Lets play a game, fill in the blank: People need to ________ you before they buy from you.

If you answered “Trust”, give yourself a round of applause. Parroting is a simple technique that allows you to build trust and discover the real reason why your prospect is telling you “No.” Once you are able to understand the core of your prospect’s hesitation, you can build trust and increase your chance of “closing the deal.”

Specifically, parroting is the technique of letting the prospect lead the conversation and chiming-in every now and then, repeating the same word(s) they used to object. Below is a great story that will drive home the point. (pun intended)

The Lamborghini Salesman

Paul was a used-car salesman in New Jersey. One day, Paul was walking around the lot with a prospect and his wife, who had expressed interest in a “sensible car.” Paul was showing them every sensible Chevy and Ford on the lot.

As they were looking at one very sensible family car, Paul asked the husband what he thought of it. “Well,” he mused, “I’m not sure this card is right for me.” Instead of moving on to the next sensible car, Paul parroted “Right for you?” Paul’s questioning inflection signaled the prospect that he needed to say more.

“Well, er, yeah,” the prospect mumbled. “I’m not sure it fits my personality.”
“Fits your personality?” Paul again parroted.
“You know, maybe I need something a little more sporty.”
“A little more sporty?” Paul parroted.
“Well, those cars over there look a little more sporty.”

Aha! Paul’s parrot had ferreted out which cars to show the customer. As they walked over toward a Lamborghini on the lot, Paul saw the prospect’s eyes light up. An hour later, Paul had pocketed a fat commission.

Want to take a rest from talking to save your throat and increase your chances of closing the deal? Next time, use this simple “parroting” technique to get your prospect off and running so all you have to do is listen.

The story above is an adaptation from “How To Talk To Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships”

Most businesses understand the importance of having an online presence, yet too few realize the value of advocates in their audience who share content. It’s better to have a small number of followers who are excited about what you have to say than many followers who could care less. If your followers aren’t reposting your content, it’s time to take a good look at your posts and ask, “How can I make this content more shareable?” Here are a few things to keep in mind when creating shareable content for your fans.

What’s the benefit? Social networks are for socializing, so blatant sales pitches tend to fail miserably. Whatever you post, step back and ask, is it informative? Funny? Inspiring? Spamming your friends is bad online etiquette, so if your content is all promotion and not genuinely interesting, they won’t share it. So how do you promote your business without going overboard? Aside from communicating about special events, you can showcase how a product is made behind the scenes; maybe post content related to your customers’ unique lifestyle, or even highlight your quirky company culture. Be creative with the topics of your content, but make sure they somehow relate to your brand image or line of business.

Is it easy to share? Some of the most viral content are video and images. This is because images can communicate much more than words with minimal effort by your audience. For example, an ice cream shop offering takeout boxes will entice more people using a picture of the box loaded with different ice cream flavors than a text post. When using text, keep it simple. If you’re posting huge chunks of information in text form, chances are, no one will share it because they may not even bother to read it.

Do they know what to do with it? Don’t forget to ask your followers to share posts with important information. Having a friends and family sale? Make sure to include “share with your friends” somewhere in your content. Studies have shown that followers are more likely to share content (as long as it’s useful!) when they are told to do so.

Advocates, or fans of your brand, are vital in increasing exposure for your business . If your content interests them, they will share it with others who have similar interests. This leads to more customers or at the very least, a bigger audience made up of people who care about your business. The next time you post for your business, whether on your website or on social media, keep these questions in mind to craft content that’s shareable.

Around this time last year, a UCLA extension instructor saw my LinkedIn profile and contacted me to guest lecture in his class. I have now spoken in his class 5 different times, and more importantly we have built a fruitful personal relationship. In fact, he made the introduction to one of our most notable clients and continues to be a champion of our firm – it all started all because he saw my LinkedIn profile.

A LinkedIn profile is important for making a great first impression and building a deeper relationship with associates. Don’t let your profile show you in the wrong light; below are five mistakes to avoid.

1. Unprofessional or No Photo! People feel a deeper bond when they can see a face to a name. Unless you are a club promoter, please do not use a picture of yourself looking inebriated at a party. Upload a professional profile picture in nice clothing. Pictures taken with smartphone cameras work fine for those on a budget.

2. Generic Language! You “provide solutions” and “help customers gain a high ROI.” And so do the other 50,000 people who are in the same profession as you. What does all that really mean? For your profile to make an impact use language that is original and clearly describe your skills.

