Enlightened Marketing Blog

Who else is an Accidental Pren-her?

Did you leave the ivory towers and golden handcuffs of corporate America? Or, did life at home with the kids inspire you to create a business that suited your lifestyle?

Did you always know you wanted to be a business owner?  Or did the forces of the Universe conspire to cause it?

I shared my story here. 

PS There's so much more cool stuff on the Alkamae Blog!  Check it out. 

Free teleclass: "HEY, LOOK OVER HERE ..."

Our next free monthly teleclass is coming up on Tuesday May 20th, and the topic is ...

"HEY, LOOK OVER HERE: Attention Getting Ways to Talk About Your Business."

http://tinyurl.com/5h4ypk

You offer great value to your customers, and more people need to know about you. You deserve their attention!  Let me help you get it.

I would LOVE to have you on the call and to hear your questions.

Sign up here: http://tinyurl.com/5h4ypk

Our monthly calls are free to attend, $10 for the audio in the first 7 days and $15 after that, so be sure to attend live.

Quick tips to recession proof your marketing

Recession talk continues to freak people out, but I want you to keep a calm head.  During economic turbulence what's reduced is not spending, but people's tolerance for risk.

What that means for small biz owners like us is this:

• Articulate the value of your offering with a brand

• Remove the risk from your customer's decision by offering guarantees and payment plans

• Continue or even increase your marketing so you remain visible and top of mind, especially when others may be cutting back

• Make the most of inexpensive marketing strategies like networking and referrals.

And don't give in to fear.  There's plenty of business. I personally know several entrepreneurs who are having their best years ever. 

How about you?

Create raving fans from your business's mistakes

Enlightened guest blogger Andy Andrews is back with a customer service story that needs to be shared.  Instead of flipping out when things go wrong, why not create a raving fan?  Here, Andy raves:

"So I had a little problem with two episodes of Desperate Housewives that I downloaded last week - they would play on my computer, but not on my iPod. I figured that this was a technical problem that they would fix soon, but I thought I would send a complaint e-mail anyway.

The e-mail I got back from Kim at iTunes really impressed me. She:

1. Apologized for the inconvenience
2. Refunded the 2 episodes
3. Gave me a store credit for a video as compensation
4. Admitted that they had a problem which they were working very hard on fixing
5. Thanked me for my business and my patience

Do you think I'll continue to purchase from iTunes? Of course! Problems happen - when they do, it is a great opportunity to show customers your commitment to them. An apology and an attempt to make it better are all it takes."

I couldn't agree more, Andy!  I've had similar experiences with Cafepress, KitchenAid, Marriott and others who really care about my business.

So, dear readers, what's your policy on keeping creating raving fans out of your business's mistakes, accidents and disasters?
 

Got a Social Media Marketing Strategy Yet?

Using sites like Facebook can help you network effectively without leaving home.  Where else can you get direct access to major online luminaries as well as old high school friends? 

Deborah Brown over at Small Business Trends has written a Cliff Notes post about social media sites with links to more resources. 

Check it out, then join me on Facebook.

Do you have a Scarcity Mentality about Marketing ?

Seems like everyone lately is ready to embrace this whole "recession" story with both arms.  I wonder why.  Do we need to invest in reasons we might not succeed? 

When I first heard the story, my emphatic first thought was, "Not for me!"  I'm about to have the biggest year of my business, and, I'm sorry, a recession is not in the plans.

Skeptics could call this denial, but I think it's the power of intention, or positive thinking as they said in the olden days.  I believe we create our reality, so I choose to believe in concepts that perpetuate the bright shiny future I intend for you and me. 

However, I run into scarcity mentality in myself and others on a daily basis.  You have to be diligent about flushing it out; otherwise it gnaws at your foundation like termites. 

What's a scarcity mentality?  It's a belief in the not-enoughness of the world; the idea that there's only so much of anything and I'm probably not gonna get my share.  It shows up in our business and starts to affect people at work on their marketing.

How do you recognize a scarcity marketing mentality?  Let's look at some of these statements.

• He's a terrible client, but I have to keep working with him. 
• I can't raise my prices; people wouldn't pay that much.
• Oh no! My competitors have launched a web site.  Now I'm done for.

