.

He was a pleasant, smiling, older gentleman who had long since retired. His name was Jim.

Jim told me that when he was working for Liquid Paper, during the age of the typewriter, he was their Number One Sales Person out of thousands. Want to know how he did it? I wanted to know.

I asked him this question, “If you could sum up in one sentence what led to that level of success for you, what would you say?”

He looked at me and smiled. Thought a moment and then calmly replied. His response has stayed with me and helped me sell literally MILLIONS of dollars in products and services over the years, for others and for myself.

His answer?

“Sales are made on the road.”

It took a while for his wisdom to sink in. What did he mean? Work hard?  Is that the ”One Thing” that the top salesperson (in any organization) uses to repeatedly and continually outperform all others? No. He meant sales are made face to face because that’s how relationships were built back then.

The face to face part decades ago meant that eyeball to eyeball contact and a firm handshake helped you to ”win trust.” How can you get to the same end result in business today - TRUST - and multiply your income, even if you can’t travel to meet people in person?

Today, the “road” you must be on is the Internet. Get leverage there. You can be seen simultaneously in many, many places. After all the Internet has been referred to as the “Information Highway” from its beginning.

Be seen. Be heard. Let people look you in the eye in your video posts, hear your tone of voice with audio players, and experience your commitment and passion around your offering.

Keep an eye out for my next blog post where I’ll give you several strategies and methods online. Then you can experience first hand how “Sales are made on the road.” 

.
If you’re looking for ways to get more customers and collect a little extra cash (or just pay the rent), then you need to ask yourself one question:

“What can I sell TODAY?”

Plus, there’s a few things you should avoid. These are things NOT to do. Then we’ll cover what you CAN do.

It’s funny, odd, sad, interesting or curious - take your pick - when a business or individual wants more money that they engage in, or start to do, any of the following:

Borrowing Money

You can’t borrow to add to your bottom line. You can’t borrow you’re way out of debt either. You can SELL your way to success however. If you have an existing customer base, go back to them with a new offer (not necessarily a discount!) with a bonus or extended benefit.

Spending Money

I’ve always viewed spending as something discretionary but not essential. It’s usually an emotionlly based, implusive and incremental improvement, like a slightly better printer or the latest cell phone model, and often done just to make you ‘feel’ better.

While investing is a decisive, objective action taken to reach a specific outcome. You invest in an item, event or service that has a highly probable chance of bringing you an immediate Return on Investment (ROI) - preferably immediately!

Starting New Marketing

Starting a new, especially an expensive marketing campaign that is unproven can be lethal. Display advertising and high risk activities like Live Events can be big flops if you’ve not used them before and know what you’re doing.

Don’t get me wrong on this one. I LOVE new marketing tactics. I’m just suggesting you use proven, low-cost and no cost methods (like our Free Marketing Tips at www.CustomerCatcher.com) that involve less risk and less of your precious capital or credit.

A great example of more immediateablly measurable results is using direct mail, postcards or letters, that drive prospects to a web site with an irresistable offer. Another is the combined use of classified ads listing a toll free 800 line with an audio text message, again inviting people to get online or better yet - to call you!

Thinking ”The Internet” Can Save You

While the Internet is the most amazing, revolutionary and evolutionary media, it is really “just another medium” to use for your marketing. It should be integrated into your existing strategies and used to increase productivity, like sharing a map to your business, perhaps delivering digital products or providing downloadable intake surveys.

It’s the reliance on the web I’m talking about. It’s a false belief to think of your web site(s) like an employee - you know, like a human - that can lovingly handle prospects and customers. There is nothing BETTER than an interactive human, no matter how ‘interactive’ your web master says your site is. Solution > first thing on top of your Home Page is your toll free number.

Looking for “Investors”

One of my clients spent six months and probably close to $50,000 putting together materials and research to find investors. He sold absolutely nothing during this time. He failed to find an investor that didn’t want to own more than what he viewed as a fair share of his company. He also waisted half a year that could have been spent selling to his existing clients, reactivating old customers, and networking with associates that knew him already and would refer him.

