The Most Powerful Marketing Strategy You Will Ever Use

First, allow me to preface this by stating that I am not the bragging type. I am, however, very confident that I do know my subject. My subject is, of course, marketing.

Since 1977, I have personally built 3 service businesses in the 'real world' from nothing; all very successful. I spent no money whatsoever on advertising or marketing. I have consulted with hundreds of businesses and have helped them build those businesses. I have been there and I have done that. What I am about to show you will, if implemented and used consistently, allow you to build whatever business you own faster and more efficiently than you dreamed possible. Not only can you do this; anyone can do this.

This technique lies at the very core of many of the successful business ventures I have been involved in since the beginning. Let us begin by considering:

The Key Factor

Every successful marketing professional knows that referral marketing is the most effective method to use when marketing a product or service.

If someone gets a referral to some product or service from one of their friends, they will pass by every other form of advertising offered them and knock themselves out to seek out and find what their friend has recommended. If a friend recommends a website, they will go there. If a friend tells them a particular book is quite good, they will spend the money to check it out without hesitation. (Did you see yourself there for a moment?)

This is because most people believe their friends will not lie to them, jerk them around, yell at them, blink at them, try to trick them into hitting a buy button or use any other slick marketing tactic on them. If their friend tells them something is worthwhile and relevant, they will often seek it out immediately in absolute trust and will most likely purchase it. Those of us in the marketing game know that a referral is like pure gold, for a referral is pre-sold. It is often money in the bank. The credibility that lies at the heart of successfully marketing anything is inherent in the referral process.

However, referrals are sometimes hard to come by. We often forget to ask. The referrals you get most likely come sporadically. We would love to have a mailbox full of referrals every day, wouldn't we? But that seldom happens (for most of us). Most of us treat referrals as a hit or miss proposition. Wrong.

Be aware that there is a method that can create an ongoing, unlimited stream of referrals. This method outperforms any other method I have come across in 30 years of creating marketing and publicity plans for my clients. That method is to use gifting to create publicity, awareness and, most importantly, referrals. In a nutshell, here is how it works.

The Method

* You, as owner, offer a gift of real and lasting value at no charge
* You allow the gift to be passed to others
* You brand the gift
* You then publicize the gift itself

The end result is that your gift can go ‘viral’ and create a massive amount of free publicity for your practice or business, a huge amount of awareness and a virtual landslide of new referrals. Done properly, it works every time. It almost never fails. However you will find many people who don’t experience success.

I Tried That! It Didn't Work!

I have found that there are two broad reasons why this methods does not work for some people.

a. Many marketing companies and professionals use gifting. However in my opinion, it is used in the wrong way. A gift should be just that - a gift. It should have no strings attached. Giving a coupon or discount as a gift creates precisely the opposite effect you might wish to achieve by using a gift. It is an advertisement disguised as a gift. Trust is essential in the marketing process. If you are perceived to using any form of trickery or dishonesty, you will be quite dead in the proverbial water.

The minute you do this, your potential buyer sees right through the tactic. A REAL gift, given without any strings attached or any forced action, is greatly appreciated. Don't dress up an advertisement as a gift and expect any real results. You might as well give away those silly branded pens or calendars with your name on them.

b. Another primary reason most gifting strategies fail lies in the perceived VALUE of the gift itself. Hey, who needs another book about social security? Or a free report about gold? These gifts most likely generate some names, but really provide no value whatsoever. That information is available everywhere, always and at no charge. Do these types of 'gifts' provide any real value? Is this something people will knock themselves out to pass along to their friends?

People who use these types of strategies are collectors of names, not marketers. They are playing numbers. Marketers want the names of those who have a real interest in their product or service. Don't fool yourself into thinking you are experiencing success if you are collecting names. You can get names from a phone book. Very few of those names in the phone book will be interested specifically in your product or service. This is why advertising to the masses pulls such low numbers in regards to actual results.

What Will Work For Me?

The gifting strategy will work every time, but only if the gift meets the following test. The gift:

* must provide REAL value,
* must be something that is not generally or widely available elsewhere
* there must be a PERSONAL CONTACT involved in the exchange of the branded gift.

If your gift meets those three simple criteria, you mostly likely will be successful.

Hopefully, you have done the research to understand your potential client or customer. You know who they are, you know where they are, you know how many there are and you know how they prefer to receive their information. Most importantly, you need to know what they want, and you need to give it to them in the way they prefer.

If you know what they want, give them a gift that satisfies their own perception of their needs. Give it freely. Give it without obligation. Brand the daylights out of it and encourage them at every step to pass the thing along.

Then publicize the gift.

The end result is the best anyone marketing a product or service can hope for. The gift opens the door in such a way as to create good will. It sets the stage for allowing your potential buyers to see that you do have their best interests at heart - that you are not trying to trick them into buying something or signing up for something. You are providing something of real value at no cost.

Publicizing the gift itself is what makes this work, as this plays on the desire to obtain something of real value at no charge. If the gift truly helps the receiver solve a real problem, the ‘PR value’ is enormous.

