This article outlines features we’ve experienced at our firm and those they promote on each of their websites.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Make sure an email campaign is the right strategy to bring you business! By itself, it’s very likely not sufficient. Typical email response rates are only 10-20%. That means only 10-20% even open your email, and most probably just skim it and don’t read the whole thing. So, before you spend hours and hours and many dollars on this tactic, make sure your content is  super creative, valuable, you truly know how to grow a large fan base – and your support marketing strategies are in place!

How do you find that out?

If you need to know what actually works to build a market (and profits!) for your specific type of business, our customizable Signature Marketing Angel Program is the best value.

Curious if we’re qualified to help your business grow? Here’s our company profile.

WHICH EMAIL PROGRAM WORKS BEST FOR YOU?

Here’s a comparison between the top 3 programs so you can choose a program that best fits your needs, time and budget.

Vertical Response

Cost: $13 per 1,000 emails

Main Benefit if starting out:  Cost! You only pay on per-use basis (about $13 to send to each 1,000 people ). While that can total $65 for a list of 5,000, you save if you don’t have annoyingly frequent campaigns or smaller lists.

This service has good reporting so you can see how many people are reading your e-news, which links they click on and other useful information to guide your marketing. Easy-to-use social media feature enables you to post a link to your e-news (archived on their site, not yours) onto your social media pages quite easily. Opt-in forms are free and easy to create.

Main Disadvantage: At the time of this writing, I think they are rolling out some templated designs for enews. To date, you have to code your own “branded design”  campaigns in both html and text-only versions so that either can be received by your list. It’s time consuming and more expensive to do that, unless you’re a programmer.

Features                                                                                           

• Import lists from excel, filemaker, most content management systems
• Free opt in forms to add to e-news, blog, website, or social media
• Auto tracking for bounces, unsubscribes- keeps list clean
• Easy set up wizards
• Email campaigns, postcards,survey options
• Posts your e-news right to social media pages
• Real time tracking of who is opening your emails, which links clicked on, compare campaigns to see which works best, etc.
• Can create surveys- anonymous or not with VR templates.
• Good customer service, comparatively
• Add your own HTML or text design in content
• With one easy integration you get email marketing, list management & reporting

• Enjoy premium VR Partner API access and support
• Customize your own user interface, or drop the existing UI into your iFrame
• Brand your application with a ‘powered by’ logo on all outgoing messages
• Earn commission or take a discount on all messages sent
• Manage all sub-accounts & lists easily from one Administrative login
• Get real time reporting on all account activity
• Save with email credit bulk purchases, then distribute & bill clients directly (for those who manage mailings for others)

Constant Contact

Cost: $15 for quickplans to start. Additional features cost extra. (500-2001 $20/mo.  2500-5000 $50/mo. 5k-10k- $75/mo.)

Main Advantage: Offers a variety of included template designs (but watch out for glitches as you learn to program them)

Main Disadvantage: Cost and time to learn the system. You pay monthly whether you send out email campaigns or not. Users tell me they get frustrated with setup and have problems getting it working the first few times, often sending out their first few e-news items with programming errors.

User comment: My colleague Dr. Monique Hunt offered this comment about this program:

“I used Constant Contact for several years and liked the features.  I like how Constant Contact makes it very easy to send a newsletter to multiple accounts and the list will merge together so that subscribers of multiple lists will only get one email.

However, the program would often lock-up requiring me to close the browser and lose my information.  I also found that often what I created in the program didn’t look the same in the actual email. Many of the advanced services require additional fees.” 

She also noted it was quite easy to add forms to her website and send newsletters to multiple lists easily. She switched to Mail Chimp in the end.

Features                                                                                              

• One-click editing. Easy to use. No technical skills required.
• Free HTML email templates Choose from over 400 customizable templates.
• Affordable—start for FREE for 60 days (email marketing survey, event marketing registration sign up form)
• Free personal coaching and support by phone, email, chat, and in person—anytime.
• Facebook, Twitter links – Promote your campaign on social media.
• Secure, permission-based email lists – Grow your email lists—it’s secure and easy.
• Social Stats – See who tweets, likes, and shares your emails.
• Anti-spam checker – Send campaigns that get delivered.
• Event marketing and survey priced differently.
• Easy to add video and image links. Host your own  images – charged extra if you need it, also gives access to their large stock image bank.
• Option to ‘grow my mailing list form’ (opt in) to ask them any info you want (like how did you hear about us?). You can set up ‘text to join’ – text to x number to join your mailings. You get reports of who signed up, opted out.
• Integrated with QR codes – for handouts, trade shows, etc. Can set up QR code to your mailing list to offer them free coupons later (in your e-news list). You get report of who signed up, opted out.
• Moving into social media, it’s free first 30 days or for up to 100 fans on your Facebook page. Click on like to get 15% coupon. Has opt in for Facebook application. Can customize posts so it automatically goes to Facebook or twitter account.
• Tracking: who shared, who opened, who clicked, ask readers to share e-news on their own page. Shows graph to show how your e-news going against others in your industry. Allows people to sign up for ‘packet’ to get info from you.
• Can archive emails, add to your blog or website

Mail Chimp

Main Advantage: Free & it seems to have a good mobile interface. Non technically-oriented users tell me it’s not too hard to set up and learn the basics, and they like the choice of many template design offerings.

