How To Make Yourself Memorable in 60 Seconds

We've all been there...

You're at a Chamber of Commerce networking meeting or a neighborhood party and meet a new person. Relatively quickly the conversation turns to what you do for a living. You respond, "I'm a (fill in your profession here)." Your new friend tries really hard to express interest and not have their eyes glaze over while discreetly scanning the room to see if they can find somebody more interesting to move on to. Ouch! How do you change from boring to being memorable? Step One: Your listener is expecting you to say that you do this or that. Instead, learn how to explain what you do wrapped in a story or an example. Think about how you solved a customer problem with a solution you provided. Make it short, concise, and easy to remember. Your goal here is to quickly and clearly state a common problem (the antagonist) that your service or solution solves in the form of a story. Obviously, if you can weave in a little drama and excitement, your story will have more impact and become memorable. You want your listener to imagine themselves being in the circumstance you describe. The next part should be about how you and your company (the hero) came to the rescue and wiped away the problem. You want your listener to be able to easily remember this story, so they can connect you with the story and tell anyone else they meet what solution you provide because they remember your story. You could stop here and be head and shoulders above most of your competitors, but why stop when you can really amp this up? Step Two: Steve Jobs was known for his amazing presentation skills when Apple would unveil a new product. He learned how to demonstrate his new products in such a memorable way that throngs would come from far distances just to attend one of his presentations. When Steve Jobs introduced the iPod, he didn't present it with boring engineering data. Instead, he pulled an iPod out of his shirt pocket and showed the audience that the tiny device held a thousand songs. Can you think of a prop or example that you could pull out of your pocket that would demonstrate what problem you can solve? This may not be practical or applicable in your situation, but if you can think of an example like the one below, you can really hammer home your message. A psychologist raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?" After a few guesses, she replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "The stresses and worries of life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while, and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer, and they begin to hurt. Think about them all day long, and you'll feel paralyzed by them, incapable of doing anything. "I'm a psychologist that helps you put down that 'glass of water' before you go to bed at night." Who can forget a story like that? Your way of demonstrating the problem you solve doesn't have to be elaborate. It doesn't even have to involve a prop. It just needs to be memorable. The key is to be able to quickly use the story and demonstration to connect it with your solution. Step Three: The final step is crucial to make this work. You must practice your story to the point where you not only remember it but where it sounds natural and not scripted. There's a fine line between the two, and your success will hinge on practicing this continually until it becomes second nature. Your task now is to create your memorable story, come up with a way to demonstrate your solution, and practice it until you can deliver it in 60 seconds or less. Those 60 seconds will be the difference between being unforgettable and being forgotten in the next 60 seconds.

Increase Sales, Not Postage

If you're looking for an easy way to get more bang for your buck on regular mailings, try inserting statement stuffers. These printed promotions can be easily slipped into an existing mailing, such as a monthly invoice or statement, without adding additional postage fees or the hassle of a separate mailing. Here are a few tips to consider when creating statement stuffers: Highlight a different product or service every month to educate customers about unique products or services they may not know you offer. Insert valuable coupons to increase sales and show customer appreciation. Use statement stuffers to introduce new personnel or include an employee spotlight as a way for customers to get to know existing staff. Provide information about a customer loyalty or customer referral program. Use statement stuffers to announce upcoming sales, open houses, holiday events, or corporate anniversary celebrations. Reinforce your brand image by coordinating your statement stuffers with your company colors, imagery, logo, and brand. To easily track offers, design them as a coupon that must be turned in to redeem the discount. If you enclose an exciting offer, consider applying a label to the outside of the envelope to increase excitement. Have it read something like this: "$20 coupon value inside!" We're here to help if you need creative money-making ideas to stuff in your statements!

