"You can always find some expert who will say something hopelessly hopeless about anything."

Peter McWilliams

Hark Unto the Wisdom of Tom Evans, Folks... With Distinct Scepticism
By Drayton Bird

A while back, my Australian partner Malcolm Auld sent me a piece by a marketing expert named Tom Evans, which stated that "direct mail for customer acquisition is dead." You should still put your money into direct marketing, said Tom -- but do it online.

After reading that, I rushed to the phone as fast as my little legs would carry me. I had a client who was sending out 48 million direct-mail pieces a year to get business. I had to warn him.

He needed to know that the game was up. Direct mail was dead. Run for your lives, everyone!

But he pooh-poohed my warning.

"We're the only big firm in our industry doing well," he said. "Everyone else is in a mess. Our main competitor can't even service their bank loans. I think I'll just ignore this Tom Evans chap, being as we're doing so well."

Every time I hear that something is dead, especially if it comes from an expert, I remember Mark Twain's reaction after reading his own obituary in a newspaper. The telegram he sent to the editor read, "The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

In his piece, Tom Evans presented what he considered to be compelling evidence that direct mail for customer acquisition is finished. The evidence: Direct-marketing spending decreased by 12 percent over the last year, driven by a shift away from direct mail and promotional material delivered door-to-door. And the top 10 direct-mail users had spent 40 percent less on direct mail.

Not only that, but he quotes Justin Basini, vice president of marketing for Capital One bank (once a top three direct-mail user), as saying that they were getting out of direct mail and putting their customer acquisition "resources" (which is marketing-speak for money) into online marketing. "Sending out loads of direct mail with [credit card] application forms isn't working anymore," said Basini.

From all this it is but a short leap to conclude, as Tom did, that "direct mail will always be important and it will still play a large part in direct marketing for many years to come, especially with regards to customer retention. However as a vehicle of customer acquisition it's finished. Digital does the job more cost effectively and in a word, better."

But, unlike Capital One, my client was not in the financial services business. He was in home-improvement. And what works for a financial services business doesn't apply to everyone.

And there is more naivety in Tom's piece. On the matter of lead generation, he says that when you generate leads online, "the Cost per Acquisition model... is a no-lose and no-risk proposition. Marketers can simply request a set number of sales leads for a guaranteed fixed cost. If the lead quality is up to par, calculating the ROI is straightforward."

The man inhabits wonderland. This would be true -- except for one thing. As more and more businesses recognize the joys of online customer acquisition, more and more will be willing to pay more and more to get those leads... or settle for fewer.

The same thing happened with e-mail marketing. Once it got amazing results. Now it doesn't.

And guess what the smart people in online marketing are doing? They're telling everyone to start testing offline. So whilst I -- and most of my clients -- have switched many of our efforts online, we are not so foolish as to believe that this is the only means of succeeding. We are interested in integrating our efforts.

Yes, it is true that, right now, online marketing in general tends to return a better ROI, but it is also true that many online marketers are being more imaginative than the direct mailers.

Not long ago, for example, I wrote a direct-mail promotion that doubled response for an insurance firm. It wasn't because my stuff was so brilliant but because what these people had been running was so bloody awful.

It has been about 10 years since a drunken creative director in a bar in Kuala Lumpur told me (I was not exactly sober either) that e-mail would kill direct mail. Now Tom Evans -- whose chief interest in publishing his words of wisdom, of course, is to attract clients -- says online is the answer to a maiden's prayer.

And so it is, and will be for a while. But in the long term, results will determine where marketers put their money. As Bertrand Russell remarked, "What men seek is not knowledge, but certainty." You won't find it in just one medium or one marketing discipline. That's kindergarten stuff.

"When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it."

W. Clement Stone

What Are Your Core Values?
By MaryEllen Tribby

Many marketers called the commercial "brilliant," "effective," and even "inspirational."

I say it took the easy way out.

You know the one I'm talking about -- the Nike commercial that ran right before the Masters Golf Tournament. Where Tiger Woods somberly looks into the camera as his father's voice asks him what he'd learned, blah, blah, blah...

Didn't it seem a bit like prostitution on Tiger's part? Sacrificing his self-respect and what's left of his reputation for a few bucks?

And did he really have to drag his dead father into his personal mess? Isn't it bad enough that he's sold out almost every other person in his life, including his beautiful wife and children, his business partners, and his friends?

We could debate Tiger's motivations until the cows come home. The bigger issue here is Nike's decision to make that commercial. It raises the question...

Who's the Bigger Schmuck -- Tiger or Nike?

My answer: Nike, by a mile!

It would have been so easy for Nike to do a commercial that eliminated Tiger from the equation -- a commercial that really had a lesson for young athletes.

So, Nike, here is an idea. (Feel free to use it!) How about a commercial with Derek Jeter, Peyton Manning, and Pete Sampras on a beautiful golf course -- all dressed in Nike attire and talking about what's important in life... things like family, charity, and the environment?

Now that would have been a brilliant, effective, and inspirational commercial -- one that would drive home one of the big lessons we hardworking parents try to instill in our children every day.

My nine-year-old son Connor loves playing baseball more then anything. If he is disrespectful -- to anyone -- Connor gets his baseball-playing privileges taken away. And during the Masters, Connor actually said, "Boy, I can't believe Tiger gets to play after he hurt all those people."

Now I'm not saying Tiger should have been prevented from playing in the Masters. But I do question Nike's decision to glorify him in that commercial.

It offends me. Not just as a mom but as a businesswoman.

And it makes me wonder what Nike considers to be its core values.

Core values are the foundation of a company's mission statement -- a formal, short, written statement of purpose that every organization should have.

What Is a Mission Statement -- and Why Does Your Business Need One?

In a nutshell, a mission statement answers the question "Why does this company exist?"
And if you do not have one for your business, I urge you to write one immediately.

Once you do, you will find that your customers understand you better. You will begin working only with joint venture partners who share your beliefs. All of your employees will have a better understanding of their purpose in your organization. And you will find that it is much easier to know how to run your business (including knowing whether an advertising campaign is appropriate!).

This is the mission statement for my company, Working Moms Only:

"Our mission is to supply the tools that can give EVERY working mom the ability to lead a healthy, wealthy, and more balanced/blended lifestyle. To create a community where millions of working moms from all over the world come together in support and celebration of each other."

It's simple and it's sincere. And everyone I do business with gets it -- instantly.

If you've never developed a mission statement before, here are a few things it may address:

• A definition of what your company is and does

• What your company aspires to be

• What features/characteristics distinguish your company from its competitors

• Your company's ideology and visionary goals

• The products and/or services your company offers

Your mission statement should be specific and narrow enough that it couldn't apply to just any company... but it should be flexible enough to allow for growth and change. It must also be clear and easy for potential clients, partners, and employees to understand (i.e., no buzz words or industry jargon).

Core Values -- the Foundation of Your Mission Statement

As I said, a company's core values are the foundation of its mission statement. So before you can lay out the mission statement itself, you have to identify those core values.

Core values are NOT descriptions of the actual work you do. Rather, they give you guidance in the way you go about your work, how you interact with others, and the strategies you choose to use to fulfill your mission.

