by Ginger Marks  (Guest Blogger)

What is a business image? It is the unspoken representation of your business. It defines how others perceive what you do and who you are. Simply said, it is your business identity. The business that has no business image in place actually has a poor business image. Therefore it is important they you create an image today if you haven’t already done so.

When you consider what you want your business image to evolve into, think about the way you would want to be perceived. Would you personally go out in public without being properly groomed? I doubt it. The same holds true with your business. Things like, lack of stationary and re-used packaging illustrate to your customers that you are too cheap to or don’t consider them valuable. While you may think that being fugal, pinching a penny here will cut your bottom line, they may conceive this seemingly insignificant act to mean that you may not be in business the next time they need your services.

What are the critical components of a professional business image? There are several pieces to be considered. While the whole may be different for each individual business owner, there are five key elements that make up a solid business image that must be addressed. Can you guess what those five would be?

Let’s put our puzzle together.

1. Business Name & Tagline

Your business name is vital to you. It is one piece that cannot be ignored or taken lightly. Because you will carry this name with you for many years to come great care should be taken in the selection. It is not unheard of to change your business name, however each time you do you risk losing customers. So think carefully, get input from trusted friends and decided on the name that best fits your product or service.

Your business name should easily reveal who you are where your tagline should reveal what you do. Keep it simple. A long and complicated tagline is easily forgotten or confused. Take a cue from the corporate giants, short and sweet, direct and to the point, make for memorable taglines. See if you know these taglines. Most of these I am sure you will recognize are:

It’s the Real Thing

You’re In Good Hands

Bring Out the Best

Fly the Friendly Skies

The Ultimate Driving Machine

And my personal favorite

We Make YOU Look GOOD!

Here are the answers, how’d you do?

It’s the Real Thing – Coke

You’re In Good Hands – Allstate

Bring Out the Best – Hellmann’s

Fly the Friendly Skies – United

The Ultimate Driving Machine – BMW

We Make YOU Look GOOD! – DocUmeant Designs & Publishing

Be sure your tagline contains two important elements, that of emotional and functional words. It needs to quickly describe what you do. If you want to open a pet store, don’t simply name it The Pet Store, that’s a little stale. Try something memorable like, Paula’s Pet Emporium or Perfectly Petaculous. One note on personalizing your business name, if there is even a slight chance that you may want to sell your business in the future, leave off the personalization. I am sure given the choice, as a buyer, you would prefer not to buy the business just to turn around and have to change the name and lose those loyal clients.

1. Logo

Selection of your logo is of paramount importance. The three things to remember in designing your logo are that it is easily recognizable, matches the look and feel of what you wish to portray and the colors enhance the image.

When deciding on your logo a bit of soul searching and research before you begin the process is a very good place to start. Find out what is out there already, don’t imitate, be unique and creative. Use the competition as a starting point to give you some ideas, DON’T copy!

The colors you choose should be carried throughout all of your business materials. If you use red and green or blue and white – stay with them when designing your website and stationary.

Speaking of stationary, let’s move on to the importance of well designed business materials.

1. Stationary

Stationary items that should be considered are letterhead, envelopes, business card, and forms. Your local office supply store has a number of business forms available for your use at a reasonable cost. Nevertheless, what do your customers think or perceive when they receive them? Does it show permanence, longevity and commitment? Spending just a little more time and money to create forms and stationary that are uniform can greatly affect your business’ perceived value.

1. Marketing materials

Marketing materials should always carry your business identity. These items may be as small as a pen with only the name and address of the business. Items in this category should include brochure(s), flyers, coupon, gift certificates, card and postcards, and t-shirts, hats, and other giveaway items. Pens are often the giveaway item of choice; people tend to hold on to them, and if lost or shared the new owner has your information. We call this “shelf-life” or your product’s “life cycle.”

