Bulldog Marketing

Take Responsibilty!

2008-05-28T09:42:07-04:00

As "Independent Professionals" a.k.a. "You do everything Yourself" you may have times where things are moving a bit quickly, and you may make a mistake or two along the way. Some mistakes may be more critical than others depending on your model of the world, and if you are like most people, you probalby take more pride in being right than being wrong.

I recently had the pleasure of making a mistake of the worst kind. I accidently charging a client 500.00 instead of 50.00, which to me is a Big-Time No No! When I realized what happened, I could have blamed the 'person who does that for me', the credit card processing company, or my computer for having a sensitive keyboard, but that only makes it worse. You need to accept responsiblity for everything you do, no matter how badly you feel when you mess up.

If you find yourself in a simular situation, I have found that it is best to say, "I screwed up, and it is completely my fault". No need for long explainations, just take total responsiblity. Then figure out what you can do to make up for the error, and follow through with the customer to make sure you have done all you can to fix the problem in their mind.

The nice thing is, you won't need have multiple meeting with a committee or get approval from your supervisior of boss to bring the issue to resolution. Do what you think is right, and do it quickly, and you may find that the biggest mistake you can make is not when you make it, but it is how you handle it when you discover it.

The Meaning of your communication

2008-04-14T11:11:58-04:00

Many people who read my blog are familiar with Neuro-Linguistic Psychology, or NLP. One of the presuppositions of NLP is The Meaning of your communication is the response you get. What this really means is that we need to take accountability for how our messages are recieved by our audience. For example, if you are writing marketing material or a blog post, and you get several questions from readers about something, you have obviously missed something that your audience needs and you are responsible for that. Seth Godin does a great job of explaining this and how it relates to marketing. It's worth checking out. If you don't understand what I am talking about, just remember, It is my fault!

The 6 Essential Elements of Marketing Material

2008-02-12T16:52:42-05:00

I love it when there is synchronicity in the air! I was thinking about posting about what you really need to have on a sales page or brochure when you are selling a seminar, product or coaching, and in my inbox is an article from the Blog Squad about what they look for when they decide what seminars and product to invest in. So here is their list, and here is what you can do to ensure you cover all of the relevant bases when creating marketing material.

Requirement:
What kind of reputation does the expert have? Do a Google search on their name. Can you find them online? Do they appear to be credible?

What you can do about it:
Make sure you have online visibility in your specific market when people are searching for you. By strategically placing blog posts, online articles and properly tagged web pages, you should be able to get to the top of the list with search engines by combining your name with the particular topic that your seminar or product is built upon.

Requirement:
Is the subject appropriate for your business?

What you can do about it:
Make sure that you get very specific in your description of what people can expect and what you will cover in your seminar, training or info product. You may want to include the table of contents if you are selling a book, or provide the agenda or topic list if you are doing a live training. Be specific, and let people know HOW your information will benefit them in their personal or professional life.

Requirement:
What do others say in testimonials about the program and results achieved?

What you can do about it:
Solicit Testimonials from people who have used your product or service, but get specific. If you are doing Sales Training, wait a month, and then get a testimonial with real life results, not just a nice, flowery sentence saying, “It was the best training ever!” That is a great place to start, but then back it up with actual facts and results.

Requirement:
What kind of study materials do they offer?
Audio,video, transcripts? Make sure your learning style is addressed.

What you can do about it:
Create a nice package to go with your product or seminar. If you do teleclasses, can people download manuals, class recordings and interact with other participants? Building a product specific blog, and password protecting it is a very affordable way to offer those things to clients.

Requirement:
Will the program have long-term benefits for your business?

What you can do about it:
You want to consider what somebody will gain from investing time and money into your information. In order to figure out what the long-term benefits are, pretend you are a user of your service, and you have just completed listening to the product, reading the book or finished the seminar. Then go out a year or so, and see how this information has impacted your business.

Requirement:
Does the trainer or company offer email support and respond to questions?

