The Most Important, and Overlooked, Marketing Tactic

Marketing includes every contact and aspect of the public
experiences such as, the way you answer their calls; how
you "make good" when something goes wrong; how well you
help them solve their most pressing problems and your
employees' attitudes, dress and demeanor.

It is about building sincere and profitable long-term
relationships with prospects and customers (as well as,
employees, suppliers and even competitors). Entrepreneurs
who focus on advertising, lead generation and sales often
overlook this and therefore, lose their credibility and
it's not long before people take their business elsewhere.

Remember, no amount of advertising – no matter how slick –
will make up for such things as shoddy workmanship, rude
employees or hucksterism. It's like building a house of
cards… it may hold up for a while, but will eventually come
tumbling down.

Want to get in on a really big secret? A hush-hush tactic
guaranteed to substantially increase your revenues and
dramatically decrease your advertising expenses?

An underground tip that will help catapult you into a very
small but elite group of like-minded – and extremely
successful – businesspeople?

Even better, what if you knew it wouldn't cost you a thing?

Well, you're in luck because I'm about to let the cat out
of the bag…

Drum roll please!

Ready?

Sure?

Okay, okay… enough fun.

The secret is…

Do what you say you're going to do when you say you're
going to do it.

I repeat…

Do what you say you're going to do when you say you're
going to do it.

Huh? Is that all? I must be kidding, right? Wrong.

Reflect back on your own experiences as a consumer and try
to remember what occurred right before you exclaimed, "I
will never do business with that company again, let alone
recommend them to anyone else!"

Was it the roofer who showed up three weeks late?

Or was it the real estate agent who has yet to return your
calls or emails?

Or was it the attorney who left you waiting for over an
hour?

Or was it the electrician who dropped out of your life
after promising to fix your ceiling fan?

Or was it online supplier who failed to mail your "next day
air" package?

Or was it the consignment store retailer who "forgot" to
pay commissions?

Or the thousands of others who have disappointed you?

Unfortunately, we've all been there. And sadly, these
behaviors have become the more the norm, than the exception.

So, when people or companies actually deliver what they've
promised, we are pleased and happy to spread the word to
our friends, family members, co-workers, and even complete
strangers! This type of positive word-of-mouth advertising
is one of the most effective and affordable (it's free!)
ways to end up with more business than you know what to do
with!

But remember, the reverse is also true… when you let people
down, they'll tell four people who will tell four more who
will tell four more…and pretty soon you're reputation – and
business – will be shot.

As the noted American author and motivational speaker, Jim
Rohn, said, "Time will either promote you or expose you."
I hope you choose the former.

----------------------------------------------------
Ms. Scarborough is the co-author of two books, ("The
Procrastinator's Guide to Marketing" and "Mastering Online
Marketing"), former mktg. executive, award-winner speaker,
and certified Guerrilla Marketing coach. She holds aBA in
English from the Univ. of MD and a MS in marketing from
Johns Hopkins University. Log onto her website:
http://www.StrategicMarketingAdvisors.com for free
articles, templates, tips, tools and more.

U-Tube Marketing

Marketing on U-Tube

U-Tube is quickly becoming THE way to market your product
your product or service. Videos on U-Tube are viewed by
millions. It is the easy way to gain an instant audience.
It's great because people would much rather watch a video
with information than read a long webpage. Below is some
great information on how to market using U-Tube.

You will need to keep your video under 3 minutes long. To
do this, write down a sort of script first. Read your
script out loud while timing yourself. This will help you
keep the video under 3 minutes, and help you determine
exactly what you want to say. While filming the video,
it's recommended that you don't actually read the script.
You want to sound natural.

Have fun relaying your message. Audiences will believe you
and relate to you better if you are having a bit of fun,
and if you're being yourself. This is an important reason
for acting natural. Audiences can smell a 'phony' a mile
away, and if they think that you're acting, they will be
less likely to believe you and trust you. Mention your
website at the end of the video so that potential customers
can reach you for follow ups.

