Posts Tagged ‘marketing plan’

Whether you’re selling a product or service, the 5 tips below are your keys to writing great copy that communicates and persuades… to get results! These guidelines can apply to Web copy, e-mail, sales letters, brochures, direct mail, and more. As long as your goal is to elicit a reaction from your reader, you’ve come to the right place.

Tip 1. Tune into that well known radio station WIIFM.

Many entrepreneurs talk endlessly on and on about how great their business is and what great their products they have. Hello? Client, anyone? What’s your prospect or client thinking, “So, what? What’s in it for me?” Start being client centered. If you can, talk with some of your current clients and ask them:
1) why they chose you, and
2) what they get out of your product or service.

Tip 2. Put your focus on the benefits.

Way too many small biz owners get so into the fact that their product or service offers a lot of neat features is great, but what do they DO for your customer? Do they cover the BIG 4? 1) Do make her money? Save her money? Save time? Avoid effort? Think about what your clients are REALLY looking for.

Now, what does a life insurance agent sell? Policies?

Nope — peace of mind. (You’ve got it NOW.)

Tip 3. Draw them in with interest.

The first thing your prospect or client hears can mean the difference between success and failure. have an interest (your clients interest) based conversation. Forget the jargon because most offend those conversations aren’t effective. There are many ways to have an attention holding conversation. REMEMBER to make it the conversation client centered — no one gives a hoot about your company. So if you are a financial adviser don’t talk with a prospect about what a new amazing financial program you have. Instead talk with them about turning their finances around in 30 days! Make sense?

Tip 4. Nix the buzzwords.

Avoid industry jargon and buzzwords — stick to the benefits. An easy way to weed out buzzwords is to think of dear old Grandma listening to your conversation. Would she get it? If not, clarify and simplify. (Unless your target audience is a business audience then you’d want to upscale your conversational style and upscale your words.)

Tip 5. Use client’s stories as OFTEN as you can.

Let your prospects know they won’t be the first to try you. Give results-oriented stories from your clients who have benefited from your product or service. Give your clients names (as long as you have permission to use their name). Your prospects and clients want to know they’re not the only one. HINT: Use this magical sentence. “I have a client just like you” and go on and tell the story).

© 2008-2010 Ileana Kane All Rights Reserved.

**If you would like personalized coaching to assist you in overcoming your obstacles, email Ileana at ileana@ileanakane.com for further details. © 2010 Ileana Kane   All Rights Reserved

 Do you want to use this article? Of course, you can. Just use the following blurb along with the reprint of the article:

 Ileana Kane, CEO of Ileana Intl, teaches Enterprising Entrepreneurs how to express their true value and get paid what they are worth. Her products and services show you how to make more money, save more time while enjoying the freedom in your business. 

Get your FREE audio: www.ileanakane.com

The real key to a thriving business is sharing the value we offer in our products and     services to our customers.  Knowing the value of what we offer will lead to getting paid
what you are worth.

Charging what you are worth is a simple two-step process.  The first step is to know the value of the results you deliver and the second step is to know that your are absolutely worth it. The value of what you offer is perceived by your clients and your pricing is perceived by you.  

The biggest mistake I see entrepreneurs make is they try to describe what they do. 
       
Describing what you do leads you down the path of using features. Trust me, your clients do not care about the features.  

Let me give you an example of features.  Let’s say you are a coach.  When coaches are  new to growing their business, they normally tell you how many sessions you will get with them and how long the sessions last.  Yes, at some time, your client will need to know this but not at the beginning of your conversation.  Just remember in the above example this is not a benefit or a result of what you do for them. 

What you want to do, is let them know the results they will get. 

Let’s take the same example of the transition coach. What you want to talk about is how, at the end of 60 days, your client has a clear plan describing what they want to do and how they will make their transition.  

See the difference between the features (the number and time of sessions) rather than the end result?  

Keep focused on the remarkable results and you will start seeing a big difference in getting more clients (and higher paying clients).

Your business in action: 

Think about what you really do for your clients in the end and what’s in it for them.  
   
Then write out a long list of benefits and results.

