E-mail marketers figure that once a list member has opted-in that this means that their readers will read and value their e-mail marketing letters. Well, this is not always the case. According to blogger Stefan Eyram, “BACN” is a marketing e-mail that many readers agreed to receive, but is not immediately read, if at all.…
DetailsA highly effective marketing technique used by successful e-mail marketers is to personalize the e-mail letter. This personalization can be accomplished in many ways. One way to personalize an e-mail letter is to use the recipient’s organization logo or web site. The purpose of a personalized image is to provide a familiar frame of reference…
DetailsSome people will tell you that niche marketing can be like jungle warfare and that you must conduct battle like a “guerrilla soldier.” You may have heard the term “guerrilla marketing” used by others. Admittedly, this is a powerful image but I believe that this paramilitary characterization puts the focus on the wrong parties: you…
DetailsWould you buy something from someone whom you don’t trust? Most people won’t. Studies have shown that lack of trust may disable a sale more quickly than any other factor. So, what is trust? I define it as the feeling you get from someone that what they say equals what they do. Sometimes we trust…
DetailsThe single greatest cause of sales “failure” is the fear of rejection— that creeping feeling that customers will tell you “no”. It can be so paralyzing that rookie and veteran sales people will go to great lengths to avoid that word. This fear disables you from cold calling, closing, and from getting up in the…
DetailsWestern culture is overwhelmingly pessimistic. Just turn on CNN or the local news and you will be bombarded with bad news—home foreclosures, inflation fears, Iraq, crime, and much more. Most advertising is negative—have you seen the political campaign ads? Studies have shown that 7 out of 10 people are pessimistic in the United States. That…
DetailsTo discount or not to discount—that is the question that many sales professionals must answer. At first view, it seems that discounting prices should stimulate new sales and be a good thing. But that is not always the case. The best advice may to be to hesitate and think first. Let’s examine the potential consequences…
DetailsThanks to Monty Python, the U.K. based comedy troupe from the seventies, “spam” became the symbol for mediocrity. Later spam became the symbol for unwanted e-mail from unknown senders. Spam is actually the trademark name for the Hormel Corporation canned meat product. SPAM was used by the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. Nonetheless,…
DetailsYour brand is your promise of value to your customers. Great brands are unique, consistent, and authentic. Your brand’s uniqueness answers the question, “How is your offering different or better?” To be considered better or different than your competition your offering must have at least one feature or benefit that is measurably better than the…
DetailsA “business concept” is the first step in the process of starting a new venture. It typically describes a vision of what might be. It generally precedes the business plan and it begs feedback on the merit of the idea. A business concept speaks about the customer, the product or service, the value proposition, and…
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