Main Disadvantage:  Users reported to me the complexity of options took quite a bit of time to learn at first.

User comment:

My colleague Dr. Monique Hunt offered this comment about this program:

 “I am using the free account with Mail Chimp.  Most days I am happy with the service, however, I have occasionally experienced screen freezes forcing me to close the program and  log in again to complete my projects.

My biggest challenge with Mail Chimp is the difficulty adding multiple forms to my website for different lists.  Although I am not a web designer, I was easily able to add forms to my website using Constant Contact.  In my experience, adding Mail Chimp forms from multiple list to my website created multiple challenges that often left my visitors unable to sign up for various programs and events. While it’s possible to email to multiple lists, it’s not as easy as Constant Contact for this purpose.

Users can easily intergrate Mail Chimp with social media and Eventbrite to create events.  I have used this feature and found it useful and a time saver.  Mail Chimp has many free features that other companies only offer to their paid users.

As a free service, I believe Mail Chimp is a great choice. However, some features require a paid account.  For basic newsletters, events and for staying connected with clients I find it very useful.”

Features

• Facebook integration
• Has Google analytics
• QR code creation
• Tracking shows how your campaigns are performing, how your subscribers are sharing them, and how much revenue your campaigns are generating for you.
• Can set up subscribers via mobile phone
• Enables social sharing
• Includes design templates
• Tracking includes industry comparisons: how you compare to other MailChimp users in your industry, so you can gauge relative effectiveness with your competitors.
• Can set up A/B Split Testing¨ Answer Questions

What day of the week gets you better open rates? What time of day works best for your content? What subject lines are most effective? What name should you use in the “From” field? Does sending time affect click rates? Answer all these questions and more with a few clicks in MailChimp.

More Features

• Add subscribers to any list and assign them to interest groups.
• See recent events in your account.
• See where in the world your emails are being opened.
• See who’s tweeting and retweeting your campaigns.
• See how much revenue your campaigns have generated.
• See email clients, recent subscribers and full lists.
• Get updates about campaigns in progress.
• See how many MonkeyRewards you have earned.
• Add multiple MailChimp accounts.
• Lock the app with a passcode for additional security.

OTHER PROGRAMS

There are many email sending programs including these popular programs that integrate your ecommerce with a shopping cart, affiliate programs and more. Costs are higher but for larger lists or more integrated management, these are some top programs to compare. Most have lower introductory costs for fewer features so it’s worth it to shop around to fit your exact needs:

1 Shopping Cart

Cost: $129/mo. for integrated email, autoresponders, affiliate program and shopping cart.

Aweber

Cost: $19/mo. for email, html templates, autoresponders (but without ecommerce cart integration).

Infusionsoft

Cost: $199/mo. to $999/mo. depending on features

Beefy capabilities require more time to learn, but it has really good reporting for integrated email, CRM, sales funnel campaigns, including opt in tracking, good follow up automation after purchases enabling ROI tracking.

SHARE YOUR OPINIONS!

Please share your experience and opinions in “comments” below to help others make good decisions. We all really value your honest comments.

NEED HELP DEVELOPING YOUR E-NEWS CAMPAIGNS?

Our special report on steps to create an effective e-news campaign is available in our store, if you need help with that: http://www.allisonbliss.com/wordpress/store/.

THANKS TO OUR GUEST AUTHOR FOR COMMENTS THIS MONTH

Dr. Monique is a Business Intuitive and Happiness Strategist.  She teaches her clients how to tap into the wisdom of their intuition for guidance so they always know the best choices to make and the right action to take in business and life.  She inspires her clients to awaken their inner happiness so they can realize their dreams and make a lasting impact in the world. www.drmonique.com or find her on Facebook.

                             The Oscars for Academy Awards

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

The Oscars will be handed out soon, and it’s a perfect time to keep this in mind: If you’re a business owner or manager, it’s wise to think of yourself as a great film director who’s telling a story.

Having directed films, stage, television, and stage productions, I  noticed that the principles of great directing or filmmaking apply exactly to great marketing.

OK, so you don’t need the baseball cap or the megaphone like a film director. But in order to attract the right “audience,” you do need to communicate something critical – the talents and services of your company.

