– Invite me to a party — I’d rather have a root canal

– Have me speak about something I’m passionate about in front of a group of people — I shine.

– Put me in a “casual” networking group — root canal please.

– Put me in a “structured” networking group where I can ask for what I need and help others at the same time — I’m in heaven.

We all have our levels of how we interact, the environments where we thrive and the environments where we are extremely uncomfortable. I have seen many people go into business for themselves, myself included, that would rather give up their dream than to market their business and themselves. I was almost one of those statistics. I almost QUIT my dream until I discovered the secret.

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrases for successful marketing, Find Your Passion; Market from your Passion; Marketing from Within, etc. This is actually correct, but there are a few more steps. Too many times we focus on things we can’t do (weakness) versus the things we can do (strength). The most common phrase I’ve heard is “I don’t want to feel like I’m selling.” Then we have this belief we’re supposed to market from the standard marketing box; cold calls, networking groups, speaking, knocking on doors, etc. NO! You don’t need to jump directly into the marketing box first. Get out of the should(s) and the can’t(s). Step into what you do well and what you enjoy first, then, open the marketing door.

The Secret

Step 1. Give yourself permission to redefine marketing to fit your style.

Example #1:

A program participant was very good at her profession as a lawyer but was very uncomfortable with marketing. I have clients brainstorm and write down their strengths and passions. She expressed she had very few on her list. It doesn’t matter how many are on your list as long as you pay attention to what’s there. Some people have 30-40, others have 5-10. She chose her top 3.

Out of her 3 the main passion and strength on her list was one-on-one conversations. We then began thinking of who might be good strategic partnerships for her business. She was thrilled she could not only market from her favorite and most comfortable approach, but also choose her favorite environment, which happened to be in a cozy coffee shop. However, that wasn’t all that was holding her back. She had never given herself permission to call one-on-one conversations marketing. Once she redefined marketing to One-On-One Conversations, she left saying, “I feel like I’ve had a black cloud lifted off my head.”

Step 2. Give yourself permission to market from your comfort zone.

When she gave herself permission to market from her comfort zone she began taking more steps naturally. Two weeks later I turned around at my networking group and there she was. She was enjoying herself because she gave herself permission to redefine marketing to fit her passions and strengths AND she allowed herself to market from her comfort zone. I have seen this so many times. Once you give yourself permission to stand in your comfort zone, it’s amazing how you will naturally evolve towards expanding your marketing. It becomes FUN and Exciting!

Example #2:

Look at what you already have. All you need to market may be right in front of you with your most comfortable group of prospective clients.

A Life Coach I met had a horrible fear of marketing but really believed in his chosen profession and didn’t want to give it up. Through the process described above most of his fears disappeared. But he still found himself hesitating. He had identified his best client but that first step of where to begin seemed too big. In asking Bob about his past profession and contacts he realized not only would they be a perfect client but he knew a large number of people he could comfortably approach. Bob did several things.

1) Gave himself permission to redefine marketing to fit his style.

2) Gave himself permission to market from his comfort zone.

3) Identified a market he had come from and was comfortable.

4) He became so energized with his approach he is making cold calls speaking from the passion of his business.

Sometimes we are so close to things we can’t see them. Look right in front of you – your perfect client and ease of approach might be within reach. However you approach your marketing, you get to choose how you do it. If need be, ditch the word marketing and insert ____________ (the words that fit YOU).

Copyright 2006 Marketing On The Playground (TM)

We enjoy new purchases. Sure, we can convince ourselves that we really needed a new one, but if we’re totally honest we’ll have to admit that would could’ve got by without it. What does this mean to your advertising campaign?

Step 1. State The Benefits Of Your Product or Service

Capitalize on the ways a customer will improve his lifestyle by making the purchase. Will he increase his own business profits by 50 percent? Say so in the opening statement of your sales letter, or at the top of your Web page.

Don’t obsess with the features of the product itself or your credibility. Frankly, customers could care less. Let’s face it… they’re a bit selfish when it comes to dishing out their hard earned money. All they want to know is what’s in it for them.

Step 2. Paint Word Picture That Let Them Experience the Benefits

“Wake up tomorrow, with no boss! You can spend the day with your family or on the golf course… there’s nobody to tell you what to do.”

A Multi Level Marketer may want his audience to feel the freedom of having no one to answer to if they become successful in the business. He’ll dramatize that desire, and put the listener in the seat to inspire it to take hold until the listener is ready to sign up and get started.

Step 3. Inspire Immediate Action

Hey, let’s face it… the longer a customer lolly gags, the greater the chances he’ll never take the plunge. Don’t let him off the hook that easily!