© Ileana Kane All Rights Reserved 

Do you want to use this article? Of course, you can. Just use the following     blurb along with the reprint of the article:

 Ileana Kane, CEO of Ileana Intl, helps Enterprising Entrepreneurs express their true value and get paid what they are worth while moving away from trading  ‘dollars for hours work.’  Her products and services show you how to make more money, save more time while enjoying the freedom in your business.  For your FREE audio: www.milliondollarmuse.com

 

It’s really challenging to offer only one way to work with you because it’s an all or nothing proposition to the prospect.  Prospects want to be able to choose what program(s) fit their needs.  I had Jo Ann offer service packages to her clients.  Then we looked at creating a packaged product for prospects and clients. This gave her passive income.  Next, we looked at offering a full day with her for her high end clients. The next thing I’m having her put into place is to get a bigger presence on the internet.

This was a great start for Jo Ann and it gave her a way to enroll prospects in here services more often And a way to have prospects that didn’t have the money right now to still work with her .  Once we put those systems into place Jo Ann’s business turned around fast!
 
Having more than one income stream will get you to your 6 figure income (and beyond). You’ll have more fun, joy and satisfaction in your business.

The holidays are behind you. You’ve shopped like crazy. attended parties, and visited family. And I bet you haven’t started the creation of your business marketing plan for 2009, you need to get started. If you don’t have a plan to fulfill your dream, then it’s just a wish. So, you need a good plan – starting now!

Today we are going into an economic environment for small businesses than we’ve ever seen. After you have your marketing plan in place as an entrepreneur, you will be able to change it throughout the year as you need to. As you go through 2009, you will need to review the plan, update it, assess it, and more.

So, where do I begin?

Well, you start with where you want to be. Next year, on the last day of December, where do you want to be? If you know where you are going, it’s easier to come up with a plan of how to get there.

Begin now, but have the end in mind.

Step 1 – Have a Vision – Jonathan Swift once said, “Vision is the art of seeing the invisible.”

This is so true, and those who have been successful would say the same thing. People like Richard Branson and Donald Trump started out with a great vision. So, you need to have a vision as an entrepreneur. Figure out where you see your business in the next year, or even a few years from now. Come up with a vision for your small business that empowers you.

Step 2 – Have a Personal Vision Too – When coming up with a marketing plan, you need to have your own personal vision. What do you want from the business? If you don’t know what you want, you may end up with a lot of stress, long hours and very few rewards. What do you want? Would you like to make more money in fewer hours? Do you want to make your business work better with your lifestyle?

Step 3 – Remember Your Reputation – My dad once gave me a great piece of advice. He told me, “Ileana, at the end of the day you only have one thing. That one thing is your word and reputation.” Don’t just leave your reputation up to chance. Figure out what you reputation to be. What you want people to know you for.

Step 4 – WHO? – When developing a marketing plan, a wise man had it right. “The WHO is more important than the HOW!” I truly believe that an entrepreneur can attract the clients they want if they know WHO they want. Figure out who you want to attract to your site. Then you’ll be able to bring them in. Come up with your ideal client. List why you enjoy working with them, and the qualities that they have.

Step 5 – How to Do It – Now that you know WHO you want to come to your site, now it’s time to figure out HOW to get them there. When coming up with a marketing plan, this is a very important question you must answer. I have a special workshop, called the Pathway to Profit, Freedom and Breakthrough, which is a special workshop to help entrepreneurs like yourself come up with an approach to bring in new clients. You must have a strategy to do this.

Step 6 – What? – After you come up with a specific strategy for bringing in your targeted customers, now you need to figure out how to implement that strategy. Come up with the tactics you’ll need to follow though. Put up a white board and begin coming up with a plan of implementation for the next year. Write down what tactics you will use on a monthly basis.

When you are coming up with your marketing plan for 2009, these six steps can help. You’ll be able to come up with a top notch plan that will get your business going strong in this new year. No matter what the economy is doing. You will be able to get your business accelerating as you go in 2009…stay tuned for more!