Planning, Meeting, Planning, Meeting

Have you ever phoned somewhere to buy something and been asked to leave a message by the receptionist because “Everyone is in a sales meeting?”  Get it… “IN A SALES MEETING?” Arrrrgggghhh. I was a hot prospect, taking an action to connect and turned away - never to return by the way.

It’s the old wisdom of “Ready. Fire. Aim.” If you’re constantly in meetings, planning and debating how best to proceed to save your business then YOU are only in ‘Aim’ mode and your competition is eating your lunch. (Ok I dare you to fit more cliches into your blog posts. Sorry ’bout that but I think it still works here.

Stay Tuned

While the above are presented to make you think, they’re aren’t what you need to do.

Think about your answers to the question, “What can I sell today?” and how you can take action now. Share your feedback and comments here. Post your best ideas too!

Then keep an eye out for my next blog post, I’ll share a few ideas and solutions to help you “Sell today!”

.

In contrast to the last post asking, “Are You Famous?” this question requires a more sensitive and serious approach. If you want to get more customers, there’s a big reason to take a minute here and see the other side.

It was inspired by a reader’s reply including this fantastic and reflective question. Martha T. wondered what I would say to the flip-side-of-the-coin query:

“Are You Infamous?”

You do NOT want to be infamous. There are a few, very and very unique situations you might squeeze out some sort of recognition, a bit of money or benefit, but only in the end and after you have suffered the consequences or paid a steep price.

In the Hollywood-like ‘celebrity’ business, consumers are spending their TIME and ATTENTION. They’re mindlessly in front of a television, in their sleepy, time wasting mode, where there is (in some twisted way) “entertainment value” to see some self-destruct or be publicly humiliated or have their privacy invaded.

However, YOU are in a very, very different business. You are in the ‘credibility’ business where people are offering you their MONEY and TRUST.

Who wants to give you money when the first thing they hear about you is the “charges against you” or see a picutre of you drunk on Sunset Boulevard?

You want to the media to LOVE you, so your prospects do too!

(By the way, if you DO want only good, positive, business-building publicity check out The National Publicity Summit put on by my friends, Bill and Steve Harrison. They’re the leaders when it comes to getting on TV and Radio for all the right reasons. )

Webster’s Online Dictionary defines infamous as “having a reputation of the worst kind.” You think that leads to a quick decision to break out the credit cards for your offer?

Another question, in a similar vain and closely tied to this subject, that is posed by many of my clients is “Is any publicity good publicity?”

Let’s look a little more closely at reason why you do NOT want to be infamous…

Your 15 Minutes

You were unknown and now EVERYBODY knows your name. This is often extremely brief , valueless fame and brings little fortune.

Recently a woman had octuplets. This is sensationalism and highly newsworthy. However, it quickly turned into a near crucifixion of the single mother, who was not rich and already had 6 other children under the age of eight.

She thought reality TV offers, publishers with book advances, and diaper companies and other baby product people would come forward with wallets open. Didn’t happen. Zilcho so far.

Can you tell me her name now? She was in the news for weeks but has nearly disappeared already.

“Everybody Lived”

Listen to this one. When your plane CRASHES, it is NOT good publicity. However, when everyone lives it’s kinda cool!

I’m amazed and in awe of the public relations work around the crash landing of an airliner. When a U.S. Airways flight “landed” on the Hudson Rive in New York. It’s even named “Miracle on The Hudson.” (I’m going to stop here but this all by itself is a worthy of an entire post and discussion. Stay tuned.)

Not that I want to encourage you in any way to go and get arrested, let’s visit the other side where there may be some credence, meager as it may be, for bad publicity.

Turning Your Stupidity Into A “Job”

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was charged with corruption and unanimously kicked out of the State Legislature and banned for life from every holding public office again.

He was not given a judicial trial or found guilty but his previous bad publicity and connection with the election of the first African American U.S. President by selling his now vacant Senate seat toasted his career and whatever reputation he had managed to hold together.

Yet, one day after his removal from office, professional wrestling company TNA Wrestling offered Blagojevich a job. His role would be the on camera lead of the Main Event Mafia.

Add to Your Existing “Bad Boy” or “Tough Girl” Image

There are rare exceptions where it adds to the value of an existing image or brand that a person already built, by plan or by fate.

