Saturday, September 25, 2010
Facebook Tips from Drew
Last time I checked, Facebook would be the 3rd largest country in the world, behind China & India.
Drew has some tips on how to use this platform in your marketing plan:
Facebook tip #413: Start with a question
Posted: 17 Sep 2010 05:31 AM PDT
Everyone and their brother has built a Facebook Fan page or has a Facebook account. And the ultimate goal is to get more LIKES and more interaction.
It makes sense -- no one is going to buy from you until they know who you are.
Sadly, most people approach this "new" media with the same methodology as they've used in traditional media. I call it the "Let me tell you all about me" method.
Imagine being at a party (because social media is a lot like a cocktail party) and a stranger or someone you barely know walks up to you and says...
"Hi, aren't you glad to see me? I'm quite fascinating, aren't I? Let me tell you a little about me. I graduated from college in 1994 and began an illustrious career as a physician. And I must tell you, my bedside manner is the buzz around around the hospital."
When you see it illustrated like that -- it's clearly insane. And yet, pay attention to what shows up in your Facebook NewsFeed and watch the businesses and business people tell you all about themselves. Yuck. (If you're grimacing right now, it's because YOU do this!)
On the flip side, watch a master communicator like Scott Ginsberg (the nametag guy) demonstrate the way to begin to build relationships. You ask questions. Scott is constantly posing relevant, off the wall, sometimes just plan odd questions. And boy does he get participation.
Why? Because people will fall over themselves to talk about... themselves. How do you make a sale? Get people to talk about themselves.
Are you seeing the connection?
If you want to build an active community that knows who you are and what you do -- know who they are and what they do. Learn all about them by asking questions.
What would be a talk-generating question you could ask your online audience today?
Sphere: Related ContentValue
From Jill Konrath:
Daily Sales Tip: Simplify and Specialize Value
It's true that most buyers zero in on value, but the definition of value varies from prospect to prospect.
That's why the best salespeople do as much research as possible before contacting the prospect. This way, they can provide benefit statements that speak directly to the prospect's biggest hot-button needs, and offer solutions that help solve their biggest problems.
Personalizing selling points to match prospects' needs keeps the sales call on target and helps ensure that the salesperson doesn't lose the prospect's attention by focusing on benefits that have no bearing on the prospect's business.
Source: Sales consultant/author Jill Konrath
Friday, September 24, 2010
Friday Night Marketing News from Mediapost
Click & Read:
Automotive
by Karl Greenberg
Optima has an opportunity because consumers in the mid-sized car segment are conditioned to expect that they come in one flavor -- vanilla. Thus, says Kia VP Marketing, Michael Sprague, the new Optima will stand out. "Lots of people buy on reliability and dependability. But our research shows that the only significant reason that styling hasn't been just as important is because until now there has not been a design-centered focus." ...Read the whole story >>
Telecom
by Aaron Baar
"If you think about the marketing communication within the wireless community, it's all smartphone-focused," J.D. Power's Kirk says. "They're hoping the customers that have a traditional feature phone will get an upgrade." However, two things are keeping many who don't see the immediate need for the bells and whistles of a smartphone from upgrading: the economy and the additional charges (such as data plans) that come with smartphones. ...Read the whole story >>
Financial Services
by Tanya Irwin For the most part, consumers are happy with their insurance experience, but 12% those surveyed by the Chief Marketing Officer Council say they resent not hearing from companies until it is time to pay the bill. The biggest communications oversight seems to be silence on the part of the insurance companies. ...Read the whole story >>
Sports
by Karl Greenberg
Madison Square Garden is on a roll, inking sponsorship deals for its properties and the teams that play there. The company this week signed with Volkswagen, and made JP Morgan Chase its first and only marquee partner -- a long-term deal that gives the bank unprecedented opportunities around just about every physical and media property MSG has but also gives the company a front row in the transformation of the flagship property. ...Read the whole story >>
Financial Services
by Tanya Irwin The work has resonated with fans. Both TV spots were placed on YouTube in early September, with a spot called "Grandma" receiving nearly 85% of total views. In addition, the videos have gone viral with almost 50% of views watched outside of YouTube. ...Read the whole story >>
Food
by Karlene Lukovitz
Why the education push? While tofu continues to grow in popularity as an ingredient in restaurant offerings, Americans still tend to be intimidated by using these products at home, acknowledges Nasoya VP, marketing Susan Rolnick. "When people learn where I work, I often hear, 'I bought some tofu once and it sat in my fridge until I threw it out. I just didn't know what to do with it.'" ...Read the whole story >>
Sphere: Related Content
Tag Lines
Fun little quiz with a lesson from Villing & Company:
Short or Long Taglines? Maybe That’s Not Even the Right Question.
Let’s have some fun and play a game. Take a guess. What brand does each of these taglines belong to? (Answers at the end of this article.)
- When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.
- Rethink possible.
- Drive one.
- Moving forward.
- Just do it.
