marketing tactics | marketingforhippies.com

Marketing, Safety and Men & Women

By: Tad | Published: September 23, 2010 · 4 Comments

Here’s a provocative and controversial blog post about marketing through the lense of man meeting a woman.

For me, it’s actually not a big stretch because I think marketing is all about building relationships.

Imagine, for a moment, that you’re a man. You’re walking down the street and you see a woman who lifts your heart and viscerally impacts you. She is sitting at a park bench, alone, finishing up her lunch.

And in a moment, she’ll be gone – maybe forever.

Imagine you’re that man.

You see her and immediately want to approach her.

But so many fears come up: ‘She’s probably busy. I don’t want to seem creepy. I bet she has a boyfriend. She wouldn’t be interested in someone like me. I didn’t shave today! I smell bad. I’ve been rejected before. It’s not polite to approach. I don’t want to be an oppressive male! I’m an ally to women and I’ll support her as an ally by giving her space.’ etc.

So he doesn’t approach. She gets up and leaves. He actually feels relieved.

This same dynamic replays itself in so many areas of our lives. We see someone who could be a client but we never introduce ourselves.

And it’s understandable.

It’s a ‘cold approach’. Which I generally advise against in my whole theory of Hub Marketing. But sometimes it’s all you’ve got to work with. Sometimes it’s a ‘cold approach’ or nothing. And many beautiful relationships start with two strangers saying ‘hello’.

As you read this, I invite you to think about how this relates to your sales and marketing. And the all important notion of creating safety in your marketing.

It’s got more to do with it than you might think.

Adam and his wife Amanda

The Direct Approach

- by Adam Lyons

This email is about an area of much confusion, yet an area of much significance. Going Direct.

What sets the really successful people apart from those that just fluff their way through relationships is the art of being direct. There are many myths and a lot of nonsense surrounding the direct approach. You may want to print out and keep this email – because in my continuing efforts to help you improve your love life – I am about to share the essentials of going direct that you really should know.

I would be surprised if the contents of this email did not translate to a significant difference to your dating life over the next year – if you apply all the principles we are going to cover. (By the way, if you’re totally new to the subject of going direct it simply refers to the art of stating your intentions truthfully to someone, no matter what they are and dealing with the results.)

First, lets dispel some of the myths about going direct. My favourite myth is ‘the direct approach doesn’t work.’ This ingenious conclusion is arrived at by the fact that you and I know that most people brush off direct approaches from random strangers all the time.

The truth is that whilst a high proportion may walk away from a complete random stranger a good proportion will at least listen to what you initially say. If you have enough qualities of attraction right from the start then the confidence you show by approaching someone directly can often be enough to swing things into your favour, at least to the point that you will have their attention.

Now at this I can hear a number of people thinking to themselves, (girls esspecially) that they would come across as “easy.” However, that isn’t necessarily the case. It’s all based on what you say when you do approach someone.

When done correctly there is almost nothing as beautiful as telling someone exactly what you think about them and having them return that thought with a positive response, as essentially you have just given them a massive compliment.

Though it is important to understand what it is ok to compliment on. Compliments are covered quite extensively in the Personal Study Course so I won’t go over them again here. However, it is important to understand that a compliment should only ever be given on something that is earned. i.e. something someone has taken time over acheiving, and not something they are graced with naturally.

After alot of experimentation I’ve found something that I find works particulalry well. Feel free to change it or come up with your own, as it’s often better to tailor phrases to your own style. Remember, it is important to understand what each of the phrases represents, and why they’re included.

“Hey, I’m so sorry to bother you. I’m on my way to meet a few friends but you look really interesting. On top of that, you have a pretty friendly face for someone in the city, so I knew I’d be kicking myself all day if I didn’t take the time to say hi . . . So, hi, I’m Adam“

Now there’s a lot in that.

lets break it down piece by piece;

“Hey, I’m so sorry to bother you, – Being polite is important, it starts things off on a good foot without being rude, and also gives them a reason to pause and listen further. Who knows, maybe you’re lost and seeking directions.

