The Financial Advisor Netzone

The 7 Key Differences Between Business to Business and Consumer Marketing

2010-08-04T11:26:00.000-07:00

by Bob Bly

When asked if he could write an effective direct mail package on a complex electronic control system, a well-known direct response copywriter replied, “No problem. It doesn’t matter what the product is. You are selling to people. And people are pretty much the same.”

He’s wrong.

Yes, there are similarities. But there are also differences in selling to business and professional buyers vs. the general public. In fact, here are six key factors that set business-to-business marketing apart from consumer marketing:

1. The business buyer wants to buy. Most consumer advertising offers people products they might enjoy but don’t really need. How many subscription promotions, for example, sell publications that the reader truly could not live without? If we subscribe, we do so for pleasure – not because the information offered is essential to our day-to-day activity.

But in business-to-business marketing, the situation is different. The business buyer wants to buy. Indeed, all business enterprises must routinely buy products and services that help them stay profitable, competitive, and successful. The proof of this is the existence of the purchasing agent, whose sole function is to purchase things.
2. The business buyer is sophisticated. Business-to-business copy talks to a sophisticated audience. Your typical reader has a high interest in – and understanding of – your product (or at least of the problem it solves).

Importantly, the reader usually knows more about the product and its use than you do. It would be folly, for example, to believe that a few days spent reading about mainframe computers will educate you to the level of your target prospect – a systems analyst with six or seven years experience. (This realization makes business-to-business writers somewhat more humble than their consumer counterparts.)

The sophistication of the reader requires the business-to-business copywriter to do a tremendous amount of research and digging into the market, the product, and its application. The business audience does not respond well to slogans or oversimplification.

(see the rest of the story at:

http://www.makepeacetotalpackage.com/bob-bly/the-7-key-differences-between-business-to-business-and-consumer-marketing.html

New Webinar Announced for the Compliance Challenged...

2010-07-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

He is just entering his 30's and already Robert Sofia is considered one of the brightest stars in the financial services industry.

Author of the popular business book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Business Success in Your 20's and 30's, Robert has already developed a stellar reputation as a marketing expert.

Best of all, Robert understands the ins and outs of the compliance process like few others I have met before.

That's why I asked him to come on July 29th and show off his brand new marketing strategies for captive agents, registered reps, and financial advisors.

If you have ever felt thwarted by your compliance department..

you need to attend this special presentation.

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/720367993

Thursday, July 29th at 11AM Pacific, 1PM Central, 2PM Eastern

PS: Every ATTENDEE will receive a copy of Robert's latest white paper on how to improve client interaction.

Facebook Ads: Pushing Google "Off the Map?"

2010-07-04T08:55:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

OK, I admit it...

I love new and shiny things...emerging ideas and technologies and well...

Cool stuff...

But, even with my penchant for climbing on before the band wagon is even built, I had a hard time seeing how social media could ever be truly useful as a marketing tool.

It was hard for me to see beyond the silly videos, inane commentary, and gossip and realize that there were ways to monetize this phenomenon.

One of the ways I have recently discovered is what I feel will eventually be the downfall of Google's pay per click empire: Facebook ads.

If you have a Facebook account, I am sure you have noticed these tiny little ads running down the sides of the page. They don't look like much, I know, but they are already generating thousands of leads and millions of dollars for those who have put some effort into "cracking the code."

Dozens of so-called "Facebook ad gurus" have popped up now, with all the attendant hype and cheesy promises. So far, only two of them have struck me as having anything worth promoting:

Dean de Lisle and PERRY MARSHALL.

Many of you have attended Dean's classes and you know he is a master of the technical side of social media, showing you HOW to actually put together great profiles and pages.

Perry is a well-known pay per click marketer, lead generation specialist, and someone who is actively involved in cracking the Facebook ads code.

PerryMarshall knows that writing a good ad isn't enough to generate leads with Facebook- you MUST have something to GIVE your audience and someplace to TAKE them. It's a lot different from the typical benefits-driven advertising that most of us do.

If you have any interest in using the internet to generate leads, then you should do two things:

1. Take the free Facebook quiz. Your score will let you know whether or not using Facebook ads
will work for you. https://m171.infusionsoft.com/go/fbquiz/tdeleeuw/

2. Sign up for Perry's free 5 session "white paper" course. You'll discover that writing white
papers still works as a lead generation tool... if you do it the right way.
https://m171.infusionsoft.com/go/whitepapers/tdeleeuw/

How to Create Something Worth Criticizing...

2010-06-17T07:12:00.000-07:00

by Scott Ginsberg
Nametagtv.com

If you’re not polarizing, you’re not monetizing.

If you're making people react, you're not making a difference.

If everybody loves what you’re doing, you’re doing something wrong.

THAT’S YOUR CHALLENGE: Create something worth being criticized.

Otherwise you’re boring.
Just another slice of average cut from the mediocre multitude.

Otherwise you’re ignored.
Just another non-entity in the infinite grey mass of blah blah blah.

Otherwise you’re forgotten.
Just another flash-in-the-pan, all-shtick-no-substance, one-trick-pony.

AND THE TRUTH IS: Criticism isn’t something you draw – it’s something you earn.

If you want to create something worth being criticized, consider these ideas:

1. Change your reactions to criticism. In The War of Art, Steven Pressfield suggests that we recognize criticism (especially the envy-driven variety) for what it really is: Supreme compliment.

“The critic hates most what he wishes he would have done himself he had the guts.”

Lesson learned: Next time someone attacks you, smile. Even if you do so internally. Know that you’ve done your job and that it’s probably got nothing to do with you. In fact, consider keeping Criticism Log. Document daily victories of being hated – even in minor moments – as reminders that you haven’t lost your edge. What’s your definition of (and relationship with) criticism?

2. Assess the risk. There is an inverse relationship between your willingness to risk and the likelihood of criticism. For example, one of the questions I ask myself every morning as I sit down to work is, “What do I risk is presenting this material?”

If the answer is “not much” or “nothing,” I either rework it – or don’t publish it at all. It’s simply not daring enough. Too much ink, not enough blood. And whether you’re a writer or not, the challenge is the same: Create a filter for your own work that reinforces the importance of risk. You might ask, “Who will this idea piss off?” or “How much hatemail will this garner?”

Otherwise you’re just wasting your time. Otherwise you’re just winking in the dark. How do you assess the risk of what you release to the world?

3. Disturb people. The word “disturb” comes from the Latin emotere – the same derivative as the word “emotion.” That’s all you’re doing when you’re being a disturbance: Evoking emotion. Interrupting the quiet. Unsettling the peace. Upsetting the mental landscape. Could be positive or negative or neutral. Doesn’t matter.

The point is: You can’t go down in history if you’re not willing to shake things up in the present. Therefore: Learn to be constructively challenging – but without being ignorantly defiant. Learn to be delightfully disturbing – but without being painfully annoying.

After all, grinding the gears just because you love the sound doesn’t help anyone. And doing something just for the sake of being criticized isn’t worth being criticized for. Are your monkey wrenches well intentioned?

4. Wage an ongoing war against mediocrity. People who maintain a constant posture of challenging the process don’t just get noticed – they get nailed to crosses. Which, if you have thick enough skin – and perhaps some snacks to hold you over until the cavalry comes (no pun intended) – isn’t as bad as it sounds.

(rest of the story at:http://www.hellomynameisblog.com/2010/06/how-to-create-something-worth-being.html)

Don't miss Scott Ginsberg's webinar on June 24th:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/338415945

Rick Liuag Explains the Instant Sales System..

2010-06-02T07:05:00.000-07:00

Ed note: This is a good example of how to use video on your website...

PS: Be sure to catch Rick Liuag LIVE on June 10th... Go here for more information:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/569006537

The Revolution is Here:

2010-05-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

The slow death of email; see you on Facebook

Posted By Chad Bockius

Last month, Morgan Stanley’s Mary Meeker and associates gave their annual insights on Internet trends. In short, social networks continue to grow leaps and bound, and we haven’t seen anything yet.

Online users want to get information on their own terms. In the past, that meant email – consumers set their email preferences and institutions respected those preferences. Today’s social network users, however, create their own experiences via their networks, many preferring to communicate over Facebook or Twitter rather than email.

The stats are mind-boggling. Social network users surpassed the number of email users in July 2009 – 820 million social network users compared to 800 million email users. This massive growth, combined with changes in how people connect and interact will move the communication hub from your inbox to your “wall”.

(see the rest of the story here:http://blog.socialware.com/2010/05/18/the-slow-death-of-email-see-you-on-facebook/?utm_campaign=Marketo-MaryMeekerStudy&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExisitingLeads)

What's The Biggest Enemy of YOUR Marketing?

2010-05-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

Video not working? Click here for Adobe Flash 9!

Your Choice to Fly With Lumpy Mail's Jon Goldman

2010-05-07T10:30:00.001-07:00

What Would Happen If You Increased YOUR Referability?

2010-05-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

Video not working? Click here for Adobe Flash 9!

Social Networking Sites – Why Participate?

2010-04-28T06:33:00.000-07:00

by David Foster-Hubze

With the extensive growth of the Internet comes the corresponding explosion of social networking sites. Netizens or those people who involve themselves actively in online social groups, would be most familiar with websites such as facebook, Friendster, and Twitter.

These are sites where people usually share viewpoints, information, opinions and other things that interest them. With these activities, they have transformed the internet from being a simple venue for static information to a dynamic social forum and resource.

But what is it that makes these websites so popular not only among the younger set but with practically all ages, social and geographical groups? Is it because people find like-minded individuals and universally-beneficial information?

Some say that it is because these social networking sites are venues where people “congregate” which means they are intrinsically social. However, this doesn’t fully describe their status since they are more than just sites where people go to for information about other people. They are sites where everyone can share almost all personal issues, their viewpoints, opinions, beliefs and get back the same and more from others. They connect people by any common ground that they find themselves grouped together on.

Social networking sites work because those who participate in them find people with the same passion about certain things in life. Any one purpose will suffice although with these sites, it is easy to formulate and identify one and get people to notice.

People give their attention to those ideas that they find doable within their sphere of influence. And if they find it online on a social networking site, then it can only be for the good of all. It is also not unusual for these online relationships to be transformed into offline connections which continue to prosper and benefit each one.

Get in line for your own HUBZE card. It's free and set to launch live SOON!

5 Ways to Break Out of the Pack and Attract More Qualified Leads

2010-04-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

As you can imagine , I hear from advisors and agents every day...

and they are all wondering the same thing:

"How can I generate my own leads and wean myself off those frustrating, expensive "store bought" leads?"

It's the BIG QUESTION on everyone's mind, along with "How can I be super lazy and still make a fortune?" (when I find an answer to that one, I will be sure and let you know...)

Here are a few ways I have found that rich advisors and agents can go from being beggars to being hot commodities, and telling lead companies "SAYONARA."

1. Don't be afraid to try something NEW.

Change can be OH SO SCARY, I know. But if what worked in the past isn't cutting it anymore... why cling to it? That's just NUTS! The good news is that you don't have to play Lone Ranger. It's pretty easy, and I think, necessary to assemble a peer group and get their creative ideas, criticisms, and feedback.

Stop being afraid someone will steal your idea and get advice from someone who is more successful than you. Remember: the idea is just the vehicle: YOU are the real client attractor, so don't worry about your competition. Do things that show off YOU and YOUR strengths and you will make everyone forget those other guys and gals.

2.WOW is the new YAWN

You used to be told to "WOW" your prospects and clients. Bad news: WOW is no longer enough. You have to go way beyond wow and touch, touch, and touch again, and never allow a good lead to fall through the cracks. Email is still useful, and now there is ENHANCED email with bells, whistles and sounc. Try your hand at video email or "voiceover visuals" and you will see your response and retention rates skyrocket.

3. Automate, Delegate, or Die

Top advisors always do what's "closest to cash" and leave the little stuff to their assistants. If you spend half your day chasing down policies, entering in data, or doing other routine tasks instead of loving your clients, you are hurting your bottom line. Hire an assistant, even if you have to hire a virtual one, or find ways to AUTOMATE routine tasks.

4. For Goodness Sake- STAY CONNECTED

You know you need to reach out and touch your database OFTEN in order to get and keep clients and get referrals. But do you DO IT?

Rich advisors DO... and they reap the benefits.

Top advisors tell me they do a minimum of 15 touches per year for their top clients (some do 2-3 touches per MONTH!) Again, automation plays a key role in doing this successfully and without stress. A system such as Send Out Cards can help as do things like auto responders, surveys, "lumpy" mail, gifts and premiums, and other value items.

5. Stop Slacking and Build Your Referral Business.

Take some time and PLAN OUT the steps you need to take to get more referrals. Getting referrals should be a process, not an afterthought.

You need to perfect the ways in which you get referrals: build templates that make it easy and fast to gather referrals. You can produce materials, such as booklets, reports, and videos that have information your clients can USE and for which they will THANK YOU. (refer you to a friend.) You can have quarterly or yearly EVENTS and have your clients bring a friend or co-worker. Whatever you do- be CONSISTENT if you want to see real results

6. Hang Around with Winners
Misery loves company, I know. However, "networking" with a bunch of your peers who are as broke (or broker) than you is not conducive to learning the art of success. I am guessing that when Donald Trump wanted a breakthrough in his business, he chose to be mentored and inspired by SUCCESSFUL people, and avoided all the wannabes. Choose the company you keep carefully and their good stuff is sure to rub off on you.

Facebook: Useful At Last?

2010-04-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

Facebook used to be one of my favorite time-sinks.

I avoided household chores by looking for old high school friends, watching silly videos (even posting a few myself) and generally just wasting tons of time.

Then I realized...

This thing COULD eventually become a source of leads for my business.

Facebook truly is the 800 pound gorilla of social media- with over 400 million members and nearly half of those using it on a regular basis.

It is just too big to ignore as a serious source of qualified business leads.

But Facebook is FRUSTRATING. Partly due to the inherent resistance of social media community people to anything even remotely posing as advertising. (They don't want ads and they don't want to pay to use it...so how are these sites supposed to be profitable?)

Also frustrating was the fact that Facebook didn't let you have capture forms or customized pages on it- even on the "fan pages." (So, how were you supposed to gather data in order to contact leads?)

However... An advisor in Southern California turned me on to something called Hubze which promised to turn Facebook upside down and make FAN pages pay off in a big way.

At first, I hesitated to join the beta test. (another gimmick?)

Then, I started to see the potential of this brand new technology to make social media easier and more profitable.

As of this post, HUBZE hasn't even been released to the general public... But I think it is going to be big.

I invite you to try it out before all the other people weigh down the bandwagon.

Here is the link to my personal invitation:

https://www.hubze.com/signup/?referredBy=tammydeleeuw

Dean de Lisle Gets His Game Face (book) On

2010-04-07T05:14:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

Nearly 20 million people a year join Facebook "fan pages."

So, it's a pretty safe bet that your competition has one...

and if you don't- you are missing out on a great, free opportunity to use Facebook the right way to attract prospects.

In this two day, low-cost web class series beginning on April 22, leading social media authority Dean de Lisle will show you in real time how to build and optimize a fan page, one of the few avenues of legitimate advertising available on Facebook.

Businesses who learn to use Fan pages are seeing dramatic results in the number of online relationships they are able to create.

Going beyond the social media hype, Dean will teach you:

*All the fundamentals of setting up a business site
*What you NEED before you post any content
*How to post contents for RESULTS
*How to get your business site "FOUND"
*How to create a Social Media Plan
*How to convert online leads to offline sales...

and a lot more!

So, if you have ever thought that Facebook can't possibly be of any use beyond posting goofy videos or streams of consciousness... then this class will show you otherwise.

Included with the two-day registration are full recordings, all materials, and a bonus "Fan Pack" filled with over $100 in marketing tools.

Go here to register:

http://facebookfan.eventbrite.com/

Webinar Recording Links: Dean de Lisle on FACEBOOK

2010-03-30T14:17:00.000-07:00

If you missed today's webinar or just need to hear a couple of more times for it to sink in, here are links to download AND view on demand.

Find out more about the April class here:

http://budurl.com/deandelislefb

Here are the links for the Facebook webinar with Dean de Lisle, along with a
bonus "Social Media Basics" webinar. Also, the powerpoints are available to
download...

Please download within the next couple of days to ensure the links remain good. COPY AND PASTE THE ENTIRE LINK into your browser if the hot link does not work for you.

Here is the link for Webinar RECORDING How to Promote your Business The Right
Way using Facebook _ 2010 Edition.wmv:

https://download.yousendit.com/RmNCeFVhUENtUUZjR0E9PQ

Here is the link for BONUS WEBINAR RECORDING Social Media Basics.wmv:

https://download.yousendit.com/RmNCeFVlUzduSlEwTVE9PQ

Here is the link for Forward Progress - How to Build the Optimal Fan Page SLIDES

https://download.yousendit.com/RmNCeFVlUzcrV3p2Wmc9PQ

Here is the link for Social Media strategybrett.ppt: SLIDES

https://download.yousendit.com/RmNCeFVlUzdkMnV4dnc9PQ

Here is the link for slidesforwebinars.ppt: (SLIDES WITH FUTURE WEBINAR SCHED.)

https://download.yousendit.com/RmNCeFVlUzd3TGhFQlE9PQ

ALSO:

The archived Facebook webinar can be seen "on demand" without download at:

http://myspeaking.speakingchannel.tv/_How-to-Promote-Your-Business-the-Right-
Way-Using-Facebook-Pages-2010-ed/video/958840/9176.html

Dean Delisle Explains Social Chaos

2010-03-12T10:40:00.000-08:00

You can get Dean's LIVE class for half off until April 1, 2010:
Just go HERE:

www.facebookfan.eventbrite.com

And.. don't forget the Special Facebook Webinar with Dean (it's free!) on March 30th:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/408394512

Playing the 80/20 Odds

2010-03-09T06:30:00.000-08:00

by Duncan MacPherson
Pareto Platform

You are perhaps familiar with the 80/20 Rule. That's the rule that asserts that 80% of your income is derived from roughly 20% of your clientele. But did you know that there are other versions of the 80/20 rule as well? I'm going to tell you about two more ways you can make the 80/20 rule work for you. If you spent most of your time mastering the nuances of just these three rules, you can end up with a predictable, sustainable and duplicable business.

80/20 Rule #1: Assets

I won't spend too much time on this well-trodden variant of the 80/20, but let me just say to those who dispute the fact that you should spend 80% of your time on the top 20% of your clients: You are doing this elite group (and yourself) a gross disservice. Any group that pays 80% of the 'freight' deserves 80% of the time and attention, end of story. By looking after your top clients, you look after 80% of your income, which ensures that your business stays strong.

80/20 Rule #2: Lifetime Value of a Client

I often remind my staff that bringing on a new client is no reason to celebrate (well, a little celebrating is fine, but try and stay focused). I remind them of this because of the second variation on the 80/20 Rule, which states that gaining a new client brings you only 20% of the lifetime value of that client. The other 80% of the client's lifetime value comes from the steady stream of quality referrals that the client can provide to you over the lifetime of your relationship.

Of course, you will only earn these referrals if you nurture the client properly. But this is where the 80/20 rule works for you, because for you, 80% of the effort is spent in convincing the new client to do business with you. It only takes 20% of the effort to maintain the relationship and to benefit from the stream of referrals.However, here's the catch.

You need to make the client feel like they are part of an 'exclusive club' because of your extremely high level of service, and the service must be CONSISTENT. Furthermore, the client must be repeatedly exposed to a dedicated Recommendation Process that explains how your referral process works, and this process must convey a benefit to the client.

Without the Recommendation Process, you won't achieve your goal, because even if you client's want to recommend you, they won't know how to. And if you provide great service some of the time, but not all of the time, your clients again won't recommend you, because they will want to wait until they are sure that their friends and family will receive great service all the time. Don't forget that clients will always ask themselves ""what have you done for me lately?"
80/20 Rule #3: Productivity

On average, most people accomplish 80% of their work in 20% of the time they actually spend at work. Think about it, and chances are, you'll agree. And you can use this fact to your advantage. If you take the time to schedule your time, to map out your year, your week, and even your day, you will account for each hour. And you will have the means and the incentive to make the best use of your work time - and of your non-work time. Have you ever noticed how productive you are a few days before you go on holiday? If you schedule time to do the things you want to do, then you will accomplish what you need to in less time.

