Twitter Tips to Help Your Small Business Grow | KENSEL TRACY

by Kensel Tracy

Canada, it is said, is one of the most connected countries in the world and in spite of paying some of the highest rates for internet and mobile phone, social networking is continuing to grow. If you run a business and have an online presence, chances are you have heard about the potential value that Twitter can have as a business tool.

The usefulness of Twitter and other social media for promotion, marketing, interacting with customers and building relationships has been promoted by a number of social media pundits and business professionals in a wide variety of industries. However, social media has proven to be much more difficult for small business people to get a hold of and building an active presence on Twitter can me more difficult than expected. With and estimated 200 million tweets a day being sent simply sending off tweets won’t prove very useful nor will starting a twitter account and letting it lay dormant.

So in order to take advantage of what Twitter has to offer it requires having a strategy.

Here are some quick tips on how to start, build and maintain and active and effective Twitter persona for your business.

First step is to understand why you want to start a Twitter account for your business. It is important to have specific goals in mind when creating any channel and ensure the goals are reflected as you setup your profile for you and your business. It’s also important to understand how you will achieve these goals. For example, if you are trying to find new customers, make sure what you will say and to whom will attract people to find you on Twitter, subscribe to your messages and eventually visit your store, website or blog.

Twitter takes some understanding to use it effectively. It’s important to understand that Twitter is pull technology and not a push approach to promoting. Traditionally you needed to force people to read your messages by buying some form of media or sending bulk emails to prospects. On Twitter, people need to follow you or opt in to read your messages therefore you need to make sure you saying something that is relevant or interesting to people vs. trying to achieve your goals.

Nobody is going to read a feed full of advertising. This media is called social media for reason as it puts the audience as part of the conversation. Most good case studies show that the most effective use of social media are those in which creative topics are created that are of interest to your potential audience. It’s therefore important to create creative ways to respond, reach out and respond to other individual messages too.

First of all, remember that Social Media can be used for more than just marketing. The key to any marketing program is understanding your customer, their likes, dislikes and interests. Once you have this profile, ensure that your Twitter messages are following these interests (for example, if you own a unique restaurant, tweet about food, preparation, recipes and equipment). Again, Twitter is an opt-in channel, so make sure what you say is something that your customer would want to read out of interest. Be as conversational as you can. In the restaurant example above, ask people what types of food they like and how they cook. Watch for the tweets of people you follow, and when they tweet about food, don't hesitate to reach out and share your thoughts in a friendly way.

Also, understand that tools are rarely effective in isolation. Mention Twitter in conversations, and link to it from your website. Perhaps even mention it in your other marketing materials.

Twitter can be a very effective marketing tool but needs to be used correctly. The key is get the conversation going, build credibility with your business approach or business focus, give information to your audience they want to read and be a source of inspiration and knowledge which will give you an advantage and help you build followers. Also look for key influencers in your industry and follow them on Twitter.

Their following may also be your customer then you have a good chance of participating in a conversation with a variety of people that may also be interested in what it is you are saying. Remember, quality information, valuable knowledge, unique and key learning will help you grow your Twitter reputation and help others seek you out and develop a better understanding of what it is you do and what it is you have to offer.

Kensel Tracy is the Marketing Coach, Senior Partner for the Corporate Coachworkz and Managing Director of Stratejis, Results Based Marketing Solutions. He is also the President of Business over Breakfast Clubs in North America now opening up in every city in North America.

For more information, please visit Kensel's TNNWC Bio.

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Twitter Tips to Help Your Small Business Grow | KENSEL TRACY

THE POSTILLION: Innovate...Communicate...Survive...Thrive - Lessons from the Great Depression

The Postillion with Michael Phillips

Profiles in Innovation from Around the World

Bottom Line: (Why you will want to read this article)

• You are in a highly competitive business and want ideas on how to differentiate your emerging enterprise

• You would like to understand how some companies not only survive but thrive in a recession/depression.

The Postillion does not have to tell you that it is brutal out there. Recent indicators show that unemployment is still on the rise. The main place that jobs are being created is in government, adding to our ever growing tax burden and budget deficit. The last things we need are more government bureaucrats adding more obstacles to the success of our businesses! But, even in these hard times some companies are finding ways to succeed. How do they do it? What is their secret? To answer this question the Postillion turned to history…….. the Great Depression to find the answers.

