Blogging Archives - Page 15 of 68 - Jim Connolly Marketing

Don’t let greedy amateurs get you down

By Jim Connolly | February 22, 2017

Martin (not his real name) emailed me with a great question. I promised to answer it here, as it’s a marketing problem that a lot of people struggle with.

He wanted to know why only a tiny fraction of his newsletter subscribers ever hire him. Martin’s an experienced, professional copywriter. It’s important to point out that I looked at Martin’s newsletter and it’s superb. His range of services look compelling too.

He explained: “They grab all my free advice Jim, but lack the decency to even say thanks for the hours I put in. I’m just about ready to quit.”

Martin wanted to know if I have the same problem and how I deal with it. Here’s my answer. I hope you find it useful.

This is exactly as it should be

First things first. This happens to everyone who uses content marketing. And the more successful you become, the more visible the issue becomes. I know the writers behind some of the world’s most successful newsletters and blogs. In every case, it’s only a tiny minority of their readers who hire them, buy from them or thank them.

And that’s EXACTLY as it should be.

Most people who read this message have zero intention of ever hiring me. A tiny percentage will even bother to thank me for the free information I provide to them. The vast majority just grab it. They have no interest in the thousands of dollars I spend every year, to get the “free” advice out there. No thought is given to the fact I help their business. They just take.

And that’s EXACTLY as it should be.

Why? Because it’s what they’re supposed to do! Remember, these people are not the prospective clients I write for.

No.

These are the amateurs. The freebie crowd. Those who lack the entrepreneurial sense to invest in expert help. So they’re attracted to “free stuff” like moths to a flame. (read this)

You can’t use content marketing and not expect to attract them. You can’t ask people to subscribe to a free newsletter (or free anything) and not be inundated with freebie hunters. To think otherwise is naive.

Expect the freebie crowd to arrive. BUT never write for them. I don’t write for the freebie crowd. Neither should Martin. And neither should you.

I write for people who take their business seriously.
I write for people who are commercially intelligent enough to invest in their businesses.
I write for people who have respect for themselves and for others.

To put it another way, I write for professionals. Professionals are the people who show appreciation for your work. They’re the people who hire you. They totally get it.

Where it gets tricky is this: Professionals are ALSO attracted by free stuff. That’s why content marketing is extremely effective, when used correctly.

Content marketing and intent

The key difference between the 2 types of people who consume your content can be summed up in one word. Intent.

When a professional consumes your content, they do so with an open mind to hiring you or buying from you. If they see enough value, they’ll get in touch or make a purchase. These amazing people contact me throughout the day, every day. Sometimes to ask about hiring me. Sometimes to say thanks. Sometimes to tell me how my ideas have helped them overcome a problem.
When an amateur consumes your content, they don’t have that same intent. The amateur sees the free stuff as the end result. It’s the much mentioned entitlement mindset. That’s why they never bother to thank Martin, me or any other content marketer. They believe they’re entitled to it.

Once you understand the intent behind the 2 groups of people who consume your content, everything makes sense. It also frees your mind to focus on generously contributing to the marketplace.

5 Extremely powerful questions to help your business thrive

By Jim Connolly | February 16, 2017

Today, I have 5 powerful questions to help you and your business thrive. Each question comes with a suggestion, to point you in the right direction.

1. Are you earning trust by setting self-imposed deadlines?

A great way to build trust is to deliver on a promise.

Think about it: Telling a client that their project will be ready “by the end of the week”, is way less powerful, than telling them it will be ready, “by 9am Thursday”.

Tip: Set deadlines and then deliver. When a client trusts you to deliver on your promises, they are extremely unlikely to seek out another provider. They are also massively more likely to recommend you to their friends. I wrote about this here.

2. Are you taking business advice from a proven expert?

Never take business advice from someone, who hasn’t already achieved what you want to achieve.

For example, avoid marketing consultants who have to attend networking groups, because their own marketing doesn’t generate enough leads. There’s a powerful signal there. Avoid SEO companies, who sell their services via email. It’s a sure sign THEIR OWN SEO isn’t generating enough inbound sales leads. They’re hardly the people to help you.

Tip: Before you take advice from anyone, check their credentials. Unless they can demonstrate that they’ve achieved what you need to achieve, avoid them. This includes free advice online. Incorrect, free advice can prove extremely expensive.

3. Are you attracting daily sales or client enquiries from your website?

If not, you’re needlessly missing out on a wonderful opportunity. My blog generates client enquiries multiple times every day. Your site can be a business generating machine too. However, it needs to have the right strategy behind it. Invest in getting this right or you’re leaving money on the table every day.

Tip: Don’t copy what you see other sites doing. Almost every small and medium sized business blog or website I see, is failing miserably.

4. Are you associating with the right people?

We tend to grow in the same direction as those we associate with. Mix with the wrong people and one day, everything they have will be yours.

Think about that for a moment.

Tip: Get intentional regarding the network of people around you. Choose to associate with those who have either achieved what you want to achieve, or who are committed to the same goals and aspirations as you.

5. Are you learning from past mistakes or repeating them?

For a lot of people reading this, 2017 is already looking a lot like 2016. You deserve better than that!

Tip: If you are facing the same old frustrations, it’s because you’re repeating the same old errors. For better results, you need a better strategy. Find someone with the skills to help you move your business forward. And remember point number 2; only take advice from someone who’s achieved what you want to achieve.

I hope you find these ideas useful. More importantly, I hope something here inspires you to take positive action.

Are you using the right kind of marketing for your business?

