Have you ever seen a Comedian use a PowerPoint?

I will admit that I use a PowerPoint more often than not. It is not because I am trying to dazzle anyone, it is mostly for the sake of being my notes for the process. Seldom do I use a tremendous amount of wording on them, but I need a few key prompts to get me through most presentations. I blame this reliance on lack of preparation or procrastination; I am not sure which is more powerful or more to blame.

Recently, I was viewing a few George Carlin presentations on YouTube, and it reminded me, have I ever seen a comedian use a PowerPoint? If you study comedians, you will find them quite professional in their delivery. A list that I created with help from the Wikihow on How to be a Comedian:

1. Original Material
2. Ability to read an audience
3. Relate to the average person
4. Remember to walk the stage
5. Respectful attitude
6. Watch others and emulate one you like
7. Practice body language and timing
8. Practice in front of others and notice their reaction
9. Watch classic presenters like Steve Jobs, Johnny Carson, Jack Welch, Dr. Deming
10. It’s not a monologue
11. The single most important, PRACTICE (I might have said it twice) 

George Carlin Talks about “Stuff” (there may be some inappropriate language)

George Carlin's (Farewell George, 1937-2008) classic standup routine about the importance of 'Stuff' in our lives. This was from his appearance at Comic Relief in 1986.

Follow Pareto not Wannamaker in Customer Retention

Should Lean Marketers be using the Wanamaker Principle or the Pareto Principle in your Customer Retention programs?

John Wanamaker said: "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half." I have written about this on several occasions on how this is a good thing, not a bad thing. In particular, two posts; Deming was just simply wrong about variation… and Why Should 50% of your marketing should fail (statistical proof offered by Don Reinertsen). However, this type of thinking applies mostly to acquisition, not retention. We need a little of the Pareto Principle in retention.

From Wikipedia:

Business-management consultant Joseph M. Juran suggested the principle and named it after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It is a common rule of thumb in business; e.g., "80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients". Mathematically, where something is shared among a sufficiently large set of participants, there must be a number k between 50 and 100 such that "k% is taken by (100 − k)% of the participants". The number k may vary from 50 (in the case of equal distribution, i.e. 100% of the population have equal shares) to nearly 100 (when a tiny number of participants account for almost all of the resource). There is nothing special about the number 80% mathematically, but many real systems have k somewhere around this region of intermediate imbalance in distribution.

Why is this important in retention? It is that number, the people that you are presently retaining is the key in developing a retention program.

Wannamaker Customer Retention Program:

Typically, most marketers will design a retention program by establishing a variety of listening posts. We develop campaigns for follow-up that incorporate survey, telephone solicitation, focus groups, etc. With the advent of social media and new technology; it seems that we can be everywhere and at any time. We open the flood gates to this sea of data and here it comes. The information and data collected is bountiful and never ending. In fact, we have created entire industries and threatened to be overwhelmed by big data.

The data flows but much of the feedback is negative. It is pretty common, since the unhappy customer is willing to make the effort to tell someone about it. Only your mother and maybe a few other relatives are ready to expound the virtues of working with you. The continuous improvement people are overjoyed. This is a good thing. We start finding all the problems and now we can correct them. Or, so it seems.

Pareto Principle Customer Retention Program:

In your first efforts, 80% of the people responding will be negative. You must develop a recovery program to handle these instances and improve your ability to respond but in the beginning you will stand little chance of accomplishing both a good response and as a result a customer whom you can retain.

Don’t take this the wrong way and think I am advocating not correcting problems. But this is not necessarily a good thing to improve and create an on-going retention program. What your customer retention program must concentrate on is the 20% positive responses. This is our strength. The first steps of any Lean process are identifying value and creating a current state. Why should we identify the process through Non-Value Activities defined as waste (Weaknesses and Threats) versus value added activities? I use the appreciative inquiry approach of a SOAR framework as the beginning step in the Defining stage and a natural lead in to the other steps.

