Will You Add? - Business

PR: Focus on What Matters!
Sure, as a manager, you have a talented member of the PR team assigned to your department, division or subsidiary, or housed at your agency, and s/he is darn good at placing product and service plugs on radio and in the newspaper. Which may be all you want. And that’s fine.Unfortunately, when your PR folks concentrate primarily on tactical fixes like publicity placements, at least be aware of what you are NOT getting.You don’t get a comprehensive effort that persuades those important outside folks to your way of thinking, then moves them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed.You don’t get the use of the high-impact, fundamental premise of public relations to deliver external stakeholder behavior change – the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives.And you don’t get the creative potential of your assigned PR team needed to positively impact the behaviors of the very outside audiences that MOST affect your business, non-profit or association.That’s a fair amount NOT to be getting!It certainly doesn’t sound like the best use of your public relations resources, but it’s fixable. In which case, you might begin to see results such as prospects starting to do business with you; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; membership applications on the rise; customers starting to make repeat purchases; capital givers or specifying sources starti

elly gas in the car, maybe spilling gas on the carpet. Once at home, there’s the annoyance of yanking the starter until your arm feels like a wet noodle. And the fire danger of having a can of gas in the garage with kids playing near it. The point is, you want to paint a very troublesome picture of life without your product.

Life with your product—absolute bliss

Now that you’ve raised your reader’s interest by making them feel the pain of life without your product, it’s time to provide your solution. Here’s where you’ll briefly introduce yourself and your product or service. No more running out of gas, no more smelling gas cans in your new car, no more yanking that starter cord till your arm falls off. Just flick the switch and you’re ready to mow. Plug it into your electric outlet and it charges overnight. Your worries are over. You go on and on, hammering home the fact that your product or service is the perfect solution. At this point, your reader will probably ask, “Sounds interesting, but who the heck are you to think you can solve my problem?

Successful Projects: It's Not Rocket Science
There is no worse person to be than the project manager at the end of a failed project. As an IT project manager, I have experienced that feeling and I can tell you it's not nice. IT projects are particularly difficult to manage. In fact there really aren't any IT projects, just projects that have elements of IT in them.The trouble with these projects is that often you are doing something that hasn't been done before, is unproven or cutting edge. Customers expect a good result not excuses, even though these projects are frequently a journey into the unknown. If we take the construction industry, building a new bridge for instance, we have been building bridges for hundreds of years and know how to do it. We understand how things are going to happen, in what order and the expected result. This is rarely the case with IT projects.Avoiding the common pitfalls of IT project management is not rocket science, it is simply a case of taking some sensible measures. Identified here are five killer mistakes of project management:Who Owns the Project?The Mistake:The nature of projects is change and change often encounters resistance. People don't like change so they need to know it is necessary and what benefits it will bring. In order for a project to deliver change it needs the backing of senior management. Without it the project will proceed very slowly. The sponsor (senior management) is the person that drives the change

The average consumer is inundated with sales pitches. So if you’re selling a product or service to today’s ad weary consumer, if you want your sales letters to get results, you’ll need a step-by-step plan that breaks down the barriers to buying. A plan that bypasses the head and goes right for the heart.

If the heart’s in it, the brain will follow

Buying anything is largely emotional. Whether it’s paper clips or plain paper copiers, emotions lead the purchase. Facts, specs and the like are simply used to justify the decision, once made. Which means that everything about your sales letter, every sentence, every phrase must appeal to your customer’s emotions.

What emotions?

The simple truth is, there are only two emotions that really motivate people: The promise of gain or the fear of loss--with the fear of loss being the stronger. Example: Given the choice of headlines: “Save money in legal fees.” Or “How to keep from being sued.” The latter will probably get a better response.

Supporting the promise of gain and the fear of loss are seven key emotional hooks or basic human needs. No matter what your product or service, to be effective, your sales letter must directly address as many of these basic needs as possible:

• Safety/Security

• Wealth

• Good looks

• Popularity

• Self-satisfaction

• Free time

• Fun/Excitement

Okay, so how do you get them to act?