Vince Lombardi once said that you have to be brilliant at the basics. If you were to spend 80% of your time and energy trying to 'work' just these three rules, what kind of business do you think you'd have?

Don't forget to join Duncan live on Wednesday, April 28th as he shows us some of these ideas in action!

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/508951288

Webinar MANIA!

2010-03-08T13:46:00.000-08:00

by Grouchy

Listen up folks... you have no reason to remain unedumacated...

I have put together 5 new webinars for March and April that are going to help you get your marketing on in a big way.

Even if you have scheduling conflicts, register anyway so you can get all the recordings. (however, you WILL want to be live if at all possible- because we have some awesome stuff to give away.)

Also, every time you register and ATTEND a webinar from now until August 31st, you get your name in the Grouchy fedora for the drawing for a Logitech Webcam.

Here is the schedule (SO FAR, that is...)

How to Promote Your Business the Right Way
Using Facebook: With Dean DeLisle

Tuesday, March 30, 2010
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDT

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/408394512

Thursday, April 1st: NO JOKE

How to Create and Distribute Videos That Sell Your Products and Services

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/684159193

Thursday, April 22, 2010
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDT

How to Build Your Own Automated Online Business
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDT
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/602742560

The Art of Nurture Marketing: What You MUST Do In Order to Attract The Affluent
Thursday, April 22, 2010
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDT
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/974965081

How to Find And Profit From the Low Hanging Fruit in Your Business
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDT
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/508951288

How to Automate Your Prospecting, Marketing and Follow Up Process With A System That Actually Works

2010-03-05T10:16:00.000-08:00

Free Webinar Just added!

Most agents, advisors, and other financial services professionals believe that they will never be able to create wealth using the internet until...

They discover the power of automation and some simple, inexpensive (yet effective) web tools and systems.

Putting all this together, however, can be a daunting and frustrating task.

That's why I have asked former telecom executive Rick Liuag, who built a successful ONLINE health insurance agency from scratch as well as a half dozen OTHER businesses, to come and show us some of the tools he used to achieve success

If you have ever aspired to have an online agency or other online business; one that you can work ON but not IN, then this webinar is for you.

You'll learn:

How to find free tools you can use to help build your online presence

How and why you should "marinate" your prospects

How to automate the drip process

The power of "evergreen" online video... and much more

Rick Liuag is the author of the popular "How to Build Your Own Online Insurance Agency" .

The first 50 people who register and attend will receive an electronic copy of Rick's book ($69.99 retail) for free...

Register here:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/602742560

New Webinar on March 30th...

2010-03-01T22:07:00.000-08:00

by Tammy de Leeuw

A few weeks ago, DEAN DELISLE taught some of you how to take hold of LINKEDIN and use it to make some meaningful, beneficial business connections..

Now, he takes on social media's 800 POUND GORILLA- Facebook.

Longtime social site expert, author, and trainer to some of the Fortune 500's most dynamic companies, Dean DeLisle says:

"It’s no secret that Facebook is the fastest growing Social Network in existence, but you have to understand what TO DO and what NOT to do in order to leverage the power."

Why is Facebook "The Gorilla" you need to tame?

Over 400,000,000 registered active users.
• More than 3.5 million events created each month
• More than 3 million active Pages on Facebook
• More than 1.5 million local businesses have active Pages
on Facebook
• More than 20 million people become fans of Pages each day
• Pages have created more than 5.3 billion fans"

Love it or hate it, you simply can't ignore it while your competitors work hard at figuring it all out.

Dean will show you, step by step, how you can go beyond the time-wasteland that Facebook can be and tap into new ways you can promote yourself and your business.

Even if you cannot attend live, register anyway to receive the download of the recording. And, for those who attend, free ebooks galore and a chance to win brownies or even a web camera... COOL BEANS...

I look forward to seeing you there!

How to Promote your Business The Right Way using Facebook – 2010 Edition
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/408394512

Linked In Tip: How to Remove A "Connection"

2010-02-27T06:37:00.000-08:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
FAN Blog

Now, I know you all are exceptionally careful in accepting every LinkedIn connection that comes your way...Right?

But on the off chance that you made a connection with someone that you later realized was a competitor,a former bully from your elementary school, a con artist, or just a person you'd rather not hang around with...

Here are the steps you need to take to lose that connection:

1. Go to CONTACTS on the left side menu panel
2. On the CONTACTS page, click on REMOVE CONNECTIONS (it's on the top at the
right)
3. Select which connections are to be removed, and click REMOVE CONNECTIONS button

You will see a little FYI when you do so:

"Note: These connections will not be notified that they have been removed. They will be added to your list of contacts in case you want to reinvite them later."

Three Minutes With Grouchy

2010-02-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

I am launching a super new "tips and tricks" list for those of you who are anxious to get your marketing game on...

These short, to the point "coffee breaks" will bring you ideas and observations designed to help you make the most of your marketing- even if you are on a shoestring.

There is a signup form over on the sidebar. Sign up today and start getting the kinds of information you can use to rock your business.

Next Webinar: Robert and Tammy Automate It, Baby

2010-02-18T10:46:00.000-08:00

re: Don't miss the next webinar on Tuesday, February 25, 2010.

Can't wait to see what Cousin Roberto has in store for us in the next installment of our popular web series on how to use the Send Out Cards system to automate your business... and help you make loads more friends.

Many agents, advisors, and entrepreneurs believe that something as simple as an automated greeting card system can't possibly make much of an impact on their businesses UNTIL...

They come and sit a spell with Tammy de Leeuw and Robert Breiner and learn "3 More Ways to Use the Automated Greeting Card System to Grow Your Business"

In this free session, Robert and Tammy will show you:

1. How to build a local JV network using the cards (and NOT in the
usual way, either!)
2. How to use your automated system to send out lumpy mail that
almost always gets opened
3. How to leverage social media and make appointments using cards
to "seal the deal."

If you have been considering using the ULTIMATE REFERRAL SYSTEM in your business, then you will definitely want to come to this presentation..

Even if you already have the system, join us anyway and get some new ideas you can use right now to make it work better for you.

No cost, but register SOON!

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/233059905

Log In Information for Tomorrow's Webinar..

2010-02-15T08:35:00.000-08:00

Log in Information for "The Art of Zero Effort Selling:How to Use NeuroPersuasion (tm) to Dramatically Increase Your Closing Ratios and Make More Money"

DATE: Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Time 11AM Pacific, 1PM Central, 2PM Eastern

Go to: www.gotowebinar.com

On the lefthand side, choose JOIN A WEBINAR

Enter the webinar ID below and your email.

Webinar ID: 139953161

If you cannot get on a computer, or do not have headphones or speakers and need the AUDIO ONLY,

Here are the DIAL IN NUMBERS

Attendee: 916-233-3087, access code 496-625-021

Tuesday, February 9th's Webinar Has Been Postponed...

2010-02-08T06:46:00.000-08:00

Apologies to all, but due to a death in the family, JIM FORTIN has had to postpone his "Art of Neuropersuasion" Webinar until TUESDAY, FEB 16th.

Even if you already registered, you should re-register so you get all the correct notices and sign in links.

Please watch your email for this information. Below is the link for the new session:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/139953161

Slides from Dean's Awesome LINKEDIN Presentation

2010-02-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! We had a great time with Dean de Lisle from Forward Progress on February 2nd. In case you missed it.. Here is where you can download the AUDIO Recording. The slides that go with it are below... ENJOY!
https://download.yousendit.comMVNkOU1UMGN0NjhLSkE9PQ

Linked In Top 10 Tips For Generating New Business Tdl

View more presentations from Forward Progress.

Creating Expectation in Others

2010-01-20T05:27:00.000-08:00

PS: From now until January 27th, you can order Jim's complete ZERO EFFORT SELLING for nearly $200.00 off when you use coupon code:"WebSpecial" Just go to www.mindauthority.com. Find the products tab, order the ZES system, and enter and apply the coupon to get ZERO EFFORT SELLING for just $197.00.

Jim Fortin's Interview With Shama Kabani

2010-01-09T14:24:00.001-08:00

Shama.Tv Interview – What is NeuroPersuasion?

Posted using ShareThis

Turning Friends and Connections into Business – the Social Revolution

2010-01-07T08:20:00.000-08:00

by Dean Deslisle
Forward Progress, Inc.

It’s funny, most of us have been doing some of this since the beginning of time, however we get on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN or our Blogs, and we get stuck.

Why is that? I think we forget it’s OKAY to do business with our friends, and it’s OKAY to do business with our friends’ friends. However, there are techniques and guidelines which you do need to follow.

It will vary by type of business, but there are some simple conversion techniques that you can use that will work just fine.

1. Do not be ALL business ALL the time!

2. Provide items of VALUE when posting or connecting.

3. Find people who have similar interests – not like EVERYONE!

4. Make sure you connect to others’ posts and make them feel connected.

5. Always make sure you reply to folks who are SPEAKING to you!

Then, when you are connecting and it seems and feels right – set the hook – ask for the meeting or the call – take it OFFLINE! People are online all the time; if there is a connection and you can help them, talk about it, set the meeting and have a date! We have all been doing this for centuries – stop making it so hard!

Don't Forget to Join Dean for a Free Webinar on Tuesday, February 2nd. Learn the details at:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/645663496

Don't Forget to Register!

2010-01-07T08:19:00.001-08:00

Be sure to join FAN as we present a special no cost web event featuring NY Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, BOB BURG.

Register or learn more at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/266197689

Using Connector Tactics to Land A Job (or help someone else advance their career)

2009-12-21T07:43:00.000-08:00

Maribeth Kuzmeski
Red Zone Marketing

(get Maribeth's marketing guide fore 20% off when you use code GROUCHY)

Many people are looking for jobs these days. If you know someone looking for a job, give them 9 proven Connector Tips to help make their job search successful!

1. Search Everywhere For Job Connectors! “Job Connectors” are the best source to get you that key interview and land your best new job. Connectors are willing to share information about you with others, they have a wide network, and they like introducing people. Find these connectors to help you get your next job. You will find them at every meeting you attend, in your neighborhood, at your church, at your former employer, within associations, etc.

2. BE a Connector: BE a connector yourself by finding networks of people you can build relationships with that will lead you to your next job. But don’t confuse this with random networking. Successful connecting requires taking a targeted approach to meeting the right people everywhere you go. Make a list of the 20 Powerful Connections or types of connections that would be able to help you get that next job. Then find out where they are and go to them. Being a connector and reaching connectors requires research and patience. But the payoff is enormous!

3. Check Out Your Interviewer. If you know who you will be sending a resume to or who will be interviewing you, conducting a little research in advance of your communication can be a big advantage.

During an interview I conducted with a candidate for my company, the candidate began talking about how much he liked one of the books I had written years ago. He quoted from the book and offered a story of how he used the information in his career. He had me! I had spent a lot of time and sweat equity writing that book, and the fact that he liked it and gave me information that proved he really read it made me remember him. And somehow he seemed smarter! After ten interviews in one day, people can start to blur. He never did.

The fact is that we didn’t end up hiring him because he had little experience in the type of service marketing we needed, but I gave him a high recommendation to one of our firm’s clients and he was hired within a week!

4. Get Face-to-Face With Potential Employers! Find a way to get in front of your potential employer. These days it is much harder to show potential employers what you are all about and to forge a connection with them because so much of the pre-hiring process is done online and through email. That is why it is essential that you find a way to communicate face-to-face. Dropping off a follow-up note or resume are great opportunities for getting some face time with a potential employer. Another great face-to-face opportunity comes after the interview. To show you paid close attention to everything your interviewer said, stop by her office with an article that you think would be of interest to her or a small gift (e.g., a box of candy) based on some information you found out during the interview.

And once you are face-to-face, in an interview or otherwise, focus on having eye contact throughout. Lean in, show them you are interested in everything they say, and think before you answer any question. Thoughtful deliberation can be difficult if you’re nervous, but it is critical in answering your potential employer’s questions to the best of your ability. Establishing this face time is sure to set you apart from your job market competition.

5. Make an Impact by Using Video. If you really want to capture the attention of a potential employer, record a quick video. Use it to get an interview or as a follow-up after an interview. Here’s how it works: Instead of just emailing a resume or a post-interview thank-you note, include a link to a video of you talking directly to them. Carefully script your response and record the quick message using a Flip video camera or even a web cam.

Script Out Your Video Messaging to Get The Interview:

1. The video should be no longer than one or two minutes.

2. Introduce yourself.

3. Identify the job you would like to be interviewed for.

4. Tell them three things about your background that may make them interested in interviewing you.

5. Thank them for watching the video, ask them for the interview and give them your contact information!

Then post your video online and share the link or use a service like www.AdvisorTLC.com to email your video to your potential employer. You will definitely make an impact!

6. Practice Your Interview Answers With a Friend or Mentor. Don’t go into your interview cold. There is too much competition for jobs to take anything for granted. Think of potential questions you may get about your previous positions and how you will answer these questions and then go over them with a friend or mentor. Work on thoughtfully communicating how you will deliver benefits in a given position, not just on what you know. Become an expert at clearly communicating your strengths both verbally and in writing.

Practice providing information that is compelling, impactful, and clearly expresses how you will benefit the employer. Give your interviewers reasons to think about hiring you, not reasons to end the interview early!

7. Use Words that Connect. In interviews, try to scrap your memorized job pitch in favor of a more natural conversation. You’ll seem more at ease and authentic—and your potential employer will be more inclined to believe everything he’s hearing. In written communication, be sure to answer all parts of any questions you receive. And carefully read over the job description so that you can communicate your specific strengths based on the job’s requirements.

8. Prepare in advance to follow up after the interview. Plan on sending an immediate thank-you note through email or social media. Then, to ensure you are using every available option to stay in front of your potential employer, consider also sending a note in the mail. Yes, the mail. The note should recap what you discussed in the interview and reinforce what you can deliver to the company.

9. Show Passion! If you really want a particular job, tell those hiring why (not because you need a job – that will not separate you from the rest). Share tangible reasons why this is the perfect job for you and at the same time show them in advance the same passion you will give to the job once you land it. Enthusiasm, energy and passion are contagious and are traits you want to accentuate while in the job search.
GET Maribeth's great MARKETING PLANNING GUIDE plus free bonuses for 20% off when you enter code GROUCHY.
Just go to this URL and Enter code GROUCHY
http://www.redzonemarketing.com/marketing_package.htmlit!

Maribeth Kuzmeski, is the author of the new book, The Connectors: How the World’s Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life (Wiley, September 2009, ISBN: 978-0-4704881-8-8, $22.95)

Now is the time to use this with your clients …

2009-12-10T19:37:00.000-08:00

by Troy White

I am at a client event in Tampa this week and want to share some exciting news with you. The event I am at is for a very unique niche that targets the affluent buyers that you should be targeting. Why? Because they are the fastest demographic to recover from this economic mess we are all in. The trainers at the event are consistently sharing their success stories in the affluent market, and the rapid growth in demand they are seeing right now.

According to Pam Danzinger, the leading publication for affluent marketing, “At Parisian luxury fashion brand Hermes, best-known for its leather bags that start at US$7,000, sales are up 10%, while demand for Coach’s ubiquitous US$325 handbags has slumped. High-end New York City apartments may have seen their values plunge, but at Fifteen Central Park West, billed as the ultimate Manhattan luxury building, at least eight condos are reported to have sold for nearly 40% above what their owners paid for them in 2007. Now you’ve got to spell luxury with a ‘V’ and the ‘V’ is for value, and value doesn’t mean cheap." They want an experience, and are willing to pay for it”

One of the ways you can get your more affluent clients buying again is to give them what they want … a unique experience that no one else is giving them. What follows is aproven model for getting your affluent buyers buying again.

Even if you aren’t targeting a certain part of your business offerings to the affluent (which I think you should be), this STILL applies to you!

At times like this, your customers NEED to hear a calm, reassuring voice telling them there is a future ahead, and you are there for them no matter what they need.

Rather than someone telling them how the sky is falling and every one of us is doomed to financial destruction (which the media gladly does 24/7), they want someone to help them feel at ease.

Announcing your Emergency Customer Update
and Appreciation Events

These are mini-events (preferably live, if you can) … designed to show them your stance on the economy and how it impacts your industry.

This is also designed to help you get closer to your clients, at a time where everyone else is slashing their marketing expenditures and burying their head in the sand, waiting for it to pass over.

The more you are in front of them now, the more trust they will have in you, and the more value they will see in buying from you when they open their wallets again.

These can be breakfast meetings, luncheons, dinners or teleseminars … the point is to get out there and in front of those who buy from you.

Step 1: Target your audience:

Figure out if you want all your clients to be invited, or a smaller, more targeted group. (Now is the perfect time to go through your list and find the perfect clients you want to continue working with - and not work so hard on the others.)
Do some research with them to find out where they are at, how scared they feel, and what type of information would be the most help to them right now.
Get controversial. Build a story that you will share with them at the meetings. Think through the stance you will take on the market, on the economy, on people’s mindset, and anything you can think of that may help them understand your point of view as we move into the unknown months ahead. Think about what Clayton did with his Imbeciles article – major controversy – and major kudos for him for being the one to say what most people were thinking.
Create an executive summary or market/business update that you can hand out at your meeting.
Make sure all the applicable players are involved. Everyone within your company should be there. Partners, suppliers, customers, etc.
Ask your clients to invite their friends and associates.

Step 2: Meeting Venue and Ambiance Setting (the marketing theme you want to use):

Find a nice, clean, professional venue to hold your event at. Do not go overboard or too lavish here. If you have a nice office boardroom, use that.
If you are holding an evening event, you may want to bring in wine professionals and have a tasting event, or professional sushi chefs to show them how easy it is to make simple at-home sushi rolls.

(If you are doing wine tasting or are offering drinks, do your event first, then the drinking … hecklers come out of the woodwork when alcohol is added.)
Design them to be smaller, more intimate, and more personal. In order to show them you honestly do care about them, do not pack them in with 200 others.

Step 3: Strategically invite the groups of people you would like all in the same room at the same time:

If you have no choice but to do a teleseminar, tell those you are inviting that it is a small group of people that will be on the line. They have been chosen to be part of the panel to discuss ____(your topic)_____. The last thing you want is a line full of people … you want intimate discussions with your best, most coveted clients.
Preferably, place personal calls to each person you want to invite. (Remember, small groups of eight people will not take a lot of phone calls to fill.)
Tell them the intentions behind the meeting (value added content, market updates, and strategies for them to weather the storm).
Invite your most affluent clients as well – try and have them in each group.
E-mail them – but personal e-mails … no mailing services.
Even send FedEx packages, if your products and services justify it.

Step 4: Wow them at the meeting:

Show them the historical facts behind recessions. Help them understand what a recession is, and what happens during the typical cycle. (Sounds basic? Most people do not know this … be the one to help them understand.)
Hand them your market-update sheet or package.
Make sure they get great content, great food, and great company. You can even bring in an outside speaker to talk about related areas of interest.
Do NOT pitch them anything here. This is not the time or place to be selling anything … now is the time to show pure value and content.
Have respect for everyone there – start and finish right on time.
Give them a gift … something simple yet memorable. Put together your own quotes book of your favorite inspirational quotes and have them printed up by a print on demand supplier. Have your company information in the book and a catchy title for the cover. It costs you next to nothing, but it will have a lasting impact on them. (You can even have their names custom-printed on the cover. Print on demand is very inexpensive these days.)
Educate them about what you have planned for the next 6–12 months in your business. And tell them you will send them monthly updates as part of this session. (Make sure they understand the information shared is private and not to be shared.)
Make sure all of your people are in attendance, dressed professionally and prepared for the meeting.

Start putting one or two of these on a week, and watch what kind of a response you get.