I’m on my way to meet a few friends – This does two things. Mentioning friends shows that you’re a sociable person, so therefore are unlikely to be too weird, at least not so weird that you don’t have friends. Secondly, it drags out the conversation a little bit more, to ensure they’re standing still ready for the rest.

but, – If used with a pause it creates anticipation, as the word “but” removes the meaning behind everything spoken previously. It says you actually aren’t sorry for approaching and did approach them on purpose.

you look really interesting – Here we have an ambiguous compliment. It is nothing to get too big headed about, and in fact is more likely to generate a lot of questions from them as they wonder what exactly is interesting about them. We all love to hear about ourselves.

On top of that have a pretty friendly face for someone in the city -This really is powerful. Who could possibly resist being nice to someone who told them they looked friendly? It’s very rare for us not to live up to positive statements made with reference to us. So if nothing else, they are likely to respond positively to you.

so I knew I’d be kicking myself all day if I didn’t take the time to say hi. – This gives a justification for the whole interaction and explains why you actually did the approach. Otherwise it is almost guaranteed that the first response would be them asking why you’re talking to them.

So, hi, I’m Adam” – This gets things going for the rest of the interaction.

Going direct is an art and science in itself – and you may want to practice many different ways of doing it. There are some fundamentals which you will want to follow. Here are four of them to keep you going:

1) Remember to have as many qualities of attraction as possible. If you aren’t congruent with an attractive person, then it won’t work as well. Imagine being approached by someone lacking confidence. It just wouldn’t inspire you to talk to them.

2) Don’t be afraid to keep going after a failed approach, this is essentially a numbers game until you get comfortable with it. Remember it’s only weird if you genuinely try and date everyone you meet. There is nothing wrong with meeting new people as friends. Re-read the phrase above, you’ll see it works just as well as a tool to meet new people.

3) Always smile- it will significantly increase the positive response rate.

4) Make sure you follow up the initial meeting with a text instantly! It will capture the moment and make it last a lot longer, it will have a greater impact this way.

For more advice on attraction including how to continue the interaction after the initial approach, check out the Personal Study Course.

Have fun!

Adam Lyons

So, please leave your comments below – what do you think? If you’re a woman – would you prefer a man be direct and honest in his approach over using some other excuse to talk with you? And how does this relate to marketing your own business – or other marketing you’ve experienced.

If you’d like get cool posts like this in your inbox every few days CLICK HERE to subscribe to my blog and you’ll also get a free copy of my fancy new ebook “Marketing for Hippies” when it’s done.

| Categories: marketing strategy, marketing tactics - Tags: authenticity, building trust, pressure free, real, safety

How to Do Cold Calls Hippy Style

By: Tad | Published: September 22, 2010 · 1 Comment

In my mind, Ari Galper has single handedly transformed and revolutionized the world of cold calling. He’s taken something everyone hates and turned it into something people love. A minor miracle – here is just a taste of what he’s got to say on the subject. Check out his website for more (and a free Cold Calling course – brilliant!)

Cold Calling Mini-Lesson
-by Ari Galper, “Unlock The Game” TM

Suppose cold calling could be as natural and comfortable as calling someone you already know. It’s possible. Cold calling, with the Unlock The Game™ mindset, shows you how to stay relaxed, create a two-way dialogue and help your potential client overcome their fear that you have a hidden agenda (hint: with the Unlock The Game™ mindset, hidden agendas are not allowed).

The Mindset

Before you even pick up the phone to make a cold call, are you thinking to yourself, “I hope this call leads to an appointment“?

Where is your mind focused? Probably on your need to trigger enough interest from your potential client that you get closer to a sale. You also might be assuming that, because you believe so strongly in your product or service, the person you’re calling should listen to what you have to say.

Focusing on your need to make a sale has nothing to do with the truth of your potential client’s situation or whether you can help them or not. That’s the mental conflict that starts creating the rejection in cold calling.

Start shifting your mindset to think of a cold call not as a means to a sale but as a way to create an dialogue that will help others tell you the truth about their needs.

Also, your willingness to accept either a “yes” or a “no” from your potential clients, rather than pursuing only a “yes,” unlocks the mindset.

The Language

When you cold call, do you start off with phrases like:

•   ”Hi, my name is John. I’m with XYZ Company and we are a…I’m wondering if you might have a few minutes?“
•   ”Hi, my name is Sheryl. I’m with XYZ Consulting. How are you this morning?“

These introductions have been used for years and continue to be taught in traditional sales training programs. As you know, these introductions immediately associate you with the negative image of a salesperson.

