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How to build a massively valuable community, without Facebook or any other network

By Jim Connolly | November 20, 2017

email marketing, social networks

What do Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Linkedin have in common?

  • They’re relied on by millions of business owners, as a way to connect with their marketplace.
  • Plus, these same business owners have zero control over them.

Think about that for a moment.

On Friday, the popular Unilad Facebook Page was removed from Facebook. It has over 34 million likes and reaches billions of people. The page came back after a couple of days, following a huge media outcry.

The whole thing served as a timely reminder. A reminder that outsourcing the communication channel between your business and your marketplace, to an unaccountable 3rd party, is really risky.

Of course, if you or I have our main social account deleted, there’s unlikely to be a huge media outcry. Click… and we’re gone, along with the community we built.

The answer?

The answer is to take control away from social networks.

How?

My recommendation isn’t sexy. It’s not fashionable. It’s certainly nothing new. But it works. And it’s of massive value.

I’m referring to email!

Sure, use social as a way to connect with prospective clients / customers, if you really want to. But encourage those people to give you permission to contact them via email.

Pushing ads isn’t community building

Many small business owners fail with email, because they make their emails little more than a series of advertisements. Every email should contain what I call Independent Value. This means the reader should get something of value, independent of whether they spend money with you.

So no, a series of emails from you all about special offers isn’t going to cut it. That’s advertising, not community building.

Here’s what works: Only contact people when you have something useful to share. Show up regularly. You’ll then be building your very own permission-based community (what Internet marketers refer to as “your list”).

Yes, make it easy for people to get in touch with you, when they want to hire you or buy from you. Just don’t make that the focus of your emails.

Get it right and you’ll never be reliant on any social network.

I don’t have the time, Jim

A couple of interesting things happen, when you no longer need to spend all that time every day, feeding your business’ social networks.

  • You’ll rediscover the time you lost. This will give you more than enough time to build your own email community. I’m a dad, husband and I run a successful marketing business with clients all over the world. Plus, I work out for over an hour every day. However, I spend less time on social networks than anyone I know. That’s not a coincidence.
  • You’ll also find it massively easier to focus. It’s difficult to concentrate on anything, when you’re being constantly distracted by social media updates.

These benefits combine to provide you with a far more productive working environment.

They also “gift” you the additional time and clarity required, to create useful content for your email community.

Business and personal

An important distinction needs to be made, between business and personal use of social networks.

I’m not suggesting you stop connecting with family and friends.

Far from it! I myself use Twitter socially. The vast majority of my contacts and tweets are not connected to my business. It’s a leisure activity for me, which I really enjoy.

My point is the importance of building your business community on a platform, which YOU control. It’s about highlighting the risks of handing the main communication channel between you and your marketplace, to a 3rd party, over which you have zero control.

How effective can building an email community be, when a small business handles it correctly? Well, despite Jim’s Marketing Blog being one of the most popular blogs in its niche, 12 times MORE people read the email version of the blog. My email readership is also, easily my biggest source of new clients and enquiries.

Outsourcing the communication channel with your marketplace, to any social network, is extremely risky. It’s also 100% avoidable.

Here’s what you need to know: This is a proven example, which shows you how to get it right. It includes how I helped a client build a massively valuable reader community. You can read it here.

The extraordinary truth about your business

By Jim Connolly | November 15, 2017

why have my sales dropped

Fact: You are capable of extraordinary things.

There are no ordinary people. It’s just that some of us settle for ordinary results. We make ordinary decisions and take ordinary actions.

It’s easy to be ordinary. We simply need to follow the masses. It requires no courage and no creativity. It’s like living on autopilot. This is why millions of extraordinary people live ordinary, unfulfilled lives.

So, how do you become extraordinary?

You don’t need to do a thing! You are already extraordinary. You were born that way. However, there are 2 things you should do, to build an extraordinary business and life.

  1. Make extraordinary plans. This means deciding what you want, rather than settling for the ordinary.
  2. Summon the courage to put your plans into action. It’s tricky to break free from the masses and do your own thing. However… remember those periods of your life, where you needed to be brave? That’s proof that you have the courage required. You need to dig deep down and summon that courage. But it’s there. Right now. Just waiting.

Those 2 steps are all that separate us from enjoying an extraordinary life.

Questions and answers

Is it easy? No. It’s challenging.

Is it worth it? Absolutely.

Can you do it? Yes. You’re extraordinary and capable of almost anything you set your mind to.