This may sound unusual … but that is the point.

No one else, especially your competition, is doing this.

Show them how much you care about them and their future right now and they will respond in kind when they feel more confident in the economy.

They may feel helpless about the economic conditions out there, but you can help them see the upside, and give them specific strategies for the challenging times ahead.

Never forget …

… During recessions, many businesses fail …

… But it is also the time when absolute riches can be made in any industry, if you position yourself correctly with your existing clients.

Find a few ways to make these lessons work for your business…

To your success,

Troy White
Editor, Small Business Mastery
Supplement to THE TOTAL PACKAGE

Troy White is a top marketing coach, consultant & direct response copywriter based in Calgary, Canada. He has a powerful approach to growing small businesses and entrepreneurial run ventures on a budget. His FREE Cash Flow Surges newsletter shares tons of great strategies.

He also publishes the incredibly powerful Cash Flow Calendar system that gives you daily, weekly and monthly marketing ideas to promote your business and stand out from the crowd. Click here to get your free tips for growing your business!

Looking for resources related to this article? Try some of these.

Looking for more of Troy’s articles? Check these out.

Looking for past issues of The Total Package? Click here for our archives.

A Final Note:

If you have specific subjects you would like addressed, or have any comments on what you have seen here, please submit a comment below and I will see how I can help.

"Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.”

–Napoleon Hill

This article was first published in The Total Package. To sign-up to receive your own FREE subscription to The Total Package and claim four FREE money making e-books go to www.makepeacetotalpackage.com.

Provoking The Sale To Close How advisors are moving away from solution-based and product-focused selling methods

2009-12-02T06:26:00.000-08:00

Maribeth Kuzmeski, MBA
RedZone Marketing

In today’s difficult market conditions, it has become more important than ever to generate a stream of new buyers to keep the firm operating in the profit-zone and not operating out of fear. And, there are certain sales strategies that are working right now that are reducing the fears and paralysis of investors and getting them to take action quickly.

A Provocative Selling Approach:
In the March 2009 issue of Harvard Business Review, “In a Downturn, Provoke Your Customers,” the article details a unique and successful approach to sales. It is a sales approach that, interestingly, some financial advisors have already been using in this downturn with success. The article calls the technique, “Provocation-based selling.” It is different from the traditional consultative selling approach that is focused on a solution and goes way beyond product-based selling that is focused on features and benefits.

Now, provoking a client to buy must of course be in their best interest. The objective is to persuade a prospect that the solutions you have do not just sound good, they are essential. But this approach doesn’t focus on the obvious concerns an investor has. Instead, the approach directs a prospect to the other things that perhaps are of even greater concern to them.

One advisor who is having a lot of success in these difficult times gathering new clients and new assets shared how he uses this provocation-based selling approach. It is focused on getting the client to do something because a client who does nothing right now could be permanently affecting their future.

“I regularly hold seminars to introduce people to my firm. Recently, during my appointments with the people who attended my most recent seminar I realized that I was going to have to go way beyond the obvious in order to get anyone to invest today,” the advisor said. “But I felt so strongly that for some people, having exposure to the market was the right thing (in the right products of course).”

A husband and wife he was meeting with recently began describing all their concerns about their current assets invested with another advisor. They said that the stock market was too volatile, they didn’t want to lose more money, they were scared they may be eating their dog’s food in retirement, etc. So the advisor took this as an opportunity to ask about ALL of their concerns - not just the immediate stock market issues. “Let’s lay it all out,” the advisor said. And then he went to the white board in his conference room and began to write.

The couple, in their early 60’s, were concerned about their health, concerned about the well-being of their children and grandchildren, really wanted to enjoy life on their terms and not just get by, were scared they’d have to sell their second home in Virginia, wanted to leave a legacy to their favorite cause/ charity so that all they worked for would live on when they pass, etc. The advisor kept writing and writing.

The advisor then started asking them what their solutions were for some of the most important things on their list. How would they avoid a negative conclusion and achieve their goals?

It turned out that none of their life-long goals would be possible without an alteration in their financial situation. “Not having the money invested and not giving themselves a strategy for growth and protection would have meant that surely most of the things they worked their lives for wouldn’t be possible,” the advisor said. “Especially if they put the money under their mattress.”

Now this may seem like a common sense strategy, but the advisors that have been using their version of this provocation-selling approach say that it is more complex than it seems. This approach takes the focus beyond today’s investment situation and gets to the real heart of the matter. The advisor ultimately wants and gets the prospect to come to the conclusion that they can’t afford not to do something.

And, according to the advisors using this technique, it rarely involves getting into the specifics of the stock market history, or their opinions of the market and whether it is at the bottom, middle or wherever. It is all about the person’s concerns on the other side of the table. It also typically shortens the sales cycle because the client wants to make the decision. Advisors have shared with us significant results in closing new business – especially as it compares to the decline in new business that some of their colleagues are unfortunately experiencing.

The Steps of the Provocation Sale:

Uncover the client’s hidden concerns.
Raise those critical concerns to the forefront and their potential solutions.
Develop your provocative view point on their critical concerns based on your solutions.
Share a story about another client (keeping their name and telling details confidential, of course) in a similar situation and the solutions you prescribed for them.
Close on the provocation that gives them the NEED to take action and do business with you now in order to solve their crucial concerns.

Traditional solution-based selling has the individual considering whether you can solve their immediate needs (i.e. keep them from losing money in the stock market). Provocation-selling transforms their thinking about what their deeper challenge really is and that you have the solution.

Be sure to hear Maribeth LIVE online on December 8th. Find out more here:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/586494240

The Good News in Uncertain Times: Marketing Strategies are Working!

2009-11-27T12:02:00.000-08:00

by Maribeth Kuzmeski, MBA

Advisors and agents have tried for years to develop successful prospect generating strategies. Some strategies have worked and others have produced disappointing results. Today, it seems everything we’ve known is changing as it relates to marketing. And that’s good news for those who want to grow their business!

Amidst all of the uncertainty in the market and the financial industry, the marketing of financial services is having seemingly unusual results. Strategies that may have had limited success in the past are now generating significantly more interested prospects and producing more new clients. Really! But how and why is this happening?

The economy and the stock market are the number one story almost every day in the news. There is an elevated sense of urgency and a need for answers and advice and investors who may have thought they had their financial situation under control are realizing they need help. Today people are seeking out a trustworthy, intelligent, calming voice in all of this uncertainty that will provide an individual approach, analysis and solutions to their financial situation. There has perhaps never been a time when advisors and agents have been needed more. In the past, advisors and agents may have had to “sell” services to get someone to do business. Today people are looking for you!

Red Zone Marketing has been conducting an ongoing survey this year asking financial advisors who manage assets between $250 million and over $1 billion what they are saying to clients and what activities have been working to continue to grow their business – right now. Also, in the past 2 months, as I’ve traveled across the United States presenting to groups in more than 30 cities, I have been asking ‘what’s working right now.’ Here are the findings.

Are seminars working?
Public Seminars/Social Event: Just when many people had written off seminars as an expensive strategy that hasn’t been as successful as a few years ago – they are working again! And dramatically!
According to one of the seminar marketing firms, things are looking up!

"Like in past downturn years (i.e. after 911), we see activity levels rise in mailing orders and in seminar attendance,” said Jorge Villar, President of Response Mail Express, a seminar marketing firm in Tampa, FL. “Folks are looking for something better or different in these types of times. And, consumers are looking to learn about newer options, alternate solutions and trends.”

The truth is, the large public seminars are generating more qualified attendees than ever before. By using a proven seminar marketing system, advisors are starting to see response rates that have doubled in the past 3 months!

Referral based seminars: A seminar idea that has worked in the past and continues to work with low risk and low cost is niche based referral seminars. One strategy being used is called the “5-5-5-20” seminar. You simply pick 5 or more of your clients that are in a niche (ie. they retired from the same company). Mail each client 5 invitations to an upcoming workshop on a seminar like How to Retire from LOCAL COMPANY in Volatile Market Conditions. Then make phone calls to the 5 clients personally asking them to pass those invitations along to others who are getting ready to retire from this company. Right now this strategy is generating more than 20 people in attendance at each seminar for advisors. It costs very little (about $2.00 for the whole mailing), attendees are very interested in the timely and targeted information, and you don’t even need to serve dinner! Advisors are conducting these seminars at community centers, libraries and in their offices.

Presentations for Existing Groups: Recently, there has also been an increased interest in having financial professionals speak at meetings of groups and organizations. One advisor we talked with is an active member of his large Chamber of Commerce. He has been asking for years to speak at one of the Chamber’s monthly luncheons. Again and again he was told ‘no.’ In early October he went to his Chamber and mentioned he had a presentation called, “What NOT to Do With Your Money Now.” They cancelled their previously scheduled speaker and put him on the agenda as the main speaker. Have times changed! Now, people really do want to hear you!

Do inexpensive grassroots-type Initiatives work?
An advisor in Illinois didn’t want to spend a lot of money finding new clients right now. So, he copied a strategy that some politicians were using. He and his staff go to the train station once a week during morning rush hour. They purchase coffee from the local provider and then pass it out for free to riders boarding the train. They also give out a flyer that says, “Nervous about your investments? Call xxx-xxx-xxxx.” It includes a picture of the advisor, a list of services, and their compliance information (of course!). They have scheduled appointments, have already identified millions of dollars in potential, and closed a $1,000,000 sale. You see, just about anything you do right now to reach out to investors is working – even this!

Are referrals Increasing or decreasing right now?
Even the simple strategy of asking current clients for referrals is working better than even a year ago. In the past, a typical question asking for referrals may have produced an answer like, ‘I really don’t know anyone.’ But today when you ask the question, ‘Do you know anyone nervous about their investments?’ - the answer you get is dramatically different. The answers are ‘yes’ and ‘everyone’ and the referrals are coming in!

How about advertising?
The same advertisement that an advisor has been running in his local newspaper to generate exposure only in good times is generating phone calls from interested prospects in these volatile times. We have heard from many advisors that simple ads with a strong call to action are producing interested prospects. Many of the ads simply ask the question, “Are you nervous about your investments?”

While many advisors are pulling in the reins on their marketing and spending, market volatility brings a perfect time to increase your exposure. Right now is the time to let people know that you are an advisor with personal solutions.

Yes, it takes confidence to increase your activity in turbulent times, but that’s what clients are looking for… Confidence!

Nine No-Fail Ways to Boost Referrals for Your Business

2009-11-25T07:25:00.000-08:00

By Maribeth Kuzmeski

No doubt about it, we’re all navigating some hard economic times. And companies everywhere are in a quandary. Think about this: increasing your client base is more important than ever. But you just don’t have the budget to spend a lot of money on growing your business. You’re too busy trying to stay afloat! The inexpensive and very effective solution is to look in your own back yard. That’s right. Referrals from clients and even prospects are the best leads you can ever hope to receive.

If you provide valuable, worthwhile products and services to your clients, they will want to share you with others. It’s just human nature! But sometimes they need a little nudge. So whatever your business is, you should have a system in place for promoting this positive “word of mouth.”

In times of economic challenge, you can be doubly sure that cold-calling is not your best option. You need to use all the leverage at your disposal to make this critical task easier and more cost-effective—and a good referral system is worth its weight in gold.

While most of us inherently understand the benefits of having our clients refer their friends, family and colleagues; we simply fail to make it a priority. Perhaps we feel that asking is unprofessional. Or we’re afraid of the possible rejection. Or, most likely of all, we’ve just never figured out a way to build referral requests into our everyday operations.

In my book, Red Zone Marketing: A Playbook For Winning All The Business You Want (Facts on Demand Press, 2002, ISBN 1-889150-34-7, $17.95), I explore the various ways companies can use the power of referrals to dramatically increase their business. Below are the Nine Extraordinary Referral-Boosting Strategies listed in the book that I suggest these companies implement:

1. Seek out a systems-based approach.

Too many companies view referrals as something extra, a “doggie bone” a client tosses them every once in a while. This mindset needs to change. Everything you do should be geared to asking for and following up on referrals. If you have a system in place for pursuing referrals, you and your staff will use it. You won’t have to think, “Now what can I send this referral?” or “How can I thank this client for giving me this referral?” You’ll have a package on hand to instantly drop in the mail. It will be as automatic as brushing your teeth.

2. Give clients more than service, give them an experience!

In order to get referrals, you must become a memorable, noteworthy, one-of-a-kind business. Your clients must want to refer their friends and associates to you! Do whatever it takes. Develop a memory hook or tagline that cleverly conveys who you are. But that’s just the beginning. In an experience economy, you must give your clients an experience! That, maybe even more than your stellar service, is what sells them.

I have a financial services client that says it helps its clients “get to the top of the mountain.” From the mountain top you can see the world—so this company has turned each office and conference room into a different “country.” One room has a huge mural of Athens on the wall. Another one represents Paris, and so on. The company reports that people bring their friends by to see the office, even without an appointment. Can you imagine a better way to attract new business?

3. Find your “natural niche” . . . and never let it go.

Remember, you can’t be all things to all people and shouldn’t try to. Taking into account your expertise, areas of interest and the niche areas you are already working in, figure out what kind of “specialist” you want to be. It should feel natural, as if your company was born to play this role. Then, cultivate that niche!

4. Keep in touch to keep ‘em happy.

Initiate contact with your clients on a regular basis. Don’t wait for them to call you! In fact, I suggest creating a monthly KIT (Keeping In Touch) Program for communicating with your best clients. In February, for example, you might send Valentine’s Cards; in June, send some helpful travel tips; in November, share your favorite holiday recipes—and ask for theirs. Furthermore, you should contact these special clients one to three times a year just to make sure they are happy with your service!

Keeping in touch is more than a bunch of mailings. It’s a way of keeping clients “in the loop.” It will also keep you in their loop. You want to constantly be there to help your clients solve problems before they become problem, and to encourage them to tell you if they’re not satisfied with something. You don’t just forge a strong relationship with your clients; you actually become part of their life.

5. Become a “list lord.”

An association list, industry list, department list or club list can open the door to referrals. Let’s say you’re sitting across the table from someone who’s a member of, for instance, the Watertown Country Club. Just pull out your list and say, “I was wondering if you know anyone in this club who may be interested in the services I offer?” You will be surprised at the response you get.

The list method works because people want to show that they have influence in the groups they belong to. Once you have referrals, you can call these people up and say “Hello, I got your name from Bill Smith, who is a member of the Watertown Country Club that you’re a member of, and he said that you may be interested in the services that I offer.” It’s a great way of getting more referrals without being demanding.

6. Make your office an “RR crossing.”

No, I’m not suggesting that you move your office to a rail road track! I am simply suggesting a way to help yourself, your coworkers and your clients create a referral mindset. Put a big sign in your office that says “RR.” You will know that it means “remember referrals.” It may also inspire clients (or even prospects!) to ask the meaning, which creates the perfect opening for you to explain that referrals are the heart of your business and you would appreciate their help. Other things you can do include bringing an agenda to each client/prospect meeting and asking a colleague or staff person to help you establish this new habit.

7. Persuade your clients with a club.

It’s not as violent as it sounds! A referral club creates a sense of belonging and encourages members to provide, you guessed it, referrals. You could have a referral appreciation dinner that’s exclusively open to club members and their referrals. Or you could partner with a local business, say, Sally’s Floral Shop. When the referral rewards club card is taken to Sally’s, she will give the shopper ten percent off any flowers purchased there. Or perhaps you could send club members a special mailing or newsletter. Whatever type of club you decide on, just be sure it enhances your company’s image and promotes ongoing dialogue with your client. It has to be a two-way street.

8. Say it with flowers . . . or more creative rewards.

Saying thank you to clients who give you referrals encourages more referrals. So reward these valuable clients with a thoughtful letter or note from you. But in addition, give them something nice. Flowers and gift baskets are time-tested winners. But you can also be a bit more innovative. For instance:

Alternately, you could sit down with a client for an hour or so to help her grow her business. Or you could donate to her favorite charity. Or you could offer to sponsor his child’s Little League team. Be creative—just be sure you go above and beyond the call of duty to say “thank you” for providing such a valuable and generous service.

9. Just do it—and do it every day.

The best way to get comfortable with asking for referrals is to make it part of your everyday business dialogue. Ask your clients, “What have you liked about the work we’ve done together?” Or tell them what you’ve done for them and then say, “Wouldn’t you agree?” When they give you a positive response, it’s a good time to interject, “If there is anyone else who may need these services, please send them my way.”

If you simply can’t bring yourself to say these words, there is another way. A referral request package can be a powerful marketing tool. Send it to all your clients! This mailing should include a nice cover letter and form on which they can list friends and business associates who might be interested in your services. Many people find that asking for referrals in writing is much more psychologically comfortable than asking in person.

To realize how critical I perceive referrals to be, one must understand Red Zone Marketing™, the philosophy around which my company is built and for which it is named. Red Zone Marketing (the book) outlines my system, which compares the most critical and magnified area on the football field, the Red Zone (the final 20 yards before the goal line) to the most critical and magnified area in business (the unmarked territory where you either lose or win a prospective client).

“Referral responsibility” is the “R” in SCORE—my acronym for the five marketing principles successful individuals use to “score” in the Red Zone. The R-word is interwoven throughout, and inseparable from, the powerful marketing programs I help my clients develop—programs that have been proven to generate extraordinary growth and significant financial gain.

I cannot overstate the importance of asking for referrals. These leads are easy to close and cost-efficient and they usually turn out to be loyal customers. And guess what? Most of your competitors are not asking their clients for referrals! 90 percent of the business owners that I talk to across the country say they ask for referrals only occasionally. Why not be the 10 percent who does? It will make all the difference in your business.

Be sure to catch Maribeth's live web class on December 8th:

First 25 to register and pay will get a hard cover copy of The Connectors, absolutely free.

Find out more here:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/586494240

Eight Great Ways to Win All the Financial Services Business You Want

2009-11-22T09:20:00.000-08:00

By Maribeth Kuzmeski

MBA, RFC

Financial advisors, you know who you are and what you do. But try looking at yourself through the eyes of a potential client. Imagine . . . you know next to nothing about investing and money management. You are nervous about what could happen to your nest egg (which represents your next home, your retirement, your kids' inheritance) in an era of extreme economic uncertainty. And when you need a financial advisor and all you see is a long gray line of sober corporate logos, faceless suits and identical-seeming mutual fund literature, choosing one is a daunting, confusing task. How in the world would you, our hypothetical prospect, decide to go with, well . . . you?

The answer is clear: to avoid being seen as a commodity, you must consistently and compellingly prove that you are different.

You must prove that you are better. You must prove that you offer your clients something above and beyond the services offered by your competitors. You must prove that you, better than anyone else, can help them manage the murky and confusing yet opportunity-filled world of investing and money management. That's what marketing is about—it's not about sending slick brochures to your mailing list once a year. It's a very creative, very human process, making clients feel secure and appreciated and even delighted.

The succinct, bite-sized tips in my book makes it clear that a good financial advisor makes the dry, often-intimidating world of dollars and cents not just understandable, but fun—and this philosophy isn't surprising. After all, I am a devoted football fan who regularly draws analogies between my favorite game and the rough and tumble world of marketing. (Indeed, my company's name is a reference to the unmarked territory between the defending team's 20-yard line and the end zone: the most critical and magnified part of the field.)

Here are eight tips, excerpted from my new book, you can follow right now:

Add an MVP to your team . . . the "NBC."

Have you ever thought that you could bring in tons of new business if only you had the time to deal with current clients? I suggest hiring a New Business Coordinator ("NBC" for short) to ensure that the necessary follow-up work is being done. The NBC joins you at every new business appointment . . . hears firsthand what needs to be done in order to transform a prospect into a client . . . schedules the follow-up appointments, prepares the paperwork, etc.

He or she creates a relationship with the prospect by giving that person another point of contact in the office (besides you). If you're worried that you can't afford an NBC, think again: many financial advisors have found that such an individual pays for him/herself countless times over. So bite the bullet.

Give video marketing a try.