How do you go from head to heart? What’s the copy paradigm? Imagine you’re in a baseball stadium facing an audience in rows of bleachers. It’s the game of the century, ninth inning, bases loaded. And you’ve got a bag of peanuts you absolutely must sell or the boss will fire you on the spot. What would you do to get their attention? Yell “Peanuts?”

Start with a verbal “2x4”

You’ve got to hit them over the head with an emotional motivator. And that means you start with the envelope. Remember-- gain or loss--it has to be right there on the outside, in bold.(When was the last time you rushed to open a plain white envelope?)

Two examples:

Gain-- “We Put a Money-Making Miracle in this Envelope.”

Loss-- “Throw This Away and Work Hard for the Rest of Your Life.”

So, they’ve opened the letter and what do they see? A boring paragraph about your leadership in the industry? Stuffy sentences about commitment, innovation and dedication?

Whoosh. In the round file it goes.

Back to gain or loss. Again, it’s got to be there in a headline they can’t miss. And it must reinforce the headline that compelled them to rip open that envelope. Both headlines must dovetail in their message and emotional impact. Example: “Finish reading this letter and you’re halfway to becoming rich.”

Next comes the all-important body copy. What to say to leave them begging for your product. For this we go right into the consumer’s emotions, mining for clues to the perfect selling pitch.

What’s the problem?

A while back, McDonalds was beating the pants off its competitors. So Burger King hired a big powerhouse ad agency to gain them market share. They tried everything--analyzing secret sauces, elaborate contests, toy tie-ins. Nothing worked. Finally, they sent out questionnaires, did focus groups, and literally stopped people on the street. And you know what they discovered? Not what consumers liked, but what they didn’t like about hamburgers. For on thing, the leading hamburger came practically “factory made” with everything on it. Some folks liked pickles, others hated onions or mayo. That was “the problem.” The solution was simple: hamburgers made to order, followed by the now all-too- familiar slogan “Have it Your Way.” The point is, you’ve got to find and exploit your consumer’s problem. And make your product the hero.

Life without your product--miserable

So, you’ve succeeded in getting your reader’s attention. You’ve discovered their “problem.” Now it’s time to remind them how many ways that problem affects their lives. If you’re selling a cordless electric lawnmower, you’ll want to remind them of all the headaches of their old gas powered mower. Like running out of gas, finding the gas can, taking it to the gas station, driving back with a can full of smelly gas in the car, maybe spilling gas on the carpet. Once at home, there’s the annoyance of yanking the starter until your arm feels like a wet noodle. And the fire danger of having a can of gas in the garage with kids playing near it. The point is, you want to paint a very troublesome picture of life without your product.

Life with your product—absolute bliss

Seminars Expert Cites 5 Reasons To Charge Something For That Customer Seeking Session!
Recently, I read a generally helpful article about using seminars as a means of attracting new clients, and I wholeheartedly agree with that premise.I’ve been doing just that for years, and it has helped my consulting practice, tremendously.But there was a trap in that article for the unwary. The author said:“If the purpose of your seminar is primarily to get clients, you shouldn't be expecting to make money on the seminar itself.”If you can make money on the seminar, I say you should, for several reasons:(1) People perceive value in what they pay for, and if your information has even a nominal price tag, it will trigger this positive perception;(2) If you can break even or profit from the session, this relieves the pressure on you, the presenter. You’ll feel less driven to do a hard sell throughout the program, which can be irritating and can backfire.(3) YOU may not want to do business with the people who attend a particular session. This happened to me in Washington where one of my programs was heavily attended by a computer services company. After interacting in the session, I felt that organization wouldn’t be a good fit, and I was grateful that I had garnered $595 per person from everyone that attended..(4) When you don’t charge anything people erect barriers to your persuasion, knowing that the only way you’re going to come out, financially, is by closing somebody.(5) Staging seminars

e seven key emotional hooks or basic human needs. No matter what your product or service, to be effective, your sales letter must directly address as many of these basic needs as possible:

• Safety/Security

• Wealth

• Good looks

• Popularity

• Self-satisfaction

• Free time

• Fun/Excitement

Okay, so how do you get them to act?

Start with a verbal “2x4”

Two examples:

Gain-- “We Put a Money-Making Miracle in this Envelope.”

Loss-- “Throw This Away and Work Hard for the Rest of Your Life.”