So we think we have it bad now? At the height of the Great Depression unemployment was at 24.9%. The top tax rate was 91% and would stay at least at 88% until 1963. (Note: Taxes were dramatically dropped at that point resulting in one of the greatest economic booms ever known) In this dismal business climate some companies found ways to not only survive, but to thrive. How did they do it? Innovation, communication and the courage to change.


Change

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change" - Charles Darwin

This may seem obvious but it is amazing that companies become paralyzed in hard times and refuse to consider change. They go into “survival” mode and stop all R and D, stop advertising, lay off staff and start praying. They feel they will be able to weather the storm by not taking on any risk or aggressive tactics. Instead of adopting proactive change they play dead, roll up in a ball and hope the bear does not eat them. The sad part is that once they come out of their self induced progress comma ….if they survive it....they discover a very different business landscape…..one where their less conservative competitors have made great strides forward. They may also discover that their company has become irrelevant. A lesson from successful companies during the Great Depression is that they were not afraid to change and take on risk.

Smart companies took advantage of their comatose competitors and found ways to gobble up market share……realizing that they had to play a numbers game. If less people are buying you must expose your product or service to more people to maintain and grow your revenues. These companies also knew they had to find new products and services that people wanted. Hard times created new inconveniences, pains, and concerns that translated into opportunities for companies who were observant, innovative and not afraid to act.


Innovation

Necessity, who is the mother of invention.

Plato, The Republic
Greek author and philosopher in Athens (427 BC - 347 BC)

Innovation is a word that has been used freely. EVERY company seems to claim to be innovative. But, true innovators are obvious when they appear on the scene and blow away the innovation “wannabes”. For the purpose of this discussion true innovation must:

• Fill a need not currently being filled
• Greatly improve on an old way of doing something
• Combine existing products / services in a way never done before that exponentially increases the value
• Enlighten the consumer to a whole new paradigm of doing things they did not know existed
• Establish a uniqueness that is a brand in itself

True innovation often becomes the nexus of many other innovations…….and imitations. During the Great Depression many companies observed their surroundings and stepped up their R and D to meet current needs and to create new markets. Many new technology companies—for instance, Hewlett-Packard and Polaroid......that became leading innovators later in the century.....were established as entrepreneurial start-ups during the 1930s.

Here is a surprising list of some depression era start-ups that had the courage to pursue innovation. These companies all started off as emerging enterprises in terrible economic times.

Motorola
Hewlett-Packard
Xerox
Ryder
Unisys
Texas Instruments
Revlon
Converse
La-Z-Boy
Interstate Bakeries - makers of Twinkies (Some say Twinkies made during the Great Depression are still edible)

Radio Corporation of America (RCA), the high-tech company whose stock was decimated in the Great Crash, returned to profitability in 1934 as it shifted its innovation efforts from radio to the fledgling television market. (A great example of change coupled with innovation) In total, US companies founded at least 73 in-house R and D labs each year from 1929 to 1936.

Innovation, at its most basic level, is truly driven by necessity. The market you compete in is in shambles. You are holding on by your fingernails while your competitors are going under. You must change, innovate or tank. Think of it as if your market has dried up and turned into a dessert. Your “plane” or business model has crashed into the sand. (Think “Flight of the Phoenix”) Supplies are running low...... it is time to act or perish. If this is your only way out of the desert, how would you reinvent/redesign the crashed plane (value proposition, channels of distribution, etc) to make it fly again? ...... to fly to a new market that is lush with new growth. An example of such a flight would be Circ de Soleil. They reviewed a dying market segment, the circus, and resurrected a truly new and innovative entertainment product that soared out of the ashes.

