Jim's Marketing Blog

Marketing tips and ideas to help you grow your business

Why not me?

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marketing tip, get picked, get chosen

Someone, somewhere is asking that question today. And there could be a number of reasons why they didn’t get chosen.

  • Their proposal was very professional. But someone else’s proposal gave 3 recent, checkable examples of exceptionally high quality work.
  • Their presentation was really good. But the CEO’s best friend personally recommended another provider.
  • Their meeting with the prospective client went well. But their marketing caused the prospect to assume the fee would be lower, so the prospect hired someone cheaper.

It’s natural for our initial reaction, when we miss out on something, to be externally focused. We tend to look for reasons why another person wasn’t smart enough to see how good we are and hire us or buy from us. That’s certainly how I used to think.

But not any more.

Get picked or chosen

Experience has taught me, that it’s a great deal more profitable to look for ways to improve. To focus on how we can do better the next time.

Get feedback whenever possible. Though the quality of the feedback is often inaccurate. That’s especially the case in situations such as the first 2 of my examples.

Above all, seek out ways to increase your odds of success the next time. Replay the situation where someone else was picked. Unpack it.

Look for all possible opportunities to improve. For example.

  • Could your opening be stronger?
  • Do you check for clarity (often enough) before moving on?
  • Does your proposal, presentation, sales pitch or introduction have maximum impact?
  • And is it memorable?
  • Are there enough trust building assets; reasons for a prospect to trust you?
  • Are you leveraging your contacts?
  • Do your testimonials inspire confidence and desire?
  • Could you improve with expert training?
  • Is your content, proposal, follow-up, etc., professionally written or DIY?

Those are a few of the most obvious places to start looking for ways to improve.

And keep on improving, until you manage to get hired, get the account or get the contract, 10 out of 10 times.

Marketing seminars are worse than useless

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avoid marketing seminars, marketing seminars useless,

Marketing seminars are worse than useless. No, not all of them. Just those offered to a non-specific audience, usually online.

Before I explain why, we need to acknowledge the following basic truths.

  • The marketing strategies and tactics that work best for a private school looking for students, differ wildly from the strategies that work for a chain of strip joints.
  • And the effective strip joint strategies are very different from the strategies required by an oven cleaning franchise.
  • And the perfect oven cleaning franchise strategies, are totally different from those required by a tech start-up… or a long-established family law firm…. or a record label… you get the idea.

General, non specific marketing seminars deliberately ignore this fact.

They provide strategies and tactics that are intentionally designed NOT to be specific to anyone attending, based on the most general, of general advice. They’re designed to sell as many places on the seminar as possible. It’s a cookie cutter approach. The exact opposite of what’s required.

Different industries and professions need radically different advice. Business owners need marketing strategies that are, at the very least, specific to their industry.

But even industry specific strategies aren’t that much better. They’re marginally less terrible, that’s all.

The danger of general marketing advice

General marketing advice is what the majority of businesses in any sector already use. It’s freely available on websites, podcasts, webinars, Facebook, Linkedin and Youtube, etc. It’s available from well-intentioned industry bodies and institutes. It’s available in those For Dummies books. Which is why the marketing of most businesses, in the same sector, looks so amazingly similar.

Here’s what we see.

  • They provide a very similar sounding range of services.
  • They use very similar marketing promises.
  • They offer very similar guarantees.
  • They charge very similar prices.
  • They target very similar prospective clients.
  • And they suffer with the pain of very similar results, with (at best), a very similar slice of their marketplace.

The last thing they need is even more, general marketing advice; wrapped up as a so-called marketing seminar.

It’s worse than useless. It’s toxic.

Toxic?

Yes. Because as you can see, it makes your business less visible, less relevant and less attractive. It gives a prospective customer or client absolutely no meaningful reason whatsoever to notice you, contact you, hire you (or buy from you)… rather than hire a look-a-like competitor.

What’s needed is the exact opposite.

You need a strategy that will work for your specific business, based on your specific resources and designed to achieve your specific business growth targets.

That’s unavailable on any general marketing seminar.

5 Of the most powerful words in business: Much better than I expected!

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much better than expected, exceed expectations

Think about it. When you’ve delivered a project for a client, you want them to say to themselves, “this is much better than I expected“.

When you tell someone about the service you offer, then quote your fee, you want them to say to themselves, “this quote is much better than I expected“.

When someone experiences your customer service, you want them to say to themselves, “this service is much better than I expected“.

Much better than I expected

There’s REAL power in those 5 words. They’re a sure sign that you’re exceeding expectations. And the most successful business owners strive to exceed expectations, with every interaction.

Here’s why:

They know that by truly exceeding expectations, they’ll retain more clients. They know they’ll also receive highly valuable client referrals. And they know they’ll build an exceptional reputation, too.

The reason the majority of small businesses fail to achieve this, is that it presents the business owner with 2, tricky challenges. When you overcome them, you can benefit from all the advantages of exceeding the expectations of your clients and your marketplace. And that’s what I’m going to share with you today.