By Jim Connolly | February 2, 2017

immediate Marketing results, fast marketing results

Many small business owners make the mistake of using the wrong type of marketing for their business.

For example, did you know there is a huge difference between Internet marketing sites and marketing sites? Well, there is. If you’re using ideas from the wrong type of site, you’re wasting your time and your money. As you will see from an example I am about to share, if you get it wrong it will seriously damage your business too.

First, here’s what you need to know about these VERY different types of marketing site.

Internet marketing sites

Internet marketing sites focus on how to make money online and have well-known Internet marketing gurus behind them. Here’s how to spot them: They mainly sell (and show you how to sell), software, online marketing courses, digital products, etc. The BIG get rich quick product right now is online courses.

They usually market their products to you… AND show you how to make money, doing what they do. That’s why there are so many of these sites out there. They are intended for people who want to sell low priced, Internet only products or services.

Marketing sites

Marketing sites, including Jim’s Marketing Blog, are a lot less common. They focus on ideas to help you increase sales and grow a successful business. Most, like my own, don’t cover affiliate marketing or make money online products or services at all.

The wrong type of marketing for an accountant

I was prompted to write about this, after being emailed by a new reader. She’s an accountant, who started her business just over a year ago. She contacted me after a marketing consultant identified why her marketing wasn’t working. She wanted me to share her experience with you, to stop others from making the same expensive mistake.

Here’s an excerpt from her email, published with her permission:

“I read a ton of big name marketing blogs and did what they said; at least the things that seemed to make sense to me. Anyhow I invested over $2000 on a bunch of marketing software, on-line courses and forum memberships. None worked for me. Finally I instructed a local marketing guy to get expert help. He took a look at my website and emails and said “woah!!”
[…] He explained that I had been marketing my service like some nasty affiliate product!!”

She ended up with a site that’s hurting her business and damaging her professional reputation. I took a look at her site and here’s what I saw:

Blog comments from affiliate marketers, using SEO loaded keywords instead of their names.
Nasty looking ads for 2 affiliate products.
Sensationalist blog post headlines, designed to attract drive-by readers.
Pinch pages, to sell her services.
An automated Twitter account, which she told me is part of a Twitter resharing network.

All in all, she had wasted thousands and done nothing more than make her site look cheap. She’s now in the process of unpicking a year’s worth of damage to her reputation and her business.

Use the right type of marketing for your business

The type of marketing used to sell cheap software, get rich online crap or affiliate products, is totally different from the kind of marketing required to sell your services. The level of trust required to hire a coach, accountant, lawyer, designer, therapist or consultant is huge.

When a service provider wants to attract new, high quality clients, the make money online approach to marketing is not only ineffective, it’s toxic.

Match the marketing you use, to the type of business you want. Unless you sell Internet marketing products or affiliate products, think twice before using ideas from Internet marketing sites.

Success leaves clues

By Jim Connolly | January 13, 2017

When it comes to marketing, success leaves clues. By following these clues and learning from them, it’s possible to significantly improve your marketing. Allow me to explain.

Consider the following:

The last marketing email, which you were motivated to open because it had a powerful subject line.
The last marketing email you read, which persuaded you to take action. (To ask for information, pick up the phone, make a purchase, etc.)
The last blog post you read, which you were motivated to bookmark, save or share.
The last advertisement you saw or heard, which motivated you to make a purchase.
The last service you experienced, which impressed you so much that you wanted to tell your friends about it.
The last newsletter you received, which you forwarded to your contacts.

How to turn clues into results

Each of those marketing examples motivated you to take action. And they each contain a clue, as to why the marketing worked. To uncover the clue you need to answer this question:

What can I learn from this example of marketing success, which I can adapt and apply to my own marketing?

Next, write your answer down. This is really important, as you don’t want to risk losing your best ideas. Also, by writing your answers down, you’ll start to develop a gold mine of useful marketing notes.

Is this approach as effective as hiring a proven marketing professional? No. Not even close. But if you can’t afford expert help, it’s one way to make better marketing decisions.

P.S: To get you started, here are dozens of proven marketing ideas.

New Year’s resolutions: How to make them work

By Jim Connolly | January 1, 2017

You know the story.

Your local gym will have 300% more members, because it’s January.
Thousands of abandoned blogs will have new posts published, because it’s January.
Business owners worldwide will set new targets, because it’s January.

And by March, almost all of these will revert back to their old ways.

That’s because setting a target or goal, simply because it’s January, brings very little motivation. Once January passes the motivation fades. Gyms are emptier, blogs are quieter and business owners slide back into their comfort zones.

However, some will succeed! These are the people who make a resolution to improve… a powerful and highly motivating resolution.

New Year’s Resolution?

The Oxford Dictionary defines resolute as: Admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering. When you set yourself a target or goal, with purposeful, determined and unwavering commitment, you succeed.

So, if you want to be one of the magnificent minority, who set and achieve their New Year’s resolutions, don’t set them just because it’s January.

Instead, give yourself some BIG, compelling, inspiring and motivating reasons to achieve your goals. Then resolve to achieve each of them with purposeful, determined and unwavering commitment.

IMPORTANT: Don’t set puny goals. The more exciting your goal is, the greater your motivation to succeed will be. Here’s a short post, which explains how this works. It’s from one of the greatest minds that ever lived: A Goal Setting Tip From The Genius Of Michelangelo.

Once you’ve set and achieved these exciting goals, set some more. Remember, there’s no need to wait until January!

Finally my friend, I wish you and your family, health, happiness and peace in 2017 and beyond.