1. Storefront/Website

As mentioned earlier, your image gives your business a uniform look and feel when all of the elements retain a oneness. Your storefront/website is no exception. Whether online or offline this is your main source of customer interaction. Solidify your presence and demonstrate your credibility and reliability quickly. Let them know within the first few minutes what you do and how well you do it by presenting your unique business identity in the forefront of your business location.

Take a step back from your business; look at it through your customer’s eyes. If need be poll your customers to get a clearer vision. Once you have decided the image you want to represent you, use through your entire business. Be it fun and whimsical or clean and professional, your image is an unspoken representation of your business, becoming its identity. As such, it will speak for you more clearly than words.  When you have a complete business identity it ensures your customer will easily recognize who you are, what you do and demonstrate your competence.

I challenge you to define or review your current business image. Ask for customer feedback and then solidify your place in the market. With all your pieces carrying your single message you will further exclaim your permanence.

© Copyright 2011 Ginger Marks

Ginger Marks is the founder of the DocUmeant Family of Companies, We Make YOU Look GOOD! For more information, visit http://www.documeantdesigns.com/. Her annual edition of Holiday Marketing Guide, Your business-marketing calendar of ideas is available at http://www.HolidayMarketingGuide.com. She also offers a wealth of knowledge through her ezine Words of Wisdom available on her website.

By Yvonne Perry – Guest Blogger

Many a writer aspires to be a published author—by any method whether self-publishing or being accepted by one of the “big six publishing houses,” such as Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Group, Random House, or Simon & Schuster, or one of their imprints (subsidiaries).  What most new authors don’t realize is that once a book is published, it requires a lot of time, effort, and money to market it. The book, like any other product other than toilet paper, won’t sell itself; it has to be presented to its target market over and over.

Promoting a book can become a lot like owning a business. I learned this the hard way when I published More Than Meets the Eye, True Stories About Death, Dying, and Afterlife (http://deathdyingafterlife.com) in 2005. I knew little about book marketing at the time, so the book didn’t start selling until two years later when I published my second book, Winning the Political and Religious Wars Over Stem Cell Research in America. That’s when I paid a publicist about $3,000 to do my book marketing for me.

The mistake many newbie authors make is becoming too attached to their book and not allowing others to critique it or suggest changes for improvement. Another error is not having a professional editor help them develop the book or at least provide a copy edit. Most authors assume this service is too expensive and will skip this very important step in bringing a book to the market. I’ve heard things like: “I had my friends proofread my book and they didn’t find any errors,” or “My cousin is a high school teacher and she said it is a great book.” That’s like going to the dentist to buy lip gloss! Even an English teacher cannot provide the same level of editorial assistance that a book editor can. Because an editor knows the book industry and the reader market, he or she can offer consultation about publishing methods and important tips about what makes a book appealing to readers.  That’s in addition to having extensive knowledge about various style guides, acceptable word usage, character development, transitions, making dialog work, formatting, and being able to assist with publisher query letters and book proposals.

A book is a product and must be sellable. It’s not just about packaging. A poorly-written book ,with a so-so cover, or an ambiguous title/subtitle that lacks keywords is not as marketable as a page-turner that jumps off the shelf and causes the reader to say, “This is just what I’m looking for.” That reader becomes a fan and automatically starts helping you promote your book via word of mouth. If I don’t enjoy a book, I won’t write a review (at least not a positive one) or recommend the book to others.

I had a “first” last week when an author I am working with told me he wasn’t sure he was ready to be an author because of the time he would need to spend marketing his book. Usually, new authors have no idea of the amount of time and energy involved in successful authorship. I recommend authors do as many of the following things as possible:

• Create a marketing plan
• Maintain a blog specifically for the book
• Get domain names and build a Web site for the book
• Query to obtain radio and TV interviews
• Be available to record radio and TV interviews
• Create promotional videos and post them to YouTube and other social sites
• Conduct a book tour (in-person or online)
• Participate in the launch of other authors’ books
• Do an Amazon launch campaign
• Write and send media releases
• Write and post articles to online article directories
• Write and send articles to print magazines
• Participate in online forums pertaining to the topic of your book
• social marketing such as Facebook or Twitter
• Comment on and link to other peoples’ blogs

 I am employing these methods in promoting my latest book, Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You (http://whosestuffisthis.com).