Core values:

• Clarify who you are

• Articulate what you stand for

• Help explain why you do business the way you do

• Guide you in making decisions

These are the core values of Working Moms Only:

• We are committed to enhancing our customers' financial, intellectual, and physical wellbeing.

• We continually strive for excellence in all of our products and services.

• We partner with only those who share our customer-centric commitment.

• We strive to provide a workplace that operates in the best interests of our employees' professional and personal growth.

Once you have written down your mission statement and core values, post them. Post them in a spot where everyone who walks into your office or visits your website can see them.

Review them on a regular basis with your employees and partners. And always make sure when you bring in a new employee that they know this is what you stand for and why you are in business.

Of course, writing a mission statement and core values is not enough. What matters is living those words on a daily basis.

With the help of these tools, you will always know what to do -- from which companies to partner with to which products to design to how you communicate with your customers.

"In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create."

David Ogilvy

What? No Newsletter?
By Bob Bly

There are a number of business models for making money on the Internet. Of these, my favorite -- and the one I recommend to those who want to sell information products, dietary supplements, or just about any other product online -- is the "Agora Model."

In a nutshell, the Agora Model says you should offer a free e-newsletter in order to build up a large subscriber base. Then, you make money by e-mailing promotions to your online subscriber list.

Companies are making hundreds of millions of dollars in sales online with the Agora Model. Yet when I recommend it to marketers -- both experienced and novice alike -- they are immediately and strongly resistant to the idea.

Why?

One reason for their reluctance is that they have read articles by so-called Internet marketing gurus telling them that e-mail marketing is dead, passe, old hat. And that they should be focusing instead on blogging, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, online video, mobile marketing, or whatever the fad flavor of the month is.

Another reason is a fear -- reasonable, but not true -- that the e-zine "space" is overcrowded.

"There are so many e-zines out there, and everyone I know says they already get too many," an attendee at ETR's Information Marketing Bootcamp two years ago told me. "It seems impossible that I could be successful by publishing yet another one."

If you believe this, slap yourself -- and listen to what I'm telling you...

The Agora Model still works. I use it myself to earn a mid-six-figure income online -- "working" on my Internet business only a couple of hours a day.

As an article in a recent issue of DM News reported: "While social media and mobile marketing continue to be hot topics, marketers are still finding e-mail newsletters relevant."

One of the neatest things about the Agora Model is that your e-newsletter subscribers tend to be loyal readers -- because they have chosen to opt in to your e-list. And despite the glut of e-mail in your prospects' inboxes, sending an e-mail is still an effective way to get their attention:

• A study at Loughborough University found that users take action, on average, in less than two minutes upon being notified that a new e-mail is waiting for them.

• According to a report by Forrester Research, opt-in lists (including e-newsletter subscriber lists) retain 49 percent of their subscribers over time -- nearly double the retention rate of compiled e-lists.

• And a study from ClearContext, an e-mail management tools vendor, found that over half of users surveyed spend more than two hours a day with their e-mail inboxes.

Yet another reason why marketers hesitate to launch an e-newsletter is that they have the mistaken belief that it is time- and labor-intensive to produce.

In fact, your e-newsletter doesn't have to be elaborate, lengthy, complex, or fancy. But it does have to deliver useful content to your subscribers -- and do so on a consistent basis.

Publishing your own e-newsletter gives you three essential advantages when it comes to making money online...

1. The best way to get people to opt in to your e-list is by offering them free content. When you publish an e-newsletter, you always have new free content (your e-newsletter) to offer.

2. A monthly e-newsletter ensures that your prospects hear from you -- on a regular basis -- at least 12 times a year. Assuming they find your content valuable, this consistent communication helps build relationships with them.

3. When people subscribe to an online newsletter, they give you permission to e-mail to them. That means you can send them e-mail marketing messages -- with product offers -- whenever you wish, at minimal cost.

Repeated exposure to your e-newsletter and solo e-mail promotions gets subscribers to trust you enough to start buying the products you sell or recommend. And before you know it, you're making money selling information and/or merchandise on the Internet!

"Of course I'm a publicity hound.... How can you accomplish anything unless people know what you are trying to do?"

Vivien Kellems

Press for Pennies
By Wendy Montes de Oca

Company achieved a milestone? Launching a new product? Uncovered interesting statistics from a survey?

These are great reasons to put out an online press release. It will not only increase your online presence and drive traffic to your website, you can use it to leverage your newsletter content.

Press releases are effective vehicles for creating buzz and assisting in your SEO (search engine optimization) efforts through syndication back-links. By "syndication back-links," I mean links from other blogs and websites that pick up your release and republish it.

There are many free press distribution services on the World Wide Web to help you get your word out. But there are some "rules" to follow if you want your release to get snatched up by the media, bloggers, and online news aggregators like Google News and Yahoo News.

Here are six easy ways to leverage an online press release...

1. Although most free PR distribution services have a template that you can upload your release through, consider using a standard PR template as a guide. This will help ensure that your release is constructed as a legitimate press release. Here's the one I use: press-release-writing.com/press-release-template.htm.

2. It's important to make sure your press release is newsworthy, written well, has value-oriented information, is editorial in nature, and is not self-serving (i.e., blatantly promoting you or your website). It should have a strong, keyword-rich headline, subhead, and lead (introductory paragraph). And since search engine spiders scan pages from top to bottom, your top 10 keywords should be densest at the top of the document. Some helpful keyword search tools include freekeywords.wordtracker.com/, google.com/sktool/, and adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal. These will help you identify keywords that have good search volume and fit your target audience.

3. Another PR basic, one that often gets overlooked, is to make sure your release in written in the third-person. It's also a good idea to include 1-3 quotes about the main person the release is built around.

4. Don't forget to use spellcheck and proofread your release. If there are spelling or grammatical errors, it will ruin your credibility. And remember to include one or two links to your website at the bottom of the release, such as, "To read the full article or schedule interviews, contact NAME at [your web address]."

5. Recycle your newsletter content in your press releases by repurposing it to be exciting, newsworthy, and consumer driven. You can often use the same copy with minor edits.

6. If you use a PR distribution service like PRWeb or Business Wire (for a nominal fee), in addition to online media your release will be available to major national and regional print publications. However, there are plenty free online services that I like to use, including PRlog.org, free-press-release.com, and i-newswire.com.

Online press releases have helped me promote my own business as well as help drive traffic to my client's websites as part of their search engine marketing (SEM) and social media efforts. It's practically free -- and the results are measureable!

To create a press release for a client, I would simply take an existing newsletter article that had been written by the editor and reformat the content. I would make the headline attention-grabbing and newsworthy, and also keyword-rich from a search engine standpoint. I would make sure the first paragraph, too, was keyword dense, and add some relevant quotes. In the closing paragraph, I would include a final quote, as well as a "call to action." It would be something like "Click here for more information" Or "Click here to sign up for [name of the client's newsletter]."

And take a look at the results...

During the week of the release, the client's website traffic would be up by as much as 50 percent, on average. By using Google Analytics, Google Organic Search, and Back-Link Checker tools, I was able to see those measurable surges in traffic. I could also see who had picked up the release and published it on their site. If the release was posted on a site that I didn't upload it to, I could conclude that it was passed on "virally" -- further helping my client's SEM efforts via back-linking and buzz.