What you can do about it:
How you help you clients after the initial sale is paramount to maintaining great relationships and long-term customers. You will want to let people know what you are willing to do to ensure that they get the most from the investment they made in you. Will you provide email support? Is there a limit to how many requests you can fulfill in a month? You will want to think these things through and let prospects know what they can expect from you.

By addressing these 6 Essential elements and including them in your marketing materials, you will give prospects the right type of information that they need to make an informed decision. Thanks again to the Blog Squad for sharing their information. You may find that knowing what information you need will make it a lot easier to create your next marketing campaign.

Posting Frequency- How Important Is it Really?

2008-02-07T17:03:01-05:00

WOW! I feel like Rip Van Winkle who woke up from a 20 year nap! It has been over 3 months since my last blog post, which most people - myself included- would say is a complete no-no in the blogging world. In order to explain my absence, I could say that I was doing an experiment to see what effect it would have, but I would by lying to ya'll which isn't ever a good thing. However, I did learn a few things that you may be interested in:

1. Not posting has not changed my daily stats in a major way- only about 1%. Although that seems surprising, if you have a few 'cornerstone posts' that offer basic information that does not change over time, people will continue to find you long after your post hits the archives. This is another reason why great tags and keywords are important.

2. Nobody got mad at me, and said Hey, where have you been. This could be good or bad, but I didn't have people unsubcribe due to my lack of activity. In fact, posting again might remind a few people that they want to unsubscribe, but that is OK with me, I only want people on my list who want to be on my list.

3. I think that although there are guidelines for building your blog and readership, the most important guideline is YOU. What do YOU feel comfortable with? If you are blogging out of guilt and because you have to, I am not sure you are going to attract a huge following by guilt posting.

4. Bark with Purpose! I think if you don't have anything that you feel compelled to write about, just wait until you get a burst of inspriration. If you have ignored your blog for awhile, you may be better off going through old posts and re-tag and reposting them to give you some fresh search criteria. Who knows, maybe you will get a great idea or two along the way!

Step 5: Go Get Em'!

2007-11-07T16:38:00-05:00

You have defined your ideal client, you know what you are going to sell them, you have your marketing material ready for them to land on, so now you should be pulling at the leash and ready to set the world on fire. So what's next you ask?

Get Yourself A Client!

For some of you, this is a no brainer, for others it may be a bit of a stretch, but if you begin to understand the difference between marketing, networking and sales you will be able to create a game plan that will drive qualified prospects to you, and then you can work them through your sales process.

I like to think of it this way- Marketing and Networking Activites drive suspects into the top of my sales funnel. My sales funnel is where I work with suspects to turn them into prospects and eventually clients.

In case these terms seem a bit foriegn to you, here is the way I define things:

A suspect is somebody that might be a good candidate for your product or service, but you have never exchanged any real dialogue with them.

A prospect is somebody that shows interest in your offerings, and you have had some sort of contact with them, and they have acknowledged that interaction. I make this disctinction so you understand that just because somebody is on your email list doesn't automatically mean they are a prospect. They very well could be, but I like to think of those people as suspects.

Marketing- Marketing is all about your message, and getting your message out to as many people as you can. Marketing encompasses things such as websites, blogs, brochures, content and even speaking engagements. In the beginning, you will probably feel like you spend most of your time creating marketing 'stuff' but it is worth the effort. You want your marketing material to have a 'call to action' where people can sign up for your newsletters, articles, or free downloads and you can begin to build a relationship with people who have expressed a level of interest in your products and services.

Networking- This is where you can rely on your spheres of influence and who they know. The goal of networking is to spead the word and educate people so they can help spread the word for you. The best place to send your networking contacts is to your blog or website, and let THEM decide what the best next step is for them.

Sales- This is the part where people get confused. Marketing and Networking are NOT sales activities. If you are set up to sell things online, selling takes place when people click through to your your sales page or shoppng cart and purchase something.

