Marketing

Becoming the Most Productive YOU Ever

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Productivity: Make it Happen

Contrary to the opinion of many, productivity is not a function of speed. It’s all about results.

Making 20 sales calls in an hour is working fast. But if you make a bad impression on 20 good prospects, the hour was unproductive.  (Cold calling is rarely productive, by the way. At least for most of us.)

Entrepreneurial people live in what Dan Sullivan calls the “results economy,” not the “time and effort economy. Working harder, faster, and taking fewer breaks may seem like a more productive way of living. That’s not necessarily the case. In the end, the value you produce is what matters.

All things are not equal. Knocking out 90% of the tasks on your checklist may be unproductive…if you’re doing it to avoid the handful of things that will have the biggest impact.

Now, I’ve never claimed to be the world’s leading authority on productivity. But as an obsessed freelance copywriter with 4 kids and a gorgeous wife who deserves my attention, I have to maintain a degree of focus. Not just activity, but money-in-the-bank results.

My more productive days have distinctive characteristics that my unproductive ones. When I’m “on,” here’s what’s usually happening:

  • I get into motion. Inertia kills many people and projects at the starting block. It drains our reservoirs of enthusiasm and energy. Getting going is tough! Sometimes it makes sense to make the first step ridiculously easy to take. Get the forward momentum started and accelerate from there. Don’t overthink!
    • Once momentum is working for you instead of against, you might be surprised how productive you can be. A little step forward, a mini-victory can go a long way.
    • As a writer, this is HUGE. Don’t stare at a blank page for too long. Start writing. Your thoughts will clear up before you know it. Then go back and edit.
  • I prioritize in advance. I decide what results I need to accomplish and plan activities accordingly.
  • I prepare in advance. The work starts before you start working. You wipe out a lot of dilly-dally if you come fully prepared.
  • I set deadlines. Without them, I’m practically dead in the water.
  • I use methods already proven to work instead of reinventing the wheel every time out.
  • I schedule my day, slotting my high-priority action items into times when my energy levels and focus are likely to be high – that’s usually evening for me – and my time will be uninterrupted.

The Other Part of Productivity

You have go beyond affecting your own mental and work habits. You’ve gotta produce an effect on other people.

How do you avoid doing all the right things only to fall flat when dealing with customers?

Go after the right prospects. Vegans don’t buy steaks.

Who wants what you sell? Who’s most likely to buy in the near future? Who has the ability to say “yes”? Who is already inclined to do business with you?

Strengthen the messaging. There’s a reason good copywriters and salespeople make a lot of money. Communicating persuasively multiplies productivity. I’ve seen conversion rates rise 400% and more simply by rearranging some words.

If you’re going to make sales calls or send emails, you might as well close some deals.

Use leverage. Make your intelligent efforts stretch even farther. Productivity levers include

  • authority
  • relationships with your existing customers
  • strategic alliances
  • expanding from one-to-one to one-to-many
  • repurposing existing materials.

A Word About State Management

I’ve found that I’m most productive when I’m excited about what I’m working on. Creativity emerges more effortlessly when I’m confident in my abilities and knowledge.

Negativity and disagreement put me into a funk.

You have to figure out ways to get yourself pumped up and confident that you’re going to knock it out of the ballpark.

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*Update May 2017*

Here’s the recording of a livestreamed video I shot for my Facebook group. It’s about writing faster. Because… you know…I’m a writer (and there’s a good chance you are, too):

 

Connecting with Customers Using Strategic Social Media

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Connect through social media

Over the past 10 months or so, I’ve picked up the most profitable client of my copywriting career AND a client I’d only dreamed of working with (arguably the most prestigious organization in the world in its niche)…

…through social media. These two connections will be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for me.

That’s a weird thing for me to say.

I’ve been cautious about recommending social media as a marketing tool to others. I spend limited amounts of time using it myself. So how do I explain the undeniable client-attracting effect that social media has had on my business?

This is something small business owners and solo professionals need to sort out. Hopefully my tales of adventure will help you do that.

Social Media Is a Grenade…

…you have to make sure it explodes in the right place.