In an age of social marketing, we authors are able to befriend and interact with our readers. Because I had built the buzz the entire time I was writing the book, I sold two copies of the e-book within a matter of hours after its debut on Amazon’s Kindle Store: http://tinyurl.com/EmpathKindle . I have a virtual tour planned for February 28 through March 28 to launch the printed version of this book to help people who unknowingly take on the burdens of others at the expense of their own well-being. See the tour schedule at http://tinyurl.com/EmpathTour .

I became a freelance writer and the owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services (http://writersinthesky.com) when I established my company in 2003. I quickly learned that in order to help people find me, I had to spend as much time marketing the business as I did working for clients. Now, as an author, I spend as much time writing and marketing my own books as I do marketing my writing and editing services and writing for clients. It’s like having two businesses. The way I manage this dual effort is by 1.) collaborating with a team of editors and writers to help me with client projects, 2.) hiring an assistant to help with marketing and administrative work, and 3.) being very selective about the clients I work with personally.

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My blog is participating in a 28-day virtual tour for Yvonne Perry’s new book titled Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You. Yesterday, Yvonne visited The Shift Guru Radio Show.  Today, she is my guest blogger. I hope you enjoy the article she wrote why authors must learn to marketing their books.

Tomorrow’s blog stop will be at A Blogger’s Books.  You can see her complete tour schedule at http://tinyurl.com/EmpathTour.

Guest Blogger: Leah Delaney

Its not easy to impress people, let alone encourage them to spend their hard earned money on the products or services you offer. If you want to gather a good number of loyal customers, you need to show and tell them that you are worth their time and money. Keep in mind that the economy is tough these days, and with more and more people getting picky and tightening their belts when it comes to their expenses, it becomes critically important to convince people that you worth their investment.

Theres no reason to worry though if you want to get the best exposure for your business. You need not spend a lot of your marketing dollars just to convince people that you can be trusted. There is actually one simple marketing tool you can use to achieve all that – - the business card.

These simple cards are a basic in any business, especially startup businesses. When you are going around introducing your business, these cards are what you need. You need to have a handful of them with you anywhere you go.

But, how do you make your card long lasting and memorable? Putting something unusual or interesting in your card will make it memorable, but there other ways you can do to make it more unforgettable:

Put something unusual in your card such as a flower, ribbon, or even a hole. This can be a creative way to catch attention with your card. If people as what the design in your card means, be sure to give a catchy response. Say, the flower represents how fragrant their home will be if they use your home fragrant, or the hole represents the tear your adhesive can prevent. Just anything creative and catchy to keep your car memorable.

Put a sticker, a photo of yourself, or a stamp to make your card outstanding. You can even add your thumbprint or your signature to your business card templates. You can basically do anything creative to your card. This is your chance to get creative and use your imagination. Anything outrageous will surely help people remember you.

Use a stylish, strange business card holder. The card holder is basically used to keep your card in neat and pristine condition. You would not want to hand out a card that is dingy, right? But aside from keeping your cards neat and organized, your card holder can also be a great conversation starter. If people see how unusual it is they are likely to make a comment and from there you can get the conversation going. This will also tell people how important your cards are for you, so they should do the same when you hand them your card.

You can also practice the Japanese way of handing out a business card: use both your hands. People will surely notice it and see your card as something valuable.

If you know a magic trick, show it to your prospects when handing out your card. This would surely impress them and remember you every time they see your card.

If you receive cards, make sure to look at it for a few seconds. You can make a comment or two and then put it carefully in your card holder. This will show the other person how much you value their card and might as well do the same to your card.

About the Author:Leah Delaney is specializing in writing articles on a printing company. Try to visit this page for more tips about business cards and find the best place for free downloadable business card templates for your different design ideas.     