Interesting, isn't it?  The idea that there aren't enough good clients out there, so I'm stuck with the difficult ones.  Let's follow out that logic: if I were to fire this client, what would happen?  In scarcity, I believe that I'll market, but no one else will show up, and even if they do, they'll probably be worse than the first guy. 

Why not just close your doors, go to bed and put your head under the covers?!

It's easy to joke about it, but the problem with scarcity marketing mentality is that it seems so real.  Maybe you fired a bad client in the past and really did find a long lull afterwards in which you didn't get another client or have enough money.  But why is that a reason to keep this bad client around?  Is there no way to do things differently?

Maybe you have experienced price resistance in the past, in which someone said you weren't worth the price you were charging, and you felt hurt by that.  Does that mean you're doomed to a low price and you can't do anything to change it?

And competitors ... This is a wonderful chance to see how we feel about ourselves.  When we feel scarce, it seems competitors will steal all our clients and run us out of business. Isn't it just as likely they are a place for your terrible clients to go for help once you have fired them? 

:-D  Just kidding.

"Competition" as a concept is borne of scarcity mindset.  It says that there's only one pie (of clients) and you have to divvy up the pieces. The more competitors there are, and the better they are, the less pie you get. 

I reject this pie idea.  I know there is also cake.  And cookies and milk.  What do I mean?  If you market to suburban moms, you know there are zillions of them.  If a competitor starts marketing to them as well, you can offer something different and specialized for slightly more money, and you will keep the ones who are just right for you.  The pie idea ignores the possibility of people returning to purchase from you again, or that you might offer new and different services.  It ignores ideas, creativity, inspiration, love.  Why?

Because these are things accessed when we're in abundance.  Abundance is a love-based (not fear-based) emotion.  It says: you will always have all the clients you need, all the money you need and all the ideas, resources, and assistance you need.

Scarcity marketing mentality hurts us because it is constrictive, not expansive.  It's stressful, not peaceful.  I uncovered this mindset in myself a few years ago around the idea of marketing my business. 

Unlike others who fear marketing may not work, I knew marketing would work.  I was afraid to market myself fully because I might create a demand that I couldn't fulfill.  Can you see the scarcity mindset in this?

"If too many clients want to work with me, I'll never have time for myself."  What nonsense!  This assumes I'm not creative enough to come up with ways to help people that don't require hours of my personal time. 

I didn't have to spend a lot of time reworking this thought into a useful one. As soon as I became aware of it, I knew it was bunk that was keeping my business small. 

Some ways to work with a scarcity marketing mentality that's hurting your business:

1. Identify what your belief is.  Then, think of at least one time when that was contradicted.   

2. Keep a gratitude journal for your business.  When you reflect on things you're grateful for, you'll see a lot of evidence of abundance.    

3. Resolve to look for abundance around you.  If you catch yourself saying something like, "It's hard to find good people," just remember that it's only true if you believe it's true. 

One of my biggest projects came to me when the client read a newspaper article about me and simply called out of the blue. Recently, another great client found me pretty much the same way.  The Universe is frequently dropping gifts into our laps, and all we need to do is look for them.  That's why I choose an abundance marketing mentality:  if we focus on doing what we do best, there's plenty ... of clients, money, great employees, ideas, TIME, everything!

There's more where that came from!

Free teleclass: How to Get More Referrals

A few weeks ago I polled my ezine subscribers about which areas of marketing they'd most like to improve.  The #1 concern was "Getting more referrals."

So, I'm happy to announce that my first monthly free teleclass - to be held every third Tuesday at 9 am PST / 12 noon EST - will be "How to Get More Referrals." It happens on Tuesday, April 15th!

There are a few big, obvious ways to increase referrals, as well as some little-known secrets the pros use to open doors.  I'll share both kinds on this call.  You'll also learn:

• Exactly what to say when asking
• When are the best time to ask
• Behaviors that encourage satisfied clients to refer you
• Special techniques for the shy, reluctant and introverted

To sign up for this call, just fill out this form. Again, it's free.

Some have wondered if this free call will be a thinly-veiled promotion for something.  The answer is no - that's not my style.  Sure, you'll hear a short commercial and maybe get a special offer, but mostly there will be a wealth of ideas about how to grow your business.

And now, a question for you:

What's your single, most important question about getting more referrals?