Here’s why I’ve taken a pessimistic tone on social media marketing in the past.

  1.  Social media is rarely the highest and best use of your time. It’s too easy to spend 3 hours on your favorite platform. In my experience, you have more control and get a better ROI with other marketing methods (direct mail, email marketing, content marketing). It may not always be true for everyone, but definitely something you need to constantly watch out for.
    • Be smart with your time. “Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.” ~ Alfred Montapert
  2.  You can’t put the cart before the horse. There is a temptation among many entrepreneurs to think that social media will instantly put you in front of millions of eager customers. Doesn’t usually work that way. You have to get good at what you do first. Then, put stakes in your own digital real estate. A solid website is a strong foundation you can build on.
    • It’s hard to take any business or service provider without a website seriously. And it should be on a domain you own.
    • If you have subpar products, services, positioning or messaging, being active on social will just get you in trouble faster. First things first.
  3.  Your audience is probably not on Facebook or Twitter looking to buy something. Social media is part of the big picture. But using it for the leading edge of your sales process makes things more complicated. People have to go from looking for cute cat videos to buying your stuff in one step. You’re asking them to make a major shift.
    • It depends on what you sell. Fashion stuff seems to do fine on Instagram. And LinkedIn is made for commercial purposes.

The chances of “overnight success” are small, especially if your budget is also small.

You must be prepared to “show up” for an extended period of time. That includes your social media activity.

The most common advice/encouragement I give to entrepreneurs and marketers lately has been to trust in the cumulative effect of your efforts over time. Keep showing up, even when you feel like giving up.

This is especially true, I think, in social media. In our minds, social networks and instant feedback are synonymous. We’re vulnerable to despair if we continue to think that way.

How Social Media Has Worked for My Service Business

I’ll admit, I don’t have a detailed social marketing strategy. My approach has been strategic, though. Note: this is what’s worked for me. Results will vary.

Social media is an attraction device for me. I use it to educate my growing audience (demonstrating my expert status in the process) and connecting with like-minded people and influencers. I don’t go after prospects. That’s not my style. But I do try to establish a presence where people I want to attract hang out online.

Behind the scenes, I have created a mountain of content. I’m doing the work and sharing what I learn – not just talking about what’s trending – or answering questions (like this post). That’s how I earn the right to play in social media sandbox. Again, you can’t put the cart ahead of the horse.

I position myself as an expert in my field and produce the content to back up my claims.

I connect with people who can vouch for my character, share my content and let me appear on their stages occasionally. They also become great referral partners. I promote and refer them, too.

LinkedIn has been the best performer for me. I spent some time creating what I think is a decent profile. I share a lot of content, both my own, my friends’ and other interesting material I come across. And I engage with my network. It probably takes up an hour or 90 minutes a week.

I enjoy Twitter, and my content gets some traction there, but I can’t say that I’ve gained any client work there. Twitter traffic is also below average in terms of time on site, pageviews, etc. The primary benefits I get from Twitter are the goodwill I get for sharing other people’s content and the relationships that have formed as a result.

It’s another place I get to show my expertise.

Google+ has lost most it’s charm for me, but I still post most of my new articles with the hopes that Google will show me favor and index them quickly.

Facebook is all about relationships. You may have noticed. The biggest benefit I get on FB is in private groups where engagement is high-value. Everyone helps and supports everyone else.

Here’s the main point I’m making. Social media has worked well for me because

  1. I’ve been consistently persistent in showing up and providing the highest value I’m capable of creating
  2. Focusing on others – sharing their content, being helpful to them and
  3. Using the platform to attract and be attractive to people I want to connect with. I show off my expertise and let the content do the rest.
  4. I’m more worried about quality than quantity. As I mentioned in the beginning of this article, two connections will put 6-figures in my pocket.

Your Action Steps

Decide what success looks like for you. Want to generate steady stream of traffic to your product page? Are you using the number of ‘Likes’ you have or the size of your following as social proof? Will you target qualified prospects individually? Don’t think that you have to copy someone else who seems successful. Decide what you want and develop a strategy from there.