Articles Source: ezinemark.com

By Charlie  Newman – Guest Blogger

I am here to tell you that by the time you finish reading this blog entry, you will recognize that you are negotiating all day, every day.  You are negotiating at work, at home, in your business life and in your personal affairs.

Think about it.  At work, in addition to your customers and your suppliers, you are negotiating with your boss, other employees, and with other departments.  At home, you negotiate with your spouse and kids.  Whether you realize it or not, I assure you that they are negotiating with you constantly.  If you do not believe it, think about what takes place when you decide on a restaurant, or a movie?  I’ll bet that those of you with pets even negotiate with them.  And, my best guess is your pet comes out ahead in most cases.

Look around and observe what is going on around you during the course of a day. You will soon recognize that negotiating is taking place everywhere.  Let’s face it negotiating is part of everyday life!

My best guess is that when faced with “formal” negotiations such as negotiating an employment agreement, or the purchase of a home, most people you know are uncomfortable.  This probably results from their belief that negotiating is not a natural part of their day-to-day life.  In fact, “formal” negotiations are viewed by many people from the perspective that the only possible outcome is that somebody “wins” and the other person “loses,” and as a result tension begins to surface.

One of the most important things I have learned during the past 40+ years of doing “deals” around the world is that to achieve a more satisfactory and sustainable outcome, the focus has to be to “make the pie bigger.”  The end result should be that when the pie is cut in half, both parties receive a bigger and a better slice.  To achieve this, the focus has to change from a confrontational mind set to one of cooperation.

If you want better results from your next negotiation, keep the following points in mind: 

1. Negotiation is an art not a science.  There are no hard and fast rules or formulas that fit every situation.
2. Each “deal” is different even though some similarities will exist between “deals.”
3. The key to success is to be creative in getting to a satisfactory outcome.

What appears to be so ominous to many people is something they do not realize is part of their everyday life.

 Charlie H. Newman is the author of “Beyond the Chicken Dance” and can help you negotiate your way through life more effectively by understanding that there is more to negotiating then posturing and position.

Special Note: Visit www.beyondthechickendance.com to view Charlie’s entertaining book video trailer produced by authorsbroadcast.com .

By Lonnie L. Sciambi 

The Entrepreneur’s Yoda”

When it comes to image, perception IS reality. And first “perceptions” are critical. Your company image is formed in a prospect’s mind with their first contact, whether it be with your website, your marketing materials, your product pitches or the way your phone is answered.  It will make an impression that will get you on the path to making them a customer…or one you may never overcome.

Young companies, especially, need to be aware of this.  Customers want to deal with companies with whom they are comfortable and confident. That doesn’t always mean the largest company in the market, but ones that they want to business with, feel will best meet and service their needs… and are going to be around for a while to do so! When you’re small and struggling, when your resources are few and your confidence not as high as it could be, is when you have to make sure you’re not sounding small…or being defensive about being a young company. So what do you do?

Even with limited  resources, in today’s marketplace, with the low-cost and free tools available, there should be no company that can’t create a very professional and exciting first impression. And your website will be the absolute first impression any prospective customer will have of your company because that’s where they either discover you or will look when the first hear about you. Make your website as much of a showcase as possible for the brand image you want to create in the market. Make it the center of all your marketing activities. Use graphics and good copy (get help with this if necessary) to make your company look and sound bigger and more successful than it might be – like a company folks just want to do business with. Now I’m not suggesting being untruthful.  However, how you tell your story (highlighting the good parts and not talking about the lesser ones) is what creates your first impression.  Make it a lasting one.  All marketing materials and product pitches should follow the message and the “look and feel” you create on your website. And, make sure that anyone who has any direct contact with a prospect or customer, by phone or in-person, projects the image you’re trying to build and delivers the same message.

Establishing a blog can amplify your image by further establishing and building your credibility with both current and prospective customers and is linked to your website.  Use other social media like Twitter and Facebook to drive people to both your blog and your website.  Use a networking service like LinkedIn to help create more awareness of the executives in the company and to help expand your network of potential customers and partners.

