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Add You - Marketing Tip - The Top 6 Biggest Marketing Mistakes
The Entrepreneurs Worst Enemy: Excuses
How many people do you know who find excuses for everything? I remember telling my friends that I was going to rent out my house rather than sell it to use as a deposit on a new one. I received all sorts of advice, mostly negative. Here's the kind of things that people said regarding the idea: Don't do it because house prices might crash What if the tenant trashes the place? You might not be able to find a tenant at all, then what? Mortgage rates are going up so you might not make a profit Now's not the right time, wait a while to see if the market improves Short of saying "what if the sky falls in?" I received every other reason why not to do it.So, in my usual style I did it anyway. Since then, house prices have doubled, I have at least ?80k ($160k) equity in the house and I have the tenants paying my mortgage. The place has never been empty for more than a week and no-one's trashed the place... yet. The sky didn't fall in after all.The moral of this story is, if you have an idea and you think it's a good one then just do it. There's nothing wrong with seeking advice from those with expert knowledge in the chosen field. In fact this should be actively encouraged. However, don't take advice from friends who know nothing about your ideas and goals, they'll
any people see our marketing materialsHow many people do you know who find excuses for everything? I remember telling my friends that I was going to rent out my house rather than sell it to use as a deposit on a new one. I received all sorts of advice, mostly negative. Here's the kind of things that people said regarding the idea: Don't do it because house prices might crash What if the tenant trashes the place? You might not be able to find a tenant at all, then what? Mortgage rates are going up so you might not make a profit Now's not the right time, wait a while to see if the market improves Short of saying "what if the sky falls in?" I received every other reason why not to do it.So, in my usual style I did it anyway. Since then, house prices have doubled, I have at least ?80k ($160k) equity in the house and I have the tenants paying my mortgage. The place has never been empty for more than a week and no-one's trashed the place... yet. The sky didn't fall in after all.The moral of this story is, if you have an idea and you think it's a good one then just do it. There's nothing wrong with seeking advice from those with expert knowledge in the chosen field. In fact this should be actively encouraged. However, don't take advice from friends who know nothing about your ideas and goals, they'll
Teaching Jobs
Education is a fundamental of any industrialized nation, and so it is natural that qualified teachers remain in demand throughout the world. In the U.S., there were over 3.8 million teaching jobs for 2004 including preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle school, and secondary school teachers. If you are seeking a career that will see good growth and with high employment availability, then becoming qualified for teaching jobs may be a proper career choice for you.If you find pleasure helping people learn, then becoming qualified for teaching jobs may be in your best interest. Teaching jobs are found in a number of environments, each of which has different requirements for working in those particular teaching jobs. In some cases, you may have to obtain a two to four year degree and pass a certification exam, and in other cases your job experience may qualify you for certain teaching jobs. There is no federal requirements for teaching jobs that occur in schools, so often requirements for teaching jobs in schools are dictated by local or state laws.If you are considering teaching jobs in schools, it is likely that your state requires that you obtain a four-year degree and pass a certification or licensing examination. Teaching jobs in early childhood education, though, will sometimes only require a two year degree with cer
When I started to write this article on the biggest mistake almost every marketer makes I was going to focus on THE BIGGEST single mistake, but there are several. And, an even bigger aha moment is that most companies that "call themselves" professional marketing companies make the mistakes as bad, if not worse, than the non-professionals trying to build their own business.`Education is a fundamental of any industrialized nation, and so it is natural that qualified teachers remain in demand throughout the world. In the U.S., there were over 3.8 million teaching jobs for 2004 including preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle school, and secondary school teachers. If you are seeking a career that will see good growth and with high employment availability, then becoming qualified for teaching jobs may be a proper career choice for you.If you find pleasure helping people learn, then becoming qualified for teaching jobs may be in your best interest. Teaching jobs are found in a number of environments, each of which has different requirements for working in those particular teaching jobs. In some cases, you may have to obtain a two to four year degree and pass a certification exam, and in other cases your job experience may qualify you for certain teaching jobs. There is no federal requirements for teaching jobs that occur in schools, so often requirements for teaching jobs in schools are dictated by local or state laws.If you are considering teaching jobs in schools, it is likely that your state requires that you obtain a four-year degree and pass a certification or licensing examination. Teaching jobs in early childhood education, though, will sometimes only require a two year degree with cer
Mistake #1 - Assuming that Marketing Results are Vague, Black Magic, and Not Predictable Marketing tip --Marketing done correctly will provide consistent, predictable results
As a guideline, the national average for direct mail marketing is 0.5% to 1.0%, meaning that if you send out 1,000 letters, postcards, flyers, etc. And IF you are even average, then you should have between 5 and 10 people contacting you.