U-Tube is an amazing way to gain an audience. It is easy,
and you're more likely to get a lot of views on your U-Tube
video than with a website. When you place yourself in
front of the camera, people realize that you are a real
person, not just the hands behind a bunch of convincing
words. Have you ever read a website and wished that you
could see the person who's writing you were reading?
U-Tube is a great way to accomplish showing people that you
really are a real person.

You will want to place your U-Tube video in the correct
category. This is so that when people are searching for a
particular thing, your matching video will come up for them
to view. You will want to place it in the correct category
for your niche. For example, if your video is about 'the
greatest hip hop songs of all time,' you will want to place
it under music. The correct category maximizes your
chances to gain customers. You will also develop a rapport
with others who have videos in that category. This is
great because it will increase your chances of marketing.
Good luck and market like crazy!

----------------------------------------------------
Teresa Bell
BTM Marketing
http://wealthymarketerteam.info

Top Five Tips Small Business Owners Can Learn from J. K. Rowling

J. K. Rowling is the English writer who has authored all
seven beloved and widely read Harry Potter novels. At age
41, her rise to fame and fortune is inspiring. She has sold
over 325 million books. The final book in the series, Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was the fastest-selling
book of all time.

Her fortune is estimated at $1 billion. She is ranked as
the 136th richest person in the world. In 2006, Forbes
named Rowling the second richest female entertainer in the
world and ranked her as 48th on the 100 most powerful
celebrities list of 2007.

When this all began in 1990, however, things were very
different for J. K. Rowling. She was not a published
author. She did not have a lot of money. She was living in
London, working as a researcher and bi-lingual secretary
for Amnesty International, and her mother had just died.
How she got from there to where she is today is a story
filled with invaluable tips for small business owners.

Tip # 1: Don't Rush to Roll Out Your Product.

Destiny is a name often given in retrospect to choices that
had dramatic consequences. - Rowling

Although J. K. Rowling had been a writer all her life, she
was slow to publish. "I had written two novels before I had
the idea for Harry, though I'd never tried to get them
published (and a good job too, I don't think they were very
good)."

All too often, as small business owners, we rush to get a
product out before its time, before it's been fully
considered or tested. Rowling sets a great example of
getting a product just right before presenting it to the
world.

Tip # 2: When a Great Idea Grabs You -- Grab Back.

You sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've
got enough nerve. - Rowling

Great ideas are unmistakably powerful in their announcement
and come when least expected. Rowling says:

Where the idea for Harry Potter actually came from, I
really couldn't tell you. I was traveling on a train
between Manchester and London and it just popped into my
head. I spent four hours thinking about what Hogwarts would
be like. By the time I got off at King's Cross, many of the
characters in the books had already been invented.

As small business owners, we know when a great idea is upon
us. The problem is, we often question it, second-guess it,
and rationalize it away. Not Rowling. She recognized the
mark of a powerful idea, seized upon it and went with it.

Tip # 3: Persevere, Persevere, and Persevere.

It is our choices . . . that show what we truly are, far
more than our abilities. - Rowling

Rowling moved to Portugal to teach English as a Second
Language in 1991 and married her first husband in 1992.
They divorced in 1993. The next year, she moved to
Scotland. At this point, she was an unemployed single
mother living on welfare. In 1995, she completed her
manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone,
typing it out on an old manual typewriter. She handed in
the book to twelve publishing houses. They all rejected it.

Rowling never gave up. She did not stop just because life
was hard. Despite all the changes and setbacks she was
experiencing, she carried on. She persevered. As small
business owners, we would do well to keep her example in
mind.

Tip # 4: Don't Let Anyone, Including Yourself, Sidetrack
You from Your Goal.

If you're holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid
you will be in this cabin for a very long time. - Rowling

Finally, Bloomsbury, a small publisher, agreed to publish
the first book. Her editor, though, says that he "advised
Rowling to get a day job, since she had little chance of
making money in children's books."

