What Are We Going To Do For Your Online Mktg Today? Do You Know How To Answer?

What Are We Going To Do For Your Online Marketing Today? How do you answer this question?  Do you know where to begin?

There are so many ways this question can be answered.  By now, just about all of you are a bit seasoned with online marketing but a lot of help and guidance is still required.  What seems to be happening currently is that what helps one does not help another.   Straight A-Z classes are not the answer for many. More targeted desires are out there, but do you know what help to ask for?

In thinking of ways to connect your need to a solution,  I was reminded of a hair cutter I once knew.   She would greet all her clients by saying, " Hello!  What are we going to do for your hair today?"   The replies she received were all over the place but, of course, all coming from women and men with hair on their heads.

Given that I am communicating with women and men, all of who are using online marketing for your businesses, I thought it might be fun to equate your marketing needs to what you might have a hair cutter do for your hair!  

Relax and have fun with the following, but also pay attention to it. It might give you some guidance on how to ask for the help you need.

Here we go:

• Hair Cut -  Your hair has gotten too long for how you think it looks best.
  .
  Online Mktg - You've added too many different resources and your communication flow has lost its shape. You need help getting back to your core mix of resources and maximizing their use.
  .
• Just A Trim -  You like what you've got.  You just need to catch it before it gets too long.
  .
  Online Mktg - You had a good mix of resources and knew what you were doing.  Things are just starting to get a little out of control. You are not up on the newest capabilities of your resources so not sure what you are doing.  Some training on just the "latest" ways to use what you've got would be great.
  .
• Hair Color -  You want to brighten up your hair color. Maybe add high-lights!  Hide the grey. Change the color totally!
  .
  Online Mktg -  Knowing how to add video would liven up your social media and other resources. How to add text to a photo also!  Some ideas on the text content of your postings could also add some new found "color" to what you are communicating and liven up your overall online presence.
  .
• Styling - You want a new look.  One that is best for your hair, face shape, etc.
  .
  Online Mktg -  You want a new look to your online presence.  Also some continuity between resources in look and "style" of text content.  Some branding and a better representation of your business.
  .
• Up Do -  Need to look especially lovely and "done" for a special event!
  .
  Online Mktg - How to get special attention for an event you are hosting or are a part of.  Use of facebook event and perhaps their "promote post" feature.  Twitter hashtag, Linkedin email, and other "special" ways to communicate a "special" message and/or event.
  .
• Straighten -  You want to remove the curl from your look
  .
  Online Mktg - You need to learn how to write content that gets to the point. You are too wordy, verbose.  Your posts are not being responded to. Your emails are not being opened.  Too much of nothing ... you need to get straightened out with your message.
  .
• Permanent -  You want to add some curl and body to your hair.
  .
  Online Mktg -  Training is needed for being more interesting online.  More accurate ways to connect with people. More body, quality content presented and written in an interesting way. One that readers will connect with!
  .
• Bangs Cut -   only your bangs need cutting
  .
  Online mktg - Need a spot check-in.  A quick "how-to" or refresher. Today's Way $1 per minute coaching is perfect for this!
  

Hope this was fun and I bet you can now come up with more on your own!  

The point of this post is that so many of your needs in implementing online marketing are specific to "you" and your business.  Here at Today's Way we welcome you to call and discuss what's going on and what we can do "together" to move you forward.  We tailor just about all that we do to each individual client.

Let me know your thoughts and also if you have some great thoughts to add to each  of the above "requests!"

In the mean time,
Keep your business garden growing ..
margie

www.todaysway.net

The Easiest Way I've Ever Known To Ask For The Sale!

Hi everyone ..

This past week much of our discussion here on the blog has been about closing business.  It used to freak me out.  I could handle all elements of the sale but when it came to asking for the business, it felt like a huge wall went up between the prospect and myself.   

Then I was introduced to what was referred to as a track.  It worked like a charm and I have never looked back. 

It begins with your mindset.  Your objective going into your first meeting with a prospect is that you are looking for a "match" between their needs and your solutions.  As much as they are exploring you for your solutions, you are exploring them for being a good client.  To make this happen  you must ask lots of questions and receive lots of replies. Take the pressure off of yourself and enjoy the session.

Once you've done all your adventurous exploring you can see if all tallies up into a match for both of you. If so, have your prospect verbally agree that a match exists and that all the criteria is there for moving forward and completing a deal. Ant, at this time, the question you ask is, "what do we need to do to put this together?"  Or something similar, What needs to happen to have this up and running for you?  Let's make this happen! What do we need to do? etc.

If your prospect says,  "who do I make the check out to?" you are good to go!
.
Otherwise sit down and together map out a timeline of what needs to happen. 
- Do you have a time line when all has to completed?
- Do you need to speak with other clients of ours?
- Also include what needs to be done from your side of the partnership.
This is also a great time to pre-ask common objections and get those answered early on.