How Does This Method Work?

a. You, as owner, give a gift, (a gift of real value, with no strings attached). Brand that gift with your own unique brand. Once the potential buyer sees there are no strings attached, no tricks involved, they WILL pass that gift along. The fact that the gift has your brand attached is not a from of coercion or trickery. Your message goes with the gift, and brings into play all that referral marketing offers.

b. You then publicize the fact that the gift is available only from you. You do this using the media, the Internet, your clients lists – any way you have available to you.

It is ridiculously simple. It is extremely effective.

What Is The ‘Downside’ To Using This Strategy?

The downside, if there is one, is that the gift may not lead directly to new client. That, I suppose we could say, is a downside. But to that I say, so what? Your message has gotten into the hands of another potential client in a very favorable, non intrusive manner, you have created good will, you have shown yourself to be mega professional and you have created the opportunity for that impression to be passed along to many other people. Your primary goal here is to position yourself as someone who has the best interests of others at heart, and to demonstrate your willingness to help others.

The gifting concept incorporates all of the best marketing stragies one can use, rolled up into one neat little package. It creates awareness, very positive publicity and allow your message to perhaps go viral. It is the best of all worlds.

For more visit www.freepublicitygroup.com

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Stupid Marketing Tricks Part VIII - The Cleaver Advertising Agency

Today is Hugh Beaumont's birthday (the actor who played the Beaver's father). Yesterday I was accused of 'spamming' because I mentioned my website address in a post on a discussion group for crying out loud. I also signed up for yet another social networking site. Now, you might ask, how do all of these things tie together in my own mind? In answer, I offer the following.

Stupid Marketing Tricks - Part VIII - The Cleaver Advertising Agency

Newspaper, radio, tv and magazines are suffering massive meltdowns. The revenue is drying up. The publishing business is not far behind. Why is this so? I call it the 'Ward Cleaver Syndrome'.

Back in the late 50's and early 60's print media used to run ads that featured Dad sitting at the head of the dinner table, dressed in a crisp white shirt and skinny tie and smoking his pipe, smiling cluelessly. Mom was always serving up something like a perfectly cooked turkey in her beehive hairdo and A-frame dress, while the kids sat in their plaid shirts, buttoned up completely to the top, with a napkin sticking out of the top, sprouting their cowlicks proudly and licking their little chops. The background was normally greenish and the headline was always shouting something like 'My Family Deserves Only The Best!'

This is the year 2009. Those days are gone. However, the people who created those ads are not. And, unfortunately, many of them still want to run things.

When I listen to or read some of the rants, wails and comments of the big dogs in these industries, I get the impression that they are most likely sitting in a 50's style backyard bomb-shelter, typing it out on a Royal typewriter, or perhaps broadcasting their message using a tube style ham radio. ('Gee Beav, I guess things are changin' huh?')

Not in their world. In this, the real world.

Marketing is now 'social' in nature. 'Social' is a term that loosely means 'NO GATEKEEPERS'. It is a free exchange of ideas and information. As I have mentioned hundreds of times, you, as an individual, are on a completely level playing field against corporations that have millions in their advertising budget. You are equal. This is fantastic news for you. This is bad news for them.

This opens up a whole new can of worms, filled with both good worms and bad worms. China be damned - the Internet is all about free people and free exchange. Some of the newspapers, magazines, radio and television moguls don't like the free exchange of information. Free exchange means they have nothing to sell. Bloggers can now destroy companies. Google and Amazon are making their moves to take over the world. Blah, blah, blah.

It is only the Cleavers of the world who are getting upset, because their tightly controlled little world is crashing down. You can hear the desperation in every word they speak. The fear is as thick as the maple syrup on Mrs. Cleaver's pancakes. They are losing their control.

As a marketer in the year 2009, you can now take your message directly to your buyer. No advertising necessary. No regulation imposed. Do as you please. The market itself will determine your fate, not some editor or some publisher or some other myopic, self righteous judge of what the public may have or have not.

The field of book publishing is trying desperately to adapt. However, like everyone else, as a group they have no idea which direction to take. Unfortunately most of those in power have a June Cleaver 'The Internet - isn't that nice, dear!' kind of mindset. Too late for many of them. Many of the publishing companies appear to be more interested in FIGHTING the changes than they are in MONETIZING these positive changes. In a social environment, they will lose.

The Color Computer is gone. 8 tracks and CB radios are no more. Neither is it necessary to play by any set of rules given by any organization with Mr. Cleaver at the helm. Don't get me wrong. Beaver Cleaver's dad was a really nice guy. However, today, Mr. Cleaver would be merely clueless and completely out of touch. Try though he might, he could no longer control anything, for the world will have passed him by.

Google is not destroying any newspaper, radio, tv, magazine or publishing company. The market itself is determining that these things are no longer relevant to any degree and therefore, they will not survive in their present form.