If you really connect with your audience, they’ll appreciate what you have to offer.

Think about it: When you’re positioning your company, you’ll craft an intriguing ‘script’ which you know as ‘promotional messages’.

You’re conveying the fact that you offer something of interest, you do it well, you’ve hired the best talent (even if Morgan Freeman isn’t available) and really connect emotionally with those who need your services.

In great drama, you want to evoke emotions and meaningful reactions in your audience to make them laugh or cry. Director Martin Scorcese (shown in photo) happens to be a master of this evocative “manipulation”, as I think of it.

In great marketing communications, you want your audience to buy. They won’t, if they feel there is no compelling reason . . . just as they won’t cry watching a film if the heroine dies and they simply don’t relate to her — or if they’re emotionally conflicted or confused.

CREATE THE BUZZ

Now consider the last film you absolutely loved. It gripped you, didn’t it? You wanted to tell all your friends about it, because it had such an intriguing affect on you, right?

I felt that way about the recent film, “Hugo”, by Director Martin Scorcese: such a lovely story, a delight for the eyes, an epic-but-not-Spielberg-distracting music score,  just so well directed.

In marketing, it’s all about creating that “buzz” — you want to evoke that reaction in your audience (or target market) through your marketing materials, your print ads, TV commercials, presentations, networking, and of course … by doing great work, which offers lots of value!

In a film, the director carefully builds and develops each character so the audience can get to know him, to laugh with him or feel his pain, and to understand how he acts and reacts. In marketing, it’s all about reaction — you want your audience to grow with you, to feel connected, and to relate to and trust in you. And you especially want them to learn about the enormously useful solutions you offer.

But, first you have to understand your audience. And that requires that you have in-depth knowledge of your existing clientele. In that way, you can attract more clients like the ones you already have and cherish, and enjoy helping.

FINDING YOUR IDEAL MARKET

We recommend a method for truly understanding your clients, and finding out what they value in the work you provide – having a third party interview them, but only one highly experienced in marketing interviews.

When you fully understand what makes your clients tick (and more importantly, what they love or don’t love  about doing business with your company), you can promote those qualities to other potential markets.

In this investigative work many wonderful surprises emerge. Often, we find that your clients need other services you could offer, or that you are undervaluing your services/products and could easily raise your prices (this is actually a very common discovery).

Also, we’ve found that simple things matter: like a change to your invoice system that would make everyone much happier – your “audience” will laugh instead of cry.

Or, we might learn that even though you believe you offer lightning-fast response time, your clients don’t perceive it that way. From this information, you can often make improvements that lead to significantly more income. Ahhh, knowledge is bliss!

Generally, your angelic clients won’t share this information directly. Most humans want to please others, and steer clear of offering suggestions that might provoke an uncomfortable or unwelcome response. And sometimes clients are fearful of hurting your feelings.

While this is understandable, you might be missing some valuable lessons your clients are dying to share with you, that could benefit your business enormously. Or maybe they just need some prompting to think more deeply about the real value your business offers so they can share that with you.

BREAK FROM HO-HUM MARKETING … IT’S TOO BORING!

Using the “great films as marketing” metaphor, think about how many classic films have taken radical departures from the ordinary … from “Schindler’s List” to “The Wizard of Oz” to “Gone With the Wind.” These movies were huge attention-getters in their day, and became major cultural influences. Don’t you want your work to be recognized as a significant influence, too?

Once you break from ho-hum marketing, and learn to put your deeper beliefs and values into your promotion, a remarkable thing will happen: You will attract precisely those clients who really need and appreciate the products or services your company provides. In other words … once you know what your clients really value, making it available to them will be an incredibly simple process.

That’s why I believe: “Knowledge is Bliss.”

MARKETING IS AN INVESTMENT. SPEND IT WISELY.

Sometimes a company needs special tools to expand its marketing, promotion, or outreach. That’s exactly why we’ve developed our Total Marketing & Communications Services. Ah, Total Bliss. And totally useful marketing tools around $20 that will help busy business owners get what they need right away!

• Write Your Company Bio or Profile
• Blissful Wisdom Ebook (comprehensive marketing)
• Earn Money in Your Sleep
• Get Booked as a Paid Presenter
• How to Build an Enews Campaign
• My Favorite Networking Tips to Build Business
• Preparing for a Trade Show
• Finding Perfect Employees

and free resources for:

• conference calls
• online database
• low cost shopping cart

What You Probably Don’t Know About The Author . . .

Allison Bliss, the creator of “Marketing as a Spiritual Practice” method, rebels against misleading, pushy, spam-filled marketing offering Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurs an integrated range of do-it-yourself marketing products & customized marketing strategy, plans, promotional materials, websites, and Total Marketing Services for Total Bliss.

