Monday, December 21, 2009

Using Connector Tactics to Land A Job (or help someone else advance their career)

Maribeth Kuzmeski
Red Zone Marketing

(get Maribeth's marketing guide fore 20% off when you use code GROUCHY)


Many people are looking for jobs these days. If you know someone looking for a job, give them 9 proven Connector Tips to help make their job search successful!


1. Search Everywhere For Job Connectors! “Job Connectors” are the best source to get you that key interview and land your best new job. Connectors are willing to share information about you with others, they have a wide network, and they like introducing people. Find these connectors to help you get your next job. You will find them at every meeting you attend, in your neighborhood, at your church, at your former employer, within associations, etc.


2. BE a Connector: BE a connector yourself by finding networks of people you can build relationships with that will lead you to your next job. But don’t confuse this with random networking. Successful connecting requires taking a targeted approach to meeting the right people everywhere you go. Make a list of the 20 Powerful Connections or types of connections that would be able to help you get that next job. Then find out where they are and go to them. Being a connector and reaching connectors requires research and patience. But the payoff is enormous!


3. Check Out Your Interviewer. If you know who you will be sending a resume to or who will be interviewing you, conducting a little research in advance of your communication can be a big advantage.


During an interview I conducted with a candidate for my company, the candidate began talking about how much he liked one of the books I had written years ago. He quoted from the book and offered a story of how he used the information in his career. He had me! I had spent a lot of time and sweat equity writing that book, and the fact that he liked it and gave me information that proved he really read it made me remember him. And somehow he seemed smarter! After ten interviews in one day, people can start to blur. He never did.


The fact is that we didn’t end up hiring him because he had little experience in the type of service marketing we needed, but I gave him a high recommendation to one of our firm’s clients and he was hired within a week!


4. Get Face-to-Face With Potential Employers! Find a way to get in front of your potential employer. These days it is much harder to show potential employers what you are all about and to forge a connection with them because so much of the pre-hiring process is done online and through email. That is why it is essential that you find a way to communicate face-to-face. Dropping off a follow-up note or resume are great opportunities for getting some face time with a potential employer. Another great face-to-face opportunity comes after the interview. To show you paid close attention to everything your interviewer said, stop by her office with an article that you think would be of interest to her or a small gift (e.g., a box of candy) based on some information you found out during the interview.


And once you are face-to-face, in an interview or otherwise, focus on having eye contact throughout. Lean in, show them you are interested in everything they say, and think before you answer any question. Thoughtful deliberation can be difficult if you’re nervous, but it is critical in answering your potential employer’s questions to the best of your ability. Establishing this face time is sure to set you apart from your job market competition.


5. Make an Impact by Using Video. If you really want to capture the attention of a potential employer, record a quick video. Use it to get an interview or as a follow-up after an interview. Here’s how it works: Instead of just emailing a resume or a post-interview thank-you note, include a link to a video of you talking directly to them. Carefully script your response and record the quick message using a Flip video camera or even a web cam.


Script Out Your Video Messaging to Get The Interview:

1. The video should be no longer than one or two minutes.

2. Introduce yourself.

3. Identify the job you would like to be interviewed for.

4. Tell them three things about your background that may make them interested in interviewing you.

5. Thank them for watching the video, ask them for the interview and give them your contact information!


Then post your video online and share the link or use a service like www.AdvisorTLC.com to email your video to your potential employer. You will definitely make an impact!


6. Practice Your Interview Answers With a Friend or Mentor. Don’t go into your interview cold. There is too much competition for jobs to take anything for granted. Think of potential questions you may get about your previous positions and how you will answer these questions and then go over them with a friend or mentor. Work on thoughtfully communicating how you will deliver benefits in a given position, not just on what you know. Become an expert at clearly communicating your strengths both verbally and in writing.


Practice providing information that is compelling, impactful, and clearly expresses how you will benefit the employer. Give your interviewers reasons to think about hiring you, not reasons to end the interview early!


7. Use Words that Connect. In interviews, try to scrap your memorized job pitch in favor of a more natural conversation. You’ll seem more at ease and authentic—and your potential employer will be more inclined to believe everything he’s hearing. In written communication, be sure to answer all parts of any questions you receive. And carefully read over the job description so that you can communicate your specific strengths based on the job’s requirements.


8. Prepare in advance to follow up after the interview. Plan on sending an immediate thank-you note through email or social media. Then, to ensure you are using every available option to stay in front of your potential employer, consider also sending a note in the mail. Yes, the mail. The note should recap what you discussed in the interview and reinforce what you can deliver to the company.


9. Show Passion! If you really want a particular job, tell those hiring why (not because you need a job – that will not separate you from the rest). Share tangible reasons why this is the perfect job for you and at the same time show them in advance the same passion you will give to the job once you land it. Enthusiasm, energy and passion are contagious and are traits you want to accentuate while in the job search.

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Maribeth Kuzmeski, is the author of the new book, The Connectors: How the World’s Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life (Wiley, September 2009, ISBN: 978-0-4704881-8-8, $22.95)

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Now is the time to use this with your clients …

by Troy White


I am at a client event in Tampa this week and want to share some exciting news with you. The event I am at is for a very unique niche that targets the affluent buyers that you should be targeting. Why? Because they are the fastest demographic to recover from this economic mess we are all in. The trainers at the event are consistently sharing their success stories in the affluent market, and the rapid growth in demand they are seeing right now.


According to Pam Danzinger, the leading publication for affluent marketing, “At Parisian luxury fashion brand Hermes, best-known for its leather bags that start at US$7,000, sales are up 10%, while demand for Coach’s ubiquitous US$325 handbags has slumped. High-end New York City apartments may have seen their values plunge, but at Fifteen Central Park West, billed as the ultimate Manhattan luxury building, at least eight condos are reported to have sold for nearly 40% above what their owners paid for them in 2007. Now you’ve got to spell luxury with a ‘V’ and the ‘V’ is for value, and value doesn’t mean cheap." They want an experience, and are willing to pay for it”


One of the ways you can get your more affluent clients buying again is to give them what they want … a unique experience that no one else is giving them. What follows is aproven model for getting your affluent buyers buying again.


Even if you aren’t targeting a certain part of your business offerings to the affluent (which I think you should be), this STILL applies to you!


At times like this, your customers NEED to hear a calm, reassuring voice telling them there is a future ahead, and you are there for them no matter what they need.


Rather than someone telling them how the sky is falling and every one of us is doomed to financial destruction (which the media gladly does 24/7), they want someone to help them feel at ease.


Announcing your Emergency Customer Update
and Appreciation Events



These are mini-events (preferably live, if you can) … designed to show them your stance on the economy and how it impacts your industry.


This is also designed to help you get closer to your clients, at a time where everyone else is slashing their marketing expenditures and burying their head in the sand, waiting for it to pass over.


The more you are in front of them now, the more trust they will have in you, and the more value they will see in buying from you when they open their wallets again.


These can be breakfast meetings, luncheons, dinners or teleseminars … the point is to get out there and in front of those who buy from you.