Robert Downey Jr.- This actor was in and out of rehab and jail, as much as he was in the movies. He somehow had enough talent to overcome his criminal record. One judge even allowed him out on weekends to shoot a movie while doing time.

This is a case of pre-existing “branding” of a bad boy, struggling with his own demons and the ‘weight of fame.”  The public’s sympathy oddly is extended to victims of their own ill decisions.

Martha Stewart - This tough driving, business woman, already known to be harsh and bold in her industry of home decor, cooking and gardening was jailed for obstructing justice and lying to Federal Investigators.

It ended up looking like she was being made an example of and unfairly treated. While “men” who made more money and committed similar indiscretions were ignored or got a slap on the wrist in comparison.

Important to note here is that she didn’t ‘burn any cookies’ in her subject area. It was a financial matter that didn’t harm her business. in fact, her stock went UP!

Final Warning

Both Robert Downey Jr. and Martha had millions of dollars to comfort them in jail. If you’re rich already you can afford to be stupid and bounce back a little better.

In almsot all cases, negative publicity is NOT a good thing! When and if you get negative attention, the best you can do is “make lemonade from lemons.” But, if you could avoid any negative press, wouldn’t you?

Post your comments and share what you think. Got any great examples one way or the other about publicity?

.

Funny thing happened to me on the way to…

… an Internet Video conference in San Diego last weekend. 

As I stepped into the hotel elevator to head down to the event room, there was another participant there with her name tag on. 

She gave me a double-look rather than staring up at the current floor number (No, not that “I’m a hottie guy” but like she knew me from a “line up”).

Seeing my tag, she started our conversation with this question:

“Are you famous?”

It immediately hit me. What do you say?

“Yes. Yes I am, but you just don’t know me,” or “No. No I am not but you know me.” LOL

My immediate reply was, “Apparently not” with a big chuckle.

Later in the day, after I appeared on stage and was introduced by the seminar’s host, she and I met up again and she exclaimed, “See! I knew you were famous!”

There are several lessons to be learned here:

Who really KNOWS you?

If your prospects never see or hear about you, then you are unknown - invisible. Get out there! Use publicity, conferences, networking and online events to meet others and get known. 

Who INTRODUCES you? 

It wasn’t until I was introduced by the event host and placed on stage that my new friend confirmed, in her mind, that I was in deed “famous.” Think of the word famous replaced by CELEBRITY or better yet, CREDIBILITY.  Both give you a bit of headstart and an opportunity to win over fresh faces and new business.

Who REMEMBERS you?

By being involved in events, both online and off, where you can be introduced or called upon by the hosts, you are given the truly magical positioning of “expert” or “leader” in your niche or industry. This is something that you CAN create both directly and indirectly. 

If you want more customers, more business and more money, you have to take proactive steps to get in front of more people, to have others present you, and to have something memorabe to offer, each and every time.

Nothing happens if you don’t take steps to make yourself better known and yes, even…

FAMOUS!

“Thank you. Thank you very much. I love you all.”

.
Don’t watch the news. It’s all BAAAaaaddDD.

Really…

Aside from the last, 30-second story about the baby born unexpectedly, but healthy, on Flight 493 or the 5th graders that raised money to send blankets to an earthquake-shaken region, the news is bleak, ominous and hopeless.

But do NOT let the ‘mood’ of the media affect your efforts. Despite their sky-is-falling coverage, there IS “money in them th’ar wallets.” Just like gold in “them th’ar hills,” sometimes it’s a bit harder to reach, however, it’s still worth a lot and worth your effort.

You have to remember this - BAD news sells!

YOU Are Not GM or CitiBank

It does NOT mean that it’s bad all around. Have you noticed construction of buildings continues, people still buy food, there are ads in the newspapers, on TV and Radio still, and stores are still open?!

Your prospects and customers probably DO watch the news. They may be worried, nervous and scared. You can address their concerns WITHOUT buying into the false hysteria.

Businesses Operate On Budgets

That’s WHY they’re called “operating budgets.” They will spend 95% of the same money they spent last year. If you had a limo business would you say, “It’s tough times. I’m going to stop buying gas or paying my lease.” Doubtfully, unless you truly are shutting down your company.