- 15 minutes can save you 15 percent or more on car insurance.
- Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.
- The biggest little city in the world.
- What happens in _____, stays in _____.
- A different kind of company. A different kind of car.
- Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman.
- The best part of wakin’ up is _______ in your cup.
- Good to the last drop.
- Don’t leave home without it.
- We try harder.
- Tastes great, less filling.
- Takes a licking and keeps on ticking.
- Pursuing perfection.
- Get there.
- For life.
Well, how many did you get right? (The answers are below.) Now count how many short ones (for this instance, 5 words or less) you got right versus the longer ones. In many cases, the longer ones have been more memorable — many of them have made the “most memorable taglines” lists. Lately though, it seems that more and more companies are turning to shorter (3 words or less) taglines for their brands. Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying longer taglines are always better than shorter ones. (Did anyone get number five wrong? I didn’t think so.) What I am saying is that regardless of the length, a tagline needs to make a meaningful connection with the target audience. Usually that involves provoking some kind of emotion, which is quite often much more difficult with three words than it might be with seven or more.
Take two of the examples above. The first one was FedEx. Their current tagline though is “We Understand.” Which of these two taglines has more emotion built in? And then there is American Express. Their current tagline is “Take charge.” I personally think their previous tagline (#14 in the list above) was more emotional.
So next time you go looking for a new tagline for your brand, instead of considering the number of words, consider the emotional and memorability factors you want it to achieve with your audience. Most importantly, don’t overlook the strategic issues. Does the tagline accurately reflect your positioning and message strategies?
When it comes to taglines, sometimes less really is more. Sometimes it isn’t.
Answers:
- FedEx
- AT&T
- Ford
- Toyota
- Nike
- Geico
- M&M’s
- Reno, Nevada
- Las Vegas
- Saturn
- Secret deodorant
- Folgers
- Maxwell House
- American Express
- Avis
- Miller Lite
- Timex
- Lexus
- Goodyear
- Volvo
If you would like to receive your own personal "subscription" to Villing & Company’s News & Views, click here to get free updates by e-mail or RSS. If you prefer to get updates on Facebook, visit the Villing Facebook Page and click the "Like" button next to our name.
Sphere: Related ContentFlip it
I own (and paid for) some of Jim Meisenheimer's sales materials. It's all excellent stuff.
This is from a recent newsletter:
Upside Down Salesmanship
Upside down salesmanship was the title of a book that never got
written 30 years ago.
It's a long story and I won't bore you with the details.
I like the title because it accurately describes how I think
about the art of selling.
Selling seems to come naturally to lots of salespeople. This
isn't a bad thing and definitely isn't a good thing either.
The things you do instinctively and intuitively may not be the
best things to be doing as you weave your way through your daily
sales calls.
Here are some examples of what I'm referring to.
Talking versus listening. It's a sure bet, if you're in sales
you like to talk. I've been there and done that.
In fact, growing up, my mouth was the center of my universe. Now,
after I turned my approach to salesmanship upside down, my ears
have become the center of my universe.
Look, how much can you learn when you're talking? Not much! No
amount of talking makes your sales prospects think you really
care about them. Talking doesn't, but listening does.
There's multiple benefits to asking questions during a sales call.
The questions clearly demonstrate your interest and curiosity.
The response to your questions provides you with valuable insights
about your sales prospects and customers.
The more you talk the less you're able to tailor your sales
presentation based on what you've learned about your sales prospect,
because the more you talk the less you'll learn.
Asking good questions enables you to pay close attention to your
sales prospects and their problems which of course you want to
solve.
Here's something else that deserves being turned upside down.
Stop selling and start solving. Just because your products and
services offer solutions is no reason to start selling these
solutions too early, which unfortunately is what too many
salespeople end up doing.
Start with your prospects and customers not with your products
and services. You should avoid doing this until you have
identified and quantified the major problems your prospects and
customers are dealing with.
When you can tailorize (my invention) your product and service
solutions to specific and unique problems, it makes selling so
much easier. It also takes some of the heat and pressure off
your pricing.
When I was growing up, one of my favorite movies to watch during
the holiday season was "The March Of The Wooden Soldiers," which
was a Laurel and Hardy musical film released in November 1934.
The marching wooden soldiers were quite a sight. Perfectly
aligned and always in step with each other. Each soldier did
exactly what the other soldiers did in unison.
Follow along with me. Salespeople do exactly the same thing.
For example, a sales prospect asks you to quote on a piece of
business.
So what do you do - you quote on a piece of business and so do
your competitors. Imagine your prospect solicits and gets five
quotations. Also imagine what he's looking for. You think he's
looking for value in a written quote, nah - he's looking for the
lowest and best price.
You can skip the wooden soldier routine. You can also skip doing
quotes and start doing sales proposals. In your sales proposal
you propose value, benefits, bundled products, and all the other
things you're not likely to include in a "Quote."