Do you want it? That’s for you to answer.

Networking groups: How to get better results

By Jim Connolly | November 13, 2017

networking groups, make networking work, contact building

People often ask me for tips on how to get better results from their networking groups. In today’s post I am going to share an idea, which is seldom covered regarding networking. Yet, it’s the core reason why networking groups fail for so many business owners.

Let’s start by being very clear about why small business owners attend networking groups. The primary reason they give me, is that they want to connect with people, who may be a source of referrals or connections, which lead to new clients or customers.

That’s what I’m going to focus on here. I’m also primarily addressing physical networking groups, though the concept works for online networking too.

Getting the word out

When a business or project is new, it needs a push. The word can’t spread until you, as the business owner, start talking. In the early days, connecting with people who can help you spread the word is absolutely essential.

However, once a business is established or a project is no longer new, you shouldn’t need to keep attending networking groups, in order to get leads. There should be no need to keep pestering people to recommend you.

Here’s why:

  • Remarkable services spread.
  • Remarkable stories spread.
  • Remarkable resources spread.

Once you get the word out. Once people have heard about what you do. Once you start delighting your first clients or customers, the word will spread. And you will attract regular enquiries from eager, prospective clients.

The remarkable problem

Of course, the typical small business owner chooses not to build a remarkable business. They want to play it safe.

That’s is why the following scenario is so common.

Think about the service providers in your town, who are in the same industry as one another. They will offer a very similar range of services, to the very same prospective clients, make very similar promises and charge very similar fees. They’re totally, utterly unremarkable.

So, instead of attracting high quality enquiries from eager clients, they need to push, push, push.

This is where networking groups come in.

An unremarkable business has no legs

No matter how well the owner of an unremarkable business “works the room” at networking events. No matter how aggressively they push members of their networking group for leads… there’s a limit on what they can achieve. It’s a pretty low, uninspiring limit too.

They may, just may, manage to make an average living, doing average work, charging average fees to average clients.

Eating soup with a fork

Focusing on the best way to attract great clients via networking groups, is like seeking the fastest way to eat soup, using a fork.

Yes, with practice you may be able to eat soup faster with a fork than the average business owner. But any business owner using a spoon, will make 100 times more progress than you.

When it comes to building a successful business, we already know what works: Focus on offering a remarkable service. Then market it correctly.

It’s time for you to get edgy. And here’s why!

By Jim Connolly | October 31, 2017

commodity marketing

Today, I have a quick, yet really effective marketing idea to share with you. It’s simply this:

Success comes to the business owners, consultants, freelancers and trainers, who embrace the edges.

Allow me to explain what this means for you and your business.

Why it pays to embrace the edges

Clients will eagerly hire you if your service is measurably better than the competition. The best providers are few in number. They are always in demand. This means they earn the best fees.

Other clients will buy from you if you’re cheaper than the competition. If you know how to scale your business correctly for the low price model, you can make a fortune. And many business owners have.

Some clients will eagerly hire you if your service is measurably faster than the competition. The fastest providers in some industries are always in demand. The 2 hour dry cleaner. The express delivery service. Providers like these are always busy and can charge more, because they solve a problem fast.

  1. Better.
  2. Lower priced.
  3. Faster.

Did you notice what those 3 all have in common?

They avoid the middle ground

Most business owners choose to cling to the middle ground. They’re neither better or lower priced or faster. And as a direct result, they make it impossible to grow their business in any meaningful way.

Impossible?

Think about it: There’s nothing to motivate a prospective client to hire a middle ground provider. Nothing. They’re just average. Average and immediately forgettable. Average and unremarkable. And it’s spectacularly hard, if not impossible, to succeed in an average, forgettable, unremarkable business.

A far, far better approach

One of the first things I do when I work with a new client, is to show them how to get their business from the middle ground to the edge. Once we have done this, we have a massively more motivating proposition for their marketplace. It becomes far easier for us to market their services. Plus, because they’ve chosen an edge, my clients also attract a regular flow of referrals and recommendations.

So, they no longer struggle to attract clients or customers. Instead, they become a magnet to those who value the edge they have chosen to embrace. I recommend you do the same with your business, my friend.

Every one of us needs to intentionally decide where we position our business. I strongly recommend you embrace the edges… and avoid the overcrowded, unremarkable middle.

Tip: This will help you get it right.

It’s yours for the taking

By Jim Connolly | October 12, 2017

take initiative, marketing

There’s a remarkable opportunity right in front of you. And it’s yours for the taking.