It's a good thing she didn't listen. All seven volumes of
the Harry Potter series have broken sales records and have
been translated into 65 languages. What a shining role
model Rowling is for small business owners. She didn't let
anyone stand in the way of her goal-not even herself.

Tip # 5: Each of Us Has a Unique Contribution to Make to
the World.

I just write what I wanted to write. I write what amuses
me. It's totally for myself. - Rowling

J. K. Rowling never went searching for the kind of success
she's received. "I just wrote the sort of thing I liked
reading when I was younger (and still enjoy now!). I didn't
expect lots of people to like them, in fact, I never really
thought much past getting them published."

It wasn't fame or wealth that J. K. Rowling sought. No. She
simply wanted to contribute to the world in general, and to
children specifically. As small business owners, this is so
important to learn. Focus on the unique something we have
to offer to the world. The rest will surely come, in ways
we may not even be able to imagine.

----------------------------------------------------
Susan L Reid, MS, DMA, Small Business Start Up Coach,
Consultant & Accidental Pren-her™ is the soon-to-be
published author of The Entrepreneurial Woman. She
provides value, inspiration and direction for
entrepreneurial women starting up and launching small
businesses. For your free e-Zine full of ideas and start
up tips, visit http://SuccessfulSmallBizOwners.com .

Negotiations: Some Advanced Techniques

The following techniques are used by serious and expert
negotiators. Watch for them when negotiating. When they
appear, know immediately that you are negotiating with an
expert. Over time, you will find them becoming more and
more a part of your negotiating style.

• When you have gotten most of what you wanted while
remaining within your negotiating limits, stop negotiating.

You will almost always get about 80 percent of what you
want; and trying to get the other 20 percent frequently
jeopardizes the 80 percent you have already gotten. It may
not be the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but it is
more than adequate for the good life.

• Never argue.

Remember, you are a negotiator and arguing only lets the
other person know that you are not a first-class
negotiator. Argue if you must; but understand that arguing
is never an appropriate substitute for negotiating.

• If you can avoid it, never let the negotiations reduce to
a single issue.

Avoid letting negotiations reduce to a single condition
either on your list or mine. If necessary, reintroduce a
condition that seems to have already been resolved. Why? If
there is only one issue, then it quickly becomes a simple
yes or no decision. In this case, there is no further room
for negotiating; and a box has been created. One of us has
to decide yes or no. It becomes a 'take it or leave it'
proposition. If things get to this point, we are no longer
negotiating. Keep enough issues 'on the table' to assure
that there is always negotiating content or 'grist for the
mill,' as they say.

• Remember that people do not want the same things.

You know someone is running a game on you if he/she says,
'After all, we want the same thing.' This is virtually
never true. You want to actualize your interest and I want
to actualize mine. We may have some shared or common
interest; but we will also have some interest that are not
shared. As a skilled negotiator, you will recognize and
acknowledge both our shared interests and those interests
we hold as individuals.

• Understand and mention my needs, problems, and interests.

When you do this, though, do not state them as facts. Say
instead, 'If I understand, you have a problem
(need/interest) that I understand in this way…' Once you
have mentioned the problem as you understand it, ask me,
'Does it seem to you like I understand or do we need to
talk about this some more so I better understand?' Always
convey a sense to me that I, my problems, my needs, and my
interests are important to you and are being taken
seriously by you.

• Always keep your focus on task - on the negotiations.

Never shift focus to me or to personalities. Even when you
are talking with me about your perceptions of my problems,
needs, and interests, do so in ways that are related to our
negotiations - to the transfer conditions.

•Focus on-task with flexibility.

If my style is to let the conversation drift, socialize,
talk about other things, or to move away from task, 'go
with the flow.' Always be personable, friendly, and
interested. At the same time, though, look for
opportunities to return to task gently, tactfully, and
without becoming forceful or pushy.

