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| Greetings!
In the United States and Canada, July means a celebration of independence. Let's hear it for fireworks!
But...Do you create fireworks of your own when you share your marketing message with prospects? Or has your humdrum marketing caused you to be viewed as a commodity?
Check out the Nuggets below for ideas on how to add spark and sizzle to your networking and other marketing efforts. |
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July's Top Tips
1. When using a new marketing or networking strategy, give it a fair shot. Avoid the temptation to try it a couple of times and then decide that "it doesn't work." You need time for your message to sink into your prospects' awareness, so be committed and consistent in sharing
your value statement.
2. Speaking of value...A business' value proposition is sometimes referred to as a USP, or unique selling proposition. However, many businesses seem to have more of an SSP - a so-so selling proposition. Ask yourself honestly: "Can I imagine anyone else using the same value prop statement I use?" If the answer is "yes", your proposition is not unique. And if you're not unique, you're a resident of Commodity-ville. Good luck with that.
3. Take advantage of the fact that, for the most part, people buy emotionally and justify those purchasing decisions rationally. When sharing what you do with others, speak first to their emotions: Tell them how you make their lives better or how you help them get what they want. This will make their hearts sing. Then make their brains happy by assuring them how and why they've made such a smart decision by hiring you or purchasing what you have to offer. |
How's This for ANTI-Success?
 A friend (who shall be nameless, because I want her to remain my friend) shared her USP so powerfully at a networking event that she had people lined up to learn more. Two of these prospects became clients who were highly satisfied with the services she ultimately provided.
That's the good news.
The bad news is that, instead of riding this wave of success and sharing another powerful marketing service with these already-happy clients, my friend backed off so as "not to be pushy". The clients then went to someone else offering a similar service and made their bank balances a bit higher.
Bottom line: Let your light shine, even - or maybe especially - if it comes from multiple sources. After all, it's not the single firework that makes people "ooh" and "aah"; it's the entire colorful array that delights and dazzles us. |
1. Do trade shows and business expos have a prominent place in your marketing plan? If so, you may want to check out The Tradeshow Calendar for a listing of shows held worldwide.
2. If you've ever gotten frustrated trying to set up a meeting time that works for three or more people, check out Meeting Wizard. This free service eliminates the aggravation of playing phone or e-mail tag to arrange meetings, share agendas, and so forth.
3. Looking for a warm introduction to a particular person, or to whomever performs a particular job function at a company? Use the Advanced Search feature on LinkedIn. Select the category you want to search (e.g., People, Jobs, Companies, etc.), then select the appropriate search criteria from a variety of options. The more you use this feature, the more ways you'll find to use it. |
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Thanks to my friend Flickr.
Here are this month's heroes who graciously allowed me to use their images, posted in the Creative Commons area of Flickr, in this issue of Networking Nuggets:
purple triskele by shiftercat
failure sign by smemon87
light bulb by aloshbennett
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As you free yourself from the tyranny of blah networking, remember that your prospects are ready and willing to be dazzled by your ability to make their lives better. Don't be shy about sharing what you can do for them - and then over-deliver on your promise. You'll have raving fans for life.
Wishing you a year of dazzling success,
Kathleen Client Connections
Life is good. |
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