Another thing that ought to be turned upside down is "Closing
the sale." Closing the sale is actually a very hot topic. I offer
a special report titled, "The Art Of Closing The Sale." During
the last 4.5 years 26,874 salespeople have requested a copy.
It just reinforces my belief that closing the sale is extremely
important to salespeople. As I say, forget about closing and
concentrate on opening.
Yes opening! Opening the friendship. Opening the relationship.
Opening the doors to mutual benefits shared by you and your
prospects. Doesn't this make more sense?
If you want to parade in front of your sales prospects and customers
like wooden soldiers, then by all means A.B.C. - Always Be Closing.
When you think about it, closing usually means the end to something.
Whereas opening means the start of something and usually good things.
One more thing needs to be turned upside down. I believe it's time
management.
First of all, you can't manage time. You can't speed it up or slow
it down. Everyday has 86,400 seconds which you have absolutely no
control over.
You see, you can't manage time but you can and should manage yourself.
Self management is an art and an acquired taste. I encourage all
entrepreneurs and professional salespeople to develop your interest
in self management.
I suspect Upside Down Salesmanship isn't for everyone. And neither
is belonging to the top 1% club in your industry.
Run for the hills if you see lots of wooden soldiers when you look
into your bathroom mirror.
Turn your approach to salesmanship upside down and while you're
doing this be bold, be daring, and be first in everything you do.
According to Investment Guru Warren Buffet, who also happens to be
the world's second richest man, the five most dangerous words in
business may be, "Everybody else is doing it."
Avoid being a copycat - be the original!
Let me know what your reaction is to the concept of Upside Down
Salesmanship. You never can tell, I just may get serious about
writing the book I didn't write 30 years ago.
Sales Trailblazer Sales Training
Home Study Program
http://salestrailblazer.com
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
On-line Sales Training
"How To Succeed In Sales By Really Trying"
http://salestrailblazer.com/SucceedInSales.php
and
How To Close More Sales In Less Time
Even During A Recession
http://www.meisenheimer.com/products/webinarclosingmoresales.htm
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
On-line Sales Management Training
"What Every New Sales Manager Ought To Know About Making
The Transition Into Management"
http://effective-sales-management.com/New-sales-manager-webinar.htm
Let's go sell something . . .
Jim Meisenheimer
22 years . . .
528 customers . . .
72.7% repeat business . . .
P.S. - Can you think of a single good reason why you
wouldn't want to become a Sales Trailblazer in your
industry?
Please forward this Newsletter to someone else who
could benefit from these sales tips and selling strategies -
they'll thank you for it and of course so will I!
See my Blog here: http://jimmeisenheimer.wordpress.com/
Twitter me here: http://twitter.com/jimmeisenheimer
Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/jim.meisenheimer
Jim Meisenheimer. 13506 Blythefield. Lakewood Ranch. FL. 34202
941-907-0415. jim@meisenheimer.com. http://startsellingmore.com
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Thursday Night Marketing News from Mediapost
Click and Read:
Automotive
by Karl Greenberg Volkswagen is sponsoring the New York Rangers for the 2010-11 season in a deal with MSG that includes the VW logo on ice, vehicle displays at Madison Square Garden and on-air activation. The effort also includes an in-arena fan contest, the "Shoot. Score. Drive. Challenge," which puts VW cars and crossovers on ice -- literally -- for a promotional in-game contest dangling Volkswagen vehicles as prizes throughout the season. ...Read the whole story >>
Retail
by Sarah Mahoney
Four out of 10 adults -- the most in the survey's history -- plan to dress in costume, up from 33% last year. And 11.5% of those in survey will get their pets into the spirit of the holiday. (Petsmart already has a photo contest going, and its Howl-O-Ween Shop is featuring a Martha Stewart Mummy Dog costume, tandem looks, so you and your dog can dress alike, and canine lobster suits.) ...Read the whole story >>
Automotive
by Karl Greenberg Toyota's involvement includes broadcast, print and online experiences: In Smithsonian Magazine and online, Toyota will present something called "Featured Five," a listing about each of the venues. Toyota will also donate $1 -- up to $10,000 -- to museum programming nationwide for each online consumer query about its Avalon full-sized sedan. ...Read the whole story >>
Food
by Karlene Lukovitz
Recent product launches -- including Chocolate Cheerios, Wheaties Fuel, new grain snack bars and fruit snack varieties, new Yoplait Greek yogurt varieties and Yoplait Splitz layered yogurts -- helped drive a 2% increase in U.S. retail sales, to $2.45 billion, on top of 6% sales growth in last year's first quarter. Growth was supported by increased marketing. ...Read the whole story >>
Sphere: Related Content
New Ad Campaigns
From Amy:
Don't hassel the Hoff. Baby carrots: the "it" snack. Kindle vs. iPad. Let's launch!