• Strengths: Internal to organization; What is our core?
• Opportunities: External to organization; What might be?
• Aspirations: Internal to organization; What should be?
• Results: External to organization; What will be?

We continue with the five steps of appreciative inquiry:

1. (Definition) What are we presently doing and how do customers feel about them?
2. (Discovery) What is our present value proposition for the customers we are retaining
3. (Dream)What are our targets for improving? How will we measure success?
4. (Design) How do these experiences differ? How do the customers differ?
5. (Destiny) What’s our investment strategy – not only in media, but in time and events?

By creating our customer retention program from a position of strength, we accomplish those early successes and celebrations so much needed for jump-starting a program. Do we end up forgetting about the problems? Of course not, what we do is by concentrating on the vital few, we create a much more manageable program at the beginning and something we can deliver on. It matches our capabilities. When the program expands, it attracts more customers into our strength versus growing in a random manner. As Dr. Juran might say, it is the vital few not the useful many.

Related Book: The Thin Book of SOAR; Building Strengths-Based Strategy

Related Information:
Using Desired Effects to find Root Cause
Lean Marketers concentrate on SOAR vs. SWOT
Appreciative Inquiry instead of Problem Solving

Use the tools of Political Campaign Marketing to turn your Social Media into a Handshake!

Campaign Marketing was discussed in the Business901 podcasts, What Political Campaigns can teach business, part 1 of 2  and part 2 of 2. Part one was more of a strategic view and part 2 more tactical. This is a transcription of both of the the podcasts. I find political campaign marketing very relevant to typical business marketing. Political campaigns have more experience in creating touch-points, managing limited budgets and crafting their message to the audience that they are addressing. An excellent primer when developing a social media strategy and turning it into a handshake.    

 

Derek A. Pillie has served public and political candidates for over 15 years. He has served on the staff of Indiana’s Third Congressional District, most recently as District Director for just over a decade. In that role, he oversaw Indiana operations of the office; including constituent outreach and helping taxpayers solve problems with federal agencies. He also worked on crucial economic development projects and was heavily involved with advising the office on online media and marketing decisions.

After his federal service expired Derek started working at Cirrus ABS, an online marketing and technology development company. He currently manages their business development efforts. Cirrus ABS has added political campaigns to the portfolio of industries they serve since Derek joined the team, and he continues volunteer efforts on behalf of candidates he supports.

Related Information:
Political Campaigning – Strategy Update
What political campaigns can teach business
Lean Marketing Lab Opens!
Start with Journey Mapping vs Value Stream Mapping

What political campaigns can teach business

According to social media analyst Charlene Li, selling a product is much like selling a candidate. The best approach is tap into your core group of supporters, empower them to evangelize on your behalf and then let go! Li says that the rise of social networks has impacted the way politicians communicate with their base and that businesses can learn to have a conversation, rather than "message" their audience. Another tip -- businesses should develop a thicker skin when it comes to negative feedback and respond to criticism in real-time, like politicians are doing via the internet.

Charlene gives a great overview in the video and this is the theme of my upcoming podcast with Derek Pillie, a fifteen veteran of the political campaign trail.

There are some great lessons that businesses can take away from politics. People have a tendency to evaluate and expect marketing to create immediate business for them. Many times they evaluate marketing firms based who has the “best idea.” If that is the case, why try to convince customers to change their mind? Instead, embrace them!

As a marketing consultant, I view political campaigning as one of the most productive methods of creating immediate business. Campaign Managers are experts at using the vast array of available touch-points to reach customers and more importantly, they are Deadline Driven – Election Day.

I wonder what business can teach politics?

Related Information:
Is your marketing firm having this conversation with you?
The New Names of Marketing are still PDCA
How new is Service Dominant Logic and does it apply now?
Will Product Managers embrace Open Innovation?
Putting Customer Value in the Product Lifecycle

How new is Service Dominant Logic and does it apply now?

In researching Service Dominant Logic (S-D Logic), I found the concept not all that new. I found the catalyst for this interest was the publication of an article by Stephen Vargo and Robert Lusch in a 2004 edition of Journal of Marketing entitled “Evolving to a New Dominant Logic for Marketing and later their book,The Service-Dominant Logic of Marketing.