When potential clients hear you, what happens? They become defensive with rejection-filled phrases like “Thank you, but we’re not interested” or “We’re happy with our present vendor.”

How can you eliminate the traditional “salesperson” image and avoid triggering pressure with the person you are calling?

Consider this simple solution:

•   ”Hi. Maybe you can help me out for a second.”

That’s it. After you say this (in a low-key, soft-spoken way), simply pause and wait until your potential client replies:

•   ”Sure, how can I help you?” or “Sure, I’ll try.”

Let’s stop and examine what has just happened here. You didn’t push to sell anything; you just asked for help. When people are asked for help, what happens? They usually respond by offering to help. You begin the conversation in a humble manner, reducing traditional buyer-seller sales pressure.

Where Do You Go From Here?

The path of the conversation can take several turns at this point. But here are a few hints of what to avoid:

•   Don’t start with your “sales pitch” (offering your solution before you have agreed on specific problems only creates more sales pressure)
•   Don’t convey over confidence — for the sale — to your potential client (you haven’t built trust yet, so all that exists as this point is mistrust)
•   Don’t let it be about you and your solution until you’ve learned what their problems and needs are.

You have now been briefly exposed to the first step of Unlock The Game™ mindset and language related to cold calling. Each step after “Hi, maybe you can help me out for a second”, is thoroughly discussed in the Self-Study Program, covering each path you might take on your cold call.

In addition, every potential objection you might hear (i.e. “What are you selling?”, “We already have a vendor”, “Send me information”, “We don’t have the budget”, etc.) is thoroughly analyzed and addressed with a response based on the Unlock The Game™ mindset.

If you’d like get cool posts like this in your inbox every few days CLICK HERE to subscribe to my blog and you’ll also get a free copy of my fancy new ebook “Marketing for Hippies” when it’s done.

| Categories: marketing tactics, Sales - Tags: building trust, pressure free, safety

7 Ways to Stop Chasing Decision Makers

By: Tad | Published: September 22, 2010 · Leave a Comment

11ari 7 Ways to Stop Chasing Decision Makers Ari Galper hits a homerun with this piece as he describes his unique approach to reach decision makers without pressuring or tricking anybody. Brilliant.

7 Ways to Stop Chasing Decision Makers
By Ari Galper, Founder of Unlock The Game ™

You probably know this scenario well: Your main contact at a company has expressed interest in possibly purchasing your product or service.

You’ve had the pleasant conversations, you’ve heard “Yes, we’re definitely interested” and “Yes, I’m the decision maker,” and you’re excited about making the sale happen.

You’ve put your heart and soul into doing what you’re best at — explaining the benefits of your solution but working hard not to come across “salesy” or pushy.

As far as you’re concerned, you’ve done everything right.

Now you’re on the phone with your contact. You’re hoping this will be your last conversation before they fax the contract through.

Finally you ask, “So, is the agreement ready to be signed?” There’s a silence, and then you hear the disheartening words: “Oh, I realize that I should really have Mike and Julie, look at it before I send it over.”

Talk about being set up to believe everything was going to be smooth sailing — now a big wave has overturned the boat and it’s sinking fast!

Why didn’t he tell you he wasn’t the final decision maker? Why did he lead you on?

Most important, what can you do to stop this from happening again?

Don’t despair! Here are seven ways to end the chasing game with decision makers:

1. Understand the psychology of working in an organization.

No one in an organization wants to make a wrong decision and then be left holding the bag and looking bad. What’s more, in many cases even CEOs of companies can’t make final decisions without the other executives on their team buying in.

So, even if your contact tells you that he or she is the only one making the decision, in most cases that’s highly unlikely, especially in larger organizations. Once you understand that, you’ll find it easier to roll with the news that others are actually involved in signing off on the decision.

2. Make sure your contact has the authority to sign the agreement without approval from others.

How many times have you been told: “I’m the decision maker, and I decide if we’ll purchase your solution or not”? Contacts may say this with total confidence, and we usually take them at their word, only to discover later that they didn’t want us bypassing them to get to the other decision makers. Here’s how you can avoid this situation: After they tell you they are the decision maker, you simply say in a relaxed, easy-going conversational manner, “Oh, okay. No problem. So, basically you’re the only person who signs the agreement, and no one else needs to be involved with this decision?”