If you are in the position where you may be selling coaching or consulting services, it is important that you understand when you are entering the 'Sales Zone'. In my opinion, that happens when somebody sends you an inquiry about your services. Basically they have raised their hand and said they are interested in what you have to offer, and are looking for more information. It is now your job to ask questions to determine if there is a good 'fit' between what they are looking for, and what you have to offer. Selling is nothing more than that, so the good news is, you don't need a huge long sales pitch, you just need to have a few really good questions to help your prospect determine if your solution is the one for them.

Your homework is to take a good hard look at your current interactions with suspects and prospects and being very honest with yourself, ask yourself the following questions:

Am I doing more marketing than sales activities?

How many real sales opportunities do I have in my pipeline?

Are my marketing efforts creating a call to action that will separate qualified prospects from suspects?

Do I have a list of questions that I can ask prospects to help them decide if my products are a good fit for them?

Once you get clear and get the facts, you will see where you need to spend your time when growing your business, and you may find out why you have more lookers than buyers in your pipeline.

Step 4: Give 'em something to talk about!

2007-11-05T21:42:11-05:00

You know who you want to sell to, and you know what your product offering is, and you may have created your products. So now what?

You need to tell people about what you are doing, which means it is time to create your marketing materials and spend some time marketing yourself. Your marketing material and activities may consist of:

Blogs
Websites
White Papers
Free E-Books
Speaking Engagements
Networking

In the bulldog world, which means keeping it simple, easy and quick and you are starting out from scratch, I would suggest using a blog as your key marketing piece. If you are unsure about how to go about doing that, the good news is, this blog is all about that, so read away, and figure out what you need to do to get going.

In the beginning, you will spend most of your time creating 'Marketing Stuff' but it is worth the effort. The goal of your marketing material is move Suspects ( people who may be interested in your products or services, but you have never made any type of contact with ) to a place where they are either saying "Tell me More" by contacting you, or in the ultimate case, If you are selling online, getting them to click through and make a purchase through your shopping cart.

When you are getting started, you need to have enough material so that if you encounter someone through a networking function, or if they come to your site, they will know enough about what you do and what you offer to figure out what the next best step for them should be.

Rembember that your marketing message will change over time, so try to balance sitting alone at your desk with getting out and getting feedback from the marketplace. That way, you won't lose sight of the goal, which should always be getting clients!

Step 3: Identify and Create Products

2007-10-02T14:04:41-04:00

After you have identified your market segment or niche, and have a clear picture of your ideal client it is time to figure out what you are going to offer them. The key is to offer multiple products so that your clients can Buy and Rebuy from you, in a very natural progression. If you are curious about how to create a client lifecycle roadmap, here is a post I did on that a while back.

Some other things to consider are:

1. Are you offering your products in a way that your clients will purchase and use them? I am still surprised at how many people don't really want to order downloadable products online, so really take some time and interview people in your market niche to determine HOW they would like to do business with you.

2. Do you have at least 5 different price points for your customers to choose from? In other words, you should have a low priced product that people can purchase to get to know you. If the only thing you offer is a 2500.00 seminar, you may have a hard time getting people to hand over their credit card on the first pass.

3. Do your products have a natural order to them? Think about how you can lead a client down a path with each product building upon the last. This keeps it interesting for your clients, and they will feel as though you are right there for them handling their needs as they come up.

4. Are you making a profit on your products? You need to think about your time, and any packaging and development costs that go into each of your products, and then be realistic about how many you need to sell to make a profit. I know it seems basic, but you need to work some numbers before deciding to order and inventory 5000 CDs. If you can, you may want to create your products and fulfill your own orders until you figure out how many you are really selling. You can always get someone else to do that later, after the money is rolling in!

Step 2: Define your ideal client

2007-09-18T16:18:34-04:00

I hope that you had time to define your target market or niche as some people like to call it. Once you have done that, you get to have some fun and figure out who your ideal client is.
Think of it this way, if you could work with any type of person, who would they be? Here is a list of questions for you to think about as you create your Mr. and Ms. Right for your business.

1. What is the typical demographic of my Ideal Client? Get specific, down to age, where they live, how much money do they make, do they have kids, pets, ex-spouses?