If you're thinking that financial planning doesn't evoke the most exciting visual imagery—computer software? Mutual fund documents?—consider what your clients can buy with the money you help them save and create. Grandkids playing in front of a charming beach cottage, say, or a new luxury car zipping around curves. A spectacular sales video can hit people on an immediate, gut level. So why not create one and send it to your top prospects? If you need more convincing, consider this: a study by the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania found that prospects who watch a video make their buying decision 70 percent faster than those who only read a brochure. Pretty impressive, huh?

Don't let your Internet home collect cobwebs.

Have you updated your website lately? You should. You might write a regular column on current economic news and make it an integral part of your site. This will give clients and potential clients a reason to bookmark your website and maybe even establish it as their home page! Alternately, regularly add a thought-provoking quote or bit of humor to your site. Anything to prevent repeat visitors from getting bored and going elsewhere!

Use e-mail to "Keep In Touch."

I am a big proponent of establishing a "Keep In Touch" (or KIT) Program to stay connected to clients. One of my myriad suggestions for doing so is the use of e-mail. For instance, you might send e-greeting cards to your clients on their birthdays or holidays.

Or, if you come across something you know a specific client would be interested in (say, a fascinating article about one of his hobbies), e-mail it to him with a "this made me think of you" note. The beauty of e-mail is its immediacy and its casual, "off the cuff" nature. It makes clients feel that they are a part of your life, which in turn is likely to make them think of you as part of theirs.

Offer a targeted seminar (NOT "General Investing for Every Investor"), mail invites to a targeted list, and provide a targeted message filled with potential solutions.

A good example: "Unlocking Your Retirement Funds," presented for individuals who work at a particular Fortune 100 company. Even if ten or twenty people attend, it will be a great seminar because each and every one of them will be getting to retire with a rollover or they would not have come. One proven source for generating lots of attendees to your seminars is Response Mail Express/Seminar Success (www.seminarsuccess.com). Their system absolutely puts people in seats. The rest is up to you!

Leverage your events to create a buzz.

Got a great idea for an event? You can't hold it in a vacuum! Press releases, ads and invitations will get people there and create a buzz. The more creative you can be with your event, the more "buzzworthy" it becomes. As a very hypothetical example—let's say you decided to host a "Pennies from Heaven" penny stocks seminar. You ask everyone who attends the seminar to bring a jar of pennies (actually, any and all coins are welcome) to donate to a local charity. Your firm agrees to match whatever amount is collected. Voila! You have a great hook for your press releases, ads and invitations. With such a creative and goodwill-inspiring idea, the local newspaper may well show up. And your name becomes known throughout the community.

Consider a creative name change.

Take a look at the business listings in the white pages of your local telephone directory. Do you see lots of names like The Morgan Company, Brown & Associates, Smith & Green, The Anderson Group? Notice that these names say nothing about what they do and who their customers might be. Does your name convey who you are and what makes you different? Now, I'm not suggesting that you adopt a lowbrow name like “Investments R Us.” But, just for the sake of argument, let's say our USP is that you help clients integrate charitable giving strategies into their overall money management plans. Couldn't you call yourself something like The Caring Investment Group, Inc.? It's catchy, to-the-point and immediately conveys what makes you different.

Form a strategic alliance with someone who shares your target market.

Let's say your specialty is advising middle-class families who are concerned about saving for their kids' college educations. Obviously, these families should start saving right away, so you need to catch them when their children are small. You decide to team up with Dayna's Daycare Center. You can work out a deal whereby Dayna invites her customers to attend an exclusive financial planning seminar hosted by none other than you. In return, you hand out brochures about her daycare center (and glowing verbal recommendations) to your clients. Such strategic alliances are practically painless, and all they require is a dash of ingenuity and a pinch of cooperation.

If you consider some of these ideas to be a little "out there" that's just because you've bought into the stereotype that financial services has to be a buttoned-down, humorless industry.

Financial advisors can be very creative with their marketing efforts—and when they are, they reap big rewards. I've had clients adopt my ideas and completely turn their companies around. Yes, money is a serious subject and you must manage it proficiently, but in the final analysis clients interact with people, not profit reports.

Touch them on a human level and they'll see you as having that something extra that your competitors don't. This is what marketing, performed with sincerity, innovation and passion, can do for you.

Editor's Note: You can learn from Maribeth LIVE on December 8th at her special web class:

First 25 to register and pay will get a hard cover copy of The Connectors, absolutely free.

Find out more here:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/586494240

Ready to Increase Your Business By Leaps and Bounds?

2009-11-19T09:03:00.000-08:00

Five Easy Secrets for Delighting Your Clients

Want to increase your business by leaps and bounds? Then go the extra mile and give your clients a rich, compelling experience.

By Maribeth Kuzmeski

If you’re like most business people, you can relate to this scenario. You feel that you do a good job for your clients. You deliver what you promise, you return calls promptly, you offer quality service. So why is your business, well, a bit lackluster lately? Is it just the slow economy? Or are you unwittingly making big mistakes?

The answer may surprise you. Chances are, you’re not doing anything wrong. It’s just that you aren’t doing everything really, really right.

Yes, doing what you’re supposed to do is no longer good enough. If you aren’t giving your clients a rich, compelling experience—if you aren’t absolutely delighting them—you’re going to get left behind. In the Information Age, it’s all too easy to be reduced to a commodity. You have many competitors and people are savvy enough to comparison shop. Factor in the down-turned economy and you can see why you must go the extra mile for your clients.

All of this brings me to why I wrote this free report: I want to share the “tricks of the trade” I’ve learned during my 13 years in this business. Follow them and I guarantee you will turn your company around!

Let me begin my telling you a bit about my personal business philosophy, Red Zone Marketing. It compares the most critical and magnified area on the football field, the Red Zone (the final 20 yards before the goal line) to the most critical and magnified area in business (the unmarked territory where you either lose or win a prospective client). “Create A Client Experience” is the “C” in SCORE—my acronym for the five marketing principles successful companies use to “score” in the Red Zone.

So how can you create rich, rewarding experiences that will keep your clients happy and coming back for more? Here are five tips you should embrace, starting right now:

Live by the “80/20” Rule.

You remember this rule, the one that says businesses get 80% of their revenue from 20% of their clients. Typically, these same businesses spend 60 – 80% of their marketing dollars on prospecting. What a mistake! You should be 80% client-focused and 20% prospect-focused. Otherwise, you’ll end up in a situation where the customers that bring in the bulk of your income feel vaguely dissatisfied. They may very well leave you . . . and even worse, go around telling everyone what a bad experience they had. All of which leads up to my next tip:

Market to your existing clients . . . it pays!

I have a client who has been a financial advisor for more than a dozen years. During his first eight years in business (before I knew him), he had accumulated $10 million in money under management. He was acquiring 80 percent of his new clients by prospect marketing. When we began working together, I advised him to add client marketing to the mix. We put together a marketing system that included regular phone and mail communication to his clients; client-focused seminars and events; open houses; a commitment to periodic client reviews; ongoing client appreciation activities, including notes, letters, cards, gifts and social events.

Within three years after putting this client-marketing plan in place, his business increased from $10 million dollars to $100 million dollars of money under management. In only three years! And it didn’t end there. By the end of the fifth year, he had $200 million dollars under management. The secret was adding client marketing to the mix. Referrals started to stream in, and they were well qualified and within his niche.

Ask your clients what they want.

A novel concept, huh? It’s all too easy to assume that you know what they want. But unless you’re an extremely gifted mind reader, you probably don’t! Clients will consciously and subconsciously rate you on several factors, including satisfaction, delight, service, communication, your staff, etc.

How do you think you rate with your clients? Have you ever thought about discovering their level of satisfaction, and what’s really important to them about you and the business? Asking your clients what they want is the best first step to providing the basics of client marketing. Written questionnaires, personal interviews, focus groups, advisory boards, and evaluation forms are all useful tools to determine what your clients expect or desire, and what would delight them.

Think of imaginative ways to set your business apart.

Will clients want to remember the experience they have at your business? What is it that sets you apart from and above your competition? Let me offer you an example from an entirely different field. I know of a realtor in one of the nation’s fastest growing counties. He has hundreds of competitors, all of whom have access to the same inventory, and whose fees are identical to his. Nevertheless, he’s the first realtor most people in the area call when they’re ready to put their homes on the market.

Unlike his competitors, he doesn’t just show up when someone wants to buy or sell a house. Each spring, every homeowner in the area gets a tiny tree from him to replant in their yards and, in October, a pumpkin, with a note from him, appears on every front porch. In mid-summer, his antique fire engine, loaded with neighborhood kids, is at the head of the local Independence Day parade. Yes, he spends more to market his services than others do, but it isn’t a business expense, it’s an investment – one that pays rich dividends, year after year. He’s become the top realtor in his area because he does what his competitors don’t do – he creates experiences!

Can you think of a similarly creative way to set yourself apart from other professionals in your field?

Establish a KIT (Keep In Touch) Program.

If you tend to sit around and wait for clients to contact you, you’re missing out on some great opportunities to really cement your relationships. Right from the start, plan to wow your clients with a program of proactive communications that will surprise and delight them. In today’s world, the more frequently you contact them, the better the relationship is likely to be. Take the time to regularly contact them, even if the conversation or note is short.

Here are a few suggestions:

Get the email addresses of all your clients and enter them in your email address book. Now, whenever you come across anything that might be of interest to them, you can reach them all in a matter of seconds.

An educated client is a happy client. You can videotape or audiotape regular information or seminars and mail them to your clients. A newsletter is another good way to keep in contact with and educate your clients.
Always take a proactive approach; contact your clients before they contact you. Admit mistakes, take responsibility, and fix problems as quickly as possible – every time. Your recovery itself can represent a positive, memorable experience.
Make sure every member of your team follows the same game plan. If someone in the marketing department faithfully contacts a client or prospect every month, but client service representatives consistently misspell a name, get the address wrong, or fail to follow up on a request or complaint, the company as a whole suffers the consequences.

With a little imagination and a passionate commitment to service, you can create the kinds of client experiences that transform a ho-hum financial services business into a dynamic, thriving one. I urge you to start right now. “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” may be a cliché, but it’s as true today as it’s ever been. The more you delight your clients from the very beginning, the better your long-term relationships will be . . . and the more your company will profit.

Maribeth Kuzmeski, MBA: Maribeth Kuzmeski, President of the consulting firm, Red Zone Marketing, works with the nation’s most successful, million dollar producers to assist them in continuing to grow and systematize their practices. Red Zone Marketing also consults with Broker Dealers and some of the largest mutual fund and annuity companies to plan for their advisor acquisition, retention and impactful messaging and strategy. Maribeth has written 4 books including, “85 Million Dollar Tips for Financial Advisors.” She is a national keynote speaker, has spoken at the Million Dollar Round Table and has created webinars, top advisor toolkits, and other products for MDRT and other industry organizations. Maribeth’s passion is to help financial advisors use their brilliance so they can serve more of their ideal clients.

Be sure to join us on December 8, 2009 for a special web class featuring Maribeth Kuzmeski. Find out more information and learn how to get Maribeth's new book "The Connectors" for free by going here:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/586494240

What Some Advisors Are Doing.. Helping Others

2009-10-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Editor-In-Chief

Having worked in insurance and financial services for over 10 years, I have met thousands of agents and advisors, some with the unique ability to inspire and mentor others. (like Sid Walker, for example, or the Insurance Mavericks)

Today, I'd like to spotlight my friend TRENT FORNTER, a financial professional who seems to have found his true calling as a coach and mentor.

As I have said on numerous occasions, finding a mentor or coach who FITS your personality and shares your values can grow your business EXPONENTIALLY. Nearly every successful person, from Trump to Oprah gives credit for their success to such a mentor.

Some of you might relate to Trent's style. Check out his introductory video here:

Lots Happening This Week: Don't Miss A Thing!

2009-10-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Editor in Chief

You asked for budget-stretching, information-packed web sessions and I and my affiliate partners have stepped up to the plate.

There's just no excuse for not ending the year in a spectacular way when you take away some useful chunks of information from:

The Insurance Mavericks: Thursday, October 22nd. If you weren't one of the 350 plus on the first marketing to business owners webinar, you missed out... Not to worry, though, because on Thursday, the Insurance Mavericks present part 2 of this well-received series:
No cost but you need to register soon:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/829262433

Another free Thursday Webinar:

Also on Thursday: Sid Walker is offering up new Selling Without Wrestling techniques to make your prospecting experience a whole lot better.

How the conventional approach to selling makes it harder to prospect.

The paradigm shift that makes your job a lot more fun and profitable.

Phone language that works to get appointments with the right people.

The shift in perspective that will make you an unstoppable prospector.

TO REGISTER: (copy and paste or click)

http://www.marketerschoice.com/app/?af=796698

October 19-23:

Hear David Frey's interviews with the masters of public relations for nothing, if you listen live between October 19-23. Check here for a list of scheduled speakers and times:

http://nanacast.com/vp/79593/15408/

2009-10-18T20:36:00.001-07:00

just in time for Christmas... check it out
[http://ping.fm/rLyv6]

2009-10-17T12:44:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone, just experimenting with PING here. Check this out! David is great with these...
http://ping.fm/networks/

2009-10-17T12:19:00.001-07:00

hear Raleigh Pinskey and others tell secrets of PR Oct 19:http://ping.fm/QaBqb }

Follow Up Marketing: How to Win More Sales With Less Effort

2009-10-12T06:40:00.000-07:00

by David Frey

A study done by the Association of Sales Executives revealed that 81% of all sales happens on or after the fifth contact. If you're a small business owner and you're only doing one or two follow-ups imagine all the business you're losing.

Not following up with your prospects and customers is the same as filling up your bathtub without first putting the stopper in the drain!

But don't be disheartened if you're among the 90% of business owners I talk to that don't do any follow up. The good news is you have ample room for profitable improvement. Consistent follow-up creates a predictable and profitable stream of prospects and customers that buy.

Small businesses that capture leads and follow-up with them enjoy higher conversion rates and a higher percentage of referrals than those that don't.

After asking many small business owners the reason they don't follow up I often hear responses such as, "I don't have the sales staff to chase down all our leads", or "We're usually too busy to do a lot of follow up."

These responses automatically set off red flags that tell me that they lack a systematic process for following up. The problem is not that they don't have the capacity to follow up with prospects, it's that they don't have the systems in place to do it.

What Does a Good Follow Up System Look Like?

A good follow up marketing system should have three attributes.

It should be systematic, meaning that the follow up process is done the same way every time.

It should generate consistent, predictable results.

It should require minimal physical interaction to make it run, meaning it should be able to run on autopilot.

Sounds like a dream come true for most small business owners doesn't it? Not only can it be done, it's being done every day. The secret to "follow-up marketing" is to make it automatic so that you don't have to lift a finger but the job still gets done.

With today's technology it's simpler than ever. Automating your follow-up processes gives you more time to work "on" your business rather than "in" your business.

Three Types of Follow Ups

There are three types of people you should be following up with, suspects (people in your target marketplace), prospects (people who have responded to your marketing but have not purchased, and customers (people who have purchased something from you.) Each follow up message and offer will be different for each type of person.

With suspects, you'll want to entice them to call you or visit your store / office. With prospects, you need to persuade them to make their first purchase. And with customers, you want to convince them to come back and do more business with you and give your referrals.

Obviously the hardest type of person to follow up with is a suspect because they haven't shown any interest yet in a pool or hot tub and you usually don't have their contact information.

But that's not true with prospects and customers. You not only know who they are, but you should already have their contact information. And if you follow up with your customers with consistency you'll find that they will help you turn your suspects into prospects and prospects into customers for you through referrals.

Your Follow Up Marketing Tools

Your principal follow up marketing tools are the telephone, direct mail, and email. Many pool and hot tub business owners make the mistake of jumping right on the telephone to follow up; however, most prospects don't want a pushy sales message right away and most prospects have been trained to consider anyone who calls up to be a pushy salesperson.

Instead, you should try to develop a relationship of trust with your prospect by quickly sending informational items such as special reports, audio CDs, or videos before you make a phone call.

Remember to always include a "next-step-offer" to accompany your educational materials. If the next step is to visit the store, then entice them with an appropriate offer or if the next step is to call you, entice your prospect to call you immediately.

People move through the buying process in baby steps, especially when considering buying high-ticket items such as hot tubs or pools. Your offer should always help them take the next step.

(rest of the article at: http://www.marketingbestpractices.com/members/473.cfm

*Don't forget David's excellent TELESUMMIT series. You can get all the information, transcripts and recordings for:

Sales Masters:

http://nanacast.com/vp/76073/15408/

Lead Generation Masters

http://nanacast.com/vp/73346/15408/

Twitter Masters:

http://nanacast.com/vp/69482/15408/

How to Find Hire and Manage High Performing Employees
http://nanacast.com/vp/78339/15408/

Twitter Without Tears (TM) Webinar 1

2009-09-29T14:49:00.000-07:00

If you have even thought that Twitter would be a really cool. cheap, way to connect with prospects and clients, but...

you've been afraid that it would take up too much time...

The TWITTER WITHOUT TEARS (tm) Web Class series is for you!

There ARE ways you can automate the Twitter experience...

Some good, some bad.. some in between.

In this 75 minute drill-down, Grouchy shows you three low cost (one is actually NO COST) ways you can improve your traction on Twitter without spending your whole life in front of the computer. (you do enough of that ANYWAY)

You'll learn:

The secret of the CORE FOLLOWER concept and why you must use it if you intend to market on Twitter...

How to grow your followers list EXPONENTIALLY without having to accept every Tom, Dick and Harry who wants to tag along with you

How to automatically VET your followers so you get fewer sleazy folks...

Why services that promise you "10,000 followers for $9.99" should be avoided at all costs

How to set up multiple tweets at once and have them broadcast at intervals YOU determine (set and forget..SWEET!)

How to double your followers without getting KICKED OFF or shut down by the Tweet Police...

Which applications are the best for achieving your Twitter goals

Tammy made tons of mistakes when she first started using Twitter, but YOU DON'T HAVE to.

This is a private PAID webinar- part of the GUM Mastermind Series ($27 fee includes all texts and bonuses) that will save you loads of time and frustration)

Title:		Twitter: How to Set It And Forget It!

Date:		Thursday, October 15, 2009

Time:		11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDT

Simple Note Card Webinar

2009-09-27T07:20:00.001-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

Thursday's webinar with Katherine Vessenes turned out to be one of the most popular of the year as she demonstrated that old school marketing CAN and DOES work to attract clients.

Katherine provided some real world examples, including her own story of how she built a law practice in the boondocks from scratch, using nothing except note cards.

You can get the full recording for nothing if you download it by October 6, 2009. Just go here:

http://budurl.com/vesrecording

Grouchy's "Kitchen Sink Kollection"

2009-09-22T09:39:00.000-07:00

The Only Time I Will Ever Do This..

As I explained to some of you in a recent email, my annoyance with school fundraising has piqued to the point where I decided to do my own FUNDRAISING EFFORT..

I am calling it "Grouchy's Kitchen Sink" with the lion's share of the proceeds going to my kid's teeny tiny school out in the sticks. They don't get any stimulus or tax funds, so they DO need it..
I just don't feel like selling cookie dough, that's all.

This isn't a trick to try and up-sell you or cross-sell you or lure you into some recurring billing subscription or whatever... it is, like me,

PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

I have opened the Grouchy vaults and am giving you a pile of great marketing stuff- stuff that I could probably sell, piece by piece, for three times what I am asking here.

This is for a great cause, though- keeping me from having to annoy my relatives by foisting tubs of dough on them.

You benefit- because I have gathered together some of the best of my webinars (and 2 brand new ones never before offered to the public) along with links to Goldmails, training, ebooks and lots of other goodies. It's a whole marketing university for less that a month's worth of lattes at your local foo-foo cafe.

I won't do this again... It's too much work for one thing. So, if you want to help yourself AND help out a great cause at the same time, order now!

You Get:

1. 2 "Celebrity Positioning" Webinar recordings with Matthew Sapaula (one of them was a
private presentation never offered before) Matthew, a real agent and up-and-coming
media celebrity is a great presenter and full of insider tips on how to get yourself known.

