Duct Tape Marketing Newsletter
 

DuctTapeMarketing.com
June 22, 2006 

In this issue:

Resource #1 - System Workbooks - Core Marketing Message
Main Article - How to Create a Powerful Personal Marketing Message
Resource #2 - Hard to Find Ads - free ad sample you can swipe for free
Resource #3 - List of Public Relations Resources
Duct Tape Coaches - Hire A Duct Tape Marketing Coach
Free Magazine - B to B Magazine
Featured Reading - Waiting for your Cat to Bark - Bryan and Jeffery Eisenberg
Featured Listening -12 Gardens Live - Billie Joel

Duct Tape Nominated for Best Small Business Marketing Blog

For the third straight year Duct Tape Marketing has been nominated as the "best small business marketing blog" by the readers of Marketing Sherpa.

If you like what you read here I'd love it if you would consider casting a vote for Duct Tape Marketing

http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=28308

Visit Marketing Sherpa Blog Award page above and scroll down to the small business marketing category. Duct Tape Marketing is listed # 1 and you could, if you like, vote excellent. (The form they use has lots on it and may take a little time to load so be patient!)

You can always view past newsletter issues here!

Featured Resource - The Duct Tape Marketing System Workbooks

Differentiate and Dominate - Developing and communicating your core marketing message - Buy Workbook Only | Buy Workbook and CD

You’ve got to uncover and communicate how your business is different from every other business that says they do what you do. You’ve got to get out of the commodity business. You’ve got to stake your claim on a simple idea or position in the mind of your prospective clients.

In this workbook you will:
1) Create a core message
2) Discover how to communicate your unique difference
3) Position your business to dominate a market

How to Create a Powerful Personal Marketing Message
Try this exercise to help you develop a personal marketing message that grabs your prospect's attention.

By John Jantsch

Quite often small business owners will ask me to reveal the most powerful marketing strategy I have seen. I can say without hesitation that the most powerful marketing strategy has little to do with advertising, direct mail, websites, referrals or blogs.

No, before any of those things will really have an impact on your business, you’ve got to uncover and communicate how your business is different from every other business that says they do what you do. You’ve got to get out of the commodity business. You’ve got to stake your claim on a simple idea or position in the mind of your prospective clients.

You've got to create and bring to life a powerful personal marketing message.

The following is an exercise that I have developed that allows you to find your message by focusing on creating a marketing based answer to one very important question.

And the question is: What do you do for a living? The answer to that question is something that I call “Your Talking Logo.”

Like a traditional printed logo, a talking logo is a tool that allows your firm to communicate verbally the single greatest benefit of doing business with your firm. A talking logo is a short statement that quickly communicates your firm's position and forces the listener to want to know more.

The talking logo is generally played in response to the comment, "So, tell me about your firm or tell me what you do." Everyone has attended a networking event or Chamber of Commerce breakfast where you are given a minute to describe your firm...another great place to use your talking logo. When it comes to referral marketing, the talking logo is how you communicate the value of your firm to referral sources.

How do you create your talking logo?

Remember, a talking logo must be a short statement that leaves the listener wanting to know more. Think about your clients or potential clients ... they want to know what's in it for them. Don't just tell them what your firm does– tell them in a way that matters to them.

"I'm in the insurance business." “I’m a registered architect.” "I'm a painting contractor." "I'm a computer repair specialist." The only thing this type of response will get you is, "Who cares?" or worse. A talking logo grabs your prospect's attention.

Your talking logo is created in two distinct parts. Part 1 addresses your target market, and Part 2 zeroes in on a problem, frustration or want that market has.

You know you have a great talking logo when a person hears you deliver it and immediately says, “Really, how do you do that?”

“So, if you ask Bill the architect, “what do you do for a living?” Which do you think is more powerful? “Oh, I’m a registered architect” or [Talking Logo] “I show contractors how to get paid faster.”

Now if you’re a contractor you’ve got to know more, right? In the example above Bill has focused on addressing a key frustration that he knows contractors (his target market) have.

What about this one? “I show small service professionals how to triple what they charge?”

Do you see a pattern?

Here’s the pattern: Action verb, (I show, I teach, I help) target market, (business owners, homeowners, teachers, divorced women, Fortune 500 companies) how to xxxx = solve a problem or meet a need that you know your marketing has.

Now ask yourself, “Who wouldn't want to know more when you heard a talking logo that spoke directly to you?” Communicating a powerful message like this will get you referral appointments too.

Now, once you get their attention with your talking logo answer to what you do for a living, it’s time to deliver the goods.

So, now they utter, “Really, how do you do that?”

You must be equally prepared to answer this supplemental question. Once your prospect says, “Tell me more,” you need Part 2, and that is when you tell them how you plan to solve their problem.

The key to this tool though, is waiting until you have their full attention with your talking logo.

Part 2: Again, the architect from above – “Well, we have developed relationships with every zoning board in the metro area and can make sure that your projects don’t get hung up by red tape, ensuring that you get to that first pay request faster.”

By understanding your positioning and your target market and then communicating it through your talking logo, you will be miles ahead of most of your competition and well on your way to generating referrals and leads from anyone you meet.

~ ~ ~

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, UK and Canada!) - FIND OUT MORE

The If you really want to take your business to the next level hire a Duct Tape Marketing Coach.

Duct Tape Marketing Coaches can offer you personal and phone based marketing coaching based on the Duct Tape Marketing Ultimate Marketing System.

The network of Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coaches will become the recognized brand of small business marketing coach. Find A Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coach

Next Group forming for training in September 2006! To be notified Email John Jantsch

Featured Reading
 

Waiting for Your Cat to Bark - Byran and Jeffery Eisenberg

I had a great chat with Bryan Eisenberg, co-author of Waiting for your Cat to Bark over a recent visit to Kansas City. Bryan was on tour promoting his newest book and offers some great insight into small business use of the web. Click to listen to the podcast

The book's title is a nod to the fact that many marketers attempt to get people to do things they just don't really want to do. Waiting for your Cat to Bark shows you how to think about persuading your prospects to do the things they do want to do.

Bryan's company (run with his brother Jeffery) Future Now, Inc is all about showing web site owners how to create and structure information on web sites to make it more persuasive. They've even created their own term for this process called persuasion architecture.

I've long been a fan of their newsletter Grokdotcom. I think you'll enjoy Bryan's easy, non-techie style.

Featured Listening


12 Gardens Live- Billy Joel


32 songs recorded live on 12 different appearances at Madison Square Gardens. This album is full of energy. That's the best way to describe it. Any Billy Joel fan will love it. Every chart hit is covered along with some great renditions of lesser known tunes.

There is also a video of Joel playing on Amazon's site
 

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
 

Resource - Get Local Search Engine Traffic

Don’t Let Your Small Business Get Left Behind in the Local Search Engine Game

Get your local business found online automatically by local prospects with a Duct Tape Marketing Local Search Engine profile. One of the best ways to get your business found in your town by local prospects. More

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

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 BtoB Magazine, the magazine for marketing strategists, delivers timely editorial on all disciplines of business-to-business marketing.

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.

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©2003-2006 John Jantsch • All rights reserved • 816-561-3931 • John@DuctTapeMarketing.com