Today, we are going to teach you a technique to stimulate your imagination and your creativity, which will greatly enhance your marketing ideas and strategies.
 

1. Go to the bookstore or library and select three travel magazines.  Do not open the magazines until the instructions say to do so.

2. Place the magazines on a table, and take out a clean piece of paper.

3. Do not open the magazines just yet.  Make a list of ten vacations you would take if you had the choice of going anywhere you want in the world.  

4. Now, flip through the magazines and make a list of all of the vacations you see in the magazine that you would love to take.

5. Compare your original list with the list you compiled after browsing the magazine.

The purpose of this technique is to get you to begin noticing the power of visualization and of printed advertising.  What was it in the articles or the ads of the magazine, which prompted you to want to choose that location?  Was it the color, the words, the description, or the layout of the ad?   

Now consider your marketing plan.  What is one twist that you can add to your marketing plan, printed materials, or website which will attract attention, allowing the visitor to want to choose your product or service over that of your competitor?  

Another purpose of this activity is to challenge you to begin using a variety of visual, auditory, and sensory stimulation to bring a flood of new ideas into your thinking.  This will be a crucial component of your ability to stay competitive in the world of business.  Have fun with a variety of items, including toys, games, card games, jokes, calendars, flowers, animals, and art to stimulate your imagination.

Enjoy being imaginative today!

Alicia
Alicia Smith, DiSC Ninja�?�
http://www.aliciasmith.com 

This lesson excerpted from the 90 Day Marketing Maration^TM, available at http://www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com.

Copyright 2008 Alicia Smith

According to Jeffrey Gitomer, the author of The Sales Bible, your WOW factor is your ability to be different, to set yourself apart from the crowd, and to make an impression that is lasting and unforgettable.  

Your WOW factor may include a fabulous portfolio, a dynamic presentation that knocks the socks off people, or an edgy and daring marketing tactic that gets folks to stand up and take notice.  

Today, as you are enjoying life, think about what your WOW factor might be.  Do you juggle, play the drums, or recite poetry?  Do you sing, throw fabulous dinner parties, or use the power of persuasion to get folks to come your way?  Spend today thinking about what it is about you that makes other people go WOW!  Now that is cool!  

This article will help you begin to develop that thing we call WOW!

Ten Ways for Developing the WOW Factor:

1. Are you punctual?
   Points off for being late and not apologizing.   Be ten minutes early for every appointment.

2. Are you a team player?
   Points off for competing with team members and criticizing the work of others.   Refer business to others and do all that you can to lend a helping hand.

3. Are you open to new ideas and forward in your thinking?
   Points off for quickly rejecting the ideas of others.   Encourage the ideas of others, and come up with one new idea every week.   Be bold, and be different!

4. Do you do what you say you will?
   Points off for empty promises and not fulfilling a commitment.   Under-promise and over-deliver.

5. Are you willing to jump in and help when others are in a jam?
   Points off for not letting other people off the hook when they are in a jam or in crisis.   When a crisis hits, be the first to jump in with extra support, humor, lightness, and a positive attitude.

6. Are you responsible for your workload?
   Points off for pushing your work onto others.   Do your work, and call a colleague one time a week to offer your support for a project that is short on time.

7. Do you maintain a positive attitude, even when time is scarce?
   Points off for saying “I’m too busy, that is someone else’s job, or I don’t want to do that.”  Adopt the attitude of  �??How can I help you?  I will be right on that today!�??

8. Are you responsible for any and all mistakes you make?
   Points off for blaming and finger pointing.   Start each day with the phrase:  �??I am responsible for my life and my choices, and my judgment is superb!�??

9. Do you tell the story exactly as it is?
   Points off for exaggeration and leaving out key information.   Tell it like it is�?�always!

10. Are you devoted to continuing education and competency?
    Points off for not being willing to find the answer when asked a challenging question.   Spend 15 minutes each day reading something new and exciting, and watch as your WOW factor grows!

Get in touch with your WOW today!

Alicia
Alicia Smith, DiSC Ninja�?�
http://www.aliciasmith.com 

This lesson excerpted from the 90 Day Marketing Maration^TM, available at http://www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com.

Copyright 2008 Alicia Smith

So today, in a very concise yet provocative way, let people know what you do for others in only 7 �?? 10 words.  With your elevator speech, you will want to speak it not from the perspective of who you are but what you can do for your clients/customers.  Examples are provided below. 