2. Podcast with Matthew. (my informal interview with Matthew in which he shares how he uses
social media to grow his business and attract the media.

3. Webinar recording: Shama Hyder: Everything You Know About Social Media Is Wrong...
probably. Superb information from a leading authority on using social media to market.

4. Webinar Recording: Making Money in A Market Downturn with Peter Vessenes: Peter shares
his thoughts on why advisors and agents MUST get better at office practices and procedures
in order to make their practices more profitable.

5. "3 Ways You Can Create An Endless Annuity Leadflow"- Private training with Annuity.com's
Bill Broich.

6. (NEW) Katherine Vessenes' webinar on using simple notecards to generate more business.
(available after Thursday, September 24th)

7. David Frey Referral Webinar with Tammy (MP3 and slides)

8. Deltina Hay's Social Media Webinar- awesome "how-to" webinar with social media expert
Deltina Hay.

9. Raleigh Pinskey Secrets of Public Relations interview with Tammy (MP3)

10. NEW! Demystifying Squiddo with Tammy (webinar recording)

$270 worth of webinar recordings...

And.. you also get:

Tammy's EBOOK bag with tons of ebooks and reports, including: Twitter for Beginners,
Unleashing the Idea Virus, The Joy of Squidoo, Micrcontinuity Free report, 1001 Ways to Wow the Media and LOTS MORE.. (even some super secret cool stuff in here!)

Value $100.00 plus!

But, as they say on TV.. I'm not stopping there. I am also sending you links to my 10 minute "juicy bites" Goldmails- stuff you can listen to right away.. short and sweet and easy to digest!

You get the 4 Part Goldmail series on Celebrity Positioning as well as:

3 Must Have Twitter Applications
Marketing on A Shoestring
Marketing With Social Media
How to Use Twitter Hashtags
The NEER Method of Getting Referrals

OK.. so it's a ton of stuff and those of you who have bought marketing stuff online before know that it would cost you a lot more that the $127.00 I am asking.

Not gonna try and upsell you or trick you or even gather your credit card info.

And, it's for a good cause, too. So click the buttton below. As soon as your payment has cleared, you'll get the download instructions.

Thanks for your help and I hope you will use these materials and make piles of money.

More Great Stuff to Expand Your Mind...

2009-09-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

Hey Gang!

Two free webinars coming up that you won't want to miss. On the same day, no less...

But here's the deal: register for both of them and you'll get recordings, even if you can't attend

KATHERINE VESSENES Presents: "How to Use Simple Note Cards to Attract and Retain Clients" Thursday, August 24th at 11AM Pacific, 1PM Central, 2PM Eastern.

No cost- Register at:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/966562760

Sid Walker's NEW CONTENT Webinar, Thursday

Sid Walker's free WEBINAR is:

How to Overcome Prospecting Avoidance and Make the Calls You Need to Make!

FREE BONUS: Psych Yourself Up to Prospect (ebook, $27 value)

DATE: Thursday Afternoon, September 24, 2009.

TIME: 12pm PT • 1pm MT • 2pm CT • 3pm ET

COST: FREE

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• How the conventional approach to selling makes it harder to prospect.

• The paradigm shift that makes your job a lot more fun and profitable.

• Phone language that works to get appointments with the right people.

• The shift in perspective that will make you an unstoppable prospector.

TO REGISTER of for More Information, Click the link below:

http://www.marketerschoice.com/app/?af=796698

Hope you can join us,

WHO IS SID WALKER? And, why would you listen to him!?

• Sid is a champion of the consultative, relationship-building style of selling and self-promotion. His battle-cry is: “Your main job today is to help the client make informed decisions that feel right to the client!”

• Sid has successfully coached over 2,500 financial services reps including hundreds of the top people in the business.

• Sid is the author of six books on topics including: interviewing to get more client commitment, how to develop the confidence to prospect for bigger clients, overcoming call reluctance and the fear of self-promotion, and how to “get on a roll” and “stay on a roll” selling financial products.

Frey's Telesummits..A Great Idea

2009-09-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

I got a few emails from people asking if the David Frey Twitter and Sales Telesummits recordings and transcripts are still available.

Yes, they are and here is where you can go to download them:

Twitter Telesummit Recordings

http://nanacast.com/vp/68957/15408/
Sales Telesummit Recordings

http://nanacast.com/vp/74743/15408/

More Links for Your Marketing Pleasure:

NO COST COACHING SERIES PREVIEW WEBINAR :September 24th:

Katherine Vessenes, former compliance attorney, financial planner, and author will show us how simple and inexpensive things like writing note cards, can get us loads of warm leads. Katherine actually built up her first law practice using these techniques, and even in the digital age- they still work if you do them the right way.

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/966562760

Insurance Mavericks LIVE...in Salt Lake City

www.insurancemarketingmaverick.com/implement

Sid Walker's Selling Without Wrestling Free 7 Day Trial (this rocks!)
http://www.marketerschoice.com/app/?af=796698

Speaking Tip: Getting Rid of Ummms and Uhs...

2009-08-21T21:50:00.001-07:00

Insurance Mavs On Gravitational Marketing's WTF

2009-08-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

Our friends Brett and Ethan get down to bidness with those crazy Gravitational Marketing dudes and offer us some very good advice on using video to attract leads...
Check out more videos and tips at the Gravitational Marketing Website:

Also, you can learn lots from the Insurance Mavericks. Visit their website at:
https://ironfist.infusionsoft.com/go/prod_vid_3/grouchy/

Social Media Stinger Strategy

2009-08-10T09:13:00.000-07:00

Some of you will really benefit from Jim and Travis' approach to social media... If you like what you see.. get on the mailing list at:

http://tinyurl.com/ngqgby

Betsy McCaughey on the Truth of the Healthcare Plan

2009-08-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

From Shama- 10 Surefire Ways to LOSE Twitter Followers

2009-08-07T18:47:00.000-07:00

How to Lose a Follower in 10 Tweets – or Less

by Shama Kabani
www.clicktoclient.com

Everyone is talking about how to get Twitter followers – but do you know the fastest way to lose them? Here are 10 bullet proof tweets to make someone unfollow you. Fast!

1) Get 30,000 followers overnight! Click here !!!!

2) Do NOT Pay For Teeth Whitening!!! Learn the trick discovered by a mom to turn yellow teeth white for $5.

3) Day 1: Trying out this tweeter thing…. Day 3: Sign up for my social media course today and you too can be an expert!

4) F***. Bootie. F***.

5) Hey BFF like F4EVE is so MIA like RN

6) Real Estate available in your town!!! Check out this property for peanuts.

7) Mom Makes $63 Per Hour and $5,500 a month Online From Home! Read Her Story Here To Find Out How To Do It (even YOUR mom may unfollow you after this one…)

8) Want to lose fat fast? We know you hate your abs! Click here!

9) D-M @Dopey I HATE @Sleepy. Oops! that DM ended up being public.

10) Today is my birthday. Please help me get more followers. Please RT! Please?! Pretty please?

We promise that a combination of these tweets above, applied consistently over time can help you reach 0 followers in no time! No need to thank us. Gift baskets appreciated.

Why You SHOULD Be Using Send Out Cards to Attract Clients AND Make Extra Money

2009-08-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

New Mastermind Site Beta

2009-08-04T18:11:00.001-07:00

The TNT Girls Talk Social Media, Part 2

2009-07-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

Matthew Sapaula Brings It!

2009-07-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

Chicago's Matthew Sapuala

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

If you were on this week's call with Matthew Sapaula, you got a treat. This talented young advisor offered us a peek into the mindset that brought him from being a laid-off stockbroker to a sought-after financial expert interviewed on national television.

Matthew demonstrated first hand why celebrity positioning is the fastest, and most cost-effective (in terms of leveraging your time and marketing dollars) way to get to the head of the pack and why investing in yourself is the most important thing you can ever do for your business.

Check out the recording if you haven't already. (link expires on August 5, so do it now!) I also included some of the other bonuses we offered, just for you FAN readers.

Thanks for your support!

Here is the link for 2009-07-28 09.57 How to Own Your Niche Through Celebrity Positioning_ A 7 Figure Agent Reveals His Rise From Laid Off to On Top_

https://download.yousendit.com/dVlxRGw5R0ZQb0pMWEE9PQ

Here is the link for Niches pdf.pdf:

https://download.yousendit.com/dVlxRGw5OW56NE9Ga1E9PQ

Here is the link for foolproofpresentations.pdf:

https://download.yousendit.com/dVlxRGw5OW5laFNGa1E9PQ

Here is the link for 2008-10-29 10.44#B How to Use Automation to Get and Keep More Clients

https://download.yousendit.com/dVlxRGw5OW5CTWwzZUE9PQ

Try the Same Stay In Touch System Used By Matthew Sapaula, Mavericks, and Tammy...for FREE

http://www.sendoutcards.com/50147

For More Information:

http://www.socreview.com/grouchymarketinglady

http://www.socreferral.com/grouchymarketinglady

Life Health Advisor Interviews Grouchy

2009-07-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

(this is part of an interview I did recently with LIFE HEALTH ADVISOR magazine online
http://www.lifehealth.com)

By Carolyn Ellis
Life Health Advisor Magazine

Tammy de Leeuw, aka The Grouchy Marketing Lady, helps insurance agents and business owners with marketing tools and techniques to generate leads and client referrals. As a consultant and teacher, she analyzes financial professionals' marketing materials, maps a strategy for building referrals, and recommends experts in all media to implement marketing initiatives. De Leeuw's light-hearted and meaty website is www.grouchymarketinglady.com

L&HA: How did you get into insurance marketing?

TDL: I started out as a part-time insurance agent in 1996. I found out I didn't like insurance as much as I liked marketing. Once you have exhausted your warm market and alienated all the people who love you, the hard part is learning to generate your own leads. I then took a job in lead generation and marketing. I met thousands of agents and listened to their triumphs and sob stories. I decided if the day ever came that I wasn't working for this company I would go out on my own. As it turned out, that company got dissolved, and little by little I grew a business.

L&HA: Tell us about The Grouchy Marketing Lady.

TDL: I work with about 25,000 financial advisors and insurance agents ranging from property and casualty to life-only sales people, annuity-only, and viaticals. You name it; I've got them on my list. I find people these agents can connect with to grow their business, and I find the weak spots in their marketing systems. I consult and I educate. I see myself as an expert in finding experts. I'm like a general practitioner in marketing. I can look at your marketing and see where the problem is. But if it's a tumor, I am going to put it to the brain surgeon. I have identified the best people in psychology, customer relationships, and social media, for example. I bring those people on, do webinars with them, form a joint venture if they had a good product or service, and present them to my list.

L&HA: Is prospecting tough for most agents?

TDL: Most corporations put guys into the field having taught them everything about how to close the sale but nothing about keeping a pipeline full. Put these agents in a room, and they can close eight out of 10. The weak spot is lead generation. If you learn to generate your own leads and grow your own warm circle, you are much better off.

The guys that get that make a lot of money. No matter how many degrees they have or how many alphabet letters after their name, at the heart of it, they are marketers. If you think and act like a marketer, the rest will follow....

(rest of the interview at: http://www.lifehealth.com/page3_profile.0709.htm)

The TNT Show: Social Media With Tammy and Tania

2009-07-17T22:11:00.001-07:00

"Say All There Is To Say, Then Let The Chips Fall Where They May..."

2009-07-09T07:46:00.000-07:00

by Sid Walker

Selling Without Wrestling

In the 1998 romantic fantasy, Meet Joe Black, Anthony Hopkins plays a mega media mogul who is about to die at a relatively young age. As the movie opens, Brad Pitt is a sales rep sitting in a coffee shop who by chance meets Hopkin's daughter, a young medical doctor played by Claire Forlani.

Pitt and Forlani have a love at first sight connection. They part but never get each other's names. Pitt then walks away from the coffee shop, gets hit by a bus and dies instantly. This provides a body that the personality of "Death" can take to come and get Hopkins. So Death (in Brad Pitt's body) ends up at the Hopkins estate and appears to be a friend of Hopkins.

Claire Forlani can't believe that the guy she met in the coffee shop is a friend of her Dad's. Pitt, now with his body inhabited with the personality of Death (not the guy in the coffee shop) and Forlani fall in love. Forlani knows something isn't quite right, but is so in love she ignores her intuitive warnings.

At a critical point in the movie, Hopkins confronts Death, who is in love with his daughter, and asks him what his plans are for her. Surely she can't have a long-term relationship with Death.

Death says that they love each other. Hopkins explodes and says that what they have isn't love because she doesn't know who he really is. She is in love with the guy she met at the coffee shop not Death. He further explains that love is knowing everything there is to know about someone and only then can the other person choose to be your partner based on who you really are.

I won't spoil the ending in case you never saw the movie. My brief description of the story can't capture the great acting and opulence of this visually spectacular epic. It is worth a look, or a re-look.

So why have I added movie critic to my long list of duties? If you are a Relationship-builder in your approach to sales rather than a Client-Controller, you care more about people and your relationship with the client than you do about making the sale. Sure you want to make the sale, but you are not going to do everything you can to get your client to buy like a Client-Controller would. You are going to help your client make an educated decision that feels right to them and trust their decision whatever it is. This is the basic premise of the Selling Without Wrestling^® approach.

It occurred to me that this is the same point that Hopkins was trying to get across to the personality of Death in Brad Pitt's body. You say everything there is to say to the person you care about. You tell them everything there is to know about you, and then let the "chips fall where they may." (You trust the other person to do what feels right to them.)

As a Relationship-Builder, you find out everything you can about your client's finances, how they feel about what they are doing with their money, and what their hopes and dreams are. You find out what they want that they don't have. You show them options on the best ways to achieve their goals. You educate them on the pros and cons of the best options. You make them aware of the consequences of not doing anything. And then, at the end of all that, you ask them to make a decision based on what feels right to them. You and your client, "say everything there is to say to each other, then let the chips fall where they may."

I once coached a woman named Leslie who was selling Long Term Care insurance with some Client-Controller types. They were doing a very aggressive one-call close sales approach. She was dedicated to the concept of Long Term Care insurance and what it could do for people. She was very technically astute about the products and had been a nurse for many years prior. But she felt horrible using the tactics of the Client-Controllers.

After hearing Leslie relate all the frightening details of the aggressive approach being used by the Client-Controllers, I asked her this question. Could you have an appointment with your parents tonight and help them make an objective decision about whether or not they should own Long Term Care Insurance? She said, "Absolutely!" I said, that is all you ever need to do with anyone!

I said go help people make an educated, objective decision that feels right to them. This isn't about trying to sell everyone you talk to. This is about helping people make the decision that feels right to them. If it turns out to be a sale, great. And it often will with this approach!

If the conversation doesn't turn into a sale, you have still succeeded in helping someone make an informed decision that feels right to them. What often happens when you treat people with this level of honor and respect, is that they will find something else they need to buy and you end with the sale of another product.

And who is more likely to be willing to give you referrals, someone who has just been hammered into a corner, or someone who really appreciates you for the approach you have taken and the help you have given them in making an informed decision that feels right to them.

Rent the video Meet Joe Black. It will give you an analogous metaphor to hold the power of the low-key approach. (This movie isn't violent but it isn't for kids.)

As to Leslie's success...I talked to her a few weeks after we had our conversation. She left the Client-Controller's to work on her own selling Long Term Care and was making one or more sales a week without all the trauma and drama!

Enjoy your summer,

PS: If you'd like to get Sid Walker's free ebook: "How to Psych Yourself Up for Prospecting" go to this link : http://www.sellingwithoutwrestling.com/psychyourselfup.htm.

Useful Ideas from the Blogosphere and Upcoming Fan Events...

2009-07-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

Why You MUST Put Your Agency On Autopilot

by Tom Wiecek
Agency Autopilot

Don’t you love it when sales happen out of the blue? Like when someone calls in and wants you to sell them a policy. They don’t waver or concern themselves on how much it’s going to cost. They just want it and they want it now.

Well, this has been happening a lot in my agency lately. We’re getting clients that we’ve had a long time, calling our office and telling us exactly what they want. Just the other day, we got an email from a client that said, “I need a million dollar 30 year term policy and I need to get this handled today”. That was the easiest $1400+ commission I’ve ever made. Cross selling policies to our current clients has jumped an astounding 17% last month with no effort from my staff except quoting and issuing the policies. They’re not calling anyone or sending letters. Just taking the calls and writing policies.

How can you make this happen in your agency?...

(see the rest at: http://www.insurancemarketingmaverick.com/use-systems-for-automatic-sales/#more-506)

Your name matters to your prospects. Or does it?

by Jeffrey Gitomer

Here is a question I’ve received more than a hundred times in one form or another: How do I make a (better) name for myself?

Here is the premise, the definition, and the answer: In sales it’s not who you know, in sales it’s who knows you.

The challenge is not just making a name for yourself or building your brand; it’s building the components that generate that name. How do you achieve more recognition, more notoriety, and a better reputation in your market and your community? Those are the elements that lead to a better name.

And to be clear, I’m talking about a better name for both company and individual.

There are no easy answers. And there are very few answers that don’t require commitment, planning, and work -- hard work....

(rest of article at: http://www.gitomer.com/articles/ThisWeeksColumn.html)

Don't Miss A One of These Upcoming Events!

Learn three MORE Ways to Use Send Out Cards to Grow Your Business on July 15th. This is a special evening webinar hosted by agent Robert Breiner and Tammy de Leeuw. (Cost: Nothing) https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/354755456

How to Own Your Niche Through Celebrity Positioning: A 7 Figure Agent Reveals His Rise From Laid Off to Top Earner -On JULY 28th, join agent and financial planner MATTHEW SAPAULA as he explores celebrity positioning. Register or learn more: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/533713777

Selling Without Wrestling Society: No Cost Live Preview With Sid Walker on July 16th: Learn some of the language that has helped agents and advisors increase their closing ratios by as much as 70%! http://www.marketerschoice.com/app/?af=796698

Create An Instant Flood of High Quality Referrals

2009-07-01T08:18:00.000-07:00

by David Frey
Marketing Best Practices

Let me tell you a story about a friend of mine who
generated an INSTANT flood of super high quality
referrals in just one day with very little effort and
how you can do the exact same thing that he did.

Not long ago I received a phone call from a friend of
mine in California who was going through a down time in
his business.

He called to ask me for some advice, knowing that I was
in the business of helping people market their
businesses.

My friend is an independent professional who does great
work, but is not a great marketer and doesn't do a lot
of networking. (In fact, he hates networking.)

So I asked him if he had a friend who sold
complimentary products or services to the same people
that he wanted as his clients. He, of course, had
several friends that did that.

So I then revealed to him the secret of one of the most
powerful referral strategies known to man, which is
guaranteed to work 100% of the time in generating a
flood of new referrals for your business.

I've seen this strategy used and I've used it myself
dozens of times and every single time, IT WORKS!

And it just doesn't just produce a trickle of
referrals. It turns on the faucet of referrals. I mean
it instantly generates a flood of high quality
referrals.

It's simply the fastest, easiest, and most effective
way to generate a large quantity of hot, qualified
referrals for your business that I know.

________________________________________________

Here's the "Instant Referrals" Secret Strategy
________________________________________________

The "Instant Referrals" strategy is pretty simple. In
fact, it's so simple that anyone can do it in just a
few hours.

STEP 1. Find a fried who is also a professional that
sells complimentary products and services to the same
people that you sell to. (Actually, this isn't
mandatory, but it helps.)

STEP 2. Ask your friend if they would like to
experience a flood of referrals for their business. If
they say, "Yes" (and why wouldn't they), then simply
tell them that if they are willing to recommend you to
all their clients and customers, you would be more than
happy to do the same for them.

STEP 3. Create a simple, low or no risk offer like a
free trial, a free assessment, or a free sample of your
product.

STEP 4. Create a card recommending your friend and
their products or services and extending their low risk
offer to your clients. Have your friend do the same
thing. (Better yet, do it for them.)

