October 20th, 2011
By: Leah Turner, Senior Marketing Consultant
 Are you an ‘umbrella’ person? You know, the type of person that actually carries an umbrella with them if there is the slightest chance of rain in the forecast? Well, I am unequivocally NOT an umbrella person! Umbrella people are also the same people who always have aspirin, kleenex, hand sanitizer, safety pins, and other mystery items in their purse!
‘Umbrella’ people are ALWAYS prepared for the unexpected!
I’m not knocking the ‘umbrella’ people of the world, I am actually very envious of them! In fact, once right before I was about to go on stage and give a presentation to a very large group of people, I spilled some barbecue sauce on my WHITE blouse. I was just about to ask the gentleman next to me if I could borrow his shirt, when all of a sudden an ‘umbrella’ person appeared! And she just happened to have a TIDE stick instant stain removal pen in her purse (I didn’t even know such a thing existed!) which she magically used it to remove the stain! Viola!
Even though I was not innately born to be an ‘umbrella’ person, I have tried to kick up my ‘umbrella’ skills a notch, especially in my business. Ironically enough, improving my ‘umbrella’ skills has made my life a lot easier! It’s the little things!
So, here are six business tips I have come up with to help all the ’non-umbrella’ folks out there like me!
1. Always buy printer ink in packs of 3 or more. There is nothing worse than running out of black ink the night before a big presentation in which you are in charge of printing the hand-outs!
2. Have two cell phone chargers. Keep one in your office and one in your car. You don’t want your phone to die on you while you are talking to an important client!
3. Invest in a wireless USB. Don’t depend on Starbuck’s or Panera for your WiFi. I just bought a Sprint 4G and LOVE it!
4. Keep an ‘emergency supply’ bag in your car. This should include such items as scissors, pens, safety pins, mini-sewing kit, the ALL IMPORTANT Tide stick, almonds (or some type of snack), bottled water and any other items you may need.
5. Always have at least $20 cash on you. I can’t begin to tell you how embarrassing it is to have to pay a $2 parking garage fee with a check! Trust me on this one.
6. Keep an umbrella in your car. You never know when it might rain!
Discuss and Comment! (No Comments)
September 22nd, 2011
By: Leah P. Turner, Senior Marketing Consultant, marketingdirection.com
I consider myself very lucky to have been a child growing up in the seventies. I
could ride my bike without a helmet, play in the woods without fear, and I
didn’t have to carry a cell phone to report in to my parents. I knew that when
the sun went down, it was time to go home! Also, there were so many cool toys
back in those days. Who could forget Stretch Armstrong, Barbie ‘Big Head’, and
the infamous Weebles?
I remember one Christmas when Santa brought our family the ‘Weebles’. My
sister and I squealed with delight while singing the ‘Weebles wobble, but they
don’t fall down’ jingle! After a few days, we decided to actually test the
theory! We tried EVERYTHING to get those darn Weebles to fall down! We submerged
them in the toilet bowl, they didn’t fall down. We stuffed them in a sock, they
didn’t fall down. We even tried to bury them in the dog’s food bowl, but still,
they WOULD NOT fall down.
And then, I had a brilliant idea! I knew how I could finally get that dreaded
Weeble to fall down! I would stick him in my mouth sideways! There was no way
the Weeble could escape this trap standing up! Of course now, 35 years later, I
realize that as the oldest child I should have just managed the project
and delegated the actual act of sticking the Weeble into your mouth to my
younger sister, but I was only 10 and my leadership skills hadn’t completely
developed.
Anyway, I vividly remember my sister and brother (he was only 2 years old
at the time) watching me with pride and awe as I shoved the Weeble in my
mouth sideways and waited for victory. The only problem was, WEEBLES
WOBBLE but they DON’T FALL DOWN. So, what should have been a
victorious win over the dreaded Weeble almost cost me my life! That Weeble
popped right back up in my mouth and tried to make its way into my wind pipe!
Thank goodness my mom was in the other room and heard me gasping for my last
breath!