Your $325,000 Gift

Ivy Lee was born near Cedartown, Georgia, on July 16, 1877. The son of a Methodist minister, he studied at Emory College in Atlanta before graduating from Princeton University. He went on to found a PR firm, among many other accomplishments, before becoming a management consultant. About a hundred years ago, Bethlehem Steel found itself in trouble operationally. The company's chairman, Charles M. Schwab, hired Ivy to study the company's ills and report back. After some research and interviews, Ivy handed the chairman his findings and recommendations on a small sheet of paper. He then said, "Follow this, and your company can correct its problems." This short list of recommendations was directed at all the executives of the company: In the evening, each executive was to write down the six most important tasks to be done the next day and arrange them in the order of importance. The next day, they would start the first task and finish it before starting anything else. After finishing the first task, they would start the second-most important task, finish it, start the third task, and so on down the line. After their day's work, before leaving the office, they would spend five minutes reviewing the day's tasks and making a list for the next day. Unfinished tasks could be put on the new list. Each executive was to do this for the next 90 days and check the results Ivy left the chairman's office, asking him to put the plan into action but to pay him only if the company got results. He further asked to only get paid whatever the chairman thought the advice was worth. In two weeks, Schwab sent Ivy a check for $25,000. At the time, the average worker in the U.S. was being paid $2 per day, so this was worth approximately $325,000 in today's dollars. He added a note saying this was the most profitable lesson he had ever learned. Did it work? Within five years, the Bethlehem Steel Company had become the biggest independent steel producer in the world. Schwab became the best-known steel man of his day and went on to make a hundred-million-dollar fortune. The story of Lee and the advice he gave to Schwab is well-known in the business and self-development world. But even if you do already know it, it's still worth studying again and again until it's ingrained into your daily habits. The lesson to be learned is the importance of defining top priorities and focusing on those important items until they are finished, rather than letting the mundane and unimportant distract us. Master this habit, and you might be able to write your own $325,000 check.

Sell with Sincerity

In a sea filled with competitive businesses, sincerity is a must if you want to get (and keep) customers. Here are a few tips to help you sell with sincerity:

Sincerity is more than just a smile or a firm handshake. It can be heard in your voice, your words, and your actions. Don't read from a script. No one wants to listen to a sales pitch that sounds like a recording. Mix in your personality, passion, and even personal experiences with the product. Ask questions and listen with interest. Show that you really care about what the person is saying (in contrast to simply listening because it is the polite thing to do). Be yourself. Remember that people buy from other people. If they like working with you, they are more likely to remember you and return again. Back off the business mode when using social media sites. Rather, use them for their intended purpose: to be social and build relationships. Remember that sincerity has to last. It doesn't end after the sale. If customers have a problem with a product or service, sincerity is a must to resolve their issue. George Henry Lewes once said, "Insincerity is always weakness; sincerity even in error is strength." Sincerity in sales can not only help you build a stronger relationship with your customers, but will also help your business receive honest feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Features Tell, But Benefits Sell!

When it comes to marketing, it's often necessary to rethink what you're really selling. For example, rather than selling life insurance, vitamins, or digital cameras, you may really be selling peace of mind, longevity, or treasured memories. Here are a few tips to help you focus less on features and more on the benefits your products and services have to offer:

Sell the sizzle, not the steak, by explaining the direct benefits your customers will experience if they choose your products or services. For example, instead of telling a customer that the cell phone they're looking at has 16GB of memory, tell them it can hold XX songs, videos, and photos. By repositioning a product feature as a benefit, you'll show your customers the many positive ways your product features will impact them directly. Highlight benefits when creating a headline for brochures, flyers, or other promotional materials. While features are also important, they're not the hook to get customers interested. For example, instead of writing a headline about a car's six side-impact airbags, focus on the added safety benefits and peace of mind for your customer and their family. If you haven't already, create your own features and benefits sheet. Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. On the left side, write all the features of your product or service you're offering. On the right side, write out the corresponding benefits that go with each feature. If you're having a difficult time thinking in terms of benefits, consider a freelance writer. As an outsider, a freelance writer can separate themselves from your company and look at your products and services from a new perspective. They can also more easily put themselves in the shoes of your customer. You may also consider a customer focus group that will help you identify issues that are important to customers, so you can gain a fresh new insight and perspective.

Buzz-Free Writing Tips for Better Marketing

Buzzwords and phrases are common to just about every industry and every business situation. But while your colleagues may understand the jargon you use, your customers and prospects probably don't. In marketing, what you say and how you say it are critical to success. Here are five tips to help you swat the buzz and make your next business letter or marketing piece clear, concise, and jargon-free.

Keep it simple. As a prospective customer, I want to know what your product does and how that will benefit me. I don't want to hear a bunch of techno-babble and gobbledygook meant to make you look like the smartest person in the room. Use short, declarative sentences and plain, common words. Focus on benefits (what's in it for me) rather than technical details. Avoid hype and outrageous-sounding claims. Consider the audience. There may be times when it's ok to include some jargon in your communication. For example, if your audience speaks your industry's language and understands its terminology, a little jargon may actually help to build credibility and confidence. But try to use it sparingly, even in these situations. Too much jargon (even with those who understand it) can end up sounding pretentious. Provide a definition or analogy. Sometimes, it's impossible to avoid technical terms when describing a product or service. If you find yourself needing to use a technical term that your audience might not understand, try to explain what that word means in simple, layman's terms or through an analogy. Both of these techniques are used commonly on TV shows that deal with highly technical subject matters. Avoid acronyms. Abbreviations have their place, but usually not in customer communication. If you can't avoid acronyms altogether, or you believe the piece will flow better with an acronym or two thrown in, make sure you explain what the acronym stands for the first time you use it. Get some feedback. Once you've completed your initial draft and proofed it, have someone else in your office read through it, too. Try to choose someone who is not as familiar with the project you're working on, so they can come at it with fresh eyes and a different perspective.

