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What are you doing with your...

1/7/2014

... narrowed market?

How to Narrow your Marketing Focus to One Niche in One Market

Understanding who you are targeting is the most important thing of all marketing.

Understanding what they want and how they want it is the only way to keep them coming back.

Narrowing it down, however, is not so easy.

If you don’t know where to start, then I have created a Step-by-step list of how and what to look for.

Way to find, create, or narrow a niche.

1. Tools for Niche Hunting

Pay per click ad websites
Database Collector websites
Industry and Service Survey

Why did you hire us?
Why are we different than our competition?
What’s missing from our industry?
What could we do that would thrill you?
What do you “put up with” in our industry?
What would you do if you owned our business?

2. Figure out Needs of your target market and express in your marketing

Find a problem no one is solving and solve it (Solve Targets Frustration)
Can’t Afford solution (Make it cheaper)
Too complex for most to figure out (Make it more simple and convenient)

3. Audit your product to see if it answers these target market questions:

Do they want what I have?
Do they value what I do?
Are they willing to pay a premium for what I do?

4. How to make your own niche

Offer niche – You give offers and promotions no one else will
Solve a problem niche – find fear and problem to solve that no one else can
Extras beyond your product – lifetime guarantee, carpet audit, thank you gift of flowers or free service: Point out that your product makes others prosper

After finding a general need or frustration: ID your Ideal client by:

1.       Demographic surveys
2.       New member survey: favorite music, books, events, hobbies, kind of car they drive
3.       After Service Review Survey after meetings

Use Client Formula to break down your target market to the individual:

1.       Physical Description + What they what + Their Problem + How they buy + Best way to communicate with them = Ideal Prospect
2.       How?

Use Customer Relationship Software
Know your Client Form
Talk it out of them

After IDing your Ideal Client: You must:

1. Find customer list –

Generate your own (Social media, landing pages, contests, etc.)
Buy or barter1 one from someone in your industry who does complimentary work to your business

*Barter1 – Build rapport with a fellow business owner and set deal to give free marketing and referrals to his business, or even joint venture with them to buy their materials to complete your own work

Understanding your niche and the ideal customer in that niche. You are now very capable in finding them, speaking their language, and getting their business.

Found your niche and ideal customer?

Then let us know by commenting.

10 Comments

Do YOU have the POWER?

1/1/2014

5 Comments

Today's blog post is an extension of my Power of the List Series where the list is the most powerful human tool available.

Day Journal

One of the most important things you can do regularly is write down everything you do on a daily basis.

This is known as a Day Journal.

A day journal can be an important part of any person’s life by logging all your accomplishments, your botch-ups, and everything in-between.

Why is it so important?

Because a day journal helps you track the things you do. Letting you know which are helping you with what you want to do with your life, and those that aren’t. By identifying the things that went right. You can continue them and understand why they went right and how to keep them right.

For example, being able to get to the end of the day and seeing the things you actually accomplished is inspiring and gets you pumped up for tomorrow. For me, being able to see that I wrote my weekly blog post t as well as went to the gym inspires me to keep succeeding. It lets me sleep, knowing that I was productive and had many everyday victories.

Going in the opposite direction.

It allows you to see places in your life where you would like to improve. As it is more easy to see the patterns as they emerge and eliminate them before they become too much of a problem. This can go to understand your bad patterns such as sleeping-in too much. Allowing you to think up a solution such as moving your alarm clock out of arm’s length to get you out of bed and more likely to not sleep in as a result.

Below is an example: (Things in Red are things I want to eliminate or improve)

9am – Slept in (Wakeup supposed to be 7am)

10 – Started work on Writing Article

10:30 – Snack (Potato Chips because I missed Breakfast)

12pm – Finished article

12:30 – Lunch (Brown Rice, spinach, salmon burger with green tea and honey

1:30 – Back to work and posted article

2 – Water cooler Break

Just today for example, I found that I missed my breakfast this morning and I was dragging for the rest of the day because of lack of energy. So when I asked myself why, the answer was right there in my day journal.

But what was the real reason I missed breakfast?

It was because I slept in and that is the real root of the problem. Being able to see the cascading effects of one thing to everything else is not only cool to see, but imperative in understanding how your day plays out.

Starting one today will allow you to amass your very own everyday victories!

Have you started your own Day Journal or been thinking about it?