People Are STILL Buying

They are just being more selectively. If anything, you may actually have a BETTER chance as smart shoppers are looking for better deals and, more importantly, better value.

Offer VALUE!

Don’t just slash your prices in desperation and fear. Be bold in your approach and confident in your messaging! Be smart and brave. Attract more new customers with your leadership, proprietary processes, knowledge and CONFIDENCE.

Find and use FREE tools to get more customers (Yes, like Free Tips at www.CustomerCatcher.com).

Leverage The Internet

If you haven’t yet - do so! Many have not.Do you have an Auto Responder set up to instantly and automatically send email marketing and customer service and support messages? Personally, I use HandsFreeBusiness to do this. It saves you a TON of money and time.

Pause. Power Up.

If you’re finding things slow, don’t sit and gripe and whine. Re-educate yourself, train your staff or do the market research for new opportunities you’ve been putting off.

Never, Never, Never Surrender!

And finally, communicate with your existing customers twice as much. Market smarter AND harder. Never stop.
Sell. Sell. Sell!

Do something. Do anything. Get out there. Stay out there.

“There’s money in them th’ar wallets.”

“lmprovise. Modify. Adapt. Overcome.”

These words are part of a CIA training session.Well…at least in the spy action flick “The Recruit” with
Al Pacino and Colin Farrell. Whether it’s an actual credo
or real training strategy for the CIA, one only knows…

However, the wisdom of the words for your
marketing success can be HUGE.

Improvise - Work smart. Make due with what you
have instead of blowing your budget on risky advertising,
info products and unproven services. Most things you
really can do yourself. You may just not like doing them,
like taxes - yuck!

Modify - Repurpose and repackage your existing
content, products and services. Bundle and unbundle
your offerings. Use other people’s content to inspire
you and make it your own. Take a movie line and
blog about it!

Adapt - Be totally aware of existing market conditions
and “perceptions.” Everyone is in a fear-based mindset
with the current economic downturn so address it (even
if you don’t believe it yourself) in your headlines, e.g.
“How To Get New Customers In An Economic Downturn”

Speaking of which, I’ll shamelessly plug my own company
site here.  If you want more customers in good times
or bad, then check this out, if you haven’t yet for your
FREE sales and marketing tips and more.

Overcome - Focus on an OBJECTIVE, not your processes.
Get one new customer today. Add 10 new prospects to
your email marketing list. These are objectives.
Deciding on which email marketing service is a “process”
that doesn’t make you money. (FYI - I use the all-in-one
www.HandsFreeBusiness.com for all my email and shopping
cart stuff.)

Think about how you can RESPOND rather than REACT to
your life and business challenges today with this phrase. If you
don’t have money to advertise, find alternative and free ways.
If you can’t travel use teleconferencing.  Network on the phone
daily. Get intel from your contacts and associates for your
next BIG opportunity to cash in!
In the meantime…

“lmprovise. Modify. Adapt. Overcome.”

It’s “Online VIDEO!“

Video is a huge part of my Customer Catcher Formula as a credibility and communication tool.
Almost nothing can beat it today, as an online marketing medium.  That’s why today, I’m seriously and strongly recommending you check out:

http://www.MyInstantVideoTraffic.com

It’s no secret that you must embrace online video IF you want to build yourlist and explode your customer base.

I use it on www.CustomerCatcherTV.com and for YouTube generated traffic too! Video Tips bring me BOTH clients for consulting offline and  new listeners to my Radio Show too.

It’s simple and it works 7/24 all year long.

And it can for you too! Pull in way MORE traffic and MORE customers, starting today.

One question I always get is “WHAT camera is best to use? And one that I can afford?”

I understand. Been there, done that…

When you look at all the options, formats, brands and models, it makes your brain hurt.  My partner, Mike Koenigs created this free video that we wanted to share with you. Again at:

http://www.MyInstantVideoTraffic.com

It’s called - The Video Camera Buyer’s Guide: What to Buy and Where to Get It.