So don't overlook the power of the free online press release. As I always say, if you're a strategic and creative thinker, you'll be able grow your business for practically pennies.

"You will either step forward into growth or you will step back into safety."

Abraham Maslow

Build Your List Three Ways
By Brian Edmondson

"How do I get more traffic to my website?" "How do I build a list?" "How can I make more money online?" These are three of the most common questions I get from aspiring Internet entrepreneurs, as well as seasoned online professionals.

Marketing guru Jay Abraham teaches that there are really only three ways to grow any business: Increase the number of customers, increase the number of purchases they make, or increase the average amount they spend on each purchase.

In the world of online business, this translates into getting more traffic to your website and collecting their contact information. By building -- and marketing to -- your own in-house e-mail list, you'll find that you'll make more sales. You'll also find that you can sell increasingly expensive products to those repeat customers.

There are hundreds (possibly thousands) of ways to get traffic to your website. The way I see it, all of them can be broken down into free traffic, paid traffic, and what I call leveraged traffic. Let's take a closer look at each one...

1. Free Traffic

As its name implies, free traffic is traffic that you don't have to pay for. The main benefit of this type of traffic is pretty obvious: It's free. And because of that, your potential return on investment (ROI) is almost unlimited.

The downside (relative to the other two types of traffic) is that it usually takes time to get a consistent, steady flow of visitors to your website, and it does take some work. The good news is that once you get it going, it builds on itself and the effect is long-term.

Here are my two favorite methods of generating free traffic...

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of optimizing the amount of traffic you get to your website from the search engines' natural or "organic" search results. In human language, that means getting your site listed by Google, Yahoo, and other search engines when people search for information related to what you're selling.

To get the most bang for your buck, you should identify the specific keywords that your potential customers are typing into the search engines, and create useful content for your website based on those keywords. Tools like SEO Book and Word Tracker will help you do this.

The idea, here, is that by adding valuable content to your website, the rankings will follow.

• Article Marketing -- submitting articles to other websites and article directories (like EzineArticles.com) -- is another good way to get free traffic to your website.

As with the content you create for your website, you write useful articles based on the keywords that your potential customers are searching for.

When submitting articles, I like to find websites related to my niche that already have high rankings in the search engines and already get a lot of traffic. Let's say you run a business that sells stationery. To find likely websites to submit articles to, you might go to Google, type in "wedding stationery," and make a list of the search results for that keyword. Then you'd do another search, this time for "bridal shower note cards." You'd repeat the process for 10 or 20 related keywords. Once you have a list of top-ranked websites, you'd contact them and offer to submit articles in exchange for a link back to your site.

2. Paid Traffic

The advantage of paid traffic is that it is immediate. Also, as compared to most free traffic, it is quantifiable -- and, thus, it is easy to tell whether a paid traffic campaign is profitable or will be profitable in the future. The disadvantage is that it costs money, and you'll probably experience some losses up front when you begin testing.

Here are two of my favorite methods of generating paid website traffic...

• Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising works in a way that is similar to SEO. When a user types a phrase into the search engine, they get a list of organic results. On the same page, they see a list of paid results -- ads placed by advertisers based on the keywords that had been typed in.

Getting started with PPC is fairly simple. You set up an account with one of the major PPC networks (like Google). You select the keywords you want to bid on and get listed for, and you write a short ad that will entice qualified prospects to click on your ad and visit your site. You can begin driving traffic to your website within minutes.

There are many factors that will determine your success with PPC, including how much you bid for the keywords and your ad copy. To make PPC work, you have to constantly test, test, and then test some more. It may take some trial and error, but once you find a winning combination, you can roll it out and be more aggressive.

• E-zine Advertising can help youreach a large group of highly targeted prospects. You can find e-zines and online newsletters that are related to your niche simply by doing a search on Google. Let's say you are in the credit repair niche. You might search Google for:"credit repair newsletter," "credit repair e-zine," and "credit repair e-newsletter." Then check with the e-zines/websites that come up to see if they run paid advertising. Those that do will probably offer several options, including short, inexpensive classified ads and more-expensive dedicated e-mail blasts.

Before testing an ad with an e-zine, I would first subscribe to it to see what it's like to be one of their subscribers. Do they send out good, useful content? Do they publish regularly? And do they have ads for products/services that are similar to those you plan to advertise? If the answer to those questions is yes, that publication is a good candidate for you.

Another tip is to look at the top ranked websites for your niche and see if they are acquiring names with any type of lead-capture or subscription box. If they are, contact them to see if they would be open to running your ad to their list.

3. Leveraged Traffic

What is unique about leveraged traffic is that it has all the positives of free and paid traffic without the negatives. It is both free and immediate -- and highly responsive, to boot. There are several ways to get leveraged traffic, including viral marketing and affiliate marketing. But I want to talk about my favorite: joint ventures (JVs).

JVs give you a quick and powerful way to get traffic to your website, build your list, and make sales. It's one of the methods I used to start and grow my online business -- and it's a key strategy for big, growing companies like Early to Rise.

While there is no one way to do joint ventures, the most common JVs in the online world involve cross promotions, also known as e-mail swaps. Your JV partner sends an e-mail to their list promoting your product or service. In exchange, you send an e-mail to your list promoting their product or service.

With the kind of traffic generated this way, not only will you get a lot of it fast, but it will be much more responsive to your offer because it comes as the result of an endorsement from your partner (assuming you selected a good JV partner). And as you do more joint ventures, you'll build your in-house e-mail list and will be able to leverage off of that to do more joint ventures with the owners of larger lists.

So how do you find a joint venture partner? It's as simple as sending an e-mail, picking up the phone, or meeting someone at a conference or event. Introduce yourself, develop a relationship, and see if it makes sense for you to do business together. Once you experience the power of a joint venture, you'll never look back.

There you have it -- five specific ways to start driving traffic to your website and build your in-house e-list… five of the methods used here at Early to Rise. As you can see, we use a multi-channel approach to online marketing, and so should you.

Improve on what you are already doing, and continue to learn new ways to generate more traffic and, ultimately, more sales.

"While it may be true that the best advertising is
word-of-mouth, never lose sight of the fact it
also can be the worst advertising."
~ Jef I. Richards

Use Your Mouth By MaryEllen Tribby

Print ads, pay-per-click ads, direct mail, radio, and television. There are dozens of marketing channels that you can use to effectively get your message out to millions of potential customers. Now, you may be using all of these marketing methods... and even more. But I want to be sure that you aren't neglecting one of the fastest-growing types of marketing available today.

I'm talking about word of mouth. That's it - customers talking about your business and products. I started thinking differently about this powerful (and free!) marketing channel a while ago after reading Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking by Andy Sernovitz.

I applaud this book because it shows why customer service (or customer satisfaction as I call it) and marketing must go hand-in-hand. And explains that deceptive marketing is a very bad policy and that listening and talking to your customers are the best practices you can follow.

We have all heard of B-to-C (business-to-consumer) marketing. And we have all heard of B-to-B (business-to-business) marketing. We have even (more recently) heard of C-to-C (consumer-to-consumer) marketing. But what Word of Mouth Marketing explores is the new world of B-to-C-to-C marketing - business-to-consumer-to-consumer! It's all about the second hop, the third hop, the fourth hop, and so on.