It’s amazing what happens when you ask this question. First, there’s likely to be a short silence, and then all of a sudden you learn that other decision makers are involved. Once you know this, you can rethink your approach.

3. Don’t panic when you discover other decision makers are involved.

Don’t get thrown off track when you suddenly learn, deep into the sales process, that other decision makers need to be involved in the decision. When this happens, gently suggest that it might make sense to come up with a way to get them involved with the proposal so they won’t be caught off guard.

4. Suggest a conference call to connect with the decision makers.

Suppose you find out that two other decision makers are involved. Now you have a total of three! What can you do to avoid the delay that’s inevitable when your contact tells you, “I need to get hold of Mike and Julie, but they’re both traveling, so I’ll get back to you after I speak with them”? This situation is often the black hole of selling, because you can wait for weeks until your contact tracks down Mike and Julie and gets back to you.

Here’s how to avoid this: You simply say, “Okay. No problem. Sounds as if Mike and Julie are an important part of the process…I’m wondering if it might make sense to pull together a brief conference call with you and them so that they can get an overview of what’s happening. That way you can avoid chasing them down, and everyone can get up to speed at the same time. Does that make sense?” Also, the answer you get will tell you a lot about where you really stand. If your contact says, “Sure. That makes sense. Let me schedule it,” things are looking good. But if you hear, “Nah, I’ll just try and get hold of them when I can and then get back to you,” he could be saying, “We aren’t really that interested.”

5. Work with your main contact to set the agenda for the conference call.

If your contact agrees to the conference call, spend some time working together on a well-thought-out agenda. Emphasize that your main purpose is simply to inform the others about what has happened so far. It’s crucial that you assure your contact that during the call you will in no way apply any type of sales pressure on the other decision makers.

Why is this important? Because many times contacts are reluctant to pull together a call because they’re afraid that the salesperson will put the participants on the spot, and that would make things awkward for everyone. When you begin the call, simply say, “The purpose of our call today is simply to bring you up to speed on what has happened so far so you all have the information you need to think this solution through at your own pace. Here at XYZ, we don’t believe in pressuring people to make decisions.”

Your contact will love you for this.

6. Ask your contact to arrange the conference call.

When you suggest a conference call with all the decision makers, it’s important to put your contact at ease. Too often, salespeople get anxious and say, “I’d be happy to contact the other folks and schedule the call for a time that works for all of us,” but that may make your contact think you’re going to try to influence the others before the call.

To avoid accidentally triggering any “sales alarms,” simply ask your contact if he or she would be open to coordinating the call: “It might make sense if you could e-mail them to coordinate a time for all of us to connect, since you’re closer to them than I would be.”

7. Get to the truth about where the deal stands.

So you have the conference call and you feel it went well, with lots of good discussion. Your intuition is telling you that everyone seemed positive about your solution. Now you want to find out the truth about where the deal stands, but you need to be careful not to call your contact and put subtle pressure on him or her to give you a final answer.

You want to get that answer without asking outright, but you can’t until you’ve uncovered the truth about where everyone stands. When you call your contact back, don’t use the tired phrase, “I’m just calling to follow up.” That just kicks off sales pressure. Instead, say, “I’m just giving you a call to see what kinds of questions the others on the call might have, since those types of calls don’t always address everyone’s issues or concerns.” This will allow your contact to talk about where he or she stands, and you can then ask, “Where do you think we should go from here?”

These seven tips will help you put an end to the dreaded game of chasing decision makers.

If you’d like get cool posts like this in your inbox every few days CLICK HERE to subscribe to my blog and you’ll also get a free copy of my fancy new ebook “Marketing for Hippies” when it’s done.

| Categories: marketing tactics, Sales - Tags: authenticity, pressure free, real, safety

How to Use E-Mail “Cold Calls” Without Falling into the SPAM Trap!

By: Tad | Published: September 22, 2010 · 3 Comments

Another brilliant piece from Ari Galper about how to send that ‘first email’ to someone you think could be a good fit for your products or services. This is worth its weight in gold.

How to Use E-Mail “Cold Calls” Without Falling into the SPAM Trap!
By Ari Galper, Founder of Unlock The Game™

“I always hear people talking about how e-mail is today’s ‘killer app,’” my coaching client Janice told me when we were discussing ways of making contact with prospects.

