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Casual Articles - Speak For Dollars - Public Speaking For Sales Increases
How To Get Celebrities To Endorse YOUR Product on type.
Publish a newsletter.How would you like celebrities to endorse your product?Perhaps that sounds crazy. Well, here's the info...But before anything else - let me stress that when I say "celebrities", I'm not talking about Tiger Woods or Tom Cruise!Who I'm talking about is celebrities in YOUR market. People who are very highly thought of and well known in the market you're selling to. People who your target market look up to.Take this real life example:An online publisher named Alex was just about to launch an information product revealing psychological sales tactics.However, even though his product was of the very highest quality, Alex was looking for something "extra" that would increase sales of the product even more.What Alex wanted to achieve is to boost *credibility* in the sales message presenting the product. So visitors to his site would actually believe what they read, and therefore be a lot more likely to buy.Now, since the product Alex was selling was revealing sales and marketing tactics, it would of course be purchased by people interested in selling more online.So who better to give Alex a testimonial than a world famous marketing expert?...Alex managed to get a testimonial from none other than Joe Sugarman - hugely successful direct marketer and famous for his BluBlocker sun glasses infomercials.So - how do YOU go about boosting your own sales with testimonials from celebrities?Well, let me firstly stress that unless you already have a relationship with the person (you know each other), there's a strong chance they won't reply to you. They may, or they may not. So be prepared for that.Sending them an email is quick, but I get 200+ emails a day at the moment (spam included), and that's on the low end compared to the num Stay in touch with clients and prospects by mailing them articles you clipped. Become an expert resource for local and national media reporters. Welcome new people to your town. News releases are an inexpensive way to get your name in print; always include a photo. Write a weekly or monthly newspaper or magazine column. Congratulate people on promotions you read about in the local paper and in trade pubs. Give great public speeches. Public seminars sponsored by your company or another company with which you partner. Word-of-mouth happy clients and happy employees talk! Host power breakfasts for local business leaders. Get on, or even better, host radio and/or TV talk shows. Crashing Past Gatekeepers Of The Media To Get Your Foot In The Door Controversy sells in all forms of the media. Media is drawn to it like insects to a night light. Relevance to a current event is important. Make your story connect to what is happening now. Hope, it does not sell as well as controversy, but it does sell. The media is looking for ways to show that progress is being made in solving today's social problems. Simplification of life, for most, life has become too complex. Show how people can save time, improve the quality of their lives, find enjoyment and fulfillment, and generally be happier. Overcoming Adversity is a regular media winner. America has always cheered for the underdog. Show how you have done it and become a media darling. Partnering with the media can be your secret weapon if used well. Develop relationships with as many local and national reporters and editors as possible. The more you can do to make their life easier the better the chances you'll get coverage. To Better Connect with the Media, Make a Favorable Impression Take the Eight "Cs" approach: Be Concise, Candid, Correct, Conversational, Clear, Compassionate, Controversial, and Calm! Use the name of your company or product rather than saying, "The widget or The Company." Give your main point first, in a concise, positive, and complete sentence. How to Deal with PrintingIf you are part of the business arena, it’s undeniable that you’ve got lots of printing requirements. Having a printer in your office is a great help but surely it can’t accommodate all your printing needs. So if you require for a large volume of copies to print, you will need a commercial printer to help you out.There are large numbers of commercial printers out there who offer different services to match your printing jobs. Whatever you need, there’s a printing service available to get your job done. Have a worry-free printing for the capabilities of commercial print services are illimitable.What are the capabilities of a commercial printer? Basically, they can accommodate huge volume of print jobs. They’re also excellent when it comes to printing. Since digital printing is a trend in the industry, you’ll be astounded with the quality your prints will have after you’ve submitted it to the commercial printer.If you’re seeking an answer on which printing service to go for, a professional LA printing company is the best source to depend on. Surf the internet. Turn around. And you will find that there’s a wide variety of printing companies offering so many printing options and solutions based on your needs.Hunt for the best printer online. Even though there are many print shops that are available, take your time to asses the services being offered. In most commercial printers, you have the chance to get instant printing price quotes for your projects. Some printers have websites where there’s a printing quote request form available for you to fill out. Get the best deals in dealing with your specific printing projects. See to it that you weigh up all the services. Are they advantageous for you?There’s no need to look for a print service personally within your area. There are I believe many are afraid of presenting because of low self-esteem. Let's not confuse brash egotism with quality self-esteem. When