Having studied with Frances Ford Coppola and other film greats, Bliss is a member of the Directors Guild of America where she managed production on literally thousands of films, tv shows, events, videos and commercials. She moved into marketing to help worthy businesses get noticed, and because she figured they needed her help more than Hollywood did.      Allison’s full story

Don’t miss the Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26th, ABC-TV

Need some grand marketing ideas? Contact us today. 510-879-7600

I had one of those slap-you-in-the-face realizations last night at Skywalker Ranch where I heard Martin Scorsese discuss his mastery in film directing. I was reminded of this lesson . . .

Great businesses are just like great films. They require:

1)      Great vision (in film, you must have a great story with a director that has the talent to interpret that story to the screen),

2)      Wise leadership with vast knowledge on a wide array of subjects to bring the vision to reality,

3)      An ability to absorb, adapt and change on a dime,

4)      Structure, discipline and the fortitude for longevity,

5)       Outside Counsel with a breadth of wisdom holding these ideals as the roadmap.

Of the hundreds of businesses I’ve advised or worked with, every issue really boils down to those 5 elements of mastery.

Think about it. To make your business great, you must have a great idea, service or product. Basic, right?

But to bring that idea to those who need it, a bold mastery in items #3-#5 must be developed – whether it’s a one person or 10,000 person business, it’s still critical to have mastery to overcome the roadblocks (or internal fears) holding a company back from success.

The Secret of Great Film Directors

Martin Scorsese told us about his development and interpretation of the book on the orphan, Hugo Cabret into his lusciously visual film “Hugo”, alluding to to a few dozen 1920’s era French artists, filmmakers, architects, and musicians who influenced his interpretation. That’s a mastery of extrapolating wisdom from the past on a wide array of topics to benefit his vision today.

Too many leaders focus only on their industry losing that wealth of knowledge from other fields outside their own (narrower) vision, limiting their capacity by not having outside counsel or guidance.

In my own presentations, I tell audiences that the secret to marketing (if there really is such a thing) is to extrapolate everything you see, know, hear and sense into how your experiences could apply to your business.

If you learned a great lesson from a book on Zen Buddhism, you might extrapolate how that principle of compassion could guide your business, as an example. If you saw a sign or an ad that really moved you,  it might be possible to extrapolate the feeling of that message into web content for your company.

Whether you like Scorsese’s films or not, his mastery of the art form cannot be disputed. His ability to lead teams of hundreds just to shoot and edit an entire film in just a few months is a staggering accomplishment. I don’t know any CEO’s who’ve built such a successful company from scratch – without an office, staff, management, or marketing – in under 6 months, and still have their funders trust their decision making in the process, with the fortitude to sustain that success for over 50 years.

The skills brought from film to business are impossible for most to understand. Costing $20,000+ per minute to create a film, the Director and leaders must use a mastery of extrapolation, wisdom based on experience, and quick decision making while upholding the greater vision – a critical lesson for businesses in today’s global economy.

A Death of Business: My Own Example

I transitioned my own business from film into business consulting after a drunk kid hit my car injuring my back so I could no longer work 20 hour days on location. Only after a decade, did I fully realize that I’d somehow corrupted my own greater creative vision, repressing the value of my film mastery and it’s value to business.

To me, that was a death of sorts: the loss of fully expressing in business advising a mastery of audience perception which I’d learned in film.

A Gift For You

I offer this example to help your own awareness – think about what you might be holding back that could far benefit your own market/audience.

Aren’t those bold messages the ones you remember? As creative beings, we respond to emotions, the same as in film. Apple’s “Think Different” campaign message succeeded because it was a rallying cry (emotionally) to people frustrated with old style computing.

More Bold Examples:

“Polar Bear Mounting Tape”

This ad stars a giraffe in a rather precarious position. Unlucky for the circling lions below, the giraffe’s stuck well out of harm’s way thanks to Polar Bear mounting tape.

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS – BOSE HEADPHONES

A MEMORABLE LESSON

Isn’t it really a disservice to our clients if we’re cheating our bolder mastery, even if we’re not aware of it at the time? That’s why I challenge CEO’s and business owners to look to the greater vision and stages of mastery if we are to flourish.

Quick Recap: Are You a Master?

1)      Have you read a book, article, or seen a video or film that inspires you to greatness in some way? Maybe you’ve instituted a higher vision or even rewards for creative ideas for your staff? Maybe you’ve inaugurated a recycle/reuse policy? Maybe you’ve stepped up to outreach to a new crowd of people who really need your wisdom, experience or skills?

2)      Have you improved one area of your leadership ability? Maybe you’ve inspired your staff or vendors to do better work? Maybe you’ve learned a technique to make more careful decisions? Maybe you’ve figured out some new work/life balance method?

