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Answer Upon - If My Work is Good Enough
There's a lot of buzz on the Internet right now, about how to find hidden profit niches.For those new to internet marketing, a profit niche is a specialized segment of an existing market. For instance, if you have a product your're trying to sell concerning dog training, a niche market might be "how to train your Beagle to stop barking." Why is it important to find niche markets you might ask? It all about outselling your competition and building a business.Stop and think about it for a moment. You have to ask yourself why you are even attempting to sell a product over the Internet. The obvious answer is to make money, right? Well, if that's the only goal you have you you are probably doomed to a miserable time spending hours and hours in front of your computer wondering why you aren't seeing any money going into your Pay Pal account.The real answer is that you should be thinking about your long term fu
Stage 2: Consciously Incompetent. Now you're anxious. You've become aware of what you don't know. Reading this article could move you to this stage. Witnessing a colleague or competitor win a contract that you missed out on could do it. For your target clients, this could happen if you do a free or low-cost assessment of their needs, or give them a short case study illustrating other client successes that they've not been able to achieve on their own. Bottom line: you're more motivated to close the gap between your current state (in pain) and your desired st
Getting a thrift store together in your community is some thing that anyone can do with a little time and preparation. This is something that you can do with some help from others in the community and friends and family. A thrift store is something that will benefit the entire community and help those people that are in need. This is a great idea and will make a difference in a lot of lives.When you are thinking of starting a thrift store, you should try to get as many volunteers together to help with everything that needs to be done. You can have a town meeting to get people involved in the process. You can also figure out what needs to be done in order to get things moving ahead.Finding a place to hold the thrift store is a good place to start. You may have to see if someone will donate space or you can find many buildings to rent for less because you are using it for good cause. There are many landlords and businesses that
Don't you think that good work should speak for itself...that if you're good enough at what you do, you shouldn't have to hustle up business?
I've been working with a lot of really Smart People lately. Physicists, Economists, Chemists, Electrical Engineers, Programmers, Researchers and highly educated professionals of many kinds. These folks are at the top of their game and world-class contributors in their chosen field.
Here are some of things they've said to me about marketing:
"If you're good, the money will come; we're above the money game."
"It feels sleazy to have to sell our market impact..."
"Isn't there an implied value to what we do? Why do we have to market it?"
"Yes, I'm angry that I have to market. It's not why I chose this career."
If you can relate to any of these statements, you're not alone. Even these really Smart People have to face the harsh reality that great work can't protect them from the "M Word" (marketing). Whether you've taken an entrepreneurial route, or work inside a large organization, marketing is a life skill that's essential for survival.
I remember fighting this reality early on in my professional career, limping along and barely surviving as a business because we were in denial about the reality of our situation: that if we didn't step up and figure out how to attract more clients, we'd be out of business.
Of course it wasn't until I was in a whole lot of pain (i.e., cash flow was a problem) that I changed my behavior. I had a choice to make: figure out how to bring in more clients or perish!
If you want to get your professional services understood, valued, and used in the marketplace, ignoring this responsibility is not an option. So as a Smart Person, do what comes naturally: LEARN your way out of your problem.
We're all on a learning curve about something, regardless of PhDs, technical expertise, or years of professional success. For many professionals, finding yourself at the bottom of the Marketing Learning Curve is a frustrating experience. To make matters worse, your target clients are on a steep learning curve about the value of you and your work!
So the key is to move both yourself and your target clients up the learning curve. And knowing how to market, then skillfully applying this knowledge to your target audience is what will get you there.
Here are the four stages you have to go through (picture a staircase or ladder, with one stage on each level). In turn, you can take your target clients through these stages to learn about you and your firm:
Stage 1: Unconsciously Incompetent. In other words, you're clueless. This is when you don't know what you don't know. For you, it could be not understanding the driving principles behind effectively marketing a professional service...or the 5 P's of marketing a professional service that you must follow, in exact order, if you wish to be successful. For your target clients, it could be that they don't know you exist or that they have no idea what problems you can help them solve. Ignorance can be bliss, but it won't get you more clients!
Stage 2: Consciously Incompetent. Now you're anxious. You've become aware of what you don't know. Reading this article could move you to this stage. Witnessing a colleague or competitor win a contract that you missed out on could do it. For your target clients, this could happen if you do a free or low-cost assessment of their needs, or give them a short case study illustrating other client successes that they've not been able to achieve on their own. Bottom line: you're more motivated to close the gap between your current state (in pain) and your desired st
Even with the best of intentions, you still may have overlooked the obvious. Suppose you spent hours on a good headline, took a pretty picture of your storefront and covered all the who, what, where, when, and why questions, did you still forget the most important reason you ran the ad in the first place? Of course you want customers, but which ones? If you said, “all of them,” then shame on you. You can’t have them all. There are competitors and they are also chasing after them as well. So why not specialize?Why? Well, do you want only the price-shoppers? If you emphasized “low-prices” in the headline, that’s what you’ll get. Are you really a discounter, or would you prefer a high-end customer? How do you get to choose? It’s easy, really. You target your market. A Mercedes dealer doesn’t expect or need every car buyer to come into his showroom. He also doesn’t talk about price, because he’s expensive. Rather, he talks about reliable Germa
"Yes, I'm angry that I have to market. It's not why I chose this career."