you feel good about yourself you are willing to take a risk and be vulnerable. Yes, I said vulnerable! This is when a perceived weakness can become a real strength. Think back and visualize in your mind a presenter, one at which you attended their live presentation. Now that you have the presentation in your mind, ask yourself, "How real were they?" Your answer will most likely be: "They were very real. I felt like they were speaking directly to me." This is because they allowed their self to be vulnerable. You thought they were there for you actually as your guide or mentor. There are three basic ways to use public speaking to market your products and services: Speaking to community and service clubs. Holding information specific seminars. Doing demonstrations; out in public and in-home party style. First, we'll look at speaking to your community organizations. This idea is great when you primarily market to your local community, otherwise you'll be doing quite a lot of traveling. Here's an easy way to start: Prepare a 25-minute presentation about the value your industry provides for consumers. Make it non-commercial and non-specific to your product or service. Do this, and you’ll receive acceptance. Your speech will be the most effective if you have an opening grabber to break the preoccupation barrier that most people have. Try something humorous about your business or in your industry. Another grabber can be controversy, but be cautious. Develop a transition to the body and then cover only three to four key points. Keep the presentation body fun, informative and positive. Next, summarize and have a call to action. This is the suggestion for your audience to stop by your place of business to see, hear or learn more. Conclude with a quotation or a short meaningful story. Just relax you'll be a hit. Contact your chamber of commerce for a list of community organizations. Contact all of the groups on the chamber list. Offer to speak at their meeting. You'll be surprised at how many will accept your offer. Don't try to sell the audience anything at their meeting except yourself. Be a giver a giver of knowledge and business will come your way. Remember to send out news releases to the local media every time you speak. While you're out speaking, look for an organization to join and get involved. Being active in your community is an excellent way to show you're a community partner and to get noticed. The second way to use public speaking is to hold seminars. Check your newspaper, usually the Sunday paper is best. Look for the ads advertising free seminars—you should find one or two. The common seminars you'll notice are for Wills, Trust & Estate Planning, Real Estate, Health and Fitness, and a variety of other offerings. The plan is to get the prospects in the door. You do this by providing them with a small amount of dynamite information (useful, of course). Then, at the end, offer your products and services for sale or lease. Record your seminars, and when you deliver what you consider to be a great one make, it into a "for sale" product or use it as an incentive product. Today, you’ll want to product both CD and cassette versions. If you want to produce the program yourself, a great company to supply you with all your needs is National Cassette Services, Inc. (800) 541-0551. If you don't want to go to the trouble, sent your original cassette to Janita Cooper at Master Duplicating Corp. 800-228-8919. They'll clean it up, duplicate it and produce the labels and jacket covers. Some elements to a successful seminar: Advertise your seminar with the local media. Sell people on attending the seminar, make truthful promises of value and benefits for all who attend, let them know what's in it for them. Remember that the attendees are giving of time and energy to get there. Be sure to have some helpers there to take your new customers' money, credit cards, etc. If you are not great at closing the sale, consider partnering with a professional sales person to increase the volume of sales. The seminar can be held at your place of business or a rented location such as a hotel/motel conference room, park, school, or anything you can think of—be innovative. Wherever it is, make it comfortable for about an hour stay 45 minutes for the information, 10 minutes for your sales presentation and the five minutes just because. The third way to promote your business through public speaking is through the demonstration method. You can do this in public gathering places like fairs and carnivals, at trade shows and in a private home setting. Demonstrations in public can be as brief as five minutes or up to 15 minutes. Any longer than 15 minutes, you'll have people stop by and move on. At these public demonstrations you'll need to be prepared to answer questions and possibly sell your products. You can probably partner with another person or group to help you do those tasks. In-home demonstrations can be effective. I remember growing up and going out with my mother when she gave consumer product parties at people’s homes. It seemed like every year my mother would switch to a new company. Take my advise stick to one thing and you'll surely make lots of money it's advice nobody gave my mother or advice she never took. Companies like Tupperware are synonymous with this method and it works! Personal Publicity Personal publicity will help you to become more secure and confident. People that appear to be of value are the ones companies seek to become integral with their organization. Our economy is dynamic and ever changing. Companies can no longer afford to keep on the deadwood that in an era gone by was possible. Make a commitment to yourself here and now to be a person of value. This means you'll have to bring more value to your workplace. Also, you can more easily find new employment for yourself if necessary. Many American companies have gone through