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Complacency—Your WORST Enemy!
March 18, 2010
Hi All:
I know the above title is a bit unusual but it true to a major degree. I know that in my business 2009 was considerably slower than usual due to the recession. Many people don’t want to admit it but I must be honest,my business was like most—down by a double digit percentage due to the economic downturn. Now what, you may be asking, has all this to do with the above title and reason for this post? Just this: Due to not being as busy as I’m used to I found myself getting complacent and not trying as hard to get clients in my business. Subconciously I was thinking, “What’s the use…”. WRONG THINKING!
When I got my bearings and realized what I was doing and how I was thinking, I got into action. Action: the foundational key for all success! Many business owners think that when the economy goes south they need to pull back on marketing (translated: spend less money on advertising), and just wait it out. Nothing could be further from the truth. You need to redouble your efforts and put MORE money and time into your marketing efforts and your business in general. Case in point, one of my friends who is also an entertainer and speaker didn’t see his business taper off at all in ‘09. His secret? No secret at all according to him: he just did more of what he always did marketing-wise.
Despite what the press and media in general are saying, things are slowly turning around. Just don’t fall into the trap waiting for business conditions to become perfect. Perfect never happens. Stay the course and keep your marketing up and you’ll see a difference in your bottom line.
Until next time,
Tim Piccirillo
www.corporatespeakerforyou.com
The Power of Testimonials….
May 20, 2009
I recently coached an aspiring speaker and told her about the power of third-party testimonials. It’s a no-brainer in direct marketing circles that these testimonials will sell your product or service infinitely better than your copy or what YOU say about it. But here’s the real secret: use tons and tons of them. The more testimonials, the better.
What other people say about you and your product/service holds much more weight than you writing tons of copy trying to convince your prospect to buy. When they read how great what you’re selling is by other people who simply rave about it, it lends more credibility to the product/service. In the prospect’s mind they’re thinking, “hmm, must be good if John Doe used it and said it was great…” And again, use as many of these endorsements as possible. My website is full of them on every page and I make sure I only use the ones that are glowing and enthusiastic, for the most part.
How do you get testimonials? Simply ask for them. Most people who use whatever it is you are selling will say something nice about it if you ask them. I ask for a letter after every talk I give. Some send them to me and some get too busy and don’t but I always ask anyway. The ones that do take the time to send them to me are almost always “keepers”–glowing references that help me sell more.
The whole point is to use testimonials as much and as often as you can in EVERY marketing campaign. It can truly make the difference between selling a little and selling a LOT!
Until next time,
Tim
www.corporatespeakerforyou.com
The Problem of Being a “Victim”
May 9, 2009
Hi All:
It’s been a while since I posted but I felt inspired to write a blog post concerning this topic of being a “victim”. Some of you may know that I have Tourette’s Syndrome (although I’m virtually symptom-free at this point) and that in my speeches I tell my story of growing up with a severe case of it. Although I begin almost every speech with my story I DO NOT relive my personal history when I tell it.
I learned a long time ago that I am NOT my Tourette’s. Yes, I do have the neurological disorder called Tourette’s but I am NOT the Tourette’s itself. Now, you’re probably wondering where I’m going with all this. It’s no secret that I have a distinctive bias against the media. They seem to get a perverse pleasure out of being the bearers of bad news. If you buy into their fear mentality this recession will truly scare the wits out of you. My point is this: you may not be at fault for what has happened to you in this down economy (e.g. being laid off, nearing foreclosure, etc.) but you should definitely take RESPONSIBILITY for your circumstances. It is in taking responsibility that will determine whether you will become a hostage to life and it’s pitfalls or whether you choose to take the bull by the horns and get into action to change those circumstances. You have more power than you think!
When you take responsibility for your situation there is a shift that naturally occurs inside you. It’s as if a little voice is saying, “Okay, things are bad, that’s for sure. Now, what can I do about it?” The next step is to get quiet or meditate and let the answers come. Yep, they’re inside of you, make no mistake about that. You just need to call upon them to reveal the solutions. If you’re struggling, I have compassion for you. Make no mistake about that. But you do have the power to do something about it. Now, go out and get off your “buts”.
Until next time,
Tim
www.corporatespeakerforyou.com
Whatever it Takes…..
April 2, 2009
Hi All:
This posting is a little different than my usual pontificating. If you have recently lost your job due to the economy this could be the most important blog posting you’ll ever read. The county in Pennsylvania where I live currently has the highest unemployment rate in the state. The main industry here is powdered metal which is used in the manufacture of car parts and various other metal parts in a variety of products. The problem with this situation is that many people who have been laid off or had their jobs permanently terminated have no skills to get other work. Or do they?
Let’s face it: most people don’t think outside the box. Meaning, they don’t look at the larger picture, particularly of the myriad skills they have and what they are capable of. Thomas Edison said, “If you knew what you were capable of, you would literally astound yourself!”. What I mean is, if you lost your job, you need to really see where your other skills lie and if you can make money with them. I know a number of my friends who worked in factories and were avid outdoorsmen. They can be the only ones catching fish in a fishing hole with 20 other people beside them elbow to elbow. Why couldn’t they transfer that knowlege by teaching other folks the secret to catching fish and charging them for it? How about a good hunter doing the same thing? Or maybe starting a tour service to take neophyte hunters into the wild and showing them not only the various wildlife there but how to effectively hunt them?