For the taking?

Yes!

Think about it: No one gives you the initiative. You take the initiative.

This means you’re free.

  • Free to encourage those around you.
  • Free to offer the best customer service in your industry.
  • Free to build a business that offers you the lifestyle you want.
  • Free to have your name used as a byword for excellence.
  • Free to become the best possible version of you.

Of course, you’re also free not to. And that’s perfectly fine. So long as you’re clear that it’s a choice. Your choice.

Because the initiative is taken, not given.

We’ve always done it this way

By Jim Connolly | October 4, 2017

comfort zone, always done it this way

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.

How to get your marketing in front of people at exactly the right time

By Jim Connolly | September 27, 2017

marketing help, marketing advice

When is the best time to market your services to someone?

That’s what today’s post is all about. I’m going to show you how to get your marketing message in front of people at exactly the right time. It’s based on my newest client.

I was prompted to write about this, after Jennifer joined my Marketing Mentor Program. Jennifer’s experience shows the importance of timing. She explained how she’d reached a tipping point. She wasn’t prepared to waste another year, working hard and making too little progress. So, she decided to get in touch with me on Friday and hire me.

There’s a lesson here for you and the way you market your business. And it becomes obvious, as you look behind Jennifer’s actions.

What does this have to do with timing?

Jennifer’s desire to own a better, more profitable business is what motivated her to take action. However, in order for her to consider me as the obvious choice, I needed to be where her attention was, at the point where she was motivated to take action.

You need to do the same. You need to be where your prospective client’s attention is, when they need what you have to offer.

Most small business owners only market their services intermittently. There’s usually weeks and often months between their marketing efforts. And because of the importance of being there precisely when their prospective clients need them, this stacks the odds against them.

If you’re getting low response rates from your marketing, you’ll already know exactly what I mean. Because no matter how great your services are, if you catch people at the wrong time, they won’t hire you.

Thankfully, this doesn’t need to happen to you ever again!

Here’s a proven, extremely effective alternative.

It works like this

Instead of seeing marketing as something you do occasionally, start treating it as an ongoing part of your business. This is how you ensure your name is front of mind, when a prospective client needs you. This is critically important, if you want people to hire you.

For example, Jennifer had been a reader of mine for months, before she hired me. She already knew who I was and she knew my work. So, she trusted me. Then, one of my posts landed in her inbox at the point when she was looking for help.

I became, in her words, “the obvious choice”.

Be there when they need you

Quit marketing like it’s a decade ago. Instead, turn up often, with something useful… not just a series of ads, offers and pitches. Consider newsletters, vlogging, blogging via email, podcasting etc, to share your expertise with your prospective clients. Demonstrate your knowledge. Share your passion. Build a connection with your marketplace.

If you do, you’ll be where their attention is, when they need your services.

IMPORTANT: None of those marketing suggestions cost you a dime, unlike; print ads, mailing lists, mail shots, networking groups, Facebook ads, Google pay-per-click, adwords etc.

In other words, so long as you do the right things correctly, there’s no financial barrier to continuously marketing your business. There’s no barrier to being where your prospective client’s attention is, at the point where they’re actively seeking the services YOU provide.

Think about that for a moment.

Is it easy? Yes. Once you know what to do and how to do it correctly, it’s extremely easy.

**Note: There are currently 4 spaces remaining. (All gone.)

Discover the safest, least risky way to grow your business

By Jim Connolly | September 18, 2017

marketing, marketing advice

Kelly emailed me with a great question. I know her challenge is something many small business owners encounter, so I thought you might find it useful.

Here’s an excerpt from Kelly’s email, shared with her permission, along with my answer.

“I started my business in 2009 and though it grew for the first 4 years things have been flat ever since. […] My main problem Jim is that I know I need to grow my business but that means changing things and it feels too risky. I carry on doing what I do because the risk factor stops me doing what I need to do. Why am I self sabotaging?”

Understanding risk

Like many, (perhaps most), small business owners, Kelly fears making some of the improvements needed for success. It’s easy to see why: Improvements require change and change feels risky. So, she repeats what feels comfortable, she works hard and hopes things will improve.

The challenge with that approach, as Kelly has discovered, is that it doesn’t work. It’s limited. Extremely limited.

