Winston's e-Newsletter - November 2009

How To Stand Out From The Crowd, Chapter 4
Four criteria for building your web site
A fantastic photo of the dogs
Making a blog work for your business
Another Commercial

 

How To Stand Out From The Crowd, Chapter 4

In our last edition we suggested that you should have 5 specific and meaningful reasons why prospects should do business with you. Now, let's cover two more thoughts in this edition of the newsletter.

Build your profile by joining and getting involved in a community organization, service club, professional body or industry association. There are many reasons that you should do so not the least being that over time your involvement will become a useful source of business. Marketing leaders know that it's important to get away from their business trees occasionally to see the business forest. By attending a meeting, like Rotary, every week or your monthly professional meeting you'll probably get at least one or two good ideas just by getting out and about. Another benefit is that, particularly when you get involved by taking a role, you'll get a lot of practice at presenting in public which will build your communication skills and presentation abilities. Finally you'll be making a real contribution to your community, profession or industry. When you join that organisation, make the commitment to be involved and aim to become the head of it when your turn comes around.

Have a family gallery. What is a family gallery? Very simple: it's a collection of testimonials - the most powerful marketing device known to mankind. Why? Simply because it is other people saying that your company, product or service delivers on the promises you make. It's far better than the self-serving, chest-beating advertisements that are all too often unbelievable.

To get testimonials, you need some delighted customers, clients or patients who are prepared to sing your praises. If you don't have these sorts of people you are not going to be in business for long in any event.

How do you do about getting a testimonial? Easy! You ring a happy client and ask for their help. Once they have agreed you'll probably have to assist them by giving them an idea of what to say. Testimonials need to talk about the basics… that you delivered on your promises, made things easy, explained things, turned up on time and so on. People look for basics like these as a foundation on which they can build a relationship.

A good testimonial either tells a story. It starts by saying "I had a problem. I didn't know how to solve it and it was worrying me silly. Then I was introduced to Mary Nurk and she instantly changed the way I thought about things. I felt confident, relaxed and happy and I decided to use her. Mary delivered on her promises, did a fantastic job and now I am really happy. Anybody else who is worried about these things should talk to Mary Nurk."

Alternatively, it's short, sweet and to the point… "Fred Williams delivered on his promises. He was on time and on budget."

Testimonials are powerful: marketing leaders know it and use them.

 

Four criteria for building your web site

In the August edition of my Business Marketing audio magazine one of my articles was all about getting your web site to really work. Getting the basics right is what's really important and you can listen to what I said about it here. Better still you can subscribe and get great information like that every month of the year.

 

A fantastic photo of the dogs

Forgive me for mentioning my dogs yet again but sometimes things happen serendipitously and that was the occasion the other Sunday. My mates and I were out walking the dogs at one of our favourite spots and we reckoned that there was great photo opportunity with the mist on the lake rising in the background. As luck would have it, a wonderful man with a camera appeared and he agreed to photograph our pooches. When you see the photo, I reckon you'll agree that it's the shot of the year.

 

Making a blog work for your business

Blogging is a highly efficient way to bring visitors to your website (and hence increase sales).

People keep asking me who can write a blog for them because they know the benefits but haven't got the time, the skill or the ideas to produce one regularly. It therefore makes sense to outsource some or all of your blog posts.

When it comes to writing great blog content there's only one guy I'd recommend… Paul Hassing. He is a talented and experienced blogger with a growing portfolio of blogging clients. You can check out his work at www.thefeistyempire.com/samples/blogs

To get one 350-word blog post on the topic of your choice including research/thinking, writing, editing / proofing / liaising is just $180+gst. Add a link to Paul's website and the price drops to $150+gst. (That's a hell of a lot less than having to have an advert written and run somewhere.)

You keep the copyright, in case you want to collate your posts into an ebook down the track for passive income. The more source materials and direction you give Paul up front, the better.

These posts are the sort Paul does for MYOB's Small Business Owner blog

If you'd prefer a lot of 'mini' posts (50-100 words) Paul will do those for $50+gst each, subject to a minimum number. He visits your business, takes loads of photos, asks heaps of questions, goes home and goes nuts… as he did with this blog goodmorgans.wordpress.com/

A bonus is that it looks attractive and professional and the software and hosting for this blog are free.

Paul has spent years gaining the skills and life experience to be a great blogger and, as I said, I recommend him without reservation. Frankly if you want to get serious about cyberspace marketing, he's your man. Download full details of his services here.

 

Another Commercial

Every edition of this e-zine I include a television or cyberspace commercial that's caught my eye. Because the duration of this TVC is an odd one I reckon that it was made expressly for cyberspace in the hope that it would go viral. Well, I s'pose it did coz someone sent it to me but it hasn't made me book a cruise yet (in fact my next holiday will be by plane). Here it is for you to make up your mind about.

 

Business Growth Centre
ABN: 96 709 037 261
Postal: 903 High Street Road, Glen Waverley , Vic, 3150, Australia
Phone: +613 9803 7555   Fax: +613 9803 5755

This newsletter is being sent to: email@isp.com

 

You are receiving this Newsletter because you asked to be subscribed, or attended a Seminar, or purchased a product. If you no longer wish to hear from us, unsubscribe here

 

If you received this newsletter through a friend and wish to subscribe yourself, go here.