Digging deeper, I found  that Wroe Alderson (1898–1965) the most recognized marketing theorist of the twentieth century and the “father of modern marketing” started the ball rolling when he redefined the value-in-use concept as an alternative to the dominant value exchange theory. He actually traced it back through the ideas of Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas and a variety of 17th, 18th and 19th century economists. In other words, it has been around a while.

Updating my thinking of SD-Logic marketing concept to present day, I came across this presentation by Wim Rampen, the Managing Consultant at Contact Center Intelligence and Wim can be found at: http://wimrampen.com/.

Service Logic – a new Dominant Logic for Social Customer Relationship Marketing

View more presentations from Wim Rampen

I think his “7 Jobs of Marketing” are spot on and a nice addition to the thoughts of Lean Marketing and Design Thinking. It is the involvement of the customer and being in the marketplace where your customers are using your product, fundamental Lean Thinking.. The point so often missed by most marketers today. It goes all the way back to Aristotle, the value-in-use concept. If your marketing and your relationships (sales) are being created in this arena, value is attached to them.

Tired of only 50% of your marketing working? Deliver value in the arena your customer lives in!

Related Information:
Leading the Way in Iowa Quality Training
Asking the right questions about Lean?
Service Design Thinking
Improve your Sales Cycle, Work on your Feedback Loops
The Little PDCA Sales Loop

Lean, Quality, Six Sigma Consultants and Organizations - 28 Day Marketing Program

I am putting a different twist on these programs. All of the webinars will be distributed at the designated time to provide a structured learning concept but they will be yours to keep. I won’t be taking the time off though. In addition to the webinar training, I will be offering the participants the opportunity to make appointments so that they can sign up for 30 minutes of 1 on1 training with me via the web. That will be 2-hours of direct coaching on implementing your training.

Marketing your Black Belt is a 28-day program starting May 6th. Marketing your Black Belt is based specifically on addressing these issues: Customer Acquisition, Marketing, Customer Retention and Communication & Collaboration. Specifically designed for Quality consultants.

Get Clients NOW – 28 Day Program: Program starting on the Monday, April 18th: 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM (GMT-0500).Program Structure and Agenda: During the first three sessions you will receive all the tools and training needed to design your individual 28-day marketing action plan. Specifically Designed for the Professional Consultant.

Value Stream Marketing: is a 28-day program starting Thursday, Mat 12th, from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (ET). We want our participants to learn how to utilize a Sales and Marketing Value Stream implement through the use of a Marketing Kanban. Specifically Designed for Organizations. 

How many times has a good idea failed because of a poor plan or execution? For start-ups and established organizations alike, Business901 provides effective but easy to use methodologies. They are flexible enough to allow you to apply your own ideas, while giving you guidance before, during and after. We will provide practical, information-rich, immediately applicable direction that can have immediate impact on the success of your organization.

P.S. 90 Day Program – ask for details about our Achieving Expert Status Program

Liker on Coaching Lean eBook

This is a transcription of the Business901 podcast,  Lean Coaching & Learning with Jeff Liker with Dr. Jeffrey Liker on Coaching Lean. Dr. Liker is the author of The Toyota Way Fieldbook and the upcoming book, The Toyota Way to Continuous Improvement (Book release date is April 22nd, Podcast will be later this month).

Liker on Coaching Lean

Dr. Jeffrey K. Liker is a professor of industrial and operations engineering at the University of Michigan and cofounder and director of the Japan Technology Management Program at the University of Michigan.

Professor Liker’s Company Website: Optiprise

Related Posts:
Ask not what sales can do for you, ask what you can do for sales!
The 7 step Lean Process of Marketing to Toyota
PDCA for Lean Marketing, Knowledge Creation
Quality and Collaboration eBook
Online collaboration is leading the way for Lean Marketing

What Sales is All About!

