More Clients More Profits

According to the University Hospital in New Jersey, The Golden Hour is defined as the time period of one hour in which the lives of a majority of critically injured trauma patients can be saved if definitive surgical intervention is provided. The Golden Hour that I will be referring to is not as critical, although it may breath life into your business.

The idea of the Golden Hour that I’m writing about is to put one hour aside each week. That’s right, one solid hour. An hour when you are not going to answer your phone. An hour when you are not going to look at your e-mail. No texting, no browsing. I know, I know, after the shock of not having contact with the outside world for a full 60 minutes, you’ll think you’ll need the medical Golden Hour in order to survive. Guess what, you’ll be fine.

The thought is that once you block out this time, use it to accomplish objectives. One is to market your business. Another is to help others market their businesses. Use this time to send out those note cards you’ve been meaning to send. Review your list of clients who you haven’t talked to lately, and create a plan of action that will reopen communications. Determine how you can get referrals for your referral partners. Once you get going, you’ll be surprised how much comes to mind when you don’t let distractions interrupt you.

You can block out the same time each week for the next 52 weeks. (That’s the way I do it.) Or your can block out a different time each week, depending on your schedule. The time you block out isn’t the important thing. The important thing is that you actually do it.

What do you mean this all sounds great but you can’t find an hour to do this? If that’s true, then you can’t possibly take on another client. And if the latter is true, and you’re not making the kind of profit you want, then there is much to be done on your business.

So block out that time and block out the distractions. Use your Golden Hour to build the profitable business you want to have.

For something that takes so little time, testimonials provide a tremendous amount of marketing power. Is this one of the marketing tactics you have been using? If not, you may be missing out.

We all know how effective referrals are. Well, testimonials are a close cousin to referrals. So close, in fact, many people view them as being just as advantageous, if not more so. You see, referrals come about when the opportunity arises. Of course, we can set our minds to making referrals come about for others, and often they do. But we are not in complete control. With testimonials, however, we have total control. We can write a testimonial for others at our choosing.

The reason we can write testimonials when we want to is because we are not limited to any specific topic. Any is fine. Of course, the more the topics resonate with their receivers’ prospects, the more powerful they are. You can write about the work they have provided you or someone you referred them to. You can write about something they have done in the community. You can write about how you admire their professionalism or their desire to help others. The ideas are almost endless.

There are benefits for you, too. The people who receive testimonials are appreciative and want to return the gesture. Don’t be surprised if you start receiving referrals from them. Then there’s the exposure. Most people include the testimonials they get in their marketing materials and on their web sites. They also often frame the most special ones and hang them in their offices for others to see. As a result, your name and company are exposed to people who may otherwise not have heard of you. You never know where this may lead.

Make time every month to sit down and look through your list of contacts, business associates, clients, and others. Determine for whom you can write testimonials. After a while, this will be second nature for you and others will greatly appreciate your consistent efforts and the recognition they receive.

So often we hear and read about our web sites being silent salespeople, always at the ready to tell visitors about our companies. Well, web sites aren’t our only silent salespeople. In fact, there is one that has been around for decades. It’s inexpensive and can be responsible for many people visiting your web site and/or doing business with you.

This came to mind last night at a mastermind group I facilitate. One of the members mentioned that his silent salesperson had initiated a transaction two days earlier. I chuckled to myself because I realized that I had my silent salesperson sitting there with me as he was telling the story.

The funny thing about this “employee” is that it is widely implemented in some industries and barely used in others. Some people use it sparingly, while others — like me — use it as much as possible.

So who is this silent salesperson — this employee who works so diligently in your favor? It’s your logo. Well, not just your logo. It’s your logo on your shirts, your attache case, your laptop cover. etc.

In the case of shirts, for years service companies have been having their shirts embroidered with their logos. In fact, many service people never leave the house on a weekday without wearing such a shirt. Come to think of it, I believe the person at mastermind wears a shirt with his logo on it seven days a week. It may be a button-down oxford, a polo, or a t-shirt, but his logo is prominently displayed.

As for me, I have about 20 shirts with my logo on them. Quite often, the shirt I wear under a suit has my logo on it. During the times I have the jacket off, my logo silently demands attention and has prompted more than a few people to ask about my business.

Do you wear shirts with your logo on it? If not, is it appropriate to do so? If it is and you don’t have any, how soon are you going to get some? What about hats, laptops, bags, anything that you can wear or carry that proudly promotes your business? You’ll be amazed at the success this marketing tactic has to offer you.

I was giving a presentation about small business marketing last week, and it was very interactive. The audience members asked questions and gave opinions, which is the way I like it. At one point, when we were discussing customer service, one person talked about how she gives each of her customers the same excellent service — how she treats the person who spends $50 the same as the person who spends $5,000. This is very common among proud business owners and, on the surface, is very commendable. However, I think there may be another way to look at this — a way that can get you more referrals to the right clients.

I believe that, to initiate the greatest word-of-mouth marketing, we need to give clients and customers a greater experience than they expect. It is these experiences that they tell others about.