Focus on the foundation. That doesn’t mean you wait until you’re the best in the world before you start promoting yourself. Just commit to getting better all the time and don’t pretend to be something you’re not. Social media should call attention to your awesome skills, but you have to have some substance behind the tweets and posts.

Have a plan for what happens after you engage socially. Will the person sign up for your email list? Buy your product? Show up for your next Periscope session? Be specific with what you want to accomplish and formulate an A to B to C plan to make it happen.

Make social one part of your overall marketing strategy. You should have multiple ways to reach your target audience.

Be persistent. If possible, be consistent, too. Make a plan, schedule some time, then go to work. Use automation tools that save you time.

Give. Be known for providing value to others. Not just tooting your own horn.

That’s my two cents.

 

 

Consulting Success Webinar Replay and My 2 Big Takeaways

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Consulting Success Webinar

I hope you enjoyed the webinar I did with Michael Zipursky (CEO of Consulting Success) yesterday as much as I did. If you missed it, or just want to watch again, check out the replay here.

Michael explained step-by-step how consultants and coaches can set up a marketing system to consistently attract more clients.

At the end, he offered a way for you to get help with your marketing for free. You see, Michael runs a coaching program where he teaches and guides you to create your own marketing system. And if you were paying attention to the case studies, his students often get massive results — almost immediately.
If you’re interested in talking with a top expert about your marketing and getting help to attract more clients, take action on Michael’s generous offer. This complimentary call is available on a “first come, first served” basis, and his schedule tends to fill up pretty quickly.

Request your marketing strategy call here:
http://www.consultingsuccess.com/donnie

My 2 Big Takeaways

1) Authority is as long-term strategy.

You may have noticed on the image above that Authority is the LAST step in the process. That’s almost the opposite of what you hear other experts say. The standard advice is to establish your authority right away, then you can start charging premium prices, etc.

Mr. Zipursky looks at it differently. He teaches his clients to take the long-view on authority. Yes, you should always be working on it, but a perceived lack of authority should never stop you going after what you want, making the biggest, boldest promises you can make (as long as you can deliver) and setting fees commensurate with the value you provide.

It reminded me of Robert Ringer’s book, Winning Through Intimidation. You don’t necessarily have to be the #1 expert to do great work. Always look for opportunities to provide the highest level of value you’re capable of delivering — to the clients who will benefit most and pay you accordingly. If you’re good enough to play in the “big leagues,” step on the field. Don’t worry about “paying your dues.”

2)  There is a price for staying where you are.

We probably don’t think about business (or life) this way. We think of progress as moving upwards, mistakes and failures as going downward, and moving forward in a straight line when things aren’t changing.

During the webinar, Michael demonstrated how much we sacrifice when we don’t work with our ideal clients, on our ideal projects, on our terms. When we’re not charging as much as we’re worth, we’re throwing time and money away with every deal we sign.

If you’re not going up, you’re slipping down.

There’s also a price associated with progress. But isn’t success worth paying the cost?

Writing Copy to Crush Your Competitors

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Copywriting

Wanna write great copy?

If not, have you ever wondered how you go about finding the right copywriter to partner with your business and make your competition tremble with fear?

Listen up.

I recently had the privilege of being interviewed by former Olympic athlete, current podcasting machine, the one and only Fabienne Raphael, on her Marketing to Crush Your Competition podcast.

Episode 138: The Secret of Writing Great Copy

We talked about:

  • why copywriting is so important
  • the right way for any copywriter or marketer to approach a project
  • the must-have ingredients of persuasive copy
  • when you should and when you SHOULDN’T hire an outside copywriter and
  • what success really means.

It’s just 31 minutes, but I think there’s some valuable content in there.

(If you’re at all interested in getting more familiar with me and what makes me tick, there are some personal details about me and my “backstory,” as well as a few insights into my worldview.)

Check it out. I hope you find it helpful.

A Weird Thing About Dreams

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Vision USP
Have you ever nodded off to sleep for just a few seconds – and somehow had an entire dream play out in that short span of time?

I think it’s happened to most of us at one time or another.