Although that is considered average, doing some simple things can take that number up to 10%-30%, or even higher.
Mistake #2 - Trying Marketing One Time and Giving Up....Because That Didn't Work. Marketing Tip --Marketing Results, or Leads are one of the critical results of a business that are ABSOLUTELY necessary.
In other words you can't survive without delivering the number of leads needed to survive, nor will you ever super succeed without delivering the exact number of leads needed for that level either. Therefore, when someone tells me that they
- Tried marketing once
- Tried direct mail once
- Tried a newspaper ad once
- Or any other approach in marketing
- How many people see our marketing materials
- The percentage of those that see our materials who actually are COMPELLED to give us a call, signup, or touch base with us in some way.
Growing Others Into What They Could Be
"A true Master is not the one with the most students, but one who creates the most Masters. A true leader is not the one with the most followers, but one who creates the most leaders." — Neale Donald Walsch, Conversations With God: An Uncommon DialogueI was doing fairly well in grades one to three - especially in reading. Then I hit a terrible teacher in grade four. She made school so unhappy and unappealing, she almost caused me to drop out — of course I would have waited another few years to make it official. However, in grades five and six I came under the nurturing of Mrs. Westman. I vividly remember her saying after I'd read a composition to the class; "someday I won't be surprised to see your name on a book." Her encouraging words simmered in my subconscious for years and helped me to see new possibilities for myself. Twenty years later my first book, The VIP Strategy: Leadership Skills for Exceptional Performance, was published. It was a real pleasure to present her with one of the very first copies — inscribed with a warm thank you message. Her family and the local paper ensured that she got the recognition she so richly deserved.Most people see others as they are, a leader sees them as they could be. Leaders like Mrs. Westman see beyond the current problems and limitations to help others see their own possibilities. It'
ng done correctly will provide consistent, predictable results"A true Master is not the one with the most students, but one who creates the most Masters. A true leader is not the one with the most followers, but one who creates the most leaders." — Neale Donald Walsch, Conversations With God: An Uncommon DialogueI was doing fairly well in grades one to three - especially in reading. Then I hit a terrible teacher in grade four. She made school so unhappy and unappealing, she almost caused me to drop out — of course I would have waited another few years to make it official. However, in grades five and six I came under the nurturing of Mrs. Westman. I vividly remember her saying after I'd read a composition to the class; "someday I won't be surprised to see your name on a book." Her encouraging words simmered in my subconscious for years and helped me to see new possibilities for myself. Twenty years later my first book, The VIP Strategy: Leadership Skills for Exceptional Performance, was published. It was a real pleasure to present her with one of the very first copies — inscribed with a warm thank you message. Her family and the local paper ensured that she got the recognition she so richly deserved.Most people see others as they are, a leader sees them as they could be. Leaders like Mrs. Westman see beyond the current problems and limitations to help others see their own possibilities. It'
As a guideline, the national average for direct mail marketing is 0.5% to 1.0%, meaning that if you send out 1,000 letters, postcards, flyers, etc. And IF you are even average, then you should have between 5 and 10 people contacting you.
Although that is considered average, doing some simple things can take that number up to 10%-30%, or even higher.
Mistake #2 - Trying Marketing One Time and Giving Up....Because That Didn't Work. Marketing Tip --Marketing Results, or Leads are one of the critical results of a business that are ABSOLUTELY necessary.
In other words you can't survive without delivering the number of leads needed to survive, nor will you ever super succeed without delivering the exact number of leads needed for that level either. Therefore, when someone tells me that they
- Tried marketing once
- Tried direct mail once
- Tried a newspaper ad once
- Or any other approach in marketing
- How many people see our marketing materials
- The percentage of those that see our materials who actually are COMPELLED to give us a call, signup, or touch base with us in some way.