You may be thinking, "Word of mouth isn't a new concept. It's been going on forever. So what's the big deal?"

What's new is that with the popularity of social media, word of mouth has evolved from anecdotal to actionable, from something that "just happens" to something you can influence. In fact, because we now have the tools and knowledge to work with it, word of mouth marketing has become the fastest growing form of marketing.

Word of mouth is about authentic consumer conversation. That means marketers join in a conversation with their customers, participating in it but never manipulating, faking, or degrading its fundamental honesty in any way.

The Five T's to Word of Mouth Marketing

1. Talkers: Finding people who will talk about you

Talkers are any group of people who have enthusiasm and the connections to relay your message. Talkers are regular people, your best customers.

A while back, I attended a seminar in Atlanta - along with about 2,500 other people. Jim, the very first person I met, asked me what I did. When I told him about the company I was running at the time, he said, "Oh, I know them. The only publication I read is their flagship newsletter." We spoke at length about how that newsletter has helped him grow his business, how he has told friends and industry colleagues about it, and how many of those folks are now fans.

Jim is a great example of a talker.

You just don't find talkers ... you cultivate them. People talk about you for two reasons: They either had a very good experience with your company or they had a very bad experience. Either way, by responding to their comments you can turn them into big marketers for your company. Here's how to do it:

• Acknowledge your mistakes. If you screw up, you should never try to sweep it under the rug. Instead, apologize to the customers it affected, correct the problem, and thank your customers for staying with you. You'll find that your customers will thank YOU for correcting the mistake. And they may even go on to recommend your company to people they know.

• Acknowledge compliments. Many people think that if someone pays you a compliment, a response is not necessary. This could not be further from the truth. That person took the first step by making a comment. Now you need to seize the opportunity to turn her into a talker. You do this by replying to your customers' letters, e-mails, and forum postings.

• Acknowledge your fans. Sometimes you can turn a person into a talker just by talking to them first. Look for signs of extreme enthusiasm. Look for customers who frequently attend the events you sponsor or know the names of your employees or wear your logo.

For example, while visiting my husband's family in Long Island a few summers ago, I saw a man on the beach wearing an ETR hat with the company's logo. I was so excited that I went over to him and introduced myself. Noticing the confusion on his face, I pointed to his hat and said, "I run that company!" Well, he told me it was his buddy's hat, and he just liked the color.

I apologized for bothering him, and went back to building sand castles with my kids. An hour later, a different man came up to me and told me it was his hat ... and that he had been a client of ours for years.

"Steve" and I talked for a while about his Internet business. And when I got back to the office, I asked our customer service manager to look up his address - and I sent him a personal note and a new hat. I'm pretty sure Steve is now a talker.

2. Topics: Giving people a reason to talk

All word of mouth starts with creating a message that spreads. In other words, with a good, clear idea that's easy to repeat.

I ran a company that adhered to a philosophy called Ready, Fire, Aim. The company's experts write about Ready, Fire, Aim and speak about it at the events they sponsor, so all of their customers can benefit from it. If you take a look at videos of the people who attend this company's events, video after video shows them repeating this mantra.

The reason Ready, Fire, Aim works is because it is short and sweet. It was developed around a single idea that is easy to repeat. And it's a concept that not only resonates with entrepreneurs but has been proven to work time after time.

Good topics are organic. They are based on the exceptional qualities that make your products stand out. They flow naturally from the products' attributes, without needing to be pushed by marketing.

3. Tools: Helping the message spread faster and further

Non info-publishing, info-marketing companies have been doing this for years. Dining establishments spread the word by handing out 2 for 1 coupons. Cosmetics companies give away free samples. Apartment complexes offer one month's free rent. Phone companies give you a $50 credit for referring a friend. And so on.

But with the Internet, it has never been faster, easier, or cheaper. Just think about it. How many times have you read something online and forwarded it to not just one or two friends, colleagues, or relatives but five or 10? And that's without any marketing push. If you have a "Forward to a Friend" or "Tell a Friend" button at the bottom of your e-mailed publication, you're adding exponential marketing power to it.

I have always been a big fan of forums and message boards. They encourage like-minded people to share ideas, problems, and solutions. Plus, they allow you to "listen in on" and participate in their conversations.

I love to find out what my customers are saying, because it helps me better understand their needs. If you ask me, any company that believes in their products and employees will have forums. Forums not only facilitate communication, they increase accountability.

4. Taking Part: Joining the conversation

Once you have reached out to real people and encouraged them to talk, there is no turning back. You must join the conversation. You must reply to e-mails, accept comments on your blog, participate in the discussion board, answer the phone.

Joining the conversation is even more powerful when it is public. For instance, you can publish readers' comments and questions in your newsletter or other marketing publications. If one of your customers is struggling and takes the time to ask for help, you need to (1) acknowledge that, and (2) share your advice with others who may be in the same situation.

Again, if your customers are complimenting you, thank them. If customers are saying negative things, find out why and fix the problem.

There is no better focus group than your customers. Yes, you will get crazies every once in a while - and you may need to hire outside resources to communicate with them on your company's behalf. But, at the same time, you are earning the respect and recommendations of your customers and building long-term lasting relationships with them ... as long as you are helpful, truthful, thankful, and nice.

5. Tracking: Measuring and understanding what people are saying

Because of the popularity of blogs and online communities, people are writing down nearly every thought they have about your company. And because these B-to-C-to-C conversations are written down, they are easy to find and easy to track. You can find every comment about you and your company moments after it is written. And monitoring that online communication allows you to understand what your customers really think about you, your marketing, and your products.

There are wonderful online tools - such as Google Alert and Technorati - that can help you monitor your word of mouth. They are at your fingertips, and they are instant and free.

Start right now. Don't make any marketing decisions without considering the potential for word of mouth. Ad agencies, media executives, and reporters no longer control the message. Real consumers with real communication power have added their voices to the mix. And their voices are drowning out traditional media. A single consumer voice, in the end, has a huge impact on your company's future.

Word of mouth will become more and more important as the Internet continues to expand. But I am still a firm believer in the importance of direct-response marketing. The best thing you can do for your company is to successfully incorporate multiple methods into your overall marketing strategy. You'll maximize your efforts, build your customer base, and reap the profits.

"A life without cause is a life without effect."
~ Barbarella

Power Over Life's "Pings" By Kristin Andress

On any given day in a woman's life, she is a chameleon, a juggler, a chauffeur, a chef, a professional and a magician. Some of us may make it look easy, though as insiders we know it can be riddled with stress, setbacks and self-judgment. All of us need help managing the "PINGs" of life, the variables that affect us and can knock us off course.

Have you ever watched a movie that left you with a sense of empowerment as you walked out of the theater? One that had you cheering the protagonist for beating seemingly impossible odds? Most likely you have. Moving. Inspiring. Empowering. These movies resonate with us because we like to see people triumph. We truly want others to beat the odds, whether it is in love, sports, business, war, or life in general. We want happy endings. Of course, on the road from youth to adulthood, we learn that not everything ends happily ever after. We come to realize that while we can overcome the dragons, poisoned apples, magic potions, and evil stepmothers . . . we still may not end up with the prince. Life teaches us that.