Marketing with Email Signatures

Think about how many business emails you send each day. Now think about the email signature you're currently using on your emails. While email signatures are commonly used as a way to identify the sender and provide important contact information, many people are missing out on the valuable opportunity to use their signature line as a marketing tool. Here are a few tips to help you create an effective email signature that your recipients will remember:

Create brand recognition by including your logo, tagline, mascot, or other graphic that is tied to your brand. Choose images carefully and use them sparingly, so your signature doesn't overpower your message. Increase web traffic by enticing readers to visit your web link for a free sample, free white paper, or to subscribe to your newsletter. If you include a web link, spell out the address rather than using hyperlinks. This will eliminate trust issues caused by opening an unknown link and will also make it easy for recipients to copy and paste the address into their browser. Offer a teaser that entices the reader to ask for more information or to click a link to learn more. Personalize your email signature with a photo to help readers put a face with your name. Consider adding a brief quotation that represents your business or provides an insight into your personality. Create a consistent brand image by standardizing email signatures throughout your company. Change up your messaging frequently to keep it fresh and interesting for email recipients.

Increase Pricing With Ease

While rising prices are inevitable in the business world, that doesn't mean price increase announcements have to be viewed negatively. Here are a few tips to help you break the ice as painlessly as possible for your customers. Announce the price increase with plenty of notice (at least 30 days) before raising your pricing. Don't wait until you're mailing an invoice to let customers know your pricing has changed. Build rapport by sending formal, personalized messages to loyal customers via mail, rather than simply sending mass emails or posting a generic sign at your business notifying customers of a price increase. A one-page business letter, postcard, or self-mailer should suffice. Depending on your type of business, consider giving customers the opportunity to order more products at the lower price before the price increase takes effect. Explain the price increase. For example, you might write, "Our XYZ expenses have increased an average of ZYX percent in the past year, and we can no longer absorb this cost increase by ourselves." Consider adding a higher-priced option (even if it isn't a popular seller) in order to keep your best-selling option in the middle price range (rather than the most-expensive choice). Bundle your product with extras or premiums that will add perceived value and offset the price increase. Offer empathy but remain firm when announcing a price increase. While apologizing may seem courteous, it will also appear is if you don't believe in the price increase. Use your price increase announcement to remind customers why they purchase from you. Highlight product features and benefits, and announce any exciting new product updates or new and improved products at the same time. Itemize individual products that are typically sold in a bundle to increase perceived value. Consider using psychological pricing to raise prices gradually, such as from $9 to $9.99 instead of jumping to $10. Consider breaking out fees formerly included in the price. For example, list shipping separately instead of including it in the total price. If you'd like help developing a creative postcard or mailer to announce price changes, our creative team is here to help. Give us a call today!

Should you focus on the process or the outcome?

If the economic doldrums still have you down, take action with these quick, simple, yet very effective "kick in the pants" steps for a fast turnaround.

It's no secret that you must have a process for continually bringing qualified leads into your sales funnel. This is the lifeblood of your business. Some things are out of your control. Businesses close, move, and change ownership. Any of these could lead to the loss of a client you thought would never leave. To prepare for these moments, you must have processes in place to bring in new prospects to replace the ones you lose. Preparing for client turnover is something you control. Whether you have an existing process, need to dust off an old one, or are creating a brand new procedure from scratch, your client-generation plan must have goals. Base your goals on the process, not just the outcome. What does this mean? Simply put, you can't control how many leads will end up hiring you, but you can control how many of these prospects you reach. Commit to a plan that will help you uncover prospects well-suited for the products and services you sell. Don't rely on any one single platform or marketing tool to spread your message. Instead, use multiple channels, including print, email, social media, and the Internet, to bolster your communication and lead funnel process. If you commit to the process, the outcomes will take care of themselves. Be encouraged. Take action. Businesses are waiting for the kinds of solutions you offer. You just need to let them know that yours are the ones they're after.