1. Yes
2. No, but tell me more
3. We used to be a member
Now I know every person has opinions but I’d like you to take a moment to read this brief article to discover seven reasons why I strongly feel that every business and non-profit organization should be a member of their local chamber regardless of the size of their organization, marketing budget, years in business, or even if they’ve heard or possibly had a negative chamber experience in the past.
1. Visibility. Yes, you’ve heard it said time and time again, that out of sight means out of mind. This is not a smart strategy for any business, especially when times are good. A market can change quickly. As Jim Collins says, good is the enemy of great. This is a great statement, but I’d like to add to it as it relates to marketing and. Good is the enemy of great, but often times complacency and short term thinking are the enemy of sustained marketing breakthroughs.
Let’s look at a real world example of chamber complacency in action. Having worked with hundreds of chambers throughout North America, I’m simply baffled that within many communities how few real estate agents and automotive sales reps are either non-existent or barely active within their local chamber. In these two highly competitive and crowded markets you’d think these folks would do anything to stand out from the competition and fully leverage the chamber to get an edge. Nope. It’s as if they have no idea the local chamber exists and how it can benefit their business.
2. Access. Unless you’re crazy or like consistent rejection, no one enjoys making cold calls all day long. It’s a painful, tedious process that often wastes far too much time and mentally drains even the most upbeat and friendly person after a while. When you join a chamber and actively get involved you’ll discover that meeting prospects who may have an interest or who can refer you to key contacts you’re trying to reach, is a huge benefit of membership. From being on committees, serving as an ambassador, or attending specific events where prospects are likely to be, you’ll find yourself in situations where you can identify and meet decision makers face-to-face versus making cold calls.
3. Ongoing training and education. Unless you have the luxury of a training budget or can afford to bring in local, regional region or nationally known experts on different topics, trends or key areas of expertise, I firmly believe that there is no other organization in America that delivers cutting edge, relevant and timely programs at such an affordable level for business and non-profit leaders as your local or regional chamber of commerce. By spreading costs among fellow members through registration fees and sponsorships, members can stay updated, informed and educated at a bargain price.
In the next post, I'll share with you the other four reasons to be a part of your local chamber.
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( 3 / 1307 )We welcome this month marketing and promotion legend Raleigh Pinskey to our offline newsletter ‘A Captured Mind’ newsletter. If you still haven’t subscribed send me an email directly (tony@mindcapturegroup.com) with the subject line: “Newsletter info”
Here’s a short excerpt from an article on why it’s important to understand the media as it pertains to marketing – enjoy!
Please the media and you’ll experience successful PR, branding, publicity, marketing and public relations. Take the time to understand and please the media. Honor their wants, needs, desires and agendas and you will be the recipient of a successful relationship. Don’t, and the cold shoulder will be yours.
I find it amazing that people ask me, “Why should we spend time understanding the media? Or learning about pleasing the media. Aren’t they there to understand and to please us? “
Media seekers are spoiled by experts who tell their audience that the media has lots of empty space and air time, and they need lots of copy to fill it. And, if we provide them with branding, marketing and publicity material they will report on it. That we can just sit back and rack in the big bucks from all the coverage they will get.
This is not true. If your information doesn’t fit their audience they won’t cover it. If your subject matter is not interesting or timely, entertaining or empowering, emotionally charged or controversial, why should they take the chance of losing their audience? Just because you were told they need to fill up the space? They don’t need to fill the space. They need to attract and keep readers who will buy from the advertising pages.
The more you know about the individual media, about their expectations, needs and requirements, the better your interaction will be. The more coverage you will experience. The more exposure you’ll get for your branding, marketing and public relations efforts.
My advice, learn everything you can about the inner workings of the media mind. In other words, heed the saying, “when in Rome do as the Romans do.” Knowing exactly what is their job is critical for getting done what you need them to do for you. Understanding this will keep you out of the fire and off the list. The “I will never talk to them again” list.
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( 3 / 1290 )It happened again. Another public figure busted and disgraced before our eyes. I'm not here to pass judgement but pass along a powerful marketing lesson this recent scandal teaches.
