JUMP IN! Head first....

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Book Review
Jump In, by Mark Burnett
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What a fantastic book! I honestly knew very little about Mark
Burnett – other than he was behind the "Survivor" series. I had
no clue on ALL the other reality shows he is behind… nor did I
know he was such an inspiration to all who want more out of
life.

He is a master of teaching the power of leaping while you look
(not looking before you leap). The “Ready-fire-aim” approach.
Most people are petrified of taking any action – which is why
the majority of people settle for lives of mediocrity and “what
ifs?”. Those that adopt Mark’s philosophy are those that end up
creating wildly successful lives.

I am not a big reality show person. I am not a big TV person.
The only real show I watch is the "Apprentice" (another Mark
creation). This book completely changed the way I looked at
reality TV. I had no idea what went on behind the scenes for
these shows… the work that goes into it. The money that it takes
to develop these shows – the money that can be MADE with these
shows.

Amazing.

Some of the big lessons in this book:

NEVER pitch a big idea over the phone. Always arrange a face to
face meeting so you can see, judge and react to their body
language. You will blow the deal if you ignore this step.

Jump In without worrying about being perfect – or appearing
unprepared. Successful people appreciate passion and inspiration
– not meticulous spreadsheets and over-analyzed business plans
(things change way too rapidly in the real world to get fixated
on a plan of action that may not work)

Learn to fly by the seat of your pants – but (just as important)
look as if you are well prepared and were expecting these twists
and turns to happen.

Only results count – not how you arrive at those results. If it
takes longer than expected and a hundred changes in direction
had to happen – so be it. At least the end goal was achieved.

Hire people smarter than you, more focused than you, and will
speak up in pursuit of a better solution

Be right or be wrong – just don’t be afraid of making a
decision. People will forgive you for bad decisions if you are
an action taker and a decision maker.

Be an optimist and a dreamer – expect greatness from yourself
and unexpected surprises will find their way.

Celebrate ALL your mini-victories. Have fun with your staff –
and with your family. They are all there along side you and it
is up to you to make sure they know you appreciate them.

Facing your fears robs your fears of their power

Originality ALWAYS wins out over imitation

Stand by your dreams and never sell out.

Stick to your guns – no matter WHO says you are wrong.

Create your own surge of success and wealth… it is not owed to
you nor will it be handed to you. Create your own.

He doesn’t talk about the money much – more the achievement he
feels when landing a bigger deal – another show. The money is
just a measuring tool of how he is doing.

Family oriented – his boys are a strong part of the book, his
achievements, and all of their experiences throughout the story
of his personal quest for success.

Mark Burnett is an amazing guy who is the perfect model to
follow for those seeking success and achievement in their lives
– in short periods of time. A fascinating read and a must for
those who have a dream and want to make sure that dream comes
true. Jump In! can make it happen.

To your marketing and profit breakthroughs!

Troy White
Turning Your Words Into Wealth
For more free tips on marketing and advertising to grow your business,
please sign up for my main newsletter at
http://www.smallbusinesscopywriter.com

This article was originally written for the Small Business Mastery Column,
which I write every Tuesday for the World's Highest Paid Copywriter,
Clayton Makepeace. 

If you want to get more articles like these, please visit
http://www.smallbusinessmastery.com, part of The Total Package. 

Six-Figure Marketing Brainstorm!

Hot new marketing ideas to attract new clients
and improve your cash flow.

Dear Business-Builder,

As with any type of marketing, you have to open your eyes and
ears to new ideas. When you hear an idea or technique being used
in an unrelated industry… PAY CLOSE ATTENTION. When you take a
proven marketing strategy from an unrelated industry and make it
fit your own – you will experience a breakthrough.

It’s always easier to look within your own industry for ideas –
but the real good, profitable ones will almost always come from
outside.

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Consider the following a start
to making this your best year yet:
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What are you doing to keep in touch with your clients and
prospects?

