|
DuctTapeMarketing.com
April 12, 2006
In this issue:
Resource #1
- Jigsaw - a sales lead marketplace
List Building
- Lynda.com - Software tutorials
Main Article
- Small Business Owners Need Different Goals
Duct Tape Coaches
-
Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coaches
Free Magazine -
Successful Promotions
Featured Reading -
Guerrilla Marketing Research - Robert J. Kaden
Featured Listening -
We Shall Overcome -
The Seeger Sessions - Bruce Springsteen
Inc. magazine has an article online today
that explores the notion of
Low
Budget, High Impact marketing. The Duct Tape Marketing blog is
used as an example of using a blog as a low budget, high impact
marketing tool.
You can always
view past newsletter issues here!
Resource -
Lynda.com - Online software tutorials
Lynda.com
is a gold mine of software tutorials all set to Quicktime Movies in bite
size chunks. A client of mine recently pointed this site out and I must
say, I can't believe I never stumbled upon it previously.
Here how it works. You pay a monthly fee and can consume all the
training you can eat on specific software applications like Word and
Excel or on things like web graphics, CSS and HTML. There seems to be
something for just about everyone, from the beginner to programmer. The
courses are broken up into short lessons and you can also buy a complete
3 or 4 hour course on CD.
Resource
-
Solve the Sales
Contact Puzzle with Jigsaw
Jigsaw calls itself an online directory
of business contacts and company information. It's more like data meets eBay.
Jigsaw users buy, sell and (this is a big one) maintain contact information on
millions of executives and purchasing folks throughout America. Sales people and
recruiters swear by the service.
The service is a brilliant example of a user created tool that gets better them
more it's used. The data or list industry has been around for years and my
experience tells me that Jigsaw may be a major wake-up for an industry perfectly
happy with date error rates around 20%.Jigsaw motivates users to submit and
clean the data on their system.
Users can simply pay for leads or buy them with points earned by submitting
names and cleaning up names. Some users actually earn a little cash by
submitting more contact data than they buy.
I interviewed Jigsaw CEO
Jim Fowler for my podcast site.
Small Business Owners Need
Different Goals than the Rest of the World
 The
line between business and life is so blurry and close for the typical small
business owner that I think you need to approach goal setting in an untypical
fashion. Forget about the silly notion of separating business and life goals.
It’s not going to happen. No, what you need to do is find a way to marry the two
and be at peace with that.
First off, you’ve got to decide that you love your life! Without that, goal
setting is just a chore. So decide it and tell yourself that you love your life,
your work and your reason for being. I’m serious – don't pass go without saying
that - and then write down your goals for your vision for your business and the
tactical, measurable steps or goals to deliver that vision.
Vision goals encompass your greater vision for the business and for your life.
Questions like, “Where do see your business in five years?” are the genesis of
vision-oriented goals.
Tactical goals are much more tangible. Factors such as number of new clients,
revenue increase, or profit increase all fall into this category of goal
setting. Once you come up with your short-term vision and tactical goals, you
should find a way to communicate these goals to everyone in your organization.
Goals for your vision
I want to warn you that this next section may be some of the most difficult
material you ever encounter from a marketing guy, but take it to heart and it
may be the most fruitful. I know, I know, this is a marketing newsletter, and
here I am getting ready to ask you what you want to be when you grow up. I
just happen to think you'll never be a very good marketer without the passion
that working on purpose brings.
If you’ve ever looked at your business and wondered why you are stuck in a rut,
your answers to the questions I’m about to ask may actually be the key to
getting you unstuck. So, turn off the phone, unhook from e-mail, and write the
answers to the statements below on a sheet of paper.
• What will your business need to look like, act like, and be in order for you
to achieve your most important goals in life? In one year? three years? five
years?
• Describe the ideal experience/relationship you want your client to have with
your business.
• Describe a perfect day at work for you.
Ok, now what needs to change for you to realize any of the pictures above? Your
vision marketing goals should flow fairly easily from the answers to that
question.
Tactical Goals
Unless you are an accountant, the thought of math may not be that appealing to
you. This article does not attempt any foray into the inner workings of
accounting, but I have found that, like it or not, your marketing success at
many levels is tied to basic accounting principles. At the very least your
tactical marketing goals should include projections for:
Revenue. For the most part, revenue is sales. Sales are good, and they
keep the machine running, but they are not the entire picture of course. Your
revenue plans must address your capacity to actually service the amount of
business your marketing plan generates. Some people simply pick a number that is
X percent above last year. If you have not done any type of goal-setting or
marketing to support that goal in the past that may be your best approach. The
primary point is to have a number that you are shooting for.
Profit. A sale without profits is a recipe for disaster. Many businesses
fail to understand how to account for the expenses involved in their business
and either price their products and services incorrectly or simply fail to make
any profit. This is one of those places where employing the services of an
accounting professional can be a very helpful thing! Work with your accountant
to help you integrate the money aspects of your business into your marketing.