This is supposed to be a parody but play it at your next sales meeting and see how many people relate to it!

From: taoofprogramming

Related Posts:
Value Stream Mapping your Sales Team
Creating your VSM
Selling
Try hitting a Double in your sales
The Marketing Knowledge Spiral
The Perfect Storm has come together of Excess Capacity and Product Variety
The 7 step Lean Process of Marketing to Toyota

Understanding your Customer’s problem

Your product or service solves a problem for the customer, right? Does your customer understand the problem you're solving? Have you been able to put or involve numerical relationships in this problem-solving process?

Go back-to-school for a second, maybe even as far back as grade school and think about solving mathematical word problems. Remember word problems, each problem described a situation that involved numerical relationships. However, the situation and those relationships had to be first interpreted and understood. That was really just a matter of simple arithmetic computations needed to be performed to get the answer. But, how good were you at it?

Many of the computations were simple and even the use of algebra or other formulas were not required. The problem required that you understood and spelled out precisely the situation that was being described. Once a problem had been set up properly in arithmetic, it was typically very easy.

Here's a take-off for solving math word problems that simply could be applied to solving your customers problems:

First things first, don't try to do it alone. Do your analysis with a partner, the customer. This is a joint effort, so blasting your message in the hope someone will understand does not work.

Try to do all of your thinking as part of a conversation lot. Communicate all of your thoughts, decisions, analysis, and conclusions. Communicate how you're starting the problem, questions you're asking yourself, steps you're taking a break in the problem in parts, conclusions you are drawing -- everything. If you perform any mental operations even translating an unfamiliar word, or visualizing a picture of a relationship, communicate these operations. Letting each other know what you're thinking is just imperative.

Use step-by-step analytical procedure. Use the techniques that good problem solvers use, break a problem into parts. Work one part accurately and then move on to the next part. Translate unfamiliar phases into your own words and/or visualize or make diagrams of the relationships presented verbally. Simplify problem by substituting easier numbers, making a table of successive computations, or referring to an earlier problem.

Be extremely accurate. Continually check your thinking. Your thoughts should drive questions like: Is that entirely correct? Is that completely accurate? Never work so quickly that leads to errors. Give efficient time to all parts of the problem. Never just give up on the problem and get some answer. Always try to reason the problem out.

While your customer is working through the problem, keep checking the accuracy so that you will learn to think with more precision and thoroughness. In addition, in your own mind contrast the methods with the way the problem was attacked. How might you break the problem down more completely into some problems? What other steps might you take? How might you visualize or diagrams or relationships making it more effective? Would you work more carefully? In other words, try to imagine ways in which you might attack the problem more effectively.

If your customer uses inaccurate information or computations that lead to wrong answers or maybe does not spell out situations with full understanding try showing them a table or diagram which illustrates, step-by-step, the relationships between the facts in the problem. Stopping your customer and requesting a full explanation of certain computations is your responsibility in helping both of you to fully understand the problem.

Related Posts:

A Little more on applying Little’s Law to Lean your Marketing!
A Little Law applied in Lean Marketing
Mirror Marketing search on Business901

Ok, how good are you? John can run 7 feet in the time that Fred runs 5 feet. How far will John run in the time that Fred runs 15 feet? Show your work?

Reference for this post and a great book for learning Problem Solving & Comprehension techniques.

Technorati Tags: Word Problems,Problem Solving,Customer Questions

Public Relations Marketing

I have access to so many good articles as a result of my affiliate status and seldom use them as often as I should. So who better to start the series out with than with Palo Alto Software and Tim Berry.

Excerpt from On Target: The Book on Marketing Plans by Tim Berry and Doug Wilson

Public Relations involves a variety of programs designed to maintain or enhance a company's image and the products and services it offers. Successful implementation of an effective public relations strategy can be a critical component to a marketing plan.

A public relations (PR) strategy may play a key role in an organization's promotional strategy. A planned approach to leveraging public relations opportunities can be just as important as advertising and sales promotions. Public relations is one of the most effective methods to communicate and relate to the market. It is powerful and, once things are in motion, it is the most cost effective of all promotional activities. In some cases, it is free.