Let’s say a client purchases a $50 product or service from you, and the service just blows them out of the water. Now let’s say someone comes in and spends $5,000 and you give them the same service. Although they may be pleased, it is not going to have the same effect on the second client because someone spending $5,000 has greater expectations than someone spending $50. So the result is you have someone who spends significantly less being more pleased than someone spending a great deal more.

Another point many business owners are proud of is that they treat their clients and customers the way they (the business owners) would like to be treated — the Golden Rule. Is this the best thing to do? I don’t think so. I believe that, for greatest results, we should treat others how THEY want to be treated.

We could dig real deep into this philosophy, but I don’t think we have to do that to make the point. Take, for example, the different buying habits of men and women. The majority of men often want to “get in and get out,” while the majority of women are more apt to “shop.” To treat both of these groups the way you would want to be treated would be to lessen your effectiveness by at least 50%.

Some people are more pensive in their purchases, opting for less interaction, while others crave the interaction, asking questions and seeking advice, options, and opinions. Again, to treat these people the same or to assume that either wants to be treated the way you would like to be treated is not recommended.

The one caveat here is when treating others as you want to be treated refers to respect and courtesy. Every prospect, every client should be consistently treated with the utmost respect.

By the way, if you want to know how your clients want to be treated, simply ask them. You may, in fact, see a similarity in the responses of your most profitable clients. If so, address this, and you will be amazed how much business it garners for you.

As a marketing coach, I work with professional services providers who are looking to better their businesses. It could be that they want more clients, more profits, or more time to enjoy their lives. No matter what their goals are, however, they must gain control of a particular facet of their lives — time management.

I was recently speaking to an entrepreneur who acknowledged that he could not consistently find time to effectively market his business. While discussing this, I brought up the idea of time blocking — putting aside time in his schedule specifically for marketing. He responded by telling me that he can’t make time blocking work. Even when he puts time aside in advance, he told me, he often uses it when other things arise. This is not an uncommon reaction to time blocking. In fact, it’s the one I hear more than any other.

I suggested that we go over his schedule and see if there might be an hour or two in the week that he could steal and use to grow his business. Everything, that at first seemed promising, resulted in a reason it wouldn’t work. I asked that he indulge me, and we looked at the time before and after his usual business hours. I noticed that every day he was at the gym at promptly at 7:00 and worked out for an hour before heading to his office. When we talked about this, he said that nothing got in the way of his workout — that that time was “carved in stone.” I asked why this was so, and he responded by telling that his health is important and the exercise also puts him in the proper frame of mind for the business day.

It was then he realized that he was already using time blocking and that he is good at it. All he had to do was convince himself that the activity during the time is valuable. As a result of this, he has vowed to put aside a specific time each week and use it to work on his business. I truly believe he is going to make this work.

Odds are that you already time block. Do you take the kids to school each day? If so, you’re time blocking. Do you walk your dog each night at a particular time? Yes? Then you’re time blocking. Do you watch your favorite show each week, have season tickets to a sporting event, bowl on a particular night, have a date night with your spouse? Answer yes to these or things like them, and you are indeed an expert time blocker. Now all you have to do is determine how you are going to make your expertise in this time management skill work for your business.

Are you using both sides of your business cards, or are you wasting 50% of the real estate you paid for. As a marketing coach, I see leaving the back side of business cards as a waste of valuable space. When presenting your card to someone, you have the opportunity — possibly the only opportunity — to give them information. This could include your name, your company name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. Or it could also include a special offer, a menu of your services, or other information they would use to make a decision to further interact with you.

How adamant am I about this? Let’s do this. The next time you are going to have your business cards printed and utilize only one side, send me the file and I’ll have the cards printed for you … at my expense. As part of the deal, I’ll have my info printed on the other side. Is it a deal?

I recently read an article by Jim Rohn, the business philosopher who passed away last month. The article concerned time management — one of the things many small business owners list as an obstacle to their success. In this article, he says that the idea of time management is a myth, if not detrimental … and he’s right.

As Jim goes on to say, we have no ability to manage time. It is going to move on no matter what we do. So believing that we can indeed manage time is setting us up for failure and disappointment.

At this point, you may be thinking, “This is being too literal. Everyone knows we can’t manage time itself. ‘Time management’ is just a label applied to a possible solution.” Well, that’s true, yet the inability to effectively work within times constraints still persists. It continues to sap efficiency and profitability from businesses of all sizes, especially small businesses.

Time blocking
One possible solution is time blocking. This is the practice of allocating blocks of time for specific activities. For instance, you may block time for your weekly meetings. Time for other important tasks, such as marketing, bookkeeping, and networking, would be blocked. Not only does it put aside time, but the exercise itself reveals any lack of adequate time to complete all your activities. It also shows inefficiencies in your schedule.

Self-management
So the answer is obviously time blocking, right? Well, according to Jim, it’s not … and neither is any other practice. His point is that the only thing we can truly manage is ourselves. And that’s where many of us drop the ball. I can’t tell you how many people I talk to who grasp the idea of time blocking, understand its usefulness, and still do not implement it. Even though they understand this may be the answer to their problems, they are too stubborn to change their habits. (I wase for quite some time.)

