Podcasting In About An Hour Webcast
After my review of “Podcasting In About An Hour” and the follow up post, a reader asked if I was going to do a webcast like I had previously done here and here.
As is usual around here, your wish is sometimes my command, so on Thursday August 2nd, at 5 PM EST, Jay Jennings and I will be presenting a webcast that will hopefully entertain, enlighten and educate you.
Here’s a link to the webcast page for Podcasting In About An Hour.
There’s a form there for your questions, you can print the page and you can click thru to the sales page for Podcasting In About An Hour.
Yes, I own the product.
Yes, I paid for it.
No, that’s not an affiliate link.
Join us on the phone or listen for no cost thru an audio player of your choice.
There will be an mp3 made available for download afterwards.
If You’re Cheap, Please Don’t Advertise It Like This
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Even when I stop for gas, I sometimes find a marketing lesson.
A couple of days ago, I saw this piece of fantastic marketing stopped a few gas pumps away.
I edited out the phone number so that the innocent victims won’t be harmed … any more than my opinion will hurt anyone, which couldn’t be much, since I didn’t pay much for it.
The photo above seems innocent enough, marketing wise, but wait til you see the next piece-o-work:
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Why ? Why do you do it all for hardly nothing at all ?
Why ? Why is your marketing mantra -” We’re the cheapest and least profitable people out there, so don’t expect much from us. ”
Why ? Why would you even bother, if this is all you got ?
Would you hire the blatantly cheapest service provider out there ?
Do you want the cheapest eye doctor ? The cheapest surgeon ? The cheapest oncologist ?
I don’t. I want the best, not the cheapest.
Try this one: Quality Painting - We do it better than anyone.
Or this: Above & Beyond Painting - We exceed your expectations !
Or even: The Best Damn Painters In Town - Need We Say More ?
Feel free to use those with no royalties. My garage does need a coat of paint though. Hmmm…..
Great Advice About Writing Copy From A Guy With A Black Hat
The great advice the headline refers to is the last sentence in this post.
In between is some other great advice and some opinion all rolled into one dynamic, super blog post !
For those of you unfamiliar with the world of “internet marketers“, there’s at least one good newsletter out there.
I’ve been a subscriber of this newsletter for several years, probably around 4-6 years. Maybe more. Doesn’t matter.
It’s called TalkBiz News and it’s written by Paul Myers.
I’ve “bought Paul a beer” several times for the great content, free software, great reports, etc, that he’s written or bought and resold.
I’ve sent him more money thru PayPal than I’d like to think about.
And now I’ve pimped him on my blog. That’s a trifecta, in my book.
Recently, the main article in his newsletter was titled, “How Long is “Too Long ?”
Here’s an excerpt:
There’s a discussion that comes up all the time on the forums and in various lists. The question that starts it is a sensible one and usually asked by sensible people. The answers, however, especially from so-called “experts,” can be really annoying.
That magic question is:
“How long should my newsletter or article be ?”
The answers that make me wonder if there’s any actual effort of thought behind them are the ones that say, “You can’t go over 350 (or 500 or 750) words. People won’t read them.”
I’m often tempted to respond to those with, “Well, maybe if you’d learn to say something interesting you wouldn’t have that problem!”
That would be rude. So, I just think it.
But it’s true.
That’s exactly what you get with Paul. No nonsense, blunt, to-the-point advice. You know, the kind that makes you money.
I hate to read comments on blogs where the commenter gives his/her advice, which is really just his/her opinion, that says, in effect - People won’t read long copy.
“Scuse me for a second here while I go all redneck and say Bulldroppings !
The truth of the matter is, I’m looking for more to read than is available … most of the time, on most topics.
There’s more than enough pages out there, they just all happen to say the same damn thang, most of the time, because people don’t live their topic, they just read other people’s writings and re-hash what they read, while throwing in their unlearned opinion.
What’s the great advice Paul wrote ?
Here you go:
” When you make someone laugh, you reset their attention span. “
Want to get your readers to read farther into your copy than ever before ?
Want to get them to stay subscribed to your newsletter, ezine or RSS feed ?
Want to get them to read to the bottom of your PPC ad and click the link ?
Want to get them to subscribe to your list ?
Make ‘em laugh.
” When you make someone laugh, you reset their attention span. “
Image Is Everything
Remember when Andre looked like this and Canon used him to hawk their cameras ?
The marketing mantra was - Image Is Everything.
Well, in a way, in marketing, it is.
Pro atheletes, like Michael Vick, who was just federally indicted on charges of participating in dogfighting, need to wake up and smell the dollars that they’re losing for themselves, their teams and their sport.
Look at the hooligans who play hockey. How many do you see with endorsements contracts that dwarf their salaries ?
None.
Look at Mr. Clean, Peyton Manning. Super Bowl Hero … finally. King of endosements and commercials ? Always. Even before the victory in the Suer Bowl.
Why ? Because image is everything.
The newly charged commissioner of the NFL is catching on and suspending the idiots who damage his league. Finally.