The Aruba Tourism Authority is launching a global brand campaign Sept. 27 that brings back its former tagline, "One Happy Island." This tagline even appears on license plates, so you can be sitting at a red light and be reminded of how good life is. I recently went to Aruba and can attest that everyone was happy... especially me. "Aruba Uncovered" consists of TV, print and outdoor ads. Gone is comedian Lewis Black as spokesman, replaced by Ian Wright, host of the travel/adventure television series, "Globe Trekker." Wright visits the island and interacts with local Arubans in an unscripted format to highlight the island's offerings. Why is everyone happy, wonders Wright in "Anthem." Snorkeling, dancing and fishing cover it. Watch it here. Wright learns about Papiamento, Aruba's local language, while fishing. There is no word for work-related stress. See it here. Being a weatherman in Aruba is easy work. The weather stays the same year-around. Watch "Weatherman" here. Wright is convinced there's a bubble of happiness surrounding Aruba in "Force Field." He takes a group of tourists out boating to verify his theory. Sadly for him, everyone remains happy. See it here. The final ad watches Wright taking Tumba dance lessons. He needs to work on his flexibility. Watch it here. Deutsch New York created the campaign. 
You don't often see a company tackle the behemoth Apple in advertising. Amazon.com changed all that with a TV spot that pits its e-reader Kindle against Apple's iPad. The ad takes place poolside at a luxury hotel. A man is having trouble reading off his iPad due to the sun's glare. A woman next to him reads effortlessly and glare-free from her Kindle. She takes an additional jab at Apple when she tells the man she spent more money on her sunglasses than her Kindle, which cost $139. Let's face it: Apple brand loyalists have no problem dropping big bucks on the latest first generation Apple product, despite kinks. See the ad here, created in-house and produced by Eyeball.
Nowadays, an innocent click on a search result can lead to catastrophe. PCs need protection from David Hasselhoff and Dolph Lundgren. What? Hasn't the Hoff suffered enough, having been voted off "Dancing with the Stars" last night? His latest role is cybercriminal in a series of hysterical, yet informative, online videos for Norton Internet Security 2011. "Every click matters" in Norton's "Allow vs. Deny" campaign. Hasselhoff and Lundgren are thieves paired with an oscillating fan and unicorn, harmless objects posing as a person's online bank account and computer password. Visitors to the site have the option to allow or deny Hoff and Lundgren access. Hasselhoff dislikes oscillating fans because they muss his hair. If allowed access to the fan, Hoff destroys it by shaking his wet hair, causing the fan to spark. See it here. If you deny Hoff access, however, the fan morphs into a yummy pretzel. Once Hoff grabs the pretzel, the fan appears and severs his fingers, causing Hoff to run away screaming. Watch it here. Lundgren's videos are equally great, if not better. He's ready to kick ass and take names. His opponent is a unicorn that thinks about rainbows. If allowed access, Lundgren makes "unicorn on the cob." See it here. When denied, Lundgren pulls out his gun, only to be felled by unicorn dust that makes his head explode. Watch it here. Leo Burnett created the campaign.
Baby carrots are healthy, tasty and going mainstream. The latest effort from Bolthouse Farms to position baby carrots as a snack to eat like junk food is Xtreme Xrunch Kart, a free game for the iPhone and iPod Touch. You need strong jaw muscles for this game. Crunching baby carrots into your device's microphone helps players activate speed bursts, hit ramps and stick radical aerial tricks. Players maneuver the obstacle course from a rocket-powered shopping cart by tilting the phone to avoid potholes, explosions and pterodactyls. See a preview here. The game, created by Crispin Porter + Bogusky, launched Monday and can be found in the App Store.
GE launched "Road Trip," a TV spot promoting its electric car charger, Wattstation. A group of friends hop into an electric car and take a road trip with ease, plugging their car into a Wattstaion at each stopover. "While the world's been waiting on the electric car, maybe the whole time, the electric car has been waiting for this," says a voiceover. Watch the ad here, created by BBDO New York and edited by Crew Cuts.
Google and YouTube are taking to the streets of Manhattan this week, targeting world leaders attending the UN General Assembly to support the Born HIV Free campaign and the Global Fund, a financier of programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Twenty street teams are placed at specific Manhattan intersections, holding signs designed to look like road signs that spell out HIV facts and urge global leaders to free future generations from HIV by 2015. A sign at 1st Ave & 43rd St -- United Nations Headquarters - reads: "In just 1 year, almost 43 hundred thousand children in developing countries are born with HIV. We can free future generations from HIV by 2015. Make an impact on the UN Summit." See signs here, here and here, created by Johannes Leonardo.
Nokia set a Guinness World Record for smallest stop-motion animation character in a film with "Dot," a 97-second film shot on the new Nokia N8. Using the smartphone's 12-megapixel photography capabilities, "Dot" stars a 9mm girl who awakens from a nap to find her world unraveling. Literally. She avoids destruction by running over coins and pins, taking a ride from a bee over a city of keys and pencils, only to be dropped in a flowery patch with the world still unraveling. She grabs two needles to take on her attacker. She successfully knits a blanket and goes back to sleep. See the ad here, created by Wieden + Kennedy London and produced by Aardman Animations.