Step 1: Target your audience:

  • Figure out if you want all your clients to be invited, or a smaller, more targeted group. (Now is the perfect time to go through your list and find the perfect clients you want to continue working with - and not work so hard on the others.)
  • Do some research with them to find out where they are at, how scared they feel, and what type of information would be the most help to them right now.
  • Get controversial. Build a story that you will share with them at the meetings. Think through the stance you will take on the market, on the economy, on people’s mindset, and anything you can think of that may help them understand your point of view as we move into the unknown months ahead. Think about what Clayton did with his Imbeciles article – major controversy – and major kudos for him for being the one to say what most people were thinking.
  • Create an executive summary or market/business update that you can hand out at your meeting.
  • Make sure all the applicable players are involved. Everyone within your company should be there. Partners, suppliers, customers, etc.
  • Ask your clients to invite their friends and associates.

Step 2: Meeting Venue and Ambiance Setting (the marketing theme you want to use):

  • Find a nice, clean, professional venue to hold your event at. Do not go overboard or too lavish here. If you have a nice office boardroom, use that.

    If you are holding an evening event, you may want to bring in wine professionals and have a tasting event, or professional sushi chefs to show them how easy it is to make simple at-home sushi rolls.

    (If you are doing wine tasting or are offering drinks, do your event first, then the drinking … hecklers come out of the woodwork when alcohol is added.)

  • Design them to be smaller, more intimate, and more personal. In order to show them you honestly do care about them, do not pack them in with 200 others.

Step 3: Strategically invite the groups of people you would like all in the same room at the same time:

  • If you have no choice but to do a teleseminar, tell those you are inviting that it is a small group of people that will be on the line. They have been chosen to be part of the panel to discuss ____(your topic)_____. The last thing you want is a line full of people … you want intimate discussions with your best, most coveted clients.
  • Preferably, place personal calls to each person you want to invite. (Remember, small groups of eight people will not take a lot of phone calls to fill.)
  • Tell them the intentions behind the meeting (value added content, market updates, and strategies for them to weather the storm).
  • Invite your most affluent clients as well – try and have them in each group.
  • E-mail them – but personal e-mails … no mailing services.
  • Even send FedEx packages, if your products and services justify it.

Step 4: Wow them at the meeting:

  • Show them the historical facts behind recessions. Help them understand what a recession is, and what happens during the typical cycle. (Sounds basic? Most people do not know this … be the one to help them understand.)
  • Hand them your market-update sheet or package.
  • Make sure they get great content, great food, and great company. You can even bring in an outside speaker to talk about related areas of interest.
  • Do NOT pitch them anything here. This is not the time or place to be selling anything … now is the time to show pure value and content.
  • Have respect for everyone there – start and finish right on time.
  • Give them a gift … something simple yet memorable. Put together your own quotes book of your favorite inspirational quotes and have them printed up by a print on demand supplier. Have your company information in the book and a catchy title for the cover. It costs you next to nothing, but it will have a lasting impact on them. (You can even have their names custom-printed on the cover. Print on demand is very inexpensive these days.)
  • Educate them about what you have planned for the next 6–12 months in your business. And tell them you will send them monthly updates as part of this session. (Make sure they understand the information shared is private and not to be shared.)
  • Make sure all of your people are in attendance, dressed professionally and prepared for the meeting.

Start putting one or two of these on a week, and watch what kind of a response you get.

This may sound unusual … but that is the point.

No one else, especially your competition, is doing this.

Show them how much you care about them and their future right now and they will respond in kind when they feel more confident in the economy.

They may feel helpless about the economic conditions out there, but you can help them see the upside, and give them specific strategies for the challenging times ahead.

Never forget …

… During recessions, many businesses fail …

… But it is also the time when absolute riches can be made in any industry, if you position yourself correctly with your existing clients.

Find a few ways to make these lessons work for your business…

To your success,

Troy White Signature
Troy White
Editor, Small Business Mastery
Supplement to THE TOTAL PACKAGE

Troy White is a top marketing coach, consultant & direct response copywriter based in Calgary, Canada. He has a powerful approach to growing small businesses and entrepreneurial run ventures on a budget. His FREE Cash Flow Surges newsletter shares tons of great strategies.

He also publishes the incredibly powerful Cash Flow Calendar system that gives you daily, weekly and monthly marketing ideas to promote your business and stand out from the crowd. Click here to get your free tips for growing your business!

Looking for resources related to this article? Try some of these.

Looking for more of Troy’s articles? Check these out.

Looking for past issues of The Total Package? Click here for our archives.

A Final Note:

If you have specific subjects you would like addressed, or have any comments on what you have seen here, please submit a comment below and I will see how I can help.

"Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.”

–Napoleon Hill




This article was first published in The Total Package. To sign-up to receive your own FREE subscription to The Total Package and claim four FREE money making e-books go to www.makepeacetotalpackage.com.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Provoking The Sale To Close How advisors are moving away from solution-based and product-focused selling methods

Maribeth Kuzmeski, MBA
RedZone Marketing

In today’s difficult market conditions, it has become more important than ever to generate a stream of new buyers to keep the firm operating in the profit-zone and not operating out of fear. And, there are certain sales strategies that are working right now that are reducing the fears and paralysis of investors and getting them to take action quickly.


A Provocative Selling Approach:
In the March 2009 issue of Harvard Business Review, “In a Downturn, Provoke Your Customers,” the article details a unique and successful approach to sales. It is a sales approach that, interestingly, some financial advisors have already been using in this downturn with success. The article calls the technique, “Provocation-based selling.” It is different from the traditional consultative selling approach that is focused on a solution and goes way beyond product-based selling that is focused on features and benefits.


Now, provoking a client to buy must of course be in their best interest. The objective is to persuade a prospect that the solutions you have do not just sound good, they are essential. But this approach doesn’t focus on the obvious concerns an investor has. Instead, the approach directs a prospect to the other things that perhaps are of even greater concern to them.


One advisor who is having a lot of success in these difficult times gathering new clients and new assets shared how he uses this provocation-based selling approach. It is focused on getting the client to do something because a client who does nothing right now could be permanently affecting their future.


“I regularly hold seminars to introduce people to my firm. Recently, during my appointments with the people who attended my most recent seminar I realized that I was going to have to go way beyond the obvious in order to get anyone to invest today,” the advisor said. “But I felt so strongly that for some people, having exposure to the market was the right thing (in the right products of course).”


A husband and wife he was meeting with recently began describing all their concerns about their current assets invested with another advisor. They said that the stock market was too volatile, they didn’t want to lose more money, they were scared they may be eating their dog’s food in retirement, etc. So the advisor took this as an opportunity to ask about ALL of their concerns - not just the immediate stock market issues. “Let’s lay it all out,” the advisor said. And then he went to the white board in his conference room and began to write.


The couple, in their early 60’s, were concerned about their health, concerned about the well-being of their children and grandchildren, really wanted to enjoy life on their terms and not just get by, were scared they’d have to sell their second home in Virginia, wanted to leave a legacy to their favorite cause/ charity so that all they worked for would live on when they pass, etc. The advisor kept writing and writing.


