David Tinney on Business and Marketing

Its Not Hard to Be #1

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:01:00 +0000

If you own a small service type business, its fairly easy to dominate your competition and be #1 in your area. The type of businesses I'm thinking about are listed:

-plumbers
-electricians
-heat & air
-handymen
-tree service
-roofers
-builders
-lawn service

This list is not limited to just these types of businesses though.

Here's how you do it. Make a promise to yourself you will return every phone call that comes to your answering machine or voice mail within 24 hours or sooner if possible. This will make a huge impression on your clients.

I have been told many, many times when I return a call to someone who's inquired about doing business with me how surprised that I return the call so quickly. I've even been told by some that some contractors never return their calls. Amazing!

Another technique to win admiration from clients is to perform what you promise. Like being punctual to appointments. If you're going to be late, give them a quick call and let them know you're going to be a few minutes late. They will appreciate that.

You can even use this technique completely through the life of the project. Keep them informed of the progress, just a simple 1 minute call is all that's necessary to score big points.

Watch your appearance. The other day, I was driving through a neighborhood and a contractor was standing in the front yard talking to a homeowner. His t-shirt had some holes in it and it wasn't quite long enough to cover his beer belly. I wish I could've gotten a photo of it.

You don't have to overdo it, just wear clean clothes, no holes, and look decent.

It takes time, but these few techniques will really pay dividends in the long run. Your customers will be saying a lot of positive things about you to their friends and neighbors.

The Real Value of Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:27:00 +0000

This morning, I received a message from a follower on Twitter asking me to visit her blog and offer my opinion, Shelley Said. Her blog post is titled, Anti Social Media, with the last statement:

Because it seems like most people that I know who are trying to teach me "how to use twitter effectively" use the phrase "building relationship" as double speak for "developing leads"

Here's my response:

Good post with thought a provoking question. My answer stems from my own Twitter experience.

I’ve been on Twitter for 6 months. The first 4 months, I was probably like the masses, shy and afraid to post a tweet. When I did, it was usually meaningless chit-chat.

One day, something dramatically changed. Someone tweeted a question that I knew the answer to. I tweeted back with that answer and a link supporting it.

I received back a very nice comment, complimenting me for the generosity of my knowledge. (Believe me, it wasn’t that big a thing, imo.)

It was then I ‘got it’. Twitter and other social media venues are about making friends, just like we do in the real world.

You help someone because you want to, not for any other reason. Because it’s the right and friendly thing to do.

I know there are others who are simply using Twitter to build their following so they can market to them. So be it. They’re missing the true value of Twitter.

To date, I’ve met a throng of people on Twitter. Probably a dozen or so I would call new friends. These new friends are scattered all over the world, from SE Asia through North America to Europe.

Without Twitter, I would’ve never met them. My life is being enriched by them and I’m doing the best I can to enrich their lives. Without expecting anything in return, except friendship.

To me, building true relationships rests on the foundation of friendship.

You can use Twitter for whatever reason you like and however you choose. But this is how I view Twitter and why I use it.

Commuter Builds Network One Phone Call At A Time

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:52:00 +0000

Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with Daniel Johnson as he made his commute home from Dayton. Daniel is a new friend, whom I've never met, but I feel like I've known him for some time.

How is that possible? Never met him but feel like I've known him? I follow Daniel on Twitter. If you're not familiar with Twitter, I'll cover that in a future post. But let me just briefly say here Twitter is a part of the social media new wave, it's like online texting. Don't know what texting is? I don't think I can help you.

How'd I meet Daniel? Like I said, I've been following his tweets, or posts, whatever you want to call them. Every day, he commutes to work from Cincinnati to Dayton. For his drive home, he has started the Call Dan Game. He invites you to call him on his way home from work, just to chat. He's posted his cell phone number on his website.

Now the obvious is it makes Dan's commute home a little less boring. The not-so-obvious is he's building relationships with like minded people, one phone call at a time. And mostly, with people he's "met" through Twitter.

If you visit Daniel's website, you'll see a quote from Keith Ferrazi -

"If 80 percent of success is, as Woody Allen once said, just showing up, then 80 percent of building and maintaining relationships is just staying in touch." — Keith Ferrazzi, Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time, p. 181

Daniel is building and maintaining relationships as he commutes. I think that's pretty ingenious.

ABC's of Using Twitter More Effectively

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 06:28:00 +0000

Twitter is taking the social media network by storm. Although some are simply using Twitter as another instant message forum, internet marketers are finding that Twitter is a powerful marketing tool.

However, if you're going to use Twitter in your arsenal of marketing tools, you need to be careful how you use it.

