Jim's Marketing Blog

They’re everywhere: experts, claiming to be able to deliver unbelievable results in unbelievable time with unbelievably little effort.

Don’t believe them!

Growth hacking, business hacking, success systems, tricks and shortcuts are everywhere. Not because they WORK, but because they SELL.

A huge subset of the population wants to believe that they can get rich (thin, healthy) quick. They want to reap the harvest, without planting the seeds and tending the soil. They want the rewards, without the effort. They’re looking for magic – something that breaks the laws of cause and effect.

This is why today, we see the marketplace flooded with online gurus selling the 21st century equivalent of snake oil. It’s well-crafted bullshit. Bullshit designed to press all the right buttons, on those who are looking for unbelievable results. And the hungry marketplace laps it up.

The fastest route to success

The fastest way to get from where you are, to where you want to be, is to take the most direct route. To find out what works and do it. It’s about doing the right things, correctly.

Shortcuts to success are nothing more than costly detours. Be extremely cautious of anyone trying to tell you otherwise.

Image: Esteban Lopez – Unsplash

Every business owner has weaknesses.

Every single one of us. Including you and me.

But that’s okay.

After all, even Superman has kryptonite to contend with. He knows that this mysterious substance weakens or eliminates his super powers. So he does everything he can to avoid the problems kryptonite causes, and comes out winning.

Business owners. Not so much!

Unlike Superman, business owners are usually aware of our weaker areas, but unaware of the often serious damage caused by them.

Here are a few common examples of how this looks and why it manages to persist.

• The business owner who starts too many sales presentations with an excuse for being a few minutes late, may think it doesn’t matter. They’re unaware that every prospective client who values punctuality will feel very differently about it. The business owner will wonder why they never won the contract… and write the prospect off as a time waster. So the problem persists.
• The business owner who avoids making big decisions until the last moment, may think it doesn’t matter. They’re unaware that leaving things until the last minute means they have fewer options open. They lose valuable time, end up with vastly limited choices, are forced into making a worse decision, and blame it on bad luck. So the problem persists.
• The business owner who does pretty-much what they’re paid for and very little more, may think it doesn’t matter. Their customers end up with the minimum required, not outstanding value, and seldom recommend them. The business owner then assumes that their customers just aren’t the kind of people who give referrals. So the problem persists.
• The business owner who thinks it’s okay to develop their business as if it was a Do It Yourself hobby, may think it doesn’t matter. They’re unaware that their DIY approach to systems, marketing, legals, planning, financials and strategy, etc., is making it impossible for them to succeed. The business owner assures themselves they’re saving money, when they’re missing out on a fortune. So the problem persists.

Jim Rohn used to tell us that the reason failure is so common, is that it’s incredibly subtle. The vast majority of businesses tend not to fail overnight, the result of a single, cataclysmic event. It’s the smaller errors in judgement we regularly make, which rob us of the success we want.

That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to what we do and how we do it. Even those things that may not seem obviously important.

No. I take that back.

Especially those things that may not seem obviously important.

I want to share one of the foundations of effective marketing with you today. It’s something that can help you dramatically (and quickly) increase your sales or client acquisition figures. It can also help you save time, money and focus your marketing far more effectively. 

Are you ready?

It starts with understanding the following.

People who are happy with the products or service they get from one of your competitors, are not looking for whatever your business is offering.

Satisfied people are exactly that. They’re satisfied. They value their current provider. And like you, they ignore marketing messages when they’re not interested in a new (whatever).

This remains true even when:

• You’re providing amazing value.
• You are less expensive.
• You are faster or more reliable.

Despite this, most marketing from small and medium-sized businesses tries to be relevant to as wide an audience of prospects as possible.

Yes, it’s certainly true that you can change someone’s world-view or mindset. But it takes time. Lots and lots of time. It also takes a great amount of effort. Even then, the conversion rate is low.

That’s why I recommend you adopt a more effective approach.

Focus on the unhappy. Avoid the uninterested

Yes, it’s important to build an awareness of how great your product or service is. You need people to know where to go, when they’re looking for whatever you provide.

But what if you need to quickly increase your sales figures or attract new clients? Then my friend, it’s time to adjust the focus of your marketing. If you want to have the full attention of the most motivated buyers, (people ready to make a purchasing decision right now), focus on the unhappy, not the uninterested.

The ‘unhappy’ are actively looking for what you offer.

• They’re eager and ready to proceed.
• They already have a budget allocated.
• They’re highly motivated to take action right now, and buy from you or hire you.

To profoundly increase your sales numbers or client acquisition rate, your marketing needs to talk directly and exclusively to these red hot prospects. And as a bonus, you’ll also attract very few, if any, time-wasters. 

That’s the kind of double win that many business owners really need right now.

It’s midway through January, in one of the most challenging years ever for business owners.

The opportunities ahead of you are huge. However, you need to get your plans into action in order to navigate the coming months and come out on top.

These evergreen essentials for business success will help.

• Don’t wait for permission. You don’t need it.
• Don’t wait for the perfect time. The time is never perfect.
• Don’t wait for inspiration to appear. Command it to appear.
• Don’t wait for the right opening. Create it.
• Don’t wait for someone to pick you. Pick yourself.
• Don’t wait for the initiative. Take it.

In short: If opportunity doesn’t knock… quit waiting and build a door.