Here are just some common examples of what happens, when we try to avoid risk:

  • We fail to get noticed. To get noticed we need to stand out, which feels risky. Riskier than simply working hard and staying in the background.
  • We fail to be remembered. To be remembered, we need to do something extraordinary. The ordinary is within our comfort zone. The extraordinary is, by default, outside our comfort zone. And leaving our comfort zone feels risky.
  • We fail to attract word of mouth referrals. People only remark on a business when it does something remarkable. It feels risky to deviate from the norm.
  • We fail to attract the best clients and the highest fees. Offering a premium service and charging a premium fee, feels risky. Risky enough for just a tiny percentage of business owners in your industry to even try.
  • We fail to deliver exceptional work for our clients. To do exceptional work, we need to risk delivering something different.
  • We fail to work on the best projects. The best projects go to those who operate at the top end of their marketplace. These are the providers who are daring enough to tackle the trickiest challenges. The mavericks. Maverick work feels way, way riskier than doing average work.

When I work with a client on this challenge, I start by explaining how change is essential, if they want to grow a great business. Because no change equals no improvement. I then work out what’s blocking them and show them how to overcome it.

If you know there are things you should improve, which you’re not doing because the change feels risky, press pause!

Find out why you associate risk to the safest thing you can possibly do. Then develop a strategy for growth. That’s how you start the process of taking your business to another level. And another level…

How blogging can help you attract new clients

By Jim Connolly | September 15, 2017

marketing blogs, marketing

In this brief post, I’m going to share one of the least mentioned, yet most powerful benefits of writing a business blog.

I started working with a new client yesterday. With his permission, I’d like to share an excerpt from an email he sent me after our first marketing session:

“When you wrote about your new business model, hiring you was easy. It was like hiring someone I already knew. I’ve been reading your blog posts and using your ideas for at least 3 years. So I already knew you were reliable and that you had the answers my business needs”.

I’ve received almost identical feedback from countless clients over the years.

Make hiring you an easy decision

This is my 10th year writing Jim’s Marketing Blog. Nothing I have ever witnessed in marketing comes close to the power of blogging. Especially, when the blog is delivered via email to subscribers.

Post by post, week by week and year by year, you build a connection with your readers. You position yourself as a familiar, reliable, knowledgeable authority in your field. This builds trust and makes hiring you pretty-much zero risk.

If you are looking for a powerful reason to start (or restart) blogging, this could be it.

Who’s responsible for your results?

By Jim Connolly | September 13, 2017

marketing, questions

I spent some time recently with the former owner of a local high street store. He explained that the reason his business flopped, was that the “economy was too weak”.

And he was wrong.

I know a number of the people whose retail outlets are on the same high street as his and although a few have flopped, they are a very small minority. Most are doing fine, others are expanding. Including those with the same target customer profile as him.

Not his fault?

He was blaming the wrong culprit. The reason that guy’s business failed, was that he did too few of the things required for success. In other words, he made it impossible for his business to succeed.

For example, he was trying to compete based on price, against online retailers who had a fraction of his overhead; so he was playing to his weaknesses, rather than his strengths. His in-store experience was also very average. He got way too few customer referrals. There was no buzz about his business.

As you’ve probably guessed, he did all his own marketing himself. He did it himself, because like most small business owners, he lacked the business sense and the confidence to get expert marketing help.

  • The sense, because he thought it didn’t matter.
  • The confidence, because he saw only risk and it scared him.

He told me, “Finding the right expert help isn’t easy, Jim”.

Yes it is!

Check their credentials. If they stack up, hire them. If not, don’t. If someone lacks the judgement to know good from bad, they won’t be in business very long.

Blaming the economy for the failure of his business is like a bank robber blaming the police for being in jail, rather than taking responsibility for having robbed the bank.

We need to be smarter than that. Which, let’s face it, isn’t hard.

You see the blame game everywhere

Listen to the coach of a losing team after a game and you will often hear all kinds of blame being dished out. Listen to the winning coach and you will hear them talking about how effective the planning was and how committed the team was.

The most effective people in any area of life take responsibility for their actions and inactions. The buck stops with them.

They wouldn’t have it any other way.

Why?

Because accepting responsibility gives them complete freedom. It motivates them to do the right things, correctly… knowing that the right results will surely follow. So, if you want more sales, get a better marketing plan and work that plan.

Every business owner is faced with just 2 choices, when it comes to the development of their business:

  1. Take responsibility. Decide what you want. Get the help you need. Then do the work.
  2. Or find an excuse not to.

Sure, that’s not much of a choice. In fact, if you want your business to thrive, it’s no choice at all.