• Be willing to walk.

Never get into a position where you are not willing to
walk, terminate the negotiations. If I ever get the
impression that you will hang in there no matter what, you
are totally at my mercy. At a minimum, I will probably be
able to get you to give me more than you really wanted to
give. Also, I will simply 'dig in' and give no more than I
have already offered. In fact, if I really believe that you
will not walk, you may find me actually reducing my offer.
Simply remember that, if you ever reach a point where you
are unwilling to walk, the negotiations are over. The
outcome is totally under my control.

•You are horse trading.

Remember that 80 percent of the movement will occur during
the final 20 percent of the process. Here we are talking
about an old horse trading principle. Always save a little
of your consideration for the final moments of the
negotiating process. Do not run out of negotiating room
until you get to the end of the negotiating process. Always
have a couple of options left for horse trading. Another
benefit is that I will leave the negotiation feeling that I
got the last concession. That will make me feel a little
smug and feel as if I am the superior negotiator. Among
other things, this will probably lead to my underestimating
you the next time we negotiate.

• Don't become impatient.

The person with whom you are negotiating will gradually get
a little frustrated and will want to move the process
along. He/she will probably be impatient with only 20
percent of the progress being made during the first 80
percent of the available time. Here, the key is to relax,
be patient, and simply out wait the other person. There is
a strong likelihood that he/she will make an additional
offer, increase his/her consideration, or do something else
to move the process along. Just by being more patient and
waiting, you have gotten more of what you wanted.

So far, I have tried to maintain a proper level of
objectivity and style. Since we have come to the end of
this article, though, I thought that you might like to know
about one additional game that may not quite maintain the
professional demeanor that has been present to this point.
This has been designated as 'The Call Girl Principle.' The
principle says that the value of a service declines in
direct proportion to the amount of time it has been since
you have received the service. Of course, this is why the
call girl always wants to be paid in advance. Good
negotiators always make sure that there are definite
arrangements made for how much they are going to receive
and when they are going to receive it. Whenever possible,
they receive it in advance. 'You do what you are going to
do for me and then I will do what I am going to do for
you.' By this point, though, you will undoubtedly be able
to go the call girl principle one better. Try it when you
and your spouse are in the lover's dimension of your
marriage. What is this advanced principle called? You
guessed it - simultaneous sex. As with many things in life,
it is usually better to do it together than to take turns.

----------------------------------------------------
This article is excerpted from The Frustration Factor from
Glenbridge Publishing. For more Articles and other
information from Gary Crow, visit
http://www.LeadershipVillage.com
or http://www.LeadershipVillage.org

Overcoming Fear of Startup

Think about this famous quote by Franklin Roosevelt after
Pearl Harbor: "The only thing we have to fear is fear
itself." I never really understood this quote until I
started working with people who wanted to start their own
practices, and until I started my own businesses. I have
thought a lot about fear and the way it can paralyze us and
I have seen this paralysis first-hand.

For example, I spent a lot of time, and many phone calls
and emails, helping a grad with the startup process. He
would go only so far, only to stop. He would find a
practice to buy, and then he would back out of the deal
because it wasn't quite right. Or he would find a
location, but never actually sign a lease, convinced that
this location wasn't perfect. He couldn't find a loan, but
he only tried a couple of banks then gave up. After months
he finally decided to stay as an associate, where he was
unhappy; for all I know, he's still there.

Why does fear paralyze us?

1. Old voices. We all have voices in our heads, from times
when someone (parent, friend, spouse) told us, "You can't
do this," or "This is stupid. You'll fail," or "Don't risk
failure." "If you fail, it will be terrible." As long as
we listen to those voices, we don't move ahead.

2. Perfectionism. It's great to want to do things well,
but we often are way too picky about how things must be.
For example, the guy who wanted the perfect location. A
friend of mine gave me some advice about writing: "My
rotten published book is better than your perfect
unpublished one." So I'm sending it off to be printed.