 3. Not Showcasing Results! Your LinkedIn profile is the perfect platform to talk about your accomplishments. How else are you going to stand out from your peers and influence us into hiring you or your company?! Fill in the “Projects” section of your profile to show what you’ve done in the past and how you’ve helped your clients. Be as specific as possible and don’t forget to include your awards and memberships with associations and non-profits.

4. Keywords Matter! Your work summary should contain many keywords related to your profession. Believe it or not, people use the search function on LinkedIn. For example, as a bankruptcy attorney you should list the various types of bankruptcy cases you litigate.

5. No Recommendations! If you can’t get one recommendation or think you would be bothering someone by asking for one, then you probably shouldn’t get hired for any work! There is absolutely no reason not to ask people to write you a recommendation. Your best customer will be excited to write about your great work and you shouldn’t hesitate to ask.

Get LinkedIn with me today: www.linkedin.com/in/infinitecmo

Albert Einstein once announced “Creativity is contagious, pass it on”! From Super Bowl commercials to the latest technological products, we live in a world mad for creativity.

Creativity can help your business thrive in times of uncertainty and intense competition. We interviewed Entrepreneur and community leader Jane Skeeter to get her insight on running a successful business that thrives on creativity.

Jane Skeeter is CEO and Founder of UltraGlas, Inc., the world’s leading manufacturer of designed architectural and high-performance glass and glass tile. A successful entrepreneur for over three decades, Jane has won many awards including The San Fernando Valley Business Journal’s “Women in Business CEO of the Year” and “Business Woman of the Decade.”

How would you define Entrepreneurship?

Entrepreneurship is a way Entrepreneurs think. I see need.  People need a product or service.  How do I make that the greatest it can be?  Where can it go?  How can it evolve?  How can you make it scalable? Would there be a market for it?  And is it good for society?  Will it be beneficial?  Will it be seen positively?  Will it make the world a better place?

And there are different types of Entrepreneurs.  Some will just think of ways to get rich quick.  That’s not my paradigm.  You have to love it.

What are some ways you would advise people to develop themselves professionally and personally to prepare for the challenges of Entrepreneurship?

Believe in yourself and believe that anything is possible.  Adversity is how you meet it and deal with it.  Things are not a failure.  If I try something and it doesn’t work out or I have less than optimum results, it’s not a failure.  I tried it, I learned from it and maybe there’s some benefit I’ll reap down the road.  Everything you do makes you who you are.  Not to have to lick your wounds and put your tail between your legs.  What else can I do? Think grandiose and then chew it into little segments one step at a time — have that plan. My goals are always so big and lofty and then I have mini-goals, too, which helps.

If you were to give advice about standing out amongst your competition, what would that be?

I always put myself in another person’s shoes and think, ‘if I were them, what would I be doing differently?’  How can you set yourself apart from your competition?  For me, social networking is key.  You have a whole new tool, but how do you use it?  How do you push it further.  You’ve got visuas, you can create a buzz about a business.  We get to work on other people’s businesses, so you don’t get stagnant and stale all the time.  So it’s a little bit vicarious, we enjoy the fruits of our labor through other people.  Many people get to benefit by it.

In terms of our competition, what sets us apart is we pay a lot of attention to detail.  It has to be beautiful.  We have real competitive advantages. We pay attention to our environment and our sustainable practices.  It’s very important for me.  Maintaining our planet for generations to come.

Einstein has a quote, “Imagination is more important than knowledge,” are there any activities you partake in to bring out your creativity?

Any kind of physical activity, the more intense, the better.  I’m an endorphin junkie.  That’s what makes me high, and  enables me to think more creatively.

Was there a specific point that you decided you wanted launch a company that thrives on creativity?

I believe that if you do something you are passionate about, make a business that is special, that appeals to people’s emotional and artistic value, chance’s of success are higher.

You have a glass dress in your office that you’ve worn before, where did the idea of creating a glass dress come from?

I was a clothing designer, that’s how I made my business.  I made custom designs for individuals.  And then when I got interested in glass 40 years ago, to combine both of my loves and my passions would be awesome.  And then I heard the glass art society having a glass fashion show.  So it was a great opportunity for me and I knew that I would want to do it and I had created the design in my head.

You are active in the community, and very generous with your time helping organizations, how has this helped you thrive in business?

I’ve spent a lot of time in my businesses already and I need to grow and feel like I’m paying back. I do it not for the connections, not for the payback, but because I believe in what I’m doing.  The payback to me is the satisfaction that I get of expanding my world.  Fulfillment of knowing that I get to see what’s going on behind the scenes.

What were or are the challenges of being a women business owner? If any?