excruciating change and downsizing. They are looking to their star performers to keep the business afloat. These stars came to the attention of management by intelligently and subtly publicizing their accomplishments and heroic efforts throughout their company and industry. You too, can do this. Yes I understand that it's not your way the problem is that "your way" may create a one-way ticket to oblivion. Many people need someone to give them permission to do something that their parents once told them was not "our way." I hereby give you permission to promote yourself to the world! As a colleague, Mark Victor Hanson, coauthor of the "Chicken Soup" books, has often told me, "Let your inner knower tell you what to do." Your inner knower can help you to see your true value to the economy in which you participate. Let go of your negative "stuff" on self-promotion and move on to fulfill your potential! Listed below are three typical reasons professionals and business leaders are hesitant to self-promote. Do these ring true for you? Feel it's too self-important, pompous, pontifical, pretentious, stuffy, grandiose, ostentatious or stuffy. Not in keeping with the professional image they want to project. Believe promotion costs more then the value they receive. Truly, the only restraint that keeps you from having the public image and stature that many enjoy is the conversation you have with yourself about the additional possibilities for your life. Dislodge those old tapes in your head that have been immobilizing your efforts to get ahead. Launch them right out of your consciousness. Ways To Get People To Notice You Promote free booklets/reports on ideas and information related to your business or service. Author a book. You become an instant expert. Do your own radio show, perhaps a Saturday or Sunday morning public information type. Publish a newsletter. Stay in touch with clients and prospects by mailing them articles you clipped. Become an expert resource for local and national media reporters. Welcome new people to your town. News releases are an inexpensive way to get your name in print; always include a photo. Write a weekly or monthly newspaper or magazine column. Congratulate people on promotions you read about in the local paper and in trade pubs. Give great public speeches. Public seminars sponsored by your company or another company with which you partner. Word-of-mouth happy clients and happy employees talk! Host power breakfasts for local business leaders. Get on, or even better, host radio and/or TV talk shows. Crashing Past Gatekeepers Of The Media To Get Your Foot In The Door Controversy sells in all forms of the media. Media is drawn to it like insects to a night light. Relevance to a current event is important. Make your story connect to what is happening now. Hope, it does not sell as well as controversy, but it does sell. The media is looking for ways to show that progress is being made in solving today's social problems. Simplification of life, for most, life has become too complex. Show how people can save time, improve the quality of their lives, find enjoyment and fulfillment, and generally be happier. Overcoming Adversity is a regular media winner. America has always cheered for the underdog. Show how you have done it and become a media darling. Partnering with the media can be your secret weapon if used well. Develop relationships with as many local and national reporters and editors as possible. The more you can do to make their life easier the better the chances you'll get coverage. To Better Connect with the Media, Make a Favorable Impression Take the Eight "Cs" approach: Be Concise, Candid, Correct, Conversational, Clear, Compassionate, Controversial, and Calm! Use the name of your company or product rather than saying, "The widget or The Company." Give your main point first, in a concise, positive, and complete sentence. The New Online Work At Home Job Boards You Are Looking ForThe search for work at home jobs is one of the needs that thousands of people around the country and the world to every day, but most don't know where to look so the first stop are work at home job boards. Let's see where we can find some of this sites.Work at Home job boards online are sites that will show you a wide range of job opportunities on different fields, that are legitimate and can be done from your home. Some of this sites are: freelance sites, online classified sites, forum boards, work at home directories and many other sites.When looking for online work at home job boards some people will go directly to craigslist.com, this is a site where employers list thousands of job opportunities either home based or traditional jobs and you can find them based on your location on the united states.However if you live in a foreign country or you want more work at home job boards options you can look at the freelance sites, on this sites, employers post hundreds of jobs. When you find a job you want to do, you just bid how much you want to get paid for the job and if the employer choose you, you get the job.Sometime the employer will choose at the person with more experience or more skills depending on the job. You can work per project or on an ongoing basis, depending on what necessities your employer has. The more experience you get and feedback the more you can charge and the more you will get hired.As you can see this are some of the options for online work at home job boards, dont get lost in thousands of job opportunities try first one way, like freelancing and stick to it until you have 3 or more project per week that are making you a nice income.e an opening grabber to break the preoccupation barrier that most people have. Try something humorous about your business or in your industry. Another grabber can be controversy, but be cautious. Develop a transition to the body and then cover only three to four key points. Keep