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Where is the Economy?.....Exactly Where it Should Be......Thank God!

eeradioshow | 14 September, 2009 09:09

Unemployment is the highest it has ever been……consumers are not spending their money…..companies are still cutting budgets.......real estate sales are not any better than a year ago……is that all?  Whew!  I thought there was something to REALLY worry about!  No worries. Really.  No Worries. This is all good news.  We are exactly where we should be in the USA, the UK an worldwide.   Things are as bad and as good as was predicted.  THAT'S GREAT!Why is that great?  Because we are following a predictable pattern.  For the last 12 months we have been in the age of "The Economic Psychic."  How cool is it to know the future?  Okay, maybe not the exact future but you can start to plan your marketing strategy for 6 months from now even for up to a year from now.  I will bet that most of you have never planned your marketing 6 months ahead of time.  PLEASE DO - IT - NOW! (Please)  Here is the prediction: (Yes, this if Frank the Psychic talking now.)  You will start to see a true up-turn in the economy toward the end of the second quarter of 2010.  Why do I say this?  Because we are going to have a fantastic holiday shopping season compared to last year…..then again…..how could we not?  But we will.  Prior to this season "they" will continue to tell us that the economy seems to be stabilizing and positioning for an up-turn. In January they will tell us what a great retail holiday season we just had.  This will cause more positive feedback from the media. The consumer will get more confidence and start spending by end of February and this trend will continue.  By end of March into April we will receive reports that we are coming out of the recession.  By May or June people will be spending money and getting ready for some serious travel during the Summer vacation months. Summer is a very important season for the airlines and this summer was, in a word, Not Good. (Okay two words, but who's counting?)What does all this mean to you?  Strategize….plan….think…implement…..Do and Do Now!  Not many times in your life can you actually know what the future change is in business.   Take advantage of this economy.  Change is coming and if you don’t take advantage of it you may have to wait another 20 years for this type of opportunity. I usually plan my marketing 6 months ahead but now I have been planning 12 months ahead and It Is Working!  Very cool. I am now sharing this incredible secret with you and only you.  (Okay, I'm lying.  I have been sharing this with everyone through the radio show since last year….sorry if you don’t feel as special.) Don’t get left behind. Don’t try to take advantage of the economy after it has changed.  Don’t delay……Make it happen baby….make it happen NOW!     Frank De Raffele HostEntrepreneurial Excellence Radio ShowAuthor of, Frank's 200 Ways to Increase Profits Now.

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Empowering Your Brand with Testimonials

eeradioshow | 11 August, 2009 12:47

Question:  How do you get people who don't know you very well to feel comfortable with you, trust you a little, feel some confidence in you, before they every meet you?
Answer:  Testimonials.
We seem to all know this but we don't use this powerful marketing tool enough. When used correctly, this can be one of the most effective marketing tools today both online and offline.
Testimonials are: 
1.  Free. 
2. Come from various demographics. 
3.  Praise the various solutions that you can provide. 
4.  Honor your professional ability and your character. Your integrity.....your
      personal reputation as a business professional
 
6 Simple, Easy and Effortless Steps To Get Started:

1. Pick 5 people whom you know and would like testimonials from.

2. Write a testimonial for each of them. Not the same one five times with different names in the testimonial. Write from your heart what you think is wonderful about this person.

3. Send the testimonial to them. Send a note with it. Example:  "John, I wrote you this testimonial because I know what a powerful marketing tool testimonials can be and I feel we don't use them enough, nor show our appreciation enough to those we know, trust and like. I want to thank you for all you have done for me and let you know that you can use this testimonial in any way that you like. Please read it over and let me know if there are any corrections, additions or edits you would like me to make. I want this to be powerful for you so I am happy to customize it to what you think will work best for you. I have found that the testimonials I receive have been a great way for me to build credibility with future clients. I am sure it can do the same for you so I wanted to make sure you had this from me."

4. If after they read it, thank you and let you know how much they appreciate it, they don't offer to do the same for you.....then about a week later ask if you may impose of them to do the same for you. They always say yes and in fact, feel guilty they didn't offer first.

5. Now use these testimonials on your web page, in your emails, brochures, in your place of business, etc.

6. You can use full testimonials or use excerpts of them....quote certain lines. Build a sheet of various lines of testimonials with poeple's names and businesses under them. Be creative. Let others brag about you for you. Very powerful.

Homework:

Go to 5 people in your network, whom you have not given a testimonial for and write one for them. Model what you would like them to do for you. Lead by example.

Let me know how this works. Look forward to hearing back from you and seeing you online

Frank J. De Raffele Jr.
President
ProActive Leadership Center

Host
Entrepreneurial Excellence Radio Show

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A Recession: Totally Awesome Dude!

eeradioshow | 11 August, 2009 12:47

Okay, so I am not from California so I don't think I am aloud to say, "Totally Awesome Dude!", but it does get my point across.  Here in the States we are in a recession, which means the rest of the world is in or about to be in a recession, credit crunch, slow economic time or whatever other term you would like to use.   Basically, it means that people have decided to change the way they are spending their money.  Change? Did I say Change?  I love the word change!  Change means that we now have the opportunity to DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.  (Do you think those last three words are important?)  