There are challenges just being a business owner.  I’d say that many of the challenges of being a woman in business were more significant earlier on, especially in a “man’s business,” which I am still in.  Manufacturing, construction, it’s very much a man’s world.  I was the only woman in a job site.  I got my contractor’s license in the mid-80s.  There were no women, and I did my own installations.

Focusing on ranking for the  “top 10-20 keywords” for your industry is too often the only strategy used to increase and maintain Internet traffic, but that can be a huge mistake. Sure, keeping your site on the radar by focusing on the top keywords of your industry may help customers find your site, but this doesn’t always translate into referrals, sales and leads. By managing only the top keywords, you may be missing out on a substantial amount of business.

Keywords and phrases outside of the “top 20,” known as Long Tail keywords tend to be longer, more specialized, and are searched by users who are looking for something more specific.

For example, let’s say you’re a retail store specializing in women’s footwear. In terms of searching for a new pair of shoes, the keyword “shoes” may be considered a head keyword. But when looking for a specific kind of shoe, using a string of key words like “black patent leather red heel shoes” is more effective in helping customers find exactly what they are looking for.

This is the basis of the Long Tail theory. The heart of it is that traffic drawn in by the Long Tail keywords is higher quality and more promising than traffic generated by the top 10-20.

Industry research and the results we have experienced with our customers supports this, yet many businesses are unaware of the Long Tail theory potential. For example, 57% of Amazon’s sales result from searches outside of what is “popular”.

The key to using a Long Tail strategy is utilizing your own website data. This information is your best source of Long Tail keywords, being more personalized, relevant to your business and descriptive of what defines you from your competition.

So which customers is your business missing out on? It may be time to reevaluate the keywords and terms you focus on. Our team at Infinite Communications can help you develop more effective SEO strategies that will get you in touch with the right customers who were looking for you all along.

Did you know that 83% of information processed is done visually? Let’s face it, we are a visual culture and that isn’t going to change anytime soon.

Recent proof continues to prove that our affinity for visuals is growing:

• Instagram, a photo sharing application just sold for 1 Billion dollars.

• Pinterest, a photo scrapbooking website generates more referral traffic than Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn combined.

• Just take a look at how Facebook is progressing with Timeline… you will notice that layout is a lot more visual than the old layout and results with our Facebook accounts show that images receive the most “likes” and “shares.”

Here are some ways to take a visual approach online!

1. Let Your Website Attract Through Pictures

Do not forget that your website is still the heart of your online marketing — and probably your overall marketing!!

Here at Infinite our website receives heavy traffic via search engines for people looking to hire a “Search Engine Optimization” firm. Receiving this feedback from our analytics, we developed a visual banner on the homepage that communicates directly to visitors who are inquiring about that service. The highly-visual graphic banner is one of the highest “clicked” elements of our site!

For your website think about using:

• Real photography! Photographs of your staff and facilities build greater trust.

• Call to action banners that include benefits/results/ and promotional offers.

2. Videos Make It Easier

If you have a product/service that is both expensive or is technical and needs explanation, video is an absolute must!

People would rather watch an instructional video than read an instructional manual. Check out the video we created for Vocado, a project-management service for vocational schools (the video is framed in the iPad):

3. Infographics Get More Attention

Infographics are very popular right now and provide you a great opportunity to receive increased exposure.

Copyblogger, a leading resource for copywriting and content marketing developed an infographic about grammar mistakes that many of people make entitled, “15 Grammar Goofs That Make You Look Silly” (click to view). Between January 1^st and March 5^th they received 15,000 visits to their website just from the infographic on Pinterest.

Think about ways that you can make your content and information more visual so that it appeals to our natural preference for learning.

4. Facebook Timeline Banner/Twitter Background

This is prime real estate to use exciting visuals that personalize your brand. Our approaches to creating these are to include images of people because of the fundamental business rule that people buy from people and those who they identify with.

Make sure you include images of your staff, customers and of your facilities. Facebook fans and Twitter followers love images; we’ve seen this proven, as the timeline banner we created for Sally Kashani DDS (above) has received 12 likes already.

Infinite Communications is proven in creating visual imagery that is appealing and delivers results. Don’t take an apathetic approach. Contact us today (818) 990 9843 to design your engaging content. We promise to make it visual engaging!

This is Part 2 of our blog post, “Capture Your Audience with ‘Sticky’ Content”, (Read Part 1). In this post you will learn 3 easy ways to create content that captures your audience’s attention.

#4 Use Authoritative Sources

This principle is used to build immediate credibility with your audience.

Let’s say you’re in the market to buy a book to help strengthen your sales skills. You might have never heard about the book “The Ultimate Sales Machine” – but as soon as you see that sticker that say “NY Times Best Seller” and “Amazon.com Bestseller” you know it’s worth checking out. This is referred to as an “authoritative statement.”