John Smith's ale launched "Dog Show," the third TV spot in its "No Nonsense" campaign. The ad follows "Diner" and "Antique," seen here and here. Comedian Peter Kay brings his dog Tonto to perform in a dog show. After watching a well-groomed poodle maneuver the obstacle course, Tonto takes center stage. Tonto takes off and leaves the arena, only to reappear holding his master's newspaper in his mouth. The crowd goes wild. "Oh, that's years of training right here," says voiceover Peter Purves, a veteran Crufts Dog Show presenter. See the ad here, created by TBWA/London and directed by Danny Kleinman.
Random iPhone App of Advertising Week: Deutsch New York launched a free Advertising Week iPhone App, just in time for next week's events. Users can find out speaker information, event locations and real-time updates on speaker changes. There's also a customizable schedule for users to slate the events they'd like to attend; directions to said events are then available through Google Maps. Download the app from the App Store.
| Amy Corr is managing editor, online newsletters for MediaPost. She can be reached at amyc@mediapost.com. |
10 ways to Earn Respect
Would you buy from someone you don't respect?
Maybe, if it's fast food.
But for the rest of us, there's a lesson for us from the DLM Blog:
10 Ways To Earn the Respect of Others
Posted: 16 Sep 2010 06:01 AM PDT
Have you ever met someone who was rude to you and didn't hold you with much regard? How did you feel? Did you feel annoyed? Peeved?
If you are a self respecting individual, chances are you want others to treat you with respect. And you know what, age isn't a prerequisite nor is it a magic key to gaining respect. I've seen plenty of people who are young be highly respected from their elders. I've also come across older people who I'd never respect because their actions are so out of line. It's about how you conduct yourself, your attitudes towards others and your actions.
Regardless of whether you are a teenager, a student, a new member in your team/company, or someone starting out in the industry, you can be well respected by others. In this post, I share 10 ways on how you can be a well respected person. These 10 ways can be carried out no matter who you are:
- Be good at what you do
In every field of work, the most highly regarded people are those who are the best at what they do. Everyone loves competent people, especially those who present their best work all the time. If you're just starting out in your profession, that doesn't mean you're not deserving of respect. It's about starting small and building from there.
When I started my personal development blog 2 years ago, no one knew me. Of my early audience, I remember some people would discount my work because of my age, saying I had no experience and shouldn't writing on such topics. Such comments are normal since they didn't know who I was, just my age and my brief background. Rather than letting these stop me, I built my reputation, one step at a time, via producing the best content and planting seeds everywhere. Over time, people began to register the value I was providing and they developed respect for what I was doing. Today, I have many readers and coaching clients who are older than me, and that's because they recognize my abilities and what I have to offer.
It's through gaining experience and improving that you establish yourself as the best and earn the respect from others. It's not an overnight process, but the respect people have of you after that will be steadfast. - Respect others
Respect is 2-way. If you want others to respect you, you've to respect others first. If you've ever come across someone who isn't being respectful to you, I invite you to think of just one person you're not being respectful to in your life now. Chances you'll find at least someone. Rather than harp on how people are not respectful to you, work on being respectful to those people you're treating shabbily. It'll help you reach new heights in your relationship with others. Whenever someone is rude to me, I think of how I might be rude to someone else and mend that relationship. It's creates a positive shift in my relationships. - Honor what you say
No one likes a dishonest or unreliable person. A well respected individual is one who is honest in his/her communications and can be trusted to do what he/she promised. I believe integrity is the first step to being our highest self. I always ensure I live up to my commitments and deliver beyond what I promise. If due to some reason you can't honor your commitments, make sure you address them accordingly to the other party and make up for it. - Be open to criticisms
Contrary to popular belief, being respected doesn't mean you won't receive criticism. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The more known you are in your work, the more criticisms you'll receive. My blog readership has grown over 4 times in the last 6 months. Just as I've received a lot more positive feedback than before on my posts, I'm also receiving more criticisms. It's not about rejecting criticisms but about being able to handle criticisms gracefully. People respect someone who is able to handle negative feedback and turn it into something positive. If you need pointers, here are 8 Ways To Deal With Critical People. - Treat yourself with respect
It's funny that many of us seek respect from others, yet we don't even respect ourselves. Have you ever beaten yourself up before? Do you love yourself wholly and unconditionally? Do you treat yourself poorly by not getting enough sleep, proper diet or exercise? If you don't respect yourself, you can't hope to get respect from others. Start off by loving yourself. The love from others will come subsequently. - Conduct yourself professionally
This includes dressing well, being well-mannered, using appropriate language and having social etiquette. If you haven't attended a social etiquette class before, it'll be useful to do so. Even if you intuitively know what they teach in the class, it's great as reinforcement. I attended a few etiquette classes when I was a student, including wine appreciation, dining etiquette, how to conduct yourself in a 1st meeting, etc. I personally found it helpful. The things taught inside are not rocket science by any means, but it helps to practice them in an actual setting and know what are the do's and do-not's. - Don't bad mouth others
Whether it's in a professional or social setting, it's not appropriate to bad mouth people. You certainly don't earn respect this way. If you're unhappy with a certain individual and what he/she is doing, talk to him/her and work things out. Don't talk behind his/her back. This is the kind of behavior that attracts gossip and negativity. Not only does it reflect badly on you as a person, it also hurts the other party, whether you realize it or not. Be honest and transparent in your communications. - Stand up for what you believe in
Have you ever come across people who simply agree with whatever others say without much thought? I have, and it gets meaningless after a while as they just say yes to everything. Personally, I have more respect for someone who disagrees (civilly) and stands up for himself/herself than someone who parrots others. Likewise, it is by having your own opinion and a mind of your own that you get respect from others. Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. At the same time, make sure you do it in a respectful manner to others. - Be yourself
Along the same lines as #8, be yourself. It's better to be an original version of yourself than an exact duplicate of someone else. People respect individuals who are original. Too many people try too hard to be someone else they are not and in the end they don't have a sense of identity. Discover who you are and what you stand for. What the world needs are more people who are true to themselves, not clones of each other. - Be a role model to others
Actions speak louder than words. Are you a role model to others by way of your behavior? Do you uphold yourself to the highest code of conduct? You gain respect by walking the talk. The most respected person is the one who inspires others to achieve their best and enables them to unlock their highest potential.