I want to be sure we cover what you want to know.  Please post your question in the comments area.

Brand Loyalist Charlie Rose

Have you seen Charlie Rose?

He got a frightening black eye from a fall in an NYC pothole.  I was shocked and thought surely someone took a "two-b'-four" to his head, most likely for incessant interrupting and overlong question asking (I do love him, but ...)

Tech Crunch set me straight: Charlie was protecting his MacBook Air. (Which of your possessions would YOU protect with your face?)

Does this speak to the object's preciousness, high cost, fragility or irreplaceableness?

10 Ways to Generate More Referrals

So many of my clients name "referrals" or "word-of-mouth" as the number one source of growth in their business.  However, when I ask how they get those referrals - so that we can increase them - they're not sure. 

I like business boosts to be predictable, reliable and replicable. Referrals are no different; they're a marketing strategy, not a fantasy. 

Referrals don't happen by accident; they happen by intention.  If you follow this list of suggestions, you will see your referrals increase.

Here are my top 10 ways to consistently and intentionally generate referrals:

1. Ask!

Your clients have 143 other things on their minds than your business, so they forget to tell their friends or colleagues about you.  Don't take it personally; it doesn't mean they don't value you.  It just means it may not occur to them to refer people to you.  Asking for something, especially referrals, is quite simply the best way to get it!

2. Explain clearly what makes a good referral for you.

One of the best things about referrals is that better qualified prospects come to you.  They're better qualified because a satisfied client knows them and has decided they need to know about you. 

But have you ever had someone referred to you who wasn't a great candidate for your services?  Maybe the message they got from your past client was positive but wasn't exactly the one you'd choose to share. 

The best way to ensure you get appropriate referrals is to clearly explain what a good referral for your business would be. It's also useful to let people know about not-so-good referrals.

[Do you know what makes a good referral for you?  Are all warm bodies good prospects for your services?  Be sure you know what you're looking for before you begin asking for it.]

3. Deliver knockout service. 

It may seem obvious, but this can create a subtle distinction in your intention:  Do you want to meet your clients' needs?  Or, will you delight them so much that they just have to spread the word?

4. Do something "buzzworthy."

What can you include in your knockout service that is unique or unexpected enough to make the news or spark coffee shop conversations?  Van Michael, my hair salon when I lived in Atlanta, offered free aromatherapy scalp massages that I felt every human must experience.  Remember when hotel chains started upgrading the beds and linens such that people actually wanted to buy them? That's a good way to get people to refer you more business.

5. Join (or start) a referrals group.

A structured approach can transform your haphazard referral occurrences into systematic, reliable revenue.  You'll get the most out of your group if its members share your values and have similar
target markets but not a competing service.

6. Ask others what makes a good referral for them.

Astute, like-minded professionals will almost always respond with a desire to learn more about you.  (By the way, this is the ideal thing to ask someone you've just met in a networking situation.)

7. Give referrals.

It's as much a lesson in karma as it is in business: givers gain! Pass enough referrals to others and you'll soon find them reciprocating.  As soon as I get a new client, I start looking for referrals and good contacts for them.

8. Increase your referral base.

Unless you have a very elite service, relying on a few select clients to refer business to you isn't wise.  How can you get more referrals?  Ask your vendors, colleagues, family and friends for them. 

In addition, find ways to share your service with larger groups of people, through workshops, public speaking and published works.

9. Stay visible.

Don't let "out of sight, out of mind" damage your referral business.  Keep yourself top of mind with your referral base by staying in touch. 

10. Incentivize and/or thank people for referrals.

You can offer monetary rewards, gifts or other incentives up front to entice people to give you referrals.  These rewards should be motivating to them and cost-effective for you.

Whether you offer up-front incentives or not, always be sure to thank people for referrals.  This can range from a phone call or handwritten note to commissions or gifts.  Expressing your gratitude is a wonderful way to invite more of this trust and generosity into your life.

Generating more referrals can reduce marketing costs and increase the joy in your business.  I hope you have found at least one idea here that you can take action on today. 

May the good news about your business spread!

How to measure word-of-mouth better

Great post here on the WOMMA blog about measuring word-of-mouth marketing.  Probably you're already asking, "How did you hear about us?"  This post breaks that question down into meaningful subsets to differentiate advertising vs actual word-of-mouth.