The success of well executed PR plans can be seen through several organizations that have made it a central focus of their promotional strategy. Paul Newman's Salad Dressing, The Body Shop, and Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream have positioned their organizations through effective PR strategies. Intel, Sprint and Microsoft have leveraged public relations to introduce and promote new products and services.

 

Similar to the foundational goals of marketing, effective public relations seeks to communicate information to:

• Launch new products and services.
• Reposition a product or service.
• Create or increase interest in a product, service, or brand.
• Influence specific target groups.
• Defend products or services that have suffered from negative press or perception.
• Enhance the firm's overall image.
• The result of an effective public relations strategy is to generate additional revenue through greater awareness and information for the products and services an organization offers.

Goals and Objectives

Good strategy begins with identifying your goals and stating your objectives. What are the goals and objectives behind your public relations strategy and can they be measured and quantified?

Each of these areas may reflect the goals your public relations campaign may seek to accomplish.

Press relations
Communicating news and information of interest about organizations in the most positive light.

Product and service promotion
Sponsoring various efforts to publicize specific products or services.

Firm communications
Promoting a better and more attractive understanding of the organization with internal and external communications.

Lobbying
Communicating with key individuals to positively influence legislation and regulation.

Internal feedback
Advising decision makers within the organization regarding the public's perception and advising actions to be taken to change negative opinions.

Source: Articles on bplans.com

Technorati Tags: Palo-Alto-Software,Tim Berry,PR,Public-Relations,Marketing

Duct Tape Marketing EXCELerator - Retreat

Attention:  Small Businesses, Professional Services, Salespeople and Organizations:

The Duct Tape Marketing® EXCELerator Program is specifically designed for entrepreneurs and business owners that want to take their revenues to the next level as soon as possible, but don’t have an in-house marketing department to help make that happen.The Duct Tape Marketing® EXCELerator Program is designed to fulfill all the needs you require from a part-time marketing department. You will receive a mix of products and services to help you:

Part 4 of 5

October 22 thru 24th, 2009.
Hotel Boulderado Boulder, Colorado.

This unique three-day retreat brings small businesses together in a group environment to expose them lie to someone North America's leading marketing experts, as well as two other small businesses for source of inspiration and motivation. While enjoying the beautiful mountain setting of Boulder Colorado, small business will learn and implement various tools and techniques available to grow their business.  Our team of experts(this will include some heavyweights) will work with you to create various marketing tools on the spot!

By the time you leave your three-day retreat, you will:

   be able to implement immediately at least part of your overall marketing system.
   Be more comfortable utilizing some very cost effective and powerful marketing tools.
   Still more confident in your marketing strategy and experience a much shorter timeline and executing these strategies now and in the future.
   Have met other small businesses to garner ongoing support and possibly a line with on future marketing endeavors

A sample of topics: PR- being an expert, harnessing the Internet, getting media attention, landing speaker engagements, optimizing your site for search engines, e-mail marketing, creating effective paper click campaigns, referral marketing

And what is really cool, is this package is included in your monthly fee. You are only responsible for a couple of meals, room rate of $130 and airfare.

Attend a Free Webinar

Technorati Tags: Marketing Excelerator,Duct Tape Marketing,Markting Excel-erator,Marketing Accelerator,Manufacturer Marketing

Duct Tape Marketing EXCELerator Coaching

Attention:  Small Businesses, Professional Services, Salespeople and Organizations:

The Duct Tape Marketing® EXCELerator Program is specifically designed for entrepreneurs and business owners that want to take their revenues to the next level as soon as possible, but don’t have an in-house marketing department to help make that happen.The Duct Tape Marketing® EXCELerator Program is designed to fulfill all the needs you require from a part-time marketing department.

Part 3 of 5:

Your own authorized Duct Tape Marketing Coach

The key to the success of the Duct Tape Marketing Excelerator program is the access you receive to a marketing professional, has received extensive training in the application of the duct tape marketing system.  Your part-time marketing professional will provide you with the advice you need, when you need it.