Let’s start by looking at those 2 challenges and how you can turn things around.

1. Almost every business owner thinks they’re already exceeding expectations

They know how hard they work. They know how passionately they care about their clients. They then confuse their hard work and passion with delivering a remarkably good service.

Working hard doesn’t mean you’re exceeding expectations. After all, you can work darn hard just delivering exactly what your client expects from you! That kind of hard work is merely meeting expectations. Not exceeding them.

How do you find out for sure, if you’re exceeding expectations?

Simple. Just look at the number of referrals your clients give you. This may sound harsh, especially if you’re not receiving regular referrals. But in every industry, people proactively recommend the products and services that really impress them. They want their friends to know. That’s how word of mouth works.

Some clients will stay with an “okay service provider” for years, just because it’s easier than switching to a better provider. The provider can wrongly assume this loyalty is a reflection of truly remarkable service. It isn’t.

When a business isn’t getting a regular stream of client referrals, it’s a sure sign that the business isn’t exceeding what their clients expect from them. And it’s a wake up call. A wake up call to put things right, to up their game, to go from average to remarkable.

At least it should be.

2. It’s harder to exceed expectations than to meet them

Even if a business owner accepts they’re not exceeding expectations, it can be a challenge to figure out what they need to do, to turn things around. Every marketplace is saturated with average providers. And this can make it tricky to get out of that mindset. To see what’s truly possible and blow the lid off the service you provide.

Fear not!

Here’s something I share with my clients, to help them overcome this challenge.

The best way to elevate your own expectations of what’s possible, is to look outside of your industry and beyond your competitors for guidance and inspiration.

For example.

  • Compare your customer service to Disney.
  • Compare your product’s build quality to Rolex.
  • Compare your design quality to Apple.
  • Compare your distribution to Amazon.

Then, look for better ways to deliver your services, based on what you learn from these (and other) examples of excellence. It takes a little effort. That’s for sure. However, it’s a proven way to radically improve your services. A proven way to get people saying your offering is “much better than I expected”.

And I’ve seen it work hundreds of times.

What next?

In my experience, it’s the first of those challenges that’s always the toughest.

Even when some business owners know they get very few referrals, they’ll still fail to accept it’s down to them.

  • They’ll say their clients expect too much.
  • They’ll blame their clients for being ungrateful.
  • They’ll tell themselves their clients aren’t the kind who recommend others.

In short, they’ll refuse to acknowledge the problem.

The second challenge is a little less tricky.

It means embracing the edges. And that feels riskier than staying in their comfort zone. But as any entrepreneur (I mean real entrepreneur) will tell you, the riskiest thing you can do is cling to the overcrowded middle ground.

Make no mistake, consistently exceeding expectations takes real commitment. And that’s why so few of your competitors will do it.

It’s also why this wonderful opportunity is open to you.

It’s an opportunity to attract the best clients, to attract endless referrals, to retain your clients for longer and build an outstanding business. A business that’s much better than people expected.

How to create a new, highly profitable service!

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highly profitable service, develop service, create service

Here’s a tried and tested way to create a new and highly profitable service that will be all-but irresistible to your marketplace.

It’s based on an easy to follow, 3 step formula!

1. Identify their major problem

Identify the biggest challenge facing your clients and prospective clients. If you think you’ve identified it, BUT it isn’t a big enough problem to keep them awake at night, you haven’t found it yet. So keep looking!

That may sound dramatic, however, there’s a direct link between the size of the problem you solve and the success of your new, high profit service.

2. Create the solution

Create a solution that will overcome the challenge.

Yes, you’ll need to get creative here. If the solution was patently obvious, it wouldn’t have an entire marketplace suffering with it.

Thankfully, big problems don’t always require a big or complex answer. However, the solution to such pressing problems can require some extra creativity.

With that in mind, here are a couple of tips to help you find the answer you need.

  • Look outside your industry for the solution. Problems in one industry (or region / country) have already been solved in others. The most famous example of importing a solution from a totally different industry, is from The Ford Motor Company. They developed the automotive production line, based on how Chicago’s meat-packing plants worked.
  • Ask others for their ideas. By encouraging people you trust to provide their input, you multiply your chances of cracking the problem. It’s possible one of them will figure it out. It’s also possible that one of them could propose a solution that doesn’t work… but which sets you on a new direction that leads to the answer.

And finally.

3. Market your highly profitable new service

Create a marketing strategy that will inform and convince your marketplace, that you have the answer they need.

When marketing your solution to existing clients, you should find a massive level of interest.

Once you’ve provided an extremely valuable service to enough existing clients, the word usually spreads and spreads.

This then leads to a consistent flow of high quality client enquiries. Initially from your local area, then spreading into new locations; opening up an ever-expanding market.

Obviously, if you don’t have any existing and / or former clients, you have a trickier task at hand. Existing clients already know you and trust you. It’s very easy to share an idea with them.