Once you both have your timeline in hand it is all downhill.  You are working from a predefined agreement that makes calling your prospect quite comfortable,  asking how a certain task on the timeline is moving along quite comfortable, etc.

One additional thought.  Include in your timeline what you do after the sale.  State that your policy is to check in every so many months and get an agreement for that.  That way you won't feel awkward and like you are just calling for more business.   

All of this is just basic communications.   Finding a match between a need and a solution and identifying how to put it into action.  That simple. Nothing more, nothing less. Creating links for making a strong connection between the two of you.  Too often people think "sales" can jump over these links and that some type of hocus pocus makes it all happen.  Skip the hocus pocus and just lay out the details.
Both your prospect, now client, and you will be happier.

No more asking for a sale.  Start creating partnerships.

keep your business garden growing ... margie
www.todaysway.net

How Do Trick-Or-Treaters Get Their Candy? What Is The Process?

Do you live in a neighborhood where one house or maybe even one street attracts all the trick-or-treaters?  Why do you think that is? Probably because they  have the treats!  They are into Halloween!  The "get" the holiday!  They "connect" with the trick-or-treaters!

So, OK ... But then what?  The door is between the trick-or-treaters and the home owner.  What is the next step? All  the trick-or-treaters know the process for the sale.  They know that the process is, cry out "Trick-or-Treat" and magically, the door opens and the candy is given. Knowing the final process is what motivates the trick-or-treaters  to participate and get their candy.

Let's switch the topic to your business!  How do you attract all your buyers?  What gets them to your door?  Why are they there?   And once they are there, what opens the door. Do "they" know what the process is for making the sale happen?  You might get more people following through and doing business with you if you make your process obvious to them. 

How do you do this?  For the sake of this blog post let's stick to your website.  Here are some questions for you to answer.

1. Do you tell your website visitors, "How To Do Business With You?"
   Do you have a webpage that is all about "How to get started with us " or something similar?
   This is a page that tells your "shoppers" what steps have to take place in order to be a match for your solution.  It works very well with professional services.  It establishes what paper work, financial criteria, time frames, etc are required for your professional services to be delivered.  It lets the shopper know if you are right or wrong for their interests  It also helps you weed out those who would just be wasting your time if they got to you before seeing this page.  It makes it easy for your buyers to proceed and close a deal with you!
   .
2. Do you have a way for website visitors to let you know what they specifically need?
   Do you clearly state "click here to contact us with your specific  requirements?"  The "click" could take them to a form where they would be able to submit their criteria to you!  This is great for people who sell insurance or other services such as nutritionists  tax professionals, and many more.  This is opposite from No. 1 just above.  This "process" allows the shopper to tell you what they need and let you determine if you are a match. It also allows your shoppers to proceed and potentially close a deal with you.
   .
3. If selling via a shopping cart, do website visitors know how to purchase? Where to go?
   Perhaps you simply sell a product in a shopping cart on your website.  Is you shopping cart easy to find? Do you tell visitors its process, i.e. which credit cards you accept, purchase terms, the minimum order, return policy, quantity discounts, delivery time frames, etc?   And are your terms easy to see?  Make your process known!

 Bottom line ... if buyers know your buying process you will have more buyers!  Make it difficult to connect and/or not communicate the final steps and  they will go to the next website or just give up on making a purchase!  

While typing this I just had a group of little ones at my door.  All dressed up!  Bags for treats in their hands ,,, but they didn't know the process!!  (too little).  It was funny... I felt weird just giving them the candy.  Had to coach them to say, Trick or Treat!  It's the process!!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Keep your business garden growing ... margie
www.todaysway.net

Selling - A Trick Or Treating Adventure!

Happy Halloween!
.
Do any of you get scared about selling?  Is asking someone to buy what you offer right up there with public speaking?  

Put your fears away.  Start looking at the entire selling process as an adventure, just like "trick or treating!"  How does that work?  Very basically.

Business is all about people with needs finding solutions and people with solutions finding needs.  So it's all about matchmaking.  The adventure is the process of finding the right matches.  So embrace the adventure. Here are four tips:

• TIP #1.  Stop thinking you have to do the talking!  You only need to be listening!
  Your first meeting with a prospect should just be about them telling you their pain.
  Ask questions to deepen your understanding and find your matches!  Explore, be curious, find the unique ways your solutions will heal their pain ... how "magical" is that!
  .
• TIP #2.  Think of yourself as the hero in an adventure!
  You are the provider of what someone needs!  Isn't that the definition of a hero?  A life-saver?  Yes, that's you.   No more feeling  icky cause you sell something. Think of yourself as being of service!
  .
• TIP #3.  Be full of fun & love  .. Fun of exploring & adventure - Love of helping people!
  You are the solution so desperately searched for and now found by a lucky prospect. How cool?
  .
• TIP #4. Start thinking of yourself as the TREAT!  Not the TRICK!
  It's sad that "tricking" is so often associated with selling and why we don't like it. 
  Time to apply some hocus pocus to that way of thinking.