Unlimited e-mail support -you have a question or want to get input from a marketing professional?  Simply e-mail your marketing coach.  Now you can get the feedback you need, quickly and guilt free.

Quarterly one-on-one sessions-in person or over the phone-once per quarter , you can and should schedule a one-hour meeting to sit down with your coach to reviews those areas you're struggling with on your marketing.  These are great opportunities for you to not only get the ongoing input into your marketing that you need, but also to hold yourself accountable to your marketing commitments.

Special rate for additional one-on-one support -as is typical part-time help, there are times of the year when you may require additional assistance.  That is why all duct tape marketing Excelerator clients receive a special contract rate of additional hours.  You can receive the additional help, you need from your Duct Tape Marketing Coach, time permitting, at the special rate.

Technorati Tags: Marketing Excelerator,Duct Tape Marketing,Markting Excel-erator,Marketing Accelerator,Manufacturer Marketing,Marketing Coach

Duct Tape Marketing EXCELerator Expert Series

Attention:  Small Businesses, Professional Services, Salespeople and Org anizations:

The Duct Tape Marketing® EXCELerator Program is specifically designed for entrepreneurs and business owners that want to take their revenues to the next level as soon as possible, but don’t have an in-house marketing department to help make that happen.The Duct Tape Marketing® EXCELerator Program is designed to fulfill all the needs you require from a part-time marketing department.

Personal access to leading North American small-business experts

Who has time to read every leading marketing book out there?  Now you don't have to.  As your part-time marketing department, we have access to leading experts and can give you an opportunity to hear what they have to say LIVE as well ask them questions.  You will be kept abreast of these additio nal sessions and just like your ongoing monthly program.

You can invite your employees, partners, or spouse to join in on the call.

Calls are recorded so that you can download and listen to them at your convenience.

Past, experts have included:

• Michael Gerber
• Guy Kowasaki
• Stephen Covey
• Tim Ferris
• Michael Port
• John Batelle
• David Mearman Scott
• David Allen

Learn more

Technorati Tags: Marketing Excelerator ,Duct Tape Marketing ,Markting Excel-erator ,Marketing Accelerator ,Manufacturer Marketing ,Marketing Coach

Duct Tape Marketing EXCELerator University

Attention:  Small Businesses, Professional Services, Salespeople and Organizations:

The Duct Tape Marketing® EXCELerator Program is specifically designed for entrepreneurs and business owners that want to take their revenues to the next level as soon as possible, but don’t have an in-house marketing department to help make that happen.The Duct Tape Marketing® EXCELerator Program is designed to fulfill all the needs you require from a part-time marketing department.

Annual enrollment in the Duct Tape University.

You want to get the step-by-step process to set up a referral program?
Perhaps you would like to learn more about online marketing?

The Duct Tape University is an online learning Center chart bowl of marketing classes and workbooks to help you build and execute the perfect marketing system.

Think about it:
    No more searching all over the Internet for marketing how-to courses.
    No more purchasing marketing courses for additional fees.
    Now you can learn at your own speed, any time, space-space Day or night.

Sample courses in the Duct Tape University:
    Referral flood marketing -space how to create a flood of new business without spending one dime on advertising.
    Blog lightning space-space, how to create and promote your small business blog in a flash, a step-by-step blogging success to a role.

...  And much, much more!