The advisor then started asking them what their solutions were for some of the most important things on their list. How would they avoid a negative conclusion and achieve their goals?


It turned out that none of their life-long goals would be possible without an alteration in their financial situation. “Not having the money invested and not giving themselves a strategy for growth and protection would have meant that surely most of the things they worked their lives for wouldn’t be possible,” the advisor said. “Especially if they put the money under their mattress.”


Now this may seem like a common sense strategy, but the advisors that have been using their version of this provocation-selling approach say that it is more complex than it seems. This approach takes the focus beyond today’s investment situation and gets to the real heart of the matter. The advisor ultimately wants and gets the prospect to come to the conclusion that they can’t afford not to do something.


And, according to the advisors using this technique, it rarely involves getting into the specifics of the stock market history, or their opinions of the market and whether it is at the bottom, middle or wherever. It is all about the person’s concerns on the other side of the table. It also typically shortens the sales cycle because the client wants to make the decision. Advisors have shared with us significant results in closing new business – especially as it compares to the decline in new business that some of their colleagues are unfortunately experiencing.


The Steps of the Provocation Sale:

  1. Uncover the client’s hidden concerns.
  2. Raise those critical concerns to the forefront and their potential solutions.
  3. Develop your provocative view point on their critical concerns based on your solutions.
  4. Share a story about another client (keeping their name and telling details confidential, of course) in a similar situation and the solutions you prescribed for them.
  5. Close on the provocation that gives them the NEED to take action and do business with you now in order to solve their crucial concerns.


Traditional solution-based selling has the individual considering whether you can solve their immediate needs (i.e. keep them from losing money in the stock market). Provocation-selling transforms their thinking about what their deeper challenge really is and that you have the solution.

Be sure to hear Maribeth LIVE online on December 8th. Find out more here:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/586494240


Friday, November 27, 2009

The Good News in Uncertain Times: Marketing Strategies are Working!

by Maribeth Kuzmeski, MBA

Advisors and agents have tried for years to develop successful prospect generating strategies. Some strategies have worked and others have produced disappointing results. Today, it seems everything we’ve known is changing as it relates to marketing. And that’s good news for those who want to grow their business!


Amidst all of the uncertainty in the market and the financial industry, the marketing of financial services is having seemingly unusual results. Strategies that may have had limited success in the past are now generating significantly more interested prospects and producing more new clients. Really! But how and why is this happening?


The economy and the stock market are the number one story almost every day in the news. There is an elevated sense of urgency and a need for answers and advice and investors who may have thought they had their financial situation under control are realizing they need help. Today people are seeking out a trustworthy, intelligent, calming voice in all of this uncertainty that will provide an individual approach, analysis and solutions to their financial situation. There has perhaps never been a time when advisors and agents have been needed more. In the past, advisors and agents may have had to “sell” services to get someone to do business. Today people are looking for you!


Red Zone Marketing has been conducting an ongoing survey this year asking financial advisors who manage assets between $250 million and over $1 billion what they are saying to clients and what activities have been working to continue to grow their business – right now. Also, in the past 2 months, as I’ve traveled across the United States presenting to groups in more than 30 cities, I have been asking ‘what’s working right now.’ Here are the findings.


Are seminars working?
Public Seminars/Social Event: Just when many people had written off seminars as an expensive strategy that hasn’t been as successful as a few years ago – they are working again! And dramatically!
According to one of the seminar marketing firms, things are looking up!


"Like in past downturn years (i.e. after 911), we see activity levels rise in mailing orders and in seminar attendance,” said Jorge Villar, President of Response Mail Express, a seminar marketing firm in Tampa, FL. “Folks are looking for something better or different in these types of times. And, consumers are looking to learn about newer options, alternate solutions and trends.”


The truth is, the large public seminars are generating more qualified attendees than ever before. By using a proven seminar marketing system, advisors are starting to see response rates that have doubled in the past 3 months!


Referral based seminars: A seminar idea that has worked in the past and continues to work with low risk and low cost is niche based referral seminars. One strategy being used is called the “5-5-5-20” seminar. You simply pick 5 or more of your clients that are in a niche (ie. they retired from the same company). Mail each client 5 invitations to an upcoming workshop on a seminar like How to Retire from LOCAL COMPANY in Volatile Market Conditions. Then make phone calls to the 5 clients personally asking them to pass those invitations along to others who are getting ready to retire from this company. Right now this strategy is generating more than 20 people in attendance at each seminar for advisors. It costs very little (about $2.00 for the whole mailing), attendees are very interested in the timely and targeted information, and you don’t even need to serve dinner! Advisors are conducting these seminars at community centers, libraries and in their offices.


Presentations for Existing Groups: Recently, there has also been an increased interest in having financial professionals speak at meetings of groups and organizations. One advisor we talked with is an active member of his large Chamber of Commerce. He has been asking for years to speak at one of the Chamber’s monthly luncheons. Again and again he was told ‘no.’ In early October he went to his Chamber and mentioned he had a presentation called, “What NOT to Do With Your Money Now.” They cancelled their previously scheduled speaker and put him on the agenda as the main speaker. Have times changed! Now, people really do want to hear you!


Do inexpensive grassroots-type Initiatives work?
An advisor in Illinois didn’t want to spend a lot of money finding new clients right now. So, he copied a strategy that some politicians were using. He and his staff go to the train station once a week during morning rush hour. They purchase coffee from the local provider and then pass it out for free to riders boarding the train. They also give out a flyer that says, “Nervous about your investments? Call xxx-xxx-xxxx.” It includes a picture of the advisor, a list of services, and their compliance information (of course!). They have scheduled appointments, have already identified millions of dollars in potential, and closed a $1,000,000 sale. You see, just about anything you do right now to reach out to investors is working – even this!


Are referrals Increasing or decreasing right now?
Even the simple strategy of asking current clients for referrals is working better than even a year ago. In the past, a typical question asking for referrals may have produced an answer like, ‘I really don’t know anyone.’ But today when you ask the question, ‘Do you know anyone nervous about their investments?’ - the answer you get is dramatically different. The answers are ‘yes’ and ‘everyone’ and the referrals are coming in!


How about advertising?
The same advertisement that an advisor has been running in his local newspaper to generate exposure only in good times is generating phone calls from interested prospects in these volatile times. We have heard from many advisors that simple ads with a strong call to action are producing interested prospects. Many of the ads simply ask the question, “Are you nervous about your investments?”

While many advisors are pulling in the reins on their marketing and spending, market volatility brings a perfect time to increase your exposure. Right now is the time to let people know that you are an advisor with personal solutions.