 | Written on 7/31/2009 by Celestine Chua. Celestine writes at The Personal Excellence Blog, where she shares her best advice on how to achieve personal excellence and live your best life. Get her RSS feed directly and add her on Twitter @celestinechua. If you like this article, you will enjoy one of her top articles: 101 Things To Do Before You Die. | Photo Credit: B.S. Wise |
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Wednesday Night Marketing News from Mediapost
Click & Read:
Telecom
by Aaron Baar "Movies capture the imagination of everyone. It's the upper echelon of video entertainment," Marc Davis, group manager of national advertising, tells Marketing Daily. "The way we've positioned this campaign, the name of the phone is Epic. The titles are Epic -- what more content could you provide than an epic movie itself." ...Read the whole story >>
Sports
by Karl Greenberg
At the IMG Sports Marketing Symposium in New York, boasting record audience numbers on Tuesday, MillerCoors CMO Andy England opened the conference with a discussion of the "three R's": retail activation, relationships and reach. "Sports deliver the right audience for our media message. Sports deliver audience and reach I care about. That's why we spent 60% of media against sports," he said. ...Read the whole story >>
Restaurants
by Karlene Lukovitz "An image like a coupon or photo provides the visual impact that bland text lacks, in terms of grabbing consumers' attention, without the time commitment required for loading, watching and perhaps sharing a video," notes Vitrue CEO Reggie Bradford. "While video consumption, including on mobile, will continue to grow, there are practical limitations -- particularly at work." ...Read the whole story >>
Automotive
by Karl Greenberg
The campaign includes digital out-of-home boards, dealership elements, and many non-traditional elements aimed at the creative community, to include "chalk art" stenciling around urban centers and projections supporting Scion Sessions and other local events like Montreal's Piknik Electronik and Shine Night Club in Vancouver. ...Read the whole story >>
Financial Services
by Tanya Irwin "We hear from happy customers every day in social media and through customer service chat and phone calls," states CMO Sanjay Gupta. The new campaign -- which also includes radio, print and online -- will emphasize Ally Bank's customer-friendly services, products and features and will reflect the success of Ally Bank and focus on why customers love the bank. ...Read the whole story >>
Retail
by Sarah Mahoney
Experts believe that will translate into another heavy promotional season. "We're going to see holiday shopping begin earlier, and the consumer is going to be much more considered in terms of what they're buying and how much they're buying," Doug Stephens, president of Retail Prophet Consulting, tells Marketing Daily. "Their confidence is just not very high." ...Read the whole story >>
Sphere: Related Content
Marketing in a Silo
I first heard of the concept of business silo's a few years ago while attending a presentation by Labov & Beyond.
Pat Mcgraw wrote about this last week on his blog.
I look for holes in system when I'm working with a client.
Pat explains:
Posted: 16 Sep 2010 07:00 AM PDT
The marketing executive was presenting the company’s new promotional campaign – and then the energy left the room when someone asked “What happens when someone actually responds to our marketing?”
Great creative. Strong, targeted messages with offers that are too good to refuse.
Every possible keyword has been identified, great blog posts written along with white papers, webinars…
The social media strategy is a piece of art. And the content marketing strategy rocks.
But the phone tree is a goddamn mess.
And the reps are poorly trained and not managed all that well either. You just never know what they might say once they pick up the phone or get in front of a buyer.
And the process for capturing information so that the order can be quickly, accurately shipped has more holes in it than a good Swiss cheese.
The website is a confusing maze and there is no ecommerce functionality because IT is busy and all marketing does is design pages.