If you are still using marketing strategies from the 1990's and before, you will not be attacked. No one will tell you. Instead, you will simply be politely ignored. Then, much like Ward, June, Beaver and Wally, you will be forgotten.

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Stupid Marketing Tricks Part VII - Using The Wrong Words

Let's take just one moment to review what we have accomplished this far . . .

The very broad and most basic formula for developing and implementing an effective marketing plan has not changed at all. It is still, and most likely ever shall be:

a. Define the market.
b. Define the people.
c. Define the message.
d. Define the preferred delivery system(s).
e. Deliver the message.

We have thus far accomplished a and b. We have begun to learn how to craft an effective message (one that creates sales). This is the second post on this subject.

Remember that the entire formula must be viewed from a new perspective that takes into account the current options now available in the marketplace. The old 'tried and true' marketing systems are not working because they being applied TO a marketplace that has changed radically, dramatically and permanently.

In her book, Every Generation Needs A New Revolution, author Linda Thompson of Life Path Solutions ( http://www.lifepathsolutions.biz ), provides us with an extremely penetrating look into this new marketplace. (If you have not read her book, I highly recommend you do so if you intend to successfully market any product or service in this new marketplace. In my opinion, it is the new Bible in regards to learning to craft effective marketing messages).

"Remember the sale pitch, 'This is not your father's Oldsmobile?' That's what's happening today,” Linda says. “We are trying to sell our products and/or services to multi-generations, using the same delivery, to everyone. Most likely, those who have tried this approach have not found a great deal of success. Every Generation Needs a New Revolution illustrates how this commonplace problem can easily be overcome and can indeed be transformed instead into a real asset.”

In her book she defines the following groups of people:

The Veterans - born 1901 - 1929
The Silents - born 1930 - 1945
The Boomers - born 1946 - 1964
The Generation X - born 1965 - 1976
The Generation Y - born 1977 - 1990
The Millenials - born 1991 - Now

All of these diverse groups are found in the marketplace currently. However she breaks this down even more. For our purposes here I will summarize briefly just a few characteristics of these groups. Her treatment is far, far more comprehensive. (Again, I highly recommend that you read the book to get the full, unedited picture).

Veterans
Personality: Traditional, Family Oriented
Core Values: Patriotism, Loyalty
Think of: Charles Lindbergh, Rudolph Valentino

Silents
Personality: Conformist, Conservative
Core Values: Dedication, Sacrifice
Think of: Jimmy Carter, Charlton Heston

Boomers
Personality: Driven, Soul Searchers
Core Values: Optimism, Teamwork & Involvement
Think of: The Beatles, Bill Gates

Generation X
Personality: Risk Takers, Skeptical
Core Values: Diversity, Global Thinking
Think of: Michael Dell, Brooke Shields

Generation Y
Personality: Optimistic, Prefer Collective Action
Core Values: Confidence, Civic Duty
Think of: Tara Lipinski, LeAnn Rimes

Millenials
Personality: Remains to be seen
Core Values: Remains to be seen
Think of: Remains to be seen

What does this mean to you and your marketing efforts? It means a great deal. For here we have 6 very distinct groups of people, with 6 very distinct ways of communicating and 6 very distinct ways of perceiving that message you are sending.

One of the primary reasons your message may not be effective is that it is being perceived by groups of people who perceive your words in many DIFFERENT ways, not all of them as favorably as you might hope. This is not your father's anything.

According to Ms. Thompson in Every Generation Needs A New Revolution, the numbers break down as follows: (these numbers have not been verified by me - I reference them here from the book)

The Veterans 63 million
The Silents 49 million
The Boomers 78 million
The Generation X 40 million
The Generation Y 70 million
The Millenials Unknown

Now, let's suppose you are a Veteran, but your primary market is Gen Y. You develop a great message that references Rudolph Valentino. Nobody will know what the hell you are talking about. Don't laugh. I have files full of these things. I see this over and over again.

(Remember that you are developing multiple profiles. Hopefully you will have more than one. You will want to craft one message for the female Silent, and a completely different message for a Gen X male. You may have many profiles, requiring many different, highly targeted messages - perhaps even a different landing page for each profile . . . )

Not talking the language of your targeted market would be a really stupid marketing trick. More on this subject in the next post.

For more information, visit http://www.freepublicitygroup.com

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Social Multi-Media Press Release Has Arrived

The Social Multi-Media Release has arrived - bigtime.

Now, simply by using this form of release, in addition to your traditional press releases, you can not only get the word out to traditional media (newspaper, magazine, radio, tv, etc) but can also get it out to technorati, facebook, linkedin and also social bookmarking sites such as digg, delicious, etc. Using both allows you to cover nearly the entire spectrum of publicity resources.

In addition you can embed audio, video - whatever you can imagine. The end result is a multi-media experience that covers all the bases. I posted a full article on this at http://www.freepublicitygroup.com/ArticleEndOfAnEra.pdf

Later this morning I will post a sample here on this blog and will continue to do so from time to time.

More at http://www.freepublicitygroup.com

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