She was able to pry my mouth open, shove her hand down my throat and dislodge
the Weeble! Defeated, and pretty scared by the near death experience, I accepted
the truth in advertising about the Weebles, and decided to no longer test the
‘not falling down’ theory. So, what does this have to do with marketing, you
ask? Well, think about your company’s tagline or slogan. Is it true? Would it
pass the test? Do you claim to offer excellent customer service? Innovative
solutions? Quick turnaround time? Clients and customers are curious folks. They
will *test* your theory. You need to make sure that you can deliver on your
promise!
As for me, I pretty much played it safe after the Weeble debacle. So for my
next *test* I decided to find out what was *really* inside of Stretch Armstrong
that made him grow. So, off I went to my dad’s workshop armed with a pair of
scissors, paper towels and Stretch Armstrong to perform my surgery. Let’s just
say that while it was safer than testing the Weebles, my little brother did not
stop crying for 3 weeks. Because, while I was able to take Stretch apart,
unfortunately, I was unable to put him back together!
Discuss and Comment! (No Comments)
September 15th, 2011
By: Leah Turner, Senior Marketing Consultant, marketingdirection.com
OK, I admit it – I am a softie when it comes to animals. And I mean ANY animal! I have always been this way. I was the kid that cried so hard after reading ‘Where the Red Fern Grows’ that I couldn’t eat dinner, I still get teary eyed thinking about it! I also cried at Charlotte’s Web (and I have a HUGE fear of spiders!!).
But what does this really have to do with marketing, you ask? Well, not much. It has more to do with building relationships. My friend, author and fellow coach Bob Burg has a quote from his book Endless Referrals that pretty much sums it up:
“All things being equal, people will do business with — and refer business to— those people they know, like and trust.” – Bob Burg
I will give you an animal example…..about 8 months ago I started feeding two cats. These cats didn’t have a home, I guess you would call them feral cats – but I just hate the word FERAL…it sounds so morbid and sad! I chose to call them entrepreneurial felines in a transitional mode! Anyway, initially I would put a bowl of food out for my feline buddies and these two would stare at me from behind the bushes (with a look of disgust on their furry faces); but the moment I stepped away, they would come and eat the food.
Over the course of a couple of months, they began to KNOW me. So, when the garage door opened at 8 a.m., my two furry four-legged pals (Samson and Delilah) would be there waiting for me to feed them! Eureka!! They didn’t snarl or run away. They sat patiently waiting for me to fill their food and water bowls and then chowed down to what I can only imagine was the equivalent of an ALL YOU CAN EAT Perkins Breakfast Buffet!
Next thing you know, these guys started to LIKE me. Their tales would sway, they would actually approach with a SMILE on their face (or maybe it was just the whiskers) while I prepared the food. Life was good!
Now, these guys TRUST me. Not only do they come up to me, they come INTO the garage to have their meal! (Much to the chagrin of my 55 lb. Airedale terrier!) They even hang out after dinner. I swear if I handed out coffee and cigars they would partake and probably NEVER leave!
And, here’s the greatest news! They have REFERRED business to me! I now feed four lovely cats! Samson and Delilah told their pals Gizzy and Sweet Pea about me, my company and our wonderful services! So all four come to dine at Turner Cafe each night! (I just wish these ‘cats’ had some ‘dough’!)
Think about your business. Are you someone who people KNOW, LIKE, TRUST and refer business to? Your referral business is pretty powerful stuff! If your clients AREN’T referring business to you, why is that? It’s time to get back to the basics….It is pretty simple. People need to Know You, Like You, Trust You before they will ever refer business to you. And it is ALL about building the relationship versus selling the product. Just ask Samson, Delilah, Gizzy and Sweet Pea!
Tags: business relationships, christy vogel, leah turner, marketing, marketing consultant, marketing tips, marketingdirection.com, sales tips, tampa marketing consultant
Discuss and Comment! (No Comments)
August 4th, 2011
By: Leah Turner, Senior Marketing Consultant, MarketingDirection.com
 Think about all the different hats you wear everyday in your professional life. Who ARE you to your clients? What is YOUR primary role in your business? What is YOUR area of expertise? Is it clearly defined? Are you considered an expert in your field or a jack of all trades/handyman?
When I worked in corporate marketing, my colleagues and I would joke about the fact that if you didn’t know how to classify a job, you simply gave it to the Marketing Department. Everything could somehow fall under ‘marketing’, right?
