Category: Promotion

The Secret to Great Marketing

Posted on by Don Vanpool

There are two ways to view marketing’s purpose in simple terms…

enter the conversation taking place in the head of your prospect
answer the number one question on your prospect’s mind… at just the right time

Evaluate your marketing based on those critical criteria.

How does your marketing stack up?

I can give you a hand with that evaluation using my Conversion Equation Evaluator that has the power to predict the future success of your marketing… both from a results and a financial standpoint.

Today, let’s discuss three critical fundamentals of marketing that are highlighted on the free video I offer as a service to small business owners.

Click here if you haven’t watched it yet.

The three fundamentals of marketing are…

  1. have something good to say
  2. say it well
  3. say it often

Let’s explore that first fundamental today… have something good to say.

This fundamental is neglected by virtually EVERY business owner on the planet.

To have something good to say means that your business MUST be unique when compared to all the others who sell what you sell.

You must be different… there must be something that separates your business from all of your competition.

When businesses copy each other, it forces those businesses into price competition, because price then becomes the ONLY differentiator for prospects to consider.

It becomes the ONLY value proposition left to the prospects.

Any business that determines it isn’t unique MUST innovate so it does become unique.

Domino’s Pizza did this back in 1971.

Domino’s became a billion dollar behemoth in an overcrowded market back then.

Did Domino’s make the best pizza? Not even close!

Did they offer comfortable in-house dining like ALL pizza places did back in those days? No way!

Did they offer the largest selection on their menu? NO… they offered the exact same pizza as ALL of their competitors!

They dominated by having something good to say that was radically different back then when compared to ALL the other pizza franchises… fresh hot pizza delivered to you in 30 minutes or less!

But then Domino’s had to innovate in order to make good on that promise.

They specifically targeted hungry college kids living in crowded dorms (densely populated where few had transportation).

Domino’s went to small shopping centers located nearby the various college campuses and rented small storefronts just big enough to accommodate a pizza oven and a preparation counter.

One kid made the pizzas while another delivered them.

The result – Domino’s became a billion dollar behemoth in an overcrowded market.

You can do the EXACT same thing with your business.

And if you do, you will be well on your way to dominating your market, just like Domino’s did.

Next week, let’s discuss fundamental #2, say it well.

See you then.

Don Vanpool

P.S. Also remember, to determine how likely your marketing is to convert, simply fill out my Conversion Equation Evaluator.

This evaluator has the unprecedented ability to predict the future success of any marketing collateral you develop… as well as predict whether that marketing will be profitable or not. And, it’s 100% free to use!

After calculating your marketing conversion level, I can show you exactly what to do with your website and marketing collateral that could double or triple the number of prospects who respond to your marketing.

Just schedule a complimentary meeting with me.

Lessons I Learned from Paris Hilton

Posted on by Don Vanpool

Today we’ll talk about shameless self-promotion. That’s right, I said it! Shameless! After all, we are learning from Paris Hilton here.

It’s all about self-promotion! Self-promotion comes in many forms and you can use different tactics to get your name out there. Look at politicians! Talk about self-promotion and in some not so discreet ways, at that. But, seriously, consider some of the major superstars we all know. Madonna, Donald Trump, Howard Stern and Bill Clinton, just to name a few.

We all self promote. Did you raise your hand in class to show the teacher you knew the answer? Of course! That’s self-promotion. This is the kind of self-promotion we are talking about. With dignity, class and the knowledge to back it up. If you self-promote only to prove you don’t really know what you’re talking about, you’re going to lose business.

Natural self-promoters are the former and I want to tell you about the three major traits they have and use to build themselves and their businesses.

  1. The first is position. You need to position yourself around people who can make a difference in your life. You need to do this frequently. You need to wake up every morning and ask yourself “Who can I meet today who will make a difference in my success?” In fact, go a step further, write it in big, bold letters and tape it on your bathroom mirror.

Also consider:

Who can help me meet my goals?

Is it a prospective customer/client? A colleague with contacts? An association with key members who may become prospects?

Don’t settle into interacting with the people who are the easiest to access. You need to reach outside your comfort zone and there you will find a wealth of new connections that will bring you great success.

  1. Now, let’s talk about Style. No, this doesn’t mean you need an Armani suit to bring in more business (though, let’s be honest-it wouldn’t hurt) ☺ What this really means is how are you different from your competitors and others in your industry. What makes you memorable with customers?

If you are meeting a lot of people and they don’t remember you once you leave the room, you have a serious problem! This means you have an opportunity to present yourself in a more memorable way.

There are lots of little subtle changes you can make. Reassess your:

  • Business cards
  • Company message
  • Your picture
  • Your wording

Maybe even, your hairstyle (of course, now we’re back to the expensive suit, but it really works!)

You get the idea. There are lots of little ways you can work on making your image and business more successful. Also, consider how you sound on the phone and how you great people at meetings or other events. Think about your 30-sec elevator speech.

  1. The third trait of natural promoters is repetition. You can’t say it once and leave it at that. Successful self-promoters say it as many times as they need until they get a response. Would you remember a commercial for Coca-Cola if you only saw it once, no! You see it over and over and eventually you head out to the store.

You, also, have to make multiple impressions on those you are networking with in order to build brand awareness. Repetition is in direct connection with positioning. Once you find people to network with, reach out and find hundreds more who can help in your success as well.