I don’t know the science behind it, but I don’t think it’s simply the result of an inaccurate perception of time that occurs when you’re sleeping (like the “dream in a dream” scenes from the movie Inception). Could it be that the mind is packed with energy, excitement and curiosity that is released the moment unconsciousness opens the door? The story doesn’t need to until in a logical, linear way; you brain looks at and plays with that curious energy from multiple angles. And it all happens in an instant.

Words are very much the same. When you read or hear a word, you immediately feel the feelings and remember the memories you associate with that word. You don’t think about the multiple ways Webster defines it. For me, “love” paints a picture of the Dina, the joy of my life.

We’re all like that.

There’s something similar at play in your business – or there can be. A well-articulated Unique Selling Proposition is packed with intrinsic meaning for the kinds of customers you serve. It resonates deeply with them.

You USP isn’t something you come up with so you can sound special, nor is it just something you think your target market wants to hear. It’s your story, stripped to its essence, at the point where it intersects with your customer’s story.

It’s not an issue of being unique for the sake of being unique. It’s about being uniquely-suited to produce the happy results your customers are searching for.

As John Carlton puts it, “This is the key to everything good that will happen in your business for the rest of your life.” It’s THAT important.

 

 

 

Are We Missing the Point (of Marketing)?

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Missing the Point of Marketing

An incalculable number of forces conspire to prevent your should-be customers from buying from you.

The purpose of marketing is to neutralize all those obstacles preventing a potential customer from acting in his own best interest (that is, doing business with you).

But before it can do that, there has to be some compelling reason why anyone should buy from you. That is not a marketing function, per se. It’s a matter of creating an outstanding product or service.

“Advertising doesn’t create a product advantage. It can only convey it…No matter how skillful you are, you can’t invent a product advantage that doesn’t exist.” ~ Bill Bernbach

Compelling copy is extremely important. But most copywriters will admit…if they’re knowledgeable and honest… that presenting a great product to the right audience is MOST of the work.

– Great messaging for a worthless product won’t accomplish much in the long run.
– Strong marketing aimed at the wrong crowd will miss the mark.

On the other hand, if you offer a product that scratches a specific itch in that hard-to-reach spot on the back of a specific audience, any marketing message you create has inherent persuasive power. The Unique Selling Proposition itself grabs the attention and interest of the potential customer.

“This is EXACTLY what I need!” he might think to himself. That’s when he starts selling himself on the idea of buying from you.

That’s why it’s so critical for entrepreneurs, salespeople and marketers to discover their own USP and articulate it with clarity.

The point of marketing is not simply to sell whatever you’ve got. Marketing starts with making sure you’re selling something people want and need. Then you find ways to help your target audience experience the advantages of buying your product or service.

As you think about your own USP, you may be interested in reading “Juxta-Positioning: Outmaneuvering Your Competitors Brilliantly.” Sometimes thinking about your product in relation to everything else out there can clarify what’s special about you.

Donnie

P.S. “A gifted product is mightier than a gifted pen.” ~ Gary Bencivenga

As people become increasingly savvy when it comes to weeding out ads, we have to get increasingly adept at communicating valuable messages about things that matter to people. That starts with having a gifted product, not being a wordsmith who uses flowery words to describe his crap.

Big Ideas that Impacted Me in 2014

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Big ideas 2014

Boiling 12 months of brain activity down into a few hundred words is an intimidating task. But rather than giving a full-on commencement speech as you “graduate” from this year and move into the next, we might as well get straight to the point.

If I was forced to share the 3 ideas that had the biggest impact on my thinking in 2014, it would be these:

The Immense Importance of Identity in Decision Making

One morning in January 2011, I was standing in a cell phone store when there was breaking news story came on the radio. A mysterious 13th zodiac sign had been discovered — and with Ophiuchus (as the new sign was called) squeezing itself into the calendar, every other sign was shifted. Scorpios became Libras and the world was all out of wack.

Half the people in the store freaked. The man playing with the laptop display searched to find out the new dates, and a small crowd gathered around him, wondering who they were supposed to be now…

(Do you remember that day?)