Is the Back of Your Business Card Blank?
A big business mistake many people make is spending a lot of time and effort on a new business card and not utilizing the space on the back. Look at that stack of cards in your drawer with the rubber band around them. Most are printed one side only. Marketing space gone to waste.You can use the back of your card to expand and reaffirm your selling sentence (which should be prominent on the front of your card). Business cards with nothing on the back are wasted opportunities to sell.You can use the back of your card to explain the high points of your business, quote happy customers or list the products you offer.If your company slogan (Selling Sentence) is "Where You Save 20% on Power Tools Everyday", use the space on the back to list the brands on sale every day. Another solid impression about you and your business.Some folks put calendars on the back of their cards. Might be handy, but does nothing to sell your products. Think billboards. You wouldn't put a calendar on your billboard. Don't put it on your itty bitty billboard.There's no need to fill the back of your business card edge to edge. Judicious use of white space front and back is the mark of a professional. Just like the isles in high end store are wider than ones at the Everything For A Dollar place.Be sure your name is on the back somewhe
dn't Work. Marketing Tip --Marketing Results, or Leads are one of the critical results of a business that are ABSOLUTELY necessary.A big business mistake many people make is spending a lot of time and effort on a new business card and not utilizing the space on the back. Look at that stack of cards in your drawer with the rubber band around them. Most are printed one side only. Marketing space gone to waste.You can use the back of your card to expand and reaffirm your selling sentence (which should be prominent on the front of your card). Business cards with nothing on the back are wasted opportunities to sell.You can use the back of your card to explain the high points of your business, quote happy customers or list the products you offer.If your company slogan (Selling Sentence) is "Where You Save 20% on Power Tools Everyday", use the space on the back to list the brands on sale every day. Another solid impression about you and your business.Some folks put calendars on the back of their cards. Might be handy, but does nothing to sell your products. Think billboards. You wouldn't put a calendar on your billboard. Don't put it on your itty bitty billboard.There's no need to fill the back of your business card edge to edge. Judicious use of white space front and back is the mark of a professional. Just like the isles in high end store are wider than ones at the Everything For A Dollar place.Be sure your name is on the back somewhe
In other words you can't survive without delivering the number of leads needed to survive, nor will you ever super succeed without delivering the exact number of leads needed for that level either. Therefore, when someone tells me that they
- Tried marketing once
- Tried direct mail once
- Tried a newspaper ad once
- Or any other approach in marketing
- How many people see our marketing materials
- The percentage of those that see our materials who actually are COMPELLED to give us a call, signup, or touch base with us in some way.
Payroll Tax Penalties, When the IRS Sends a Letter
“Payroll Taxes are Due, with Penalties and Interest”At least that is what the letter from the IRS says. First thing, don’t panic. Quoting Daniel J. Pilla’s study for the Cato Institute “About 40 percent of the revenues the IRS collects through penalty assessments are abated when citizens challenge the penalties.”So we now know the odds are good that the IRS is wrong or will blink first. What do we do?The normal problems with payroll taxes are.Failure to File.Taxes under reported.Taxes under deposited.Taxes deposited late.Any of these can create a situation where the services charges penalties and interest against a business and then sucks up subsequent tax deposits creating additional late and short payments simply exacerbating the situation. We will get to that later.Read the notice from the IRS. It should tell you why they are charging a penalty and interest and how it is calculated. If the notice does not lay out that information, you have missed the first notice from the IRS. That is not at all unusual. If you don’t have the first notice call the IRS and get all the information from them. Also ask them to fax you a “Statement of Account” for the period and type of tax in effect. This will show you what they have on the IRS file, without regard to whe
roach in marketing and walked away because it didn't work (that's their opinion, not a reality) then I'm looking at a company that will fail soon, or at least not far down the road. Some move on to things that cost less in dollars and cents, but cost more in time, and the results delivered is almost nil. Delivering consistent marketing results, and in the right amount is not a choice. Do it or close your doors! Marketing Tip -- Marketing results, or leads, are dependent on two things “Payroll Taxes are Due, with Penalties and Interest”At least that is what the letter from the IRS says. First thing, don’t panic. Quoting Daniel J. Pilla’s study for the Cato Institute “About 40 percent of the revenues the IRS collects through penalty assessments are abated when citizens challenge the penalties.”So we now know the odds are good that the IRS is wrong or will blink first. What do we do?The normal problems with payroll taxes are.Failure to File.Taxes under reported.Taxes under deposited.Taxes deposited late.Any of these can create a situation where the services charges penalties and interest against a business and then sucks up subsequent tax deposits creating additional late and short payments simply exacerbating the situation. We will get to that later.Read the notice from the IRS. It should tell you why they are charging a penalty and interest and how it is calculated. If the notice does not lay out that information, you have missed the first notice from the IRS. That is not at all unusual. If you don’t have the first notice call the IRS and get all the information from them. Also ask them to fax you a “Statement of Account” for the period and type of tax in effect. This will show you what they have on the IRS file, without regard to whe
- How many people see our marketing materials
- The percentage of those that see our materials who actually are COMPELLED to give us a call, signup, or touch base with us in some way.