From my experience, new internet marketers are in too big of a hurry. I recently made a post exclaiming, "Social media marketing is like dating, guys. Just hold hands on the first date".

Here's what I mean. Twitter is still a social media platform, first and foremost. Even though it can be a powerful marketing tool, you still have to make friends first. Getting in too big of a rush will turn fellow tweeters off. And they have a tendency to turn you off- by removing you from their follow list.

Take your time, use the Twitter platform to build relationships. Go slow, just like you're supposed to when you're dating. Here is a golden tip: If you choose to send a new follower a Direct Message (DM), please don't include a link to an affiliate product! By including affiliate links in your welcome DM, that tells your new follower is "all I wanna do is make a buck off you".

I my opinion, you should use links sparingly and with caution. In my welcome message, I include a link to my website. I don't offer a free gift or anything related to marketing. I just want my new follower to know I appreciate them choosing to follow my tweets. My website link is included if they want to learn more about me. And, according to my weblog, more than 50% do choose to visit and take a look at who I am.

Go slow, build relationships and have fun. That's what social media marketing is all about.

500 Twitter Followers in 36 Hours

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:43:00 +0000

Social media marketing is hot right now and it's here to stay. You've probably heard of Twitter, its been around for nearly 2 years and is gaining much popularity among marketers and business people from around the world.

I've written an article how I got 500 followers in 36 hours on Twitter. In order to save space and time, its located on my website here:

500 Twitter Followers in 36 Hours

You can visit my Twitter page here: @david_tinney

Marketing Will Save Your Business's Butt

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:37:00 +0000

There is no doubt we are in the midst of tough economic times. Unfortunately, thousands of businesses, both large and small, will fail during this time. But you're business doesn't have to be one of them.

Many business owners will have a knee-jerk reaction to the economic climate. They will start cutting expenses in order to keep the cash flow moving. In general, that's a good idea, provided the cuts don't effect what keeps bringing the customers in: marketing.

It's too easy to slash the marketing budget in order to save during difficult times. For many companies, marketing is a large expense so it's an easy item to slash. But this is a recipe for disaster.

If you've been in business for any length of time, you should know where your customers are coming from. Tell me, by what marketing methods are your customers coming to you? You better know.

During tough times, the pool of customers shrinks, so why would you choose to stop attracting customers? Your best bet would be to increase your marketing to make sure you continue to get your share of the available customers.

This is why you need to measure your marketing. That means you know how your customers are coming to you and which marketing methods are working to bring them to you.

In one of my businesses, billboards have been very successful attracting new customers. Another fruitful marketing tool has been referrals from existing customers. These are two areas of marketing that I will not slash, in fact, I'll take steps to increase them.

Yes, you need to cut the fat out of your expense budget, but don't cut marketing budget that feeds you.

Sliced bread & other marketing delights

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:50:00 +0000

Legendary marketer Seth Godin talks about sliced bread and other ways to successfully market your business. BTW, did you know that sliced bread was totally unsuccessful for the first 15 years of its marketing life? You're gonna love this short video!

Business Seminars in Ukraine

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 07:52:00 +0000

I'm in Ukraine this week to participate in 2 business seminars. On Friday, September 26th, I'll be speaking in Lutsk on the topic of "What is Money".

Saturday, September 27th, I'll be speaking in L'viv on the topic, "Living in Abundance". Both Lutsk and L'viv are located in western Ukraine.

More information is available at Kingdom Biz Academy

Obscure Web Post from 9 years Ago Wins the Day

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 23:14:00 +0000

This post is about marketing/business, but you won't understand until the end.
A couple weeks ago I was looking for a new marinade to soak pork roasts in before smoking. I stumbled upon an old recipe site from 1999 that had an apple juice base for pork marinade.

Hmmmm. I thought I'd give it a try. Of course, I tweaked it to my liking, but it was basically like this:

Mix all this together (I also added a couple bay leaves for good measure) and marinate meat in this solution overnight. I use 1 gallon ziplock bags, I put the roast in (I buy small ones, just the wife and I) and pour the liquid over till covered. Zip it up and refridgerate overnight (10-12 hours).

The smoked meat comes out tasty and sweet. BTW, I use cherry wood to smoke with.

This smoked meat was taken to the family dinner earlier today. I was humble as I accepted all the accolades.

Moral of the story: old, obscure web pages are still relevent and can produce value to someone. Keep them updated for maximum profit.

How NOT to turn off your readers...

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:07:00 +0000

Being subscribed to nearly a dozen internet marketers newsletters gives me the opportunity to see a number of headlines and subject lines, all trying to capture my attention to read their newsletter.