3)      Have you made a change to incorporate your vision within the last 6-12 months? Have you launched a new service or product? Have you adapted to new market conditions, new operations or technology, or new marketing in the last 6 months?

4)      Have you improved your structure, organization or other efficiencies at work? Do you have better information reporting or more profitable operations from recent changes?

5)      Do you have guidance and wisdom from outside your company that helps you uphold your vision? Do you have someone you trust to help bounce ideas off when making important decisions? Do you regularly engage in training, leadership development, or even vision exercizes to maintain and improve your vaster visionary goals, not just daily task fulfillment? Do you dance, meditate, paint, take walks, or play music finding some way to stay joyful and creative over the long term while mired in your daily task list?

Resources For You

If you’re lacking outside counsel, we have lots of resources for you from leadership coaching for CEO’s in the $20 million range by founding members of Google,  to Executive Directors of non-profits; from workshops on blogging to dance and even “the artform of play”; from massage therapists to trainers, Enlightened Business Summits to printers, artists, bookkeepers or bankers; and after finally tapping into my mastery I now take leaders on guided consultative “Idea Lab” walks to ensure your vision, leadership, management, marketing and mastery don’t get derailed.

Now I wonder why it took so long to create an online product? Thanks to these two featured workshops by Josh Zerkel & Alison Marks, you’ll learn how to do this and tips maximize the efficiency of your entire business, too!

Honestly, my intention wasn’t to make money in my sleep by selling products online, but to help more people. I created a tool that wrote a company profile by gathering reconnaissance about the client’s company, and then auto-scribing a profile  for  immediate download.

This tool has sold all over the world for a decade, helping literally hundreds of companies – and I wake each morning to find more money in my bank account than when I went to sleep!

 Now You Can Experience That

If you’re an advisor, consultant, trainer, coach or knowledgeable on a particular topic, you probably have good advice to offer clients in an ebook, webinar, teleclass or other media that exactly fits your market.

You’ll  learn which media is best and you’ll create an actual online product in this “Get it Done” workshop from my friend Alison Marks:   5 Simple Steps to Making Money While You Sleep By Turning Your Passion Into Ebooks, CDs or Videos

• Discover How to Help A Lot More People,
•  Position Yourself As An Expert,
•  And Build Your Tribe… All While Making GOOD MONEY!

I’ve known Ali Marks a long time, personally endorse her high-value, easy-to-follow workshops, as an fan and an affiliate. Thanks for joining us.

_____________________

Get Organized to Make More Cash! with Josh Zerkel

To me, it’s simple. If we’re organized, we make more money because we get more done. We have more time to focus on developing business and handling assignments we love, less time frustrated trying to make our systems work.

That’s why I’m such a fan of Josh Zerkel, Certified Professional Organizer®, founder of Custom Living Solutions, and the Past President of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers.

Josh is a systems expert, not a paper organizer. He has taught me about tools, programs and tricks that have saved about an hour a week (and I’m already pretty organized!) that I can now spend with friends instead of admin.

That’s why I’m alerting you to his upcoming FR*EE live teleseminar called “The 5 Biggest Productivity Myths” .

DATE: Wednesday, January 25^th
TIME: 2:00pm (Pacific) / 5:00pm (Eastern)
WHERE: From the comfort of your home or office
REGISTER: http://bit.ly/wu5mxO

P.S. – Josh’s no-nonsense, practical approach to productivity is unlike any other system you’ve seen. It truly is an extraordinary, simple and effective way to get out from under your overwhelm and create the profitable and productive business you’re dreaming of. You’ll really want to be on this call! Register NOW! 

I’ll “see” you at these two valuable workshops!

*************

I have several.

In one of my Idea Lab Walks (usually a walking consultation for clients, but this time I was my own client), it occurred to me that I had so many “friends” on facebook, online, my clients and vendors and in real life who had more “things” than they had room for, but not lots of “cash” to donate to others for help.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

If you need something:  Post what you need in a comment below. Too proud to ask? I totally understand. Just email me confidentially through my website and I’ll post your request anonymously.

TODAY’S FEATURED NEED

My friend, I’ll call her Giancarla, needs a new pair of running shoes size 9 1/2, ideally in black.

She’s a highly successful manager who’s just in between jobs and just doesn’t have the cash to buy shoes, but needs them for her daily workout.

I’m betting it only takes a few days for friends to offer this to her. I’ll post an answer on my facebook page to let you know how long it really takes.

Maybe you’re dying for a new pair and want someone who’d appreciate your worn-yet-still-in-good-shape pair.

If you can help, please post a comment below offering specific information,  letting us know the best way & good times to reach you.