“But I’m afraid that people will think I’m spamming them if I try to e-mail them when we haven’t met yet. I know I hate spam with a vengeance!“

“You’re not the only one,” I told her. “Spammers have just about destroyed e-mail as a legitimate selling tool, but there are still ways you can use it to open communication rather than shutting it down right off the bat. E-mail is still a totally appropriate way of communicating with someone — as long as you use language that doesn’t trigger the “salesperson” stereotype.”

First, we’ll take a close look at one example of a “cold introduction” e-mail that uses the traditional sales mindset.

Then we’ll apply the Unlock The Game™ mindset so you can get an idea of how to create e-mails that won’t trigger the negative “salesperson,” or even “spamming salesperson,” stereotype.

This e-mail is a real example that one of my coaching clients sent to me for comments and suggestions:

TYPICAL FIRST EMAIL:

Dear John,

My name is Michael Johnson and I am with XYZ company. We are the leading provider in back-office operations software with many clients such as XXX, YYY, ZZZ.

I’m writing you to see if you or your company would be interested in a demonstration of our software. It would be a brief 15- to 30-minute demonstration that we could do at your convenience.

Our website, dogandponyshow.com, lists many testimonials from customers that describe how we have improved their productivity, as well as complete details about our products and services.

I’ll give you a call later in the week to see if we can set up a time for the demonstration.

Sincerely,
Michael Johnson
Productivity Consultant
XYZ Software
Does this “cold e-mail” sound familiar?

On the surface, it looks innocent enough, but take a moment and ask yourself what your instant reaction would be if it arrived in your e-mail box.

The problem is that this message violates the core principles of the Unlock The Game™ mindset by creating the impression that the sender’s only concern is making a sale. How?

Let’s look at it sentence by sentence:

Dear John,

My name is Michael Johnson, and I am with XYZ company. (Starting a conversation without asking a question can be perceived as an intrusion. Also, starting out with “My” and using “I” immediately focuses the conversation on you, not on your prospect.)

We are the leading provider in back-office operations software with many clients such as XXX, YYY, ZZZ. (This sentence is a mini-presentation designed to show off your client list. The writer is assuming that the prospect is already interested in the sender’s software. He’s also assuming that the prospect has a problem to be solved and that his company’s product can solve it.)

I’m writing you to see if you or your company would be interested in a demonstration of our software. It would be a brief 15- to 30-minute demonstration that we could do at your convenience. (Offering to demonstrate a solution without first determining any problem is likely to set off negative sales alarms.)

Our website, dogandponyshow.com, lists many testimonials from customers that describe how we have improved their productivity, as well as complete details about our products and services. (This paragraph continues the barrage of information, all based on the assumption that the reader is interested. If he isn’t, however, this writer has come across as a typical “salesperson.” He has communicated that he and his company are aggressive and interested only in the sale, rather than in taking the time to build trust and get to know the issues and problems that face potential customers.)

I’ll give you a call later in the week to see if we can set up a time for the demonstration. (This is the usual “assumptive” close used by most traditional salespeople. However, it only reinforces that this e-mail is an obvious attempt to get an appointment so the sender can make a sale, rather than opening communication so the sender can understand the reader’s world. )

Sincerely, ( This is the traditional cold and aloof closing.)

Michael Johnson
Productivity Consultant
XYZ Software

My comments (in bold) zero in on the specific wording and phrases that feed the negative sales stereotype and give the impression that the writer cares only about the sale.

The problem is — even if your intentions are honest and sincere, e-mails like this are more likely to burn bridges than to build trust.

There is a better way.

Here’s the same e-mail, but rewritten from the Unlock The Game™ mindset.

My comments show the reasons behind the phrases and why they both reduce potential sales tension and increase the chances of a favorable response.
NEW, WARMER EMAIL

Dear John,

Not sure if you can help me, but thought you could possibly point me in the right direction. (By starting off from a position of humility rather than with the typical assumptive introduction, and by asking for help, this e-mail gives the reader a chance to either tell the sender that he has reached the right person or to refer him on to someone else. )

Would you happen to know who in your organization would be responsible for diagnosing and solving productivity issues related to your technology infrastructure — specifically, underperforming servers, outdated software upgrades, or out-of-date computer hardware? (Rather than offering solutions, the writer is addressing very some real problems and issues that may exist in the reader’s company. In other words, the e-mail is about the receiver, not the sender. Also, the writer doesn’t mention any demonstration because problems must always come first, and the solutions later. )

I’m with XYZ company, and we specifically help companies solve these types of issues. ( This reinforces that the writer’s company solves problems.)