2. What does this person do for a living? Are they self-employed? A mid-level manager? A C-Level executive? Independently wealthy?

3. What issues does this person face, and how can I help?

4. Is my ideal client someone who spends time online? Are they up to speed with technology, or would they rather do business face to face?

5. How could I meet my ideal client? Do they belong to certain organizations? Do they golf? Go to the gym?

For example, with Bulldog Marketing, my ideal client is someone who falls into the Independent Professional Category, such as a coach, trainer or consultant.
They range in age from about 30 to 60, and many are transitioning out of a corporate job and going out on their own. They have some understanding of the internet and technology, but for the most part, are not sitting at home writing HTML code and designing their own websites. Most of my clients come from reading my blog, and then asking me to help them. The issues that they typically have is that they know they need to get presence on the internet, but they do not really know where to start, and they do not have the time to figure all of this stuff out on their own.

So your mission is to take the time to really think about your ideal client, and define their needs. Once you do that, you will have a solid foundation to plan your marketing efforts, and design your product portfolio. It is a lot easier to design products and services for someone that you know and understand, and have a clear picture of, then trying to create something for everybody.

Step 1: Define your Market Segment

2007-09-14T12:15:02-04:00

I know, I know, you can work with ANYBODY, right? Well, while that may be true, to make the most of your effort and unless you have the advertising budget of Nike, then just pick one segment for right now. The best way to pick a segment is to take the easiest and most logical path. Trust me, if you are looking for a challenge, you will still be challenged on the bunny slope. Here are some things to think about when choosing your ideal client:

1. What are your key strengths and gifts that come naturally to you, but seem hard for others to grasp?

2. What are those things that your friends, co-workers and family members say that you should do?

3. What are you really excited and passionate about?

For example, people always told me that I am like Dr. Doolittle, and that I should be a professional animal communicator. I was also interested in coaching people, so to blend the two seems to make sense. So my area of focus is to work with horses and riders to improve their performance. So now I know what I want to do, but my playing field is a bit large to really target at this point. No worries, the next few questions will narrow my focus so I can actually take some action.

1. What influential contacts do I have that I can build upon to help spread the word?

2. Is there a particular group or groups of people that I can target?

3. How easy would it be for me gain access to them?

4. Do I solve a problem that they have?

OK, so here is how this works. When I was riding, I showed in a specific organization. I have contacts inside that organization, and also clients that I have worked with, who have given me testimonials. So it seems like a natural fit for me to focus on them first.

You will know you have identified your market segment when you know you who you would target, and what you would have to offer.

So have fun with this, and stay tuned for Step 2!

Building a new business?

2007-09-14T11:44:31-04:00

How many of you are just starting out with a new business, or a new product or service? How many of you have been thinking about doing that for some time, but have not taken any real action? How many of you feel like your current business needs a shot in the arm to really get going? Well, if that is the case, then maybe we can all work together for the next several weeks.

Are you interested?

As you may know or not, I have been an avid equestrian for most of my life, and have ridden competitively over the years. For the last 5 years or so, I have not had the time to ride and show, and have really missed it. During the time I was riding, I was motivated to start a business called The Equestrian Athlete, and I had a pretty unique marketing approach. I have always had an uncanny ability to communicate with animals- yes, you read that right- and I am also a certified Master Practitioner and Coach of NLP, which basically helps me work with people to help them find their resources. Anyway, what I would do is 'Talk to the Horse' and then work with the rider to help them make the most of their relationship. Kind of like couples counseling.
I had a real great track record, working with people to help them win world championships and increase their overall confidence in their abilities. I even wrote a workbook which has gathered dust inside my computer files. So why am I telling you all of this?

I want to get this business up and rolling, and figure that now that I understand how to market on and off- line, I will be able to do it. I have other commitments, so just like many of you, this is a part time start up kind of deal. I will outline the key steps and action items, and fill you in on how to complete them so you can do the same. I will share each key step with you, and give you a week or so to get it done, and then you can move on to the next step. But remember this, I am a bulldog at heart, so it won't be too much work, I promise.
Step 1 is on its way...

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