Yes, it takes confidence to increase your activity in turbulent times, but that’s what clients are looking for… Confidence!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Nine No-Fail Ways to Boost Referrals for Your Business

By Maribeth Kuzmeski


No doubt about it, we’re all navigating some hard economic times. And companies everywhere are in a quandary. Think about this: increasing your client base is more important than ever. But you just don’t have the budget to spend a lot of money on growing your business. You’re too busy trying to stay afloat! The inexpensive and very effective solution is to look in your own back yard. That’s right. Referrals from clients and even prospects are the best leads you can ever hope to receive.


If you provide valuable, worthwhile products and services to your clients, they will want to share you with others. It’s just human nature! But sometimes they need a little nudge. So whatever your business is, you should have a system in place for promoting this positive “word of mouth.”


In times of economic challenge, you can be doubly sure that cold-calling is not your best option. You need to use all the leverage at your disposal to make this critical task easier and more cost-effective—and a good referral system is worth its weight in gold.


While most of us inherently understand the benefits of having our clients refer their friends, family and colleagues; we simply fail to make it a priority. Perhaps we feel that asking is unprofessional. Or we’re afraid of the possible rejection. Or, most likely of all, we’ve just never figured out a way to build referral requests into our everyday operations.


In my book, Red Zone Marketing: A Playbook For Winning All The Business You Want (Facts on Demand Press, 2002, ISBN 1-889150-34-7, $17.95), I explore the various ways companies can use the power of referrals to dramatically increase their business. Below are the Nine Extraordinary Referral-Boosting Strategies listed in the book that I suggest these companies implement:


1. Seek out a systems-based approach.

Too many companies view referrals as something extra, a “doggie bone” a client tosses them every once in a while. This mindset needs to change. Everything you do should be geared to asking for and following up on referrals. If you have a system in place for pursuing referrals, you and your staff will use it. You won’t have to think, “Now what can I send this referral?” or “How can I thank this client for giving me this referral?” You’ll have a package on hand to instantly drop in the mail. It will be as automatic as brushing your teeth.


2. Give clients more than service, give them an experience!



In order to get referrals, you must become a memorable, noteworthy, one-of-a-kind business. Your clients must want to refer their friends and associates to you! Do whatever it takes. Develop a memory hook or tagline that cleverly conveys who you are. But that’s just the beginning. In an experience economy, you must give your clients an experience! That, maybe even more than your stellar service, is what sells them.


I have a financial services client that says it helps its clients “get to the top of the mountain.” From the mountain top you can see the world—so this company has turned each office and conference room into a different “country.” One room has a huge mural of Athens on the wall. Another one represents Paris, and so on. The company reports that people bring their friends by to see the office, even without an appointment. Can you imagine a better way to attract new business?


3. Find your “natural niche” . . . and never let it go.

Remember, you can’t be all things to all people and shouldn’t try to. Taking into account your expertise, areas of interest and the niche areas you are already working in, figure out what kind of “specialist” you want to be. It should feel natural, as if your company was born to play this role. Then, cultivate that niche!


4. Keep in touch to keep ‘em happy.

Initiate contact with your clients on a regular basis. Don’t wait for them to call you! In fact, I suggest creating a monthly KIT (Keeping In Touch) Program for communicating with your best clients. In February, for example, you might send Valentine’s Cards; in June, send some helpful travel tips; in November, share your favorite holiday recipes—and ask for theirs. Furthermore, you should contact these special clients one to three times a year just to make sure they are happy with your service!


Keeping in touch is more than a bunch of mailings. It’s a way of keeping clients “in the loop.” It will also keep you in their loop. You want to constantly be there to help your clients solve problems before they become problem, and to encourage them to tell you if they’re not satisfied with something. You don’t just forge a strong relationship with your clients; you actually become part of their life.


5. Become a “list lord.”

An association list, industry list, department list or club list can open the door to referrals. Let’s say you’re sitting across the table from someone who’s a member of, for instance, the Watertown Country Club. Just pull out your list and say, “I was wondering if you know anyone in this club who may be interested in the services I offer?” You will be surprised at the response you get.


The list method works because people want to show that they have influence in the groups they belong to. Once you have referrals, you can call these people up and say “Hello, I got your name from Bill Smith, who is a member of the Watertown Country Club that you’re a member of, and he said that you may be interested in the services that I offer.” It’s a great way of getting more referrals without being demanding.


6. Make your office an “RR crossing.”

No, I’m not suggesting that you move your office to a rail road track! I am simply suggesting a way to help yourself, your coworkers and your clients create a referral mindset. Put a big sign in your office that says “RR.” You will know that it means “remember referrals.” It may also inspire clients (or even prospects!) to ask the meaning, which creates the perfect opening for you to explain that referrals are the heart of your business and you would appreciate their help. Other things you can do include bringing an agenda to each client/prospect meeting and asking a colleague or staff person to help you establish this new habit.


7. Persuade your clients with a club.

It’s not as violent as it sounds! A referral club creates a sense of belonging and encourages members to provide, you guessed it, referrals. You could have a referral appreciation dinner that’s exclusively open to club members and their referrals. Or you could partner with a local business, say, Sally’s Floral Shop. When the referral rewards club card is taken to Sally’s, she will give the shopper ten percent off any flowers purchased there. Or perhaps you could send club members a special mailing or newsletter. Whatever type of club you decide on, just be sure it enhances your company’s image and promotes ongoing dialogue with your client. It has to be a two-way street.


8. Say it with flowers . . . or more creative rewards.

Saying thank you to clients who give you referrals encourages more referrals. So reward these valuable clients with a thoughtful letter or note from you. But in addition, give them something nice. Flowers and gift baskets are time-tested winners. But you can also be a bit more innovative. For instance:

Alternately, you could sit down with a client for an hour or so to help her grow her business. Or you could donate to her favorite charity. Or you could offer to sponsor his child’s Little League team. Be creative—just be sure you go above and beyond the call of duty to say “thank you” for providing such a valuable and generous service.


9. Just do it—and do it every day.

The best way to get comfortable with asking for referrals is to make it part of your everyday business dialogue. Ask your clients, “What have you liked about the work we’ve done together?” Or tell them what you’ve done for them and then say, “Wouldn’t you agree?” When they give you a positive response, it’s a good time to interject, “If there is anyone else who may need these services, please send them my way.”


If you simply can’t bring yourself to say these words, there is another way. A referral request package can be a powerful marketing tool. Send it to all your clients! This mailing should include a nice cover letter and form on which they can list friends and business associates who might be interested in your services. Many people find that asking for referrals in writing is much more psychologically comfortable than asking in person.


To realize how critical I perceive referrals to be, one must understand Red Zone Marketing™, the philosophy around which my company is built and for which it is named. Red Zone Marketing (the book) outlines my system, which compares the most critical and magnified area on the football field, the Red Zone (the final 20 yards before the goal line) to the most critical and magnified area in business (the unmarked territory where you either lose or win a prospective client).


“Referral responsibility” is the “R” in SCORE—my acronym for the five marketing principles successful individuals use to “score” in the Red Zone. The R-word is interwoven throughout, and inseparable from, the powerful marketing programs I help my clients develop—programs that have been proven to generate extraordinary growth and significant financial gain.