© 2008-2009 Ileana Kane   All Rights Reserved

Small business marketing expert, Ileana Kane, has laser vision for seeing the hidden profit opportunities in your business you never knew existed and the innovation to turn them to gold. If you’re looking for simple, fast and easy ways to mine for bigger profits and attract high paying clients, get your FREE Audio and all the other free goodies nobody else gets! Go now to: http://www.milliondollarmuse.com

The holidays are behind you. You’ve shopped like crazy. attended parties, and visited family. And I bet you haven’t started the creation of your business marketing plan for 2009, you need to get started. If you don’t have a plan to fulfill your dream, then it’s just a wish. So, you need a good plan – starting now!

Today we are going into an economic environment for small businesses than we’ve ever seen. After you have your marketing plan in place as an entrepreneur, you will be able to change it throughout the year as you need to. As you go through 2009, you will need to review the plan, update it, assess it, and more.

So, where do I begin?

Well, you start with where you want to be. Next year, on the last day of December, where do you want to be? If you know where you are going, it’s easier to come up with a plan of how to get there.

Begin now, but have the end in mind.

Step 1 – Have a Vision – Jonathan Swift once said, “Vision is the art of seeing the invisible.”

This is so true, and those who have been successful would say the same thing. People like Richard Branson and Donald Trump started out with a great vision. So, you need to have a vision as an entrepreneur. Figure out where you see your business in the next year, or even a few years from now. Come up with a vision for your small business that empowers you.

Step 2 – Have a Personal Vision Too – When coming up with a marketing plan, you need to have your own personal vision. What do you want from the business? If you don’t know what you want, you may end up with a lot of stress, long hours, and very few rewards. What do you want? Would you like to make more money in fewer hours? Do you want to make your business work better with your lifestyle?

Step 3 – Remember Your Reputation – My dad once gave me a great piece of advice. He told me, “Ileana, at the end of the day you only have one thing. That one thing is your word and reputation.” Don’t just leave your reputation up to chance. Figure out what you reputation to be. What you want people to know you for.

Step 4 – WHO? – When developing a marketing plan, a wise man had it right. “The WHO is more important than the HOW!” I truly believe that an entrepreneur can attract the clients they want if they know WHO they want. Figure out who you want to attract to your site. Then you’ll be able to bring them in. Come up with your ideal client. List why you enjoy working with them, and the qualities that they have.

Step 5 – How to Do It – Now that you know WHO you want to come to your site, now it’s time to figure out HOW to get them there. When coming up with a marketing plan, this is a very important question you must answer. I have a special workshop, called the Pathway to Profit, Freedom, and Breakthrough, which is a special workshop to help entrepreneurs like yourself come up with an approach to bring in new clients. You must have a strategy to do this.

Step 6 – What? – After you come up with a specific strategy for bringing in your targeted customers, now you need to figure out how to implement that strategy. Come up with the tactics you’ll need to follow though. Put up a white board and begin coming up with a plan of implementation for the next year. Write down what tactics you will use on a monthly basis.

When you are coming up with your marketing plan for 2009, these six steps can help. You’ll be able to come up with a top notch plan that will get your business going strong in this new year. No matter what the economy is doing, I’ll be launching a 4-part Breakthrough to Your 6 Figure Business, in January. You will be able to get your business accelerating as you go in 2009…stay tuned for more!

© 2008 Ileana Kane.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? Of course you can, as long as you include the following with it: Ileana Kane founder of “Turn Your Passion to Profit Marketing Breakthrough System” publishes a weekly Ezine ‘Opportunities on Marketing & Success for Your Small Business’. If you’re ready to take your business to new heights with ease and your ready make more money, have more profits and more time off. Get your FREE Audio ‘Turn Your Passion To Profit” in 5 Proven Simple Steps. Go now to: www.milliondollarmuse.com.

MARKETING SIN #4 – There is no or very little internet presence

Did you know over 95% of small business web sites are just a brochure site. This type

of site is a pure waste of time and money. You’ll never make a dime from these sites.

A strong online presence can become a serious marketing tool. But if you just do not know how to make your web site generate leads and sales – you are not alone.

Amazingly, with a few simple and inexpensive tweaks you can turn your web brochure

into a profitable, lead generating machine.

MARKETING SIN #5 – Telling how great you are.