But what life does not teach us is the skill to deal with the setbacks we may face. You probably know that life is not always smooth sailing. There will always exist the crests (highs) and the troughs (lows)--and those troughs are the PINGs. Where you are in your life right now can probably be charted by the many PINGs you have experienced along the way. Life really comes down to choosing whether you will let the PINGs rule you. It is within your power to take control of your life and take responsibility for your responses and actions.

PINGs are powerful forces. Some may be little ripples that are annoying enough to disrupt your plans. Some may be high seas that force you to look for new routes, and some may be catastrophic, making you hang on for dear life. You never know when the PINGs are going to hit, so you need to learn to recognize them so you can control just how much affect they will have on your life. Have you ever had an occasion when an incident threw you off course and you cursed it until you realized that, wait, there may be something good that can come of this? There are plenty of examples of these PINGs in life--those seeming setbacks that ended up taking someone to new heights:

• Oprah Winfrey being told by her TV station manager that she was not going to make it as a reporter only to become the greatest female multimedia mogul in history.

• Lance Armstrong being told that a cancerous tumor had metastasized to his brain and lungs only to become the only cyclist in history to win seven consecutive Tour de France races.

• Erin Brockovich being ridiculed by fellow employees for her lack of a formal law education only to lead the largest direct class action lawsuit in U.S. history.

What is important to remember is that PINGs--while they can be seemingly devastating at the time--can actually end up benefitting us. It is how PINGs are perceived that makes all the difference. Consider the XY Equation:

X = The variables in life

Y = You, the constant

You are the Y (and the "why") in every situation, and if you have a strong belief system, a strong core, you will be able to overcome any obstacle, any variable that comes into your life equation. Your belief system equips you with the creative ability to confront and deal with the problems that arise. It will arm you with the resourcefulness to face any situation--no matter how dire--and, if necessary, chart a new direction for the future. It will also inspire you. It will be the fire in your belly that will allow you to believe in the seemingly impossible. It will be the energy that will propel you through the fears and doubts. Be the constant. Be the Y--and the "why"--at all times and you'll find that no X can stop you. Make the conscious choice to not let the Pings rule you.

There is no way to de-PING your life; however, there are ways to utilize the PINGs to your advantage or to get past them when they stop you. To gain power over the PINGs:

Remain resilient. You may have to adjust in order to handle the situation and the circumstances, and you will need to review what you need to do next. If, however, you become a reaction to the PING, then you will lose your power to focus and continue.

Use your lifelines. These are exactly the times when you need others to support you. Reach out to those you trust and ask them for what you need.

Exercise your internal or personal power. Power is "the ability to act or produce an effect." Your ability to overcome obstacles is directly related to the power of your imagination and the strength of your belief system. How you control your life in tense or stressful situations--and how you intensify that potential within you--will determine your success in handling setbacks. Conversely, powerlessness comes from the feeling or belief that you have no control, no capacity to dig deep inside for that power to overcome setbacks. You feel weak and unable to cope. You cannot see the possibilities or believe in a positive outcome. If you allow that feeling of powerlessness to master you, then you will be swallowed whole and spit out by life. Be the PING master, rather than give them power over you.

Stay focused on your intentions. Keep what you desire to manifest in your life front and center. You will need to address head on the PINGs that are providing you with the reasons, explanations, and excuses for not taking the actions needed for you to be in a life you love.

Be willing to make things happen for yourself. Be wise enough to welcome change, take another approach, create new opportunities, and talk to people who will help you through the problem. And, when you need to, take an SPD. What is an SPD? It's a Special Person Day. It can be your way of acknowledging that you are getting PINGed. Allow yourself time to get angry or sad about it, and then move on. That is the really important part to understand here--move on. You only get 24-hours for your SPD. Any more than that and you will become one of those people who most likely gets on your nerves!

These variables in life, these PINGs, do exist and will continually challenge you. Having a strong core, a strong belief system, can help you overcome them, and help you gain control over them. Use your imagination to get through the setbacks. Do not hand your power over to someone or something else. Do not wallow in the misfortunes. The minute you do, you lose. Stay focused on your intentions, walking with the knowledge that you will handle any setback that comes your way. Bring real power into your everyday life by refusing to be a victim of life's circumstances. If you can say, "I have the power to handle anything and everything that gets in my way of reaching my best intention," you will be one step closer to managing the PINGs you face in life so you can begin living it in a way you love.

"The first lesson of economics is scarcity. There is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it."

Thomas Sowell

"Fruitful" Marketing Lessons From an Overabundant Tree
By Charlie Byrne

My hometown "Paradise by the Sea" of Delray Beach, Florida is not only blessed with miles of gorgeous sandy beaches... lined with dozens of casual, eclectic, and gourmet restaurants... and overflowing with hip clubs and art galleries...

It's also home to a huge number of... drum roll, please.

Mango trees.

I mean, really. It's almost ridiculous!

The trees rise to the sky on practically every street -- in front yards, vacant lots, village parks, and any number of other accessible, public spaces.

Hundreds upon hundreds of mangos hang off every tree. Branches bend down from the weight, putting the succulent fruit within the grasp of any man, woman, or child who cares to enjoy it.

And it was on one of my morning runs last week that I realized there was something terribly wrong with this picture!

All this wonderful fruit right there for the taking, but none of it had been picked! I examined no less than seven trees, and couldn't find a single stem missing its mango.

Why? Why, for example, hadn't I taken one myself?

The answer, of course, was simple. It's the same reason folks don't take the coconuts that are falling off trees all over town.

And the same reason why I never went to the top of the Empire State Building when I worked in New York City... and walked past it every day.

Because I could do it whenever I wanted!

And that's why Delray Beach's overloaded mango trees are an ideal illustration of two closely related marketing principles...

Urgency and Scarcity

In marketing terms, urgency means that the supply of a product is limited by time.

Ever get involved in an eBay auction when the clock was running out? How about getting up at 5:00 a.m. to be one of the first customers in line for a day-after-Thanksgiving "Black Friday" sale? If so, you know the power of urgency.

Scarcity means that the supply of a product is limited by quantity.

Both urgency and scarcity arouse the human desire to want that which we can't have.

Right now in Delray Beach, we have an unlimited supply of mangos, and they're going to be around for a long time. So there's no scarcity... no urgency. As a result, you literally can't give them away.

If you're not tickling your prospects' emotional impulses to buy NOW, I'm willing to bet your products are suffering from a similar fate.

When you apply the principles of scarcity and urgency to bring your marketing alive, your sales can increase dramatically. I've seen it many times -- and I'm talking about increases of 100 percent to 1,000 percent. In fact, this is probably the simplest, cheapest way to multiply your revenues instantly.

Our colleague, "Product Launch" guru Jeff Walker, knows all about it. He's brought in, and helped others bring in, more than $53 million in the past five years in all kinds of markets. Virtually all of Jeff's success is built around the mastery of scarcity and urgency.

According to Jeff, "Scarcity is probably the single biggest mental trigger there is. No matter how many times I've seen it used, it's always breathtaking to see how it moves people to action. I've seen WAY too many people underestimate the power of adding a scarcity component to their marketing. If you fall into that trap, you will be leaving a huge amount of money on the table."

So how can you pick up all that cash you've been leaving on the table?

There are plenty of ways, even if you are selling a product that is in infinite supply -- an e-book, for example:

• Urgency: Add a bonus for a limited length of time.