The return and refund policies are as customer friendly as the tax code.
Come to think off it, the product isn’t really all that different from the competitors.
The pricing ‘strategy’ isn’t really anything more than a constant string of 15% to 50% off because it’s so easy to drop the price. And forget about financing options that help the buyer – let them get their own financing.
The distribution strategy is built on who will carry your products rather than who will help reach your entire target audience and provide a valuable experience.
But the promotional campaign is freakin’ incredible…so your job is done.
Right?
What is marketing?
Do you use every opportunity possible to push things, to make the customer experience more uniquely valuable or to differentiate your business (in a good way) from the competition?
Or do you limit yourself to really cool promotional stuff?
Just askin’…
Sphere: Related ContentKeepin' it Real
from my email:
Daily Sales Tip: Generating Referrals
Get your client on-board to give referrals. Most sellers wait until after the sale has been completed before they bring up the idea of referrals. Bad idea.
Most clients need time to get comfortable with the idea of giving referrals, so bring up referrals early in the relationship. Don't ask for referrals; just let your client know that your business is built on referrals and then drop referral seeds as the sale progresses.
Since your prospects and clients aren't stupid, if they hear you mention referrals often in a casual manner, they'll get the impression referrals are important to you and they will be expecting you to ask for them at some point.
Source: Sales consultant/author Paul McCord
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Tuesday Night Marketing News from Mediapost
Click & read:
Electronics
by Aaron Baar According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, overall satisfaction with personal computers increased 4% over the previous year. The news is even better for other consumer electronics; the category's overall customer satisfaction increased 2.4% to 85, the best-ever score for the category and the highest level of customer satisfaction for any industry covered by the ACSI in 2010. ...Read the whole story >>
Automotive
by Karl Greenberg
Toyota is launching a Web series as part of its AutoBiography social media campaign to promote Camry and Corolla. The new video series running on Break Media's network of sites features standup comics doing monologues about their first cars. The new video series, "Standup Stories," has six comedians riffing on the theme. ...Read the whole story >>
Food
by Karlene Lukovitz The segment, designed to help publicize the annual Susan G. Komen Massachusetts Race for The Cure on Sept. 25 in Boston, as well as build awareness and usage for Perdue Perfect Portions, features volunteers from the national organization's state affiliate talking about why they volunteer and how Perfect Portions help simplify their busy lives. ...Read the whole story >>
Regulation
by Karl Greenberg
The brief, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to agree that California should not be able to restrict violent images and speech, says a long aesthetic history of violence supports the point -- from Homer ("Menelaus hacked Pisander between the eyes, the bridge of the nose, and bone cracked, blood sprayed and both eyes dropped at his feet to mix in the dust") to the Brothers Grimm fairy tales and Tom and Jerry cartoons. ...Read the whole story >>
Food
by Aaron Baar B&G Foods will promote the product with newspaper inserts and advertising, as well as handing out samples in markets where the company has significant product distribution, including New York City. "The sampling is the most important part of it because it's a product that once you smell it and once you taste it, you're going to fall in love," says B&G Foods' Jordan Greenberg. ...Read the whole story >>
Financial Services
by Tanya Irwin
This is the first time the company is using real TIAA-CREF advisors in the commercials and not actors. Various elements of the campaign will feature advisors talking about how they partner with clients to plan through the key parts of life and realize their ambitions. ...Read the whole story >>
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Screw the Lawyers
from Drew:
Marketing tip #96: Be specific
Posted: 15 Sep 2010 06:14 AM PDT
One of the most frustrating "worries" that marketing types sometimes express is that they want to use weasel words in their marketing. Words like "nearly," "over" or "almost all."
Typically, they're worried about someone calling them on the details so they want to hedge their bet.
Look at these two sentences:
We've served nearly 1,000 happy customers.
We've served 973 happy customers.
Which one feels more genuine and truthful? Which one causes you to stop and think about the significance of the number?
Which one makes you think they really counted? Exactly.
In your sales and marketing copy -- be specific. Brian Clark at Copyblogger wrote about this topic and said "Non-specific copy is a red flag that signals puffery and a lack of substance, and yet it’s all too common." Amen!
Go back and review your website, brochure, sales collateral and other marketing materials. If you aren't being specific -- it's time for a re-write or an honest conversation about why you can't/won't.
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Sabotage?
From RainToday.com:
How You're Sabotaging Your Sales Effort
By Nancy Fox"I don't have the money."
"I'm too busy working on my client work to take the time for business development."
How many times have you heard those statements from prospects or clients, or maybe you've even said them yourself regarding investing time or money in learning how to build a bigger, healthier practice or service business?
I have heard them so many times they all merge into a blur. And the funny thing is neither statement is actually the hard truth. They seem true to the person saying them. However, both statements are smokescreens professionals use because it allows them to feel some comfort around their disappointing results.
The problem is not money, nor is it time. It is never either of those things because if people really wanted to find the money or the time, they would do it. The problem is that their mindset and their emotions determine their actions.