Unfortunately, nowadays, most of them turn me off rather than induce me to read further. Here are some examples of Subject lines I've recently recieved:

You get the picture? I'm sure, because we're all unique individuals, one headline/subject line might appeal more than another to you than to me. But give me a break. This list of attention getting subject lines is pathetic. For me, only 2 are appealing:

1. "Whats the #1 principle for making money online?"
2. "How to build a customer service system that doesn't suck your time"

#1 is straight to the point and by asking a question, it naturally draws me into the newsletter, provided I'm interested in making money online (I am). #2 is good because it tells me how to do something, provided I'm intersted in building a customer service system. For me the down side of the line is it's vague in saying "customer service system". What is that? A system of providing customer service? The other downer is the use of the word suck. Suck is a crass word, I try not to use it as it brings to mind vulgar thoughts. I know today's society is permissive and vulgar and some people don't care.

If you're going to build a list and communicate with people by email, it's a must to develop good copywriting skills. How you do that should basically be developing your own style. I like what Jeffry Gitomer says, "I write like I talk". So I've taken Jeff's advice and try to write conversationally, to write like we were conversing with each other.

Now that doesn't mean that I copy Gitomers phrases and favorite words. No, I just write like a I talk and use my favorites. Which brings me to another point you should try to avoid like a computer virus. Don't be a cookie cutter. Words like "SHOCKING" and "AMAZING" are out of vogue, well, maybe not to a newbie that just got off the bus last week. Be creative, think about your headlines and invest some quality time in choosing words that will get the attention of the reader and draw them into your newsletter.

Fix Your Faux Pas

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:17:00 +0000

If you've been in business for any length of time, it's a fact there are mistakes you've made. Not intentional, of course, but it does happen. How you respond to your own mistakes is crucial to the future of your business reputation.

From my own experience, let me tell you how most businesses respond to their faux pas. They either hide, avoid, ignore or do nothing about it. Huge mistake!

When you screw up, it's an opportunity to shine like a bright star. You must fix the mistake. Be honest with your the client, admit your mistake. Hey, they know in their heart they're human, too, and prone to mistakes. Don't sit there doing nothing except hoping it will go away. It won't. There's two reasons why you should fix it, it's the right thing to do and it'll add to your business reputation.

Because most businesses refuse to fix their faux pas', you'll set yourself apart and above the rest of the pack. Your business reputation will increase at least 4.5 points on a scale of 10.

Face it, your business reputation is one of the most important aspects of your business. You don't create your it, your clients do. Your business reputation is what your clients say about you, not what you say about yourself.

And you better believe they will say a lot of good things about you if you fix your mistakes without crying, whining and complaining. Fix your faux pas with a smile and a thankful heart...thankful for the opportunity to outshine your competition and prove to your client you really care about them.

How To Start A Second Income

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:31:00 +0000

I have found a way for you to start a profitable home business! I recently received this note from Neil Shearing. His article finally explains how you can start earning money from the Internet! I enjoyed it so much I just had to do a special post so that you could see it immediately!

P.S.This is the product I used as a blueprint to launch my first digital eBook, Why Not Fly Free, that's produced over $7,500 in passive income for me!

============Important Announcement======================
=You Don't Need Someone Else's Job! Work For YOURSELF!=
====================================================

HERE'S WHAT YOU MUST KNOW TO MAKE $$$ ONLINE!
Most people on the Internet want to make money. They know that many people online are becoming "Dot Com Millionaires"! Not surprisingly, there is a great urge to ditch the "9 to 5" job and join the online money-making revolution!

Unfortunately, it isn't as simple as connecting your modem and watching the dollar bills float through your mailbox!

Let's get down to the facts...

There are basically three areas you need to master. Once you've mastered these three areas you will be earning enough money through the Internet to support yourself and your family!

AREA 1: You need to know how to *market* your website online. This includes making use of all the tools available to you online such as submission to search engines, autoresponders, classified ads, newsgroups, sig files etc etc. Each of these methods of marketing is just a way to bring traffic to your website.

GOLDEN RULE #1:
THERE IS NO POINT KNOWING HOW TO SELL WITHOUT HAVING POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS.

ALSO, THERE'S NO POINT IN HAVING POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS WITH NOTHING TO SELL!

Usually, the 'Internet Experts' will explain, in painful detail, how to use the various *methods of marketing* to bring visitors to your site. Purchasing a course to learn the "secret tips" can cost over $200! Alternatively, you could pay $250 to access a "restricted" website where all the "secret tips" are kept!

Let me tell you now...

GOLDEN RULE #2:
THERE ARE NO SECRET TIPS!