10 Habits of highly effective business owners

By Jim Connolly | September 8, 2017

 

business development
charles deluvio

Here they are in no particular order.

So, let’s get started.

  1. They value their time. Time is your most valuable asset, yet many people surrender control of it. Guard your time. If you do, you’ll always have enough time to do all the things that matter each day.
  2. They are approachable. If you want people to get in touch with you, they need to feel comfortable doing so. Some business owners are distant. Others are snarky. Warm and approachable is way more effective.
  3. They are brave enough to risk being wrong. They know that the only people who never fail, are the people who lack the courage to try, (which is failure in itself).
  4. They avoid costly detours. Don’t waste your time on shortcuts or growth-hacks. Shortcuts to success fail you on 2 fronts: Firstly, they’re seldom shortcuts. Secondly, they never lead to meaningful success. Instead of looking for shortcuts or hacks, look for the most direct, proven route.
  5. They demonstrate leadership. Leadership is something you do. It isn’t something you self-proclaim. It’s an ongoing habit. So lead. And be very suspicious of anyone who calls themselves a leader.
  6. They listen with intent. They listen to their clients. They listen to their marketplace. They’ve figured out that the more they know, the better their decisions will be. This allows them to create better products, better services and massively better relationships with their clients and future clients.
  7. They are useful. They’ve figured out that the more useful they are, the more the marketplace will value them. This is closely linked to number 9.
  8. They know that they can either be criticized or be ignored. There’s no middle ground. Every decision you make either helps your business stand out or camouflages it.
  9. They turn up. If you want to remain relevant to your clients, customers and marketplace, you need to turn up regularly with something useful. A newsletter, blog, vlog or podcast are proven ways to achieve this. Bonus: By showing you can be relied on to regularly share ideas, you start earning the trust of your marketplace before they even speak with you.
  10. They commit to lifelong learning. They read the books. They get expert advice. To see the effectiveness of this approach, we only need to look at those who take the opposite route. Those who don’t study and think they can do everything themselves, place a very low ceiling on their potential.

I hope you found these ideas useful, my friend. If you did, get to work on at least one of them today.

How to make the right choice for your business

By Jim Connolly | August 16, 2017

marketing advice, choices

Would you like to get far more, highly targeted client/customer enquiries?

If you just answered yes, then I have a suggestion for you. I want you to consider a more deliberate approach to your marketing. It’s about intentionally choosing what your business stands for, then acting in accordance with it.

Here are just a couple of examples.

  • Do you want your business to be known as a reassuringly expensive, high quality brand or a no-frills provider? Choose. Then set your prices and quality accordingly.
  • Do you want your business to be remarkable or do you want it to be similar to your competitors? Choose. Then either offer something amazing or do what’s expected.

The thing is, you need to choose

In the examples above, both options can be amazingly successful.

There are billion dollar luxury providers and billion dollar no-frills providers. These successful brands intentionally choose which end of the market they want to serve. Then, they market their brand accordingly.

There are remarkable and unremarkable businesses, who make billions.

  • The remarkable brands put their time into developing something spectacular, which people will talk about, recommend and share.
  • The unremarkable brands invest their time developing high-return advertisements, introducer networks and hustling.

Both approaches work extremely well, when done correctly.

What doesn’t work well, is either failing to choose what your business stands for, or choosing, but acting inconsistently with your choice.

Overcoming the main challenge here

Over the years, I’ve found there is a major reason why small business owners get this wrong. It’s that they almost always feel as though they MUST be a high price or remarkable provider. And that if they aren’t, they’re somehow setting their sights too low.

This thinking is totally, utterly incorrect! Your business can thrive whatever end of the market you choose to serve.

McDonald’s, globally, will generate more income and profits today, than the most expensive, high class restaurant in your city will manage, in the next year or 10 years.

So, get intentional. Choose what you want your business to stand for and market it accordingly. This 1 step alone, will give you a huge advantage over your competitors.

And that’s not all my friend.

It will also provide you with massively more clarity and allow you to make better decisions.

10 Inspiring reasons to get things done

By Jim Connolly | August 4, 2017

marketing motivation, gtd, get things done

Here are 10 inspiring reasons to get things done, for the next time you need a little extra motivation.

  1. Do it because it’s the right thing to do.
  2. Do it because you care.
  3. Do it because you said you would.
  4. Do it because it works… beautifully.
  5. Do it because it matters.
  6. Do it because they matter.
  7. Do it because others will learn from it.
  8. Do it because you’ll learn from it.
  9. Do it because we need more leaders.
  10. Do it because you may never get another chance.