From Scowl to Smile: 5 Practical Steps to Instill Exceptional Customer Service
Whether in a restaurant, a retail establishment, or the local post office, we have all experienced a decline in customer service. Rarely do smiling, happy employees interact with us anymore. Instead, the person we are dealing with in face-to-face relationships does not even attempt to feign a smile, but rather greets us with a scowl, completely avoids eye contact with us, and grudgingly mutters responses to our requests and questions. When did customer service cease to exist? Why is it suddenly so difficult for employees to show customers some common courtesy along with a little friendliness? Have we ventured so far from the service standards of yesteryear and become so shortsighted that we refuse to treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves?Today, improving customer service is a top priority in organizations worldwide. As a result, company leaders spend hundreds of millions of dollars annually training their employees how to provide exceptional customer service. Unfortunately, the effort is not paying off. Even with such vast resources being spent on this simple and obvious problem, few companies achieve outstanding results. And as their customer service levels plummet, dissatisfied customers take their business elsewhere and company profits suffer. Is there any improvement in sight?The Importance of Customer Serv
any people see our marketing materialsWhether in a restaurant, a retail establishment, or the local post office, we have all experienced a decline in customer service. Rarely do smiling, happy employees interact with us anymore. Instead, the person we are dealing with in face-to-face relationships does not even attempt to feign a smile, but rather greets us with a scowl, completely avoids eye contact with us, and grudgingly mutters responses to our requests and questions. When did customer service cease to exist? Why is it suddenly so difficult for employees to show customers some common courtesy along with a little friendliness? Have we ventured so far from the service standards of yesteryear and become so shortsighted that we refuse to treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves?Today, improving customer service is a top priority in organizations worldwide. As a result, company leaders spend hundreds of millions of dollars annually training their employees how to provide exceptional customer service. Unfortunately, the effort is not paying off. Even with such vast resources being spent on this simple and obvious problem, few companies achieve outstanding results. And as their customer service levels plummet, dissatisfied customers take their business elsewhere and company profits suffer. Is there any improvement in sight?The Importance of Customer Serv
The problem is that in the hundreds of seminars I've done, most people miss that point totally. They report that they sent out 100 letters and only got 1 reply, so, in their opinion, it didn't work because they didn't get the 10 they needed. They missed the whole concept.
Mistake #3 - Not knowing your response rate Marketing Tip - Always know your marketing response rate, or be finding it.
So, when you send out marketing and have no clue of what your response rate is, then how in the world do you know how much to send?
Well, I'd send out enough to hit the 0.5% as a test market, and then measure the actual results coming back to be used in the next mailer.
Mistake #4 - Not knowing when your marketing isn't working?
Mistake #4A - Not sending out marketing because it is perceived that it "costs too much."
Mistake #4B - Not knowing what it requires to acquire a customer? These are sort of one in the same mistakes -
- Not knowing when your marketing isn't working, and
- How to measure when it does work.
- And the answer to both is "what does it cost to acquire a client."
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