the presentation body fun, informative and positive. Next, summarize and have a call to action. This is the suggestion for your audience to stop by your place of business to see, hear or learn more. Conclude with a quotation or a short meaningful story. Just relax you'll be a hit. Contact your chamber of commerce for a list of community organizations. Contact all of the groups on the chamber list. Offer to speak at their meeting. You'll be surprised at how many will accept your offer. Don't try to sell the audience anything at their meeting except yourself. Be a giver a giver of knowledge and business will come your way. Remember to send out news releases to the local media every time you speak. While you're out speaking, look for an organization to join and get involved. Being active in your community is an excellent way to show you're a community partner and to get noticed. The second way to use public speaking is to hold seminars. Check your newspaper, usually the Sunday paper is best. Look for the ads advertising free seminars—you should find one or two. The common seminars you'll notice are for Wills, Trust & Estate Planning, Real Estate, Health and Fitness, and a variety of other offerings. The plan is to get the prospects in the door. You do this by providing them with a small amount of dynamite information (useful, of course). Then, at the end, offer your products and services for sale or lease. Record your seminars, and when you deliver what you consider to be a great one make, it into a "for sale" product or use it as an incentive product. Today, you’ll want to product both CD and cassette versions. If you want to produce the program yourself, a great company to supply you with all your needs is National Cassette Services, Inc. (800) 541-0551. If you don't want to go to the trouble, sent your original cassette to Janita Cooper at Master Duplicating Corp. 800-228-8919. They'll clean it up, duplicate it and produce the labels and jacket covers. Some elements to a successful seminar: Advertise your seminar with the local media. Sell people on attending the seminar, make truthful promises of value and benefits for all who attend, let them know what's in it for them. Remember that the attendees are giving of time and energy to get there. Be sure to have some helpers there to take your new customers' money, credit cards, etc. If you are not great at closing the sale, consider partnering with a professional sales person to increase the volume of sales. The seminar can be held at your place of business or a rented location such as a hotel/motel conference room, park, school, or anything you can think of—be innovative. Wherever it is, make it comfortable for about an hour stay 45 minutes for the information, 10 minutes for your sales presentation and the five minutes just because. The third way to promote your business through public speaking is through the demonstration method. You can do this in public gathering places like fairs and carnivals, at trade shows and in a private home setting. Demonstrations in public can be as brief as five minutes or up to 15 minutes. Any longer than 15 minutes, you'll have people stop by and move on. At these public demonstrations you'll need to be prepared to answer questions and possibly sell your products. You can probably partner with another person or group to help you do those tasks. In-home demonstrations can be effective. I remember growing up and going out with my mother when she gave consumer product parties at people’s homes. It seemed like every year my mother would switch to a new company. Take my advise stick to one thing and you'll surely make lots of money it's advice nobody gave my mother or advice she never took. Companies like Tupperware are synonymous with this method and it works! Personal Publicity Personal publicity will help you to become more secure and confident. People that appear to be of value are the ones companies seek to become integral with their organization. Our economy is dynamic and ever changing. Companies can no longer afford to keep on the deadwood that in an era gone by was possible. Make a commitment to yourself here and now to be a person of value. This means you'll have to bring more value to your workplace. Also, you can more easily find new employment for yourself if necessary. Many American companies have gone through excruciating change and downsizing. They are looking to their star performers to keep the business afloat. These stars came to the attention of management by intelligently and subtly publicizing their accomplishments and heroic efforts throughout their company and industry. You too, can do this. Yes I understand that it's not your way the problem is that "your way" may create a one-way ticket to oblivion. Many people need someone to give them permission to do something that their parents once told them was not "our way." I hereby give you permission to promote yourself to the world! As a colleague, Mark Victor Hanson, coauthor of the "Chicken Soup" books, has often told me, "Let your inner knower tell you what to do." Your inner knower can help you to see your true value to the economy in which you participate. Let go of your negative "stuff" on self-promotion and move on to fulfill your potential! Listed below are three typical reasons professionals and business leaders are hesitant to self-promote. Do these ring true for you? Feel it's too self-important, pompous, pontifical, pretentious, stuffy, grandiose, ostentatious or stuffy. Not in keeping with the professional image they want to project. Believe promotion costs more then the value they receive. Truly, the only restraint that keeps you from having the public image and stature that many enjoy is the conversation you have with yourself about the additional possibilities for your life. Dislodge those old tapes in your head that have been immobilizing your efforts to get