The baseball commissioner waited and waited and waited and now his league needs the feds to start interviewing his players.
Ol’ Peter Ueberroth was the last decnt commissioner, IMHO.
Bud’s a dud, as far as I’m concerned, because he let baseball go to waste.
Why do I say that ? Because image is everything and he let baseball’s image get to the point where he won’t even attend the game when his new Home Run King is born.
That’s sad.
Why ? Because image is everything.
Don’t Make This Mistake With Your Sales Force
Okay, I admit it, I kinda started it, but I’d like to end it.
I get a beaucoup of emails every, single day wanting to know what a great theme would be for their sales force.
I can’t tell you that, without an intimate ( paid, long-term ) relationship with your company.
If I could do that, thru an email, with no knowledge of your past sales history, market share, current strategy, etc., I wouldn’t be a sales czar, I’d be Cris Angel, Mind Freak or I’d be Mike Sigers, Sales Freak.
Here’s what we’re going to say about sales contests, themes for those and all that jazz for future reference:
One of the most serious mistakes you, as a sales manager, can make is to constantly change your sales strategy.
We could also say it’s a marketing problem at it’s very root.
Changing quotas, holding constant contests, special bonuses, etc., only prove that you’re desperate.
Those are symptoms of a bigger problem, which is, no clear focus, no real marketing strategy, no real sales leadership.
It shows that sales management is just relying on sales people to go out and find business, any business, wherever they can find it.
You may generate some short-term sales, but you’ll generate no long-term success.
Once that push is no longer generating enough sales volume, you have to “re-gimmick” your strategy.
I’d advise any sales people who work for an organization like this to start looking for a better team to work for. Quietly, maybe, but quickly, for sure.
When you fall into the trap of reacting to market swings, instead of being proactive and being in front of the swings, being the thought leaders for your industry, you’re on the path to being less successful than you could be.
In reality, there’s no substitute for a well planned, carefully crafted sales strategy that your company can implement, execute and adapt with sensible and intelligent precision.
That’s the key to a successful sales force, not sales contests.
Learn To Close Like The Pros During Our Webcast
On Thursday July 12th at 7 PM EST, I’ll be doing a webcast with Steve Marx, author of Close Like The Pros.
During the webcast you’ll learn how to replace worn out tactics with the powerful strategy of interactive selling.
Steve’s also been kind enough to allow me to include a box on the event page that gives you the opportunity to ask him a question, before and during the webcast, so click thru and use the box to ask Steve any question you have about his book or closing the sale.
I’ve reviewed several chapters so far, if you’d like to see more of what’s in store for you during the time Steve shares his insight with us.
Here’s my reviews of:
Speaking of interactive selling, that’s also the URL of the website for Steve’s book and his blog.
For more info about his company, The Center for Sales Strategy, follow that link.
To read more about Steve Marx, follow that link.
If you’d like to download the first chapter of Close Like The Pros, follow this link.
Click thru to the event page and join us on Thursday July 12th at 7 PM EST.
There’s room for 2000 people on the free webcast and for 200 people on the phone line if you’d like to dial in.
Don’t Fall Into Expectations Gaps
In chapter four of Close Like The Pros, Steve Marx talks about expectations in a way I’m not sure I’ve heard them explained before.
Such as: Is a 15% increase in sales a good thing for your client. Sure it is, unless he was expecting a 35% increase from your services.
Wow. Talk about cold, hard facts. How do we keep that from happening ? By contracting with the client, so they know what to expect and so you know what they expect.
The way Steve makes it work, it’s a two lane superhighway, not a one-way street.
Marx also says that managing those expectations is a very important part of the sales process…maybe THE most important part.
If you’re closing throughout the entire sales process, using a manageable series of smaller closes, you’ll never be surprised at the outcome.
Marx also says that it’s not really enough that you know where you’re going, you have to make sure the prospect knows which way you’re going to get him to the promised land.
As chapter four winds up, you’ll be such a better salesperson, after learning how to contract with the prospect, that you’ll see immediate results.
Personally, I’m on a hiatus from my offline career for another 2 weeks, but I did use the contracting method in a personal relationship today and the person and I immediately knew where we were headed and they didn’t even flinch when I said, here’s what were going to do, then this, then this.
They actually seemed to appreciate me taking control and making it easier for them to do what I needed them to do.
I can’t wait to integrate this into my business life !
Head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of Steve’s book today and keep watching this space for the next chapter to be reviewed.
Replay Posted of Blogger To Infoproduct Publisher
In case you missed the webcast of Blogger To Infoproduct Publisher, the replay is available by following that link.
James gave away several business models, case studies and tips and I revealed several things that I wouldn’t have let slip if I’d been typing instead of talking !
Audio’s are great for the listeners because most people will tell you things that they wouldn’t ordinarily reveal if they’d had time to think about it.
If you need help getting your first ( or next ) infoproduct out of you, drop by and let James Roche help you help yourself.
Many, many thanks to James for allowing me to pick his brain for the readers here at Simplenomics.
