As I was planning for my presentation later this week, I got to thinking about the differences between a speaking presentation and sales presentation. What are the differences?

Both provide information. Both motivate the listener to take action. Both hope for some type of outcome.

So are there really that many differences?

In both cases, your ultimate goal is for someone to take action. If you are presenting to a client, you want them to buy your product or service. If you are presenting to a group, you may wish to make connections with members in the group for future business.

Here are 3 things you can do to help you become better at presenting:

1. Plan carefully
The last thing you want to do is show up to speak in front of a group of people, and not have a polished presentation. It will show immediately, and your expertise will dwindle away. Outline what you are going to say. Provide bullet points for each topic you will cover. Research and find relevant statistics. Have stories and testimonials ready. The more prepared you are, the more your expertise will shine through, the more success you’ll have.

2. Communicate visually
In order for people to have the desire to take action, they have to “see” what you are talking about. Don’t assume they have knowledge on a subject matter unless you know them personally. Start at the beginning. Set the stage. Provide the background and lead them into a current situation. Let them see themselves in your pictures. If you can get them to feel like you understand them and their problems, you have new clients.

3. Present with perfection
I remember starting out in my first business. We had one package we tried to sell to our clients that we really didn’t like, and we felt didn’t provide the best service for our customers. Guess how we sold it?

“Well, its here if you really want it.”
“It’s not the best and doesn’t offer everything you really should have.”
“Its affordable but really doesn’t allow you to have everything you need.”

Yes, we didn’t sell it very well. And the couple of people who did buy it were lousy customers. They were problems all the way through, and quickly taught us a lesson.

If you don’t like something, and can’t sell it with perfection, don’t sell it at all.

Find a friend or relative and talk through your presentation. Can you talk with passion? Do you love what you are doing? Can you sell your information effortlessly? Sales presentations really aren’t about the sales if you love it and are passionate about it.

Your passion will shine through. And people will be attracted to you because of it. And the sales will simply come.

image source

Yes. The key to building a great business is to create regular marketing strategies, and use them again and again. Give your prospects and customers what they want, and you’ll be successful.

Whether you’ve been sending ezines for years, or are new to the whole process and are wondering where to begin, let’s look at 7 basic concepts to get you going in the right direction.

1. Setting up your system. Yes, you can create a simple email, and send it to a list you build through your Outlook or other email program. That’s okay with a few subscribers. But it’s not feasible once you have several hundred or even several thousand subscribers. You’ll not only risk shutting down your Outlook, but the server your email account is handled through may also shut you down for spam violations. 

The best way to get started is to set up a newsletter program that makes it easy for you to create your ezine, and keeps you in compliance with spam laws and verifications. I’ve used Aweber for years, and love their service.

2. Speak to your customers. Never write an ezine from your perspective – give your customers what they desire. You may know the technical terms and buzzwords. Yet these may completely frustrate your readers. Give them the information in language they understand and will motivate them to move forward with you.

3. Personalize your message. People like to do business with people they know. While you don’t want to make half your newsletter personal, it is nice to add a paragraph or two at the beginning talking about what you’re up to.

4. Send out regularly. What can your readers handle? An ezine every week? Maybe every month? Part of having a successful ezine is knowing when to send, and what to promote. If you’re sending personal information to working moms, and they typically sign up from their home accounts, twice per month may be adequate. If you’re sending business tips to professionals, they may like a daily tip. Learn what they like, and always deliver at that interval.

5. Time your ezine. How long does it take to read? Is it a 5 minute tip, or a 15 minute novel? Most people are busy, and can’t spend long periods of time reading. Condense your information, and make it readable.

6. Be light on the selling. Your ezine is all about information and developing a relationship. But that doesn’t mean you can’t promote too. Find one thing to focus on in every ezine, and sell it lightly within your content.

7. Proofread and check. I’ve hit the send button many times, only to receive my own copy and notice a spelling error or find a broken link. Check your content before you hit the send button. Better yet, have a second pair of eyes proofread.

