Way Too Much Time Off

You almost never hear someone say that. When it comes to writing a book, or running a business, or exercising then way too much time off definitely affects you. I took quite a break from writing my book. In fact, the last time I did so was October 23rd when I made my previous blog post. I was just drained. Yes it’s true, I was nine chapters in, but I felt the chapters were missing so much. So I started adding sections to it. More topics within the principles I’m writing about. I also changed the format. I didn’t want to write something that I would find painful reading. I started back up just before Christmas and have written now almost daily. Even if just a few sections. It has been emotionally draining. Going back and living some of the hurt and discontent of four years ago can open up some old wounds. However, I continue to push forward. “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.” I hope to be finished with the rough draft by the end of January, then comes the process of editing and publishing. I will Post here as I get closer to the finished product. I can assure you though, I am back to work on the book.

I Wanna Hold Your Hand

…but really, I don’t. Over your sales career, you are going to run into clients / prospects that want you to be there with them every step of the way. You will receive calls from them almost daily requesting status updates and expressing their uncertainty of the purchase that they just made. 

You have a choice. You can pander to their every whim or you can manage their expectations. Really there is a third option (firing them), but let’s not go here yet.

If you decide to indulge their every call, text message, email, fax, snail mail, Pony Express message, etc. you are going to have to do this for the rest of the time that they are your client. Make sure it is worth it. Your time is valuable.

If you manage their expectations correctly, you shouldn’t have to worry about calls at all hours asking you for status updates. Provide them when you say you are going to provide them. Give them the facts of the transaction proactively. Let them know that you will update them as soon as updates are available and not before. Under promise and over deliver.

The more you focus on managing expectations, the less stress they will cause you, and the less likely you are to feel like you need to go to the third option of firing them. There are valid reasons for firing a client, but don’t let “high maintenance” be one of them. Just manage expectations properly.

I think you understand.

IMAGINE Marketing Part 3 of 7–Advertising

Why is it that advertising gets so much attention? Why is it that so many people think of advertising when they hear the word marketing? Advertising is such a small subset of marketing.

Showbiz. Art. Fun. That’s why so many equate the terms. That is why it garners so much attention. Here is a few more words related to advertising: Spam. Junk Mail. Pop-Ups. All advertising. Some people will tell you that advertising does not work anymore. And they are right. Some people will tell you that advertising works better now than it ever has. Well, they are correct too. I am not going to go into detail about why some ads are not working. You came to this blog to discover ways to make your marketing work for you. If your ads are not working, something has gone wrong (obviously) and that something is more than likely your expectations. So in addition to helping you find ways to make advertising work for ou, I’ll help you manage your expectations as well.

Attention spans are short. Channels are plenty. Original ideas are scarce. Everyone wants to be famous. How do you get your market to see/ hear/ respond to your advertising? Understand your market. Get their attention. Encourage the audience to take the next step. Simple, right? I wish it were as scientific as it sounds, but in reality, it is more like art.

Know your market. Is your end-user the decision maker? Does your market consist of one person making the purchase decision, or does their spouse have a say as well? What age is your target decision maker? What are their interest? What is their income? What neighborhood do they live in? These answers will help you pinpoint what medium to use and whether one ad will do the job or if you need subsequent ads that reach different customer base.

Get their attention. We text while we are driving while yelling at our car full of children about tagging us texting and driving and tagging us in the videos they are posting on YouTube and Facebook (I truly hope you are not really texting and driving, but if you are, you know who you are and we all wish you would stop). OK maybe that’s a stretch. Most of us have DVR though. You better have the ad that makes us rewind the DVR to say, “What was that?” Or the billboard that makes us drive by a second time. Or the radio ad that makes us turn the radio up. Or the print ad that makes us want to tear the page out.

Finally, your copy has to get the customer to take the next step. I don’t know many people who jump in the car to shop at a business the minute they hear or see an ad. Give them a way to research you. Website, Facebook, social media, phone number, address, etc. Give them the next step. If you don’t get their attention first this step will never be executed.

OK. Youve done all three steps, now what can you expect? You can expect to have the ad you proofed run on the schedule you purchased. That’s it. If it’s not working fix the copy, fix th medium, or fix your placement. Your ads are not a slot machine that always hits the Jack pot. Keep your expectations in check. Don’t be over sold, and don’t oversell yourself. Advertising is the cost of being boring (I don’t have a reliable source on that quote).

What’s working for you? Are your ads working? Are your expectations too high? Let me know.