And then, do it as well as you possibly can.

My real passion isn’t marketing

By Jim Connolly | July 31, 2017

marketing passion, marketing ethics, ethical

Dave from Perth, Australia, emailed me with a great question. He noticed that my blog is almost exactly 9 years old. In particular, Dave wondered how I have remained so passionate about marketing.

Here’s my answer. I hope you find it useful.

My real passion in business isn’t marketing!

It’s a lot more specific than that. My passion is marketing small and medium-sized businesses. These are the businesses, where my work makes the most difference, in human terms. It’s that last part, the human part, which transforms my work from a job, into a passion.

For instance, last week, Kelly completed her year with me, on my 1 year marketing program. It has been exhilarating. Kelly now attracts the right kind of clients, the right kind of projects and earns the fees her work deserves. Moreover, she has a repeatable process in place, to grow her business exactly the way she wants to, year after year.

The human stories behind the marketing

Kelly can now plan ahead with confidence. She looks to the future with excitement, rather than apprehension. And because she had been working long hours when her business was struggling, she now works fewer hours, which gives her more time to spend with her family.

THAT is what makes me passionate about helping small business owners.

A new story begins

Next week, I start working with a new client. I’m really excited about what we will achieve together. After a couple of days of research, I can already see that their potential is huge. So huge, it makes me tingle inside, just thinking about everything they will achieve. It’s exhilarating to think what their story will be, 12 months from now. I can’t wait.

As well as the work I do directly with my clients, I also get to help thousands of small business owners every day with the free information I offer online. From the emails I receive, I know that in some cases, I get to be a part of their stories too.

Yes, marketing has the potential to improve any business. However, it’s the human stories that matter most to me. That’s where my passion for marketing comes from.

Be more interested in your client’s success, than your fee!

By Jim Connolly | July 22, 2017

motivation, success 2024

There is a powerful success factor behind every great business, which you can implement starting today.

It can be summed up in just 4 words: It’s all about them!

It’s all about them

The most successful business owners have figured it out. They know that their success is always going to be an extension of what they do for their clients. So, they consistently look for ways to be of greater value.

In short: They are more interested in the success of their clients, than they are in their own success.

That may sound counter-intuitive, but it isn’t. Allow me to explain why.

Why the me, me, me approach doesn’t work

The least effective business owners are focused on what they can get from their clients or customers. This mindset manifests itself in many different ways. Here are just a few common examples.

  • They talk about closing the sale, rather than opening the relationship.
  • They talk about up-selling, rather than upping the value they provide to their clients.
  • They focus on what they can get, rather than what they can contribute.

That approach comes across in everything they do. As a result, their client retention is poor and they get few referrals from their clients. That’s because we don’t recommend greedy, self-obsessed people to our friends.

Some ideas for developing the ‘them’ approach to business

It starts with an understanding that it’s all about what you do, not what you say. That’s because every business owner claims to be client focused. So, you need to demonstrate that you are passionate about the success of your clients. You need to step up and walk the walk.

For example:

  • Keep in regular contact and if you find they have a problem, offer to help. Over the years, I have helped clients overcome major problems, which weren’t part of the service I provide. I have a huge, international network of top-level contacts, spanning pretty-much every area of business. I can almost always get my client any answer they need, and fast, from a leading expert. So that’s exactly what I do.
  • Help your clients to make extremely valuable connections. Think of people you know, who you can introduce them to… then do it!
  • Take a little time out every day, to help one of your clients in a way they were not expecting. This can be something as simple as sharing a useful article or video with them.
  • Find something valuable, which has a low delivery cost to you. Then add it to the service they receive from you… at no extra cost. My new clients are always amazed at the number of additional things I do for them. And I do this at every possible opportunity.
  • Keep your promises. Surprisingly few service providers can be totally relied upon. I started my business in 1995 and today, I’m still in contact with people, who I worked with in my first year. Deep, long-term relationships are a cornerstone of every excellent service provider. So, keep your promises and be there when they need you.

22 Years after starting out in business, I can confirm that Zig Ziglar was right: “You can have everything you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want”.

This isn’t just an effective way to build a successful business. It’s also a wonderfully rewarding way to build a business you’re proud of, my friend!

The New Proximity: Your endless supply of clients

By Jim Connolly | July 21, 2017

marketing advice, marketing local, marketing global

This is easily the most valuable post I’ve written this year. It’s one of the most valuable I have ever shared with you. I strongly recommend you read it in full.