So when someone mentions a new thing like Twitter, its easy to discount it and push it aside.

But, if you take a look at it and jump on before the majority of your competitors in your local area, you just may have a new inexpensive marketing technique that will really help you bring in the business when you need it most.

Let’s say your Tuesday’s are your slowest day for lunch. Why not start up a Tuesday Twitter campaign? You send out a Tweet offering a free appetizer or something else of value to your followers – all they have to do is mention you heard it on Twitter.

I just saw a Tweet come through from someone I’m following about a free cup of award winning clam chowder simply for mentioning Twitter. (Too bad I’m not in California, sounds good to me.) I might not be there, but how many are? And how many are planning on taking advantage of this great offer? The re-tweets are still being circulated as I write this.

Building your list is easy. Start with your clients. Give everyone that visits your location a card telling them you’re now on Twitter, and you’ll be offering surprises along the way if they follow you.

Add to the conversation every day. Even if you only have a few minutes of time, use those minutes to tweet and make contacts.

Then create your special promotions. Tuesday Twitter specials. Free appetizers. Free meals with purchase. Free desserts. Make up new specials based on your menu, the time of year, and … well really anything will work.

You’ll quickly see your followers grow. And have a new, FREE way of marketing your business and growing your client list.

What if you could reach out to a completely untapped market, offering them something in a totally new way? 

Have you ever read a website in its entirely, and by the time you reach the end you know you have to connect with the company? You have to buy their product or try out their service just because they spoke directly to your heart?

That’s the power of great copy.

So let me ask you a question. Which would make better copy for your website?

Where does the photographer’s job end? The day of your wedding? After the images have been presented to you a few weeks later? Or, does it continue from the minute you choose your photographer, and continue for years?

We believe in 100 percent service. After the wedding, our service doesn’t end. We are now a part of the digital revolution, and will provide you with images to share with family and friends all across the world, thanks to the wonders of the Internet. We will provide you with a custom designed storyboard that shows an artistic rendition of your final wedding album. We will provide you with all of the tools necessary to create an elegant story album depicting each moment of your special day. We will provide you with top quality photographs and products that you will be proud to display in your home. And to give as gifts! We will be there for you as other members of you family announce their engagement. We will be there for you to remember how one day changed you life forever!

Or this?

Cuando termina el trabajo de un fotógrafo?  El día de tu boda?Semanas después en que te fueron presentadas tus imágenes?  O, continua desde el minuto en que seleccionaste a ese fotógrafo y logras mantenerlo  através de los años?

Nosotros creemos en dar un servicio al 100%  excelente.  Después de la boda, nuestro servicio o atención continua.  Gracias a las maravillas de Internet, somos ahora parte de un sistema revolucionario digital en donde le proveeremos sus imágenes  para que pueda compartir con familiares y amistades en el mundo entero.  Su álbum final será la compilación de sus fotografías de una manera totalmente artística. En ese día tan especial todo detalle, minuto por minuto, será capturado y presentado de una manera totalmente distinguida y elegante en un álbum lleno de historia. La creación de estas fotografías y productos de calidad,  usted se sentirá orgulloso de ex ponerlo en casa, y , quizás, hasta de hacer regalos! Estaremos a tu lado como aquel día en que tu familia anuncio tu compromiso.   Cada cambio de tu vida lo llevaras siempre presente con nosotros! Da nos la oportunidad de crearte cada momento especial con imágenes que siempre querrás conservar de una manera histórica, y con una elegante presentación!

Many small businesses have a great sales letter written for their website, but they may be missing out on something even more important – speaking in their customers’ native language.

What if you converted your copy to Spanish? What if you spoke to them in copy they related to AND in a language they prefer?

That’s a dynamic sales presentation.

The Hispanic/Latino market is changing at a rapid pace. According to Mediamark Research’s, Hispanic/Latino Market Profile, the population is expected to grow 126.4% from 1990 to 2011, and the spending power is expected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2011.

The key is knowing your client, and giving them what they want in a manner that most suits their needs.