If you can relate to any of these statements, you're not alone. Even these really Smart People have to face the harsh reality that great work can't protect them from the "M Word" (marketing). Whether you've taken an entrepreneurial route, or work inside a large organization, marketing is a life skill that's essential for survival.
I remember fighting this reality early on in my professional career, limping along and barely surviving as a business because we were in denial about the reality of our situation: that if we didn't step up and figure out how to attract more clients, we'd be out of business.
Of course it wasn't until I was in a whole lot of pain (i.e., cash flow was a problem) that I changed my behavior. I had a choice to make: figure out how to bring in more clients or perish!
If you want to get your professional services understood, valued, and used in the marketplace, ignoring this responsibility is not an option. So as a Smart Person, do what comes naturally: LEARN your way out of your problem.
We're all on a learning curve about something, regardless of PhDs, technical expertise, or years of professional success. For many professionals, finding yourself at the bottom of the Marketing Learning Curve is a frustrating experience. To make matters worse, your target clients are on a steep learning curve about the value of you and your work!
So the key is to move both yourself and your target clients up the learning curve. And knowing how to market, then skillfully applying this knowledge to your target audience is what will get you there.
Here are the four stages you have to go through (picture a staircase or ladder, with one stage on each level). In turn, you can take your target clients through these stages to learn about you and your firm:
Stage 1: Unconsciously Incompetent. In other words, you're clueless. This is when you don't know what you don't know. For you, it could be not understanding the driving principles behind effectively marketing a professional service...or the 5 P's of marketing a professional service that you must follow, in exact order, if you wish to be successful. For your target clients, it could be that they don't know you exist or that they have no idea what problems you can help them solve. Ignorance can be bliss, but it won't get you more clients!
Stage 2: Consciously Incompetent. Now you're anxious. You've become aware of what you don't know. Reading this article could move you to this stage. Witnessing a colleague or competitor win a contract that you missed out on could do it. For your target clients, this could happen if you do a free or low-cost assessment of their needs, or give them a short case study illustrating other client successes that they've not been able to achieve on their own. Bottom line: you're more motivated to close the gap between your current state (in pain) and your desired st
Telephone Numbers are usually the first point of contact between Customers and Businesses, and you know what they say...First impressions last!Most companies spend thousands of pounds per year on print advertising, be it on vehicles, business cards or even websites. What most of them fail to realise is that spending that amount of money pays no return if the target audience cannot remember the telephone number when looking at it for the first time. I'm sure that you have found yourself glancing at an advert and finding it interesting but quickly find out a few days later that you cannot remeber the contact number.Recent research has shown that displaying a memorable phone number prominently on a website and company letterheads can increase client response rates by up to FIVE times, so if you are spending money on marketing, it makes sense to maximise your return by getting a professional looking number. H
If you want to get your professional services understood, valued, and used in the marketplace, ignoring this responsibility is not an option. So as a Smart Person, do what comes naturally: LEARN your way out of your problem.
We're all on a learning curve about something, regardless of PhDs, technical expertise, or years of professional success. For many professionals, finding yourself at the bottom of the Marketing Learning Curve is a frustrating experience. To make matters worse, your target clients are on a steep learning curve about the value of you and your work!
So the key is to move both yourself and your target clients up the learning curve. And knowing how to market, then skillfully applying this knowledge to your target audience is what will get you there.
Here are the four stages you have to go through (picture a staircase or ladder, with one stage on each level). In turn, you can take your target clients through these stages to learn about you and your firm:
Stage 1: Unconsciously Incompetent. In other words, you're clueless. This is when you don't know what you don't know. For you, it could be not understanding the driving principles behind effectively marketing a professional service...or the 5 P's of marketing a professional service that you must follow, in exact order, if you wish to be successful. For your target clients, it could be that they don't know you exist or that they have no idea what problems you can help them solve. Ignorance can be bliss, but it won't get you more clients!