3. "Don't just do it." We figure we have to start at the
beginning and work toward the end, in some kind of specific
sequence. Then when we get stumped at a certain point, we
figure there's no way around. Not necessarily. Sure you
will have to get a loan before you can start buying
equipment, but there are lots of things you can do to get
started with little money, and there are lots of paths, not
just one.

Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek (Crown,
2007), has some suggestions for overcoming the paralysis of
fear:

1. First, define your nightmare. What is the worst thing
that could happen if you fail in your new practice? Spend
some time thinking about this. Create a worst case
scenario. Then consider two factors: Probability and
Severity. These are insurance terms, but they apply.
First, what's the probability (on a scale of 0% - never
happen, to 100% - guaranteed to happen) of failure? Then
look at the severity – the cost – of failure. While I'm
not a fan of dwelling on the negative, I do believe you
need to look under the bed to convince yourself there
really are no monsters under there (like Grover.)

2. Then look at the steps you could take to repair the
damage. How could you get your life back on track if you
fail in practice? Spend some time thinking about
alternatives, like starting again elsewhere, or working for
someone else. Think about what's really important, and
"don't sweat the small stuff."

3. Consider the outcomes and benefits of more probable
scenarios. Think about what your life would look like in a
"best case" scenario. Then set yourself to thinking that
this is the more probable outcome of starting your own
business.

4. Prepare to succeed. Start taking baby steps to overcome
your fears by working on the positive steps to success.
Resolve to do one thing every day that you fear. Do one
small task every day that will move you toward your start
date. It might be as simple as calling the Yellow Pages
and ordering an ad in the next book. Work on your business
plan. Focus your energy on positive action. By the time
you are done writing the business plan, I think you'll find
you will see that startup success is not only possible, but
you'll feel more confident about starting your practice.

Remember, as Henry Ford said, "If you think you can or you
think you can't, you're right."

----------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2007 Jean Wilson Murray, MBA, PhD.
Dr. Jean Murray has been advising small business owners
since 1974. As the founder of Planning for Practice
Success, she specializes in assisting health care
professionals with business plan construction and startup
details. She can help you gain the knowledge to act and the
confidence to begin. Learn more at

http://www.professionalpracticesuccess.com

Harness the Unconscious Marketing Power of Stories

If you want people to pay attention to what you say, you
have to communicate with them at an unconscious level.

In order to do that successfully, it's useful to know that
the unconscious mind loves symbols. One of the most
powerful ways of using symbols is through metaphor or
stories.

As the unconscious mind also takes everything it hears
personally, people will automatically relate to the people
they hear about in the metaphor.

So a great way of getting your message across is using
stories in your marketing. Good communicators do this all
the time without realizing it.

People love to hear a story. When you give them information
in the context of "this is what happened with so and so,"
they will take the message on board much more convincingly.

While most people will resist an obvious sales pitch, they
will respond much more happily to the same information
presented in the form of a story. For example, try telling
a story about how someone's life has changed as a result of
using your product or about the success they have had after
following your advice.

Compare the following sentences and consider which one is
more likely to leave the biggest impact.

'We provide great training to many leading companies'.

or

'Bill White at Marriott was telling me how their sales
people had seen appointments double as a result of
attending our course.'

Turning the same information into a story about someone
else not only makes it more interesting, it makes it much
more likely that the listener will respond positively.

You can also learn a lesson from Hollywood and fill your
stories with interesting characters and dialog plus a
dramatic benefit. However take care to keep your stories
factual and don't stray into the world of fiction.

Another benefit of stories or metaphors is that they can
create feelings in the listener. If you tell a story about
someone having a good time, being successful and enjoying
things, it will make the listener feel good too.

If your story is full of negative information, it will make
them feel bad and less likely to do business with you –
unless you are offering a solution to that bad feeling!