Did you know that the business you are in today is not the same business you were in 12 to 18 months ago?  You may be offering the same products and services.  You may be selling to the same target markets or demographics. However, your business is different.  What has changed is the mind of your prospect, customer, client.....you know, those people who buy stuff from you. They are thinking about their money different than they were a 12 to 18 months ago.  They are scared. They  don't know when they are going to make more money or if the money they have is going to disappear.  Here is the funny thing, they are scared about spending but they are still spending.  Why? Because it makes them feel good. The reality is, they are buying their just not buying from you.

Whatever you felt was working a year ago is not working today. Nor should it. You are in a different business because your consumer's mindset has changed. Their "pain" threshold is higher, which means their motivation is different, which means that need greater justification to spend their money with you or anybody else.  The good news.....CHANGE!  It's  time for your to Change to do something different in your marketing, sales, customer service, product offerings, product service packages, etc. 

Your homework.....DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!  They say one of the definitions of sanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect to get a different result.  Stop marketing and selling the same old way.  Come up with new ways to position yourself in the marketplace. Know that your customer's mindset has changed and see how you can attach yourself to that new mindset.

If you would like to "discuss" this further please post comments, questions or insights one my blog at www.EERadioShow.com/blog.

Thanks Dude!  Be profitable out there, Dude.

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Today's Money, Tomorrow's Money

eeradioshow | 30 June, 2009 16:12

"What is happening with those four accounts that you said we were going to close at the beginning of the month?"

"We need to close more deals in the next couple of weeks."

"We need to do something aggressive to get more people in here to buy."

Have you ever had to use phrases like this? Most entrepreneurs in business have. Most have this conversation on a regular basis throughout the years. The problem becomes that because it happens consistently and because other people in you industry go through the same thing you accept it. It’s the way the business works. You justify to yourself.

Well, I think that is just bull. The problem is not the industry, the market or the economy. The problem is your way of thinking. The problem is that you don’t know how to do it different, or it is too painful to do it different, so you stay the same and then find all the evidence that allows you to justify that it is okay.

You are focused on Today’s Money and that is why you are worried about Today’s Money. You have created that situation. It’s the Pygmalion Effect. Once you have a belief in what an end result will be to a particular situation you then create the environment (subconsciously) so the expectation will come to fruition. Meaning, your business is always working on Today’s Money because you believe that that is just the way it is; and because you believe that it is true.

Today's Money can be defined for different businesses in different ways. As a general rule you are looking at the next 30 to 90 days as Today’s Money. This means that your focus is on how to bring new business in the next 90 days. 

This mindset, this way of conducting business, will cause great stress, cost much more money and time than is necessary and have people working in a very inefficient and ineffective manner. Therefore, even when you are making the sales you need you are losing significant profitability.

Tomorrow's Money is about working on new business at least 4 to 6 months out. For some businesses longer. When your business is working on marketing and sales in a Tomorrow’s Money mindset you can work much smarter. This is when you can develop strategies which allow for greater creativity, adaptation and overcoming of obstacles, market adjustments, economic projections, etc. Tomorrow's Money allows everyone in the organization to work much more efficiently and effectively. This creates greater productivity and profitability.

Transitioning from Today’s to Tomorrow’s Money

Step One: Change your mindset.

You have to believe that this can be done. Doesn’t matter what the reality of your world has been up to now. Your perception of your business reality is based on the past. The experiences of the past are NOT the predictors of the future. I am not going to tell you that this transition is easy or fast. I will tell you that it IS worth it. Both in terms of profitability and in lifestyle stress. However, you have to really want to create this change.

Step Two: Develop a Marketing and Sales Strategy…that is Tomorrow’s Money slanted.

This strategy has to allow you to see how you can develop relationships with prospects earlier in their buying cycle. This will create a greater log of future business. Getting involved earlier in the buying cycle of your prospect doesn’t mean they are buying sooner. They will probably be buying at that same time; you are just getting to them sooner. Getting to them sooner accomplishes a few things. 
  1. You have a longer time to build a committed relationship.
  2. You have a greater likelihood of finding these prospects because you have expanded your window of opportunity.
  3. You have increased the ability of your referral partners to recognize this business for you.
  4. You can now predict your sales more than 4 to 6 months out.
Step Three: Do it.

I don’t mean to oversimplify. However, the greatest plans are meaningless unless they are put into action. Start to put the plan in place and within a year you will see a significant difference in how your time is spent, your anxiety level and your productivity. Not to mention how much more you will enjoy what you do. This will allow you to become more creative and have more fun on the job.

The "Today’s Money" mindset is one of the biggest killers of Entrepreneurs today. It is killing their marketing dollars, it is killing their sales, it is killing their profitability, the success of their business and it is killing them. Literally. 

Tomorrow’s Money is smart business and leads to a happy and fulfilled life.

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