Any help you could provide would be very graciously appreciated. ( This statement expresses the warmth of the writer’s gratitude in advance.)

Warmest regards, (The warmth of this closing humanizes the whole communication. )

Michael Johnson
Productivity Consultant
XYZ Software

How do you think you would react if you received this e-mail?

Perhaps you would give a sigh of relief because you wouldn’t be feeling any sales pressure from this stranger you’ve never met.
This example shows that, even though e-mail is basically an impersonal one-way form of communicating, the Unlock The Game™ mindset can humanize the connection.

When you give prospects a chance to respond to your request for help, you increase the possibilities for two-way communication and trust-building.

“Always pay attention to how words and phrases that are typical of the traditional selling mindset can make you come across as a spammer,” I told Janice.

You might want to start reviewing your e-mails to prospects.

Does your message focus on discussing you and your solution, instead of your prospects’ issues or problems?

If you start to rethink and change your language, you may find yourself with more sales than you thought possible.

The basic principle is simple: Avoid self-sabotaging sales language.

A few weeks later, Janice reported back to me that she had been getting much more favorable responses, leading to more phone conversations with new prospects.

Try it yourself — and do let me know how it goes.

If you’d like get cool posts like this in your inbox every few days CLICK HERE to subscribe to my blog and you’ll also get a free copy of my fancy new ebook “Marketing for Hippies” when it’s done.

| Categories: marketing tactics, Sales - Tags: authenticity, empathy, pressure free, relevance, safety

3 Essential Questions to Ask Before Sharing What You Do

By: Tad | Published: September 22, 2010 · 1 Comment

So, Jesse Koren and Sharla Jacobs (pictured here) are a bit brilliant.

This amazing husband and wife team run Rejuvenate Training and help holistic practitioners to build a practice where they make $10,000/month working only three days per week.

When I first met them I learned a bit about their notion of ‘heart selling’ vs. ‘hard selling’. And what follows is, I think, a particularly brilliant piece of what they share. If you want more – I recommend checking out their site and getting in touch with them. They offer some pretty amazing workshops.

3 Essential Questions to Ask Before Sharing What You Do

- by Jesse Koren and Sharla Jacobs

We’ve all been there. You’re at a party and the person you’re talking with is an obvious match as a potential client. And instead of feeling awkward transitioning the social conversation into a Heartselling™ conversation, you want to do it gracefully, without seeming intrusive or pushy.

It might go something like this: you’ve just met Jane at your friend’s party and you’re having a friendly conversation. She’s tells you a little about herself, including how she knows the host and what she does for a living. You’re both feeling pretty connected with each other.

Then she mentions that she can’t eat the cream cheese-filled appetizer because she had her gallbladder removed three years ago and hasn’t been able to eat fats since that time. She seems to feel comfortable with you because you’ve become an amazing Heartseller™, so she shares some other health concerns that have come up since her surgery.

YOU happen to specialize in helping women with these types of digestive problems. So how do you transition from what she says into share about what you do?

First, if you remember from the article in our last edition of the 6-Figure Practice Ezine, one of the reasons it’s so important to solve a problem for people is that it becomes very obvious when people are your potential clients and when they’re not.

And if you’re in a conversation and you believe that you can solve a problem the person is sharing with you, this creates a great opportunity to segue from a social conversation into a Heartselling™ conversation.

If your potential client says a phrase that indicates that you can help, you can continue to get curious with them and now take the time to share about what you do.

But before you tell her you can support her with the solution to her problem, you’ve got to dig a little deeper so she is really hungry for your services.

When someone shares a variation of one of the phrases that indicates they are a potential client (see last week’s article), there are 3 essential questions to ask so they are eager to learn more about what you do:

Question 1: “How is that for you?”
“Wow, that sounds _________________________(challenging, terrible, frustrating, etc.) Say some more about that.”

Question 2: “What do you want instead?”

This puts them on the track of possibility and excitement…and they’ll get present to the solution they want.

Question 3: “How would your life change if you had that?”

Once they’ve answered these questions, their problem will be more in the forefront of their mind, and you will increase their desire for the solution to that problem. They will be primed for Stage 3 (of the 6 Stages of Heartselling™), which is where you get to share what you do as a resource to support them to get what they said they wanted.