And what’s great about it is you don’t have to be fluent in Spanish yourself in order to recognize and fulfill this need. Reach out and sell to people in your community in a way they prefer. You’ll show them how much you appreciate them as customers. And introduce them to a company that is ready and willing to provide them with services they need and want.

Want more information on converting your website to Spanish? It’s easier than you might think. We’ve power partnered with an amazing company that translates your copy into Spanish, and does so in proper Spanish (not like the rough translation you get with some of those converter programs). Email me for more information on how easy it is to turn your website into a second income stream.

If you watch any television lately, or open up any newspaper, you must have noticed the influx of ads by Wal-Mart. They’re everywhere. Last night as I watched Dancing With The Stars, I noticed several commercials each break were from this discount giant.

And they aren’t focusing on having the lowest prices. Just giving you value for your dollar.

You can learn a lot from a company like this. 

1. Don’t stop marketing or slow it down in difficult economic times. Increase it. While others are shutting down, you can actually reach out to more people and have your message heard loud and clear because you don’t have a lot of competition. And you may get great deals on some advertising because they’re having trouble as well and welcome the

2. Repeating is okay. Wal-Mart has just a handful of ads that they play over and over again. It’s not the amount of content they put in front of you. It’s the message they’re trying to convey. They simply want you to know where you can get the most value, especially in tough times.

3. Have a clear message. Instead of moving forward with a ton of ideas and a ton of approaches, keep it simple. Because we’re all bombarded with information, and have a ton of things happening in our personal lives, the last thing we want is to have to think about more. Combined with repeating a message again and again, your message will come through loud and clear.

4. Use a few channels well. Have you ever bounced around from advertising method to advertising method? It’s easy to do as there is so many different things available. Instead, choose a few that have potential of reaching a huge portion of your market, and saturate it. The more people see you, the more they’ll recognize you, and the more they’ll convert.

5. Promote in a simple manner. You don’t need bells and whistles. You don’t need the top of the line presentation. Sometimes simple is better. Create your message and get it heard. As long as its professional, your audience will be content with the message, and have no concerns over its delivery method.

6. Use your time wisely. Wal-Mart doesn’t put one commercial on every hour. They place two or three in every break. That’s traction. They know their audience and they make sure their audience sees them. Over and over again.

7. Think big. Instead of jumping into the latest fad, and moving on the next week, think about the basics. What is going to make your business grow over the next year? How can you do something today that will impact you on December 31, 2009? Always plan for the future before you take action today.

In traditional marketing, the large companies knew the secret to success was having a huge pool of prospects and customers to go to again and again. If someone requested information, or made a purchase from you, chances are you could turn them into repeat customers. The key was staying in touch with them through a variety of methods.

That same philosophy applies more than ever in today’s technological world as well.  

Blogging is great. So is gaining followers on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. But what happens 5 years from now when Twitter isn’t the top way of communicating? What happens when attentions move to Twitter to “Insert new name here”?

Your followers no longer stay in touch with you on the old media. They move onto something new – something that you may no longer be using yourself.

But if you maintain a web/blog presence, and have your own in-house list offering free reports, free white papers, or a free e-class, you’ve now brought prospects back to your own sources. And you have full control over how you maintain a relationship with them. You can email them regularly with ezines. You can send out new offers and put them on new, more segregated lists. You can ask for more information, and put them on a snail mailing list. The options are endless.

I’ve been reading a lot of interviews from bloggers lately, and most wish they had started their own email lists sooner rather than later. If you have a business and are trying to attract customers, you have to build your own list. I’ve been using aweber for years and love their service. You can create an unlimited amount of lists, and can send as many times as you desire for the same low monthly fee. You can also have autoresponders as well as ezines, giving you two services for the price of one.

Step 1 Decide who your target market is. Hint: It isn’t everyone between the ages of 18 and 80. Niche it down. The more detailed and focused you can gear your products and services to, the easier it will be to find your audience.