This being the case, we have to learn to learn to change of frame of mind. We have to do whatever it takes to be more efficient and effective when it comes to utilizing the time we have. This could be time blocking or other idea — whatever works for you. But make no mistake, no matter what you implement, you have to manage yourself first!

Here’s to your success!
Peter George
Creator of the More Clients More Profits System

To run a profitable business, you must connect with your most profitable target audiences. Better yet, they must connect to with you. You see, it’s their choice whether or not to do business with you. However, it’s your job to consistently tell them how you benefit them and why they should, in fact, choose to pay for your products and services.

One of the best ways to do this is speaking in front of an audience made up of your prospects. It offers you so many advantages, such as demonstrating your expertise, skills, and even your personality. All of these are judged as you stand before your audience. As a result, some people may think you know what you’re talking about but don’t have a need for your services at the time. Others may not make a connection at all. Still others will connect so strongly that they feel as if they have already established a relationship with you.

Let me tell you a little story; I think you’ll find it relevant. I am a huge fan of the rock and blues guitarist Eric Clapton. I have been to 29 of his concerts, including a private concert for only 250 people. And I have just about every album he has created. Over the years, he and I have developed a relationship … a very strong relationship. The thing is .. he doesn’t know it. In fact, he doesn’t know I exist. But that doesn’t matter.

All that matters is that I believe that there is a relationship. (No, this does not go to the point of being a stalker. At least I don’t think so.) I believe there is a powerful connection. So, of all the musicians in the world, he is the one on whom I will spend the most money and time. Yet all Eric has to do is perform.

Another advantage he has by performing is that he reaches millions of people. Just think of the economies of scale. And that’s what speaking in front of an audience offers you — an economy of scale. Okay, you may not be in front of millions of people, but you could be in front of dozens, if not hundreds. You stand a far better chance of connecting with larger numbers of prospects than you would if you were cold calling or marketing to smaller numbers.

So how can you address your profitable target audiences? How can you best showcase your expertise? How can you demonstrate your ability to help others accomplish whatever it is they need or want to do? How can you gain exposure in a way that offers others the opportunity to make a connection with you? You may never gain the status of a rock star, but you just might be recognized by some as the expert in your field. As a result, you’ll have prospects coming to you, ready to pay for your products and services.

Here’s to your success!
Peter George
Creator of the More Clients More Profits System

I mentioned in last week’s feature article that each year I wait with great anticipation for the Super Bowl — not just for the game, but also for the commercials.

The hype surrounding the commercials is almost as great as that surrounding the game itself. Newscasters report on the cost of a 30-second spot. The list of advertisers is pored over, as is the list of previous advertisers that decided not to participate. It’s covered on television, radio, newspapers and magazines, blogs … seemingly just about everywhere.

The big question
It used to be that people talked about the commercials the day after the game. Now, discussions take place immediately. Focus groups are assembled, interactive polls are done, marketing groups watch and grade the advertisements. It’s become a game onto itself. And then there’s the question — do the commercials make you want to buy the products?

This question (and the answers to it) are cause for a great deal of debate. “Sales,” some say, “are the barometer of a commercials effectiveness.” Others profess that, “People talking about a commercial is what matters.” Well, the answer is “it depends.” The success of a commercial is determined by how well it addresses the intended results. Some commercials are made to drive sales, while the function of others is to create and sustain publicity.

For your greatest success
So when it comes to your marketing, you have to know exactly what it is you are trying to accomplish. Are you trying to increase sales, or are you looking to generate publicity? Do you want immediate return, or are you planning on bolstering your long term exposure? Once you decide on the purpose of a particular tactic, then you’ll have a much better idea about how you want your audience to react and what you want them to do. That’s how you develop strong marketing with worthwhile results. That’s how you build a profitable business!

Here’s to your success!
Peter George
Creator of the More Clients More Profits System

PS

An idea for one of next year’s Super Bowl advertisers
If I were marketing a company that was looking for publicity and willing to spend more than $3 million in order to get it, here’s what I would do.

First, I’d contact the major national and local news organizations, alerting them to a very special news opportunity taking place during the Super Bowl’s halftime. When they arrived in the company’s parking lot, they would see three million $1 bills, piled high. Then, when they were all set up to record, I would pour lighter fluid on the money, light it, and let it burn.

Think about the coverage. Think about the number of times the images would air. Think about how many hits on You Tube there would be — people watching in amazement as $3 million goes up in smoke. It would work, and I’ll prove it to you. I’ll do it next year. All I need is $3 million.

There’s an old metaphor that explains the different types of marketing disciplines, and it does it with a little humor. As a marketing coach, I find this useful when explaining it to clients who otherwise find the concepts confusing.

If you paint a sign that says, “The circus is coming to town Saturday,” that’s advertising.

If you put the sign on the back of an elephant and walk him through town, that’s promoting.

If the elephant walks through the mayor’s flower bed, that’s publicity.

If you get the mayor to laugh about it, that’s public relations.

And if you planned the whole thing, then that’s marketing.