How would you like an endless supply of clients?

Moreover, how would you like an endless supply of clients, whilst making your business totally immune to any downturns in the economy?

Well, now you can have all that and so much more. This is not a play on words. I’m being 100% serious.

It’s all about something I call the new proximity. And it can transform your business, if you want it to.

The way things were

Until recently, the proximity of your business to your prospective clients was measured by their geographical distance from you. As a direct result, your marketplace was limited to those with a need for your services, who were within a certain number of miles of your location.

In 2017, this is no longer the case. At least it isn’t, for the majority of people reading this.

The new proximity

Today, the proximity of your business isn’t measured by how close you are in miles from a prospective client.

Today, the proximity of your business is measured by, how closely you are aligned with their needs, mindset and values.

So, if a prospective client sees your work and wants to hire you, thanks to low cost (or free) global digital communications, they can.

In other words: Geography is no longer a barrier for many business owners. In 2017, human proximity, not miles, is what determines the size of your marketplace.

For example:

  • Imagine you need a copywriter who really “gets” what you want to say. If you find one, but they’re based 900 or 9000 miles away, it’s no problem. You can work together just fine.
  • Imagine you need a graphic artist for a project and find one who’s right on your wavelength. It makes zero difference that they’re based overseas.
  • Imagine you need a translator. If you find one whose work you trust, you’ll hire them regardless of where they are.
  • Imagine you need a web designer who totally understands your unique needs. If you find one whose work you love, who can provide exactly what you need, you’ll hire her regardless of how many miles there are between you.

What counts today, is how closely a service provider is aligned to exactly what a client needs. That’s the proximity that matters. For example, in the past week alone, I’ve worked with clients in Australia, Canada, the UK and US.

These people are aligned with my work and the way I work, so we share proximity, even though were miles apart geographically.

Yes, if you’re a dentist and you physically must be in the same room as your patient, geography matters. Of course, you could still provide products and services, using the new proximity model. You could create videos for people with an irrational fear of dentists, and sell them globally. If your dental business is successful, you could sell the business model to dentists everywhere, who need to grow their dental business.

What about you?

Almost every business owner reading this can either switch 100% to the new proximity model or develop products and services for it.

However, in order for it to work for you, you need to adjust your current business model.

You see, it isn’t just a case of doing what you do now, but accepting clients who you’d have previously ruled out, due to the distance between you. If you do that, little if anything, will improve for you.

Why?

Because your marketing will still be the same and your services will still be the same. So, you won’t suddenly attract all those new, prospective clients. If you want to embrace the new proximity, you need to adjust things accordingly. This will change slightly, from industry to industry.

You will also need to make it a core part of your marketing message. Here’s an example of how I integrate it into one of my marketing messages (read this). My prospective clients are fully aware that my services are specifically designed, to be offered worldwide. As a result, I work with far more clients overseas, than in my own country. I’m proud to say this includes every state in the United States.

The wonderful opportunity in front of you

With hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of new prospective clients, those who fully embrace the new proximity, have almost limitless growth potential. Also, they no longer need to worry about the impact of the economy on their business.

When the UK decided to leave the EU, many UK based marketing providers recorded a drop in business, as the domestic marketplace cut back on spending. My business thrived, because the drop in the value of the UK Pound, suddenly made my service massively more affordable to overseas clients.

You may have also noticed an additional huge benefit of this approach to business: Freedom to live anywhere you want!

My wife and I relocated from London, to a small village in the north of England. Our son was born and raised here, he attended the tiny village school and we love our community. But we could equally have relocated to the mountains, the beach… anywhere.

Yes, it takes intelligent planning if you want to benefit from the new proximity. You need to do the right things, correctly. It may also require you to shift your mindset, if you’re too used to the old proximity.

But it’s worth it my friend. So give it some thought.

What’s better than outsmarting your competitors? OutCaring them

By Jim Connolly | July 17, 2017

outcare, outcaring, marketing, small business

Image: Merakist.

Here’s a thought: Instead of simply outsmarting our competitors, what if we decided to outcare them as well?

Think about it.

  • We could care more about client satisfaction than our competitors do.
  • We could care more about ethics than our competitors do.
  • We could care more about making a difference than our competitors do.
  • We could care more about earning a great reputation than our competitors do.
  • We could care more about quality than our competitors do.
  • We could care more about service than our competitors do.
  • We could care more about professionalism than our competitors do.
  • We could care more about building relationships than our competitors do.
  • We could care more about leadership than our competitors do.