I cannot overstate the importance of asking for referrals. These leads are easy to close and cost-efficient and they usually turn out to be loyal customers. And guess what? Most of your competitors are not asking their clients for referrals! 90 percent of the business owners that I talk to across the country say they ask for referrals only occasionally. Why not be the 10 percent who does? It will make all the difference in your business.

Be sure to catch Maribeth's live web class on December 8th:
First 25 to register and pay will get a hard cover copy of The Connectors, absolutely free.
Find out more here:


Sunday, November 22, 2009

Eight Great Ways to Win All the Financial Services Business You Want

By Maribeth Kuzmeski

MBA, RFC


Financial advisors, you know who you are and what you do. But try looking at yourself through the eyes of a potential client. Imagine . . . you know next to nothing about investing and money management. You are nervous about what could happen to your nest egg (which represents your next home, your retirement, your kids' inheritance) in an era of extreme economic uncertainty. And when you need a financial advisor and all you see is a long gray line of sober corporate logos, faceless suits and identical-seeming mutual fund literature, choosing one is a daunting, confusing task. How in the world would you, our hypothetical prospect, decide to go with, well . . . you?


The answer is clear: to avoid being seen as a commodity, you must consistently and compellingly prove that you are different.


You must prove that you are better. You must prove that you offer your clients something above and beyond the services offered by your competitors. You must prove that you, better than anyone else, can help them manage the murky and confusing yet opportunity-filled world of investing and money management. That's what marketing is about—it's not about sending slick brochures to your mailing list once a year. It's a very creative, very human process, making clients feel secure and appreciated and even delighted.


The succinct, bite-sized tips in my book makes it clear that a good financial advisor makes the dry, often-intimidating world of dollars and cents not just understandable, but fun—and this philosophy isn't surprising. After all, I am a devoted football fan who regularly draws analogies between my favorite game and the rough and tumble world of marketing. (Indeed, my company's name is a reference to the unmarked territory between the defending team's 20-yard line and the end zone: the most critical and magnified part of the field.)


Here are eight tips, excerpted from my new book, you can follow right now:

Add an MVP to your team . . . the "NBC."

Have you ever thought that you could bring in tons of new business if only you had the time to deal with current clients? I suggest hiring a New Business Coordinator ("NBC" for short) to ensure that the necessary follow-up work is being done. The NBC joins you at every new business appointment . . . hears firsthand what needs to be done in order to transform a prospect into a client . . . schedules the follow-up appointments, prepares the paperwork, etc.


He or she creates a relationship with the prospect by giving that person another point of contact in the office (besides you). If you're worried that you can't afford an NBC, think again: many financial advisors have found that such an individual pays for him/herself countless times over. So bite the bullet.


Give video marketing a try.



If you're thinking that financial planning doesn't evoke the most exciting visual imagery—computer software? Mutual fund documents?—consider what your clients can buy with the money you help them save and create. Grandkids playing in front of a charming beach cottage, say, or a new luxury car zipping around curves. A spectacular sales video can hit people on an immediate, gut level. So why not create one and send it to your top prospects? If you need more convincing, consider this: a study by the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania found that prospects who watch a video make their buying decision 70 percent faster than those who only read a brochure. Pretty impressive, huh?

Don't let your Internet home collect cobwebs.



Have you updated your website lately? You should. You might write a regular column on current economic news and make it an integral part of your site. This will give clients and potential clients a reason to bookmark your website and maybe even establish it as their home page! Alternately, regularly add a thought-provoking quote or bit of humor to your site. Anything to prevent repeat visitors from getting bored and going elsewhere!

Use e-mail to "Keep In Touch."



I am a big proponent of establishing a "Keep In Touch" (or KIT) Program to stay connected to clients. One of my myriad suggestions for doing so is the use of e-mail. For instance, you might send e-greeting cards to your clients on their birthdays or holidays.


Or, if you come across something you know a specific client would be interested in (say, a fascinating article about one of his hobbies), e-mail it to him with a "this made me think of you" note. The beauty of e-mail is its immediacy and its casual, "off the cuff" nature. It makes clients feel that they are a part of your life, which in turn is likely to make them think of you as part of theirs.


Offer a targeted seminar (NOT "General Investing for Every Investor"), mail invites to a targeted list, and provide a targeted message filled with potential solutions.



A good example: "Unlocking Your Retirement Funds," presented for individuals who work at a particular Fortune 100 company. Even if ten or twenty people attend, it will be a great seminar because each and every one of them will be getting to retire with a rollover or they would not have come. One proven source for generating lots of attendees to your seminars is Response Mail Express/Seminar Success (www.seminarsuccess.com). Their system absolutely puts people in seats. The rest is up to you!


Leverage your events to create a buzz.



Got a great idea for an event? You can't hold it in a vacuum! Press releases, ads and invitations will get people there and create a buzz. The more creative you can be with your event, the more "buzzworthy" it becomes. As a very hypothetical example—let's say you decided to host a "Pennies from Heaven" penny stocks seminar. You ask everyone who attends the seminar to bring a jar of pennies (actually, any and all coins are welcome) to donate to a local charity. Your firm agrees to match whatever amount is collected. Voila! You have a great hook for your press releases, ads and invitations. With such a creative and goodwill-inspiring idea, the local newspaper may well show up. And your name becomes known throughout the community.


Consider a creative name change.



Take a look at the business listings in the white pages of your local telephone directory. Do you see lots of names like The Morgan Company, Brown & Associates, Smith & Green, The Anderson Group? Notice that these names say nothing about what they do and who their customers might be. Does your name convey who you are and what makes you different? Now, I'm not suggesting that you adopt a lowbrow name like “Investments R Us.” But, just for the sake of argument, let's say our USP is that you help clients integrate charitable giving strategies into their overall money management plans. Couldn't you call yourself something like The Caring Investment Group, Inc.? It's catchy, to-the-point and immediately conveys what makes you different.


Form a strategic alliance with someone who shares your target market.



Let's say your specialty is advising middle-class families who are concerned about saving for their kids' college educations. Obviously, these families should start saving right away, so you need to catch them when their children are small. You decide to team up with Dayna's Daycare Center. You can work out a deal whereby Dayna invites her customers to attend an exclusive financial planning seminar hosted by none other than you. In return, you hand out brochures about her daycare center (and glowing verbal recommendations) to your clients. Such strategic alliances are practically painless, and all they require is a dash of ingenuity and a pinch of cooperation.


If you consider some of these ideas to be a little "out there" that's just because you've bought into the stereotype that financial services has to be a buttoned-down, humorless industry.


Financial advisors can be very creative with their marketing efforts—and when they are, they reap big rewards. I've had clients adopt my ideas and completely turn their companies around. Yes, money is a serious subject and you must manage it proficiently, but in the final analysis clients interact with people, not profit reports.


Touch them on a human level and they'll see you as having that something extra that your competitors don't. This is what marketing, performed with sincerity, innovation and passion, can do for you.

Editor's Note: You can learn from Maribeth LIVE on December 8th at her special web class:

First 25 to register and pay will get a hard cover copy of The Connectors, absolutely free.