ahead. Launch them right out of your consciousness. Ways To Get People To Notice You Promote free booklets/reports on ideas and information related to your business or service. Author a book. You become an instant expert. Do your own radio show, perhaps a Saturday or Sunday morning public information type. Publish a newsletter. Stay in touch with clients and prospects by mailing them articles you clipped. Become an expert resource for local and national media reporters. Welcome new people to your town. News releases are an inexpensive way to get your name in print; always include a photo. Write a weekly or monthly newspaper or magazine column. Congratulate people on promotions you read about in the local paper and in trade pubs. Give great public speeches. Public seminars sponsored by your company or another company with which you partner. Word-of-mouth happy clients and happy employees talk! Host power breakfasts for local business leaders. Get on, or even better, host radio and/or TV talk shows. Crashing Past Gatekeepers Of The Media To Get Your Foot In The Door Controversy sells in all forms of the media. Media is drawn to it like insects to a night light. Relevance to a current event is important. Make your story connect to what is happening now. Hope, it does not sell as well as controversy, but it does sell. The media is looking for ways to show that progress is being made in solving today's social problems. Simplification of life, for most, life has become too complex. Show how people can save time, improve the quality of their lives, find enjoyment and fulfillment, and generally be happier. Overcoming Adversity is a regular media winner. America has always cheered for the underdog. Show how you have done it and become a media darling. Partnering with the media can be your secret weapon if used well. Develop relationships with as many local and national reporters and editors as possible. The more you can do to make their life easier the better the chances you'll get coverage. To Better Connect with the Media, Make a Favorable Impression Take the Eight "Cs" approach: Be Concise, Candid, Correct, Conversational, Clear, Compassionate, Controversial, and Calm! Use the name of your company or product rather than saying, "The widget or The Company." Give your main point first, in a concise, positive, and complete sentence. Small Business Marketing Help #1: The Diary An Angry Ad-ManThis week something unbelievable happened. Monday was the first day of a brand new radio campaign for a brand new client. I won't name the client, the station, or even the market this happened in.Due to budget restraints on the client-side, the spot was produced by the station (read free). Of course the script was written by your truly and my trusty copy-writing sidekick. The spot was finished last Thursday - and on Friday I gave my stamp of approval.Monday morning I received an email from the station rep saying that they had decided to make a few changes to the commercial - just a few "small things" - and the new commercial started running that morning.Calmly, I asked for a copy of the new commercial.At about second 6 my jaw dropped so far down that it hit the desk. My other orange half swiveled in his chair and stared at me in disbelief."Did that just say 'one stop shop?'" he asked? Indeed it did.It seems that the station sales manager felt the spot needed to be rearranged a little bit - and was lacking a few lines. So they made some changes - without consulting me.Well, I was steaming mad. But, I quickly saw an opportunity through this adversity: I can write a journal entry about this! So here we are.The primary point I want to make is to illustrate the difference between our script and their script. Why the minor changes could have made tremendous negative impact. Ultimately, I hope you'll learn some good copy writing pointers and understand why you shouldn't let a radio station, newspaper, or anyone else who sells ads write your ads.Our Formula:Introducing something new HUGE PROMISE, BIG BENEFIT Who can take advantage Smaller benefits Basic features More benefits Personal name to contact CallThey'll clean it up, duplicate it and produce the labels and jacket covers. Some elements to a successful seminar: Advertise your seminar with the local media. Sell people on attending the seminar, make truthful promises of value and benefits for all who attend, let them know what's in it for them. Remember that the attendees are giving of time and energy to get there. Be sure to have some helpers there to take your new customers' money, credit cards, etc. If you are not great at closing the sale, consider partnering with a professional sales person to increase the volume of sales. The seminar can be held at your place of business or a rented location such as a hotel/motel conference room, park, school, or anything you can think of—be innovative. Wherever it is, make it comfortable for about an hour stay 45 minutes for the information, 10 minutes for your sales presentation and the five minutes just because. The third way to promote your business through public speaking is through the demonstration method. You can do this in public gathering places like fairs and carnivals, at trade shows and in a private home setting. Demonstrations in public can be as brief as five minutes or up to 15 minutes. Any longer than 15 minutes, you'll have people stop by and move on. At these public demonstrations you'll need to be prepared to answer questions and possibly sell your products. You can probably partner with another person or group to help you do those tasks. In-home demonstrations can be effective. I remember growing up and going out with my mother when she gave consumer product parties at people’s homes. It seemed like every year my mother would switch to a new company. Take my advise stick to one thing and you'll surely make lots of money it's advice nobody gave