Set a deadline. Put on the pressure to buy now, or miss out on the deal. Chances are pretty good that the procrastinator will get with it just to save a few bucks.

What about your sales materials? Have you taken a good look at the things you are advertising? Make sure you are focused on the benefits the consumer will experience from the purchase, and not on the features of the product or service.

Share your secrets on Facebook, Twitter, and forums. Post it on your blog and email it to your contacts, prospects, and clients. You’re on the right track if you feel like you’re giving away too much.

“If I give away all my secrets, then no one will want to hire me,” you fear. You know the reality is people will see that you really know your stuff but won’t have the time or desire to do it themselves, so they’ll hire you to do it for them.

Let’s say that you prepare taxes for real estate business owners. I hate doing taxes for my real estate businesses. So when I come across your post “7 Tips To Save Money on Your Real Estate Taxes”, I’ll read it and then I’ll ask you to do my real estate taxes because I know you can save me money. I also don’t want to do them myself.

Step 2) Read Your Own Blog and Learn from It

Do you review your blog posts to see which posts are getting the most re-tweets or comments? You should. Go through your posts every week and take notes about what worked and what didn’t. If you don’t know your audience and what they liked in the past, you won’t be able to create something that they’re going to like in the future. Simple but so true.

Step 3) How Is Your Indirect Competition?

Reviewing the real estate tax expert example, on your website you’ll want to tell the readers why you are better than any other tax expert, and that’s great. However, you could and should talk about all of your indirect competition, which are all of the ways the reader can solve the same problem using approaches that don’t involve your service. For example, you’ll also want to tell the reader:

•Why working with you is a better option than doing it himself.
•Why working with you is better than having tax preparation software do the work for him.
•Why doing his taxes is better than not doing them (yes, some people actually are stupid enough to think that is an option. Recall Al Capone – the IRS always gets you)

Your direct competitors are hardly the only ones you’re competing against.

Step 4) Build a Facebook Page

Most of us already have a Facebook profile (individuals). However, you should also have a Facebook page for your business. Here’s why:

•You can only have 5,000 friends under your profile; you can have unlimited fans for your page. Some of us have had serious issues with that.
•Facebook pages get indexed by the search engines and you may even get links back to your site.
•Fan Pages allow you to have an opt-in box so people can subscribe to your newsletter or get a free report.
•Fan Pages allow you to send an update to all your fans all at once.

Step 5) Partner with facebook Group Administrators

Let’s go back to the real estate tax expert example again. It’s April 1st (or March 1 for businesses) and people know they need to do their taxes by the 15th. Take a look at some Facebook group for entrepreneurs:

Do you think that from these thousands of entrepreneurs at least a few of them will need their real estate taxes done? If you offer the administrator of the group a commission for every person that hired you plus a small fee for sending the email, he might mail to his group for you! Pretty sure he would as he would help them out by doing os.

To learn more about many of these strategies, join us at the 7 Steps To Launch Conference on Feb 11, 12 & 13 in Las Vegas.

What is the primary reason your customers or clients come to you? Or purchase your product or service? What is the Number One problem you solve for them? Do you know? Are you certain? If you don’t, your marketing could be missing the mark, and you could be missing out on sales.

Step 1 – Uncovering Your “Key Selling Point”

This is the Single Marketing Message that is the central message in all of your communications about your business, product or service. It can be difficult for small business owners to determine what their single marketing message should be. Why? Because they are too close to their business. And, because they are viewing their business from their side of the desk.

Step 2 – Keeping your marketing customer-focused can be a challenge

Even if we know we should be looking at our business from our customers’ perspective, it’s often easier said than done. As a result, it is easy to get caught up in all the amazing features of our product or service and the reasons we THINK our clients are attracted or are buying.

But sometimes our vantage point is clouded by our own perceptions and beliefs. And those perceptions and beliefs may be inaccurate. So how do you pinpoint the real reason customers are attracted to your product or service and the true reasons they are choosing to buy?

Step 3 – There is an easy way to stay on track

Very simply, YOU ASK THEM! Okay, I know it seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how often we don’t think of the obvious.

Your prospects and customers (and yes, even your rejecters — those who visit but don’t buy) can provide great insights about the benefits they value most in your product or service and why they chose to buy.

Step 4 – Whether you have a lot of customers or only a few

You don’t have to have a large customer or prospect base to do some research to see if you are on track. Even if you only have a handful of clients or customers, contact them and ask them what they like most about your product or service.

Step 5 – Talk to your Clients or Customers

(1) What is the one thing that got them to purchase?

(2) Have you delivered on that promise?

(3) What do they like least about your product or service?