If first impressions are critical and perception is reality, make the image you create form a lasting first “perception” that turns a prospect into a customer and a customer base into long-term success.

Lonnie L. Sciambi is “The Entrepreneur’s Yoda,” an advisor and mentor to small business owners, translating more than 30 years experience as an entrepreneur and CEO of small business to advice and solutions that help them master business success.

Contact information:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lonniesciambisprofile

Blog site: theentrepreneursyoda.blogspot.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/yodacanhelp

Facebook: http://bit.ly/dbiMEA

By L. Drew Gerber – Guest Blogger

There’s no question you aspire to take your business to the next level, but how to do it? You may have tried networking, Internet marketing or paid advertising but have you tried to leverage media coverage to grow your business? You want to attract loyal customers and increase your profits — that’s part of the equation — but you long for some magical solution. Let me show you how.

It’s no secret that media coverage is by far the best means out there to take you and your business to the next level. But scoring media coverage alone won’t necessarily translate into record sales or a huge spike in your website’s traffic. Like most things, media coverage is a means to an end, not an end in itself. The trick is how to leverage your newfound exposure to reach your goals.  Leverage it in a way to attract potential clients who won’t wait for you to open the door because they’ll be knocking it down themselves. 

Putting your best foot forward to show the public and your target market you’re the person they should be paying attention to, is what will happen when you successfully leverage your media coverage. Once you start scoring media coverage, keep taking action, nurture your relationship with the media to keep it strong and fruitful. 

Here is how you use your newfound media exposure to build your credibility, and leverage it to find more potential clients and customers. Just as you’re using this media coverage to promote your business, product or service, you should also promote that media coverage to your current and prospective clients to really maximize your exposure. Social networking is great for this! Let’s say you land a segment on CNN.  The next thing you should do is tell the world about it via Twitter. If you give an interview on a local radio station, post a link to it on your Facebook profile. You get the picture. Just as the media promoted you, you’ll want to promote the media to get more exposure for your message. That’s leveraging the media coverage. 

If you’ve scored a television interview where you discussed 5 tips that will aid people in their job search or grow their business, suggest they visit your website where they can learn 5 more tips.  Like any technique you employ to grow your business, leveraging media coverage takes a commitment. But you’ll be hard pressed to find any other strategy that will give you such a large return on your investment. 

More and more people are using social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to search for their information. If a prospective client lands on one of your profiles and finds links to your recent media coverage that’s an instant boost to your credibility. 

Promote your media coverage in your newsletters and email blasts. Media coverage is a great way to give credibility to the information you’re providing, while creating another avenue to re-engage past clients and followers, and make your website a valuable resource for people. 

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L. Drew Gerber is CEO of www.PublicityResults.com and creator of www.PitchRate.com, a free media connection service for journalists, experts, and publicists.  Contact L. Drew Gerber at: AskDrew@PublicityResults.com or call him at 828-749-3548.

Introvert-itudes©: How to Get Noticed in Networking with Your Introvert Strengths by Guest Blogger Patricia Weber

Can you think of someone who you admire in business networking? How about three or four people? And, what characteristics do you find in them that they come to your top of mind? My guess is these better networkers are using some introverted tendencies along the way to the downplaying of some ineffectual extroverted behaviors. 

Beneficial 1: Introverts prefer to help, not always necessarily lead, and can make an advantage of helping by connecting. While my preference, INTJ, is to lead, many introverts like to remain behind the scenes. Everyone networks for similar reasons, to find  –prospective clients, connections to get clients, a job, and resources for work and even personal needs. By leaning into a preference to listen first, an introvert can find opportunities to help other people with the connections they want and any resources they need. 

Ineffectual 1: Few people have a tolerance for the person who wants to connect to always take. Takers range the whole continuum from introvert to extrovert. 

