Jim's Marketing Blog

Here’s something for you to consider if you want your business to grow massively, in 2018 and beyond.

It’s based on an idea I shared with a friend, which saw him increase his profits and turnover by more than 200% in just 12 months.

Meaningful improvements lead to meaningful progress

Here’s what we know: The only way to grow your business next year, in a meaningful way, is to make meaningful improvements. It’s simply not enough for you to do what you did this year, only a little better. At best, that strategy may allow you to tread water. To spin your wheels. To waste another year.

However, it certainly won’t lead you to anything worthwhile.

Add some zeros

My friend Harry saw a 200% increase in his revenues over the last 12 months, with an even greater increase in his profits. How did he achieve this?

Instead of focusing on how to grow his business by 25%, I suggested last September, that he should add a zero to his target. He then sat down and set himself an inspiring challenge: How can I increase my turnover and profits over the next 12 months, by 250%?

Harry explained that by focusing on a target of 25% growth, his thinking was limited. A pretty small target required pretty small thinking. Puny targets also lack any real pull – yes, a 25% increase is nice, but it wasn’t going to change his life in a meaningful way.

However, by setting himself a huge growth target, one that was 10 times bigger than ever before, he had to blow the lid off his thinking. He had to think at a totally different level.  It inspired him to set his full potential to work on the challenge. Plus, because growing his business by 250% would massively improve his family’s quality of life, he found it spectacularly motivating.

In short, he’d set himself a compelling target that inspired him to think big AND he was feeling more motivated than ever before.

However… He missed his target!

Instead of growing his business by 250%, he only managed just over 200%. His business is 3 times bigger and over 3 times more profitable! He’s also pretty sure he can hit that 250% number by April 2018.

I believe him too.

How you can succeed on a totally different level

Steve Jobs famously said that when you’re working on something exciting, the vision pulls you. I’m paraphrasing there, but the message is both powerful and accurate.

Most small business owners stay small, because they set themselves targets or goals that fail to inspire them. Puny goals restrict your thinking. They also rob you of the energy, which only comes when you’re being pulled by a compelling vision.

So, why not do what Harry did?

If you want massively better results (and lots more motivation), add some zeros my friend!

Why do some prospective clients choose an inferior provider, even after you’ve demonstrated that you offer a far better service?

I was thinking about this earlier. A friend of mine bought a new vehicle, which carries 7 people. He’s married. They have one child and no pets. I asked him why he chose to buy a vehicle with so many seats.

He said, “I don’t know, Jim. I don’t need all those seats. I just really like it”.

The problem with logic

Here’s the thing: Most of the purchasing decisions we make seem to defy logic.

Instead, we hire someone or buy something, based on the way we feel about them / it.

So, here’s a quick tip.

If you find you’re losing prospective clients to competitors, even after you’ve clearly explained why you’re the best choice, try focusing less on logic. This means fewer graphs. Fewer numbers. Fewer facts.

Instead, tell them a better story. A story that’s consistent with the way they need to feel, in order to hire you or buy from you. When they feel comfortable with you, when they feel like you’re the right option… you become the obvious choice.

This will help you get it right: Why storytelling is the cornerstone of successful marketing.

That’s got to be one of the very worst reasons to do anything in business.

Do it because it works, sure.

Do it because it generates increasing returns, absolutely.

But doing something a certain way, purely because you’ve always done it that way, makes no commercial sense.

Why?

Because although a business owner’s approach may remain static, the marketplace is changing. And the pace of change is accelerating. This means the approach you use needs to adapt, if you want it to work. Interestingly, this applies to all forms of marketing. Not just digital (internet) marketing.

For example

Here’s just one very common example. Until recently, if a service provider offered an outstanding service, that was enough to ensure they received a regular flow of referrals. They could build a valuable client base, from word of mouth recommendations alone.

Today, that’s no longer enough. Times have changed. Unless you use the correct approach, delighted clients will no longer feel inspired to tell their friends and contacts about you. If you work in any service-based profession, you’ll already know this. There are a few additional steps you need to take, to attract great referrals, which were unnecessary just a few years ago.

As a business owner, you need to be aware of changes like this. Then adapt your marketing approach accordingly.

Fear not my friend!

Here are some of my top marketing tips and ideas — yours now, for free. The information is updated regularly and will provide you with lots of workable marketing advice, most of which you can get started on today.