Feeling a bit different about selling now?  Hope so!!

Happy Halloween everyone!
Keep Your Business Garden Growing ...
margie
310-306-1453

Is Choosing Your Online Resources Overwhelming? Not When You "HIRE" Them!

Choosing online resources doesn't have to be an overwhelming experience.  It can be quite simplified if you look at it as simply hiring "people" to work for you! After all, in many cases your online resources are replacing people!

So, just start at the beginning - your business. -- For purposes of this blog post I am making up a business, but just fill in your own as you read.  It will make sense! --- You own several local gyms with fitness programs.  Who would you hire to help make your business a success?

Sales is often first on the list, so lets define what your expectations are for a sales person?

1. Prospect for new members from businesses - company programs & individual memberships
2. Make sales appointments, meet, form relationships, identify matches, and convert to sales.
3. Provide demonstrations of exercise equipment and additional pieces of fitness program
4. Connect to existing or past members to know their experience
5. Invite to the gym to meet the people  and take a tour.
6. Educate on the experience of being a member, benefits, and other high-lights.

You are now ready to make your job opening public.. Which resource(s) are a match for each of the job expectations?  In your first round of interviews just do some preliminary sorting. The following is a typical first go-round of possible candidates.

• Number 1- Social Networks - LInkedin - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest 
• Number 2- Social Networks - LInkedin - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest
• Number 3- Youtube - Webinar - Slideshare
• Number 4- Webpage of Testimonials  - Linkedin Profile Reference Section
• Number 5- Blog - Website Pages - Youtube
• Number 6 -Social Networks - LInkedin - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest- Tele-Seminars

Now you are ready for your second round of interviews.  You have narrowed down your list of options by each expectation.  Your next step is to really look at the purpose of each expectation and match that to each of the resources you have identified in terms of best match to worse match. You will end up, in most cases, with a group of resources that will work together to give you the whole. 

In the above example it will be one or two of the social networks teaming up with Youtube, your blog and your website testimonial pages!  That combination will build a "core" communication plan from which you expand on if you wish and if you have the time.

The largest benefit you will gain is that you "KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING WHEN YOU GO ONLINE!"  You know what you are expecting to be done per each resource so you can create your messaging accordingly. 

The next largest benefit you will gain is that "YOU WILL ACHIEVE RESULTS!"  That actually might be the largest benefit for many of you!
.
This is a process I implement with all of my clients and I am happy to answer any questions you have. Please leave as a comment so all can be shared. 

You are also welcome to contact me if you would like to explore how you could get help with creating an online resource hiring plan for your business!  Mention this blog posting and you will receive a 20% discount on the service!! 

I hope to hear from you. Again.. just leave questions and/or comments below!

In the mean time ..
Keep Your Business Garden Growing
margie
www.todaysway.net

How To Use Social Media Networking For Multiple Jobs

Hi everyone ...

Using social media networks for multiple jobs!  How does that work?  Does it mean that being active via "social networking" will accomplish two or more jobs for your online marketing?  YES ...but only if you are active with direction, purpose, and pre-defined tasks.  Then you can use social media networking for multiple jobs successfully! 

Let's go back to comparing employees to online resources. Picture that you're working in HR at a company.  Your boss says, I'm short a person in shipping. I'm going to use you in shipping today!  You go over to shipping and work there for the day.  Or maybe you went back and forth during the day. OR ... maybe you are able to do both from one desk.  In any of these scenarios, different tasks are being done from the same source, YOU. Your boss is just using you in different ways.

Question is, did you just know how to do both tasks naturally?  Of course not.  You had to be made aware of the job expectations,  the purpose and the tasks needed to be done on the day(s) you worked each, correct?  Well, it's the same thing with your online resources.

Social media networks can by "hired/used" for advertising, marketing, prospecting, opening sales, cementing sales, post sale support, services, and more.
.
BUT, can all of the above happen just by the fact that you post on a social network?  NO.  Simply being there does not get the job done ( just like with people).  AND the social network by itself does not make it happen either.  Do not think because you have a facebook account that "facebook" will make things happen.

When using social networks, each time you create a posting you must know your assigned job expectation, purpose, and the task you want to complete.  It's that simple.

Putting some thought into each post will create results.  Simply randomly posting and being seen ... well, how productive would an employee be who just randomly showed up to be seen?   It's the same thing with your online resources.

Thoughts? Questions? Comments? Would love to know your thoughts!

Keep your business garden growing,
margie
www.todaysway.net