Most small business owners and entrepreneurs feel you have to boast what a great job you do. This just leaves you feeling slippery and unprofessional. No wonder you avoid marketing.

The truth be known most potential clients don’t have a clue about all the ways you can help them. Your job? You are to educate them. In all of your marketing efforts, find out

about their problem and tell a story about a client who had a similar problem. Also include educating strategies in your articles, talks and books.

MARKETING SIN #6 – No effective follow-up worse yet no follow up at all.

Did you know that more than 80% of sales made take five prospect follow-up contacts.

Did you know most people never follow-up or give up after 2 contacts? They just don’t know how to consistently stay in touch with their prospects, referral sources and existing clients.
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Develop a follow-up system that gets results. I publish a ezine, send out a one page friendly letter and I use Send Out Cards. I’ll soon be adding an informational CD to send out. Here are some other options for you to consider. A full-blown newsletter, send out postcards with a tip, when you see an article that would be of benefit to your prospect or client sent that to them with a personal note.

Get started and take action NOW!

MARKETING SIN #7 – There is no WOW in you marketing.

AT the beginning, I told you there were six marketing sins. You counted right this is number 7. The last very simple way to WOW your clients is to -under-promise and over- deliver!

Simple and OFTEN overlooked. What you need to do is to ‘pamper’ your clients and be generous with your prospects and clients.

Sit back and contemplate what you’ve read. Make a list of what you need to implement.

and then assign a date by when you’ll complete the items. My client Pam was amazed how quickly her business turned around and you’ll be amazed too!

© 2008 Ileana Kane.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? Of course you can, as long as you include the following with it: Ileana Kane founder of “Turn Your Passion to Profit Marketing Breakthrough System” publishes a weekly Ezine ‘Opportunities on Marketing & Success for Your Small Business’. If you’re ready to take your business to new heights with ease and your ready make more money, have more profits and more time off. Get your FREE Audio ‘Turn Your Passion To Profit” in 5 Proven Simple Steps. Go now to: www.milliondollarmuse.com.

Michael Phelps isn’t known for his prowess in marketing for small businesses. In fact, he probably doesn’t know much about marketing in particular. However, from his example you can learn a few things that could come in handy. What exactly can Michael Phillips teach your small business about marketing? Let’s look at five lessons that we’ve learned.

1. Set goals that are in line with your big goal. If you don’t have a big goal in mind for you business, you probably will just be treading water. If Michael Phelps didn’t set the goal to win a gold medal in everything he touched, he wouldn’t have done it. All of those countless hours of training and hard work were made possible because of the goal that pushed him. Make a big goal for your small business then from that big goal
create a marketing plan to drive you forward.

2. Develop a hyper focus. Focusing in on your results is one of the most important things you can do. Michael Phelps was known for his amazing ability to finish the race. Once he could see the finish line, he zeroed in and didn’t let up. This is what you need to do in your business. Keep your eyes on the prize.

3. Believe in yourself. If you don’t believe in your business, no one else will either. belief rubs off on other people. Your success is directly related to your level of belief in yourself and in your company. Michael Phelps definitely did not lack in this category. He knew he was going to win before he even got to the Olympics.

4. Visualize your greatness. Seeing the goal clearly in your mind is essential to achieving it. You will never outperform the self-image that you have in your mind. If you see yourself failing, you’ll never succeed. However, if you only see success, you will become one.

5. Let passion fuel your course. Fall in love with your dream. If you work towards something that you are passionate about it won’t feel like work at all. When you take inspired action, things seem to move so smoothly. You’ll get a lot more done with minimal effort.

If you’ll take these lessons and apply them into your small business marketing, your results will improve dramatically. You have to get out there and make it happen. Your results will only be limited by how effectively you put your marketing plan into action.

© 2008 All rights reserved Ileana Kane

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? Of course you
can, as long as you include the following with it: Ileana Kane founder of “Turn Your Passion to Profit” publishes ‘Opportunities on Marketing & Success’ weekly ezine. If you’re ready to skyrocket your business to new heights with fun and ease and your ready make more money, have more profits and more time off. Get your FREE marketing and success tips now at www.milliondollarmuse.com