Step 2 Create your branding. Once you have your niche in mind, tell it to your prospects through your website, blog, and marketing materials. Make it obvious where your business focus is. Don’t say “accounting for small businesses” if you’re really targeting “accounting and tax help for small retail stores”. Be obvious.

Step 3 Educate your clients instead of marketing to them. How perceptive are you to marketing now? Do you regularly find new products and services through ads and direct mail? Chances are the answer is no. Today more than ever, people want knowledge first, and products/services second. We want to gather information to educate ourselves on what our next purchase will be. The company that educates the best is usually where a purchase is made.

Step 4 Quit selling. Selling in today’s market takes patience and a process. You can’t sell in one step. Instead, set up a process that leads people from point to point, gathering more information about what you do and how you can help. For example, a 3×5 postcard might lead to a website. On the website, a person can sign up for a 7 day e-course. The e-course leads to a wealth of information, and a special offer on a product at the end of the course.

Step 5 Expand your audience. A great thing about today’s tools is you have a ton of different options. If you’ve been using traditional marketing effectively, continue it. But add in different websites and blogs. Try gathering a new following using social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Or watch for heavily followed niche social sites. The key is going where you can reach a high level of potential prospects.

Step 6 Capture attention from the media. Never had an article published in a magazine or trade publication? Give it a shot. Also look for online sources that take in information. It’s easy to connect up with owners or publishers of news sources since many of them use social sites and are active online as well. Ask – you may be surprised at how much you achieve.

Step 7 Lead your referral line. Referrals don’t just happen. They take guidance along the way. Having a great system in place is your starting point for a great referral network. If a client can plug a potential client in step 2 from above, it’s easier for you to convert them into paying clients. They’ve already received a great testimonial, and read your information. Getting them to purchase takes no time at all. 

Ready to learn even more about creating a great online marketing strategy? Join me for my Online Marketing Strategy Class April 28th at 10:00am Mountain time.

image source rore_d

Find Success Through An Online Strategy.

I know a lot of you can relate to Joe’s email, and maybe have first hand experience with doing just a little bit of everything, and none of it really working.

If you’ve been in business for any length of time, I’m also willing to bet that what worked well three, two, or even one year ago isn’t working the same way anymore. 

If you always mailed out postcards and had a 1 percent sales rate, that’s probably fallen to ½ percent.

Or maybe you’re referral partners just aren’t sending over the same amount of clients they did in the past.

Why is that?

Because marketing as a whole is changing.

And I attribute this to two things.

1. There are a ton of channels opening up all the time.
2. People don’t pay attention the same way.

There are a ton of channels opening up all the time.
What are your options for getting your name out to potential clients? Of course there’s the traditional channels: postcards, phone book, newspaper, magazine, trade publication, radio, television, etc.

And now there are also online channels: email, website, blog, social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, SEO, etc.

Online tools are added every day because they’re easy to create and easy to send out. If one person likes something, they can tell thousands of “friends” quickly and effectively.

While everyone mentions the largest players, niching yourself can be successful. Finding a community that speaks directly to your target audience will benefit you much more than a Facebook account.

And because so many of these new tools are fun and exciting, people are spending a lot more time there than they do in other arenas.

People don’t pay attention the same way.
When we had just a handful of television channels to choose from, the networks had a captive audience. They knew pretty much where we were going to tune in. Then came cable television. And the channels kept growing. Our attention went from a few to hundreds in a very short period of time.

Along with the Internet, we have access to thousands [millions?] of different opportunities every day. If you don’t like reading a newspaper, you can find your favorite news source online. If you hate commercials, record you favorite shows; or better yet, head online and stream them anytime you choose.

As fast as marketers find a way for getting their information in front of you, people have found ways for turning the noise off, and concentrating on something entirely different.

So if you’re marketing in the same manner you did even just a year ago, your entire strategy may need to be evaluated to move you into the new phase of marketing.

• Who are your clients and where do they go?
• How do they get their information?
• What do they prefer and what do they dislike?
• How are your clients changing?