To put stories to work in your business, you should build a
fund of examples of people you have worked with in the past
or people who have benefited from using your product.

----------------------------------------------------
Robert Greenshields is a marketing success coach who helps
entrepreneurs and independent professionals develop the
success mindset and marketing strategies for a better
lifestyle. For more info visit
http://www.mindpowermarketing.com

What Business Owners Need to Know to Achieve Extraordinary Business Success

If you are a business owner with employees, you need to
promote the most effective workplace interaction. Unless
you do, you will have needless struggles within your
organization. Your bottom line will suffer.

Last issue discussed how achieving extraordinary business
results involves understanding the key distinctions between
three types of workplace interaction, competition,
operation, and collaboration.

The Benefits of Collaboration. If you have highly
collaborative interactions in your workplace, you will
enjoy the following benefits:

Your people have more positive productive relationships and
make more effective decisions. Successful outcomes are
more likely because accountability is shared. Work
satisfaction increases because people feel more involved
and included. Workers are willing to give more because
they trust their colleagues. Better communication results
from information being shared more freely. Workers remain
motivated and progress continues in the leader's absence.
The whole environment is more energized.

Guiding Principles. Embrace these guiding principles to
create a collaborative mindset in your organization:

• Open and honest relationships, where everyone can be a
winner.

• Everyone is a valued contributor.

• Everyone owns the results generated in the business.

• Everyone is encouraged to contribute their viewpoint --
numerous perspectives are better than one.

• Constructive conflict is embraced as an opportunity to
expand the possibilities.

• The group can produce outcomes superior to individual
efforts.

• Difference of opinion is welcomed. It increases
creativity.

• A safe atmosphere that encourages trust where people will
contribute fully.

How Collaborative Is Your Workplace? One of the ways to
tell whether your workplace is collaborative is by
listening to the language your people use and the stories
they tell.

Quiz. Identify whether each of these phrases are examples
of competition, cooperation, or collaboration (answers are
at the end of this article)

1) "My opinion has to be heard."

2) "Let's hear everybody's ideas on this and use the best
ones."

3) "You owe me one."

4) "I'll support you on this if you do this for me."

5) "It's not what I can do, is what we can do."

6) "Remember to CYA (cover your a...)."

UnCollaborative Workplace Characteristics:
• People work in closed, separated spaces.

• People tell stories about their personal accomplishments.

• Rewards are given for individual contributions, made from
the top.

• Mistakes are handled by blaming and punishment.

• People handle problems in a reactive manner.

• People try to hide mistakes.

• Conflicts are either avoided or handled aggressively.

• There is a subtle "caste system" where certain groups are
undervalued.

• Business goals are short-term.

• There are no clear guidelines for workplace interactions.

• Getting things done quickly is highly important.

• Being right is very important.

Collaborative Workplace Characteristics:

• People work in open spaces that invite informal
interaction.

• People tell stories about group accomplishments.

• Rewards are given for group achievements.

• Decisions are made on the basis of group or shared
leadership.

• Mistakes are handled as a learning opportunity.

• People handle problems thoughtfully.

• Mistakes are evaluated and may be celebrated for the
daring and courage involved.

• Conflicts are handled in an open, respectful way.

• Everyone is included and valued.

• Business goals are long term.

• There are clear guidelines for workplace interactions.

• Getting things done well is highly important.

• Workplace relationships are very important.

Use these suggestions and guidelines to make your workplace
environment more collaborative and you will enjoy a less
stressful and more productive workplace.

Best wishes, ~Stan

Answers to the quiz given above: Competitive remarks are
numbers 1, 6. Cooperative remarks are numbers 3, 4.
Collaborative remarks are numbers 2, 5.

----------------------------------------------------
Stan Mann, C.P.C. supports business owners, top executives
and commission salespeople to substantially grow their
business and have a balanced life. He is a Certified
Professional Coach. For additional articles and resources
please visit http://www.stanmann.com