If you have then comment to let the world know about your everyday victories!

5 Comments

3D Techniques of the Week

12/23/2013

1 Comment

Gday,

This is my third iteration of “Techniques of the Week” which is an ode to simple writing and

marketing techniques that can be used immediately with measurable results in the Before,

During, and After of your sales process.

Interested in past and future iterations? Then stay up-to-date by subscribing.

With that said, let’s be off…

The Before: Small favors for Big Favors?

Have you ever owed someone a favor, and when the time came for them to collect, they asked for something 10x bigger than the original favor?

You didn't want to, but you owed them so you did it anyway

The friend who wants to borrow your car for giving you a piece of gum that one time

This happens all the time between friends, businesses, and sometimes people you don’t even know (See people who give you something for “free” for a donation).

But why?

Because psychologically, a favor is a favor and the size usually doesn't really matter

This simple concept is particularly useful for the before of your sales process if you find a way to do your prospects a small favor and in return, they buy big from you.

These favors can range from industry to industry.

For Product-based industries, you can have something thrown in for free by having a deal that they buy one, and you give them something fun that they will enjoy for free.
For service industries, you can give a 2 for 1 so prospects pay for one service but can bring a friend so they can do it together.
For information based industries, you can give them a free Infoproduct (Don’t forget to display the price for it) for their email and if they want to subscribe.

Just remember any small favor will do.

* Small Favor for Big Favor – do the customer a favor (free gift). And they will be willing to give you a big favor for it.

The During: The Enemy

Every fan base has its rabble rousers and its casual observers. But sometimes you need an enemy to unite them.

Having an enemy is a great way to get your customers and fan base to band together and talk about your company, bring others into your business to face the threat, or buy more in case of an emergency. You have to be very careful with this technique, however, as picking the wrong enemy may cause an adverse reaction.

This enemy can be figurative or real.

A figurative enemy is does not exist physically. Such as the “Beating the Bad Economy” or “Overwhelming the No-Motivation Monster”. A real enemy is real and physical in nature. Such as “Protect your family from the Flu this Season” or “Stop Mold in its tracks”.

* Figurative or Real Enemy – Create a figurative or real enemy to band together your customer or fan base against it

The After: Custom Experience

Some people buy from you for the custom experience that you give.

Why not extend it with a Custom-to-Go and tailored experience?

Give them a free product that compliments them. Lotion for their particular skin

Give them a free service that will help them out with an individual problem. They come in for a massage and after, you give them a free tutorial on where to massage and stretch to help relieve their chronic problems.

If they come in without a goal in mind for your product, they give them a goal or action plan to work towards. Personal Trainer sets up a free photo-shoot for their client to look good for. It makes great advertising and is the perfect custom-to-go experience.

* Custom Experience – Wacky and uplifting experience; Custom to-go item; or goal to work towards that gives your client and customer an experience they will never forget.

3 simple techniques

You can use immediately to give your clients and customers the memorable experience they will always remember to produce easy and immediate results.

Did you have success with these techniques? Or do you have your own techniques you would like to share?

Then tell your story in the comments section below as we would love to hear it.

1 Comment

Do you have "the Power of the List"?

12/14/2013

3 Comments

Do you know the power of the list?

The list is what has made us the dominant species on this planet. Due to the fact that no other can plan and implement lists quite like we do.

With that in mind, remember everyone, from the most successful to the everyman, all use lists for everything, from everyday tasks such as laundry, groceries, and errands to important work such as schedules, plans, and reports.

The list is the fundamental building block of everything we do.

But are you using them effectively?

This question comes from the fact that most people if not all have never really thought hard about how they use the lists in their lives. Not knowing conceptually, the reasons they use the lists they do and understanding if it’s actually the best lists for them.

Now here is the rundown of how lists work and the many different ways you can customize them to your every need.

First off is the variables that change with each list and how they affect its purpose and effectiveness. Below is a table of a lists 4 different variables, their variations, and how they work.

Variables

Time - Short, medium, long, and undefined - this dimension is used to find how long your list will be used.