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO OFFER

If you’re trying to make room for something new (or just make more space!), please offer it in a comment below. I’ll keep them categorized best I can to make it an easy search.

EXCLUSIVE FOR FRIENDS

This is not a yelp. It’s not craigslist or the goodwill. It’s just a way for you to offer the “things” you no longer need that would be valued treasures for your friends, or my friends, or friends of friends.

♥   NO STRINGS.   ♥   NO POLICIES.

♥   JUST OFFER IT WITH LOVE.

♥   REQUEST IT IN A SPIRIT OF BLISSFUL ABUNDANCE.

♥   FOR ANONYMOUS REQUESTS, EMAIL ME THROUGH MY WEBSITE.

♥  Thank you for contributing in any way you can: make offers, ask for things to help people clear out their extra stuff, invite your friends to ask and offer by forwarding them this link.

[this article extracted from interview on Sideroad online]

How can business owners earn their highest possible income, while maximizing their valuable time?

Here’s the secret no business professional can afford to overlook: a Marketing Coach will keep you on track.

Just exactly what does a Marketing Coach or Consultant do? Well, she wears many hats.

Whether your company wants to generate more online sales, decrease its staff size, or reach a broader market segment, a Marketing Coach will create an action plan using precisely the strategies needed to achieve your goals.

Often, business owners come to a Coach misled by the belief that a clever logo, tagline, or brochure will bring them new business. While those tools can help with branding, they don’t bring business in the door by themselves. And this is where your Marketing Coach can be an invaluable asset.

A good Coach or Consultant will be able to advise you of what steps you need to take (and when), and what the costs will be. Plus, your coach will be able to teach you when, why, and how you should employ a full range of marketing tools – from redesigning a website, to creating articles or white papers, starting a blog, conducting podcasts, and developing ad campaigns – and she can help you find highly successful strategies that you can leverage without spending a cent.

When you’re in start-up phase, you probably don’t have the time or cash needed to experiment with various marketing strategies. A Coach incorporates your goals and ideas along with their recommended strategies into a unique, step-by-step action plan. They should guide new businesses through the inevitable stages of underpricing their products or services (almost everyone has done that), finding the clients who are truly a great fit for your offerings, and how to ramp up when there is high demand so you’re not working ridiculously long days.

For companies that have been around 15+ years, the issues are quite different. Often the owner is bored and needs help creating new offerings that will again stimulate or challenge them. Perhaps the market has radically changed so they need a completely new set of clients, services, or other income streams to support the business growth. A Coach should guide business owners through these and all the stages of growth, including those where people mistakenly think they should give up.

What are the six critical qualities a Marketing Coach should provide?

1. Experience.In order to guide you properly the best Coach will already have made hundreds of mistakes on her own, and learned what works and what doesn’t. Also, a great Coach should have experience in dozens of industries, so she can bring you ideas that work in market segments other than yours.Do your homework, and make sure that your Coach has a solid track record in marketing communications:If she’s advising you about building your website, she should understand Search Engine Optimization (ask her for examples of successes in this area).Your Coach should have built blogs and websites, written articles that have been published, developed trade show exhibits, created ad campaigns, acheived online and offline placement of PR, created sales materials – from business cards to elaborate brochures, produced events, spoken to organizations, and have conducted actual sales. Sound like a tall order? It should be! Your company’s future success depends on it.
2. Resources. A great Coach should come equipped with a tested arsenal of resources, from databases to designers, and bookkeepers to benchmarks. Using vendors who are not capable of filling your needs can cost thousands of dollars and hundreds of wasted hours — so use only tested contacts, and have your Coach carefully manage them.
3. Contacts. Unless she comes to the party with a sizable network, a Coach probably isn’t engaged enough in the community or in your market to find you great opportunities, or at least to recommend where you should seek them. Your ideal Coach should be actively engaged in business, political, educational, or community associations, keep current on strategies, resources and technology that can help you, and will have contacts in industries that will serve you directly or indirectly. For example, if you’re trying to meet small business owners to inform them of your professional services, Your Coach should be able to connect you with 5-10 great associations. Ask your potential Coach which associations she belongs to; this will give you an idea of her ability to help you make beneficial contacts.
4. Intelligence. Without true business intelligence your Coach can’t possibly grasp what you are trying to achieve, nor can she recommend creative ways to help you meet your goals. Many Coaches stick to a single industry, or have a very limited understanding of how to generate bottom-line results for a company. Find a Coach who has had full responsibility for running a company; from developing the vision to hiring and firing, management, marketing and financials, creating operational systems, developing sales, merchandizing (for retail), and training employees. When you first begin to discuss your business and marketing ideas with your Coach, this intelligence should immediately become obvious. If you feel like you’re not connecting – due to a lack of expertise on the part of your new Coach – don’t prolong the agony! You (and your company) can’t afford to spend time with someone who hasn’t been out in the trenches herself.
5. Clients who value her. A great Coach has clients who value her because they know she delivers trusted information, guidance, strategy, resources, and results. Read some case studies, and ask your prospective Coach to let you speak with a few clients so you can learn how they have benefited from working with her. This will give you a sense of which Coach will be the best fit for you. Also, make sure to choose a Coach who is truly compassionate, and believes in you and your work. Running a business can be a lonely, hair-pulling struggle, so you deserve someone on your side who will be there when you need her. And, your Coach should understand (and be sympathetic to) all of the emotional phases you’ll be going through as you’re building your business. Some days will be exhilarating, and you’ll be on the top of the world – and some days you’ll feel like pulling the covers over your head. Your Coach should be able to guide you through the bad, and celebrate the good.
6. Telephone & email consultations. I believe it’s crucial for people to have easy access to their Coach. You may need a second opinion on a large proposal you’re about to send out. Or, you may want someone to review your website updates before you pay a large sum to your web designer to make those changes. You need a Coach who can respond reasonably quickly, so you get help at these critical junctures.