my mother or advice she never took. Companies like Tupperware are synonymous with this method and it works! Personal Publicity Personal publicity will help you to become more secure and confident. People that appear to be of value are the ones companies seek to become integral with their organization. Our economy is dynamic and ever changing. Companies can no longer afford to keep on the deadwood that in an era gone by was possible. Make a commitment to yourself here and now to be a person of value. This means you'll have to bring more value to your workplace. Also, you can more easily find new employment for yourself if necessary. Many American companies have gone through excruciating change and downsizing. They are looking to their star performers to keep the business afloat. These stars came to the attention of management by intelligently and subtly publicizing their accomplishments and heroic efforts throughout their company and industry. You too, can do this. Yes I understand that it's not your way the problem is that "your way" may create a one-way ticket to oblivion. Many people need someone to give them permission to do something that their parents once told them was not "our way." I hereby give you permission to promote yourself to the world! As a colleague, Mark Victor Hanson, coauthor of the "Chicken Soup" books, has often told me, "Let your inner knower tell you what to do." Your inner knower can help you to see your true value to the economy in which you participate. Let go of your negative "stuff" on self-promotion and move on to fulfill your potential! Listed below are three typical reasons professionals and business leaders are hesitant to self-promote. Do these ring true for you? Feel it's too self-important, pompous, pontifical, pretentious, stuffy, grandiose, ostentatious or stuffy. Not in keeping with the professional image they want to project. Believe promotion costs more then the value they receive. Truly, the only restraint that keeps you from having the public image and stature that many enjoy is the conversation you have with yourself about the additional possibilities for your life. Dislodge those old tapes in your head that have been immobilizing your efforts to get ahead. Launch them right out of your consciousness. Ways To Get People To Notice You Promote free booklets/reports on ideas and information related to your business or service. Author a book. You become an instant expert. Do your own radio show, perhaps a Saturday or Sunday morning public information type. Publish a newsletter. Stay in touch with clients and prospects by mailing them articles you clipped. Become an expert resource for local and national media reporters. Welcome new people to your town. News releases are an inexpensive way to get your name in print; always include a photo. Write a weekly or monthly newspaper or magazine column. Congratulate people on promotions you read about in the local paper and in trade pubs. Give great public speeches. Public seminars sponsored by your company or another company with which you partner. Word-of-mouth happy clients and happy employees talk! Host power breakfasts for local business leaders. Get on, or even better, host radio and/or TV talk shows. Crashing Past Gatekeepers Of The Media To Get Your Foot In The Door Controversy sells in all forms of the media. Media is drawn to it like insects to a night light. Relevance to a current event is important. Make your story connect to what is happening now. Hope, it does not sell as well as controversy, but it does sell. The media is looking for ways to show that progress is being made in solving today's social problems. Simplification of life, for most, life has become too complex. Show how people can save time, improve the quality of their lives, find enjoyment and fulfillment, and generally be happier. Overcoming Adversity is a regular media winner. America has always cheered for the underdog. Show how you have done it and become a media darling. Partnering with the media can be your secret weapon if used well. Develop relationships with as many local and national reporters and editors as possible. The more you can do to make their life easier the better the chances you'll get coverage. To Better Connect with the Media, Make a Favorable Impression Take the Eight "Cs" approach: Be Concise, Candid, Correct, Conversational, Clear, Compassionate, Controversial, and Calm! Use the name of your company or product rather than saying, "The widget or The Company." Give your main point first, in a concise, positive, and complete sentence. If This 'Hot Head' Can Do It - What Can You Do?Ahhhh... finally something worthwhile in my physical mailbox today.If you are in business for yourself, you must constantly be on the lookout for hot marketing and great examples of well written sales copy.Today, it happened.In Calgary where I live there is a shameful shortage of well written marketing material. Business owners scared of actually doing something that gets results - and a minuscule number of people who actually understand the direct response business (sad for a city of a million people! - but also a good opportunity for helping them learn).Imagine my surprise when I opened the perfect direct mail envelope (white #10 - return address without a name - looks very much like personal mail)... and it came from a furnace company!Headline: 'Troy, Are You Thinking About Replacing Your Furnace?'