If your accountant doesn’t have an understanding of how to help you do this with
reports that can give you snapshots of your marketing goals that relate to the
accounting aspects of your business, then it’s time to find a new accountant.
Your Income. If you are the owner of the business or this business is the
source of your income, then it stands to reason that you should set marketing
goals tied to your income.
A surprising number of business owners never set any goals for the amount of
money they intend to make. Without an income target, you are left to take
whatever comes along. So how much money do you want your business to produce in
the next year? three years? five years?
Further, you should set goals that are tied to your actual marketing tactics:
• Number of active suspects
• Free reports distributed
• Prospects generated
• Appointments made
• Prospects converted to clients
• First-time clients
• Website visitors
• PR mentions
• Referrals
• Business cards handed out
• Workshops presented
• Testimonials received
Don’t wait around until the New Year to do this. Do it now.
~ ~ ~
John Jantsch is a veteran marketing coach, award winning blogger and author of
Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide
published by Thomas Nelson - due out in the fall of 2006
He is the creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small business marketing system.
You can find more information by visiting
http://www.ducttapemarketing.com
You may reprint this article in its entirety if you attribute the article
to John Jantsch and include the information about the author above.
Duct
Tape Coaches -
Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coaches - coming to a town
near you (already spanning the USA and Canada!) -
FIND OUT MORE
The first
group of 11 Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coaches met in Kansas City
for their intensive training several weeks ago and left ready to change
the small business marketing world.
These coaches will be the
exclusive distribution channel for Duct Tape Marketing products and
licensed to work with small business owners to implement the Duct Tape
Marketing small business marketing system.
Look for the launch of the official
Duct Tape Marketing Authorized
Coach web site in several weeks.
The network of
Duct Tape
Marketing Authorized Coaches will become the recognized brand of
small business marketing coach.
Next Group forming for training in
July 2006! To be notified
Email John Jantsch
Featured Reading
Guerrilla Marketing Research - Robert J Kaden
 I'm
not big on academic research for the small business marketer, but I do know that
small business owners would be well served if they better understood their
clients, prospects and markets.
Guerrilla Marketing Research offers
lots of ways to do just that without breaking the bank or participating in
meaningless busy work.
If you are considering launching a new product, brand or service you should get
this book first.
Featured
Listening
We
Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions - Bruce Springsteen
 Bruce
goes into the studio with a big group of musicians does takes of 13 traditional
folk tunes inspired by Pete Seeger.
Amazon has a great video of the recording of John Henry.
The album is being released as a
DualDisc - album and 30 minute behind the scenes DVD.
Tracks include:
1. Old Dan Tucker
2. Jessie James
3. Mrs. McGrath
4. Oh, Mary, Don't You Weep
5. John Henry
6. Erie Canal
7. Jacob's Ladder
8. My Oklahoma Home
9. Eyes On The Prize
10. Shenandoah
11. Pay Me My Money Down
12. We Shall Overcome
13. Froggie Went A-Courtin'
14. Buffalo Gals
15. How Can I Keep From Singing
|
Featured Resource #1
The Duct Tape Marketing Small Business Marketing System
This complete small business marketing program contains 15 workbooks, 12
audios CDs - packaged in a Duct Tape
Marketing 3 ring binder. This is the same tool I use to coach my
clients.
Find out more.
Featured Resource #2 -
The Duct Tape Marketing System Workbooks
The Ultimate Marketing System individual workbooks and audios. 15
workbooks and 12 audios. Buy one or buy them all. $29 Workbook
only/$39 workbook and audio.
Individual Workbooks and Audio CDs
Featured Resource #3 -
Digital Version Now Available for Immediate Download
Referral Flood
- How to generate a flood of new business without spending one dime on
advertising
I
just released a digital version that allow you to download the 125 page
ebook as a PDF file and MP3 Audios. I also passed on the saving to you.
The digital version is $79 (as opposed to $97 for printed version) + no
shipping
Featured Resource #3 -
Blog Lightning -
How To Create and Promote Your Blog In
A Flash
Drawing from my experience creating blogs, including my award winning
Duct Tape Marketing Blog, I have launched a complete step-by-step guide
that takes you by the hand and shows you exactly what to do to instantly
create and promote a successful blog for your business.
You also get 14 video screencast tutorials that allow you to watch over
my shoulder as I actually do the steps I outline in the system - It does
not get any easier than this! -
Order Blog Lightning
Featured Free Magazine
Executive Magazines
Subscribe to free
publications on a wide variety of topics and industries
Duct
Tape Marketing Podcast
Tune in each week as I
interview some of the brightest business experts, authors and
entrepreneurs. Subscribe and get the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast
delivered to your iPod or other mp3 player.
Listen Now!
|