You Must Use Evidence or Proof In Your Marketing!
With the constant barrage of poorly crafted, cliche sales pitches and marketing messages we usually assume there's a catch or a gotcha. Add our distrust for the moving parade of high profile people getting popped for dumb behavior and it's no wonder we're so cynical about what people say.
I look at a lot of ads and 95 out of 100 lack serious proof or evidence to justify any reason to believe or trust what the advertiser's saying or trying to sell.
Here's a quick checklist of 10 powerful Mind Capture tools to aid you in proving your case within all of your marketing efforts :
1. Testimonials
2. Case studies
3. Pictures of clients or your product in action
4. Lists of key clients
5. Strong guarantee
6. Years in business
7. Awards, certifications, or industry accolades
8. Positive industry articles
9. Feature articles written about you, your product/service or anyone within your organization
10. Top 10 reasons or benefits sheet that describes your biggest strengths you provide customers
In the age of distrust it's easy to stand out from the sea of competition.
1. Do what's rights
2. Provide superior service - rare these days
3. Prove your case and use these 10 points as your guide
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( 3 / 1269 )Why are so many marketing messages online and offline ignored? I got this question a few times this week from a couple of clients and I dug into the archives to post a key reason: A weak or non-existent headline!
Let's explore how you can benefit by knowing several proven types of headlines and powerful words to include in them.
Stay with me for a minute and I'll quickly share a few ways that they can help revolutionize your business, career, and income.
Different types of headlines: To help you write headlines that get attention, let’s take a look at the different types of headlines you can use, how and when you may want to use them, and actual examples of headlines that were successful.
*The News Headline. If your product or service offers something newsworthy, announce it in your headline. Examples of this could the introduction of a new product or improvement of an existing one. A few words you could use in this type of headline: New, Announcing, Introducing, Finally, Just Released, Now, At Last.
EXAMPLES:
“Now! Own A New Car The Easy Way…$50.00 Down And $99 Per Month”
“New Diet Burns Off More fat Than If You Ran 21 Miles A Week”
“Announcing…The New Camping Gear That Will Make Your Next Trip Easier”
*The Guarantee Headline. Guarantee headlines state a desirable benefit, and guarantee results or other benefits. If you offer a powerful guarantee, let your prospects or customers know by stating it in the headline.
EXAMPLES:
“Play Guitar In 7 Days Or Your Money Back”
“If You Wait More Than 15 Minutes To Receive Your Meal – Lunch Is FREE!”
*The How To Headline. These two words – “how to”, are very powerful words. You can never go wrong using a How To Headline. (Over 8,000 book titles start out with How To) How To Headlines promise your prospect a source for information, advice, and solutions to their problems.
EXAMPLES:
“How To Win Friends And Influence People”
“How To Get Your Resort Bragged About”
“How To Form Your Own Corporation Without A Lawyer For Under $50”
*The Reason-Why Headline. With the Reason-Why Headline you give your prospect specific reasons why they should read your ad. They are effective because they contain facts and specific numbers. Reason-Why Headlines don’t need to include the words “reason why”. You can use “38 Ways”, “7 Steps”, “5 Secrets”, etc.
EXAMPLES:
“38 Fun And Easy Ways To Earn $500.00 Next Weekend”
“7 Steps To Financial Freedom”
“7 Reasons Why It Would have Paid To Answer Our Ad A Few Months Ago”
*The Testimonial Headline. The testimonial Headline is just what it says – it uses a customer testimonial for the headline. With this headline, you get your customers to sell for you by talking about the benefits they received.
EXAMPLES:
“I Lost My Bulges…And Saved Money Too”
“How I Retired On A Guaranteed Income For Life”
“We Saved Over 37% On Our Bill Each Month And The Service Has Been Outstanding”
There you have it! Several types of headlines you can use for any kind of circumstance or market. Each headline type works well on its own or it can be combines with the other headline types.
Time’s up. Until next time, keep 'Capturing' minds!