My point is, that just about everyone has skills and talents that are an untapped resource for making money. Your job: to find out what they are and exploit them. Once you discover what skill or talent you can teach and transfer to others your main job is….drum roll please…..marketing it! So, if you have lost your job or in danger of losing it, start thinking today what you have to offer people. Many people will pay good money to learn it.
Until next time,
Tim Piccirillo
Customer Service is ALSO Marketing!
September 16, 2008
Hello All:
As I write this, I’m currently on vacation in Virginia Beach, VA and am having a very relaxing and fun time. I had an experience at a restaurant that bears out the above title.
I was having breakfast with my wife at a small restaurant yesterday morning and what I thought was going to be a miserable experience turned out to be a great marketing lesson. There were only two people working (aside from the cook) and one of the workers was either manning the cash register or delivering food. The other waiter had to wait on at least 8 different tables while I was there.
I must admit it took a considerably long time to get waited on when we first got there but from then on watching this guy “work the room” was sheer genius. Even though he was overwhelmed with tables (they definitely were understaffed on this particular morning), he made everyone in that restaurant feel like they were the only one there. He checked on all of us, made sure we had our drinks and apologized for making us wait. He also brought our check in a timely manner as well. Despite being obviously overworked he made sure ALL of us were taken care of—-and with a smile to boot!
What’s the lesson here? It’s not just enough to continually market your goods or services but treat the customer well when they do buy so that they will continue to come back and buy again. Great customer service or, as some call it, the “wow factor” can be one of the greatest tools in your marketing arsenal.
There are probably dozens upon dozens of restaurants in Virginia Beach. I, personally, like to try different ones when I visit a city. Do you know where I ate breakfast again this morning? You guessed it, the same restaurant. If you treat me right, I’ll keep comin’ back again and again!
Until next time,
Tim
The Magic Formula for ANY Marketing Campaign
September 13, 2008
Hello All,
There truly is a “magic” formula for any marketing campaign and that is: the right message to the right market at the right time . Huh? I know. That’s what I said when I first heard it. But let’s break it down.
First the right message. What do your prospects or clients want? Forget what they need. What do they want? The old business saying, “find a need and fill it” simply doesn’t work anymore. People don’t just buy what they need. They buy what they want. Most purchases are made based on emotion. Your marketing message has to tie in with those emotional hot buttons to be effective. That’s the best way to reach your target market. A message that solves a problem or hurt. You have to ask yourself what problem keeps your prospects up at night? Where does it hurt them? Then you formulate your marketing message to solving that problem.
Second, the right market. Who are your ideal prospects? What do they like? What do they read? What do they do either for a living or for recreation? You have to know your prospects before you can sell to them. I learned a long time ago that when doing a direct mail campaign that the most important thing is the mailing list. I could even have mediocre marketing materials if I had a tight niche that had a want for the product. Knowing who your customer is is extremely important!
Finally, the message should reach your prospects at the right time. When I used to make my living as a magician selling my shows to elementary schools I learned the best time to mail my promotional materials was at the very beginning of the school year. That was the time when most school principals and PTO moms were trying to fill their calendars with assembly programs. Your marketing efforts will definitely pay extra dividends if you reach your prospects at the right time—-when they’re ready to buy. Although some products and services sell well anytime. It would be to your benefit to find out when the time is right for your marketing campaign to have maximum impact.
Well, there you have it. A solid formula for your next marketing campaign. Use it and watch the dollars roll in….
Until next time,
Tim
Everything is marketing..
September 7, 2008
Hi Friends:
Welcome to my new blog. In this little personal forum I’ll be discussing my thoughts on motivation, marketing and little tidbits that make me happy as well as make me wonder. Feel free to post your comments as I will read everyone of them. But let’s get to the first thing on my mind today , and that is:
Everything is Marketing!
Today I went to a chicken barbeque sponsored by a local charitable organization. You have to understand that I live in Mayberry R.F.D.(actually Ridgway, PA but it seems like Mayberry). For those of you too young to remember, this is where Andy Griffith lived. He was a sheriff in a small town who didn’t wear a gun and where the only excitement was when the townspeople got dressed up for a Saturday night dance once a month. This is pretty much like Ridgway. However, as an aside, the people here are the most genuine, down-to-earth, do-anything-for-you people in the world and I’m proud to call it my home!
On this particular day I witnessed some marketing at it’s best. There was quite a line waiting for the chicken dinners when they suddenly ran out. The folks in line had to wait until another batch was cooked. This where the “smart marketing” comes in. Usually, if this happens in a store situation, the clerk will tell the people directly in front of him/her that they ran out of something but the message doesn’t get filtered back to the people waiting in the back and they feel put out and abused. Not today. My friend Dixie hollered out so EVERYBODY could hear that “we have to wait for the next batch of chicken!”. He then proceeded to engage everyone in the line in bright and fun conversation. Believe me, nobody felf neglected!
The lesson here is simple: If you want to serve your customers well and keep them coming back again and again, treat them right. Be sensitive to their needs and treat them like they are important. You know why? Because they are! And the lifeblood of your business is your customers! Without them you don’t have a business. And the way to keep an ever-constant flow of customers is through marketing. And that’s not just acquiring new customers, that’s keeping the old ones coming back to buy from you again and again.
Until next time,
Tim Piccirillo