Beneficial 2: Introverts prefer to listen before they start talking and extroverts love talking about themselves anytime! Networking involves both talking and listening. The style of networking that most of us respond positively to is the kind where the other person takes interest in us before they start talking about themselves. Why? Think about it – we are all more interested in ourselves, so if we can make the other person feel important first, by listening to them, then we have better rapport. 

Ineffectual 2: Most of us want to run the other way from the business networker who starts and ends their conversation with you with I, me, my. Sorry but my extrovert friends, you know that is can too often be true for you. 

Beneficial 3: When someone is more introverted in networking, they have a vested interest in seeing that their every minute of networking is getting them closer to meeting both the people they can help and the people who can help them. Because 140 characters online are as draining as working a room in an hour, introverts more consciously discern who is best to further connect with. It’s the best use of time for the connection made. Some consider this knack working your network and people will take notice. 

Ineffectual 3: If all you do is network with 140 characters or work the room in an hour meeting, you’ll get noticed in a not so flattering light. 

Beneficial 4: The highest compliment in networking, when you know you have it right, is when someone gives you a referral. The introvert prefers to keep a relationship bond intact rather than chance an energy leak – having to make yet more connections. Some introverts may find their self-confidence lower than preferable to follow-up. Just realize this strengthens the relationship from the referrer and plan the next moves. Introverts excel at planning. Boost it up with confidence for momentum.

Ineffectual 4: Getting so busy with extroverting actions, like more and more networking, can cause a person to procrastinate on follow-up with referrals given and promises made.

Beneficial 5: Networking is about building, and maintaining, relationships. It takes fewer but deeper relationships to energize an introvert. While typically not into large groups, smaller groups that meet regularly with a focus and purpose in mind – sounds like some networking – are encouraging for an introvert to authentically talk and contribute ideas.

Ineffectual 5: Few people like the schmoozer and fast talker with mostly a self-serving intent.

Regardless of whether you are more introverted or extroverted, most of these beneficial actions or behaviors are more natural for the introvert. For whoever shows these in business networking, there is less of a gag-reflex response to the typical networking behavior, more of a relaxed and in control feeling and people will – take more notice.

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Patricia Weber, Guest Blogger

Patricia is America’s #1 Business Coach for Introverts and the author of the eBook, The Happy and Fulfilled Introvert. She blogs at http://www.patricia-weber.com

By Guest Blogger Yvonne Wu

Businesses are branding their name over the internet. They are building credibility by showcasing their services and being seen as an expert in their chosen field. They are using media such as blogging, ezines, social media, article writing, internet radio advertising, and self published books. 

As businesses expand their connections to a global market they are looking for ways that they can keep in touch with current and potential clients. Email correspondence and social media has become the chosen medium. Gone are tedious long distance charges, time zone restrictions and costly travel.

By working with a Virtual Assistant, a small business or a creative entrepreneur can now take advantage of the knowledge and experience of a marketing expert at a fraction of the cost; thereby giving them an edge over their competition.

Many Virtual Assistants have technical know how and marketing knowledge to promote your business, create a buzz, gain global exposure and market your business online using many of the principals used in viral marketing. The Virtual Assistant can be a one stop shop for many of your business needs.  They are hired on a per-project basis and they work out of there home office. No need to buy office supplies or hire a full time employee.  

Virtual Assistants let you focus on the things that are most important to you – the business aspect – while we handle the rest.

Here are 5 things a virtual assistant can do for you.

 1.  Advertise your services via social media

2. Create ezines and build your mailing list

3. Create sales page to advertise your products/services

4. Assist with putting together spinoff products

5. Setup and maintain your blog, answer comments and post comments.

The YP Publishing provides a wide range of online promotional services for Authors, Speakers and Small Business Owners.

 Find out more at http://theyppublishing.com

Guest Blogger Alan Chumley

Guest Blogger  – - Alan Chumley

Folks chatting or tweeting about social media measurement love to apply cute acronyms or use alliteration to articulate their thinking or their model on how to measure social media.

Generally, I find that approach lacking.  Great for marketing hyperbole, but light on oomph and methodology.