Short – is used over a span of one day or week (Groceries)
Medium – used over a month or longer (Study Guide)
Long – used over a year or longer (Year Schedule)
Undefined – unknown how long it will be used

Occurrence - Instantaneous, Revolving, and Once - this dimension dictates the setup of how events occur on your list

Once – This event occurs only once (Buying lists and outlines)
Instantaneous – this event occurs as you do it (Journal/Logging - Ex. Bank Statements)
Revolving – this event occurs every day, week, or longer (Workouts, Study, and Eating)

Importance – weak, moderate, and strong - This dimension is used to rank the importance of the events on your lists and the order they will be done. (Can be numbered, bolded, etc.)

Weak – an event with weak importance is done when your motivated to do it, you have the time, and is not essential for your goals (May never get done)
Moderate – an event with moderate importance needs to be done, but not immediately and can be important for your goals. (Convenience)
Strong – events with strong importance have deadlines that have to be adhered to and must be done to accomplish your goals. (Mandatory)

Control – Transferable and Fixed -this dimension says how much control you have over the placements and implementation of the events.

Transferable – this event is flexible (Workouts, study, and others in your control)
Fixed – this event is fixed to a time and is inflexible (Work, class, and others out of your control)

Now that you have the different variables that go into making lists. Here a few examples of how those variables work together to create different types of lists.

The Active List
The first example is a short list that uses all three occurrence, importance, and control dimensions together. It is called an Active List. This is due to its lively nature and constant updates to what you need to do.

Below is an example in a Word Document.

General To-Do

To do – Groceries (W)

Books to Read – Unleashing the Power of Consultative Selling (W)

Meetings – Doctor’s Appointment (Tu, 10am), Catch-up with former colleague (M, 1pm)

Business To-Do

Blog (Every Th) – List Article finished (Tu), Post (Th), Dissect Power of Habits (F)

Social Media – Post to 3 blogs (Tu), Respond to Comments (W)

Network – Copywriter seminar (W, 8pm), Mastermind Group (Th, 7pm)

School To-Do

Psychology 101 – Hw (W), Exam (F)

Geology 101 – Research Paper (M)

Algebra 101 – Exam Study (Tu), Tutor (W), Study Group (F)

With this list, you have activities in your life that you have to do each week but what you have to do changes, Blog– for example, is on the list because I update my blog on a weekly basis. As they change, they get bolded to signify that they have to be done today. The parenthesis letters are the due dates they need to be done by, (W) = Wednesday of this week and etc. And the“, #’s” are the exact times they need to be done or attended. So at the end of each day, you bold everything with a (W) as it’s the things you will have to do tomorrow.

This list is useful for keeping track of multiple activities that you do on a daily, weekly basis, that are updated constantly. It categorizes them in a way that helps you remember what you need to do in what subjects.

The Planner/Scheduler
A complementary of this list is the Schedule. This is a long-term list with fixed events, which occur instantaneous with time to create a linear path for you to follow throughout your day and week. This is any planner, scheduler, or other time based outline that shows what you plan to do.

You can even combine the Active list with the Schedule and write the activities that have no set time at the bottom of each day as a To-Do list. This can be done using different schedule templates and software such as business calendars that update on your computer, phone, and other media devices.

This type of list has a long term time dimension of a year and is useful in reminding you of events that are far away and unmemorable like renewing your subscriptions.

Habit List
Another useful list is the Habit list. It’s a list with an undefined time dimension, revolving events, with moderate to strong importance, and transferable control (meaning you have control of what time to do it during the day, but it has to be done to sustain the habit).

This list is used by listing things that you want to turn into habits and is used as a go-to reminder that you are making it a habit or not. The events on this list are revolving and do not get eliminated until you know for sure that the habit you want is instituted in your routine which can take a few days to many months.

Below is an example:

Habit list:

1.       Use phone schedule to eliminate written schedule

2.       Read 1 book a month

3.       Type an hour a day

4.       Study Chinese an hour a day

5.       Workout 4 times a week

This is useful in constant reminding you to do something that you want to turn into a habit and is even more effective when combined with a timer system through your phone or watch alarm.

The Memory Palace
The next list is called a Memory Palace. This list is a once-only list of things that are used for a onetime events. It is a short-term list   used once, and his list is a mental list and is rarely written down. This list works by associating everything on your list to a story. And to remember the individual items. You tell yourself the story.

For example, I have to buy some things from the store. I need toilet paper, body soap, and duct tape. I then make a story up about those items.

An example: I was Toilet Papering the neighbor’s house, and he ran out, throwing Duct Tape and Body Soap at me.