Since the spoken word is different than the words we read it�??s vital that you practice this out loud.  As you do, you�??ll notice subtle changes will get made to your elevator speech.  Make note of them and continue to practice until it rolls off your tongue with no effort.

You may even want to record your elevator speech and see how you sound.  Does it sound right?  Do you need to change your tone?  The key is to have it be so natural when you speak it out load that people will respond well. 

Today you also need to look in the local newspaper and local business journals for upcoming networking events and prepare to attend.  You can find your local business journal by doing a search on Google.  This is an upcoming post so we want you to be prepared with a place to go.    When you attend it will be the perfect place for you to debut your elevator speech!

Examples: (a few of these will be 11-12 words�?�the goal is to say it quickly and easily.)

Hair Stylist:  �??I help men and women look and feel fantastic.�??

Mortgage Broker:  �??I help people buy their dream home at an affordable price.�??

Massage Therapist:  �??I help reduce stress and soothe aching muscles.�??

Certified Financial Planners:  “I help my customers increase their net worth exponentially. ”

Accountant:  �??I help people save thousands of dollars annually on their taxes.�??

Business Consultant:  �??I help people start a business or grow an existing business.�??

Marketing Consultant:  �??I help people get more clients and keep the ones they have.�??

Banker:  �??I help people grow their money quickly and safely.�??

Travel Agent:  �??I help people take the vacation of their dreams.�??

What�??s yours?

Alicia
Alicia Smith, DiSC Ninja�?�
http://www.aliciasmith.com 

This lesson excerpted from the 90 Day Marketing Maration^TM, available at http://www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com.

Copyright 2008 Alicia Smith

Invitations should go out 2 �?? 3 weeks in advance with a follow up phone call the week before.  Please remember the rules of the “Do Not Call” laws. For a reminder please visit the Do Not Call Registry.

Allow a Question and Answer period so that you can connect with them around your business.  At the end of the luncheon, send folks away with a nice gift ensemble�?�something very inexpensive but that they will remember.  Some examples:

• One small bag of foot soap

• One sample of chocolate

• One recipe of your choice printed on a nice card

• One miniature book of famous quotes

• One complimentary consultation session card for their use or to pass on to a friend

This lunch can be at your home or at a restaurant.  The purpose is NOT to sell, but simply let people know what you are up to and who your ideal clients are. If you can guarantee a solid audience you may be able to get a restaurant to sponsor or co-sponsor the event with you.

Total Cost:  Approximately $20.00 per person for breakfast or lunch plus the gift.  

This one technique can result in clients on the spot�?�if you position the event in a way that invites visitors to get to know you and/or to refer others to you.

Cindy Morris shares her technique:

“I schedule a monthly Women’s Networking event and invite all the women I know.  It is a brown bag breakfast (sending a signal that it would be a short meeting).  There are no dues (other than a donation for the room rental), no commitments, no speaker.

We introduce ourselves and let others know what we have to offer or need.  I usually do a quick marketing lesson (like the ones here!)

All contacts are handled by e-mail so it’s a very small time commitment on my part.  Since I’m at the center of it and am the primary contact it gives my business great recognition.  There’s been an incredible amount of info sharing, business contacts sharing, hiring amongst each other and referrals passed.”

Be invitational today!

Alicia
Alicia Smith, DiSC Ninja�?�
http://www.aliciasmith.com 

This lesson excerpted from the 90 Day Marketing Maration^TM, available at http://www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com.

Copyright 2008 Alicia Smith

Look for organizations or charities that are likely to attract your market niche.  For instance, if you are:

·     an estate attorney, look for charitable organizations who are hosting a black tie affair. 

·     a travel agent, most silent auctions love free airline tickets.

·     a massage therapist, offer a gift basket to an upcoming event hosted by a sporting company. 

The key here is to get creative.  Get permission to use their logos and contact information along with an expiration date for the special.   Our world is much smaller than you think, and anyone in the world can become your customer and tell others about your products and services, so stretch your thinking for this activity.    

This is a fabulous no-cost or low-cost way to get your name out to a number of people.  Professional organizations and non-profits often use Silent Auctions as a way to raise money.  You will generally get your name listed in their program, on their web site and in their promotional materials.  In addition, on the night of the auction, if it�??s live, everyone there will see and hear about your offering.  

Take the time to create a nice certificate for them to use.  Even if it’s printed on plain paper you can add a border and use interesting fonts and color to promote your service.  