It’s hard to think of a more effective, profitable and enjoyable way to grow a great business.

Focusing on the numbers. Missing the bigger picture

We live in an age where businesses work hard to score as highly as possible on their technology based metrics. They try and get as many Facebook likes and Facebook fans as possible. They strive to get as many Twitter followers as they can. They constantly try to increase the size of their Linkedin network, too.

The challenge with chasing those numbers is that we can find ourselves spending too much time focused on digits. And find ourselves spending too little time focused on the quality of our relationships, with clients and customers. Too little time on the people that matter most to our business. This is especially the case with small businesses, where resources are tight. Time spent on improving your social networking metrics, is time you can’t spend delighting your clients, customers and prospective clients and customers.

Because of this we need to choose wisely. We need to invest our time where it will have the greatest, most meaningful impact. A dedication to passionately caring for the people is a wise dedication. It’s time well spent.

P.S: Here’s some advice on how to build a successful business. It contains lots of examples to get you started.

Content Marketing: Is this useful?

By Jim Connolly | June 26, 2017

Scale business success

I originally hoped to publish a post today. The challenge was, I couldn’t think of anything useful to share with you. And when I can’t think of something you’ll find useful, I leave it.

Then it hit me… that message, in itself, is pretty useful.

Allow me to explain: It’s useful to know that the only time you should publish a newsletter, podcast, video or blog post, etc., is when you have something useful for your audience.

Otherwise, it’s all about you

Which is fine if you’re a celebrity and people want to know all about you. But if you’re just a regular business person, like me, people want something they can use. An idea. A tip. A quick insight. Whatever.

So, before you hit publish, ask yourself: Is this likely to be useful or is it just adding to the noise? If you believe people will find it useful, publish.

Nothing we publish is going to be useful to everyone. But if we start off from the useful mindset, we’re less likely to write stuff just for the sake of it.

What everybody needs to know about costs

By Jim Connolly | June 15, 2017

attract sales leads, attract clients

The price and the cost are never the same thing.

For example.

  • The price of a TV set can be a fraction of the cost attached to watching it. Some people who spend hours watching TV every day, find it costs their health, relationships or education.
  • Other’s buy a TV and find the price is an investment, because they limit their TV time, selectively choose what to watch and expand their knowledge.

The internet is packed with business advice, ranging from toxic to gold dust. And the stuff that seems like gold dust is usually the most toxic.

This is especially the case, with anything that claims to provide a shortcut to success. There are no shortcuts. Just direct routes.

If you want to make better decisions, before you decide to pay the price, stop for a moment and consider the cost.

Prepare for your website or blog to go viral

By Jim Connolly | June 7, 2017

business growing, how to

Something interesting happened on Saturday.

At around 8am, I published this blog post.

By 9am, I was experiencing a massive surge in traffic. To qualify that, the traffic was so heavy that I initially thought my site was under a DDoS attack.

But it wasn’t.

It was real people, visiting Jim’s Marketing Blog, in massive numbers… from Apple!

It turned out that the folks at Apple had decided to feature that post very prominently, in their Apple News app. So, for the next 24 hours, my work was being seen by wave after wave of people, who had never heard of me before. And it generated a record-breaking number of new client enquiries, for a weekend.

More importantly…

What does this mean for you and your business?

Business owners work hard to attract traffic to their sites. You may be one of them. If you are, how well prepared are you? What would actually happen, if your website or blog was featured in the news or went viral?

Well, if you’re like the vast majority of small business owners, within minutes, your site would become inaccessible! That’s because the typical hosting packages most people use, are not capable of handling the very success, they want their site to achieve.

Most basic hosting would grind to a halt if 100 people, let alone 1000’s of people, tried to use a site simultaneously. And with your site inaccessible, you’d lose all those prospective client enquiries or new readers.

Yes, the investment required for reliable, robust hosting is significantly higher. However, it means when your site hits the jackpot, you’ll be ready to reap the rewards. In short, if you’re serious about building a high traffic website or blog, invest accordingly.

Update: People have asked me what my hosting set up is. I have a dedicated server (Heart Internet), plus an additional service, which provides extra security and a way to deal with traffic surges (Sucuri).

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Hi! I'm Jim Connolly and I help small business owners to increase sales, boost their profits and build amazing businesses. Read more here.

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