This quick little story is absurd and memorable enough to allow you to remember everything on your list. In fact, the more incredible and ridiculous the story, the more memorable the story becomes.

The Day Journal
The last list of the day is a day journal. This journal is an instantaneous list of logging the events that occur as you do them. In essence, you are writing everything you are doing by the hour and is objective to what is actually happening and not what you want to happen (compared to a planner).

Below is an example:

9 – Woke up

9:30 – breakfast and coffee (Spinach, eggs, and tomatoes with coffee)

10 – Started work on List Article

12 – Finished article

12:30 – Lunch (Brown Rice, spinach, salmon burger with green tea and honey

1:30 – Back to work and posted article

2 – Water cooler Break

Etc…

This list is the best way to find out the things that you do in a day, what causes them, and how you can identify good and bad behaviors that you want to change.

An example would be to see a pattern in your behavior such as going to eat some food down the street to get out of the office, but you are trying to lose weight. If you see this trend you may be able to identify that you are not actually hungry, but you just need a breath of fresh air. Identifying that you go out to eat as a habit, allows You replace this behavior with an exercise program, getting coffee or tea with friends or coworkers, or something else that aligns more with your goals and fulfills your needs.

There you have it. An in-depth look at the everyday list that everyone uses with 4 different variations to meet your needs. Amazing how something so routine can be honed and calibrated to accomplish your goals.

If you have a great list or were able to benefit from the lists provided to maximize your time, please share your list and experience, and tell your story.

3 Comments

How to use these Info-products for Before, After, and During the Sale to increase your sales and turn your prospects into Champions for your business.

11/5/2013

1 Comment

What is an Info-Product?

An Info (Information) Product is any useful information that is sold, haggled, or given away through media such as books (EBooks), newspapers, radio (podcast), television (YouTube), websites, and social media. They can be created for anyone or anything in any industry or niche, but is best made when providing solutions to problems in a “How to” format.

Below is an example of three useful Infoproducts that can be used in the Before, During, and After of your sales process.

The Before: The Consumer Awareness Guide

A Consumer Awareness Guide is a large booklet that can be as broad as to explain your industry, to as narrow as to what your product is, how your prospect can use it, and its best practices. It is an in-depth look at what you do, how you do it, and why it’s the best way.

The whole purpose is to get your consumer aware of your industry, your business, and your product. This way they will have a better understanding and look to you as their expert when trying to buy services and products from your industry.

Ranges from 5 to 20 pages
Indirectly sells products and promotes company
Educational tool to increase customer awareness of your products, services, and industry
Adaptable to Websites, Hard Copy, and other Dynamite Copy

* Consumer Awareness Guide – piece of Dynamite Copy used to promote unknown and new/complicated products and services by teaching the consumer how they work, how to use it, and how it can affect their lives. Effectively positions your company as the expert in your industry.

The During: Frequently Asked Questions Pamphlet

The Frequently Asked Questions Pamphlet is just like the one companies use on their websites, but can be used in all your sales material or as a leave behind to answer any questions that people may have forgot to ask while you were there.

It is a collection of the most frequently asked question customers ask you, but can even include questions that customers don’t ask, but would if they had expertise in your industry. It’s a great way for people to get the answers to questions they have without having to ask you or a sales rep, and allows you to leverage yourself as an expert in your industry by answering the questions or concerns they have before they even know they have them.

Ranges from 5 to 20 pages
Adaptable to Websites, Hard Copy, and other Dynamite Copy
Become expert of your industry, field, or product by answering your prospects questions

* Frequently Asked Questions Pamphlet - Make yourself an expert of your industry, field, or product by answering your prospects questions before they even ask them

.
The After: The Tips and Tricks Newsletter

Once your client has your product, keep them updated with best practices of your product, events and stories around your product, and other tips and tricks that they will find useful in using your product or understanding your industry with a Tips and Tricks Newsletter.

Having a monthly newsletter (e-newsletter) that periodically updates your customers is a useful tool to keep clients interested in your company and what you do. It is even a useful tool for you to keep track of your marketing as you set a list of what you want to include in your newsletter each month to include one feel good story, three tips and tricks, and other information that your clients will find useful.