Here's a great example of a "recommend card."

http://www.TheReferralNewsletter.com/a/recommend.jpg

(copy and paste the link into your browser)

STEP 5. Send your "recommend card" to your entire list
of clients and customers and have your referral partner
send their recommend card to their list of clients and
customers.

The day your recommend card hits the streets, both you
and your referral partners phones will start ringing.
This is a guaranteed, foolproof way to generate a lot
of referrals in a short period of time.

STEP 6. Rinse and repeat. You can do this exact same
strategy with many independent professionals. Think
of all the professionals that you do business with
and that deserve your endorsement. Each one of them
is a candidate to apply this strategy.

NOTE: Don't be afraid to send multiple mailings to
your clients and customers. They'll appreciate you
for introducing them to a great resource.

___________________________________________________

How to Double the Response of Your Recommend Card
___________________________________________________

It's simple to to double the response of your recommend
card. The day after you do the recommend card mailing,
you get together in an office that has two phone lines
and start calling every person that you sent the card
to and personally recommend your referral partner.

I've witnessed professionals get 30 plus super high
quality referrals in just one day doing this method.

All you have to say on the phone is who you are (they
should know you) and you let them know that you've
sent them a card introducing them to someone that you
highly recommend. You can even leave a message on their
message machine.

Another option is to wait until the card hits people's
homes and then make calls. These calls are a bit more
serious because you actually try to set up appointments
for you referral partner, if possible.

___________________________________________

Why the Instant Referrals Strategy Works
___________________________________________

The reason this referral strategy works so well is
because you are basically "borrowing" your referral
partners reputation and relationships with their
clients.

You see, people will do business with people that are
recommended by a trusted friend or business associate.
This is a simple and easy way to tap into the
relationships of another business professional.

And you would be amazed at how many of your current
business friends and associates would jump at the
chance to have YOU mail out a recommend card endorsing
them to all your clients.

There's no reason why you can't do this four to five
times a year. So let's just say, for conversation sake
that you do this strategy with four other professionals
who have a customer list of around 400 people.

And let's say that for every mailing you get about 5%
of the people to call you. That comes out to 80 high
quality referrals! Imagine what that kind of referral
surge could do to your business!

___________________________________________________

How to Automate Your Instant Referrals Campaign
___________________________________________________

Using Send Out Cards you can literally automate
this entire process and complete a high impact endorsed
mailing in less than 20 minutes.

Here's how...

First, take a digital photograph of you and your
referral partner.

Second, upload that photo using "Picture Plus" in
www.sendoutvcards.com and create a heartfelt, personal
card from your customer.

Select the link below to watch a quick video demo of
how to create a Picture Plus card with
Send Out Cards.

http://www.PicturePlusDemo.com

(copy and paste the link into your browser)

Third, upload your list of customers and your referral
partners list of customer into two new groups in your
contact manager in Send Out Cards.

Fourth, attach your new groups to your new recommend
Picture Plus cards and hit the "Send" button.

You're done.

That's it.

_____________________________________________________

Isn't It About Time You Started Using SendOutCards?
______________________________________________________

Send Out Cards has the ability to literally transform
your business forever.

It's a simple tool that allows you to generate
referrals, almost on demand.

Select the link below to review the three sign up
options that www.SendOutCards.com offers.

http://www.SignUpOptionsVideo.com

(copy and paste the link into your browser)

P.S. If you'd like to see a demo of how to create
a custom card in Send Out Cards, be sure to attend the live
webcast "3 More Ways to Use Send Out Cards to Grow Your Business"
with Robert Breiner and Tammy de Leeuw on July 15th. It's free
and it is in THE EVENING this time.

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/354755456

______________________

I Squidoo...You Should Too!

2009-06-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Social Marketing Mentor

By now, you've probably heard of SQUIDOO, the nifty Web 2.0 site founded by my marketing hero SETH GODIN. Some of you may have even put up a lens or two just to test the waters.

But...

I am betting only a handful of you actually "get it", "it" being the tremendous marketing and SEO potential afforded by Squidoo.

Squidoo is one of those Web 2.0 tools that cost you nothing, yet has the potential to help you sell tons of products and services...provided you take the time to do it right.

CONTENT IS KING

Squidoo allows anyone to make a nice-looking webpage, called a "lens" with little to no knowledge of HTML. However, this "anyone can do it" accessibility means that the quality of lenses can vary wildly. In order for you to effectively market on Squidoo, you must stand out from the poorly written "pitch" pages by focusing on providing useful content.

Squidoo lens content can be created easily in the form of an article. A good way to promote your particular product or service, for example, would be to write a quality review of the product, with an emphasis on how it can help a prospect solve his or her particular problem.

The same goes if you are a consultant or service provider. Talk about a pspecific problem, then DEMONSTRATE how your expertise is able to address that problem. You might write an article called "Three Ways Estate Planning Can Help Your Heirs Avoid Taxes" and give real-life examples of people who were helped by you as an estate planner.

People are on the internet looking for clear, logical, and HELPFUL information, for understanding and insight , and for solutions for their own problems. The more "ah-ha's" you can generate from your lens, the more useful it will be to you as a marketing tool.

USE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS

Another way to make Squidoo work better for your business is to make sure that all your lenses have at least one good-quality photo related to the article and one video. You can post your videos directly from You Tube. If you don't have any of your own videos yet, choose one from an expert in your field that backs up what your lens says. Watch the video BEFORE you choose it, to ensure that the information complements your lens and does not contain anything inappropriate or contradictory.

USE SQUIDOO'S RSS FEATURE TO FEED YOUR BLOGPOSTS

If you have a blog, you should absolutely take advantage of Squidoo's RSS feature, which allows you to feed headlines from your blog directly into your lens. This provides additional interesting content for your readers and drives traffic to your blog. How cool is that?

Be Sure to Have A Guestbook

Squidoo allows you to post a guestbook and to monitor comments. DO THIS! It is a well-known fact of marketing that comments and ratings play a huge role in generating traffic. When you post your new lens to Facebook or Twitter, be sure to encourage your readers to comment.

When used as directed, Squidoo is one of the best free marketing tools around, one which you can effectively use to attract prospects and convert them into clients.

See Squidoo In Action:

http://www.squidoo.com/referralsgalore

http://www.squidoo.com/tweetbyandby

http://www.squidoo.com/sendandreceive

Stuff You Won't Want to Miss

2009-06-19T07:08:00.000-07:00

Don't Miss These Great Events And Downloads from FAN:

June 23rd: "What You MUST Do In Social Media...If You Do Nothing Else"
presented by the Insurance Mavericks and Deltina Hay

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/725479921

July 15th: "3 More Ways You Can Use Send Out Cards In Your Business"

Robert"Mas Loco" Breiner and Tammy de Leeuw present an all-new webinar on
more ways to use Send Out Cards in your business. (we've just scratched the surface!)
This special EVENING webinar will examine 3 new ideas for using the ULTIMATE REFERRAL SYSTEM in your biz.

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/354755456

Last Chance for these Free Downloads: (you must download by June 28th)

*New "How to Market Without Breaking the Bank" private webinar download
http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=UmNJT2pBdWNVbTlMWEE9PQ

Making Money In A Down Economy With Peter Vessenes
https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=UmNMYURBdWMwVWwzZUE9PQ

10 Tips To Writing Effective Newsletters...
https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=UmNKSXQ5dEMyWGRMWEE9PQ

5 Costly Mistakes That Will Tank Your Direct Mail- And How to Overcome Them

2009-06-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

Before you whip out cash for direct mail..make sure you know what NOT to do!

by Brett Kitchen

Insurance Mavericks

Over the years, I have received lots of feedback regarding direct mail, with the majority of the messages telling me how misguided I am in thinking that direct mail can still be effective in this age of NEW MEDIA.

I read horror stories of some agent or advisor dropping five grand on a direct mail campaign and not getting even one response; of advisors getting ripped off by list companies, of sending out 3,000 seminar invitations and getting only 5 people to show up. The complaints against direct mail go ON AND ON AND ON.

So, I invited a few of the naysayers to let me take a long hard look at their campaigns to figure out just what was happening. In so doing, I uncovered many of the same old direct mail marketing mistakes that, no matter how much I preach against them, continue to plague some of you.

Here are just five of the common direct mail mistakes I uncovered that will at best severely limit the effectiveness of your campaigns and at worst may ensure that you get a BIG FAT ZERO in the conversion column (the only one that counts, by the way)

Avoid these mistakes and you will go a long way in your quest to move the needle with a direct mail campaign.

1. It's the list, baby! It would seem that even the greenest of direct mail marketers would grasp this truism: Garbage in=garbage out. Yet, I see marketers cutting corners again and again when it comes to buying lists.

This is tantamount to buying cut-rate cement for the foundation of your house. It may save money in the beginning, but sooner or later it is going to crumble and destroy the rest of what you have built. Make sure you buy a list from a reputable mailhouse.

Do some research, get some referrals and testimonials, ask a few questions. Understand your niche well and make sure the list supplier is able to filter down the list as much as possible in order to reach that niche. Also make sure the vendor is CASS (Coding Accuracy Support System) certified by the US Postal Service. (for more on CASS go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CASS)

2. Failure to SEED your list... At the very least, you should ALWAYS include yourself on every mailing list you use. I like to seed my list with other names as well (friends, family, employees). It puzzles me that many agents and advisors never think to do this, but it is a crucial component of the process..because...

How else will you discover whether your mailing was delivered in a timely manner-on the day of the week YOU specified?

3. No tracking mechanism... I look at a lot of direct mail pieces in the course of a week and am surprised that so many of them lack a tracking code, 800#, web link, PURL,or some other way to measure that particular campaign.

Tracking IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL, especially if you're involved in multiple marketing campaigns. If you don't know what campaign produced what result- how can you know whether or not you should tweak it, repeat it, or eliminate it?

4. No Call to Action... Your marketing piece is beautiful, the photos grab attention, the copy is smooth, edited, perfected...

SO WHAT?

Your target audience might be impressed enough to READ it- but that alone is not enough to motivate them to DO SOMETHING (which is, after all, the whole point of direct mail, right?)

You MUST offer something that gets the prospect out of his or her chair and over to the phone.

What do YOU think is more effective, saying "Call Gary Smith today for a quote on your homeowner's insurance" or saying "STOP! Before you purchase ANY homeowners insurance, read our free report "Three Costly Mistakes Homeowners Make When Purchasing Insurance" ?

5. Failure to Follow Through and Follow Up...Perhaps you are a seasoned direct mail veteran and you have your act together better than most. Your seminars get filled and your direct mail pulls over 2%.

Now, you have a coffer full of prospects, eager to meet with you and hand over their wallets.

The question is- do you have a plan to follow through with them? Did you put an instant fulfillment system in place? Hire an assistant to call up everyone who responded to make appointments?

I know an insurance agent in Boston who confided to me that he had over 300 leads generated from direct mail that he had NEVER CONTACTED- 300 now nearly-useless leads because he never put a system in to ensure that no leads went untouched. Conversion doesn't occur in a vacuum- you need to have a system in place to make it happen.

Plan for your SUCCESS in direct mail and be sure you have a system in place to follow up on each and every lead immediately. To do anything else is a gross waste of your time, money, and brainpower.

Eliminate all of these common direct mail blunders and you will be on your way to proving to yourself, once and for all, that direct mail WORKS FOR YOU.

What if the best way to make sales is not what we've been trained to think?

2009-06-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

by Sid Walker

What if the conventional wisdom about what makes people buy is actually what is holding us back from our real potential? (At one point the conventional wisdom was that the world was flat!)

What if we have been mislead to think that the only way to make sales is talk people into buying things?

What if the reality is that people know they need to buy our products and they just need legitimate help in discovering what they want to buy?

What if our discomfort with prospecting and asking for referrals is the result of a misunderstanding of how the process really works?

What if our job is simply to offer our ability to help people and see who wants our help?

What if all we need to do is to present the opportunity of working with us and the right people will say, 'Yes, I would like some help?

What if we can't say the wrong thing to the right person?

What if our clients are waiting for us to call on them and present the opportunity to work together?

What if the thing people really want from us is to show them how our products might help their situation without any pressure to buy?

What if our job is to simply help people make informed decisions that feel right to them?

What if the way to triple our income to simply help people decide what they want to buy next without any sales pressure?

What if most of the sales process is really out of our control and we have been taught to try to control it?

What if trying to control what people do actually makes people find more reasons not to buy than reasons to buy?

What if the main reason people don't buy is because they feel we are trying to sell them what we want them to have rather than what they want to buy?

What if sales pressure makes the client feel like we care more about the commission than helping them get what they want?

What if they number of people who will buy triples when we take away the sales pressure?

What if the Universe is standing by watching to see how we approach people and rewards us according to our approach?

What if the approach we were taught to use is really not the most effective?

What if we made the most important part of our job to help people make informed decisions that feel right them? Is there any way that could fail?

What if we actually could not fail if we let go of trying to control the process?

What if our ability to go to the next level in our practice is the willingness to let go of trying to control the process and simply help people make educated decisions that feel right them, which includes doing nothing?

What if making sales is really much easier than we ever imagined and we have been taught to make it hard and complicated by well-meaning but misguided people who are unknowingly attached to an approach based on scarcity?

What if all we need to do to make more sales is trust our instincts, trust our heart, teach people want they need to know to make a good decision and then help them get what feels right to them?

What if we are missing out on great wealth, the smiling faces of happy clients, and our own peace of mind, due to a small misperception?

What if all we ever wanted from our career, is just a new thought away?

What if I am right? Are you willing to let go of your fears, your doubts, your skepticism, your proof that it can't be that easy, and risk giving it a try?

What if all you need to do is to trust what feels deeply right to you and stop listening to what others think is right?

What if you are the only one in the world who really knows what is right for you?

Your new clients, the ones you haven't met yet, are waiting for you to call! They need your help. They don't want to be sold. They want you to care more about them than the commission. They want you to help them make informed decisions that feel right to them. Would you be willing to exceed your goals by helping others get what they want rather than thinking you need to talk them into what you are "supposed" to sell them?

Let me know what you think of this piece! Send me an email. Your feedback means a lot to me.

Have a productive June,

Toll-free: 866-674-9479
sid@sidwalker.com

PS: Be sure to check out my ALL NEW, content-packed preview session on Thursday, June 11.

This Is Too Funny!

2009-06-04T11:06:00.001-07:00

Mavs Are Back- They Aren't Bad- Just Misunderstood...

2009-06-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

By popular demand, the Insurance Mavericks , Brett Kitchen and Ethan Kap, have re-opened their Alliance program for a limited time to agents and advisors who want and need to get...

MORE LEADS!

Agents who got in last go-round and who actually USE the system are reporting huge increases in their bottom lines, and are having loads more fun in their businesses. The Mavericks have done all the work for you- spending a lot of their own time and money to find what does and does not work in marketing your insurance or financial practice.

You Should Give This A Try!

I don't know where you are in your business. Maybe you just need a few proven direct mail strategies, or to get a handle on doing better seminars, or a sympathetic shoulder to cry on.
The Mavericks' Alliance program offers a tremendous amount of those types of resources, and a lot more.

I first got involved with Ethan and Brett because I sensed that they really do care about helping those in our industry make more money and enjoy their businesses more. Time has proven that this is indeed the case- they LOVE IT when agents call in to report their successes or offer their own ideas.

For a marketing system, the investment is reasonable and the guarantee they offer is nothing short of INSANE. So, you can try it out and see if their approach will work in your own business with no risk.

Check out the video explaining EXACTLY what you can expect as a Mavericks member:
https://ironfist.infusionsoft.com/go/prod_vid_3/grouchy/

Reducing Cancelled Appointments - Part 2

2009-06-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

by Bill Cates

Referral Coach International

I gave you some ideas as to how to reduce your percentage of cancelled appointments with new prospects. I had a number of readers suggest some other strategies in this area. So, Tip #1 in this issue will show you some more ideas from our readers to help you reduce appointment cancellations.

From John Strange - Cairns - Australia

"Our kept appointments run at around 90%, with about a 2% cancellation rate and about 8% reschedule. Our system is to send an e-mail to the prospect, confirming the date, time and place as well as what will be dealt with at the meeting.

"When gaining the appointment, we also make sure we get their mobile phone number. The day before the appointment, one of my team sets up text messages to go to all appointments for the next day. These messages are generally scheduled to be sent between 2 to 3 hours before the appointment. These messages are sent from the team member's computer, using preset messages, so she has minimal input, so the process is very fast and effective. We have found that this works much better than phone calls. We have been doing this for about 3 years and have dropped our no-shows down to the current level. Naturally all prospects are referrals."

Scott Miller - San Diego, CA

"For a new prospect or referral, I generally ask that they send any statements they want me to review in advance of the initial appt. If they send them, I know they are serious. In most cases we've already had a few discussions and I've done some initial fact finding so it's not totally unexpected.

"I LOVE it when a prospect legitimately forgets about an appointment or has to reschedule on short notice. It's almost a guaranteed close the second time around if for no other reason than out of remorse. I also never leave my office for an appointment without confirming first. If they don't confirm, I don't show up unless I happen to be in the area anyway. Of course I prefer to meet in my office.

"If a prospect keeps me waiting more than 10-15 minutes, I won't hesitate to tell the receptionist that I'll have to reschedule as now I don't have enough time to devote to the appointment and still be on time for my next one. Only ONCE in my 27-year career has the prospect refused to reschedule under that scenario. Clients and prospects need to understand that we are busy professionals and our time is to be respected as is theirs. They're generally very apologetic and understanding."

Are You Getting Inter-generational Referrals?

Joe Gemmill is a loyal Referral Minute reader (Thanks Joe). He shared this idea with me a few weeks ago. Perhaps you will find it helpful.

"I am 25 years in the financial advisory business and that means some of my clients were pre-retirees and now they are not so young. When we discuss "legacy planning", NOT "estate planning" I ask them 'Of the children you've listed on the data organizer, who would be the first to call me if you became ill or were in the hospital and needed money? Would it make sense to coordinate a time when you and your daughter/son could meet with me, so I would be a friendly face when they need me most?

"It can be tricky to schedule a time and you DO have to be very clear as to how much information will be shared as part of confidentiality. It is very proactive in serving our clients and has gained participation in the process, rather than a distressed, defensive call from an adult child with an incapacitated parent.

"And, we walk through the financial planning process and once the younger generation gets it...they have become clients too."

What are you doing to build loyalty and generate referrals? I'd love to hear your ideas! Also, are there any topics you'd like to see me address in future issues of The Referral Minute? Maybe I can help. I'd love to hear from you. Send your questions and best practices to me at: Info@ReferralCoach.com.

Get High-Quality Referrals from CPAs

High-Content Web Class/Teleseminar - Monday, June 15 (1:00 pm EST) - Sign Up Today!

Can't be at your computer? Listen to the call on your phone.

Can't make the webinar? Sign up and still receive an audio copy of the program and all the bonus materials when you sign up.

If you're looking for the type of high-quality clients that CPAs can provide, then you need to be a part of this educational experience with Bill Cates. NOW is the perfect time to be meeting and building relationships with CPAs. Get started now and give these relationships time to develop.

In this interactive 60-minute webinar/teleseminar with referral expert Bill Cates, you will learn:

3 relationship models that can produce results with CPAs.
The best way to meet CPAs.
How to articulate your value proposition to CPAs and top-level prospects.
A 3-Phase approach to building your referral relationship.
And much more!

PLUS - You'll receive 5 bonus referral tools to make sure you produce results. Click the link below to see what you receive.

Monday, June 15 - 60 minute session - 1:00p Eastern - 12:00p Central - 11:00a Mountain - 10:00a Pacific

Click for all the details and to SIGN UP TODAY: www.referralcoach.com/webinar

3 Steps to Get More Referrals

2009-05-31T22:23:00.000-07:00

by Bill Cates

Referral Coach International

(td says: "Don't forget Bill's upcoming web class on June 15th:"Get High Quality Referrals from CPA's" register at: http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?af=803298)

I love it when I learn new referral strategies from advisors attending my seminars and referral boot camps. Just got a new one I want to share with you. I got it from an advisor named David in Cincinnati, OH.

