DuctTapeMarketing.com
April 03, 2007 

In this issue:

Resource #1 - Harness the Internet
Resource #2 - Duct Tape Marketing the Book!
Main Article - Create a Marketing Kit that Educates
Resource #3 - Duct Tape Marketing Affiliate Program
Resource #4 - Duct Tape Marketing Coaches
Free Magazine - Free subscription to PRWeek Magazine
Featured Reading - The 7 Irrefutable Laws of Small Business Growth - Steven Little
Featured Listening - An Other Cup-  Yusuf (Cat Stevens)

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Featured Resource #2

NEW - Harness the Internet - Market Your Small Business More Effectively - program includes 3 - 1 hour audio sessions with John Jantsch, workbook, and transcripts from each session.

No matter if you do business in your town or around the world, the Internet has become an essential small business marketing tool! Get Harness the Internet from Duct Tape Marketing and get your hands on an small business Internet marketing super class broken into three fast moving live sessions - each packed with laser specific details for moving your business ahead in this rapidly changing medium. Two ways to buy -  digital files for immediate download or 3 ring binder with audio CD

 Visit the Catalog to select the version you would like to receive.

Featured Resource #2

Duct Tape Marketing - The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide - foreword by Michael Gerber,  author of the E-Myth, afterword by Guy Kawasaki, author of Art of the Start - Hardcover, 304 Pages, Nelson Business.

Check out the book

"I have read your book and I am impressed with the "hands on" approaches you use. Having taught marketing at the MBA level I appreciate your book for getting past the theoretical approaches that are so commonly used."

     ~ Thomas Lowther - Senior Director - American Institute of Architects

Featured Article

Create a Marketing Kit That Educates
The typical marketing brochure doesn't demonstrate how your firm is different - create a suite of education based materials and stand out from the competition

I get these calls from time to time. . ."Can you make me a brochure?" Many business owners have been sold on the notion that they need a tri-fold brochure or they are not in business. Forget it...everybody's got one and no one uses it.

Your potential clients need an education. They need to know how you are different. (The typical tri-fold brochure simply confirms that you are the same.)

Every small business should create the following pieces of information and format them in a way that allows them be printed inexpensively and updated often. I like to call this approach, the Marketing Kit. Your marketing kit starts with several professionally printed pieces that are the framework for up to 10 or 12 different educational documents. The core components are:

1. A pocket folder - A multi-use workhorse, this piece alone, if designed well, can send the message that you are in business to stay. (This one will cost a little but it has many uses)

2. A marketing template - This should be a professionally printed piece that carries your logo and contact information but is different than your letterhead. This is the base piece then for the following pages that insert into your pocket folder. Your actual marketing files can be MSWord type documents that are laser printed. This gives you the ability to change and update your content and also allows you to tailor your marketing kit content to specific prospects.

Some combination of the following pages should be created for your marketing kit.

The Difference Page - Hit them with how you are different and shower them with benefits of doing business with you. Don't tell them what you do. I like to keep this one to the top 3 or 4 things that you do that your target market will value. Think benefits that are unique

A list of products and services - Okay, now tell them what you do or what you offer, but make sure do it the context of how they can benefit from your products or services.

Case Studies - Pick representative clients or industries and outline how your product or service solved someone else's challenge. People learn in different ways and case studies allow them to see themselves getting relief. I think this format works well. State the situation, the problem, your solution, the result. Over time you can collect more and more of these and draw upon the ones that fit an industry or problem that in relevant to your prospect.

Testimonials - Get quotes from real live clients and create a page titled - "See what others have to say about us." These quotes can be some of the strongest selling tools you have. New technologies make it easy to create audio and video testimonials too.

Process Description - Show them how you do what you do. Create detailed checklist and flow charts that show them how you keep your promise. In many cases you have these anyway but by making them part of your marketing you can demonstrate how much more professional your organization is. These also help you justify why you charge a premium for your services. Many people underestimate how much really goes into delivering a quality product or service. So show them.

Your Story - Many companies have interesting or even gut wrenching histories. Tell them your story in an open, honest, and entertaining way and you will win their hearts as well as their heads.

FAQs - Compile a list of the questions your prospects and clients ask most often (don't forget the ones they never ask, but should) and answer the for this page.

Ideal Client Description - In some cases a page that describes the type of person or business that you can help the most can allow a prospect to select or deselect themselves.

There are other pages that may or may not make sense for your particular business situation and the kit can and should be constantly grown and updated as you gather more clients and refine your core messages.

After you complete your kit you may wonder if anyone will actually read all of that information. The answer is probably not everyone, but many will skim and find what they were looking for as people learn in many different ways. You kit allows them to read the same message, essentially, packaged in a number of formats.

All of the above pieces can, in many cases, be word processed files that are laser printed onto the template I described above. You can learn even more about how to use this unique tool here

This format allow for very inexpensive printing and a great deal of flexibility when you need to update, change or even personalize your marketing materials.

Your marketing kit is not meant to be used as something your send out to a list of suspects, it is your lead conversion tool to be used ahead of or after a lead or referral asks for more information.

Related article - Mail with Lumps Gets Opened

. ~ ~ ~

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.

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.

Featured Reading

The 7 Irrefutable Laws of Small Business Growth - Steven Little

Steven Little's book on Small Business Growth is a real winner for business owners who have been at it a while and are ready to grow. Growing a business is so much more than simply doing better marketing. Business growth can stall or fall apart completely without proper planning and motivation. Add this book to your small business library.

Featured Listening

An Other Cup - Yusuf

In 1978 singer/songwriter Cat Stevens shocked the music world by quitting music at the top of his game to pursue his newly accepted faith.

He did not pick up a guitar or perform again until the 2006 release of An Other Cup. I heard him interviewed recently and he said that his son wanted to start playing the guitar so he started playing again in an effort to help him.

Cat Steven's songs were often about journey and finding something along the way - Yusuf sounds like that same old friend after all these years and travels.

He often blends his religious themes in this album and on his return to music, says "I feel right about making music and singing about life in this fragile world again. It is important for me to help bridge the cultural gaps others are sometimes frightened to cross."
 

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 - The Duct Tape Marketing Workshops - Does Your Group Need a Practical Small Business Marketing Speaker?

I am available to present small business marketing workshops, seminars and keynotes to groups and associations.

Find out more here

Featured Resource #1 - New Tool - The Lead Generation Machine

Could Your Business Stand a Consistent, Predictable, and Growing Flow of Highly Qualified Leads?

The Lead Generation Machine
Create a Non-Stop Flow of Highly Qualified Leads for Any Business - The Duct Tape Marketing Small Business Marketing Lead Generation Course

Now available as a self-study program including 3 workbooks and over 3 hours of audio training (includes transcripts)

Featured Resource #3 -
Referral Flood - How to generate a flood of new business without spending one dime on advertising

The complete referral marketing system with over 50 real world referral tactics, examples and forms. Order now!

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 #4 - 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



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