Ranges from 1-10 pages
Keeps Customers involved in your company
Builds relationships and awareness of your company (they think of you when they want to buy from your industry)

* Newsletter – combination of Articles, Updates, and Info-Product, used to keep customer interested in your company and what you do

1 Comment

Techniques of the Week

10/30/2013

3 Comments

Techniques of the Week
for
Before, During, and After
the sale.

Hello there,

This will be my first iteration of “Techniques of the week” which is an ode to simple writing and marketing techniques that can be used immediately with measurable results in the Before, During, and After of your sales process.

With that said, lets venture chronologically…

The Before: The Mafia Offer

This technique is known as the “Mafia Offer”, as it is an offer that any qualified lead for your business just cannot refuse. It can be as simple as a free gift for calling, registering, or whichever “call for action” that you choose. These free gifts can be:

·        Info-products - Free Report/Newsletter

·        Merchandise – Shirt/Mug/Keychain

·        Free Trial – Give a demo of what it can do for them

·        Great Deal/Offer – Discounts, Upsells (Buy basic package and upgrade for free), or Double your moneyback-gurantee (Risk-free)

·        Service/Product – Come in now for first session and get second for free

The whole point is to entice your qualified lead to try it so you can build the relationship for a sale. You can even Double your chances by offering a second mafia offer for contacting you IMMEDIATELY. This will motivate your lead to fulfill the call to action.

* Mafia Offer – You will not be able to refuse, as the deal is too good to be true… but it is.

The During: The Upsell

The infamous “Upsell” technique, this technique is used after you have an interested lead who is willing to buy a basic package, but needs an incentive to buy the premium. This can go as far as offering many of the things in the list above to offering more such as preferential schedule, rewards’ programs, and Exclusive discounts, deals, etc. The purpose is to build a relationship with the lead and create loyalty to each other.

* Up sell – If you upgrade to this you will get “X” for free and receive more “Y”.

The After: The Morning After Breakfast

This is called the “Morning After Breakfast” Technique. After you have given your mafia offer and “upsold” them to the premier package, you show your gratitude to your customer for choosing you to provide them your service and product. This can be as simple as a mailed “Thank You” Note or a dinner on you.

* Morning After Breakfast – Make your customer breakfast in bed or a rose to cement their loyalty to you.

And there you have it, 3 simple techniques to build relationships with your leads from start to finish. For more techniques, examples, or questions, simply follow my blog and you will have it. Simply, easily, and with posthaste.

Cheers,

L. Thomas

3 Comments

Professional Blog

10/23/2013

1 Comment

My name is Lucas M. Thomas. I am a professional writer & self- made SEO copywriter graduating from Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business. I have knowledge in management/team building (Local to International), entrepreneurship/small business, and direct response and SEO marketing. I am learning Chinese and am an avid believer in General systems theory, and love a good joke.

This blog is an outcropping of my desire to create value for others through dynamite content. It will expand to cover Professional Writing in different industries, Direct Response Marketing, Professional Skill development, and good humor which brings us together for a great laugh (the essence to life). Below is a bullet list of what content will revolve around and who will benefit the most from it.

Foremost –

·        SEO Copy writing/Marketing/Business Blog (Weekly - Biweekly)

o   Professional Writing/Marketing Blog for different industries

§ Business professionals/Owners, Professional Writers, and Clients

Second-most –

·        Professional Skills Development Blog (Weekly – Biweekly)

o   Management Techniques from Time Management, Team building,

§ Business professionals/Owners, Professional Writers, and Clients

Third-most –

·        Good Humor (Weekly)

o   Self-Published Cartoon Comic or Internet found good humor

§ Everyone

Why?

Because life’s mistakes can be avoided if someone makes them for you. Because building from one another covers more ground in one day than one man can in a thousand. Because we all come from the same origin, but have taken different angles to it, making for miscommunications and mishaps.

And these miscommunications make me want to connect people and communicate the value we make for each other through the media we use.

How?

I will make a promise to update with dynamite content weekly to biweekly. This will allow for better content that serves my subscribers, and gives them ample enough time to read and comment on my material.

Overall, welcome to my blog and enjoy the ride.

L. Thomas

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What are you doing with your...

Do YOU have the POWER?

3D Techniques of the Week

Do you have "the Power of the List"?

How to use these Info-products for Before, After, and During the Sale to increase your sales and turn your prospects into Champions for your business.

Techniques of the Week

Professional Blog

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