• Urgency: Reduce the price for a special holiday sale.

• Scarcity: Add a bonus -- but only for the first 150 buyers.

• Scarcity plus Urgency: With this "launch and retreat" approach, you sell a specific quantity of the product during a specific period of time, and then take it off the market. ("This Memorial Day weekend only, I'm offering just 100 of these information-packed e-books. Sale ends Midnight Monday or when the 100 are gone -- whichever comes first.")

Taking your product "off the market" at a specified date and time might sound scary. What if a bunch of prospects show up at your website the following week looking to buy what you just stopped selling? Wouldn't you be kicking yourself over that lost opportunity?

Perhaps. But I can pretty much guarantee one thing. The overwhelming number of sales you'll make during a scarcity/urgency campaign will make the number you might lose utterly insignificant. In addition, when you "re-open" your next campaign, you'll already have a certain amount of "pent-up" customer demand providing fuel for your fire.

One Important Caveat to Keep in Mind...

You want to add scarcity and urgency to your marketing, but you want it to be genuine.

As Michael Masterson told me, "There has to be a legitimate reason for the scarcity. If you're faking it, customers will see through it and it loses its power."

He suggested a few ways to "make it real" for them: Explain that you had only 100 of the special reports printed up. (Why not show the actual invoice?) Or that the fire code limits the conference room to 75 people. (Why not take a photo of the actual sign in the room?) If you're selling personal coaching services, explain that you have only so much time. If you're selling an investment advisory service, explain that if too many people get the same recommendation, they can initiate a buying frenzy that artificially pushes up the price.

I'm just touching the surface here -- but you get the idea.

Sales: The Leader of the Future
by Justin Gittelman

A sale isn’t just about numbers anymore. It is about what you do for your community’s greatest good. Everyone can succeed at selling, but the difference between average performance and sales success comes from those who put aside the bottom line and have a higher intention with a larger purpose.

From that, sales numbers will be a byproduct. When this connection with a higher purpose is achieved, you no longer become a sales performer, but a sales leader.

Now is a great time to go after greater market share and become the sales leader of the future. Our current fragmented business climate means that anyone has the chance to become king of the hill.

There is plenty of business out there. Now, is the time to take the actions necessary to guarantee great results!

Follow these sales ideals and create sustainable revenues you’ve always dreamed of:

Ethics. In the increasingly conscience-focused marketplaces of the 21st century, the demand for more ethical business processes and actions is increasing. While it may be difficult to tie ethical behavior directly to the bottom line, a lack of ethics will definitely have an impact on future sales. This is evident with Toyota. Internal memos within Toyota acknowledge that the auto company knew about the sticky gas pedals years before problems and car accidents were reported and the current mass recall was issued, but the car company remained silent. Now, they are seeing the negative effects – sales are decreasing and their brand, which was once viewed as synonymous with top quality, is suffering.

Sales Leadership Lesson: Develop a personal code of ethics and stick to it.

Values. Values allow you to distinguish between right and wrong in the business setting. Looking at values on a simpler level can help. Harley Davidson has five main values that they have built their 100-year-old company from: tell the truth; be fair; keep your promises; respect the individual and encourage intellectual curiosity. These values are simple and can be applied every day to improve yourself and relationships with others.

Sales Leadership Lesson: Identify and stay true to your values and understand their importance in business.

Service Mindset. The new sales leader is not the hard pressing, demanding, self-serving individual of the past. Quite the contrary, the new sales leader is servant-minded. Instead of seeking to be first in the race to the top of the hill, the new sales leader brings others to the top of a higher mountain with him or her. Being selfless allows you to seek out a team, and together get more accomplished. Clients are part of your team, not just purchasers.

Sales Leadership Lesson: Serve. Make the transition from self to selfless.

Willingness – This refers to being open to feedback. All sales leaders are willing to improve consistently, not just when things go wrong. To get the best feedback, speak in your client’s lingo and solicit feedback in a way the client understands. Feedback is a tool used in business coaching. It allows you to listen and process ways in which you and your organization can improve and in turn, growth will occur.

Sales Leadership Lesson: Be willing to hear feedback and become a better listener.

Contribution. Be a part of the bigger picture. The sales leader is there to fill in the gaps, aspiring to achieve greatness, and to always be part of the solution. Pharmaceutical company Merck was named among the 100 Best Corporate Citizens for 2010 in Corporate Responsibility magazine because of its work in Botswana to provide treatment, care and support for those with AIDS , as well as with helping children in the United States who suffer from Asthma.

Sales Leadership Lesson: Look for ways to contribute and be useful. Look out for the team and its needs first.
I’ve learned from people that have emanated these qualities. They shared them with me freely and always were available to help and support me in my professional development. As I strive for greater and greater levels of success in business and life, I aspire daily to achieve these types of results personally and in business. I wish the same for you.

"I believe 'credibility' is one of the biggest issues yet to be addressed by Internet advertisers."

Jef I. Richards

Don't Link Before You Think
(Why Linking for SEO May Be a Bad Idea)
By David Cross

"Do you think this is a good idea?" he asked me.

My father-in-law, GS, had received a request from a website that wished to link to his. And he wanted my advice.

The website looked good. It was similar to his business. And it had a reasonably good Google ranking already. So linking would be contextually relevant. And it could be beneficial to both sites' search engine rankings.

But there's a caveat I'll get to in a minute. It's something very few online businesses consider.

First... let me explain why you would want to link to another site, possibly a competitor.

The World Wide Web is founded on the principle of hyperlinking to other relevant and useful resources. If you are writing an article on whitewater rafting in China, for example, it is helpful to your reader if you provide links to related websites. These could be sites that track water levels, offer translators, or list local businesses where you may rent kayaks and canoes. You get the idea.

Some years back, Google, then other search engines, came up with the idea that the number of websites linking to yours should play a role in determining which websites or Web pages should be deemed "important."

They factored this in their ranking algorithms to help decide which ones should appear at the top of search results on any given term. Sites with more sites linking to them would appear to be of greater import. So they should rank higher.

More incoming links to your website is, generally speaking, a good thing. So you will occasionally receive requests to link to other websites. These could be reciprocal links in which the other websites link back to yours. Done correctly, this can have a positive impact on your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts.

For some years now, websites have linked to each other and, as a result, have enjoyed some modicum of improved visibility from the search engines. So why did I suggest to my father-in-law that he not accept that linking request?

Credibility.

"Do you know this company or their website?" I inquired.

"No, I've never heard of them before."

The concern I had was that although the company in question looked credible enough, what would GS do if one of his customers, referred by a link from his website, started doing business with that company and, somewhere down the line, had problems? Ultimately, it would reflect badly on him.

This is a common occurrence in business and in life. I don't like to recommend a restaurant, for example, unless I've eaten there a few times. Quality can be so variable.

And I've seen many instances of customers of Business A getting irked because they heard a speaker from Business B at Business A's conference and started doing business with Business B. But then they found them wanting in some way.

So, although there would have been some SEO benefit to the interlinking, I told GS to wait until he knew more about the other business. It would even better if someone he trusted had done business with them.

This may seem overly cautious on my part. But reputation in business can take a long time to develop but only moments to shatter.