Reevaluate your strategy before its too late, and they turn to your competitors.

image source jaylopez

We put everything we had into the site, and changed it all the time. Because there wasn’t a lot of other tools to work with, we kept at it.

But what about today?

You can start a website. Then a blog. Then join a social site. And another. And when you have 20 different things to do every day, another site comes along that you just have to join.

When does it all end?

Joe emailed me last week. “I’ve been following your advice for several months now. I have a site. I started a blog. I have a Facebook account, and I just opened up a Twitter account. I showcase my work on Flickr. I have a newsletter that I send out once a month. What do I do now – I’m still not bringing in clients?”

So I spent a few minutes and visited his website, blog and social sites.

His website was a 5 page brochure site, with little copy. His blog has a “welcome” post – from three months ago. No additional posts have been created. His Facebook page has a great summary and quite a few photographs; but he only has 26 friends. Likewise with Twitter. The only way to subscribe to his newsletter is through his contact us page – just a simple box by the side of a map to his location.

Joe isn’t alone. I see this all the time.

Technically, Joe is following my advice. He has a site. He has a blog. He joined social sites. And he is sending a newsletter.

But who is he really connecting with?

Let’s do an experiment. Head over to your favorite coffee shop this morning. Hand out 26 business cards and tell them to come to your office to sign up for your product or service.

How many new clients do you think you’ll actually get?

It’s easy to see the lack of strategy when you put it into a more traditional sense. But when people head online, they expect instant results. They’ve put in the time; they’ve visited a few sites and signed up for free accounts; they’ve done the work. Why aren’t they having any success?

Success comes from having a strategy in place.

• It’s about knowing how your site will affect visitors.
• It’s about knowing the right way to blog.
• It’s about knowing how to attract people through social sites.
• It’s about directing people where to go online for information about you.
• It’s about keeping it all active every single week.

Strategy is the most important part of your business plan. Without it, none of it will work, and help you grow your business. It’s the foundation of your business. It’s what will pull you ahead of your competition. Or quickly make you sink to the bottom.

How will you run your business?

[Joe took the first step and invested in an Online Marketing Plan. Are you ready to plan for the future too?]

Or is it more important to find someone with expertise in exactly what you’re looking for?

Now more than ever, the world is flat. Expertise is more important than location. And with as fast as things change in the online world, there are a ton of people claiming to be specialists when they really have no clue as to how things work.

Just this morning, I met with a “marketing specialist”. She was recently hired by a company to completely overhaul their entire marketing strategy, including their website. So we met to discuss website strategy. She had a ton of ideas for their site – none of which she really knew anything about.

• She felt search engine placement wasn’t important – nobody really finds clients online anyway.
• She wanted a simple site with a little SEO – no reason to blog, all the info should be on the original site anyway.
• She was planning on creating a Facebook profile for the company. Profile for a company? Hmmm… sure hope she doesn’t get banned.

She had what I call the Old World Marketing Block. She was trained and grew up in old world marketing, and has no clue as to how to market businesses today using today’s tools.

And she’s not alone. In fact, many marketers that have been around for 5, 10 years or more simply haven’t kept up with new ways to market. They may dabble online. They may blog occasionally. And they may even have a profile on Facebook. But unless they understand how they all work together, and how you need them all to capture attention, it’s simply a waste of time.

I’ve been online since the early 1990’s. I know a ton about online marketing, and can easily spot when someone doesn’t understand it. But for the average business owner that doesn’t understand it either, how can they get around who knows the information, and who doesn’t?

Ask them to walk the talk. Show you how it all works.

• How many websites do they have within their business?
• Are they making money online?
• Are they utilizing a ton of different tools?
• Where do they rank on Google?
• How many friends do they have on Facebook ? Twitter?
• How are they connecting their blogs to other sites?

If they aren’t doing it themselves, there is no way they understand it. Because if they did understand it, they would be benefiting AND PROFITING from it.

Take some time to ask your potential marketing person just these few questions. You may be surprised at the answers. And you may be out hunting online for a new marketer very quickly.