So, they’ve opened the letter and what do they see? A boring paragraph about your leadership in the industry? Stuffy sentences about commitment, innovation and dedication?

Whoosh. In the round file it goes.

Next comes the all-important body copy. What to say to leave them begging for your product. For this we go right into the consumer’s emotions, mining for clues to the perfect selling pitch.

What’s the problem?

Life without your product--miserable

Life with your product—absolute bliss

Electrical Contractors Bid Big and Profit with Industry Partnering
With good planning and preparation, electrical contracting companies can submit their quotes for big projects they have always wanted – or must have to grow. All that is required is sufficient lead-time and a knowledge of industry partnering on the supply side of materials and manpower. Spend the next five minutes reading the article and you will see there are options, both achievable! You will also read about a growing industry many electrical contractors are discovering to help propel them to the top with minimal financial, overhead and legal risk.Risk and reward: You must “take it to get it”The scenario is you have grown your business with the proper mix of office personnel and electricians, have decent cash flow, and enjoy an amicable working relationship with your materials supply house(s). You have your estimating fundamentals down and your business is cruising along at a good pace ready to advance to the next step. Your willingness to accept risk is going to place your business over the top or keep you in check. Which way do you go? Are you comfortable or are you ready to progress in the electrical contracting industry? If your answer is “no” - stop reading here. Otherwise, go on to the next step…OpportunitySteven Covey said it the best, “Effective people are not problem-minded; they're opportunity minded.” Maintaining the status quo simply obstructs growth. In a 40-hour workweek, a couple of office suppo

Money-Making Miracle in this Envelope.”

Loss-- “Throw This Away and Work Hard for the Rest of Your Life.”

So, they’ve opened the letter and what do they see? A boring paragraph about your leadership in the industry? Stuffy sentences about commitment, innovation and dedication?

Whoosh. In the round file it goes.

Next comes the all-important body copy. What to say to leave them begging for your product. For this we go right into the consumer’s emotions, mining for clues to the perfect selling pitch.

What’s the problem?

Life without your product--miserable

Life with your product—absolute bliss

Customer Service Starts in Selling
After some initial how-are-you, rapport building conversation, your prospect brings up what they called you about: “I called you because I don’t like the results we’re currently getting. I’ve heard you have something you can help us with.” What an opener for someone who provides a product or service to improve whatever the problem is! Maybe; if the provider or seller listens and understands first.At this conversational juncture the meaning of the adage “Selling ain’t telling, asking is” takes on life form with buyer and seller face to face. It’s time to get to know the specifics of what’s said and not to respond with a sales presentation because you are eager talk just about what you can do!One of the most difficult tasks a consultant, a salesperson, a manager or anyone tasked with the role of solution provider is to effectively influence a person to clarify their expectations.Most customers, clients or buyers need help in clarifying what the issues are! Most may even need help in clarifying their objections. Sometimes they know and can’t express it. Sometimes they just don’t know.An early task for a salesperson with a customer service spirit is to assess if a solution you have is the appropriate resolution to a potential customer’s situation. This requires that we ask questions and as a listener, help the client turn their statements and objections into specific information we can work with. It’s sort of like taking a lum

tie-ins. Nothing worked. Finally, they sent out questionnaires, did focus groups, and literally stopped people on the street. And you know what they discovered? Not what consumers liked, but what they didn’t like about hamburgers. For on thing, the leading hamburger came practically “factory made” with everything on it. Some folks liked pickles, others hated onions or mayo. That was “the problem.” The solution was simple: hamburgers made to order, followed by the now all-too- familiar slogan “Have it Your Way.” The point is, you’ve got to find and exploit your consumer’s problem. And make your product the hero.