(hint: why can't you replace replacing your furnace with your business and send out the same headline to your prospects? Also note, my name was in the headline - very good way to improve your response)Subhead: I'll buy you dinner at the Keg Just for Letting Me Give You A Quote - But Only If You're One Of The Next 20 People To Call...BRILLIANT!A furnace company using direct response... wonderful to see.So, what does Troy do?Phones the owner of the company of course :o) !And he is happy to share his results so far...1,500 mailed - 25 bookings - already!So, let's assume they get 50% of the bookings as signed contracts - 13 sales - the average furnace would bring in (I would guess) $1,000 profit.If my math is correct - $13,000 profit on a mailing that cost $1,500 MAX... and the results will not be final for a few more days... AND... if they do it right they will send out the exact same letter to the same list ann the deadwood that in an era gone by was possible. Make a commitment to yourself here and now to be a person of value. This means you'll have to bring more value to your workplace. Also, you can more easily find new employment for yourself if necessary. Many American companies have gone through excruciating change and downsizing. They are looking to their star performers to keep the business afloat. These stars came to the attention of management by intelligently and subtly publicizing their accomplishments and heroic efforts throughout their company and industry. You too, can do this. Yes I understand that it's not your way the problem is that "your way" may create a one-way ticket to oblivion. Many people need someone to give them permission to do something that their parents once told them was not "our way." I hereby give you permission to promote yourself to the world! As a colleague, Mark Victor Hanson, coauthor of the "Chicken Soup" books, has often told me, "Let your inner knower tell you what to do." Your inner knower can help you to see your true value to the economy in which you participate. Let go of your negative "stuff" on self-promotion and move on to fulfill your potential! Listed below are three typical reasons professionals and business leaders are hesitant to self-promote. Do these ring true for you? Feel it's too self-important, pompous, pontifical, pretentious, stuffy, grandiose, ostentatious or stuffy. Not in keeping with the professional image they want to project. Believe promotion costs more then the value they receive. Truly, the only restraint that keeps you from having the public image and stature that many enjoy is the conversation you have with yourself about the additional possibilities for your life. Dislodge those old tapes in your head that have been immobilizing your efforts to get ahead. Launch them right out of your consciousness. Ways To Get People To Notice You Promote free booklets/reports on ideas and information related to your business or service. Author a book. You become an instant expert. Do your own radio show, perhaps a Saturday or Sunday morning public information type. Publish a newsletter. Stay in touch with clients and prospects by mailing them articles you clipped. Become an expert resource for local and national media reporters. Welcome new people to your town. News releases are an inexpensive way to get your name in print; always include a photo. Write a weekly or monthly newspaper or magazine column. Congratulate people on promotions you read about in the local paper and in trade pubs. Give great public speeches. Public seminars sponsored by your company or another company with which you partner. Word-of-mouth happy clients and happy employees talk! Host power breakfasts for local business leaders. Get on, or even better, host radio and/or TV talk shows. Crashing Past Gatekeepers Of The Media To Get Your Foot In The Door Controversy sells in all forms of the media. Media is drawn to it like insects to a night light. Relevance to a current event is important. Make your story connect to what is happening now. Hope, it does not sell as well as controversy, but it does sell. The media is looking for ways to show that progress is being made in solving today's social problems. Simplification of life, for most, life has become too complex. Show how people can save time, improve the quality of their lives, find enjoyment and fulfillment, and generally be happier. Overcoming Adversity is a regular media winner. America has always cheered for the underdog. Show how you have done it and become a media darling. Partnering with the media can be your secret weapon if used well. Develop relationships with as many local and national reporters and editors as possible. The more you can do to make their life easier the better the chances you'll get coverage. To Better Connect with the Media, Make a Favorable Impression Take the Eight "Cs" approach: Be Concise, Candid, Correct, Conversational, Clear, Compassionate, Controversial, and Calm! Use the name of your company or product rather than saying, "The widget or The Company." Give your main point first, in a concise, positive, and complete sentence. Real Estate Is Your Friend, Invest in ItHear the term "Real Estate Investing" and the typical person probably imagines some Herculean figure who has tons of cash, guts, or both. The truth is real estate is blown way out of proportion for some in terms of its sheer mystique. The bottom line is real estate is the number 1 way for the average Joe and Jane to add to their bottom line in a big way. The first thing you should do is think differently. Instead of looking at someone like Donald Trump and say, "Wow, I can never be as smart as that guy." Transform your mind to say "What do I need to learn and do to achieve the levels of success in real estate that I deserve!" Don’t be a lemming (that’s what got you in the financial rut in the first place!) by using the same exact words. Feel free to carve your own personality from that same bold statement. Oh man, do I really have to go to the library as well as go meet people. Yes! Real estate is a people business. And knowledge will help make you more effective in working with people in the context of the business you select. You can start by joining a real estate club with like minded individuals. Look around, what are they investing in? Chances are, it’s in residential properties. And if you speak with some of them, you