It covers everything from the $100 Flip cameras and Webcams all the way up to the $4,000+ HD “prosumer” models.  He also talks about microphones and accessories.  It’s easy to understand and Mike knows what he’s talking about.

He’s been producing videos for almost 20 years a and made a feature film. He kicks my butt as far as video goes…
but I’m better at Internet Radio. 

It’s a gift from him and I’m passing it on to you.  Mike offers all sorts of cool training and of course his video posting  software, but you’re under no obligation.

Therefore, steal all the free stuff you want and learn about video for yourself.

Go now. It’s free.

http://www.MyInstantVideoTraffic.com

“How can I get more customers?“

This is the number one question I get when I ask most entrepreneurs, small business owners and independent professionals what their biggest, burning business question is.  There is no one single method because whether you’re an author, speaker, consultant, retailer or manufacturer, your industry or niche has some unique circumstances and situations. However,there is a ‘formula’ that ensures you can get more customers, clients and raving fans.

But first, to set this up for you…

Every Sunday, I make pancakes for my kids. It’s a simple combination of basic ingredients to deliver fluffy, velvety and tasty pancakes (patting self on back). The base components don’t change - flour, milk, eggs, baking powder, salt - but you can create a variety of pancakes either with additional ingredients, like a banana or chocolate chips, or accessories after the fact, like flavored syrups.

For instance, my eldest daughter was ‘not into’ my pancakes after a while and I was hurt, I admit. Recently, we tried sprinkling my regular offering with icing sugar. Bingo! She was back in the Daddy Pancake Club.

This little anecdote is an example of two things.

1) You need to execute the basics, as the common denominator for success.

2) With only a small change (incremental and/or experimental), you can dramatically change your results.

The Customer Catcher Formula™ is a proven way to cover the basic and proven methods of marketing while allowing you to express your own personality or business philosophy. You can follow it for an Action Plan to get both immediate and long term results.

The Formula combines traditional approaches like networking and book authoring, while integrating more current strategies, like Internet Radio and Podcasting and Social Networking. The most critical factor for maximum return on your investment for money, time and effort is INTEGRATION of all your marketing.

My pancake recipe secrets remain classified.

However, stay tuned for more on The Customer Catcher Formula™.

If you’re looking to increase your lead generation, attract more prospect and multiply your opportunities for profit, there are many ways to accomplish this. Here’s a quick ‘tickle’ list to get you going today:

Attend Live Networking Events - this is a very effective method for introducing yourself eye-to-eye and meeting centers of influence. It builds trust and rapport faster. Regular attendees can introduce you to new ones, while you also learn from guest speakers and experts.

Participate On Teleseminars - Introduce yourself at the beginning of each session, if invited to do so. Important Customer Catcher Tip is to be “from your web site” NOT your city of residence. For example, “Hello, this Martin Wales from RadioTalkShowHost.com” versus “Martin from Toronto.”

Join A Mastermind Group - Find like-minded individuals who commit to meeting regularly to support, inspire and promote each other. It’s time to move on, however, if you’re the one who feels like your experience and expertise is being ’sucked from your brain’ more than is reasonable.

Become Part of Your Professional Association- Don’t just attend events, as you can leverage the Associations’ Membership list or directory, participate in online forums and write for their web site and offline publications too.

Contribute A Free Bonus To Someone Else’s Promotional Campaigns - Currently, many authors are promoting their book launches with free digital download gifts and bonuses. By contributing your samples, ebooks or self assessments, etc., you are exposed to ALL the people that are receiving that marketing. I’ve reached MILLIONS this way, at NO cost. My next one is with a book being promoted on Oprah Winfrey’s show. You know… Oprah!

Use Traditional Publicity - Hurts me to type this so simplistically as this is HUGE. There are so many ways to get attention using what I call “face time” publicity (which tends to be expensive, slow and harder to measure returns). Being on TV, radio and in print helps build credibility and celebrity but without a clear call to action, backed by a specific sales
process, you’re getting only fame and NOT fortune. Why be interviewed if you can’t at least give out your web site or 1-800 phone number with a free gift?