Yes, there are several *methods of marketing* online. You simply need to know what each one is and how to use it to maximum potential!

The only reason for marketing is to bring visitors to your site. Of course, the more "qualified" they are, the better...you don't really want to sell plumbing pipes to visiting vicars! But I digress, what you need is traffic. The way to get it is
marketing. Simple.

AREA 2: You need to know *exactly* how to start an online business from scratch and with zero dollars.

Not many 'Internet Experts' will explain this to you. Even fewer will do it step-by-step and explain how to start with no capital...believe me, it can be done...I did it!

GOLDEN RULE #3:
YOU *CAN* START AN ONLINE BUSINESS WITH ZERO DOLLARS!

AREA 3: You need to find something that will explain online marketing to you, and explain how to start an online business with zero dollars.

I think I have the solution...

There is only one product I know of that explains *online marketing* AND *how to start an online business with zero dollars*.

The product is called "Internet Success Blueprint".

This product is an e-book... you can download it in seconds and start working towards your success immediately!

Not only does this e-book fully describe both of the areas you need to know, but it comes with free upgrades for life...meaning that there will be regular updates and additions to the e-book.

Updates are free to all existing customers! Kickstart your journey to success! Read the only e-book you'll ever need..."Internet Success Blueprint"!

Internet Success Blueprint

Regards,
Neil Shearing
http://scamfreezone.com

Mike Huckabee on base guitar

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 04:54:00 +0000

Republican presidential Mike Huckabee plays base guitar performing "More Than A Feeling" by Boston.

I think I prefer Mike to Bill Clinton on saxophone.

Get Rich Quick

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 19:27:00 +0000

It's an old term, "Get Rich Quick", but we all have friends or relatives who have fallen prey to a huckster proclaiming it's easy and with little risk.

Henry K. Hebeler details an incident when he attended a seminar promising huge returns with minimal investments. Areas of investment opportunities included:

Make a killing in real estate
Make a mint in the stock market

At the end of the seminar, attendees were offered to sign up for additional courses, which of course were quite expensive. Hebeler says, with much humor, he knew how to "Make to make a fast exit". It's a good read and offers exceptional tips from an expert in banking and investments:
Get rich quick or lose money quick
There are reputable ways to earn a second income, especially on the internet. For 1 surefire way I've used, Click Here .

Anyone Can Learn To Play Guitar

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:43:00 +0000

There are just a few things you need to learn to play guitar, and among the most important ones is a guitar. It does not have to be the most expensive or even one of the better brand name models, but if you are going to learn to play guitar it should be in decent shape with what is referred to as good action.

The action of a guitar is when the strings can be pressed against the fret board without a lot of difficulty and they do not create a buzzing sound when held down. The notes should also sound the same regardless of where on the neck they are pressed. For example, when you learn to play guitar an E note should sound the same when made on the second fret of the fourth string as it does when the first or sixth string is played open. Yes, the octave will be different, but the note will be the same.

Additionally, when you learn to play guitar it will not make any difference if you learn on an electric or acoustic guitar, classic, full body, six or 12-string or even three-quarter size guitar. The notes and chord positions will all be the same.

Read more about how to learn basic guitar. I'm learning and progressing and you can too!

Learn guitar by ear

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 02:42:00 +0000

My online guitar lessons are going pretty good. I can study at my own pace, but more important, on my own time. Even if it's 2am in the morning.

I found this link that helps me learn guitar by ear and it's absolutely wonderful. Check it out.

Stupid Bumper Sticker

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 02:29:00 +0000

I saw a bumper sticker today that read:

"Religion...keeps the poor from murdering the rich"

What the heck does that mean??

Is it a crime to be rich? Is it the rich's fault that some are poor?

Hey, dude, in the white Pontiac with the wierd bumper sticker, if you're poor, it's not a rich person's fault. This is America, the home of the greatest economic opportunity in the world. If you're poor, don't blame it on the rich. Get off your lazy butt and get another job. Or, get off your butt and learn a new skill. Or, get off your lazy butt and take a night class. But don't blame your poorness on the rich. Nuff said.

How I learn guitar chord online

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 03:34:00 +0000

I've always had a desire to play the acoustic guitar. After searching eBay and craigslist, I finally stopped by the local pawn shop and found an excellent guitar at a very reasonable price.

I've been using youtube to learn guitar chord, it's amazing the techniques you can learn from a 4 minute video.

Here's one of the sites I've used to learn guitar chord.

If You Were Going To Move, Where Would You Go?