Another example of finding a new way to approach an old market comes from the spa business. This is close to home for the Postillion since this example comes from the Sol Serenity Spa in Plant City, Florida. This spa is owned by me and my wife Sol. We created our spa from scratch and did all of the remodeling and decorating ourselves. As with all spas, as the economy has worsened more and more clients have decided to stop coming. A massage and a facial is considered to be a luxury they cannot afford. So we had a choice. Do nothing and go out of business or find a way to innovate and survive. We knew we could not count on the amount of traffic currently coming into our single location to stay in business. We had to figure out a way to increase appointments quickly and cheaply. Out of this necessity the Sol Serenity Network™ was born. We gathered together a network of out of work Massage Therapists and Estheticians in metropolitan areas who were willing to take on demand work assignments. We then went to hotels that did not have an in-house spa and offered them a percentage of any appointments generated by their facility through our network. All they had to do was hand out our business card to guests as then checked in. Their guest could then go online or call to make an appointment that would be attended to by one of our local network service providers. During our research on this concept we found that 7 out of 10 hotels did not have their own spa services. We were surprised to see that no one was already doing what we are doing now. This opportunity became possible because of the bad economy. This freed up the good people we needed to be able to participate in the network and service the hotel customers. Now we have the equivalent of over 100 locations that can produce appointments. The appointments are indeed starting to come in. But, it is a numbers game. We now know we will need 1,000 hotels to ensure our success. This is a number that is certainly doable.

So…….innovation can result from observing the same situation from a different perspective. Donald Latumahina in the January 24th, 2008 issue of Featured Productivity identified a key to innovation. Become a great observer. By observing how we and other people do things, we will spot opportunities for improvements. The more we observe, the more opportunities we will find. We then can devise solutions for some of the problems. By becoming a good observer, we will recognize the problems before many people do and have first-mover advantage.

Here are ten things you can do to innovate through observation.

• Don’t take things for granted

There are many things that which look usual on the surface but have some hidden opportunities behind them. So open your eyes to observe even the seemingly normal things. Observe how you and other people do routines, and discover the details you overlooked.

• Watch for inconveniences

Inconveniences are clear signs of problems. Are people waiting too long for something? Do they find it difficult to accomplish certain tasks? If you watch for inconveniences, either those experienced by you or by other people, you can easily find opportunities for innovation.

• Watch for possible gaps for improvement

Sometimes we are so accustomed to doing things in a certain way that we can no longer see it as inconvenient. In that case, it is up to your imagination to spot opportunities for improvements. Maybe the current process is already efficient, but you know of some technologies you can use to improve the process even more. The difference between the current situation and possible future situation creates a gap for improvement.

• Follow technology trends

To help with the previous step, you should closely follow the trends in technology. Familiarize yourself with the latest developments in relevant fields. This way you will expand your horizon of what is possible and make it easier to spot possible gaps for improvement

• Watch how your competitors work

You can get ideas from innovation not only by observing how people work, but also by observing how your competitors work. Is there something they do well that you can learn from? If yes, then don’t hesitate to learn from the idea, improve on it and then implement it.

• Observe different people at different places

To get a broader perspective of a problem, you should go to different places and observe how different people do things. By observing people from different backgrounds in different situations, you will see different dimensions and approaches to the problem. This way you will come up with better, more complete solutions

• Capture every idea

To avoid losing the ideas you get, you should write them down as soon as possible. Otherwise, it is likely that the idea will disappear and will never come back. So you should have a capture tool handy wherever you go.

• Create a master list of problems

By having one central place to collect all the problems you find, you can easily compare one problem to another to find which one is has potential. If you want to, you can also classify the problems to make them easier to sort through.

• Review your master list of problems

Every now and then you should review your master list of problems to see all of the opportunities you have. After reviewing the list, you can take one of two of the problems to work with. The best problems to work on are those which are both painful and solvable.

• Take Action

Now that you have found a solution to a problem you feel can turn into a revenue stream….take action! One hundred other people may have come to the same conclusion.


Communicate

Another aspect of companies that survived during the Great Depression was their continued ability to communicate product brand and value recognition. Better known and advertising, this turned out to be a critical step for survival.

Anand Shah writes in Friday Reflections:

“To begin, not all was gloom and doom during the Great Depression. It was a time when those who knew what they were doing made great economic strides and the very nature of the depression itself was an economic boon for them. It was a time when several companies benefited from aggressive marketing while their rivals cut back. A good example of that would be Kellogg besting C.W. Post during that time. Consumers didn't totally stop spending during the depression, most just looked for better deals and the companies providing those better deals came out stronger after the depression ended. When spending picked up, consumer loyalty to those companies remained."