Technorati Tags: Marketing Excelerator,Duct Tape Marketing,Markting Excel-erator,Marketing Accelerator,Manufacturer Marketing,Marketing Coach

Duct Tape Marketing EXCELerator Program #2

The Duct Tape Marketing® EXCELerator Program is specifically designed for entrepreneurs and business owners that want to take their revenues to the next level as soon as possible, but don’t have an in-house marketing department to help make that happen. The Duct Tape Marketing® EXCELerator Program is designed to fulfill all the needs you require from a part-time marketing department. You will receive a mix of products and services to help you:

• PLAN your marketing strategy
• CREATE your marketing material
• BUILD your ongoing marketing system
• IMPLEMENT your lead generation strategies
• ...and not just with ONE individual, but with a whole TEAM of EXPERTS through special teleclasses
• Amazing annual three day RETREAT where you will have first hand exposure to a suite of Marketing Experts from fields such as:
  • Small Business Marketing Strategy
  • Effective Writing Skills
  • Email Marketing
  • Do It Yourself Graphic Design
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Pay Per Click Campaigns
  • Lead Conversion
  • Positioning Yourself As an Expert
  • Attracting the Media …and More!

  An overview of this program will be presented through a webinar delivered by Business901. Reservations are required. Please send a request to info@business901.com . A special offer will be available to attendees. This is part 2 of 5.

  Technorati Tags: Duct Tape Marketing ,Marketing EXCELerator ,Marketing EXCEL-erator ,Duct Tape Marketing Coach

Duct Tape Marketing® EXCELerator Program

The Duct Tape Marketing® EXCELerator Program is specifically designed for entrepreneurs and business owners that want to take their revenues to the next level as soon as possible, but don’t have an in-house marketing department to help make that happen.

Is This You?

Chances are YOU ARE the marketing department and often find yourself achieving only small incremental improvements to your bottom line
each year. Where do you start and where can you turn to for help when you need it? Now you can get the help you need through your own “on call”
marketing department.

• Figure out the right marketing approach for YOUR business within the
  confines of a limited marketing budget.

• Get the marketing assistance you need WHEN you need it.

• Have access to the right resources who can help you BUILD the marketing
  tools you need.

• Have someone who cares about you and your business to guide and direct
  you as you implement your marketing initiatives.

On Thursday, November 13, at 10:00 AM, An overview of this program will be presented through a webinar delivered by Business901. Reservations are required.

Technorati Tags: Duct Tape Marketing,Marketing EXCELerator,Marketing EXCEL-erator,Duct Tape Marketing Coach

Ten Affordable Small Business Marketing Ideas : Virtual Small Business Marketing Support

Just a few thoughts that you may have even thought about, but have you done them??

Ten Affordable Small Business Marketing Ideas : Virtual Small Business Marketing Support

Technorati Tags: Small business,Varju Luceno,Virtual Small Business Marketing Support,A Duct Tape Marketing Coach Blog

Link Building for Your DFW Business Is Website Marketing at its Best

Fellow Duct Tape Coach Ken Partain wrote this note about link building for your website. Please take note. Ken is an expert when it comes to SEO and he has a long list of customers to show for it.

Link Building for Your DFW Business Is Website Marketing at its Best

Technorati Tags: Link building,SEO,Keywords,Google

Finding Your Core Message

 

Much has be written about core message, target market and ideal client and sometimes it can be very difficult to find but here is a nice example that I use in seminars with people:

I do this for ________________ (Who)

Who need _________________ (Problem/Situation)

By doing this _______________ (What)

And you know where most stumble?

 

Technorati Tags: ideal client,target market,differentiation,core message

Live by a Marketing Calendar

One of the core principles of Duct Tape Marketing is to "Live by a Marketing Calendar." I am going to write a series of blogs on this subject to expand on his concept. It is area that I feel that John Jantsch does not spend enough time in his book and proves to be valuable tool for most small businesses.

A simple idea on how to have a good one is to look at the people that use them to be successful. No, I am not talking Franklin Covey, I am talking someone that is using them for marketing and living by them, PUBLICATIONS. Go look at some media kits you have and evaluate what you like about them.



Here is why, they are simple and easy to read and they answer these questions:

1. Theme for each month = what
2. Material due dates = when
3. Mail dates = when
4. Types of material = how
5. Publication being used = where
6. Recipient = who

Oh yeah, it sounds like that Rudyard Kipling thing: "I keep six honest men. They taught me all I knew. Their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who." I urge you to use these six men.

My Calendar is being updated continously and is on my web page, take a look.