It always amazes me to watch how the typical business treats
their clients… after they become clients.

At first, it seems they would do anything to get you to buy from
them.

Run advertising, offer special deals, bundle things together,
new customer discounts... you name it, they do it.

BUT, as soon as they get you as a paying client – you get
dropped faster than a steaming hot iron.

Why?

After all the work you put into getting your first deal from a
client: earning their trust, showing them you are different,
getting them to pull out their wallet, and getting them to put
their cash on the table for the first time.

You do all of this – and then never communicate with them again.
It makes no sense if you think about it.

You know as well as I that it is MUCH easier to get a person to
buy from you if they have already bought before.

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Step #1: The biggest and most immediate returns you can see from
your marketing efforts involve your existing clients. Not in
finding a new army of eager first-time-buyers… which is where
most small business owners put their efforts.

Your existing clients are where the real money is.

Cultivate a solid relationship with them – and build in a
consistent communication stream with them – and you will see a
big difference in your revenue growth.

The easiest way to use Step #1 in your business?

A monthly print newsletter that shows up in their physical
mailbox. Email newsletters also work great – and still must be
used – but the real money is in adding print to your marketing
efforts.

For example:

Rita started her first print letter 5 months ago to promote her
automotive repair business. Her challenges before starting the
print newsletter:

- the automotive repair business operates out of their farm

- they have a number of employees

- they do not live near a town or city (no local nearby
population to draw from)

- they had never really kept much of a database

- people have to drive for miles to visit their shop and get
their car repaired

So, how do you find hot new buyers for a business that depends
on people physically visiting your location, yet they live many
miles away?

Rita bought a list of addresses surrounding her (quite a wide
circle out in the country). She bought 5,000 addresses to mail
to that were within reasonable driving distances (under one
hour).

She designed a 4-page print newsletter that gets mailed cold to
these names.

It costs her $0.10 to print each and $0.10 to mail each (bulk
mail)

So – her total outlay per month is $1,000 to mail to 5,000
homes. ($5,000 total to mail the newsletter each month for 5
months).

Her results:

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OVER $200,000 in new business
Over 250 new clients
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With a simple print newsletter.

Now, if Rita can do this with a completely COLD list – what can
you be doing with your own client database? Imagine what is
possible if you put this same investment out there every month.

$200,000 from a $5,000 investment.
For every $1 she invests, she gets $40 back into the business.

So, do I have your attention yet?

Do you see how powerful and profitable this is?

Her newsletter is simple, consisting of:

- Jokes

- Facts

- Trivia

- Cartoons

- Specials on repair work

- Articles on vehicle maintenance

Content you could easily put together once a month, or even
outsource the bulk of through services like Elance.com or
Rentacoder.com. Her first one took hours to put together – now
it takes her less than an hour a month to get it compiled and
ready for print.

If you commit to doing a print newsletter once a month to your
clients and prospects, you will see near immediate results (as
long as you stay consistent in sending it out).

You can find template designs – even template content to use in
your newsletter… but you must test it out in your business. And
yes, it will work in your business – no matter what your
industry is. Mix up the offers with some fun stuff (jokes,
trivia, strange facts, etc.) and people will look forward to
reading your next one.

Make sure there is always a solid offer or two in the
newsletter. And give them incentives that are not available
through any other means than through your newsletter (makes it
easier to track results that way).

Once you get them to start buying, and buying more often, then
you can build in other incentive campaigns as in step 2 (which
will be discussed next week).