Life without your product--miserable

Life with your product—absolute bliss

Plastic Cards Are Changing
As the plastic card industry evolves and changes, new computer technology accompanies it. Embedded technology is at the heart of the plastic card revolution, providing companies with new, exciting and innovative ways to brand and communicate who they are.Companies who take a leadership position within the plastic card industry are committed to providing objective, up to date information about how new developments in plastic card technology can benefit businesses. This is a proactive commitment to customer service that will enable leading plastic card manufacturers to stand out from the crowd.Work order systems used by plastic card manufacturers are also becoming increasingly sophisticated. The client’s job specs and specific technology requirements must be retrieved quickly and communicated with extreme accuracy for on-time job performance with high standards of quality control.As plastic card requirements become more detailed and sophisticated, manufacturers are finding that personnel must be highly trained, while the manufacturing process utilizes precision equipment that is fast and accurate.There are many different types of plastic cards, offering a variety of features. While plastic cards can be customized to work for unlimited possibilities, there are several main categories.* Business Cards* Gift Cards* Loyalty & Membership Cards* Discount & Fundraising Cards* Hotel Key Access Cardselly gas in the car, maybe spilling gas on the carpet. Once at home, there’s the annoyance of yanking the starter until your arm feels like a wet noodle. And the fire danger of having a can of gas in the garage with kids playing near it. The point is, you want to paint a very troublesome picture of life without your product.

Life with your product—absolute bliss

Credentials time

Here’s where you build trust by detailing key facts that build confidence in you and your company. You could start by listing some testimonials from satisfied customers. If these come from people in the industry who your prospect is familiar with, so much the better. And if you can get photos, phone numbers and so forth, it will add even more to your credibility. This is also the time to mention how long you’ve been in business and any articles that about your company and/or its products that have appeared in the local or national media (these can be particularly valuable, since they come from an impartial source).

Now that you’ve assuaged their fears about doing business with a complete unknown, they’ll want to be totally sold about your product or service. Here’s where you go into detail. And this is the perfect time to do so, because you’ve established trust. They won’t be thinking about who you are, but what you can do for them-- how you’re going to solve their problem.

Detail benefits, not features

A key caveat here. Don’t get your reader quagmired in “Featurespeak.” It’s easy to do and it’s what most unskilled writers fall victim to. Featurespeak is for your sales team, not your potential customer. Avoid things like “Our new cordless electric mower features the X9T Autoflex handle, or the PT600 Zenon Battery. Better to say, “Our new electric mower’s handle easily adjusts to your height for maximum comfort.” Or “The easily rechargeable battery lasts up to 5 years without replacement.” If your product or service has more than three major benefits, list them in bullet point form to make them easier to read.

Make them an offer they can’t refuse

This is the crucial part of your sales letter. Your offer should be compelling, irrefutable and urgent. You want your reader to say, “This is a great offer, I’ve got nothing to lose but my problem.” Try to combine the big 3 in your offer--irresistible price, terms, and a free gift. For example, if you’re selling a cordless electric mower, your offer might be a discounted retail price, low interest rate, and a blade- sharpening tool. Try to raise the perceived value of your offer by adding on products or services--for electric mowers, it might be an extended warranty or safety goggles. Augment this with compelling benefits these additional products or services will provide.

Assuage with a guarantee

There’s a little voice in the back of every customer’s head that whispers, “Buy this and you’ll be sorry.” So make your offer bulletproof. Take the risk out of the purchase. Give the absolute strongest guarantee you can. It tells your reader you’re confident in your product or service. Enough so to back it up with a strong guarantee. Don’t be afraid to make this final commitment.

Motivate the procrastinators

So they’re reading your letter and are pretty convinced that your company and your product or service can solve their problem. They want to buy. The mind is willing but the flesh is weak. Time to bring in our key motivator—fear of loss. One way to tap into this fear is by convincing your reader that because this is such a good deal, only a scant few mowers remain. Or that the extended warranty is being offered only for the next few days, or for the next 50 customers. Our old motivator-- gain--can be used here as well. Example: “Buy now and get a $20 gift card--FREE!”

Call to action--KISS

You and your staff know what readers need to do to buy your product or service, but your readers are inundated with offers every day. And each offer has a different procedure for buying. Give them a break and walk them through the order/purchase process. And KISS (keep it simple stupid). Use simple action words like “Pick Up the Phone and Call Now!” If your phone number spells out a catchy slogan or company name, always add numerical phone numbers. If they need to fill out a form and mail it, say so. And if possible, use large type on your form—especially if you’re selling to seniors. Be clear on what they’re ordering and for what price.

ABC!

Follow Alec Baldwin’s admonition in the movie Glengarry Glen Ross—“ABC…Always Be Closing.” Sprinkle your call to action through

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