To state a generality, those companies who not only survived but did well and grew during the Great Depression are those who continued to act as though there were nothing wrong and that the public had money to spend. In other words, they advertised. These are industries who didn't wait for public demand for their products to rise, they created that demand even during the most difficult of times. Because so many companies cut spending during that era, advertising budgets were largely eliminated in many industries. Not only did spending decline, these companies actually dropped out of public sight because of short sighted decisions made about spending money to keep a high profile. These advertising cutbacks caused many customers to feel abandoned and associated the effected brands with a lack of staying power. This not only drove customers to more aggressive competitors but caused a certain amount of financial mistrust when it came to making additional investments in the no longer visible companies.

Both anecdotal and empirical evidence support the case that advertising was the main factor in the growth or downfall of companies during those years. To put it bluntly, the companies which demonstrated the most growth and which rang up the most sales were those which advertised heavily. The Great Depression offers classic examples of the power of brand advertising even during times of economic crisis.”

“As far as the end of your question as to what distinguished the companies that did well during the Depression? They were the companies that kept their name in front of the public and created brand name recognition even during the worst of times.”


Take Action Now

It is hoped that some of the insights of this article will inspire positive thought and actions for your emerging enterprise. Seek out and discover the opportunities for innovation your company can develop. Once you have overhauled your offerings and delivery model your “Phoenix" can take flight. Don’t be shy about what you have to offer. Grab your megaphone and go to the mountain top and start shouting. When you think you have shouted enough……shout some more.

It is time to establish innovation and communication strategies within your emerging enterprise to help weather the current economic challenges. TNNWC Group™ has services that can help.



News Releases, Publicity and Public Relations

Learn from the past. Communicate regularly to the world that you have exactly what your customers need. Now is not the time to cut back on advertising, announcements and public relations. Start making a big noise while your competition withdraws into survivor mode. The opportunity is yours. TNNWC Group™ will help you with your news releases, publicity and public relations. This team knows what it takes to get your emerging enterprise noticed and the orders coming in. Click on the following link to read more about TNNWC Group™ - Services - News Releases, Publicity and Public Relations.
www.thenationalnetworker.com/newsrelease.shtml




BUZZWORKS™

Everyone uses the term “buzz.” At one time, years ago, it simply meant “gossip.” Today the term “buzz” covers gossip, visibility in the news, a grassroots groundswell of curiosity… and an ever-increasingly vast bunch of things. Some people think that buzz equates to advertising. Well…buzz is not advertising, but buzz is a critical ingredient in making your advertising work.

The folks at TNNWC Group™ and BUZZWORKS™ know that “Buzz” means a very specific three-part process.

• The first part is cutting through all of the media noise and getting the attention of your prospective market, and of other allies who may help promote or distribute your product or service (even if the product is You, personally);
• The second part is to get a message or an image across to that prospective market, and to use that special message or image (your “brand”) to symbolize and represent your company, product or service. It is your signature, your fingerprint, your essence – it is your identity at the conscious and subconscious levels;
• The third part is to build sufficient curiosity, eagerness and credibility in that message or image that your market is attracted to your company, product or service.

Let the BUZZWORKS™ team work their magic and augment your traditional advertising campaign with the latest methods and techniques to convince the world that they just HAVE TO HAVE what you are offering…….NOW!

Click on the following link to read more about TNNWC Group™ - BUZZWORKS™ - Branding and Social Media Domination.
www.thenationalnetworker.com/buzzworks.shtml




The Institute of Innovation

The newly formed Institute of Innovation is working to help organizations establish methods and procedures to proactively identify opportunities for innovation with your company and marketplace. A library of informative articles and white papers is being formed to help educate emerging enterprises regarding the art of innovation. A certification program is being established to train and develop individuals to become Chief Innovation Officers for their companies. This certification process will ensure that each cIo embraces the both methodical and imaginative steps needed to seek out and implement innovation. The Institute of Innovation is currently seeking out leaders to help launch this much needed service and certification program. Please contact the Postillion at michael@thenationalnetworker.com and get involved.

For more information on company survival in the Great Depression please click on the following link “Lessons from the Great Depression (Bloomberg / Business Week)”

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/10/1017_depression_lessons/1.htm

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Michael Phillips, A.K.A. the Postillion, lives and works in Tampa Florida and has over 30 years of experience in leading development and trends within the information technology industry. Mr. Phillips has established a methodology for discovering, developing and implementing innovation. As the founder of the Institute of Innovation he provides organizations with education on innovation and encourages the addition of Chief Innovation Officers (cIo) into the "C" Suite. Mr. Phillips often speaks to organizations and conferences on the importance of innovation. Comments and suggestions for future articles can be emailed to ThePostillion@gmail.com.