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( 3 / 1246 )I’d like to share with you the powerful strategy of vertical marketing in your business or organization. To avoid any possible confusion, here’s my definition of a business vertical market:
“An identifiable group of businesses or organizations that are similar or exactly alike in relation to the products or services they deliver to the marketplace.”
To demonstrate, let’s use the example of a vertical market such as new car dealerships. You can find them and target them directly or via their local, state and national trade groups. If you get even more specific you may drill down and only be looking to reach a vertical market of local, domestic new car dealerships located within 30-miles of your business.
Why Should You Focus On Key Vertical Markets
The three primary reasons include time, better profit margins, and the power of association. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Time. It’s either your biggest ally or enemy related to your productivity and ability to serve others. By drilling down and hitting specific groups or vertical markets you save time by being able to find a list or group of similar prospects who are much more likely to have a need for your offering versus “spraying and praying” to the general market with unfocused and poorly targeted marketing messages. Think precise rifle shot marketing, versus a shotgun approach.
Better profit margins. In vertical marketing you get to choose which groups of similar prospects you want to go after. If you identify a vertical market within your business that sees greater value in your offering and produces higher profit margins, then simple math alone should tell you where to focus and direct your marketing resources. I heard it summed up best by fellow marketing guru and $5000 per hour marketing mind, Jay Abraham, a couple years ago at a live seminar in Detroit:
“There are clients who respect you and those who don’t."
Focus your time and energy on those who respect and value most what you do!
The power of association. Here’s a powerful statement related to human nature as it relates to marketing and association: We hate change! There it is. No sugar coating or fluff, simply the truth. In the influence and persuasion process you must quickly build what I call a buying or association bridge with the prospect. If you can demonstrate your expertise and credibility in the mind of a busy, skeptical, lazy (I’m not kidding) and overloaded prospect you make the idea of change or exploring a new option more feasible to the prospect.
Don’t be fooled, peer pressure doesn’t end after high school or college, it’s still very much alive and well, especially in the business arena. People in vertical markets talk, network and share ideas, and recommendations with each other informally and within industry related association and trade group meetings on a continual basis. Your goal is to have your marketing tap into and build awareness to these circles of influence by becoming “known” within in a given niche or vertical market.
Three Simple, Direct & Highly Effective ‘Mind Capture’ Tools To Use When Targeting Vertical Markets
#1: Specific industry testimonials. Testimonial letters are my #1 favorite marketing weapon because they build instant credibility with prospects who are extremely resistant when approached by a new company or firm they’re unfamiliar with. A good testimonial letter from a well known company in a vertical market opens many doors and helps establish that you’re reliable and can be taken seriously. In my expert opinion testimonials are 1000 times more believable than anything else in your marketing mix!
#2: Client lists. This is a one-page list containing the names of several firms you work with in a particular vertical market and it often times presents a powerful visual to ignite the power of association in a prospects mind. You’re providing several references up front to show that you have a track record of success with their peers, competitors and other people within their trade or industry groups. This also telegraphs to a prospect that you know what you’re doing and often lowers the perception that you’ll waste their time and present a safer buying option if they see a need for what you provide.
#3: Positive industry related articles. Positive press about your product, service or company helps build strong positioning and credibility in the eyes of skeptical prospects. A feature story or article in a trade publication is still infinitely more believable than the best written advertisement you can come up with.
Fellow Captured Mind newsletter (www.ACapturedMind.com) faculty member and publicity guru Mike Van Norden says it time and time again and it’s worth repeating,
“Publicity is a powerful and smart form of positioning that helps you clearly differentiate in a crowded market.”
Here are two big things to remember related to using positive press in your marketing arsenal:
1. A well written article or story is a great way to draw people into learning more about your company, organization, product or service. I heard the statement years ago, but it’s now truer than ever: Facts tell – stories sell!
2. Getting featured in your local market or trade pubs in not as difficult as most people think. Most local papers and in particular, trade newsletter editors, are always on the lookout for story or article ideas. They need good and interesting content for their readers/members on a continual basis.
Keep focusing on the best vertical markets by using the strategies contained in this article and you’ll quickly be amazed at the positive impact it will have on your bottom line and several other aspects within your organization.
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