I remember once, a long time ago, the company I worked for was changing phone systems. During the process, somehow I was forwarded the call from the company who we would no longer be using for our phones. I am not really sure how the call came to me, my guess is the receptionist had no idea who to forward it to and just assumed it fell under Marketing!
Anyway, I took the call and the gentleman on the line informed me that it was up to me to collect all the old phones, boxes, wires, jacks and equipment (most of which I had never heard of before), and have it ready to be picked up by 9 am the next day. He was also kind enough to let me know that some of this so-called equipment was located OUTSIDE of the building and might be on the roof. Really???
OK, I don’t know about you, but I still don’t know how to use the DVR on my television! I wasn’t even sure what all this equipment was supposed to look like, much less where to find it! And, not only that, but I wasn’t going to risk life and limb climbing on top of a building looking for equipment that I WOULD NOT be able to identify in a line up!
Anyway, I tell the story to emphasis the importance of becoming an expert in your field. Make sure your clients and prospects know exactly what it is that you and your company offer. If you are a sales person, be the best sales person you can be (and don’t try to be the IT guy)! If you are an IT guru, shout it from the roof tops (but stay OUT of the marketing department).
We all have unique gifts and talents that make us valuable to our organization or business. Perfect YOUR craft, and leave the other stuff to the experts. Clearly define what it is you do, and how that benefits your clients, and then go with it!
Think about it, how many heart surgeons do you know that would make good telemarketers? Not many! Understand the value you bring to your company by becoming the expert! I promise you will be thankful you did, and you will be MUCH more succesful in the long run by staying true to your talents.
And, if you are wondering how I handled the phone situation from many years ago, here’s what happened. I actually did go around and try to collect all these foreign pieces of phone equipment (don’t forget, I was young and naive back then). When the phone guy showed up the next morning to pick everything up, he took one look at the very large *heap* of stuff I had collected and his eyes glazed over, his face got red, and I thought he was going to pass out. He ended up calling in back-up support and spent the next 4 hours doing the job. See? It really does pays to hire an expert!
Tags: become an expert, christy vogel, leah turner, marketing, marketing consultant, marketing strategies, marketing tips, marketingdirection.com
Discuss and Comment! (No Comments)
July 28th, 2011
By: Leah Turner, Senior Marketing Consultant, MarketingDirection.com
 TIMBER! In college I can remember learning about the power of the three P’s: Product, Price and Promotion. This was often referred to as the *marketing mix*. Three little words guaranteed to create the recipe for a successful marketing program or strategy! I attended the University of South Florida ( Go BULLS!) and can remember the first time this concept was introduced to me. It was like the stars aligned, everything made sense, and all was right in the world! It seemed so easy. Create a great product, price it right and then promote the heck out of it. Who couldn’t do that??
Well, then I graduated and entered the *real world*, and there seemed to be some disconnect between what the text books promised and what REALLY worked in corporate america. I’m not implying the 3 P’s don’t work, they most certainly do! It’s just that it takes a great deal of research and tactical planning to get those three P’s to work their magic.
Product: “If you build it, they will come” – a great quote from a great movie (Field of Dreams). But, let’s think about it. Just because you have built the world’s finest mouse trap, it doesn’t necessarily mean there is a huge market for your contraption. Unless of course, you are the Pied Piper of Hamlin! Remember: There must be a need, want or desire for your product or service.
Price: What is the consumer willing (or able) to pay for your product? You may need to adjust this price based on the economy, trends and fads, and what your competition is doing. I am seriously doubting that the Pet Rock, Beany Babies, Cabbage Patch Dolls or Mood Rings of yesteryear would garner the same asking price they did during the products’ heyday! Remember: Your product or service is worth only what the market will pay.
Promotion: This is the area where many clients have the most trouble. It certainly isn’t for lack of ideas, but instead it is based on lack of a strategic, well thought out marketing plan. In other words, folks are “throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks”. You have to understand your demographic (who is buying your product?) and research where that prospect goes to gain information prior to making their purchase, and then make sure you are there.
Another big issue with Promotion is the LACK of it. A lot of people have the Product and Price portion down and yet don’t do any promotion. Believe it or not, I see this all the time. Clients who have relied on referral business or who are intimidated by tooting their own horn. This won’t work people. We are ALL in some type of SALES position. Whether we are selling a product, a service or ourselves.