For more information, please visit Michael's TNNWC Bio.

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The National Networker Publications™ produced by TNNWC Group, LLC
“Empowering Emerging Enterprises”

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THE POSTILLION: Innovate...Communicate...Survive...Thrive - Lessons from the Great Depression

KENSEL TRACY: The Centre of Excellence for Public Sector Marketing in Canada Helps the Public Sector Market

by Kensel Tracy

If you are like me and think that Federal, Provincial or Municipal governments lack marketing expertise, all one needs to do is look at the recent Ontario Government communications fiasco in launching the new Eco Tax in Ontario. The Eco tax is being called a levy by the Provincial government when in reality it’s a surcharge on a purchase that looks a lot like a tax. The government launched this program July 1st and has already had major complaints from both the consumer and retailers. One of Canada’s major retailers Canadian Tire has already told the government it will not be charging the tax because it’s too confusing, complicated, does not provide a service to its customers and is hard to administer. On top of that, the provincial government actually lied to its residents saying that it will cost other $5million dollars for pulling the tax when it has over $73 million taxpayer dollars tied up in investments inside the ad hoc government department that is acting at the custodian of the funds.

The bottom-line for the Provincial Government of Ontario, a major marketing and communications blunder. So why is it that government organizations stumble, when it comes to giving constitutes the right information in a timely manner?

All you need to do is as Jim Mintz from the Centre of Excellence for Marketing in the Public Sector. Jim has dedicated his life to marketing, primarily in the public sector with Health Canada where he launched some of Canada’s most successful health campaigns. When it came time to retire, Jim left the government and setup of the Centre. CEPSM as it is called helps all kinds of public sector clients learn the ins and outs of marketing to Canadians. Jim’s group now consists of 17 associates many who had notable public sector careers in marketing, communications and advertising along with a team of younger associates that run the Centre’s Social Media, Web and advertising divisions.

Jim also taught marketing at Carleton University up until last year and regularly gives seminars and workshops on New and Social Media and Social Marketing which includes modifications of habits, beliefs, actions and views about many of the country’s major social and health issues. Jim eats, sleeps and talks marketing. He has developed strategies and launched campaigns for health, public safety, and has taught clients from almost every level of government on how to market their programs and services.

The Centre also has affiliated offices in Regina, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. So the next time you see a public figure, group or organization needing help in marketing or communicating, give The Centre of Excellence for Public Sector Marketing a call. They can be found on the web at http://www.publicsectormarketing.ca/ or contact Jim directly at jim.mintz@publicsectormarketing.ca


Kensel Tracy is the Marketing Coach at the Corporate Coachworkz and runs a practice in Chelsea Quebec and is also launching Business Over Breakfast ( BoB ) Clubs throughout North America. If you have a story of interest he can be reached at kenselt@symnpatico.ca

For more information, please visit Kensel's TNNWC Bio.

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The National Networker Publications™ produced by TNNWC Group, LLC
“Empowering Emerging Enterprises”

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KENSEL TRACY: The Centre of Excellence for Public Sector Marketing in Canada Helps the Public Sector Market

KENSEL TRACY: Is Traditional Media Dead in Canada?

by Kensel Tracy

My topic this month is something that is being hotly debated by almost every media outlet in the country and all across North America. Its a question that is on everyone's mind. Is traditional media dying an untimely death?

I personally don’t think so. Just like the telegraph and the morning newspaper media is always in a state of change and the impact of new media on traditional advertising and communications is no different. Let’s just say the amount of attention that new media is getting is making us feel as if traditional media can no longer compete. So in some ways there may be a collective thinking that traditional media is dead. Lets look a some of the facts.

In Canada is safe to say that ad revenues from traditional media are down across the board and online media is definitely on the increase. Newspapers are having the biggest problem securing advertisers since their daily news is reported well in advance on any of the major websites like Canada.com, Sympatico.ca. MSN Canada, Yahoo Canada and Google. For instance as a dedicated newspaper reader, I now only buy the weekend papers and no long subscribe at the office.