Use Alternative Publicity- Asking intelligent questions, like on teleseminars as above, or at live events (online and off) that are being recorded, both on audio and video, is just one way to get your name and web site promoted by others. Remember the event promoter or host usually sells that captured content to many, many prospects who don’t even attend the original event.

Always ASK For Referrals- Always, always, always be asking. Especially your current clients, recently finished project coordinators, your professional contacts and your ezine, blog or newsletter readers. Your current customers are your best (unpaid) salesforce.

Attend Live Webinars and Online “TV shows”- Ustream.TV and JustIn.TV are just a couple of newer web sites that offer FREE video live-casting with a cool chat feature for viewers to participate. By making comments that contribute helpful info, you attract others to click on your I.D. and check you out. (I confess to being the ‘Class Clown’ here and often using humor). Be respectful, put the host on a pedestal and don’t overpromote your own
URLs.

Offer Your Opinion- Support or provide alternative views on blogs, forums and in groups that directly involve your industry or nice. Don’t forget those that complement yours, i.e. a do-it-yourself renovations with new home buyers, or that target the same demographics, whether age, income or geography.

Guerrilla Marketing Works - Beside me here in the coffee shop, as I scribe, is a bulletin board with a whole bunch of posters. Weak ones look like typed letters. Strong ones are colorful, short (e.g. postcards), have a bold, effective headline. BIG tip - the tear away phone number are highly effective, as most have been torn off already. If you want to hear the Father of Guerrilla Marketing himself, listen to him at Customer Catcher Radio.

In closing, don’t focus solely on one and forget all the others. Sure, start with one and stick with your big winner, but make sure to apply multiple streams of leads, prospects and promoters to mulitply your profits. Get started today!

Go!

That’s “stuck” not “suck.”

When you’re not getting any sales or you feel your marketing has run out of gas there’s one thing you can do. Many fail to use this strategy and lose out on fresh prospects, new customers and substantial, easy-to-make money. Actually, it’s as much a creativity tool as it is a strategy.

What is it? Recently, I wrote about this mind set to address internet marketing specifically but it works anywhere for any company to deal with being stuck.

It can double your success. You’ve probably read it yourself numerous times on the side of a shampoo bottle!

“Rinse and Repeat.”

This statement was part of directions on shampoo containers that essentially DOUBLED sales for consumer products companies. It told shampoo users (hopefully that’s everyone) that for “best results” that you apply their wonderful product twice per use.

Just like convincing someone to wash their hair twice in the ‘Directions’ to improve results, you can use this same philosophy to attract more traffic to your web site, store or offices.  You can collect more leads and speak with more fresh prospects to multiply your sales. It near doubled the sales of the shampoo companies. (Tip: People do what they’re told. You just have to remember to TELL THEM!)

Often when coaching clients about improving their marketing, they tell me about their previous successes and failures. I immediately ask them, “Did you repeat it?” for their most successful tactics and over 95% usually say, “No!”

Isn’t that interesting?

Think of all the sales or marketing tactics that you could do over and over, once successfully proven.

• Web Based Sales Letters and Email Marketing Campaigns
• Teleseminars & Webinars - like Customer Catcher Media offers FREE on its Home Page
• Special Offers - “2 for 1″ Offers or Added Bonuses
• Specific Scripts - When following up on the phone or contacting a lead for the first time
• Direct Mail - Especially post cards like I use Customer Catcher Cards for (Grab your FREE sample)
• Copy That Sells - Everything from email Subject Lines to Headlines on your press releases
• Networking or Speaking at Live Events - Seminars, conferences, and trade shows
• Contests & Promotions - Win an iPod or Vacation and other cool things NOT directly related to your product/services
• Media & Public Relations - Sending out digital press releases, being interviewed on radio, or even hosting your own show. (Warning: Shamless plug ahead - If you want to do that, check out Radio Talk Show Host training)

You can always edit and improve past efforts but use similar tactic and successful strategies that worked for you previously. Even if it was in another industry or for a previous employer. Loyalty reward programs started in the airline industry and are now common to almost all retailers. The same is true for Gift Cards.

Next time you find yourself looking for ’something new,’ make it easy on yourself and use the “Rinse and Repeat” mind set to re-establish your marketing momentum.