(4) How could you improve your product or service?

(5) What else (in your business category) do they have a need for?

(6) How else could you help them be successful, be happier, or solve whatever problem your product or service solves for them?

Step 6 – Talk to your Rejecters

If you choose to survey rejecters (which I have done very successfully for years for one of my clients) find out why they DIDN’T buy.

(1) Ask them what product or service they bought instead of yours? And why?

(2) Ask them what that competing product or service offered that yours did not?

(3) Ask if there is anything you could do to get their business in the future? Product or service changes, additions, deletions?

Step 7 – Talk to your Prospects

Do you have a list of prospects — those who have expressed an interest in your product or service but have not yet purchased? Perhaps they have subscribed to your newsletter or ezine.

(1) Ask them for feedback on your newsletter or ezine content.

(2) What topics are they interested in learning more about?

(3) How can you help them to be more successful, happier, etc?

(4) Find out what they want and who they are

And in all three cases — Clients/Customers, Rejecters, and Prospects — if it seems appropriate, ask for a little information about who they are. Age, gender, profession, where they live, how much they typically spend in your product or service category.

This will help you get a better understanding of your target audience and you’ll know if you’re attracting the kind of people you thought would be interested in your product or service. And if you need to change your marketing strategy to reach a different audience, or to perhaps change your target audience.

Step 8 – It will help you better serve them

The more you can learn about your prospects and customers the better you can serve them. And the more effectively you can market to them.

Step 9 – You may be in for a surprise

I’ve had clients tell me they thought they knew why people were buying from them until they asked. And what they heard surprised and shocked them.

Very often what you hear can help you zero-in on a Unique Selling Proposition that you never thought of. And because it came from the mouths of your customers you know it is compelling and effective.

Step 10 – Don’t change everything based on a few opinions

My only caution is if you only have a handful of customers or prospects to survey, don’t make any major changes or decisions until you are able to validate your findings among a larger group of people.

Or at least test any changes you do make before making a final decision to overhaul your entire business or marketing plan. Common sense is the rule here. Just use your own good judgment and don’t over-react to comments made by only a handful of people.

Step 11 – You can ask in a number or ways – Choose what works for you

There are any number of ways to collect research from your prospects and customers. You can telephone them, email them, mail them a written questionnaire, or you can meet with them in a group (called a focus group) to collect their opinions.

You can be as formal or informal as you feel comfortable. Typically the larger number of clients you survey, the more formal the survey. If you have only a handful of people to talk to, simply pick up the phone and call them.

Step 12 – Don’t be afraid to ASK

Don’t be afraid to ask for opinions on your products or services or how you can serve your clients better. What you find out could be extremely valuable in helping you to build and grow your business.

Step 13 – Don’t forget to say “thank you”

You will also want to consider offering an incentive to encourage your prospects and clients to participate or respond. A bonus, such as a special report, or a discount on a future purchase is a nice way to show your appreciation for them taking the time to respond to your survey.

(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa

If you are pitching investors to give you money for a new venture, you should subscribe to the following rules:

Step 1. Explain exactly what your business is within the first thirty seconds. Many entrepreneurs waste valuable time giving loads of data, background and other info—all the while investors are left scratching their heads thinking “What does this business actually DO?”

Step 2. Tell your audience who your customers will be. Paint a vivid, specific picture of these people.

Step 3. Explain why your customers going to give you there hard-earned money.

Step 4. Explain who your competitors are. (And if you say you have no competitors, that is a certain sign you are unsophisticated and deserve no investment money!)

Step 5. Explain why you are the ONE to make this happen.

Step 6. Give your presentation with confidence and enthusiasm. Investors want a founder/CEO to be a chief salesperson; they want to see that you can convince the world of your dream—not just them.

Step 7. Explain what star you can hitch a ride to. Has Best Buy or Radio Shack agreed to distribute your new product? Investors feel much more comfortable knowing you have an established player willing to distribute your wares.

Step 8. Ask for a specific amount of money. If all you do is ask for money, then you can’t complain if an investor gives you $3.25 for a cup of Starbucks coffee.

Step 9. Tell prospects exactly what you are going to spend the money on (hint:a trip to Maui for you and your friends will not impress)

Step 10. Dress well, act confident, and put on the air that you don’t really need their money, but would be willing to accept it if they bring enough to the table to be a strategic partner for you. Sad but true regarding human nature, but people are much more likely to give you money if they feel you don’t really need it.

Finally, make each pitch presentation serve as a focus group for your next presentation. When one group of investors asks you a series of questions after you pitch, write down all of those questions and make sure most of them are answered in your next pitch so that the next group doesn’t have to ask them. Keep pitching and keep improving your pitch and eventually you may get funded.