I share that anecdote to illustrate a point. Astrology falls into the fairy tale category, but people’s reactions were very real. Some people think about their identity largely through the lens of their zodiac signs. They had seen themselves in their horoscopes for years. What happens with that is called into question?

The way we perceive ourselves affects almost everything we do. As a marketer, copywriter or salesperson, you MUST understand the way your ideal customers see themselves. It goes deeper than just features and benefits…even deeper than problems and desires.

This incident happened 4 years ago, but I am coming to understand the power of identity more fully as time goes by and experience mounts.

We’re going to spend a good deal of time fleshing out this idea and applying this concept in my upcoming training/coaching program. In the meantime, you can read about this incident in greater detail in The Ophiuchus Effect.

The Gargantuan Difference Between Prospects and Buyers


This was The Business Growth Question I Couldn’t Get out of My Mind earlier this year. It’s been stuck there for the past 350 days or so.

There is a world of difference between someone who reads your free material but hasn’t sent you any money. I advise you to check out the link to the article, because I’m going to be brief here.

Interestingly, when someone becomes a paying customer, their identity is altered a little bit. As they become accustomed to being a customer, they may come to think of themselves in terms of your product or service. There are Pepsi people. There are Apple people. There are Chicago Bears fans (we’re a depressed bunch these days).

Some of us are as loyal to our preferred products as to our political affiliations.

Do what you can to convert your prospects into buyers. The relationship you build with your buyers is arguably the most valuable asset you have.

The Enormity of Leadership


If this sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because leadership has been one of the Big Ideas that Impacted me in 2012 and 2013. The topic is both important and compelling.

I do not speak of leadership in the superior-subordinate sense. I’m talking about something closer to “I’m taking my flashlight in this direction; who’s headed this way?”

Even if you’re not giving orders, you are a leader if you have an audience. And as a leader, you have a responsibility for the well-being and progress of those walking with you. You have to

  • Teach them. Help them develop a worldview that will serve them well
  • Warn them. You see danger they can’t see yet. You’re aware of pitfalls they need to know about. Have the guts to stand up and protect them to the best of your ability
  • Encourage them.
  • Inspire them. Share your successes and the successes of other members of the group. Never miss out on a chance to give them good news.
  • Exemplify the philosophy you espouse. Walk the walk.

I’ve pontificated on this topic some more at Leadership: Burden and Blessing, if you’re interested.

Happy New Year. May this be your best year yet. Let me know how I can help you achieve that.

P.S. Have you registered to get your copy of Creating Business Growth yet? It’s going to be available for free on Amazon Kindle from January 1-5.

Weighing in at more than 300 pages, this book shares expert insights on
– Google Adwords
– Getting Referrals
– Neurolinguistic Programming
– Networking
– Search Engine Optimization
– Email Marketing
– Public Relations
– Unique Value Propositions
and plenty more.

This will very likely be the most useful book you read all year. What’s more, you’ll get to know nearly 2 dozen of the smartest marketers I know…men and women who have earned my admiration and trust over the past couple years.

Get more details and pre-register to get a free copy on New Year’s Day at http://creatingbusinessgrowth.com/.

Business Growth Secrets for 2015

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Creating Business Growth

My international secret society is officially coming out of the shadows.

Twenty-one of us have collaborated to write what’s sure to be one of the most useful books you’ll read in 2015. Creating Business Growth is focused on effective lead generation, but you’ll learn a ton of information that can be applied to other parts of your business.

This isn’t an ordinary marketing book written by academics. Some of the smartest entrepreneurs I know reveal the secrets they’ve used to grow their own businesses and make their clients very happy people. My co-authors include a TED speaker, contributors to the Washington Post, CNBC and BBC World Services, a Clinton White House speechwriter, several best selling authors… the list goes on.

You know some of these gentlemen:

  • Mike Seddon
  • Steve Gordon
  • Bnonn Tennant
  • Ian Brodie
  • Matthew Kimberly
  • Srikumar Rao
  • and 15 others.

Because we feel passionately about marketing and we want to help as many people as we can, we’ve decided to give the book away gratis. Amazon will only let us do that for a short period of time. So from January 1-5, the Kindle version will be free.