You are more likely to trust that product because an authority on that field says it is worth reading. Other similar examples are “As Seen on TV”, and “Featured in Inc Magazine.”

Celebrity endorsements are the second way to prove credibility. Don’t worry if Oprah didn’t pick your product for her favorites before her show ended. You can still creatively use celebrity endorsements.

For example, if you are a financial planner you could gain credibility by writing a blog post that references Alan Greenspan.

#5 Strike An Emotional Chord

The “emotional” principle focuses on answering the question, “How do we make people care about our message?”

One of the best ways you can implement this principle is to create an association between your topic and something your audience can relate with.

We recently gave a presentation on “What Makes A Website Great?” Our goal was to make the audience understand the downfalls of a bad website and how it reflects poorly on their business. Instead of diving into our morning PowerPoint presentation, we first asked the room full of 30 people “How many of you have ever been into a store, where you can’t find what you’re looking for and the first thing the store employee does is come up to you and try to sell you something?” Every one raised their hands – with a groan, looking at each other, hating that exact situation.

“Well sorry to say it, but that’s how most of you are making people feel when they come to your website.” It struck an emotional chord. People could relate to the feeling, and it was much easier for them to understand the importance of having a website with great navigation and informative content.

#6 Tell A Story

“If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at one, I will” Mother Teresa once said. That is why we recommend creating your content to focus on one person’s specific story and telling their struggle, show their worry & pain, and then highlight what you did to help.

In 2000, Subway first ran their TV ads that went something like this:

“This is Jared,” the announcer said. “He used to weight 425 pounds” – we see a photo of Jared in his old 60-ince waist pants – “but today he weighs 180 thanks to what he calls the Subway diet.” The announcers describes Jared’s meal plan, and how when combined with a lot of walking – overtime it lead to his extreme weight loss.”

Subways sales immediately picked up, and since then Jared has made it easier for all of us to remember where we can go to eat, when we are trying to watch our figure.

Instead of telling you to eat Subway because it’s healthy, they highlighted Jared’s story and showed you an image of him standing in his old big pants that you will never forget.

Remember, you can extract a moral from a story, but you can’t extract a story from a moral.

People will always remember your stories and not the facts in your content. That is because stories ignite feelings. People forget facts, but not how you make them feel.

Lets face it, if you are a business owner, corporate manager, or run a non profit, you may not have been trained to be a magazine editor, but when it comes to developing content for your company blog, and online marketing, you need to think like an editor at a magazine. Why? Because an editor’s job is to create content that is interesting and valuable enough to sell their respective publication. If your desire is for people to consistently visit your website & share your company’s messages, than taking this approach is a must.

We highly regard a book called MADE TO STICK and use it often to create our own content. The book establishes what they call a “SUCCESs Model”, which encompasses 6 different principles that make a “sticky idea.” According to the book, a “sticky idea is understood, it’s remembered, and it changes something.” You do want to be understood and remembered right?!

Below you will discover the first 3 of the 6 principles of the “SUCCESs Model.”

Principle #1 Simplicity

This is where you prioritize the information you want people to share about your organization. Try filling in the blank below…

The single most important thing our organization does is _________________.

Southwest Airlines would answer that question with “provide the lowest fare.”

If you’re a real estate agent what would it be, is “help people find homes?” Or “pick the perfect house in the perfect community.” After you establish this, you should create content that proves it.

Principle #2 Unexpected

People generally carry preconceived notions about industries and businesses, so how does your business change those notions? Would you believe that Nordstrom employees are encouraged to iron your shirt even if you bought it from Macy’s … this is a perfect example of unexpected customer service that builds affinity.

Surprise us! What are the preconceived notions people have about your profession/organization and what stories do you have to change those. Share those with stories with us.

Principle #3 Concrete

Whenever you hear the phrase “sour grapes”, you automatically refer to Aesop’s fable. Every person who has tasted something sour and has eaten a grape can imagine that phrase. The “Concrete principle” is about using sensory and specific language to engrave a feeling or idea in someone’s mind.

A common way marketing and advertising professionals use this principle is instead of saying “we will create more business for your company”, they will say “we will have your phones ringing off the hook.” This paints a picture for the audience and allows the them to imagine their desired outcome.

Think of how you can use sensory language in your messages so they become engraved in our minds.

These are the first three principles; please visit back with us for part 2 where we share the remaining principles.