TIP:  Try Google.  For grins, I just went to www.google.com and typed in Silent Auctions.  It brought up 164,000 entries.  When I typed in silent auctions Austin it narrowed it down to 8,000. Even Bozeman, Montana  brought up 482 entries! 

Today be charitable!

Alicia
Alicia Smith, DiSC Ninja�?�
http://www.aliciasmith.com 

This lesson excerpted from the 90 Day Marketing Maration^TM, available at http://www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com.

Copyright 2008 Alicia Smith

A class was held, and recorded on 9-11-08.  The outline below follow the broad outline of the call.  These notes are not detailed, but will keep you from having to take too many notes!Audio:  http://alicia.audioacrobat.com/download/
eCommerceBasics9-11-08.mp3    

Four Pieces to the Puzzle.  Consider your DiSC style as I discuss these pieces.  Check in to your emotional, gut or intuitive response to how you �??feel�?? about these pieces.  This is important because if you head in this direction there is a steep learning curve.  Even if you pay for someone else to set it up for you, you will likely be the one who has to deal with it on an ongoing basis.   

Website

1.              Starter site can be had for $400 - $1000 (3 �?? 5 pages with eCommerce)

2.              Be wary of $5000+ quotes for a starter site

3.              Graphic artists can make your site beautiful, but they often sacrifice usability.

4.              Process not a project

5.              SEO is a completely separate topic, as is marketing your website

Shopping Cart

1.              Autoresponders

2.              Recurring Billing

3.              Coupons, Stats, etc.

Merchant Account or Pay Pal

1.        PayPal �?? no upfront fee, higher ongoing rates, often considered less professional so gauge based on your market.

2.        Merchant Account �?? set-up fee, monthly fee, recurring billing fee, discount fees.

3.        When shopping around know that it can be difficult to compare because all of those are variables.

4.        Choose what cards you will accept: MC/Visa, AMEX, Discover �?? each with their own rates

Gateway 

1.            https:// or padlock on bottom right task bar

2.            Generally included with your Merchant Account

3.            Has a monthly fee as well

What eCommerce Won’t Do For You

1.          Automatically transfer EPIC credits or any other Inscape products.

2.          Process your orders �?? the money will be directly deposited into your bank and the orders can be downloaded into QuickBooks, BUT you will have to edit the invoices, match, reconcile and deliver the product.

3.          Optimize your site.

4.          Market your services or products.

What eCommerce Can Do For You

1.              Provide you with a steep learning curve!!!

2.              Allow clients/customers to purchase your products online.

3.              The cash from those orders are deposited directly into your account!!!

4.              Auto Responders

a.        Will send you a New Order Notice & Settlement Statement as well as send the purchaser a receipt automatically.

b.        Shopping cart�??s, as well as stand alone Auto Responder systems, can allow people to sign up for your mailing list and for you to �??broadcast�?? a group email to them.  These can be done on the fly or scheduled for a date in the future.  FYI �?? I generally prepare 6 �?? 12 months of newsletters in advance.  They are put in the system and go out without my having to think about it.

c.        Create an eCourse as a freebie (in exchange for their email address) or for sale and have the lessons sent out instantly, starting with #1, as soon as someone registers.

d.        Market after the sale (contrary to comment in previous section)

5.              Recurring charges, which I use for coaching clients (individual or group)

6.              Download new orders directly into QB�??s

a.        Invoice created but will need to edit due to unique item numbers

b.        Receive payments

c.        Make deposits

d.        Match orders to settlement statements, then to monthly statements.

7.              Creates systems that, over time, will automate how you do business.

8.              Opens you up to an international market place and accepts payment in any currency.

9.              Customized look and feel; your colors and your logo.

10.          Adds creativity to your thinking as you realize what the technology can do.

Learning Curve �?? think about how you will handle this process.  What parts are you looking forward to, which will you outsource?

Outsourcing:

1.       http://www.elance.com

2.       http://guru.com/

3.       http://www.assistu.com/client/
client_how.shtml - http://www.assistu.com/client/registry.html

Resources with my affiliate links:

Cartville Shopping Cart - http://www.cartville.com/app/default.asp?pr=32&id=21529

Practice Pay Solutions Merchant Account - http://www.profcs.com/app/aftrack.asp?AFID=107025

Aweber- http://www.aweber.com/?203544

Elavon - Merchant Account for Costco members.  Save money if you’re an Executive member.  Contact Costco directly.

If you found this helpful please post a comment below.