Prime example:
I read a tweet yesterday about the Four Is:

All were ambitiously and interestingly expressed as a return on…

Insight — Interaction — Investment — or Impact.

Okay.  I am feeling the need to break my own rule and reciprocate with the Seven C’s of social media measurement:

C1.  Counting (site and search metrics–all the appropriate stuff we can and should count)
C2.  Content (analysis, that is.  quantity and quality)
C3.  Conversations (as I like to sometimes call them conversationships)
C4.  Cohesion (are folks agreeing with you – -  with each other – - or  more importantly, are they coalescing around a core theme; idea; or call to action?)
C5.  Community
C6.  Connectedness (via network analysis:  how interconnected, interrelated are the highly engaged; the key influencers; the advocates in a conversation?  How centrally located are those highly engaged; key influentialsl; band advocates?  How far and and how fast is the spread?)
7.  Conversion (Or as I like to say “the so what factor”…getting beyond the output and outtake into the output or impact zone. Here I do not strictly mean conversion to a tangible such as  sales – - it could be conversion toward any measurable MarCom or PA/issues/advocacy-based objective.  Hint on method:  have a look at Tealium or Sysomos Audience.

So how do you measure all this?

 Combine several approaches (such as content analysis, search and site metrics, network analysis, primary research), and have those approaches be flexible enough to account for – - prioritize – - weight,  different objectives and campaign types.

Your thoughts? 

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Alan Chumley has twelve years experience in corporate communication / measurement industry including senior-level, in-house corporate communications roles for leading blue chip organizations such as Bell Canada,  as the Director of Measurement  for Hill & Knowlton, and Vice President at Cormex Media Content Analysis.       

Alan holds an M.A. in communication and culture with research focusing on media effects and uses, audience analysis, reception studies and best practices in PR management and measurement.

In addition to being an adjunct instructor (of research and measurement) at two universities in Canada, Alan is a frequent industry speaker, blogger and tweeter.  

Follow Alam on Twitter @alanchumley

Kevin Daum, Author

Kevin Daum – Guest Blogger 

During these tough times, being good or great is no longer good enough; you have to be awesome. When clients don’t sign with your company, there must be a reason they didn’t choose you. Sure, we’ll cover it by saying things like…“It’s the economy.”  Or “Their situation changed,” but they did move forward with somebody right?! More likely you just didn’t connect in a meaningful, compelling manner and your competition did. Perhaps you didn’t know how to say the right things to the right people in the right way. Or worse, you didn’t recognize that they weren’t all that interested before investing your resources. 

Most of us in these situations show up and throw up all the reasons why people should take what we have to offer without ever considering whether or not our product, service or idea actually benefits the particular, immediate pain suffered by the prospect. Partly of course because we believe that everyone needs what we have to offer. So how can you more effectively make a memorable connection with potential clients?

Establishing Compelling Messaging is the first step to successful promotional efforts. You have to establish empathy by identifying their pain. It lets the buyer know you get them.  Then you can provide an objective solution (too early to sell them just yet). Then once they trust your understanding of their problem, you have to clearly differentiate yourself. 

• Empathy – What is the pain your business will solve? It’s not about what you want, it’s about what they need, whether it’s potential investors or customers.
• Objectivity – Why try and force yourself into a situation where your business venture clearly will not fit.  Be objective about what works and what doesn’t. 
• Differentiation – There are lots of people with smart ideas. What makes yours different and unique? Unfortunately, great service and experience aren’t true differentiators since your competitors say the same thing.

ROAR Get Heard in the Sales and Marketing Jungle

You have gone to a lot of trouble to create an awesome solution and bring it to your customer.  Don’t waste your efforts!  Approach the opportunity by making it about them and you’ll likely find a client ready to let you solve their problem.

 Kevin Daum is the Author of the Amazon #1 Best Seller ROAR! Get Heard in the Sales and Marketing Jungle and the national columnist for Smart Business Magazine.  He can be found at www.KevinDaum.com