Consider this a guideline for when you are asked, or plan, to link to another site.

You should also take a critical look at the businesses you link to now. You may have felt that any link is a good link -- but as you now know, this is not true.

How do you weed out the bad from the good? Do your due diligence:

1. What do you know about the business you are linking to? Check out their site and what they sell.

2. Would you do business with them or refer your customers to them? Would you refer your family to them?

3. Are there any negative reports about their products or services online? Do they advertise products on their website that conflict with what you offer?

4. Is their website already in Google, Yahoo, and Bing? If not, you may be dealing with a very new website (in which case the benefit to them would be much greater than the benefit to you) or a website that's been barred for any number of reasons (which could be a major detriment to you).

5. What is the "page rank" of your website and of the website that you are linking to? In general, you should not link to a Web page that has a lower page rank than the page you are linking from.

6. Is there a natural business fit between your two websites? If you sell trout fishing guides and they sell cake decorating supplies, that is bad link. But if they offer fishing tours or fly fishing gear, it could be a good link.

7. Finally, is a reciprocal link available, preferably from the site's home page? (The home page is normally the one with the highest page rank.)

Linking for SEO can work well, as long as you follow these simple guidelines... and use good judgment.

Up Words to Up Sales
by Michel Fortin

I once watched a TV newscast reporting on a devastating forest fire. "We now take you to reporter Sally Smith," said the news anchor, "who's in the station's helicopter above the scene of the fire. Tell us, Sally, how big is the fire?" In a voice partially drowned by the whizzing sound of helicopter blades, Sally reports: "It's burning over 140 acres of land - that's about 200 football fields back-to-back for you and me." Mark Twain once said, "Numbers don't stick in the mind; pictures do." People tend to think in pictures, not in words and certainly not in numbers - unless, of course, it is told to do exactly that. That's because the mind hates confusion. And in sales... The confused mind always says "No."

The mind will naturally translate words or phrases into something it can refer back to and already knows, rapidly and almost unconsciously, in order to fully grasp what it is told. We do this all the time. For instance, if I told you to think of a garbage can, you're not going to think of "G," "A," "R," "B," etc. Your mind will automatically visualize some sort of garbage can. If the reporter didn't give a visual equivalent, the audience - unless comprised of land surveyors - would have ignored this important piece of information or attempted to visualize "140 acres," which, in all likelihood, they would have visualized it wrong.

To ramp up your sales, use what I call "upwords." It's an acronym that means: "Universal Picture Words or Relatable, Descriptive Sentences." Upwords are words that paint vivid pictures in the mind, or expressions that describe an idea to which the mind of your reader or prospect can quickly and easily relate to. In other words, upwords are metaphors, similes, analogies, examples, comparisons, mental imagery, stories, illustrations, etc - anything to help the mind instantly visualize what it is being told, without the need for critical thinking.

We must be aware of how our readers will "decode" the message we are trying to communicate. Our job is to encode a sales message by choosing the right symbols - i.e., words and phrases - to convey what, hopefully, our prospect will decode in the way we intended. The big test, therefore, is to put ourselves in our reader's shoes.The more you use upwords, the more your reader will not only be able to visualize the message you're trying to convey, but also appreciate that message at a deeper and more intimate level.

If your market consists of artists, use art examples. If it's comprised of managers, use business analogies. If it's made up of fishing aficionados, use fishing metaphors. For example, say you sell customer service software to florists. You can say: "Your clients are like fresh-cut roses; they need to be handled efficiently. But if handled improperly, they can prick and hurt your business, or simply wilt away."

As a copywriter, one website I critiqued sold skincare lotion. It's a facial scrub that helps to smooth out wrinkles, which they call "microdermabrasion." Problem is, not a lot people know what microdermabrasion means. Granted, the term has been bandied about on TV and in beauty salons. And most people may have heard it before. But a lot of them don't know what it really means or what it can do for them. After some investigation, I realized that "microdermabrasion" offers three main benefits.

· It reduces the appearance of wrinkles,
· It comes in a easy-to-use homecare kit,
· And it's gentle on skin (i.e., it's pH balanced).

But these are not benefits let alone ideas her prospects can easily appreciate. Again, they may understand what these are, and they likely understand what they can do. But to help them truly appreciate what they really mean, I told her to change it to:

"Reverse the aging process by giving your skin a youthful radiance with our facelift in a jar! No inconvenient or embarrassing visits to clinics… no risks associated with harsh chemical peels or injections… and no costly doctors and painful surgeries with forced downtimes. Get beautiful skin naturally, in hours, in the comfort of your own home. It's like getting the power of a sandblaster applied with the gentleness of velvet glove!"

Bottom line, different words mean different things to different people. We are different by our education, experiences, and environment, which all condition our thinking. So use imagery that will make your sales message easier to grasp by your prospect's unique set of circumstances. As Jack Trout once said… "A word is worth a thousand pictures."

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of
a second-rate version of somebody else."
~ Judy Garland

Stop Networking and Start Making Money By MaryEllen Tribby

It's a self-marketing tactic I've really come to hate...

I'm talking about "networking." Sure, I've been hearing all about networking for years. I've even used the word myself!

But when you get down to it, networking is cold, sterile... And it seems self-serving: one person trying to form a web of contacts whose sole purpose is to do something for him.

That's not how I want to do business.

Lately, I've been rethinking what "networking" means. For instance, when I meet people at a so-called "networking" event, what is my end-game?

You know what? My ultimate goal is not to network with them... It's not to find out what they can do for me... It's not to add them to my address book until I need something from them...

It's to connect with them!

When I meet people, I want to really understand why they do what they do, to really "get" their true purpose. I want to find out if their purpose and mission is synergistic with Working Moms Only... and, if it is, how we can work together or for one another to best serve our prospective communities. I think of it as "what can we do for each other and each other's communities?" instead of "what can you do for me?"

When I focus on these goals, deals follow. And when a deal is made between two people (notice I did not say two businesses) who have connected - as opposed to "networked" - money usually follows.

Making a connection does require a bit more "work" than simply shoving your business card at a potential client. But the extra money you can make and the new opportunities you can open up to your community are well worth the extra effort.

Yet, all too often, people are scared to put themselves out there. Unfortunately, insecurity and discomfort can be perceived as arrogance or even disinterest. Sometimes, fear and uncertainty come across as a "what's in it for me" attitude. That can offend the very people you're trying to connect with... And before you know it, a potential million-dollar deal could fly out the window.

Don't let this happen to you!

Conquering the World of Connecting

Recently I spoke at an event. I had just met Lisa Nicholas of The Secret and we were enjoying a lovely conversation over lunch. Suddenly a woman I had met a few months prior at another event sat down at the table and interrupted our conversation.

She said - and I quote - "MaryEllen, you are certainly a hard woman get a hold of. I emailed you last week and I have not heard back from you."

There was no "Hi, how are you?" Nice to see you again." Or even "How are your children?" It was just the typical "WIIFM" approach.

My first thought was - do you really think this kind of behavior is conducive to me wanting to do business with you? But what I said was, "Yes, Sue, I received the email on Thursday. I left for LA (this event) on Monday. I was planning on returning your email later in the week."

This is a wonderful example of why many people do not end up with business from networking events. They have not mastered event etiquette. Nor have they discovered the best way to make lasting connections.