If you’d like get cool posts like this in your inbox every few days CLICK HERE to subscribe to my blog and you’ll also get a free copy of my fancy new ebook “Marketing for Hippies” when it’s done.

| Categories: holistic practitioners, marketing tactics, Sales - Tags: building trust, conversations, empathy, pressure free, real, safety

A Tale of Two Paintings – A Cautionary Story of Word of Mouth Marketing

By: Tad | Published: September 17, 2010 · 7 Comments

It was the best of marketing. It was the worst of marketing.

I just got a new painting today. A gift.

The painting (pictured on the right) is simple, bright and beautiful. I really like it. And I think my friends will too.

Some backstory:

Back in July, I posted a blog about a thought I’ve had for years for painters to market their stuff.

And then, a few days ago, I had a consult with a local artist and energy worker, Deb MacKlem. And she took this idea and ran with it. I’ll be writing more about her in another blog.

So that’s the first painting in our ‘Tale of Two Paintings’.

But I have another painting (pictured on the left). Everyone loves it too. Most of the people who come into my home see it and comment on it.

Here’s what both of these paintings have in common. People love them. And I’ve personally met both the artists and liked them as people – I want to support them.

But the artist of the red and fiery painting that sits above my fireplace is never, ever going to get any business from me.

Deb will. Lots I bet.

Here’s why (and the truth is a bit heart breaking).

The red painting was actually the first painting I’ve ever bought. I saw it at Remedy Cafe in Edmonton and was immediately struck by it. One of those visceral ‘i need to have that’ feelings. I got to talking with the artist (alright – so I was flirting with her but she did turn out to be the artist). I asked her to hold the painting while I ran to the ATM to get her some cash (only $120 for such an amazing painting!). We arranged that she’d deliver it to my place in a few days. The conversation went something like this . . .

“Do you have any business cards?” I asked. I intended to put them behind the frame on the little ledge. No one would see them but they’d be there so I could spread the word about her brilliance.

“No.” she said.

“A website?”

“Not yet,” she replied hopefully.

“Okay. No worries. When you drop it off, just make sure you leave your email so I can tell people how to reach you.”

“Deal”

And we shook on it.

A few days later she dropped off the painting. And left. Without giving me her info. Her info is nowhere on the painting. I have no way of reaching her. I have no idea who she even is anymore.

So, consider the word of mouth marketing dynamic here.

People are coming to my place. They trust me. We’re friends. They see a painting they love. We talk about it. Note that: word of mouth is happening. But she will never, ever, ever get any business from it. Word of mouth isn’t enough.

For word of mouth to work best, three things must be in place.

1) It must be remarkable. You want people to make remarks about your work? Make it worthy of remark. Make it cool. Make it interesting. Make it worth talking about. Her painting succeeds here. It’s striking. People love it.

2) It must be easy. This is where she fails. It’s not only ‘not easy’ for me to spread the word, it’s impossible. Don’t make it difficult for people.

3) You must make it worthwhile. On the most basic level, this means thanking people for spreading the word. This means tracking where people heard about you. This means being gracious. Again – she can’t do this because I can’t send her business.

Here’s the story of the second ‘Sun’ painting.

Deb Macklem booked a coaching session with me. During which we talked about how she could promote her paintings. I gave her a bunch of ideas, including the one from this blog I wrote.

After the call, I got an email from her, offering to give me one of her paintings for free.

And Deb’s no fool. Her giving me that free painting will likely make her hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars over the years. Why? Because, I host a lot of parties at my place. I have guests over often. And her painting is the first thing they see as they walk in. And many of them will ask about it. And then I’ll tell them. Plus, here I am writing about this painting on my blog and tell you about it and encouraging you to check out her facebook page.

Here’s what Deb’s painting does much better from a marketing perspective.

First of all, there’s a whole story behind it of how I got it. Which I’ve just told you.

Second of all, it’s tied to a cool project – there’s a nice story there. There’s the story of how her paints the sun because the sun gives freely, is abundant and the perfect symbol for her this kind of endless, life affirming generosity. And the project has an easy to remember name. The Abundance Project. Easy to search. Easy to find.