When you’re contacting strangers it’s a very different proposition. There’s no one-size-fits-all marketing approach. The way forward for you will depend on multiple factors. Note: If you’re in this position and want some alternative strategies and ideas, I strongly recommend you read this: 10 Reasons your business isn’t growing and how to fix it.

The most valued service providers are those who solve the biggest, most serious problems, and then market their solution effectively. By using that 3 step formula correctly, you can become amazingly valuable to the market you serve.

People will tell their friends about you.

Your reputation will sky-rocket.

And you’ll attract the very best clients, whilst enjoying the rewards that come from your new, highly profitable service.

First impressions are crucial to your success. And scientists agree!

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first impressions, initial impressions, more sales, get clients

First impressions count. And they count far more than most people know.

Alex is a web designer.

Think for a few moments about the mental picture you’ve just built of Alex.

With only a name and job title, you’ll have almost instantly started to think about how they look.

Perhaps, you’ll have pictured them dressed a certain way.

You may have decided they’re arty. Or maybe a bit of a geek.

Here’s the thing. Your first impression of Alex wasn’t based on who she really is.

It can’t possibly be!

Your impression was based on what your perception of a web designer is.

How to create high value, first impressions

Using Alex as an example, try thinking for a moment about the initial impression a prospective client or customer gets, when you describe yourself by your job title, industry or profession.

Remember to include the fact that some people, perhaps many, will have had a bad experience with one of your counterparts, before encountering you. This is an important factor to take into consideration.

If we want prospects to form a powerful first impression of us, based on the huge value we bring, we need to start by focusing on that value.

initial impressions, first impressions,

Here’s an example of what I’m referring to.

When Alex describes or introduces herself, she starts with something very like the following:

“I provide companies with a way to attract high quality clients and sales, with websites that deliver consistently outstanding results”.

Alex is a former client of mine. So I know that her description works extremely well. You only have to consider how your impression of her radically changed, when you read it!

But that’s not all.

Something else happens

When you intentionally guide a prospect’s first impression, you also switch their perception of your service or product, from a cost to an investment.

Yes, on an intellectual level, most business owners know that there’s a difference between a cost and an investment.

But on an emotional level, many still regard the procurement of a new service or product as a cost. And sales are made based on emotions or feelings, way more than on logic.

By encouraging them to focus on the value you bring, they’re able to robustly position yourself as an investment. This dramatically increases the likelihood of them hiring you or buying from you.

What about the science part?

Remember at the start where I mentioned how scientists have proven this?

Well, they have.

In 2014, scientific research confirmed that first impressions are so powerful even facts won’t change them. This is something marketing professionals have known for years.

Let’s recap first impressions

  1. You set the foundation, upon which prospective clients or customers will form their first impression of you.
  2. If you start off by referring to yourself by your job title, industry or profession, you’ll create potentially damaging preconceptions.
  3. By intentionally starting off your conversations, presentations and marketing messages with the value you bring, you position yourself far more attractively to prospects.
  4. You also switch the perception of your services or products, from costs to investments.
  5. This all combines to dramatically improve your results.

In short, people will form their first impression of you regardless. It makes sense to intentionally ensure they form the right impression.

Marketing 101: The most successful business is seldom the best

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marketing blog ideas

Today, I’d like to help you avoid maybe the most frustrating thing in business. I’m referring to watching less capable (and often less ethical) competitors gaining more of the market than you do.

It all starts with understanding the following: The most successful service provider and the best service provider, are seldom the same service provider. In fact, it rarely happens.

That’s because being the best doesn’t automatically mean people will notice you, believe you or hire you.

Why is that?

Commercial success requires a critically important balance.

We need to balance the development of a great service, with the development of a strategy to earn the attention, trust and patronage of our marketplace.

Here’s why that balance is essential for our business.

  • If our prospective clients don’t know we exist, it doesn’t matter how exceptional our service (or product) is, because we’re not an option for them.
  • If our prospective clients know we exist, but our marketing doesn’t inspire them to trust us, they won’t hire us or buy from us.
  • And if our prospective clients know we exist, and they trust us… but our marketing doesn’t motivate them to take action, they won’t hire us or buy from us.

Without that balance in place, trying to grow our business is extremely frustrating, as less capable competitors grab our share of the marketplace. You may already know competitors in your space, who are nowhere near as good as you, yet they’re flying.

With that balance in place, we get all the rewards our hard work and dedication merits.

Thankfully, this is something directly under our control. All it takes is a decision. The decision to adjust the balance, so our business attracts the volume and quality of clients we deserve.

But here’s the challenge: It’s even easier to ‘keep on keeping on’ and hope things just get better. Which is why this message is ignored by most people I share it with. It’s why there are business owners still whining about how unlucky they are and how unfair the marketplace is, a decade after they started their business.

Naturally, it’s their choice.

They’re perfectly at liberty to complain about their situation, yet stay the same. But it’s infinitely more profitable to focus on getting that balance right. This will help: 10 Reasons your business isn’t growing and how to fix it.