The key area that seems to really be taking a hit is the classified ad sections of most newspapers. With free ad sites like Craig’s List, Kijji and any number of local online and employment sites offering free ads and amazing search options, traditional classified and employment ads are also generating the lowest revenues in years.

National television is also suffering not only from the loss of local ad revenues but from the ever changing role played by cable and satellite in Canada. The two national commercial networks are fighting it out with the cable companies promoting the value of local television as cable and satellite companies now want to charge subscribers extra for the right to watch local news in their areas on their local cable or satellite station. The local news represents the largest number of concentrated local viewers and the most revenues since these local stations retain the rights to sell local advertisers into a well watched local program with a highly consistent and dedicated audience.

The main media that seems to remain stable through all of this is radio. With the advent of television in the 1950’s there was much discussion that the radio was dead or would over time die out. As we can see this did not happen. Every local radio station has a bevy of local listeners who continue to support them regardless of the role new media plays. Everyone has a local favourite radio station for local news and sports and local activities. Satellite radio continues to gain popularity; however local news and weather can only be garnered from stations in the local market. So radio's demise is not going to happen anytime soon. However the Ipod is having a major impact on what individuals listen too and when so the jury is still out.

So what does this mean for the individual or the business organization that has a mission to promote an event, sell a product, promote a new service and meet new customers? In my last column I felt that new media such as Facebook, Tweeting, My Space and blogging all help to build profile and help to create new contacts and some new business opportunities as well.

For me personally however, being active in your local community be it online or offline is still one of most important things a person or a company can do. An online community is great to make contacts if you have product that is national in scope and can be sold over great distances. A local community made up of local businesses, events and organizations are still valuable if you get personal service referrals, provide a local service or need to deal with individuals that in your own back yard.

The key point is traditional media is just changing and as they say on Monty Python it’s not time to "bring out yer dead yet".

The local media revolution is no different than any other media revolution that came along throughout history. These included the printing press changing town hall meetings, the telegraph was replaced by the telephone, couriers were replaced by fax machines and typewriters were replaced by computers and radio was changed immensely by the advent of television. So media and communications is always evolving

The key ingredient for change however is that information will always be required and requested by human beings and will be required in selective ways that still include a great deal of personal activity.

People still buy from people and personal relationships are still the most important thing. Regardless of what happens with traditional ways of communicating there will always be something that is just around the corner that will make it easier and more efficient to get the information you require. So traditional media my be dying as we know it, however most organizations are scrambling to reinvent themselves just like my grand father did when upon graduating from telegraph school he found the telegraph was about to not exist anymore. He changed his career path and found a new solution. Advertising and media is resilient and will do the same.

Kensel Tracy is the Marketing Coach and Senior Partner with the Corporate Coachworkz Inc. and President of Business over Breakfast Clubs (BoB Clubs) of North America and with offices located in Ottawa, Ontario and Chelsea, Quebec.


For more information, please visit Kensel's TNNW Bio.


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KENSEL TRACY: Is Traditional Media Dead in Canada?

EXPOSING YOURSELF: Finding Euphoria in Business

Exposing Yourself with Lindsey Tharp

Have you ever experienced a euphoric feeling when someone was thoughtful enough to give you something; anything, no matter how big or small? In business, part of the marketing mix includes branded items, generally given as a gift at an event or meeting.

Imagine the power of your branding in this simple token of appreciation for the recipient. The branded item or kit can’t be an after thought or last-minute idea. The right branded items, the right messaging, the right design, are all critical elements that require sufficient time to blend and establish the ultimate end result of relevancy, need, usefulness, and euphoria.

Another key goal for this advertising medium, incorporated into your marketing mix, is that it stays in front of the person you gave it to and is used as a constant resource; on the desk, on the shelf, in the kitchen – within reach.

The power is often qualitative, measured in the immediate reaction of gratitude. This power can be quantified though. An important point is that this is not about giving stuff away. This is about you getting something back from your marketing dollars. This is about valuing your investment in your branding ideas.

Internally, you’re reaching out to show you care or promote a program or project. Externally, you’re reaching out for people that are interested in your product or service and who can afford to pay for it. Smart marketers offer something of value only to those who recognize a promotion as a two-way street; people who are willing to give their business card, take a survey, sign up for your newsletter or entry form for a drawing, in exchange for your gift. This is how meaningful, actionable data is obtained, and prospects are qualified, for the success of the promotion or program to be analyzed and improved upon. Make sure to get a name and contact information, and most importantly, follow up.

