In today’s economy, you have no doubt seen more and more commercials promoting the investment in gold. It goes to show how much just a little bit of gold is worth. Indeed, one of the oldest usages of the word prospecting is associated with gold! But with gold, just a few nuggets is all it takes for a big payoff.
Not too long ago, some partners of mine in a business venture contacted a well-known, online referral portal that matches businesses in our industry with prospective customers. The sales representative, who conferred with us over the phone, answered questions and gave us the information we needed to gauge our steps…
We have all been there. We are attending a social event or in some other public place, and all of the sudden, we hear our name called out.
We turn around and see the person calling our attention. The face appears familiar, but we just can’t place a name. “Hey you!” we reply with a slightly exaggerated enthusiasm. “How is it going? It’s been a while!” we exclaim, hoping that that our ignorance will not show through.
But in that moment, it does. They know it. And you know it. You have forgotten them.
Too many people think content marketing is giving away the store; nothing is further from the truth. Content helps you build a subscriber base that becomes a business asset and fuels sales.
It seems everyone wants to write a book. Most of these people all have two things in common: they have an idea, and a blank page. Where do you go from there?
Humility is a tricky thing. The harder you strive to be humble, the farther away you are from achieving your goal. Indeed, it is safe to say that if you are granted the “humility award,” you lose it the moment you accept it.
For many business leaders, a big obstacle they often face to growing their business is actually running it. Are you making the best use of your time?
Not long ago I was in a meeting with some business colleagues. As we were wrapping up our discussion, one member of the group, an established graphic designer, shared a portfolio of previous work she had done over the years. It was actually a simple, yet elegant photo album of business logos and corporate identities she had compiled. Another member of the group was flipping through it, wishing that he had something tangible to share with prospects of his own. However, his profession wasn’t graphic communication! It was tax, accounting and payroll services! “How do I demonstrate my work in a portfolio?” he asked. Indeed, how do you “show” rather than just tell?
Not long ago, one mid-afternoon I stopped into a Target store to pick up a prescription at the pharmacy. While neither the store nor the pharmacy counter were very busy that time of the day, I found myself waiting a bit longer than expected to get served for my pickup. When I reached the counter, there was only one other customer there–an older lady who had picked up her medication only moments before. She was clearly engaged in talking to the store clerk about some issues she was having–stresses brought on by family or health I guess. The clerk did not appear to be saying much; she was really allowing the customer to do some private venting of some sort. I did not see it very long (wanting to respect the lady’s privacy), but I do know that it lasted at least ten minutes.
I’ve spoken and written about the value of testimonials before. Indeed they are so important that they merit further discussion. After all, we know that client testimonials can be one of the best ways to grab the attention of prospects in your marketing. They are truly social proof…giving you credibility and demonstrating your successful track record. Most importantly they reflect the feelings that your clients have when you have served them with success.