Remember: you don’t need to have a Kindle device.  When you download the ebook, you can pick up a free app for your phone, tablet, laptop or PC. Easy as apple pie. 

Get more details and pre-register to get your free copy on New Year’s Day at http://creatingbusinessgrowth.com/.

 

Get Attention With These Not-So-Average Marketing Ideas

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Attention Marketing

“Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing but nobody else does.” ~ Steuart Henderson Britt

Marketing your business using the same methods everyone else is using isn’t much better.

One of the biggest problems any business has these days is getting and keeping the attention of their should-be clients and customers. Another problem that many of entrepreneurs and solo professionals have is that they have no idea what to do to stand out from everyone else who’s trying to get attention (not just the competition).

Many also fear doing something they’ve never done before or something that seems risky.

During times like these, being bold enough to take risks and step outside of your normal comfort zone may be what it takes to make your marketing work. A lack of courage may leave you unnoticed and under-appreciated as the expert you are.

In his constant quest to share practical marketing insights, tactics and strategies, Steve Lahey invited me to share a few “outside-the-box” marketing ideas with his audience. Check out the 30-minute interview, Creative Marketing Ideas for Solo Professionals.

In the half hour, Steve and I spoke about 3 proven tactics that are rare enough to be ridiculously effective:

  1. direct mail
  2. “best buyer”/influencer outreach and
  3. a unique kind of live, in-person event.

If an injection of fresh thinking might rekindle the spark in your promotional efforts, I think this is a pretty good investment of your time. Even if you don’t use the techniques mentioned, the thinking behind them and the reasons they’re effective are sure to be thought-provoking and inspiring.

My personal philosophy of business and marketing comes out pretty strongly here, too.

I’d love to hear your feedback on the interview. I’d also love to hear about your favorite outside-the-box marketing ideas in the comments below.

 

How to Write Sizzling Content

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Sizzling Content and Copy

“If the woman howling from the backseat of Agent Carson’s black SUV weren’t already dead, I would’ve strangled her. Gladly.”

So begins Darynda Jones’ latest book. But the book is captivating even before the opening line. The title instantly sends your mind on a journey of curiosity.

Seventh Grave and No Body.

To be fair, I haven’t read anything other than the first page of the book. The book cover caught by attention yesterday at Barnes & Noble. My imagination isn’t ready to stop thinking about where the story might go.

That’s what sizzling content does. It grabs your attention and puts it in a headlock. It activates the movie screen in your brain and reaches down to pull on the ol’ heartstrings, at least a little bit.

This is not the kind of writing we were taught in school. The style we mastered between K and 12 is almost the polar opposite, when you think about it: matter-of-fact, even clinical in it’s lack of emotion. Without personality. Yet, a large percentage of business owners and marketers carry this dry, academic style over into their attempts at sales and marketing.

Then they wonder why no one opens their emails.

Now, I know YOU don’t have that problem. But there’s a good chance that you feel like your writing could be stronger. You’d like for your content to be more persuasive. You want your marketing to pack more punch in whatever media you’re using.

If so, I hope you’ll join Jeff Zelaya from Triblio and me for “How to Write Content that Sizzles and Sells,” a Google Hangout On Air tomorrow (Monday, November 17) at 1 Eastern. We will discuss turning your articles, blog posts, video scripts, etc., into “page-turners” your  potential clients will have a hard time ignoring.

You can even ask content marketing, writing or persuasion questions and we’ll try to answer them.

Hope to see you there!

***UPDATE: You can watch the full replay here.

P.S.  I want to quickly emphasize a takeaway we learn from the book I mentioned in the beginning of this post.

The title Seventh Grave and No Body, is pretty interesting all by itself. Even more than the words themselves, this title is engrossing because of the mental associations the reader carries while he reads. The title doesn’t mention anything about crime scenes, tricky murder investigations or elusive serial killers. You read that into the words on the page. The pictures created in your mind have more to do with your own personal experience than anything else.

The meaning of a word is greater than its definition.

Leveraging the power of mental associations is an advanced writing technique we’ll be covering during the Hangout. You’re not going to want to miss this.