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SOME IDEAS FOR YOUR PRINT NEWSLETTER
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- Unique human interest stories from team members (new births,
pets, hobbies, in the news) - make the team members a
significant part of your newsletter

- write ups on your clients successes with your products and
services (follow the case study format: what their life was like
before using you, how they found you, how they selected you,
their experiences using you, and the end results they attained)

- interesting trends that your target market would be interested
in (business trends, people trends, aging trends, spending
trends)

- strange facts or history - does not need to be related to your
business or industry - people will love this section as it keeps
them entertained and looking for more

- a full page Ad for one of your products or services – can be
used to test ads as well so have 1 regular ad and 1 test ad
running in same newsletter

- Endorse others (preferably clients) who run their own business

- Staff Memo – have your staff “write” the newsletter and/or
promotions

- Calendar – upcoming events – special days or promotions

- Jokes (keep them clean)

- Cartoons are always a hit. http://www.cashcartoons.com/ or
http://www.goofyfaces.com/ or http://www.cartoonstock.com/

- Happy customer pictures

- Pick on a common enemy (taxes, government, media, poor
customer service, reality shows, whatever you find your
customers commonly complain about)

- Questions for them to ponder

- Book reviews

- Product reviews

- Tips for use

- Advanced tips for use

- 27 Creative Ways To Use ( ___ your product or service ___)

To your marketing and profit breakthroughs!

Troy White
Turning Your Words Into Wealth
For more free tips on marketing and advertising to grow your business,
please sign up for his main newsletter at
http://www.smallbusinesscopywriter.com

This article was originally written for the Small Business Mastery Column,
which I write every Tuesday for the World's Highest Paid Copywriter,
Clayton Makepeace. 

If you want to get more articles like these, please visit
http://www.smallbusinessmastery.com, part of The Total Package. 

Guilty as charged

Sorry, my writing has become so quiet here it is like hearing Paris Hilton recite a bible verse to Larry King... (chirp chirp - crickets singing in the background)...

I have been enjoying my summer for sure... but have been slacking on my posts. 

Only 2 more mini-vacations to go before the end of August and then I am raring to go!

This week I am off for a 4 day client event in Oceanside, California.... then back for a week and a bit and off (again) to the Shuswap in British Columbia (one of my FAVORITE spots for R&R).

While traveling last week in Montana, I noticed something that goes to prove all the "product launch" guru's claims of being first - are completely false. To hear them talk, you'd think no one has ever done a multi-step product launch campaign before.... ya, and they also invented the internet right alongside Al Gore, who has singlehandedly saved the word from Global Warming).

Just on a roll here today.

I was driving down the highway, zoning on the road ahead, when I saw a sign for Smoked Salmon, 3 lbs for $10 (or something like that).  Another mile down the road, "5 pounds of shrimp for $20", another mile :"Fresh Cod - cheapest in the Valley". 

This went on for 5 or 10 miles -  a sign up every mile or so announcing one more thing for sale.

By this time I am not only STARVING, I am also wondering... "PLEASE.... where is the stand to buy all of this wonderful food?(!)"

Apparently their technique works.

When I finally saw the stand, I had to swerve out of the way to avoid the traffic jam that had piled up in front of their fruit and seafood stand. 

Lots of people were hungry!

And lots of people were throwing cash at the sales staff on hand. 

Why does this matter to you?

Are you doing enough to educate your clients on EVERYTHING you offer?

I am willing to bet that 80% of your clients only know of 20% of the products or services that you sell.  If you were to go out and survey your existing clients, most of them would know about one or two things you do - but wouldn't have a clue on all the rest.

Why don't you copy the model of the fruit and seafood system?

Rather than signs on the road (which may apply to you if your business and city bylaws allow for it)... send a bi-weekly postcard or sales letter.  Each on of them showcases a product or service you offer... and the campaign continues until everything that you offer has been mentioned to your clients. 

And then repeat this process twice a year, as your client base will grow, and shrink.  It is YOUR job to educate them on what they should buy - and why. It is NOT their responsibility to figure out what you sell, how it applies to them, and why they should buy from you.

Test the fruit stand approach - it works!

Last, use offline media... you will see substantially greater numbers.  The online craze is way overdone and people like me are growing increasingly fed up with emails clogging our life.

Offline works - better than ever.