When it comes to flying, most people have worries and anxieties about their experience, much like going to a doctor’s office. Why is it that when so many airlines are struggling to satisfy their customer base, Virgin America Airlines has its customers consistently vouching for it on social media and customer review websites. I constantly see positive posts about Virgin America on Facebook and Twitter feeds, so I wasn’t surprised to see a “Yelp” friend write a 5 star review about Virgin. However, it was her statements that caught me by surprise – most of them were negative, but the few benefits Virgin offered that other airlines didn’t are what made her write a 5 star review. “Despite a few inconveniences” she experienced, she and many others wouldn’t fly another airline, proving that even the businesses that people evangelize do have faults.

What sets Virgin apart

Like other great brands, Virgin strategically offers benefits that most of its competitors don’t; benefits that greatly enhance the customer experience. Technology is the benefit that Virgin offers, from the televisions and wi-fi for each passenger to using social media to give its customers service/flight updates, and promotional offers.

Virgin has decided that maximizing technology will give its customers the best possible experience.

Being able to charge more

Offering additional advantages will allow you to charge more than the competition and charge for items that customers have received for free in the past (like Virgin does with passenger luggage and food).

Have you thought about what your business can do to stand out from your competition?

If you are going to charge more and conduct business in certain ways that might not appeal to all of your customer’s preferences, you have to offer more than what customers are typically used to.

For example if you own a dental practice, can you offer patients an enhanced experience with digital x-rays in every operatory? Or how about having iPads for patients in the waiting room.

Lets say you own a gym… does the upfront cost of providing free towels or televisions on each treadmill justify charging a few dollars more than the competition. Your customers might say so.

When defining your brand, look for opportunities to deliver an experience that competitors don’t and you will have evangelists who will write positive online reviews that will help increase your customer base.

A father and son both own cabinet installation companies, the son’s business is thriving while the father’s is struggling, what is the difference? Why is the son’s business working with larger corporate clients and earning greater profits?

One significant difference is that the son invested in branding his company while his father never did. When we talk about branding, we are not talking about just a logo, we are referring to the set of tools used to market a business and the experiences your customers have with your business. It is the perception you want people to have about your business.

Using visual and verbal consistency to promote your brand is a great first step. Building a brand is not about short-term results but about long-term results, it takes vision and dedication. And yes, every small business can accomplish this, here are the ways we worked with our client Cheyenne Dental Group to build a successful brand:

1. Defining the business and how we want to be perceived

Cheyenne Dental Group was started by Dr. My G. Tran, DDS, a dentist younger than most of his peers. He wanted to emphasize that his office incorporates the latest technology that is more advanced than surrounding competitors. However, unlike other state-of-the-art practices, Cheyenne Dental Group is affordable for most patients.

2. Determining the audience

Cheyenne Dental Group’s focus was to penetrate the Las Vegas community, a community that is saturated with dental practices, so we focused on a target audience – younger families and young couples. Research showed that the female in the family generally makes healthcare decisions; and the brand identity was developed to connect with the female audience. Dr. Tran wanted his patients to feel comfortable that his practice can provide comprehensive care for every family member.

3. Telling our story, one that people will remember

The visual illustration we developed of a young couple dancing on grass and a smiling cloud, exclaiming “When you smile…The world smiles back.” is an advertisement that the community has associated with Cheyenne Dental Group over the past 3 years. The ad was meant to signify that having a healthy and beautiful smile makes a positive impact. Along with the illustration we included a coupon that provides a financial incentive for people to experience care at Cheyenne Dental Group. In this ad, we were able to accomplish two things, show that Cheyenne cares about the health of a person’s smile and provides it at an affordable rate.

4. Consistency and details matter

Cheyenne’s colors, logo, and curved styling are all a part of their visual identity system used on all marketing collateral to maintain a consistent brand identity. The curves in the design are supposed to portray friendliness and engage the female audience, while the metallic shine on the logo communicate the cleanliness of the office.

We used these design elements and messages on all of the practice’s print collateral, web design and email marketing. Patients began to quickly identify what the logo, pictures and colors represented.

5. Follow-through with the customer experience

The perception you build with the branding design and messaging has to align with the reality of your service. Nike and Apple do a great job bringing the brands to life, when you walk into those company stores there is a specific experience they provide.

Again, Branding is not as simple as a logo, or consistent designs, it is a holistic approach of how you portray your business and follow through. Cheyenne Dental Group has been very successful with its brand; it makes a promise through visual and verbal consistency and keeps the promise with the patient experience.

Cheyenne Dental Group is a lot like Apple and Nike, it promises to provide “the premier dental experience”, and it follows through; from the friendliness of the front desk, to the flat screen televisions, and digital x-ray machines they use for exams.