What do Marketing Coaching clients say of Allison Bliss Consulting?
“Allison Bliss is by far, the best marketing professional I have ever had the pleasure of working with. She’s a copywriter, editor, teacher, coach and advisor, all wrapped into one amazing person.

Her ability to laser in on what action plans are going to bring me the most business in the shortest amount of time is nothing less than brilliant. All the ideas are not only attainable, but they’re fun to do and feed into the heart and soul of who I am and how I like to work. What’s even more exciting is she’s laid out an entire year’s worth of actions to take in monthly “chunks,” so I know exactly what I need to do, and when. Oh, and did I mention her speed? I have never seen anyone work as efficiently and fast as she does.

As a human being, Allison is a complete joy to work with as well. She’s a great listener, joyful, passionate and operates directly from her heart. Absolutely no one has put me back on track and lit a fire under me like she has, leaving me more excited about my business than I have been in years.”- Linda Salazar, Awaken The Genie Within®, Personal Life Coaching

“I came to Allison Bliss Consulting because my marketing had stalled out. As much as I could learn about marketing tactics, I always felt that they weren’t getting applied in an effective manner. Everything seemed hit or miss, and I didn’t know if things were working or not. Allison was able to quickly understand what I had already done, and assess what needed tweaking, ramping up, or overhauling. Best of all, she put the activities into a timeline schedule, so that I could concentrate on doing the right things at the right times, and get the best results.” – Ian Blei, Consultant, Optimized Results

for more details, contact Allison Bliss Consulting

Whether you have a small, professional service business, or giant retail corporation, if you think these trends don’t affect you, look back at history!

Remember the “nesting” trend that gave rise to at-home internet use,home movies and more?

Those consumer trends in the market roll downhill to small businesses over time.

From “:12 Crucial Consumer Trends for  2012″
“In 2012 . . . more opportunities than ever for creative brands and entrepreneurs to deliver on changing consumer needs. . . ”

 

Rolling out the red carpet for Chinese visitors.

(thanks! Starwood)

(thanks! Nike)

(thanks!Pepsico)

(thanks! Zappos)

Want the full report – or more than the briefing. Visit Trendwatching for more.”

www.AllisonBliss.Com - Total Marketing Services. Teams of Specialists. Total Bliss.

Join me with the creators of “Make Mine Shine Virtual Stage”;  K. Patrice Williams, JD and Dr. Monique E. Hunt for my presentation at this  diverse gathering of Master Teachers who will not only light up the stage, but will show you how to shine in your business too!

I’ll take the stage on Tuesday, Jan. 24th, 2012 from 12pm-1pm.

Join me  to learn “To Attract Clients You Love”.

This interactive and enervating 1 hour presentation leads participants through a kind of “vision quest” to tap into the 3 critical tactics to attract clients (or jobs in your career) that you’ll love – those that are most profitable and enable you to flourish.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make in marketing that holds them back from real success

• the technique that is probably missing from your marketing costing you a reduced income

• a mindshift for finding the clients who are truly right for you and those who will pay for your expertise

• strategies to rethink your business, increase your prices, and build the value of your offerings

• the missing element that other marketers don’t reveal to you that can affect your attitude, productivity, income, perception and value!

This reminder notification page will register you for the summit and your free bonuses, too!

NO SALES PITCHES

Unlike many telesummits, every expert on the virtual stage has committed to sharing three to five juicy tips that you can start using right away! I invite you to join me, Allison Bliss, and Sign up for FREE today . 

“See” you there!