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 02:11:00 +0000

Recently, I came across a blog with a post about a guy who was looking for another country to move to. It seems he was with G.W. Bush and the way it's going here in the USA. It got me to thinking, not that I want to move, but there might be better places to live. So I began doing some searches for the Top 10 countries to live in.

Here's what I found:

The United Nations released this list for 2006:
1. Norway
2. Iceland
3. Australia
4. Ireland
5. Sweden
6. Canada
7. Japan
8. United States
9. Switzerland
10. Netherlands
The UN rates the per-capita income, standard of living, educational levels, health care and life expectancy as a measure of a nation’s well-being.

In 2005, Economist's World released their top 10 picks:
1. Ireland
2. Switzerland
3. Norway
4. Luxembourg
5. Sweden
6. Australia
7. Iceland
8. Italy
9. Denmark
10. Spain
Researchers took into account not just income, but other factors considered important to people's satisfaction and well-being. They included health, freedom, unemployment, family life, climate, political stability and security, gender equality and family and community life.

The Economist said: "Ireland wins because it successfully combines the most desirable elements of the new, such as low unemployment and political liberties, with the preservation of certain cosy elements of the old, such as stable family and community life."

Quite a difference in these two lists. Where would you move to if given the chance?

Now here's a Presidential candidate I could vote for....

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:11:00 +0000

Who is Representative (R-TX) Ron Paul?

He just might be the answer so many Americans are looking for. He is for bringing our troops home from Iraq....as well as Korea, Japan and Europe. Paul is passionate about changing our foreign policy - quit being the world policeman.

"Our military is run down. We've spent a half a trillion dollars. We've lost all these men and women. We've had 40,000 serious casualties.And all we can do is dig in our heels and say, "Well, we can't leave because there will be chaos." We've created chaos. The longer we stay the more chaos and the more expenses we're going to have."

"...it's going to get worse if we don't change our policies."

"The CIA is what gets us into trouble. I mean, the CIA is what really started things in the Middle East, because the CIA went in and overthrew Mosaddeq in 1953. We put in the shah."

Ron Paul has viable solutions to other major issues facing America: Abortion, Big Government spending, Social Security and more. Read more of Judy Woodruff's interview with Rep. Ron Paul.

David Tinney, Income Tax Preparation

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 15:56:00 +0000

I can't seem to get away from the subject of income taxes. Several years ago, I made an unwise financial decision and I ended up owing the IRS a large sum of money. Fortunately, I was able to pay them off over a couple years.

Since then, I've been much wiser and informed when it comes to income tax preparation. I use a tax consultant/advisor/accounttant. I beleive he knows his stuff. Anyway, you want to prepare your tax return in a legal, ethical and comprehensive fashion in order to keep the IRS at bay.

Read more here: Income Tax Preparation Guide

David Tinney, on Botox

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 15:46:00 +0000

Botox has caused quite a stir in recent years. From reducing facial wrinkles to helping control migraine headaches, Botox seems to have many advantages.

There is alot of information on the internet informing the public about Botox injection treatments as well as other related anti-aging products and procedures.

I found interesting botox information at several websites:

Botox Treatment
Botox For Headache Pain

David Tinney, on Income Tax Loan

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 13:39:00 +0000

With April 17th approaching, we are preparing our tax returns for 2006. Many of us are fortunate to be receiving a refund and are planning how that extra cash will be spent.

A new loan to hit the market in recent years, called a Refund Anticipation Loan has become popular. But you should seriously reconsider if you haven't seen what it actually costs you.

Click this link to get in depth information about an income tax loan.

David Tinney on the 2007 Tax Guide

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 04:36:00 +0000

There are three things you can count on:
1. The sun will rise in the morning
2. The sun will set at night
3. Your taxes will be due in mid April

Yesterday, I received my 2005 tax refund (I filed extensions). Today, I started working on my 2006 taxes. I've got practically every receipt for every dollar spent last year. But they're not too organized. In fact, it's a freakin' mess.

Tax laws change every year. I think I would support a flat tax, just for simplicity sake. But becuase the laws change every year, you need a 2007 tax guide, especially if you do your own taxes.

There are several, you can even get one online. Cool. Read more about the 2007 tax guide here.

David Tinney, on Migraine diet

noreply@blogger.com (David Tinney) — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 07:27:00 +0000

A migriane headache can disable you temporarily, you're unable to perform the easiest chores due to the throbbing pain.

Research has also shown that certain foods in the diet may trigger the onset of migraine headaches, and there is now information on a migraine diet for those who suffer.

Certain foods should be avoided if you're prone to migraine headaches, such as alcoholic beverages, red wine and processed meats. Click this link to find out more about migraine diet.