Jim Connolly Marketing

The secret to long term business success

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Today’s post is all about something that’s even more valuable to your business than overnight success!

In an age where people expect instant results, the value and importance of developing a long term relationship with your marketplace is often overlooked.

The thing is, business is all about people and people place enormous value in those who consistently demonstrate their expertise over a prolonged period of time.  I was prompted to pull the post I had originally planned for today and write this one for you, after a comment that was left here yesterday by Sue Davis.  Sue is a long time reader and as you will see, there is real value in developing this kind of long-term relationship with your marketplace.

Here’s the comment in full, republished with Sue’s permission.  I have highlighted the areas I shall be focusing on:

I have just had proof of your expertise!  I wanted to find something on social media sharing for a course I am writing and almost by default came to your site because I knew you would be doing it right.

Before I got to the bit I wanted I was reading one of your posts, followed a text link and found myself buying your Audio program.  The copy was so well written I jumped into your sales conversion funnel and popped out with something I wasn’t even looking for.

I rarely buy programs of any sort.  I did because over the past few years you have sent a lot of sense into my email box so I trust you.  It’s one of the few blogs I like to read instead of skim.  This has built trust and is proof positive that everything you have been saying is true.  Of course you knew that already!

Turning up with value, regularly, over time

If you take a look at Sue’s comment, it demonstrates one of the cornerstones of successful content marketing: To show your prospective clients your expertise, by regularly reaching them with valuable content, over a prolonged period of time.

The trust that Sue mentioned is an essential element in any great relationship and in this instance, I earned Sue’s trust by becoming a regular, valued part of her working week.  Equally, I regularly receive emails about my services, from people who tell me they feel like they already know me, because of the relationship I have formed with them via the ongoing content I share here.

The bottom line:  Overnight success may grab the headlines, but the most valuable business relationships are those you form with your marketplace, by earning their trust, over time.

Blogging: Seth Godin and I are doing it wrong!

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blogging, blog tips, content marketing

According to just about every blogging expert out there, I’m doing it all wrong.  But that’s fine with me.  Apparently, Seth Godin is doing it all wrong too.  It turns out that when it comes to blogging, Seth and I are as clueless as our heads are hairless.

What I discovered whilst ruining this blog

Although I’m doing it all wrong, here’s what I’ve discovered; whilst building a daily readership of thousands and making a six figure income from this blog:

  • Your blog posts do not need to be lengthy.
  • You don’t need to use video on your blog.
  • You don’t need to offer a “weekly round-up” of your posts every weekend.  It’s perfectly fine to write something original or post nothing at all.
  • You don’t need to review every piece of crap that’s sent to you.
  • You don’t need to be an associated blogger.  It’s fine to be independent; plus you look less like a sheep when you are not part of a flock.
  • Your posts do not need to be Search Engine Optimized every time or even most of the time.
  • You don’t need a complicated commenting policy or special commenting software.  Seth doesn’t even have comments.
  • You don’t need to spend a fortune on blog design.
  • You don’t need to write a newsletter, just because other bloggers do. (In fact, it’s best NOT to do anything, just because other bloggers do.)
  • You don’t need to use SEO software, to help you write your posts.
  • You do not need to use guest bloggers.
  • You don’t need to drop the F bomb or be deliberately confrontational, in order to stand out.
  • You DO need to find out what works for you, based on what you want to achieve; then do it YOUR way.

Tip: It’s probably NOT going to help you, if you follow the pack.  If your current approach to blogging isn’t working, dump it and consider breaking a few rules.

Me?  I’m going to look for more and more rules to break and more ways to do it wrong.

Why?  Because each time I do, something wonderful happens.

How to kill your business!

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business development topics r

A key factor in every failing business I have ever studied, is that the business owner dabbles.

Rather than get the professional help they need, they decide to crush their chances of success, by dabbling with their marketing.

Some common examples include:

  • People dabble with promotional offers: They make unattractive offers, to the wrong people, at the wrong time, using the wrong message and the wrong medium.
  • People dabble with social networking: They set up accounts, usually on too many social networks and then copy what they see other people doing.  They spread themselves too thinly and have no effective strategy.  As a result, they miss all the great opportunities.
  • People dabble with blogging: They set up a blog, with no clear idea of what they want to achieve.  They then fill their blog with “me too” posts (posts that simply repeat what millions of other people are saying) and then quit after a few months, because (it) didn’t work.
  • People dabble with email marketing: They buy a list or add people to a list (without their consent), and email them sales messages.  They waste months angering people with unwanted email, that the recipients never requested, and wonder why it didn’t work.
  • People dabble with advertising: They place the wrong message, in the wrong area of the wrong publication, at the wrong time.  They use the wrong typography, the wrong call to action and then proclaim; “advertising doesn’t work!”
  • People dabble with mail shots: They send a marketing letter, written usually by themselves rather than a copywriter (to save money), to a list they bought or built from contact data they found.  The mixture of amateur copywriting, bad targeting and no compelling reason for the reader to do anything, makes this a total waste of time.

Then there are enlightened small business owners

These business owners decide to build a successful business, so they invest in the professional marketing help they need.  They do the right things correctly and enjoy the rewards.

They have figured out that in the most challenging economy in living memory, the dabblers are simply dabbling their way out of business.

How to never sell on price again!

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Today, I want to show you how to never sell your products based on price again!

Price sensitivity

If you find people are price sensitive, there’s always a reason.

If your product appears to be similar to competing products, yet you are charging more for it, people will think your product is too expensive.  All things being equal, people go for the best (lowest) price because it’s all that they have left, to determine whether they are getting value for money or not.  If you want to move away from competing on price, you need to provide something different and of greater value to your target customer.