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WRONG! GET THE TRUTH

If you’re disappointed, like most authors (well, maybe not J.K. Rowling),  then it’s time someone told you the truth about publishing. It’s not the publisher’s job to market your book.

If you know how the game is played, you have a chance to win. If you’re just angry with your editor or publisher, expecting they’re not doing a good job, it’s time you got the truthful answers.

EXPERT TO THE EXPERTS

That’s why I am introducing this video by Kathleen Gage specifically to help authors get their books sold. After all, Knowledge is Bliss . . .

As a marketing expert, I turn to Kathleen Gage for her mastery and experience getting books sold. She’s an expert who has been top of Amazon with hugely successful book sales, and who gives you very specific, valuable information you can use immediately. I particulary love her non-hype-ridden, to-the-point style and hope you value this as much as I do.  
Thanks Kathleen,  for letting us share your wisdom on our blog!

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Ignorance is expensive. Knowledge is Bliss.

Allison Bliss Consulting, a full service marketing & communications agency with expert teams in:

• website development & internet marketing,
• social media,
• writing,
• design,
• publicity,
• entrepreneurial business consulting for smart, innovative, conscientious leaders
• and more . . .

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Before I started my sales training business I worked in a corporate environment and during that time had the opportunity to review many sales proposals for a variety of products and services. Since then, I have had the good fortune (or misfortune in most cases) to read dozens more and I’m still under-whelmed by most of them. Most of the proposals I see make the same fundamental mistakes. Here are ten strategies you can use to ensure that your proposal stands out from your competitors.

1. Open effectively. The vast majority of sales proposals start with information about the seller’s company. I have never figured out the rationale of this approach. Your prospect doesn’t care about you or your company. They don’t want to know how long you have been in business, what awards you have won, or what other companies you have worked with. Effective proposals always highlight the problem that the prospect is facing and the impact that problem has on their business. And they do this early. Not on page two, three or nine. On the first page. If you feel obligated to include this type of information place it near the end of the proposal.

2. Address their situation early. An approach that I have found very effective is to begin with a one paragraph summary of my prospect’s situation followed by the key objectives they want to achieve. This demonstrates that you have a good understanding of your prospect’s problems and concerns. I like to state the objectives in bullet-point form because it is easier to read and absorb.

3. Show the value. This does not mean expanding at great length about your solution. Instead, it requires that you identify exactly how your prospect will benefit by implementing your solution. A technique I learned many years ago is to include several bullet points with each point stating a separate value proposition.

4. Avoid corporate-speak or marketing mumbo-jumbo. The best proposals are written in plain, easy-to-understand language. Many sales people (and marketing departments) think that it is important to use ten dollar words when a simple word would suffice. Never, ever use terminology that might be difficult to understand. Although this is a simple concept, too many sales people include wording or technical information that just isn’t necessary. I learned this lesson when I submitted my first proposal many years ago. After earning the business I asked my client why they chose me and she said, “Your proposal was easy to understand.”

5. Keep it brief. I once read a proposal for a sales training program that spanned 24 pages. Decision makers are far too busy to read a long proposal. I understand that some proposals require a lot of information and detail, especially if you are recommending a complex solution. However, the longer your proposal the more likely it is that your prospect will skim through it and flip ahead to the investment. It is much more effective to write a short, concise proposal and provide back-up information if needed.

6. Avoid the words “I” or “we”. The more times these two words show up in your proposal the more evident it appears that the proposal is about you, not about your prospect or their business or company. This also includes mentioning your company name. Keep your proposal focused on your prospect and use the word “you”.

7. Use titles or headings. This is particularly important if your proposal is relatively long although it is an effective approach with short proposals too. Headings make it easy for your prospect to find key information. Headings also break up the page and make your proposal easier to read.

8. Include at least one testimonial. Testimonials remain one of the most effective sales weapons and you need to incorporate them into your proposals. I like to add these in my P.S. after my signature although I know people who include several testimonials throughout their proposals.

9. Include a summary. Many people will skip the details of your proposal and flip to the last page. Effective proposals include a bullet-point summary of the services you will provide to your prospect.

10. End with a call to action. I used to close my proposals with, “If you require any additional information please feel free to contact me.” Boring! Tell the prospect what you want them to do next. By the way, the next steps should ALWAYS be discussed BEFORE you write your proposal.

The purpose of a proposal is to demonstrate that you and your company have the best solution for the prospect’s problem. Apply the concepts that were mentioned in this article and stand out from your competition.

© MMX-MMXI Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.

Get your FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to Kelley’s free newsletter, “59 Seconds to Sales Success” at www.Fearless-Selling.ca.

Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals close more sales at higher profits. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. Contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca.

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Allison Bliss Consulting: 510-879-7600