Step 1. Use business cards

Make a goal to give out a certain number of business cards a day after starting your own business. If you bother to have them printed but they sit behind your desk or in your pocket without being handed out, they will not do you any good. Say you want to distribute 10 per day. Put that many in your pocket and do not be afraid to give them out openly. Use brochures and fliers to get the word out as well.

Step 2. Use the power of word-of-mouth

Multiply your time and effort by working with the time and efforts of volunteers who can help you cover areas like schools, local businesses, and churches that are willing to display information about your company.

Step 3. Be a part of local events

After starting your own business, people will only learn about it if you expose yourself. By being a part of community events, you will give your business a good image for people to remember when they see your business card again in the future.

Step 4. Give out free samples

People are wary about putting money into something unfamiliar, but if you let them try it for free first, then you will generate some real sales. If your product is something like a water filter, let customers use it for a trial period and then either return it or pay to keep it.

Step 5. When speaking to people, use the 3-foot and 30-second rules

After starting your own business, you are the number one marketer for your company. Say hello to anyone that comes within three feet of you on the street or in an elevator. If you strike up a conversation, bring up your business within the first 30 seconds. This is your opportunity to give out one of those 10 business cards you have in your pocket.

Purposely only buy products for your business from people who buy from you or could become a prospect. This positively helps build your client base. Please visit stepsto.com for more great business advice.

Step 1 Get customers to try you out

Given the lack of income for many people, the only way to entice them to use your product or service is to give it to them. Arrange to prepare a sample for customers to use or try. Offer it common places that people are willing to consider, such as local grocery chains and busy shopping centers, like Wal-mart. If online, try www.all-free-samples.com and uniquesamples.com. By offering a sample unit of your product, consumers can determine if you are worth using.

Step 2 Make a package

When offering your product to consumers you may need to entice them to try you out with more than your own product sample. The fact is that people are reluctant to venture into unchartered territory given their limited funds. Offer your product with another common product that some customers would be interested in. For example, If your product is a unique way to cook french fries, offer consumers a free small bottle of ketchup. By doing so, they will feel they are really getting a bargain and will be hooked on your products. This will help you gain a following.

Step 3 Bundle it up

The fact that you are giving away your product does not immediately imply that people will run and take it. Think about what you are giving away and how you can profit from it if you give it away. If it is a food item, do you have complementary items that can be given at a discount if you give away one. Another example is if you sell software. You can give away your software if you can offer upgrades at a cost. By doing so, those consumers who use your software will then buy from you because they have to get upgrades. In like manner, if they get a single food item, they will want to purchase other items. Lastly, if you offer a cleaning product, then customers will buy your other cleaning products or start buying your freebie.

Step 4 Connect to traffic

Sites such as Digg or popular blogs can help boost your chances of getting consumers to try your product. Find places that let you make a post or connect to heir site. By doing so, you have a back link, which consumers can connect to your site and get free samples and also purchase other products. You will also gain a steady flow of traffic and steady consumers.

Step 5 Go viral

When you offer your product or service for free, ask your takers to put it on your site blog. You can then viral this to other content that is popular right now and out there. Check copyrights before your proceed though. Not all sites let you use their content to viral your product information. Use the power of social networks to share the positive comments of customers who try your freebies and viral this all over the web. More consumers are sure to follows as well as the money.

Remember you have to give sometimes to receive. Please visit stepsto.com for more great business advice.

Step 1 Google

Technologically savvy, this generation is the first to tweet on Twitter and the first to make updates on their Facebook pages. It is no wonder that the first place Gen Y goes when they want to learn about a new product is the top ranked search engine, Google.By participating in Google’s search engine marketing and pay per click opportunities you can reach this complex market more effectively than through television commercials or even radio announcements.

Step 2 Spread the word

Word of mouth is the next best way to get your product name out to the Generation Y target audience. Generation Y prefers to get the opinions of other Generation Y individuals. This group likes to get the first hand opinion of what others think and not rely on Oprah or other celebrities who are paid to push products. Nothing beats the real experience is the motto of Generation Y. What do others similar to them really think of any product? This is the first question that pops into their minds. When enough Gen Y individuals tell others about your good or service you will see your sales grow quickly. Once your product has the word of mouth seal of approval, then Gen Y is a loyal following. How do you reach this group through word of mouth? Try Tina Wells company called Buzz Marketing. Tina’s company hosts parties and even hires Gen Y to test products and them discuss the product with their friends. Her company was worked with the biggest names out there, including AT&T, Verizon, Wal-Mart, and QVC.