Now, if your product already offers a real, unique advantage over your competitors products, and people can’t see all that great value, you need to focus on how to get your message across powerfully in your marketing.  However, that’s not what today’s brief post is about!

In most cases, the price sensitivity problem persists because there is just not enough differentiation between what you provide and what is available elsewhere.  That’s what I’m going to focus on here.

The need for differentiation

For 16 years, I have been telling business owners to differentiate their products (and services), so they don’t have to sell based on price.

For 16 years they have asked me, “how?”

It’s obviously impossible to give you a global answer, on how you can be different enough to rise above your competitors.  Of course, if there was a global answer, everyone would use it and thus it couldn’t work as everyone would look the same!  The whole point about differentiation, is that it has to be different.

So, here are a few ideas for you, based on successful differentiation tactics that business owners have used with great success, to avoid having to sell based on price.  See if any of these help you get your creative juices flowing!

  • The product is a numbered, limited edition.
  • The product is signed by it’s creator.
  • The product is recommended to the prospective customer, by someone they respect or admire.
  • The product weighs 50% less than competing products.
  • The product is made from 100% renewable sources.
  • The product is bright orange, when competing products are only available in black or white.
  • The product is offered with a lifetime replacement guarantee.
  • The product is used as a way to show your membership of a community.  An example of this is the iPhone community, where ownership of an iPhone places you in their “tribe.”

The more valuable your differentiation is, the less people will make price an issue.  It’s genuinely challenging work to come up with something that makes your product uniquely valuable, but if you are prepared to do the hard work, you can own a very profitable chunk of your marketplace.

Proof: Why your marketing needs to prove itself!

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Proof matters. It matters because the gap created by a lack of proof, is usually filled with doubt.  In business, you really don’t need people doubting you or your message.

Why proof matters in marketing

People typically want to believe you, but they like to have proof as a way to justify their belief.  These days it’s usually pretty easy to provide that proof, particularly online.  If you get a mention in a national or regional newspaper, there’s usually a link you can provide, to show your coverage.

For example, I provide a lot of proof on the about page on this blog. I include 5 different links to mentions of me that appear in The New York Times.  There’s also a link to the website of my friend and former client; Grammy Award winning producer, Bruce Elliott-Smith, as well as my current AdAge Power150 listing etc.  I use the links to help provide proof to new readers and prospective clients, that my narrative is genuine.

The problem with proof

Today, if you get mentioned in just about any regional or national newspaper / magazine, you can provide readers with a link to it on that publication’s website.  However, most of the mentions of you from 8 or more years ago in the press, are probably gone without trace. You may have a hard copy of the article that says how great you are, but nothing you can link to, which shows it on the newspaper’s own website.  Equally, appearances you made on TV or great radio guest spots from back then, are also hard to prove.

The challenge here is that in the age of click-able proof, many people expect proof to be available on the website of the newspaper, magazine, radio station or TV station etc.  Not simply on your site.

In my own case, I have appeared on dozens of BBC radio shows, with nothing I can link to as proof.  I list the BBC in an image on my about page and hope that my transparency and click-able proof are enough to build the trust required.  You know what?  For many who don’t know me, it won’t be.  They need that click.  To be honest, I understand them too!  I see mentions some bloggers make regarding coverage they have received, and find it hard to believe, based on the quality of their content.  Others I believe instantly and feel no need to click anything, because their content / work is clearly extremely good.

Maybe there’s a lesson there too: That people are less willing to believe someone who claims high level media coverage, when the quality of their content seems pretty average?

In my experience, if you can link to your mentions in the media, you should.  It removes doubt and encourages trust.  If you have enough credible mentions, which are easy to prove, you may find people are more likely to believe those achievements, which can’t be proven instantly with the click of a mouse.  Here are some tips on how to get more high quality media coverage, if that’s a challenge for you right now.

Is blogging something you fit in after the important work is done?

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A reader emailed me recently, to say she is about to start a business blog.  She wanted to know how I find the time to keep this blog updated as frequently as I do, with useful content.

Image: Maria Reyes-McDavis

The answer is that I don’t have to “find time” to write here!

Let me explain: I see business blogs a little differently from most people.  I regard business blogs as massively valuable assets.  So, I give this site high priority within my business.

To me, business blogs are online magazines, which provide articles to interested people; with an opportunity for the readers to connect with the author and their fellow readers.

Just as you can’t play around and accidentally produce a worthwhile business magazine, you can’t play around with a business blog and expect it to develop a great community of highly valued readers.

Magazine thinking?

Think of any great business blog.  It provides valuable articles for people interested in their niche, just like any high quality business magazine.  For example, Brian Clark from copyblogger refers to his site as a media asset and his posts as magazine style content.  I have always been of the same mindset.  I see this site as a genuine media asset and I treat it with the respect it deserves.

  • It’s not a hobby.
  • It’s not a passtime.
  • It’s not a gesture.
  • It’s not something I do when there’s no real work that needs doing.
  • It IS an extremely valuable business asset.  Look at this!

This site never needs me to have spare time to invest in it.  If it did, it would be another infrequently updated business blog.  I regard Jim’s Marketing Blog and the reader community here as an integral part of my business, so it gets worked on ahead of many other less important (to me) business activities.

  • People who just write posts when they have spare time, after the important work is done, end up with a site which reflects that level of investment.
  • People who regard their site as the important work, treat their site very differently and see very different results.

The bottom line:  It’s a question of priorities.  Professionally, I place an extremely high priority on developing this site, so it always gets the time and attention it deserves.