website. This is important, because when somebody arrives, and they feel comfortable, know where they've landed, have a really good idea of what to do next it goes a long way to building trust before they ever ever talk to you.  Websites are very much like an apartment or a house. Things get cluttered with piles of stuff and boxes and dust. And that happens on websites. There's all this noise and distraction with multiple calls to action, and three navigations and moving pictures and elements. The visitor is overwhelmed and may leave thinking, "Hey, nice to see you, Lorraine, but your house is a mess, I'm leavin

One of the things I love about living n Indianapolis is the activity at the racetrack.   Yes, it is true, I am a race geek.   I love the cars, the drivers, the back story and the history. I have a favorite spot high in turn one for qualifications, and there is nothing quite like the feeling when you hear the call for , "ladies and gentleman start your engines!" Watching the car and motorcycle races throughout the year one thing is obvious: winning teams can't sit on their laurels. If Team Penske assumed they didn’t need to change anything in their setup or engine configuration because they won last year, it's a safe bet they won’t be in the winner’s circle this year. If they continued to hold all elements constant, they would fall further and further behind their competitors at each race. Why? Because racing is a competitive business. Someone is always raising the stakes, trying something new and challenging the status quo. Not every change works--for example, the 2012 Lotus engine program was a spectacular f

So you want to start a business but you really don't have an idea of what you want to do.  In that case, a franchise might be just what you're looking. Our guest, Diane Pleuss has matched hundreds of entrepreneurs with their perfect fit franchise opportunity.    Franchising is often a good fit, when seasoned professionals think about leaving their corporate roles behind. Maybe they have been downsized, or maybe they just want a change. They have skills and resources and are looking for a future that looks different then what they have been doing. Some people are looking for financial stability and others flexibility.  While purchasing a franchise make be a good fit for both, it won't necessarily be the same franchise.  About Diane Since 2004, Diane has matched hundreds of entrepreneurs with  their perfect fit franchise opportunity, while successfully guiding them to avoid rookie mistakes – at no cost to her clients.  As a  result, they are creating wealth, making an impact in their marketplace and enjoying th

Even for the most accomplished writer, creating an effective blog post takes time.  This is especially true as the word count requirements have grown. Even if it is only an hour or two, over the course of the year, that adds up. As you are working on your plan, make a list of all the things which need to be done to make that successful. So how long does it really take to write a blog post?  Research (1 hour) – Maybe you are writing from your own experience, but in many cases, you will need facts or data to support your arguments. Writing (1.5 hours) – These days your average blog post should be 500+ words. If you have a good outline, you should be able to knock out the post in the time allotted. Editing and SEO (.5 hours) – Assuming the post is fairly well written, editing should be just a few minutes. Then you will need time to check any links, write the meta description, and confirm that the headings and titles connect to the relevant keywords. Graphics (1 hour) – If you are going to share your blog post on

Small business owners never have enough time. There is always more to do than than a day a day it fits in a day's work. Guest, Alex Brueckmann believes a good strategy becomes your system to prioritize rigorously where you invest your time and also your money.  Your strategy starts with an outline of what you want your business to be.  A great business won't happen by accident. Writing down your vision makes it clear to you, your employees and your customers what your business is really about.  Writing down your vision gives you a starting point to evaluate new opportunities.  Do they fit with your overall plan or are they a distraction.  About Alex  Alex is an entrepreneur, author, executive coach, and board advisor. He built, scaled, and exited companies in Europe and Canada, and led client projects across the world.  His areas of expertise are strategy development, leadership development, and entrepreneurship. His passion lies in helping clients built profitable businesses rooted in purpose. Based in Vanco

It often feels as if the world is just a little nastier than it used to be with online attacks to individuals and businesses.  Well it turns out that's not new. The internet has made it a little bit more visible, but history is filled with examples of public attacks on professionals, politicians and businesses. Jason Viovich thinks we can learn so much from how others have handled criticism and negative feedback throughout history. As you put yourself out there, you need to be prepared for feedback, both good and bad.  The only thing worse than  getting criticism is not getting criticism. As a business owner, you can't take it personally.  You need to take the emotional sting out of an insult and respond strategically.   About Jason In a career that spans more than 25 years, Jason Voiovich has launched hundreds of new products – everything from medical devices, to virtual healthcare systems, to non-dairy consumer cheese, to next-generation alternatives to the dreaded “cone of shame” for pets, to sex aides for

My husband loves scotch and it was on his bucket list to see where it was made. So several years ago, I found myself wandering through distillery after distillery hearing about malting, mash and wort, the importance of good water, roasting temperatures for barley and what yeast does to the mixture. At first I thought all the tours were the same. Then, I began to really listen to the tour guides, watching as each one puffed up with pride as they explained their point of difference, the one thing which made their whisky taste better than any other. So which is best? Well that is a matter a taste. Some people prefer the smoky effect the peat brings to whisky, while others prefer the milder flavors which come from steam heat and triple distilling. Our preferences are impacted by the type of whisky we normally drink, as well the food we pair with it. Given dramatically different taste preferences, there is no way to create a whisky which will please everyone. Instead the best distilleries understand what makes the

We like to think of ourselves as evolved creatures, but according to Felix Cao the primal brain is actually the place where the subconscious mind lives and that actually, influences up to 95% of our everyday decisions. The study of neuromarketing  looks at how the brain is structured and how information physically enters the brain and use the biology to improve your marketing. Felix Cao is a neuromarketing expert and business growth strategist with over 15 years of sales and marketing experience. He has been featured on major media outlets, such as The Huffington Post, Adweek, and Authority Magazine. Felix has appeared as a special guest on a major Canadian radio show where he talked about neuromarketing and the 2019 Canadian election. He also makes frequent appearances on the top business podcasts in the world and contributes to popular publications where he shares the most-up-date insights on how businesses can take their sales and marketing to the next stratosphere by implementing neuromarketing strategies