You will realize the power in promotional marketing, in branded tangible items, if done properly. Approach it with the intention of a wise investment, define the ultimate accomplishment and goal, allow time to blend the right combination of critical elements (right item, right message, right design), evaluate the outcomes, refine and repeat.

It doesn’t take much to make someone – your colleague, your prospect – feel special. Feeling good, feeling special, feeling appreciated, are core values that we all seek to accomplish every day. A look and a smile can do it, but add to that a small gift, and you just might be remembered.

Lindsey Tharp

Reingold, Promotions & Exhibits Manager

LTharp@reingold.com

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EXPOSING YOURSELF: Finding Euphoria in Business

THE NET-TECH REPORT: Your Hands-Free, 24/7 Sales Person

The Net-Tech Report with Chris Kauza

Okay Business Owners - Quiz Time!

How do you stay in touch with your customers?
A. Direct Mail
B. Telemarketing
C. Email Campaigns that someone runs for you
D. I use an autoresponder
E. None of the above / don't know / not currently doing

How do you advertise upcoming sales?
A. Direct Mailers (val-Pack, coupon books, sales flyers, etc.)
B. Newspaper
C. Local Media (cable TV, radio spots, etc.)
D. Email to customer list
E. Combination (which one(s)?)
F. None of the above / don't know / not currently doing

How did you do? Are you doing any or a couple of these? My hope is that you at least didn't answer "E" for both questions - but if you did then I am going to show you how to fix that in the next 5 business days. And if you're already employing some of these methods, I'm going to show you how to turn up the impact.

According to a recent Nielsen study, 43% of business owners do not have a website. At all. From what I see everyday, almost all of the other 57% are not employing them to drive new business for their companies. In fact, most of them do not have any kind of "opt-in" form on their website.

One of the most important assets a business can have is their customer list. These are the people who have bought, or have expressed interest in buying, from the the business. It's not a website with flashy graphics. It's not "traffic" that you get from "organic SEO". It's your list of customers. Search Engine Optimization (SEO), compelling websites - these are all important. But they are not as critical as your customer list.

With few exceptions, if you are relying on Direct Mail, then you are using the Pony Express to try and reach your market. People sort their mail by the wastebasket so they can throw away the junk mail - don't you? It is increasingly inefficient.

Telemarketing? Well, at least you are one century closer to the present - but nobody likes them! Email blasts? Well, you're one step closer to the present but if your messages aren't targeted then you are wasting your time.

Only about 8% of business owners are doing anything to consistently keep in touch with their customers. An Autoresponder can take care of this

An autoresponder is a very simple piece of technology that you can use to build and manage your customer lists over time. It's your hands-free, 24/7 salesperson - and it's something you HAVE TO have. When properly built and managed, it can add thousands of dollars to your top line - automatically. it can be used in conjunction with other methods, if you'd like.

There are many different types of autoresponders out there, and you'll find that they range in price from $0 - $5,000. You don't need the high-end systems to start with; plan on spending $50/month or less. You can have it integrated into your website, or as an adjunct to it.

Do not use the free ones. Free autoresponders don't cost you anything because they are piggy-backing on your message with their own advertisements That's why they are free; they are basically making off of your list.

Action Step:
Do an online search for autoresponders that cost less than $50/month, and sign up for it. Most of them have step-by-step instructions you can use to set up the features, input your customer contact information, etc. Once you are set up, use it to promote your next sale or to send your newsletter, and watch your productivity soar and your profits increase!

If you get stuck along the way, please contact me (ckauza "at" FettMarketing.com) and I'll do what I can to help you.

For more information, please visit Chris Kauza's TNNW Bio.


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NETWORKING SUCCESS: Word of Mouth Marketing is Only as Good as the Referrals You Give

Networking Success with Dr. Ivan Misner

Ivan's section is sponsored by qAlias.com

Word of mouth is the most effective form of advertising—but it’s not the safest. Some people approach referral marketing with the attitude that all they have to do is get to know people and referral business will simply bubble up like water in a spring. What they don’t realize is that, once trust evaporates, so does the water.