If we don’t promote it, how can we expect others to find it? Or, If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? You want to be sure that your product or service is making a loud sound in front of your perspective buyers or clients!
Tags: christy vogel, leah turner, marketing, marketing consultant, marketing tips, marketingdirection.com, the three p's
Discuss and Comment! (No Comments)
July 15th, 2011
 By: Leah Turner, Senior Marketing Consultant, marketingdirection.com
OK, I must admit, Time Management is not the most exciting topic to discuss in a blog. We are all adults, and basically we should know how to manage our time, right? We all know about the Stephen Covey – Franklin Quest systems. And we all know that if we don’t manage our time, our time will manage us, blah, blah, blah. So, what the heck am I doing writing a blog about boring old time management? Well, I want to change the way we look at time management and make it Sexy, Fun, and Exciting!! Impossible, you say? Well, give me a moment of your precious TIME and let’s see if I can change your mind!
When I left the comforts of the corporate world several years ago to become a consultant, I had to make a shift in the way I looked at and managed my time. I used to do exactly what we are all told to do; I would make a list of everything I needed to do, prioritize that list, and then schedule each task into my day. Once a task was complete, I happily CHECKED it off the list and moved on to the next item. Efficient, but boring!
So, when I started my own business, I realized this system just wasn’t working for me. Why not, you ask? Well, when you become a consultant the phrase ‘Time is MONEY’ takes on a whole new meaning!
You see, it is not so much about completing a specific task in order to check it off your list as it is about building your business, your referral base, and your revenues. Here are three time management tips:
1. ASSIGN A DOLLAR VALUE TO YOUR TIME: This was probably the single most important step I made in my new sexy, fun, exciting Time Management program. Let me explain….let’s say you want to gross $100,000 in one year. That breaks down to $8,333 per month, or $2083 per week (based on a 40 hour work week), or $52.08 per hour.
So, basically, every hour during your workday is worth $52.08. So, how is that best utilized? Is meeting with a vendor you KNOW you are never going to use worth your time or would that time be better spent asking them to send you over their information via e-mail? Do you really need to need to have that 45 phone conversation with your friend at 3 pm in the afternoon? (Not unless he or she is paying you for it!). Is it really worth your $52.08 per hour to attend that workshop, luncheon or event?
I have several realtor clients, and it is amazing what happens to them once they ‘get’ this concept. No longer are they spending seventeen hours schlepping potential buyers to 35 properties on a weekend! They do a much better job of pre-qualifying and determining their clients’ needs before they waste their precious time (and gas!) driving them across the city!
2. NO LONGER DO THOSE THINGS WHICH DO NOT BENEFIT MY BOTTOM LINE: It’s ALL about the ROI (return on investment), baby! I am a firm believer in networking, but I am a firmer believer in ROI. Take a look at your networking schedule. If you client base is new home builders, how much sense does it make to network with a group that has no builder members? None. Or, let’s say your job or business requires you to conduct or attend a lot of meetings and there is NO WAY you can avoid it. Make sure those meetings are productive. Set an agenda. Do you really need to waste the first thirty minutes of a meeting talking about who got booted off ‘Dancing with the Stars’?
3. SCHEDULE TIME FOR YOU: Just as it is important for you to schedule your money-making activities, it is equally important for you to schedule your personal time. And, I promise you this, once you have put steps 1 and 2 into place, you will be amazed at the amount of additional time you will find in your day! Make that a priority as well. After all, YOU deserve it!
People, there are never going to be more than twenty-four hours in a day. So, it is critical that you make the best use of your time in a way that is going to be profitable and productive to you! Look at managing your time the same way you look at planning a vacation! You do the upfront research, you plan the activities you want to do, and then you DO IT and have a great time! Remember, time flies when your having fun!
Tags: christy vogel, leah turner, marketing consultant, marketingdirection.com, Time managment tips
Discuss and Comment! (No Comments)
|
|
|
|
Are you an ‘umbrella’ person? You know, the type of person that actually carries an umbrella with them if there is the slightest chance of rain in the forecast? Well, I am unequivocally NOT an umbrella person! Umbrella people are also the same people who always have aspirin, kleenex, hand sanitizer, safety pins, and other mystery items in their purse!
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