will realize not all of them were millionaires to start off with. Owning a residential property can be a good first step because it allows you to gain appreciation in value over time, which thereby increases your net worth as well. Your ability to leverage that value increases as well via methods such as refinancing which can provide additional investment capital for you. Overcoming the mindset of negativity or impossibility in investing in real estate is the first step. If you decide you want to build long term wealth, and feel real estate ison type. Publish a newsletter. Stay in touch with clients and prospects by mailing them articles you clipped. Become an expert resource for local and national media reporters. Welcome new people to your town. News releases are an inexpensive way to get your name in print; always include a photo. Write a weekly or monthly newspaper or magazine column. Congratulate people on promotions you read about in the local paper and in trade pubs. Give great public speeches. Public seminars sponsored by your company or another company with which you partner. Word-of-mouth happy clients and happy employees talk! Host power breakfasts for local business leaders. Get on, or even better, host radio and/or TV talk shows. Crashing Past Gatekeepers Of The Media To Get Your Foot In The Door Controversy sells in all forms of the media. Media is drawn to it like insects to a night light. Relevance to a current event is important. Make your story connect to what is happening now. Hope, it does not sell as well as controversy, but it does sell. The media is looking for ways to show that progress is being made in solving today's social problems. Simplification of life, for most, life has become too complex. Show how people can save time, improve the quality of their lives, find enjoyment and fulfillment, and generally be happier. Overcoming Adversity is a regular media winner. America has always cheered for the underdog. Show how you have done it and become a media darling. Partnering with the media can be your secret weapon if used well. Develop relationships with as many local and national reporters and editors as possible. The more you can do to make their life easier the better the chances you'll get coverage. To Better Connect with the Media, Make a Favorable Impression Take the Eight "Cs" approach: Be Concise, Candid, Correct, Conversational, Clear, Compassionate, Controversial, and Calm! Use the name of your company or product rather than saying, "The widget or The Company." Give your main point first, in a concise, positive, and complete sentence. Remember that the best defense is a good offence. Be honest. Relax and smile. Make a public interest viewpoint. Become an "industry" source. Be as prepared and knowledgeable as possible. Watch or listen to the show or read the publication beforehand. Radiate confidence and energy. Energy plus Enthusiasm equals Excitement! If you really do not know, say "I don't have the answer now" . . . and explain rather than, "I don't know," or "No comment." Keep your cool. Believe to the core of your being, that you have something of value to offer their audience. Things You Will Want to Avoid Do not repeat negative or "Loaded" words. Do not say anything "off the record" because there is no such thing in today's media. Do not make exaggerated claims or predictions. Do not lie, mislead, or try to bluff because it will come back and bite you in the rear. Do not discuss your personal finances. Do not lose your temper. If you do, the host will make a monkey of you. I once saw Ted Turner lose his temper on Donahue and Phil made Ted look like a . . . Well, you know. Do not wear checks, plaids, stripes, or large prints before a camera because you will look terrible. Do not look for the "on camera" red light. Instead, talk directly to the reporter or interviewer. Do not nod affirmatively to a question with which you disagree. Instead clearly show that you are not in agreement with the interviewer or other guest. Do not be defensive. Do not use jargon that few will understand. Rather than appearing bright, you will appear smug or arrogant. Do not leave your humor in the waiting room. Humor is one of the best ways to win over the audience. Do not try to be someone you aren't. Your insincerity will show through like a red flag. Do not forget to say "Thank you" to the show's host. If You Want to be Asked Back If you show up in person, DRESS TO IMPRESS. Be prepared. Always be in time for the interview. Your materials should be up-to-date. Smile before, during, and after the interview, even if you are not in-studio. Arrive early so you don't appear rushed, but not so early that you're in the way. Listen intently to the host. Answer question asked, even if you do move a little off their subject. Answer to the point and be concise. Answer with enthusiasm. Do not answer a question with a question, a simple yes or no, or "yup." If you're unfamiliar with a question, simply say so. If you don't clearly hear the question, ask them to please repeat it. Call the host by name and thank them briefly on air. Send a postproduction thank you note to the host and producer. You have just discovered the tools to get to the media. If you made the commitment I asked for earlier all that is left is to go into action. Don't get derailed moving from the idea phase into action. Your own perception of your worthiness is what will block or empower you into action. If you didn't make the commitment, what can I say, but good luck? It is how you say it and how you do it. Share your ideas in public and gain increased stature for yourself and your business. It is a fun way to boost your business. To access helpful additional information from Ed Rigsbee at no charge, please visit www.rigsbee.com/downloadaccess.htm. Also be sure to visit www.SucceedinSpeaking.com.
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