David has a simple process that he says always nets him five or more referrals every time he uses it. That is a lot of referrals!

Six months into a new relationship, he invites his relatively new client to a meal, usually lunch, to thank them for their business and to learn more about them. He asks three questions that helps him build the relationship and garner referrals.

How did you get to where you are today? Of course, this question will vary depending on what type and level of success this client has achieved. Basically, David wants to learn more of his client's "story." This conversation usually lasts about 20-30 minutes. He asks good questions along the way to really get to know his client's story and he listens attentively.

What do you think I could do to improve how I serve my clients? Usually small business owners, salespeople, and other types of professionals usually have an idea or two to share. So, the length of this conversation can vary.

If you were in my shoes, who would you want to meet? Here come the referrals. Getting a client to see themselves in your shoes is an age-old, tried- and-true technique. As I mentioned above, he always gets at least five referrals.

Now isn't that simple? This is a great strategy you can begin to employ right away with every new client. I don't see why you can't hold this same type of lunch meeting with your existing clients. Do you?

Relationship Prospecting: Starting from Scratch

I received an email recently from an advisor who had moved to a new area. Though he had a significant client base where he lived before, he knew he needed to start developing a new base of clients. He asked me for my advice on how to build a referral business from scratch. Here's my response...

"Thanks for taking the time to write and for your kind words about my referral system. Below are some basic things you can do to get your practice going in N.C. These are probably not new ideas for you, but perhaps my list will get your creative juices flowing - that leads to action.

Get out in the community as much as you possibly can: charity events, chambers of commerce, fund raisers, community service work, etc. Don't just look for prospects, look for CPAs, attorneys, real estate agents, and any other type of center of influence.

Look for opportunities to speak to groups, not public seminars, but at clubs, business groups, churches, etc.

Look for one or more niches to serve. Especially small business owners in specific industries. Small business owners generally give referrals more readily than other types of folks.

Just plain find ways to meet as many people as you can in any capacity possible. Lead with an attitude of service. Be willing to give them referrals in any way possible.

Again, probably nothing you haven't thought of before. Much of this is a function of spending enough time in these activities, as well as learning how to leverage your new relationships.

Ready to crack the CPA Referral Code?...

If so, you won't want to miss this...

NEW High-Content Web Class

Get High-Quality Referrals from CPAs
An Educational Web Class with Bill Cates

Monday June 15, 2009
1:00p Eastern 12:00p Central 11:00a Mountain 10:00a Pacific

Weekly Roundup: New Webinar Downloads and More!

2009-05-28T09:35:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

Thanks to all who were on the live webcasts with Robert Breiner and Peter Vessenes. Hope you had as much fun as I did.

For the next week or so, you can download these webinars securely via YouSendit simply by going to one of these two links:

May 26th Webinar: Peter Vessenes: How to Make Money In A Market Downturn. Business turnaround expert and author Peter Vessenes talks about the other side of running a successful small business- SOUND FISCAL MANAGEMENT. Join us as we discover how to run a leaner, meaner financial services practice.

http://tinyurl.com/luucmy

May 27th Webinar: Take Another Look At Send Out Cards with Robert Breiner- Windows media recording

http://tinyurl.com/nhkbyc

I always have fun with Robert, a real agent down in LA LA Land who uses the Send Out Cards system better than anyone I know. It is working for him to get more referrals, and helping him become the Leading Insurance Dude in his area.

In this one hour webcast, Robert and I show you 3 ways you can use SOC to help attract and keep your customers and Robert shares a few of the secrets he is using to sell loads of insurance.

PLEASE NOTE: The links are only good until June 9th- so you should download now.

Insurance Mavericks Are Back in The Saddle!

We are opening up the Mavericks Alliance Program again, mainly because the agents and advisors who are USING it are getting fantastic results. If you are an implementer and a person who follows through, you need to try out this mastermind group. Check out the new video Mavs have made...

https://ironfist.infusionsoft.com/go/speed_1/grouchy/

You can get some IMMEDIATE help from the Mavericks with this:
https://ironfist.infusionsoft.com/go/mastercloser/grouchy/

New Cates Webclass for June: Get More CPA Alliances Now!

Bill Cates is back with a brand new web class for those of you looking to break into the lucrative CPA referral arena. Bill says it IS NOT DIFFICULT to attract CPA's as joint venture partners, if you know how to do it the right way. MONDAY, June 15th.

http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?af=803298

Don't Miss These Upcoming Events

2009-05-21T09:37:00.001-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Editor and Chief Grouch

As we move into summer, I'm gearing up to bring you the finest connections available; connections to the movers and shakers in both the online AND offline worlds; people who will give you what you need to SPEED to six figures (and beyond!)

Twitter Virtual Summit:

This is a cool thing from our friend David Frey, who has put together a very cool LIVE Twitter Masters Interview series. FOG (Friend of Grouchy) SHAMA HYDER will be among the 15 different Twitter experts being interviewed by David. You won't want to miss this. You will also be able to purchase the entire series for download, so you don't have to attend each session live.
The Telesummit begins on Monday, May 25th at 11:00am Eastern Time and runs through Friday afternoon, May 29th.

For the specific speaker schedule, please visit:
http://nanacast.com/vp/68957/15408/

Webinars on May 26th and 27th:

May 26th: Peter Vessenes will talk about that OTHER way to make money during a recession, namely PRACTICE MANAGEMENT. Sounds unsexy, but with an expert like Peter to guide you, you will gain insight into an area in which most financial pros score an "F."
Free, but you need to register:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/916775448

May 27th: Join us for a special presentation/demo with insurance agent, financial advisor, entrepreneur, and Send Out Cards trainer ROBERT BREINER. You've never met anyone quite like Robert and you've never seen cards quite like the ones he uses to get dozens of prospects, clients, and joint venture partners. If you have considered using this system, you'll want to attend and learn just how a REAL financial pro uses this system to ATTRACT and RETAIN clients.

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/279168745

Stay tuned to the blog and your email for more fun stuff in the Summer of Grouchy.

Thanks!

Tammy

Tweet Dreams: Unraveling That Giant Virtual Watercooler Called Twitter

2009-05-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

OK, you've finally decided to take the plunge and try out this bizarre internet phenomenon known as Twitter... and you might be asking...

How do I use this thing to develop relationships and (hopefully) gain some new prospects?

Let's examine a few ways you can leverage Twitter into relationships.

1. Lame is as lame does.. Resist lameness in your Tweets.

At first, Twitter might seem a bit silly to you; a jumble of meaningless ramblings and links to God Knows What, but there is a method in the madness. When you Tweet, try your best to offer exceptional information in 140 characters or less.

Answer questions that are posted, link to useful websites, and give solid advice. In short: be a useful chit-chatter, not someone who Tweets constantly about being at their doctor's appointment, or standing in line for a gourmet glazed donut, etc. There is just too much of that already on Twitter, in my opinion. Be different and try to pack some substance into your 14o characters.

2. @Replies

Responding to other peoples' posts is one of the best ways to develop relationships via Twitter. All you have to do is key in the @ sign followed by the person’s username (without spaces) and write your response. Your response can be as simple as a show of support or thumbs up to a suggestion, to sharing a similar story you may have. When you show other people you have an interest in what they are tweeting ,they tend to suddenly become interested in YOU.

3. Blog Posts

If you don't have a blog yet- you should get one. (a different topic for a different day) The reason is simple: If you’re a blogger, you can grow your blog following by automating the process of letting people know about new posts. This is easy on Twitter: just tweet the title of your post and the link to it. Tweets about blogs are some of the most popular Tweets.

You can make the process simpler and more automated by having a site like TWITTERFEED do it for you.

4. What the heck are Retweets and Why Should I Use Them?

Retweets can help you in your quest to be a useful and popular Twitter. When you see posts that you think are particularly good or helpful , key in the letters RT or the word RETWEET then @USERNAME. Retweeting shows people you really do read what they post and creates a good feeling between users. CAVEAT: Don't do this too often... you can irritate people if you never have anything original to contribute.

5. Ask a question..

You would be amazed at how asking a simple question such as "where can I find a part for my antique Widgetmaster?" can get you a flurry of activity on Twitter. People who Tweet often pride themselves on being sources of helpful info.

6. “Blow By Blow" Accounts

If you are doing something particularly interesting, why not give a minute by minute account of the goings on? I've seen fascinating live updates from concerts, lectures, college classes, Renaissance fairs, etc. Be your own NEWSWIRE and people will start paying attention to you.

7. Photos and Graphics

Find a funny photo? Go on vacation to a cool place? People LOVE photos and graphics, and if you use TwitPic or a similar application, you can upload a photo and send a Tweet at the same time!

8. Reason to celebrate? TWEET it!

If you just acquired a new contract, made your sales goals, got a new client, or your boss gave you a great big ATTABOY!, you can let people know about it on Twitter in a celebratory, non- boastful manner.

In the next post, I will examine a few applications for Twitter that will make your foray into social media a lot smoother.

How to Reduce Appointment Cancellations

2009-05-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

by Bill Cates
Referral Coach International

Have your ever had a prospect cancel an appointment with you, or worse, pull a "no show?" This seems to happen more with newer advisors than veterans, but even veterans experience this from time to time.

One of our subscribers asked me to address this important issue. While I have a few ideas to offer on the topic, I thought I'd turn to someone who is an expert in this area.

Gail Goodman teaches financial professionals how to set appointment with prospects.

Like me, she has a very narrow but important expertise. The following ideas on how to reduce appointment cancellations come from Gail Goodman. If you'd like to tap further into Gail's expertise, here is her contact information: Email: Gail@PhoneTeacher.com Website: www.phoneteacher.com Phone: 914-242-1108

Don't Be Product Oriented

The most important fact to know about having a high rate of reschedules and cancels is that they most often reflect a problem with the way you set the appointment in the first place.

If you discussed a specific product and used that as the reason for the appointment, you might find yourself rescheduling a lot of appointments.

Additionally, if you pressed for the appointment too hard (i.e. "Rottweiler" behavior) then the prospect may have capitulated over the phone as a way of getting rid of you.

Rescheduled vs. Cancellations

There is a difference between reschedules and cancels. My definitions are as follows: a reschedule is someone who is still interested in having you call them for a different date and time for their appointment; a cancel is someone who basically says "I don't want an appointment anymore." Essentially the second person is a "dead lead" and the first is someone you are still able to call.

Make Reminder Calls

Some people just plain forget about their appointments. Get in the habit of sending reminder notes or making reminder phone calls several days before your appointments. It's the professional thing to do and will reduce cancellations.

If you think that by placing a reminder call or sending a note will give them a chance to reschedule or cancel, then re-read my first statement. You may have a problem with your appointment setting skills.

What is Normal?

The normal statistics for reschedules should be about 20-25% of your appointments per month. They will vary per week, but overall you should find about 70- 75% of your appointments sticking.

Other than Christmas time and the week before school restarts in the fall, these statistics are standard for the financial services industry in 2009. So, if your stats are in this range, you're "normal." (Isn't that good to know?)

Most Reschedules are Legitimate

Most reschedules are legitimate and should not concern you. However, if you have a 50% reschedule rate, then you are probably doing something dreadfully wrong on the appointment setting phone call.

Get High-Quality Referrals from CPAs

High-Content Web Class - Monday, June 15 (1:00 pm EST) - Sign Up Today!

Work directly with Bill in this interactive web class. Submit your questions to Bill before, during, and after the call. Attend the webinar or just listen to the audio as you travel to your next appointment.

Can't make the webinar? Sign up and still receive an audio copy of the program and all the bonus materials when you sign up.

In this interactive 60-minute webinar with referral expert Bill Cates, you will learn:

3 relationship models that can produce results with CPAs.

The best way to meet CPAs.
How to articulate your value proposition to CPAs and top-level prospects.
A 3-Phase approach to building your referral relationship.
And much more!

PLUS - You'll receive 5 bonus referral tools to make sure you produce results. Click the link below to see what you receive.

Monday, June 15 - 60 minute session - 1:00p Eastern - 12:00a Central - 11:00a Mountain - 10:00a Pacific

Click for all the details and to SIGN UP TODAY: www.referralcoach.com/webinar

Remember

The initial appointment is for you and the client to get to know each other and decide of moving forward with the chance of doing business together makes sense for both of you. Prematurely discussing products, solutions, specific ideas or anything else too detailed will work against you. They have not decided you are their advisor so why are you suggesting products?

Most of my advisor clients are looking to move from an initial appointment to a fact-find, which is the procedure for discovering what is important to your new client. Getting into a product discussion on the first phone call is most often the reason appointments don't stick. The second most common reason is being too persistent not letting the person off the phone and creating a call-back situation. Pressure to have "enough appointments" usually leads to the second most common problem.

Thank you, Gail Goodman.

Send Something of Value

I'll add one strategy that often helps appointments stick. You need to decide if this can apply to your world. I've seen a number of advisors get good results by sending something of value between the time they set the appointment and the appointment itself. If can be something as simple as a logo mug filled with candy. Or it can be a book or gift card for their next cup of coffee on you. Personally, I like things that are flat and easy to mail, like a gift card from Starbucks or Duncan Donuts, or Tim Horton's for my Canadian friends.

The 5 Most Common Internet Marketing Mistakes

2009-05-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

by Shama Hyder
Click to Client.Com

1) Creating a website but not proactively driving visitors to it.

I see this all the time. VERY smart business owners will create a great looking website and then “hope” that their clients will find them. Location is nothing when it comes to the online world.

Yes, your domain name matters. But, that’s all. Otherwise, the playing field is leveled. If you build a website, make sure you are driving traffic to it. You can do so using online methods (i.e., search engine optimization, pay per click, etc.) and off line methods (encouraging people you meet to check out your site).

2) Not capturing visitor information

You don’t have to offer an eZine or an online newsletter, but do capture visitor information in some form or fashion. Most visitors (many qualified prospects!) will never come back to your website. There is too much to do, see, hear. Websites are going up just as you read this. Make sure you find a way to keep in touch with the people who stop by.

3) Not playing with the website.

I met a guy last week (let’s call him Joe) who told me: “I have a website. I put it up in 1995! Haven’t changed it since.” This guy was really proud of himself. Don’t be Joe. Make sure you keep playing with the website to keep it looking sharp. Make sure it is doing its job.

4) Not following-up!

One, make sure people can contact you from your website. Yes, this is a no-brainer, but you would not believe how hard it is to find contact information for some folks online-or maybe you can believe it. Second, when someone contacts you, follow-up. Sometimes people put it off until later (and then forget), or are just plain nervous. No amount of marketing will help you if you don’t follow up and close the sale.

5) Thinking of their website as just an “online presence.”

This is another common mistake. I often hear people say: “Yea, I have a website. It’s so important to have an online presence these days.” But, your website should be MORE than your presence. If you are going to purchase the domain name and hosting. If you are going to build it-then let it be a marketing tool for you! Don’t put up a website just for the sake of online presence. Leverage it as an excellent marketing tool.

Inner Truth Sells Regardless of the Economy...

2009-05-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

by Sidney C. Walker

Selling Without Wrestling

Many people are afraid to spend any money on anything at the moment. They want to see some improvement in the economy which is a reasonable request. However, many of these same people will be the ones who invest money after the market has gone up considerably.

I am not sure how much you can help the people who make decisions based on the emotion of the day. Fortunately there is a group of people who are more grounded and know this is only the down side of a predictable cycle. This group of people also tends to make decisions based more on what feels intuitively right than based on emotion. These are the people who are currently buying financial products.

You may have to work a little harder than normal to find the "intuitive" buyers, but they are out there and they are a bigger group than you might think. The second thing you have to do is handle the interviewing process correctly so that you help the potential client get at the decision that feels intuitively right since that is what they will be willing to take action on.

How do you help your client get at the decision that feels intuitively right? First you have to ask yourself how you make decisions. Do you base your decisions on intellectual logic, emotional feelings, intuitive feelings (a quiet sense of knowing something is right or not right) or, some combination of all three?

How do you know when you have enough information? What tells you can stop looking at options? What does it feel like when it feels intuitively right? It is a good exercise to look back in your life at decisions you have made that worked out and look at how you arrived at those decisions.

Why is it important to look at your own decision making process in order to help others? You need to see that there is a process. Not everyone has the exact same process but for the majority of the people buying today, they are buying more because all the elements put together feel intuitively right than for any single reason.

One of the questions I teach advisors to ask in my Selling Without Wresting™ Sales Training is: "I think we agree this makes sense, the real question is does it feel right?"

This is not a question a controlling advisor is going to ask. It will only make sense to ask this question if you are a relationship-oriented advisor that is trying to help the client make an educated decision that feels right to them.

Helping people get at what feels right to them will close more sales that will stay on the books than any other approach.

There are people making buying decisions in this economy, just not as many as usual. And all the people you meet who are afraid to do anything will come around once they see enough good news. It's a good time to get to know as many new people as you can and don't worry if sales are down. The sales numbers will come back and the more people you have in the pipeline when things start to turn around, the bigger the payoff will be for you.

Thirty years ago, my sales manager used to pass out STP stickers to his reps. STP, which is still around as far as I know, is the oil treatment for car engines. Guess what STP stands for? See The People!

STP...

Sid

PS: Try Sid's new online SWOW for 24 hour a day access to the best low-key sales tools.
Try it for free for 7 days by going HERE.

Ten Ways To Become More Referral-Worthy And Upcoming Webinars

2009-05-03T12:17:00.001-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone
The Grouchy Marketing Lady

1. You MUST Become Referral Worthy. Getting referrals on a consistent basis is
nearly impossible if you have done nothing to deserve them.

A referral worthy person is:

100% honest, 100% of the time-Honorable Men and Women

Extremely client-focused in EVERY PHASE of the relationship

A provider of incredible client experiences

Kind, respectful, NEVER condescending when dealing with clients

Generous with time and information

Able to think in terms of the WHOLE client

A person who truly KNOW the needs and desires of their clients and has the tools to meet those needs.

Always learning and using that knowledge to be better at what you do

Professional in all your dealings with prospects and clients

Flexible, enjoyable, and pleasant to be around

Someone who stays in touch with their clients

A supreme CLIENT ADVOCATE

Willing to Take Constructive Criticism- In fact, YOU INVITE it (surveys)

BRIGHT IDEA:- Offer a powerful GUARANTEE. Here is an example of a satisfaction guarantee I once saw on a seminar invitation:

"Satisfaction Guarantee: All we ask is that you take in the information presented and enjoy the delicious meal. If you feel like it was a waste of your time, we'll gladly donate $100 to the charity of your choice for your trouble"

2. Find the RIGHT Partners and Get More Referrals

A-level clients, joint venture partners, and networking associates can be a real boost to the referral process, provided you do your research and get the RIGHT KINDS OF PARTNERS...

(see the rest of the article at:http://www.squidoo.com/referralsgalore)

Our Webinar Schedule for May, 2009

If you are wondering about social media and its relationship to YOUR business, you will want to join us on Wednesday, March 6th when new media superstar SHAMA HYDER joins us to explain Tweeting and blogging and Diggin and all that sort of stuff

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/913284376

May 26th: Join top business consultant Peter Vessenes

Making Money in a Market Downturn- with Peter Vessenes
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/916775448

May 27th: "Agent Provocateur" Robert Breiner joins with Grouchy to educate you on the finer points of using Send Out Cards to leverage Naturally Existing Economic Relationships (NEER). It is an SOC demonstration with major attitude.

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/279168745

6 Steps for Client Focus Groups That Produce Loyalty and Referrals

2009-04-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

by Bill Cates

Referral Coach International

Once upon a time, I owned a book publishing company.

Not only did I publish books, I brokered printing, and even did some training for printing and graphics companies. One of my specialties was running Client Focus Groups.

These took on a myriad of forms, but the basic premise was always the same.

We'd gather some of the client's top clients and customers into a room and talk about improving and expanding the business. These clients were given royal treatment and were willing to engage in these sessions because they had a vested interest in their relationship with the company.