Find out more here:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/586494240




Thursday, November 19, 2009

Ready to Increase Your Business By Leaps and Bounds?

Five Easy Secrets for Delighting Your Clients



Want to increase your business by leaps and bounds? Then go the extra mile and give your clients a rich, compelling experience.


By Maribeth Kuzmeski

If you’re like most business people, you can relate to this scenario. You feel that you do a good job for your clients. You deliver what you promise, you return calls promptly, you offer quality service. So why is your business, well, a bit lackluster lately? Is it just the slow economy? Or are you unwittingly making big mistakes?


The answer may surprise you. Chances are, you’re not doing anything wrong. It’s just that you aren’t doing everything really, really right.


Yes, doing what you’re supposed to do is no longer good enough. If you aren’t giving your clients a rich, compelling experience—if you aren’t absolutely delighting them—you’re going to get left behind. In the Information Age, it’s all too easy to be reduced to a commodity. You have many competitors and people are savvy enough to comparison shop. Factor in the down-turned economy and you can see why you must go the extra mile for your clients.


All of this brings me to why I wrote this free report: I want to share the “tricks of the trade” I’ve learned during my 13 years in this business. Follow them and I guarantee you will turn your company around!


Let me begin my telling you a bit about my personal business philosophy, Red Zone Marketing. It compares the most critical and magnified area on the football field, the Red Zone (the final 20 yards before the goal line) to the most critical and magnified area in business (the unmarked territory where you either lose or win a prospective client). “Create A Client Experience” is the “C” in SCORE—my acronym for the five marketing principles successful companies use to “score” in the Red Zone.


So how can you create rich, rewarding experiences that will keep your clients happy and coming back for more? Here are five tips you should embrace, starting right now:


Live by the “80/20” Rule.

You remember this rule, the one that says businesses get 80% of their revenue from 20% of their clients. Typically, these same businesses spend 60 – 80% of their marketing dollars on prospecting. What a mistake! You should be 80% client-focused and 20% prospect-focused. Otherwise, you’ll end up in a situation where the customers that bring in the bulk of your income feel vaguely dissatisfied. They may very well leave you . . . and even worse, go around telling everyone what a bad experience they had. All of which leads up to my next tip:


Market to your existing clients . . . it pays!

I have a client who has been a financial advisor for more than a dozen years. During his first eight years in business (before I knew him), he had accumulated $10 million in money under management. He was acquiring 80 percent of his new clients by prospect marketing. When we began working together, I advised him to add client marketing to the mix. We put together a marketing system that included regular phone and mail communication to his clients; client-focused seminars and events; open houses; a commitment to periodic client reviews; ongoing client appreciation activities, including notes, letters, cards, gifts and social events.


Within three years after putting this client-marketing plan in place, his business increased from $10 million dollars to $100 million dollars of money under management. In only three years! And it didn’t end there. By the end of the fifth year, he had $200 million dollars under management. The secret was adding client marketing to the mix. Referrals started to stream in, and they were well qualified and within his niche.


Ask your clients what they want.

A novel concept, huh? It’s all too easy to assume that you know what they want. But unless you’re an extremely gifted mind reader, you probably don’t! Clients will consciously and subconsciously rate you on several factors, including satisfaction, delight, service, communication, your staff, etc.


How do you think you rate with your clients? Have you ever thought about discovering their level of satisfaction, and what’s really important to them about you and the business? Asking your clients what they want is the best first step to providing the basics of client marketing. Written questionnaires, personal interviews, focus groups, advisory boards, and evaluation forms are all useful tools to determine what your clients expect or desire, and what would delight them.


Think of imaginative ways to set your business apart.

Will clients want to remember the experience they have at your business? What is it that sets you apart from and above your competition? Let me offer you an example from an entirely different field. I know of a realtor in one of the nation’s fastest growing counties. He has hundreds of competitors, all of whom have access to the same inventory, and whose fees are identical to his. Nevertheless, he’s the first realtor most people in the area call when they’re ready to put their homes on the market.


Unlike his competitors, he doesn’t just show up when someone wants to buy or sell a house. Each spring, every homeowner in the area gets a tiny tree from him to replant in their yards and, in October, a pumpkin, with a note from him, appears on every front porch. In mid-summer, his antique fire engine, loaded with neighborhood kids, is at the head of the local Independence Day parade. Yes, he spends more to market his services than others do, but it isn’t a business expense, it’s an investment – one that pays rich dividends, year after year. He’s become the top realtor in his area because he does what his competitors don’t do – he creates experiences!


Can you think of a similarly creative way to set yourself apart from other professionals in your field?


Establish a KIT (Keep In Touch) Program.

If you tend to sit around and wait for clients to contact you, you’re missing out on some great opportunities to really cement your relationships. Right from the start, plan to wow your clients with a program of proactive communications that will surprise and delight them. In today’s world, the more frequently you contact them, the better the relationship is likely to be. Take the time to regularly contact them, even if the conversation or note is short.


Here are a few suggestions:



Get the email addresses of all your clients and enter them in your email address book. Now, whenever you come across anything that might be of interest to them, you can reach them all in a matter of seconds.


  • An educated client is a happy client. You can videotape or audiotape regular information or seminars and mail them to your clients. A newsletter is another good way to keep in contact with and educate your clients.
  • Always take a proactive approach; contact your clients before they contact you. Admit mistakes, take responsibility, and fix problems as quickly as possible – every time. Your recovery itself can represent a positive, memorable experience.
  • Make sure every member of your team follows the same game plan. If someone in the marketing department faithfully contacts a client or prospect every month, but client service representatives consistently misspell a name, get the address wrong, or fail to follow up on a request or complaint, the company as a whole suffers the consequences.


With a little imagination and a passionate commitment to service, you can create the kinds of client experiences that transform a ho-hum financial services business into a dynamic, thriving one. I urge you to start right now. “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” may be a cliché, but it’s as true today as it’s ever been. The more you delight your clients from the very beginning, the better your long-term relationships will be . . . and the more your company will profit.

Maribeth Kuzmeski, MBA: Maribeth Kuzmeski, President of the consulting firm, Red Zone Marketing, works with the nation’s most successful, million dollar producers to assist them in continuing to grow and systematize their practices. Red Zone Marketing also consults with Broker Dealers and some of the largest mutual fund and annuity companies to plan for their advisor acquisition, retention and impactful messaging and strategy. Maribeth has written 4 books including, “85 Million Dollar Tips for Financial Advisors.” She is a national keynote speaker, has spoken at the Million Dollar Round Table and has created webinars, top advisor toolkits, and other products for MDRT and other industry organizations. Maribeth’s passion is to help financial advisors use their brilliance so they can serve more of their ideal clients.