In word-of-mouth (or referral) marketing, your integrity and your reputation are on the line all the time. You can’t hide behind an ad. In the referral process, you are continually transparent. You’ve got to do what you say you’re going to do. You’ve got to be professional. Any flaw in your integrity becomes instantly visible to everyone you’re dealing with.

When you give a referral, you give away a little bit of your reputation. While giving a good referral will enhance your relationship, a bad referral will hurt it. If the person you referred does a poor job or is dishonest, your reputation is what takes the biggest hit. Your relationship with the prospect will probably suffer, at least temporarily, and you may even lose that person as a customer.

For example, even top-flight master networkers can inadvertently pass a bad referral once in a while. I started a new company, the Referral Institute, with two partners – Mike A and Mike B. Knowing that we would be doing a lot of business printing, Mike A referred one of his clients, who owned a business-printing company, to Mike B. A deal was made, but before long it became apparent that the vendor was charging for services that had not been included in the quote. Mike B called Mike A and complained. Mike A called the business printer and complained. The vendor called Mike B and apologized for neglecting to reveal hidden charges in the contract. Mike B told him, “I’ll accept your apology, but I think the bigger apology needs to go to my partner, because he’s the one who referred you. You’ve done him a lot more damage than you’ve done me.”

Since that time, we’ve done no business with that business printer and would never consider referring him to anyone we know. It was later learned that the vendor had cheated other people that Mike A had referred him to and that, like termites, the damage to Mike A’s reputation stayed hidden until it came to light in his own business referral. In the end, Mike A greatly mitigated the damage by contacting and apologizing to each of the people whose business had been harmed by the unscrupulous vendor he had referred them to. In this way, he was able to minimize the damage to his own networking relationships.

As you can see, the biggest risk in this referral was to the referral giver’s reputation and business relationships. Many people had hired this printing shyster without a bid process because of Mike A’s reputation and clout. This is why referral marketing is dangerous, and it is why the referral provider owes it to himself and others to know as much as possible about the vendor he’s referring to others. Take the time to get to know the person you’re referring. Make sure that person has integrity, because if he doesn’t, your own reputation is at risk. And here’s an important point: never give good referrals to people who don’t want them or can’t handle them with integrity and professionalism.

Similarly, if the person being referred assumes he’s got carte blanche because he’s a referral, a friend of a friend, he can do himself permanent damage by performing poorly or dishonestly. When your business depends on word of mouth, you can’t hide behind a mass advertising campaign and bank on plenty of new customers replacing used-up, disgruntled ones. Word of mouth is always working—if not for you, then against you.

The same thing goes for the prospect. If you’re expecting to get a break—say a special price or a freebie—or if you try to take advantage because a friend referred you to a vendor she knows, there’s a strong chance you’re damaging the vendor’s relationship with the referral giver by making the referral giver look bad. Rather than refer other vendors to you and risk damaging those relationships, chances are the referral giver is going to avoid you in the future.

As you can see, everybody in this three-way referral relationship is in a fishbowl. Everything you’re doing or communicating, everything you’re displaying is part of your word-of-mouth message. Dishonesty, incompetence, and carelessness quickly become apparent to all. In traditional advertising, a graphic designer can create your image, your brand. In word-of-mouth marketing, your image is not only things that have been created for you but also the way you come to the table—even the way you behave in roles outside of business. If your child’s Little League coach is timely, well behaved, professional, and a good leader, you’ll be favorably disposed toward giving him your business when you learn he’s also a respected attorney.

Even for someone who is honest, skilled, and dedicated, word-of-mouth marketing may not be the best choice. If your business can ring up plenty of sales based on your customer-service reputation alone, if you are uncomfortable spending the face time needed to maintain good networking relationships, if you don’t want to market personally, then traditional advertising should probably be your choice of marketing strategy.

Remember, word of mouth is always working; it’s just not always working for you. Especially if you’re a jerk.

Called the “Father of Modern Networking” by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is the Founder and Chairman of BNI (www.bni.com), the world’s largest business networking organization. His latest book The 29% Solution can be viewed at www.29PercentSolution.com. Dr. Misner is also the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute, an international referral training company (www.referralinstitute.com). He can be reached at misner@bni.com.

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NETWORKING SUCCESS: Word of Mouth Marketing is Only as Good as the Referrals You Give