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For example, you can make the most logical, well-designed, and well-presented pitch and lose before you ever walk into the room. That's because your mindset is pre-programmed to lose, and you unknowingly bring it into the presentation.
Take a moment and think about your mindset about money. Do you feel it is abundant or scarce? Do you feel fear or concern around money? Do you see it as a means to expand your life or has it eluded you or disappointed you?
Your mindset about money is the foundation of what you bring to every meeting you have with prospects. It impacts how you set your fees, how comfortable you are in asking for your fees, whether you discount your fees or how much you discount your fees, how properly you bill, and how effectively you collect payments.
Prospects also bring their emotions to the table. So often, I observe people prepare elaborate pitches and hone them when what the candidates are really looking for is certainty and confidence that they are selecting wisely and won't regret the choice they make. The candidates are looking for the right "feeling" with their choice, and professionals often rely on tactics.
This is not to say that as a professional you don't have to bring the technical skill and wisdom to the table. Your technical skills are the price of entry. It is your mindset about what you have to offer your potential clients that is the real key to unlocking their decision to engage you.
I am asked all the time, "How can I get more self-esteem and confidence?" The reason it eludes them is they have it backwards: they try to increase confidence by focusing on themselves.
My experience in working with hundreds of professionals and business people is that self-confidence is not something that is developed by focusing on ourselves. It is built when we focus on providing and making a difference with other people.
Change Your Mindset
I have a client who was shy and uncertain when talking to prospective clients. He began to really listen to what they wanted and needed. He made a determined effort to take the focus off of him and get into their world and help give them confidence in what they were doing in their business.
As he learned to listen for his prospects and clients' needs and wants, he attracted more clients, bigger clients, and closed more business. His confidence rose as he improved his ability to make a difference with his prospects and clients. They understood that he cared, and they became confident that he could help them.
Another client dragged his destructive relationship with money into all of his business efforts. His relationship with money was based on a financially successful father who mistrusted people and was disappointed with him about business and money. The result: my client was always creating disappointing results when it came to money. His business was struggling financially, and he was attracting people into his firm who were stingy and petty about money as well as unproductive.
He mistrusted everyone, particularly about money, and he walked around perpetually disappointed. He thought he was trying everything to improve the situation—merged with another firm, hired new people, created a new website, etc.—but underneath the mistrust was still there. What was the payoff for him staying stuck? By staying disappointed and not transforming his relationship, he could perpetuate his history that he is a disappointment around money.
To make your mind your true friend in business, you must shift your thinking, which will allow you to shift your actions and boost your confidence.
That may sound easier said than done, but it is possible. Here are my seven tips for how you can shift your mindset around money and confidence to truly boost your business:
- Stop hanging around negative, fearful, "realistic" people. They will keep you stuck in an unproductive and old mindset.
- Picture the outcome. Every major athlete uses visioning before going into a match or sports event. They have intent and envision the outcome they want. In fact, studies have shown that visioning will increase the chances for more successful results.
- Watch your words. Really listen to what comes out of your mouth. If you say things that express doubt, uncertainty, or negativity (words like hopefully, I'll try, etc.), you are revealing a doubtful mindset. You can transform your language to communicate certainty and confidence even before you fully feel it.
- Read something positive and inspirational every day to keep out of the quagmire of doubt and uncertainly all around us. This will reinforce your being part of the solution as opposed to being a conduit for the problem.
- Take a look at your history and relationship with money. Do you need to change the relationship? If you look at money as elusive, scarce, or problematic, you absolutely need to transform this or you will perpetuate what you have and will drag it into every business conversation you have. What you think is what you will generate.
- Create a vision board. Create a vision board of photos and visual representations about what you want to create in the next year, two years, and five years. Our brains are like sponges, and they soak up desires to help us move in the directions we want. These visual messages assist our minds in the transformation process.
- Commit to what you really want. People tell me all the time about what they want. They want more clients, they want more money, they want more time, they want a better job, they want more time off.
When I say that to make more money they will have to invest in themselves, they resist. When I say that to improve their company they will need to fire that problematic employee, they resist. When I tell them they have to meet and talk to more people if they want more clients, they resist.
A mentor of mine once said something very powerful: if you are interested in achieving something, you will do what is convenient. If you are committed to achieving something, you'll do whatever it takes.
It takes a mindset shift to make your mind your best friend in building the business you desire.
Nancy Fox is President of The Business Fox, specializing in coaching and advising lawyers, accountants, coaches, and entrepreneurs in attracting ideal high-paying clients. She has worked with hundreds of high-level people in building thriving client relationships and playing their top game in business. Receive her complimentary newsletter, The Business Fox Bulletin, for business and client-building tips, and her free two-part Special Report, Network Like A Fox: 7 Surefire Ways to Attract Ideal Prospects, Win Ideal High-Paying Clients by visiting her website or writing to her at nancy@thebusinessfox.com. Sphere: Related Content
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