Be sure to join us on December 8, 2009 for a special web class featuring Maribeth Kuzmeski. Find out more information and learn how to get Maribeth's new book "The Connectors" for free by going here:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/586494240



Tuesday, October 27, 2009

What Some Advisors Are Doing.. Helping Others

by Tammy de Leeuw
Editor-In-Chief


Having worked in insurance and financial services for over 10 years, I have met thousands of agents and advisors, some with the unique ability to inspire and mentor others. (like Sid Walker, for example, or the Insurance Mavericks)

Today, I'd like to spotlight my friend TRENT FORNTER, a financial professional who seems to have found his true calling as a coach and mentor.

As I have said on numerous occasions, finding a mentor or coach who FITS your personality and shares your values can grow your business EXPONENTIALLY. Nearly every successful person, from Trump to Oprah gives credit for their success to such a mentor.

Some of you might relate to Trent's style. Check out his introductory video here:

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Lots Happening This Week: Don't Miss A Thing!

by Tammy de Leeuw
Editor in Chief


You asked for budget-stretching, information-packed web sessions and I and my affiliate partners have stepped up to the plate.

There's just no excuse for not ending the year in a spectacular way when you take away some useful chunks of information from:

The Insurance Mavericks: Thursday, October 22nd. If you weren't one of the 350 plus on the first marketing to business owners webinar, you missed out... Not to worry, though, because on Thursday, the Insurance Mavericks present part 2 of this well-received series:
No cost but you need to register soon:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/829262433

Another free Thursday Webinar:


Also on Thursday: Sid Walker is offering up new Selling Without Wrestling techniques to make your prospecting experience a whole lot better.


  • How the conventional approach to selling makes it harder to prospect.
  • The paradigm shift that makes your job a lot more fun and profitable.
  • Phone language that works to get appointments with the right people.
  • The shift in perspective that will make you an unstoppable prospector.

TO REGISTER: (copy and paste or click)
http://www.marketerschoice.com/app/?af=796698

October 19-23:

Hear David Frey's interviews with the masters of public relations for nothing, if you listen live between October 19-23. Check here for a list of scheduled speakers and times:

http://nanacast.com/vp/79593/15408/

Sunday, October 18, 2009

just in time for Christmas... check it out
[http://ping.fm/rLyv6]

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Hello everyone, just experimenting with PING here. Check this out! David is great with these...
http://ping.fm/networks/
hear Raleigh Pinskey and others tell secrets of PR Oct 19:http://ping.fm/QaBqb }

Monday, October 12, 2009

Follow Up Marketing: How to Win More Sales With Less Effort

by David Frey


A study done by the Association of Sales Executives revealed that 81% of all sales happens on or after the fifth contact. If you're a small business owner and you're only doing one or two follow-ups imagine all the business you're losing.


Not following up with your prospects and customers is the same as filling up your bathtub without first putting the stopper in the drain!


But don't be disheartened if you're among the 90% of business owners I talk to that don't do any follow up. The good news is you have ample room for profitable improvement. Consistent follow-up creates a predictable and profitable stream of prospects and customers that buy.


Small businesses that capture leads and follow-up with them enjoy higher conversion rates and a higher percentage of referrals than those that don't.


After asking many small business owners the reason they don't follow up I often hear responses such as, "I don't have the sales staff to chase down all our leads", or "We're usually too busy to do a lot of follow up."


These responses automatically set off red flags that tell me that they lack a systematic process for following up. The problem is not that they don't have the capacity to follow up with prospects, it's that they don't have the systems in place to do it.


What Does a Good Follow Up System Look Like?

A good follow up marketing system should have three attributes.

It should be systematic, meaning that the follow up process is done the same way every time.

It should generate consistent, predictable results.

It should require minimal physical interaction to make it run, meaning it should be able to run on autopilot.


Sounds like a dream come true for most small business owners doesn't it? Not only can it be done, it's being done every day. The secret to "follow-up marketing" is to make it automatic so that you don't have to lift a finger but the job still gets done.


With today's technology it's simpler than ever. Automating your follow-up processes gives you more time to work "on" your business rather than "in" your business.


Three Types of Follow Ups


There are three types of people you should be following up with, suspects (people in your target marketplace), prospects (people who have responded to your marketing but have not purchased, and customers (people who have purchased something from you.) Each follow up message and offer will be different for each type of person.


With suspects, you'll want to entice them to call you or visit your store / office. With prospects, you need to persuade them to make their first purchase. And with customers, you want to convince them to come back and do more business with you and give your referrals.


Obviously the hardest type of person to follow up with is a suspect because they haven't shown any interest yet in a pool or hot tub and you usually don't have their contact information.


But that's not true with prospects and customers. You not only know who they are, but you should already have their contact information. And if you follow up with your customers with consistency you'll find that they will help you turn your suspects into prospects and prospects into customers for you through referrals.

Your Follow Up Marketing Tools

Your principal follow up marketing tools are the telephone, direct mail, and email. Many pool and hot tub business owners make the mistake of jumping right on the telephone to follow up; however, most prospects don't want a pushy sales message right away and most prospects have been trained to consider anyone who calls up to be a pushy salesperson.


Instead, you should try to develop a relationship of trust with your prospect by quickly sending informational items such as special reports, audio CDs, or videos before you make a phone call.


Remember to always include a "next-step-offer" to accompany your educational materials. If the next step is to visit the store, then entice them with an appropriate offer or if the next step is to call you, entice your prospect to call you immediately.


People move through the buying process in baby steps, especially when considering buying high-ticket items such as hot tubs or pools. Your offer should always help them take the next step.


(rest of the article at: http://www.marketingbestpractices.com/members/473.cfm

*Don't forget David's excellent TELESUMMIT series. You can get all the information, transcripts and recordings for:

Sales Masters:
http://nanacast.com/vp/76073/15408/

Lead Generation Masters
http://nanacast.com/vp/73346/15408/

Twitter Masters:
http://nanacast.com/vp/69482/15408/

How to Find Hire and Manage High Performing Employees
http://nanacast.com/vp/78339/15408/


Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Twitter Without Tears (TM) Webinar 1


If you have even thought that Twitter would be a really cool. cheap, way to connect with prospects and clients, but...

you've been afraid that it would take up too much time...

The TWITTER WITHOUT TEARS (tm) Web Class series is for you!

There ARE ways you can automate the Twitter experience...

Some good, some bad.. some in between.

In this 75 minute drill-down, Grouchy shows you three low cost (one is actually NO COST) ways you can improve your traction on Twitter without spending your whole life in front of the computer. (you do enough of that ANYWAY)

You'll learn:

The secret of the CORE FOLLOWER concept and why you must use it if you intend to market on Twitter...

How to grow your followers list EXPONENTIALLY without having to accept every Tom, Dick and Harry who wants to tag along with you

How to automatically VET your followers so you get fewer sleazy folks...

Why services that promise you "10,000 followers for $9.99" should be avoided at all costs

How to set up multiple tweets at once and have them broadcast at intervals YOU determine (set and forget..SWEET!)

How to double your followers without getting KICKED OFF or shut down by the Tweet Police...

Which applications are the best for achieving your Twitter goals

Tammy made tons of mistakes when she first started using Twitter, but YOU DON'T HAVE to.