Alicia Smith, DiSC Ninja

Your biography (or resume) has one goal:  to get more clients or customers.  With thousands of biographies competing for position, your resume must be more than good it, should be outstanding!  Marketing your skills and qualifications with effective wording will make your skills and accomplishments leap off the page and into the minds of your readers.

The basic information you should include:  

1.   A brief statement introducing how you are known in the world (your brand or niche).

2.   A brief paragraph about the success your clients and customers have had as a result of your products or services.

3.   A brief paragraph explaining your job experiences (2-3 sentences).

4.   A brief paragraph explaining your educational background (2-3 sentences).

5.   Use your resume and business biography to create a Statement of Capabilities. 

6.   A mention of the top honors and activities, which have been outstanding in your life (do not mention more than 2-3).

7.   A brief paragraph highlighting books or journals authored by you.

8.   A closing paragraph stating where you live and with whom.

Sample Biographies:

The website, http://speakers.ca/new_speakers.asp offers over 300 examples of well-written biographies which you may use as a guideline.  

Company Biographies:

Nordstrom:  http://about.nordstrom.com/aboutus/
companyhist/companyhist.asp  

The Ritz Carlton:  http://corporate.ritzcarlton.com/en/About/
OurHistory.htm

Dell:  http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/
global.aspx/corp/background/en/index?c=us&l=en&s=corp 

Bright House: http://www.mybrighthouse.com/about_us/
company_overview.aspx

Fast Company Magazine:  http://www.fastcompany.com/about/  

My Biography: http://discninja.com/aboutalicia.htm

To you and your success!

Alicia
Alicia Smith, DiSC Ninja�?�
http://www.aliciasmith.com 

This lesson excerpted from the 90 Day Marketing Maration^TM, available at http://www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com.

Copyright 2008 Alicia Smith

Below are two classes I�??m teaching this fall through Passion for Business.  If you�??re interested in the topics, register now and mark your calendars.  I look forward to having you in class!

How to Create and Run a Mastermind Group
There is synergy of energy, commitment, and excitement that participants bring to a MasterMind Group. The beauty of Mastermind Groups is that participants raise the bar by challenging each other to create and implement goals, brainstorm ideas, and support each other with total honesty, respect and compassion. Mastermind participants act as catalysts for growth, devil�??s advocates and supportive colleagues.

In this three-week teleclass you will learn how to:

• Choose which type of Mastermind Group to create
• Determine if your Mastermind group will be free or paid membership
• Market to attract members
• Choose participants 
• Construct different types of meeting agendas
• Create group policies and procedures
• Determine your role
• Deal with difficult members
• Tips for facilitating discussions at meetings
• Bonus: you may list your mastermind group for free at The Success Alliance website.

Dates:  This teleclass meets one hour each week, from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM eastern for three Tuesdays, October 14, 21, 28, 2008.  All classes will be recorded.  If you are not able to attend, but are interested in this information, register now and you will have access to all MP3 recordings. 

Register here

http://www.www.passionforbusinesslearning.com/
mastermind-group-class.html

Marketing to Women

NOTE:  This class is for both men and women.  Women make more buying decisions and often influence the decisions men make.  If your copy does not address the way that women make buying decisions you are losing a large part of your audience.    

Are you aware that women are the major decision makers when it comes to consumer purchases?  Does your marketing speak to this vital group of buyers?  Would you like to learn how to tweak your marketing to speak to the majority of buyers?

If so, consider joining me in a three part teleclass as we discuss how to grow your business, through understanding women’s lifestyles and their specific wants, needs and desires.

Women have power in the marketplace like never before. Nearly 80% of the consumer purchases are made or influenced by women. 89% of bank accounts are owned by women.

Women want you to communicate with them in a way that is authentic. They want you to connect with them. Speak with them about what matters to them.

In this teleclass you will learn to re-define your marketing strategy and re-design your marketing copy to speak directly to women.  By modifying your marketing to encompass women you make your marketing better for all your customers. 

Dates:  This teleclass meets one hour each week, from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM eastern, three Tuesday�??s: December 2, 9 and 16.  All classes will be recorded.  If you are not able to attend, but are interested in this information, register now and you will have access to all MP3 recordings. 

Register here http://www.passionforbusinesslearning.com/
marketing-to-women-class.html.

Alicia
Alicia Smith, DiSC Ninja�?�
http://www.aliciasmith.com  

Copyright 2008 Alicia Smith