What I learned at the Magnificent Marketing Symposium

by Frank Furness

James Ziegler on success

Gather people
Define and prioritise your profit centres
Form strategic alliances
Hire the best people and pay them too much
Have a product or service that is saleable, scaleable and replicatable
Establish credibility
Embrace technology and embrace it into your business
Re-evaluate the effectiveness of your business continually
Stay in front of your customers
Make your website sell you or your services, it is not a brochure

Tom Antion on Internet Marketing Strategies

Develop multiple revenue sources from the internet, including:
Direct sales
Joint venture deals
Residual affiliate programmes
Ebay affiliates
Google adsense
Teleseminars
Mentoring/coaching retreats

Get logos developed at www.gotlogos.com

Ask your website developer ‘What plan do you have to work my keywords into my website’. If they can’t answer, find someone else.

Bill O’Hanlon on writing and getting published

Write about your passion
Blissed – what do you love
Pissed – What really pisses you off (his words)

Your book proposal should have the following:
Sales tool and calling card
Title page
Overview and intro to the book or project
Platform pages
Outline
Detailed chapter outline
Sample chapters
Competition – who are they and how are you better or different

Marketing and publicity outlets and plans
What is the problem you’re solving
What is your promise or benefit
How are you positioning yourself

Dave Larner – Website – Steps to internet success

The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary

Ingredients for a good website
Research – what is your competition doing
Definition
Design
Creation
Testing
Integration
Maintenance
Marketing

Objective
Who is your target audience
What is your niche
What do you want them to do
What type of site are you going to build
Vanity
Online brochure
Order taking site
Support site

Ingredients
Fast
Functional
Easy to navigate
Action Oriented

Graham van Dixhorn on writing
With your book think about:
Who are you
What makes you different to other writers
Why should they buy your book

Fill in the gaps – I am an expert in the field of_____. I show you how to ____ so that you can____

This book gives you____

Gayl Murphy on Media Tactics

The media is anyone or anything that can take your message and move it forward

When being interviewed
Have lots of colour and detail
There is no such thing as ‘Off the record’
Think bullet points
Connect your pitch to current headlines
Stay on topic, stay focused and be specific
Reporters love something that is current and something with Spin


James Malinchak on how to make $250,000 s year speaking to colleges

No audience will ever hear you until they know you
It’s not your IQ, it’s your ‘I do’
To have success you must have a desire to help otheres
Get yourself a mentor or coach

Colleges in the USA book speakers on topics including:
Leadership
Woman Issues
Diversity
Weight Loss
Careers
Sex Education
Motivation & Inspiration
Business/Sales/ Marketing/management
Current Events
Black History
Celebrity
Real Estate
Date rape and sexual assault

Hollywood Hails

I’ve just returned from speaking in Hollywood again at the Dottie Walters Magnificent Marketing Symposium. What an experience to share the stage with so many great speakers. It is the third time that I have spoken with Tom Antion who is an internet marketing genius. He lives in a 17 room house at Virginia Beach and runs a weekend training programme each month to teach six people how to become internet millionaires. They are collected at the airport in a limo; enjoy 6 star luxuries at Tom’s house and work incredibly hard to understand the strategies that Tom uses to make millions from the internet each year. Take a look at what you can expect.
Other great speakers included Gayl Murphy, the Hollywood correspondent who speaks on media tactics. She had to leave early on Sunday to do an interview with Robin Williams. James Malinchak shared the techniques he uses to generate a million in income each year speaking on the college circuit, Jill Lublin spoke on Guerrilla Publicity, her best selling book and Kathi Dunn shared ideas on Book cover design. She does the design work for top selling authors including Anthony Robbins and Deepak Chopra. These were just a few of the incredible speakers that spoke at the symposium. I have outlined some of the learning points as they may be relevant to you in your business..
Apart from presenting my session, I learned so much from the others and realised how little I really know. I read three books a week to try to keep up with what is happening in the business world and it astounds me at the number of people complaining about how tough business is, and yet don’t invest in themselves. They never read, listen to educational and motivational CDs or attend any courses. The most successful people I meet on my travels are those that are willing to learn and keep learning.
Remember what I said before, in your market what are you doing that is different and better than your competitors and why should they do business with you rather than the competition?
I have put together a very special software package for you with products that I use daily in my business. Take a look at http://tinyurl.com/rcx8q

HOW TO WIN COMPETITORS’ CUSTOMERS by FRANK FURNESS


1. Think long term
Don’t give up when you hear, “I’m satisfied.” Satisfaction may be temporary. Your prospect’s needs may change, or you may provide a good reason for switching.

2. Develop a relationship
Once you’ve mastered the relationship strategies, you will be able to determine quickly whether you can develop a rapport with a prospect, sale or no sale. By developing a friendship, you will be able to …

3. Study needs
Take your time, do research, and ask a lot of non-threatening questions so you can find out your prospect’s needs and how well they are being satisfied. The key is to find a need gap and offer a solution.

4. Sell yourself
Personal chemistry is important, but so is the knowledge that you are an enthusiastic, earnest, professional, ethical, caring expert who would be nothing but an asset to know and do business with. Come up with new ideas for your prospects. Show them that you are on their team, sale or no sale.

5. Add value
So many products and services are commodities that differentiation may be difficult. That is why you sell yourself. That is also why you have to differentiate your product with added value such as service and performance guarantees, superior services, and better delivery schedules – whatever it takes to be better.

6. Ask for a no-risk trial order
Many customers are loyal to their suppliers, but will grant you a trial order if you ask for it. Make it a no-risk proposition. Ensure your prospect’s satisfaction with some kind of guarantee, and bend over backwards to make sure the trial order makes a very positive impression.

7. Ask for a portion of their business
“Stealing” a competitor’s customer may not be an all-or-nothing deal. You may have to do it bit by bit, proving yourself slowly as you go along. Ask for a small percentage of the prospect’s business and you may find that percentage will grow.

8. Be persistent
Nothing succeeds more than persistence. All things being equal, the persistent salesperson will win the account every time. Keep in touch with prospects, think long term, be a consultant and ally, and you will plant drought-resistant seeds.

Take a look at Sales Success Strategies for SMEs and Small Business

Frank Furness CSP is a professional speaker and trainer specialising in sales and sales management. He has educated, entertained and inspired audiences in 42 countries. Based in London, Frank is the President of the Professional Speakers Association of Europe and the current chair of the International PEG.
His publications and sales CDs have been sold globally. For more information or to sign up for the free ‘Sales Tips & Ideas’ newsletter, email frank@frankfurness.com or telephone+ 44 (0) 870 240 6505. www.frankfurness.com