Step 3 Use humor

Funny captions and humorous ads attract the attention of this fickle generation. The Gen Y audience enjoys good comedy and tends to remember products that have either humorous names or hilarious commercials. Hire a comedian to help you with jingles at comedy.com or if you are on a low budget for under $500 learn to write with humor in an online class offered by New York University (nyu.edu).

Step 4 Be emotional

Gen Y is a hard to reach market segment because they do not read traditional newspapers or magazines or follow standard media outlets. Although they use the Internet frequently, this generation may like your brand and visit your web site, but may not buy your product. To hook them use human emotion to reach to their minds and souls. Something more needs to compel to them to want to be able to relate to you. For examples of excellent slogan that contain good emotion raising phrases, please visit advertisingage.com

Step 5 Diversify

Gen Y is a nontraditional group that is culturally and socially diverse. To market to this group you also need to consider age and gender. Gen Y males think differently from Gen Y females. As a whole group Gen Y individuals change fashions and tastes overnight. Instead of focusing on the entire Gen Y audience, focus on a niche group according to age, geographic location, and gender. Specifically, a Gen Y male in California has vastly different tastes than a Gen Y female in New York. The good thing about Gen Y is that because they are diverse and more open minded they are willing to try new products rather than stick with trusted brand names. Visit your local community college and speak to a sociologist to get specific details about the spending patterns of Gen Y or visit http://www.startupnation.com/articles/9011/1/marketing-GenY.htm

Remember Gen Y is one of the best market segments to grow your business since this generation is the most experimental. Please visit stepsto.com for more great business advice.

Step 1. Exhibit at established trade shows

This may not apply if you are a large, established company. Small businesses, however, cannot afford to gamble. New trade shows could be a huge success, but, just as likely, no one will attend and you will lose money. Plan ahead and try to hit the biggest trade shows in your industry.

Step 2. Make sure your trade show staff is well trained

Your staff will need to be on their toes every second. Attendees will usually wander from booth to booth until they find one that catches their eyes. You only have a small window in which to act, so make every second count! Your staff should be extremely good at generating leads in a short time frame.

Step 3. Pick a show outside your comfort zone

As stated above, if you are a small business, you may not want to try this tactic. However, if your industry is extremely saturated, you might want to exhibit at a trade show that is unrelated to your product while still targeting the same demographic. The key to this is careful market research and plenty of planning.

Step 4. Contact leads right away

Do not wait until months after the show to contact new leads. Even the most excited attendee may have forgotten all about your company. Instead of waiting months, tell your trade show staff to call leads within a few weeks of the trade show. You can provide incentives or bonuses to motivate them to act quickly.

Step 5. Try being an attendee for a change

Sometimes it can be worth it to save some money and check out the competition. Of course, just because you are not planning on an exhibit does not mean that all you have to do is just walk around. If you can, try to get on a panel or see if the trade show is looking for a guest speaker. This is a great way to show off your expertise and advertise your business.

Create a big buzz. Hyping your company months before the show can really pay off. If possible, use the show as an advertising tool for new products or newly launched services. While you are at the event, do everything you can to be noticed. Try giveaways, charity events, or special presentations. This is your chance to make a lasting impression! Please visit stepsto.com for more great business advice.

Step 1 Provide current contact information

When making posts on forums about a topic in general, be sure to include your business contact information at the end of each post. By stating who you are and what firm you represent in each online forum, you spread information about your business for free and also give your perspective on an issue, which endears other forum members to you. These other forum embers also become your new potential customers.

Step 2 Be original

Everyone has a unique perspective when making comments on an issue. To generate a lot of buzz about your company and yourself in a forum, post original content that makes people think or laugh or even smile. You will be highly regarded and so will the company you represent.

Step 3 Put a back link

Whenever you post in a forum, underneath your contact information also post a back link, which connects to your main page or to your affiliate program. This will drive traffic to your site and to your affiliate site without appearing to be spamming or get a quick sale.

Step 4 Join meaningful forums

When joining a forum consider the type of forum that you will be joining and what your business products represent. For example, if you are it eh business of selling cosmetics, it will not do you much good to join a forum about cars or pets. Join forums and make comments in them that relate specifically to your business and the type of customers that would be interested in your goods and services. You will kill two birds with one stone by doing so.

Step 5 Seek opinions

When you make a post in forums ask others what they think of your business type or of your business after a month or so. Find out what they think and request help on how you can improve your ideas on products. Getting raw feedback is one of the best ways to increase traffic and also give yur customers what they want. This translates into more profits for you.

Remember, a forum discussion is not just about responding to questions. It is also about weaving your business into your posts to gain customers. Please visit stepsto.com for more great business advice.