The biggest mistake I see people making is assuming that their highest priority is the highest priority of the person they are trying to do business with.

By adopting this attitude, the only thing they will leave the event with is a lot of useless business cards!

To make real, lasting connections that lead to potential deals, you should put yourself out there with a mission-centric philosophy. When you live your company's mission, people will flock to you.

My Top 7 Secrets to Creating Money-Making Connections

1. Cultivate your connection the way you would any relationship: You need to project an image of warmth, approachability, understanding, knowledge, and empathy. Be genuine. You should take an interest in everyone you meet, remember their names, and listen carefully to them. Try to understand their needs and determine how you could assist each other. Building trust is a vital component of relationship building. Be relaxed and stay interested.

2. Understand that "small talk" is the road to "big time:" Being able to talk to anyone about anything is a valuable skill in its own right, but it's absolutely essential for making connections. Being able to initiate a conversation makes it more likely that you will meet people who may turn out to be invaluable contacts. Small talk can be difficult at times, so keep a few key phrases up your sleeve such as "Where are you from?" "How did you get started?" and "Do you have children?" to start a conversation off on the right foot.

3. Develop active listening skills: Connecting is not about selling yourself, your products or services, or your business. It is about listening to the other person and showing them that you are truly interested in them. Allow others to open up and talk freely. Give them your undivided attention even if it is only for a few moments. Take an interest in what's said and acknowledge this by nodding or agreeing. Use positive body language such as facing the person you are speaking to. And be sure to make eye contact! This means you are not reading a text message or looking over the other person's shoulder to see who else is around.

4. Be a giver: When you focus on helping others, the "getting" will follow. (And it will often come in unexpected ways!) Remember that no one likes a person with a "taker" mentality. When you are generous, people will notice and respect you. And people generally prefer to do business with people that they respect, trust, and like. Do simple things like acting as a host at every event you attend. One way to do this is by connecting others. This can be as simple as introducing two people to each other or as elaborate as giving a testimonial about a person and their services to the entire group. These acts allow you to focus on others while building equity among your peers.

5. Don't be Debbie Downer: Put on a happy face at the door and smile. This is your time to shine. People will look forward to seeing you and meeting you if you are energetic, positive, and outgoing. Again, people enjoy doing business with people they like, so be a person that others will like. If you're nervous before an event, or if you have stresses at work or at home, take a few seconds before you walk into an event to remind yourself of everything you are grateful for. Let your blessings fill you with happiness and confidence and carry those good feelings with you as you meet people. Be sure not to inconvenience others with your problems - they have enough of their own! Instead, strive to make people forget their troubles while in your presence.

6. Don't sell: Remember what I said earlier about listening rather than trying to sell yourself or your business? Connecting is not about trying to push your agenda. It's about building relationships with people. Once you've made a connection, those people will likely be happy to tell others about who you are and what you do. Word of mouth and social proof are a thousand times more valuable than you talking about how great you are. At every opportunity, teach others about what you do and who you are as a person. Provide valuable, useful information. Always emphasize your mission and purpose. Doing these things is much more powerful than giving a new contact your elevator speech or sales pitch.

7. Follow up with originality: Many people think that the same old email follow-up is okay. Well, it's not. After the event, send a hand-written thank you card... a poem you wrote about the person you connected with... or a balloon bouquet. Mention something from your discussion in whatever communication you make. If you have truly made a connection, your follow-up will be easy and effortless.

By having a game plan, connecting with others can become second nature. People will see you as you are, not as a self-interested business focused on making sales.

Become the kind of person that others want to work with, and events can help explode your business.

"A crank is someone with a new idea -
until it catches on."
~ Mark Twain

The High Price of Gas: Four Ways the "Idea" of Your Business Can Cost You Everything By Kim Castle

Last week I was exercising in the canyons of Southern California by climbing hundreds of stairs. I love being away from my business because I'm free to expand for at least 60 minutes.

Out of the blue an idea for a completely new product came into my mind and it wouldn't leave. It grew so strong it drowned out the Black Eyed Peas blaring from my IPod.

It started out soft like a tickle and before I knew it my thoughts weren't my own.

I started seeing the product and how it was constructed; all the way down to what color the stitching was and where the logo would go.

I got excited about how there wasn't a product like this on the market and how it would radically change the way people did something.

My heart soared with the charity that would benefit from the overflow of the millions of dollars it would generate. In my mind, I even started contacting people that could connect me to manufacturers in China.

Before I knew it, I wasn't climbing stairs... I was soaring. I was high off an idea -- from the fumes of a gas.

If you're an entrepreneur you know the high I'm talking about. You may even be an "idea junkie." You know who you are. It's okay -- awareness is the first step.

You also know the pain that often comes along with it; especially the pain of not making it real fast enough and getting people to buy it as quickly as possible before the next idea comes.

When speaking to entrepreneurs around the world about branding, I often refer to the "idea" of a business like a gas -- like air. It's "there" in feeling, but it doesn't have form. It's the translation from the idea into tangible form that traps so many and prevents them from ever getting beyond the high.

Here are four ways that just the "idea" of your business could cost you everything and what you can do about it.

It's not real -- until you make it real. Without getting your idea out of your mind and into a tangible form it's just a possibility; only serving you in the moment that you think of it. There are many ways to make it tangible even at the beginning.

Example: One client of mine, before she worked with me, would pay thousands of dollars to have her book jackets designed BEFORE she even wrote the book. Just beware, while this does get the idea out of you into a form you can touch, it's done so with great risk. Without first establishing the core of the idea from the inside, that outside influence could take you away from what the business or product really is. That's why the way we approach branding is vital in the beginning of a business or product development.

It's so flexible -- there's nothing there. Without putting up walls (or mental blinders) by establishing what an idea for a business really is and what it is not, you are at the mercy of the hundreds of potential business ideas that your brain is feeding you daily (each one is more exciting than the last). Trust that each idea carries with it a great potential. But it is just an idea until it's impacting a customer's life.

This is why the entire first half of our brand creation process doesn't even involve the customer. We focus on creating the door and house that they will walk into and want to stay there. What your idea is, is a solid half of the relationship you have with your customer.

It's worth nothing -- until you add interest. While you have experienced the idea, just having it is not unique. At the same exact time, someone else could be having the same exact thought. After all, we all feed from the same pond.

What makes it unique is what drives your need to create it. People don't just buy because they have nothing else to do. They need a reason to choose one thing over another. It's the very same reason that drives you to take action on just a thought.

It means nothing -- until it means something to someone else. People can't buy your idea unless they can connect to it in a way that impacts their life.

Think about what it would be like trying to sell someone air. It's the same as selling them your idea. It needs to be clearly translated into a tangible and emotional experience, if you truly want to move beyond the feeling it gives you.

That said, your ideas do have great value at the start of a business. Without ideas, you'd have nothing to act on. But ideas are just the spark to get you started. They feel so great because it takes a lot of fuel to create something out of nothing. That fuel is excitement. That's why this is stage one of the eight stages of business development. You need this spark to get you into action to make something out of nothing.

By harnessing that excitement with form, foundation, reason and connection, you'll have what it takes to share your idea "high" with the world. And they'll gladly pay for it...again...and again.