This is a private PAID webinar- part of the GUM Mastermind Series ($27 fee includes all texts and bonuses) that will save you loads of time and frustration)


Title:
Twitter: How to Set It And Forget It!

Date:
Thursday, October 15, 2009

Time:
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDT

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Simple Note Card Webinar

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

Thursday's webinar with Katherine Vessenes turned out to be one of the most popular of the year as she demonstrated that old school marketing CAN and DOES work to attract clients.

Katherine provided some real world examples, including her own story of how she built a law practice in the boondocks from scratch, using nothing except note cards.

You can get the full recording for nothing if you download it by October 6, 2009. Just go here:

http://budurl.com/vesrecording

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Grouchy's "Kitchen Sink Kollection"

The Only Time I Will Ever Do This..

As I explained to some of you in a recent email, my annoyance with school fundraising has piqued to the point where I decided to do my own FUNDRAISING EFFORT..

I am calling it "Grouchy's Kitchen Sink" with the lion's share of the proceeds going to my kid's teeny tiny school out in the sticks. They don't get any stimulus or tax funds, so they DO need it..
I just don't feel like selling cookie dough, that's all.

This isn't a trick to try and up-sell you or cross-sell you or lure you into some recurring billing subscription or whatever... it is, like me,

PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

I have opened the Grouchy vaults and am giving you a pile of great marketing stuff- stuff that I could probably sell, piece by piece, for three times what I am asking here.

This is for a great cause, though- keeping me from having to annoy my relatives by foisting tubs of dough on them.

You benefit- because I have gathered together some of the best of my webinars (and 2 brand new ones never before offered to the public) along with links to Goldmails, training, ebooks and lots of other goodies. It's a whole marketing university for less that a month's worth of lattes at your local foo-foo cafe.

I won't do this again... It's too much work for one thing. So, if you want to help yourself AND help out a great cause at the same time, order now!

You Get:

1. 2 "Celebrity Positioning" Webinar recordings with Matthew Sapaula (one of them was a
private presentation never offered before) Matthew, a real agent and up-and-coming
media celebrity is a great presenter and full of insider tips on how to get yourself known.

2. Podcast with Matthew. (my informal interview with Matthew in which he shares how he uses
social media to grow his business and attract the media.

3. Webinar recording: Shama Hyder: Everything You Know About Social Media Is Wrong...
probably. Superb information from a leading authority on using social media to market.

4. Webinar Recording: Making Money in A Market Downturn with Peter Vessenes: Peter shares
his thoughts on why advisors and agents MUST get better at office practices and procedures
in order to make their practices more profitable.

5. "3 Ways You Can Create An Endless Annuity Leadflow"- Private training with Annuity.com's
Bill Broich.

6. (NEW) Katherine Vessenes' webinar on using simple notecards to generate more business.
(available after Thursday, September 24th)

7. David Frey Referral Webinar with Tammy (MP3 and slides)

8. Deltina Hay's Social Media Webinar- awesome "how-to" webinar with social media expert
Deltina Hay.

9. Raleigh Pinskey Secrets of Public Relations interview with Tammy (MP3)

10. NEW! Demystifying Squiddo with Tammy (webinar recording)

$270 worth of webinar recordings...

And.. you also get:

Tammy's EBOOK bag with tons of ebooks and reports, including: Twitter for Beginners,
Unleashing the Idea Virus, The Joy of Squidoo, Micrcontinuity Free report, 1001 Ways to Wow the Media and LOTS MORE.. (even some super secret cool stuff in here!)

Value $100.00 plus!

But, as they say on TV.. I'm not stopping there. I am also sending you links to my 10 minute "juicy bites" Goldmails- stuff you can listen to right away.. short and sweet and easy to digest!

You get the 4 Part Goldmail series on Celebrity Positioning as well as:

3 Must Have Twitter Applications
Marketing on A Shoestring
Marketing With Social Media
How to Use Twitter Hashtags
The NEER Method of Getting Referrals


OK.. so it's a ton of stuff and those of you who have bought marketing stuff online before know that it would cost you a lot more that the $127.00 I am asking.

Not gonna try and upsell you or trick you or even gather your credit card info.

And, it's for a good cause, too. So click the buttton below. As soon as your payment has cleared, you'll get the download instructions.

Thanks for your help and I hope you will use these materials and make piles of money.






Wednesday, September 16, 2009

More Great Stuff to Expand Your Mind...


Hey Gang!


Two free webinars coming up that you won't want to miss. On the same day, no less...


But here's the deal: register for both of them and you'll get recordings, even if you can't attend


KATHERINE VESSENES Presents: "How to Use Simple Note Cards to Attract and Retain Clients" Thursday, August 24th at 11AM Pacific, 1PM Central, 2PM Eastern.

No cost- Register at:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/966562760


Sid Walker's NEW CONTENT Webinar, Thursday

Sid Walker's free WEBINAR is:

How to Overcome Prospecting Avoidance and Make the Calls You Need to Make!

FREE BONUS: Psych Yourself Up to Prospect (ebook, $27 value)

DATE: Thursday Afternoon, September 24, 2009.

TIME: 12pm PT • 1pm MT • 2pm CT • 3pm ET

COST: FREE

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• How the conventional approach to selling makes it harder to prospect.

• The paradigm shift that makes your job a lot more fun and profitable.

Phone language that works to get appointments with the right people.

• The shift in perspective that will make you an unstoppable prospector.

TO REGISTER of for More Information, Click the link below:

http://www.marketerschoice.com/app/?af=796698

Hope you can join us,

WHO IS SID WALKER? And, why would you listen to him!?

• Sid is a champion of the consultative, relationship-building style of selling and self-promotion. His battle-cry is: “Your main job today is to help the client make informed decisions that feel right to the client!”

• Sid has successfully coached over 2,500 financial services reps including hundreds of the top people in the business.

• Sid is the author of six books on topics including: interviewing to get more client commitment, how to develop the confidence to prospect for bigger clients, overcoming call reluctance and the fear of self-promotion, and how to “get on a roll” and “stay on a roll” selling financial products.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Frey's Telesummits..A Great Idea

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone


I got a few emails from people asking if the David Frey Twitter and Sales Telesummits recordings and transcripts are still available.

Yes, they are and here is where you can go to download them:


Twitter Telesummit Recordings

http://nanacast.com/vp/68957/15408/
Sales Telesummit Recordings

http://nanacast.com/vp/74743/15408/


More Links for Your Marketing Pleasure:
Katherine Vessenes, former compliance attorney, financial planner, and author will show us how simple and inexpensive things like writing note cards, can get us loads of warm leads. Katherine actually built up her first law practice using these techniques, and even in the digital age- they still work if you do them the right way.

REGISTER OR LEARN MORE:

Insurance Mavericks LIVE...in Salt Lake City
www.insurancemarketingmaverick.com/implement

Sid Walker's Selling Without Wrestling Free 7 Day Trial (this rocks!)
http://www.marketerschoice.com/app/?af=796698