IMG 04451 e1284754437181 300x244 A Tale of Two Paintings A Cautionary Story of Word of Mouth Marketing

The Back of The Sun Photo

Thirdly, it’s got these stones in the back of it which each have a meaning. Each one represents something that everyone wants an abundance of: wealth, health, protection, unconditional love. The stones are there to help draw these things to you. It’s very cool, so, of course, I want to show it off and tell them all about it. It’s something unique and conversation worthy.

Fourthly, she’s given me some word of mouth materials. Her cards to pass on. So, if someone likes the painting and the story, I can reach behind and pass on her info. The word of mouth is supported by promo materials that are right there at the point of conversation. Smart.

Fifthly, she’s given me some stuff to read which can educate me even more. The more I know about her project and the painting – the better I can talk about it and sound smart to my friends. People like to sound smart.

Sixthly, she’s going to be inviting me to her party that’s coming up in a bit – so she’s building a relationship with me over time.

All of these add up to more word of mouth (and thus more business) for her.

Two paintings – one will act as a marketing piece that will make her more and more money over time. The other will make her no money.

Which painting do you want YOUR business to be?

| Categories: Arts Marketing, marketing tactics, The Irresistible Offer, word of mouth

Online Video: How YouTube is driving innovation

By: Tad | Published: September 16, 2010 · 2 Comments

Did you know that Youtube is the second largest search engine on the planet – next only to google? Online video is becoming more and more used. It’s a more and more powerful tool to get your message out there – whether you be for profit or non-profit. Online videos are one of the most perfect ‘word of mouth’ vehicles there are. They’re zero risk for the viewer, you can communicate a lot of info in a short period of time with tremendous emotional impact and use of music – and they’re super easy to send to people.

As Seth Godin puts it,

The idea is one of those big ones, a simple one that will stick with you for a long time… Online video radically changes the reach and speed of the improvement cycle. Things like dance, snowboarding and TED talks keep getting better, and faster, because artists see the best and improve on it. Even more than that, it requires you to top what’s out there, or you’ll be ignored.

The same thing has been done with scientific journals for two hundred years. Now, though, instead of a long cycle and a few readers, we have a nearly instant cycle and millions of ‘readers’. Video scales, now. And to quote the other Chris Anderson, there’s going to be a long tail of these video cycles.

Also worth thinking on: Chris is using the medium itself to do something that would have required a traditionally published book five years ago. His video will be seen by more than a million people by the end of the week–something he could never have achieved with a traditional method

In this TED Talk,

TED’s Chris Anderson says the rise of web video is driving a worldwide phenomenon he calls Crowd Accelerated Innovation — a self-fueling cycle of learning that could be as significant as the invention of print. But to tap into its power, organizations will need to embrace radical openness. And for TED, it means the dawn of a whole new chapter …

| Categories: marketing tactics, Social Media, word of mouth - Tags: communicating value, marketing 2.0, online marketing, pink spoons, pressure free, social media

Using Facebook to Build Your Practice

By: Tad | Published: September 13, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Eric Brown is at it again. I don’t know how he does it. This fellow is one of the most strategic, precise, tactical and nuts and bolts marketing people I know. He works specifically with massage therapists around how they can grow their practices. No hype. All practical.

And now he’s got thoughts on how to use facebook to build your practice. I just got this message from him below – Check it out.

Thanks for joining the BodyworkBiz Group on Facebook!

I appreciate you getting involved in my little social media experiment and as a thank you I’m going to post some exclusive resources specifically for you and the other group members.

While you’re waiting for the Social Media Marketing webinar on Wednesday evening, here’s a little something for you:

I’m publishing 28 short videos (about 5 minutes each) on using Facebook to build your practice. The first seven are now up. Just click the link below . . .

www.bodyworkbiz.com/facebookvideos

This first set is a basic introduction to Facebook and outlines how to create a profile and edit your profile information. The other 21 deal more with using Facebook as a marketing tool and they will be released within the next couple weeks. Matthew who did these videos has a great understanding of Facebook. I’ll create a few additional videos to supplement what he’s done.

If you think this is a valuable resource I have a favor to ask you. Please click the “Share” button on that page and post it to your Facebook Wall. Why not let your friends know about it?

Enjoy,

Eric

If you’d like get cool posts like this in your inbox every few days CLICK HERE to subscribe to my blog and you’ll also get a free copy of my fancy new ebook “Marketing for Hippies” when it’s done.