Whether they realize it or not, your clients have a vested interest in your successful business. These meetings help solidify their interest in your success. The more successful you are the better you are able to serve them. Plus, many of them would be more than happy to help you just because they like you. It's time to tap into these relationships.

Step 1 - Identify as many groups as you can of about 8-12 "A" and "B+" clients who might be willing to participate in a focus group. You'll probably end up with 6-10 attending the meeting. Pay attention to how you group these folks, making sure personalities are compatible. Other small business owners, consultants, and salespeople tend to make the best focus group participants.

Step 2 - Working with one group at a time, invite them to a meeting with you and your staff to discuss/brainstorm how you can serve them even better than you currently are. Serve them a meal, breakfast or lunch, or both and give them the royal treatment.
Step 3 - The first item for discussion is how you are presently serving your clients. If you have one, discuss your client-service model. If you don't, formulate one for the group to evaluate and give you feedback on.

Step 4 - The second item on the agenda is marketing. Let them know the types of individuals you are trying to reach with the important work that you do. Let them know of any niche markets you are pursuing or are thinking of pursuing. Brainstorm marketing and referral ideas.

Step 5 -The third, and optional, item is to discuss any new products that you might want to make available to your clients. Discuss the value of these products. Brainstorm how you will talk about and present them to your clients. You'll get great ideas and many of these folks will want to know more about the products for themselves.

Step 6 - Take action on as many of the ideas they give to you as possible. But even if you can't act on all of them, stay in touch with them so that they know their time with you was well spent. Be ready for a lot of great ideas, as well as direct referrals.
Many of your clients will appreciate the opportunity to be "let into" your business. Many will love the creative thinking around service and marketing. Many will begin to think about your business, even when they are not in direct contact with you and will continue to share ideas as they come up.

Some advisors run several focus group meetings a year. Many of your clients will do this with you annually. Some of them would prefer every other year. If the thought of creating these groups is just too far out of your comfort zone, then schedule some one-on-one sessions with some of your clients - for the purpose of helping you serve your clients better and reaching more people with the important work you do.

What are you doing that's working for you with regard to referrals and client service? What isn't working? What topics would you like to see me address?

Maybe I can help. I'd love to hear from you. Send your questions and best practices to me at: Info@ReferralCoach.com.

*Don't miss BILL CATES THURSDAY, APRIL 30th...for a special referral class...

http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?af=803298

The Skies in My World...

2009-04-27T07:56:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
The Grouchy Marketing Lady
Financial Advisor Netzone

Grouchy is up to her red eyeballs with stuff- including some great web classes and webinars. Be sure to check them out:

Thursday, April 30th: "America's Referral Coach" BILL CATES presents a special class on referrals that you will not want to miss. In 1.5 hours, Bill will take you from "referral reluctant" to "referral savvy." This is the same material Cates presents to prominent financial institutions across the country. COST: $97

Register HERE:

Wednesday, May 6th: Shama Hyder- one of the most influential young people in new media, will be giving you an overview of the social media phenonmenon. Learn what social media is and how it can help your business grow.
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/913284376

Wednesday, May 27th: Join me, Grouchy, and my special guest Robert Breiner as we examine Send Out Cards, a referral system being used successfully by small businesses across the world to increase prospect attraction and client retention.
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/279168745

Stay tuned for even more Grouchy events as I diligently pursue the best tools, tips, tricks, people, places, and practices to help you get more clients and make more money.

And...

Follow me on Twitter to get all the updates throughout the day.
http://twitter.com/tammydeleeuw

How To Train Your Referral Force

2009-04-15T10:56:00.000-07:00

by David Frey
Marketing Best Practices

Are you frustrated because you give referrals to other
professionals in your networking group, but get few
referrals in return?

Or do most of the people in your networking group
already use your product or service and you feel as
though you have no where to go with them?

If so, you'll want to read ALL of this newsletter.

This one idea could be a breakthrough for you in your
referral marketing efforts.

_____________________________

You're Doing It All Wrong...
_____________________________

Most business professionals who attend networking
meetings or who belong to networking groups do it all
wrong.

They go to networking meetings with the intention of
introducing their product or service to people they
meet and trying to close a sale.

That's the wrong approach.

___________________________________

Your Network Is Your Sales Force
___________________________________

When attending your next networking event, focus on
"training your sales force" rather than on selling your
product or service.

Your fellow networkers are usually ready and willing to
refer you business, if they just knew how to identify a
good potential referral for you.

Imagine you were training your own sales force. What
specifics of your business would you teach them to help
them easily identify a great prospect?

That's exactly the type of information you should be
sharing with your fellow networking group members.

__________________________________

Some Networking Do's and Don'ts
__________________________________

DON'T...

Use generalities like, "I'm looking for anyone who is
planning a vacation this summer."

DO...

Use specifics like, "If you have a friend in your
church or who you work with who has been talking about
traveling this summer, I can help them plan the
vacation of a life time."

DON'T...

Come empty handed to your referral meeting.

DO...

Use examples and visual aids to help people remember
your message. For instance, if you sell copiers, bring
some copy paper and show people how many more copies
you machine will produce versus the competition for the
same amount of money.

DON'T...

Say the same thing over and over to your group members.

DO...

Break down your business into the types of problems
that your product or service solves and in each
meeting, focus on how you can solve one specific
problem.

You'll find that you'll double the amount of referrals
you get from fellow networking group members by simply
educating them about the specifics of your business and
what a great referral for you would look like.

_______________________________________________________

Using "Referral Education Cards" to Train Your Network
_______________________________________________________

A simple method for training your referral sources is
to use "Referral Education Cards."

A Referral Education Card is a greeting card that helps
people understand how to spot a good referral prospect
for your busines.

It starts out by saying, "A good referral for me is
someone who..."

Here's a great example of an ultra-effective Referral
Education Card for a local banker.

http://www.TheReferralNewsletter.com/a/good.jpg

(copy and paste the link into your browser)

You'll notice in this card that it specifically states
the attributes of someone who would be a great prospect
for a banker.

This card actually educates the banker's referral
sources on specifically what to look for in a person
who they can refer to the banker.

The message on the inside of this card could say
something like...

"Hi Mark,

I was just thinking the other day that I'm
not totally clear on what a good referral
would look like for you.

If you have a moment, please shoot me an email
with a couple of bullet points explaining what
type of person I should be looking for so I
might be able to recognize a good potential
referral for you.

My email address is David@MarketingBestPractices.com.

I look forward to talking to you soon.

All the best,

David Frey

Notice that this message is focused on your referral
sources instead of you. The card does all the talking
for you so that you don't have to!

I hope you get the idea.

Educating your referral sources is one of the most
beneficial things you can do to generate more
referrals.

So the next time you attend a networking meeting,
remember that you're there to train your sales force!

All the best.

David

P.S. I created this card using a function called
"Picture Plus" in http://www.SendOutCards.com. If
you'd like to see a demo of how it works, just visit
http://www.PicturePlusDemo.com

This Will Give You A Chuckle... And It's So True

2009-04-06T22:27:00.000-07:00

Build the foundation before you worry about the wallpaper...

2009-04-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

Hey..very long time no blog..

That's because my life is exploding with possibilities and all of them are screaming for a chance to manifest themselves...at once.

As you know, I have been enjoying the heck out of helping the Mavericks (and some of you) grow your social medial presence.

I am Twittering like a bluejay who ate a bag of chocolate covered espresso beans (yum!) and I am Facebooking until my wrists and fingers are sore.

Not to mention, blogging, producing webinars, writing emails and..

Is it worth it?

Am I starting to see the light of day in my own business as I help you grow YOURS?

The answer is...

A little.

You see, I believe in having good solid foundations.. and you should too.

We all have done the "catch up game" before. Procrastinate our brains out and then push ourselves to the brink playing "catch up."

It doesn't work very well and it is EXHAUSTING.. Better to go more slowly and do it right so we don't have to re-do things later... measure twice or even three times and CUT ONCE.

An old school marketer told me a long time ago,

"It may take a while for the money to come your way, Tammy. But when it does, if you have done everything right, it will come fast and furious."

This is the law of reciprocity at work. Cash flow can be a crunch at times, but in order to have reciprocity in your life, you must be 100% committed to creating a solid foundation for your business.

This means...

Investing in every tool, educational product, system that you feel will actually HELP you create solid, multiple streams of income.. finding all the good FREE INFORMATION...

And (here is the hard part): getting out of the Lazy Boy and actually USING those tools...

Looking for new and better ways to leverage your time and marketing budget.. hiring an assistant or virtual assistant when you need one...

Educating yourself NOW so you won't be scrambling to catch up to your competition. You want to be positioned to be the DRIVER of the bandwagon..

And not one of those guys or gals running around in a panic trying to jump on...

I know I throw a lot of stuff at you and point you in many directions... but only you know the FLAVOR of your business...what you WILL DO.. what you will NEVER DO, and your own strengths and weaknesses...

But doing NOTHING in these crazy days is certainly not an option.

Upcoming Grouchy Events- TRAIN YOUR BRAIN AND MAKE IT RAIN!

April 7th: Don't miss a special Mavericks Event: Webinar: What's Working for Mavericks Now?
featuring Seminar Direct's own DOUG DIXON (who is an expert in direct mail, seminars, and search engine optimization) and our friends the Insurance Mavericks.
Register at:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/264160286

Also: be sure to check out the Mavericks new blog:

http://www.insurancemarketingmaverick.com/

Facebook..Worthwhile Marketing Tool or Slacker Toy?

2009-03-26T12:45:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone

Facebook...Is it worthwhile?

The Insurance Mavericks and I talk a lot about using social media like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc. as relationship building tools and I get lots of questions about whether or not advisors, agents, brokers, etc. can REALLY take advantage of emerging media.

"Will it help my business or just drain off more of my time?"

To help me answer that question, I went out and found an advisor who is using Facebook, video, television, and radio successfully. His practice is BOOMING as a result.

You can listen to the unedited interview I did with Chicago's MATTHEW SAPAULA a couple of days ago. I apologize for any quality issues, but I wanted to get this information out to you ASAP and not wait for me to get around to prettying it up.

Listen to what a real financial pro says about using new media.

Listen to Your Recorded Conference from the Phone...

Dial - (712) 432-1090
Enter Access Code - 962776#

If You Are Already on Facebook or want to join, Grouchy suggests:

Whether or not you are already an Insurance Mavericks member, you can get a lot of free advice and downloads by joining the IM Facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49667736397&ref=ts

Grouchy On Facebook:

You can friend me here and I will be glad to help you grow YOUR network.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=1483544513&ref=profile

I also have a group where I have special contests, exclusive marketing downloads, and encourage others to share what IS WORKING NOW.

Financial Professionals Marketing Group

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49667736397&ref=ts#/group.php?gid=41558794292&ref=ts

Speed of The Internet (Matthew Sapaula's Group for Entrepreneurs)- Great information found here!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=45329063380&ref=ts

Grouchy- Stuffing Your Heads With Knowledge

2009-03-18T14:36:00.001-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
The Grouchy Marketing Lady
Financial Advisor Netzone

Safe Money Radio, BILL BROICH and JOE RYCH'S turn-key radio program has proven to be
so popular that we were not able to get to everyone on today's webinar.

If you didn't get your questions answered, shoot off an email to Joe at:
joe@annuity.com or call him M-F during regular business hours at:1-800-814-5378 .

Tell him Tammy said to give you a sample of an actual radio show.

Miss today's webcast?

You can download for the next 14 days at:

https://www.yousendit.com/download/UmNMV295eFVCTWxFQlE9PQ

Upcoming Events:

March 26th, 2009: Send Out Cards Demo and Ideas for YOUR Drip System- with
Bob Breiner and Tammy de Leeuw.

April 7th: So, What Are Maverick Financial Services Pros DOING RIGHT NOW to Make More Money and Retain More Clients? A special NOTHING TO SELL webinar with Brett and Ethan, the Insurance Mavericks. COST: ZERO, NOTHING.

Register or find out more at:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/264160286

April 30th- Special "do-over" of the March 3rd BILL CATES WEB CLASS. As some of you know- internet problems forced us to cancel and re-do the class. This is a blessing for some of you who wanted to come but were unable. Now you have a second chance to register for this unique, fully-loaded class. COST: $97, includes free downloads, handouts, worksheets, and bonuses!

*If you already paid or are an INSURANCE MAVERICKS member- you DO NOT need to pay. Mavs members should send me an email to get the registration link: tammy@grouchymarketinglady.com.

Finally- A Data-Collecting Website for A Fraction of the Cost

I get asked a lot about how to get a simple website that will capture DATA and allow the website owner to easily retrieve it. I know several advisors and agents who have great downloads on their sites, but they have no way to know WHO is downloading the stuff. Thus, a great opportunity to GENERATE LEADS is lost.

Checking around, I discovered that a semi-custom website with one data capture page and the ability to upload a video runs at least $1,ooo. And that doesn't include ANY changes you may need to make once the site is up.

I asked my IT Genie to come up with a solution...

We decided that he could do a LIMITED NUMBER of semi-custom websites, complete with a capture ("squeeze") page, for under $600! That is a bargain and this guy is a top-notch website builder. For obvious reasons, we can't do too many of these at this price, so we are limiting it to the first 25 who contact me.

If you want more information, email me at: tammy@grouchymarketinglady.com or call me during normal business hours at 978-633-7140.

When Times are Tough...The Tough Start Marketing!

2009-03-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

by Tammy de Leeuw
Financial Advisor Netzone
The Grouchy Marketing

I was talking with a local businesswoman the other day whose establishment sits
smack dab in the middle of a shopping center with more vacancies than tenants...

This particular shopping center is also conveniently located in one of the hardest-hit former boom towns in California. (double ouch!)

The brisk walkthrough traffic once enjoyed is a distant memory...

Merchants complain they can no longer gauge their "busy" days...

The parking lot stands empty most of the time.

This business owner told me, " I have to depend on foot traffic.
I don't have time and money to market my business..." (triple ouch!)

You ARE a marketer...

I don't care what you do for a living, what sort of expensive product or service you sell, how long you went to school to get your three degrees, or if you have tons of accolades and awards hanging on your wall...

YOU are a marketer.

Accept it...embrace it...Learn to do it better than anyone else and you will THRIVE.

Deny it or ignore it and you will be one of the ones who won't be around at the uptick.

When you become good at marketing, or at least become good at knowing what good marketing IS, you will be one of the ones who isn't at the mercy of "walkthrough" traffic but is instead "that guy" or "that gal" who attracts more clients than they can handle.

Bootstrapper?

If you are on a tight budget, here are some tips:

1. Make what you do now work better.
For example, are you sweating to renew the yellow pages ad you have
had for years? Before you spend that money, be sure the AD is made as effective as
possible. There is a simple step that will DRAMATICALLY increase the pull of even a small
yellow pages ad. Doing this will also help you TRACK to see if it is worth the the money.
I will explain this step in another article.

2. Write, write, write. If you are a halfway decent communicator, write about your particular
area of expertise. Maybe you are an expert in life settlements. Write an informative,
interesting article. Perhaps you know lots of ways to save on insurance. Write a 15-20 page
report: "Six Ways You Can Save Hundreds of Dollars on Your Insurance." You can use this
report in many different ways. Put together a small press packet with a nice photo of you,
a copy of your article or report, and a short biography and send this packet to the local paper
and news radio station.

Send a nice card to the editor of the paper or radio station manager inviting them to lunch.
Keep sending the cards until someone responds and agrees to meet you. Once is seldom
enough. Getting a warm relationship going with someone in your local media is the beginning
of free publicity for you.

You can also use the articles you produce on the web as your compliance department allows.
There are several sites, such as ezine articles, which allow you to post your articles for free.

The point is: you can't allow fear to paralyze you or you will do nothing...

And doing nothing is a surefire way to go out of business.

The Financial Advisor Netzone

The 7 Key Differences Between Business to Business and Consumer Marketing

New Webinar Announced for the Compliance Challenged...

Facebook Ads: Pushing Google "Off the Map?"

How to Create Something Worth Criticizing...

Rick Liuag Explains the Instant Sales System..

The Revolution is Here:

What's The Biggest Enemy of YOUR Marketing?

Your Choice to Fly With Lumpy Mail's Jon Goldman

What Would Happen If You Increased YOUR Referability?

Social Networking Sites – Why Participate?

5 Ways to Break Out of the Pack and Attract More Qualified Leads

Facebook: Useful At Last?

Dean de Lisle Gets His Game Face (book) On

Webinar Recording Links: Dean de Lisle on FACEBOOK

Dean Delisle Explains Social Chaos

Playing the 80/20 Odds

Webinar MANIA!

How to Automate Your Prospecting, Marketing and Follow Up Process With A System That Actually Works

New Webinar on March 30th...

Linked In Tip: How to Remove A "Connection"

Three Minutes With Grouchy

Next Webinar: Robert and Tammy Automate It, Baby

Log In Information for Tomorrow's Webinar..

Log in Information for "The Art of Zero Effort Selling:How to Use NeuroPersuasion (tm) to Dramatically Increase Your Closing Ratios and Make More Money"

Tuesday, February 9th's Webinar Has Been Postponed...

Slides from Dean's Awesome LINKEDIN Presentation

Creating Expectation in Others

Jim Fortin's Interview With Shama Kabani

Turning Friends and Connections into Business – the Social Revolution

Don't Forget to Register!

Using Connector Tactics to Land A Job (or help someone else advance their career)

Now is the time to use this with your clients …

Announcing your Emergency Customer Update and Appreciation Events

No one else, especially your competition, is doing this.

Provoking The Sale To Close How advisors are moving away from solution-based and product-focused selling methods

The Good News in Uncertain Times: Marketing Strategies are Working!

by Maribeth Kuzmeski, MBA

Nine No-Fail Ways to Boost Referrals for Your Business

1. Seek out a systems-based approach.

2. Give clients more than service, give them an experience!

3. Find your “natural niche” . . . and never let it go.

4. Keep in touch to keep ‘em happy.

5. Become a “list lord.”

6. Make your office an “RR crossing.”

7. Persuade your clients with a club.

8. Say it with flowers . . . or more creative rewards.

9. Just do it—and do it every day.

Eight Great Ways to Win All the Financial Services Business You Want

Add an MVP to your team . . . the "NBC."

Give video marketing a try.

Don't let your Internet home collect cobwebs.

Use e-mail to "Keep In Touch."

Offer a targeted seminar (NOT "General Investing for Every Investor"), mail invites to a targeted list, and provide a targeted message filled with potential solutions.

Leverage your events to create a buzz.

Consider a creative name change.

Form a strategic alliance with someone who shares your target market.

Ready to Increase Your Business By Leaps and Bounds?

Five Easy Secrets for Delighting Your Clients

Live by the “80/20” Rule.

Market to your existing clients . . . it pays!

Ask your clients what they want.

Think of imaginative ways to set your business apart.

Establish a KIT (Keep In Touch) Program.

Here are a few suggestions:

What Some Advisors Are Doing.. Helping Others

Lots Happening This Week: Don't Miss A Thing!

Follow Up Marketing: How to Win More Sales With Less Effort

Twitter Without Tears (TM) Webinar 1

Simple Note Card Webinar

Grouchy's "Kitchen Sink Kollection"

More Great Stuff to Expand Your Mind...

Frey's Telesummits..A Great Idea

Speaking Tip: Getting Rid of Ummms and Uhs...

Insurance Mavs On Gravitational Marketing's WTF

Social Media Stinger Strategy

Betsy McCaughey on the Truth of the Healthcare Plan

From Shama- 10 Surefire Ways to LOSE Twitter Followers

Why You SHOULD Be Using Send Out Cards to Attract Clients AND Make Extra Money

New Mastermind Site Beta

Announcing your Emergency Customer Update
and Appreciation Events

Get High-Quality Referrals from CPAs
An Educational Web Class with Bill Cates

Monday June 15, 2009
1:00p Eastern 12:00p Central 11:00a Mountain 10:00a Pacific