Stage 2: Consciously Incompetent. Now you're anxious. You've become aware of what you don't know. Reading this article could move you to this stage. Witnessing a colleague or competitor win a contract that you missed out on could do it. For your target clients, this could happen if you do a free or low-cost assessment of their needs, or give them a short case study illustrating other client successes that they've not been able to achieve on their own. Bottom line: you're more motivated to close the gap between your current state (in pain) and your desired st
INTRODUCTION TO THE LEADERSHIP GAPEmerging leaders in many ways define an organization and its ability to reach its potential. Usually at the direct level and at the junior portions of the leadership pyramid, they possess a relatively narrow sphere of influence and span of control. They do, however, provide the critical bridge between those who plan and those who implement and execute. They are, to coin an oft-used metaphor, where the rubber meets the road. In many organizations, however, this is the most neglected and misunderstood level of leadership.This is not to say that organizations promote individuals devoid of talent to supervisory, management, or leadership roles. On the contrary, most organizations promote their star players with successful track records of job related performance to leadership roles, i.e. the best account executive becomes the sales manager or the most proficient customer service representative in a
Here are the four stages you have to go through (picture a staircase or ladder, with one stage on each level). In turn, you can take your target clients through these stages to learn about you and your firm:
Stage 1: Unconsciously Incompetent. In other words, you're clueless. This is when you don't know what you don't know. For you, it could be not understanding the driving principles behind effectively marketing a professional service...or the 5 P's of marketing a professional service that you must follow, in exact order, if you wish to be successful. For your target clients, it could be that they don't know you exist or that they have no idea what problems you can help them solve. Ignorance can be bliss, but it won't get you more clients!
Stage 2: Consciously Incompetent. Now you're anxious. You've become aware of what you don't know. Reading this article could move you to this stage. Witnessing a colleague or competitor win a contract that you missed out on could do it. For your target clients, this could happen if you do a free or low-cost assessment of their needs, or give them a short case study illustrating other client successes that they've not been able to achieve on their own. Bottom line: you're more motivated to close the gap between your current state (in pain) and your desired st
The Power of Credibility When your event is either completely new to the market or you are trying to reach out to a new audience, establishing up front credibility with your audience is important. Even if your event is well-established, re-enforcement of its credibility will help boost your attendance.Establish Who You Are Create credibility by establishing a unique identity such as an "Institute" or "Center" along with a description of your mission. For example, the "Center for Personal Finance" or "The National Institute of (fill in the blank)."Use any industry or high-profile connections to establish and promote an advisory board. Use "big name" speakers or co-chairs along with their photos on all of your promotional materials. Your prospects will feel safer registering when they see familiar or official-sounding entities.You’re in Good Company Find yourself a reputable sponsor or co-spo
Stage 2: Consciously Incompetent. Now you're anxious. You've become aware of what you don't know. Reading this article could move you to this stage. Witnessing a colleague or competitor win a contract that you missed out on could do it. For your target clients, this could happen if you do a free or low-cost assessment of their needs, or give them a short case study illustrating other client successes that they've not been able to achieve on their own. Bottom line: you're more motivated to close the gap between your current state (in pain) and your desired state (pain-free and successful).
Stage 3: Consciously Competent. Armed with new knowledge, you're starting to feel more confident. With some effort, coaching, courage to try new things, and small successes, you're starting to get better results for your efforts to attract more clients. It still takes a conscious effort to do the right things, but you're on your way. For your target clients, this stage means that they see "What's In It For Them" to do business with you, are confident that you can solve their problem better than anyone else, trust that you'll not let them down, and see a clear path of action to get their needs met. This is a good place to be, because it means there's a good chance that you'll close the deal.
Stage 4: Unconsciously Competent. Like tying your shoes, this is when it all feels natural and easy. You're probably here in your chosen field of expertise. With the right approach and accumulated successes under your belt, you'll get here in your ability to attract more clients. Your target clients are here only after they've gotten the results they want and can solidly trust their relationship with you over the long haul. They voluntarily and enthusiastically refer you to others. They eagerly ask about and await your next solution or offer of how to continue helping them. This is a blissful place to be and will get you more clients than you ever thought possible!
Facing your "marketing reality" can be a tough pill to swallow. To make this easier, give these things a try:
* Start with increasing your knowledge. Read some articles about marketing in your particular field that you might not normally bother with. Attend a talk or workshop about marketing that typically wouldn't make it into your schedule. Expose yourself to new ideas and fresh knowledge. A good place to start is my free articles at:
http://www.turningpointemarketing.com/free_resources/articles.html
* Next, pick one new thing that you've learned and schedule it into your calendar to try. Start small, get some successes under your belt, and keep moving. Aim for one new marketing action every week.
* As you start experiencing better results from your actions, you'll notice a shift in how you feel toward marketing. It won't feel like such a burden. It'll feel like a natural part of what you do. It won't be "someone else's job." You'll actually start to enjoy it (trust me, it can happen - I used to HATE this stuff!).
* Be patient with yourself and with the process. You didn't become an industry expert overnight, nor will you become a great marketer instantly. If you really want the freedom to do the work you love, you've got to commit to the life skill of funding your passion for the long haul.
* Don't let naivet? or arrogance stand in your way. Marketing is not about hustling, twisting arms, misleading, or shameless promotion. It is about sharing what you know with the right target clients, in a way that they can understand and see the value for themselves in the good w
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