Get Terry Brock For Your Next Meeting. He's Entertaining. He's Educational. He's Fun. Marketing. Technology. Relationship Marketing. Find Out More Now...
Sign Up For Coaching
Get the Help You Need ---- NOW --- for marketing and technology answers.
Individual Coaching Program
This program is designed to be laser-beam-focused on your needs. Flexible Schedules from 1 hour to 1 year. Click On Picture Above For More Information!
Social Networking or Social Marketing is huge and growing stronger. You need to be involved if you’re not and if you are there are many benefits, as you know.
Recently I was able to talk with my ole’ buddy Rich Oppenheim about Social Networking and how we use it in business. Rich is a man who has spoken for thousands as a business advisor, consultant and a Certified Public Accountant. He knows business! He regularly writes about business issues and takes a marketing slant on many of his coaching assignments to help others increase their business.
Because of his emphasis on business — and the great results he gets for his clients — I had to ask Rich about this whole trend of social networking and the business applications. Well, he didn’t disappoint and you’ll see with this short video.
For More Information contact Terry Brock at:
www.TerryBrock.com
This week I have a word of caution — and a big dose of optimism — but you’ve got to keep reading for the full-powered benefit.
Just because you had a particular experience doesn’t mean that everyone is going to have the same experience. This is very important to remember anytime, but particularly in more challenging economic times. Be very careful when someone stands up and claims they deployed a certain marketing technique and it succeeded (or failed) for them. That is interesting. However, the scientific approach is to be disciplined and examine a wider range of results. Real discipline requires seeing a bigger picture. Be leery of the 1 person who is either overly optimistic or overly pessimistic because of his or her own personal experience.
For instance, some have claimed voraciously that raising prices will sell more. They look to Mercedes and have said in the past that raising prices always generates more sales. Sometimes that does work as consumers have a greater perceived value from higher-priced items. However, today, things have changed. Even luxury goods have seen a decline in purchases. Wal-Mart makes more money than Neiman-Marcus.
The key is in knowing your market. You can’t say that lowering prices will always result in more profit (not just sales). Today, most people are more price-conscious. You have to find a price point that satisfies your costs (at least your marginal costs) and provides serious value for the consumer to remain profitable in the long-term.
Often add-on packaging and pricing — according to the value perceived by buyers — results in more sales. If someone sees a combination of air, lodging and rental car all together as a “package deal” then it becomes more compelling than breaking the components into individual pieces.
Dangers of inductive thinking mean that you see one or two examples of something and determine (often erroneously) that it will apply to everything. I had a friend recently tell me that she felt nothing made in China was good. Her reason? She and her husband had two nails that broke when they were doing some repair at home. Her husband checked the box and found they were made in China. Their conclusion? All products made in China are poor quality.
When I submitted that Lenovo, Chinese cars and other products are good quality, she balked. When I cited many of the high-quality, breakthrough technologies I’ve personally seen from Chinese manufacturers at the Consumer Electronics Show she dismissed it out of hand. She “knew” that Chinese products were inferior because she and her husband had experienced two nails that broke and were made in China.
Be Careful.
You can run into problems in business when you embrace inductive thinking. You see one or two examples and then project that onto all. A better way of thinking is deductive. Study the group and then decide from there how individuals will act. However, even that can be wrong. Most Americans speak English. To conclude that all Americans speak English would be wrong. There are some who do not.
This is important for our thinking when we hear bad news. I was listening to National Public Radio the other day and they gave a vivid example of ill-founded inductive thinking. You must know that I enjoy listening to many of the programs on NPR. All Things Considered, Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me, and Morning Edition remain some of my favorites. However, when All Things Considered focused on two people who had lost their jobs and followed them around citing how bad things were, they were guilty of inductive thinking. Not only would our philosophy and logic professors but also psychologists would rail at my dearly-loved NPR for citing only negative cases. Now, perhaps NPR has offered stories about people who are doing very well (there are many even in today’s marketplace). I haven’t heard those stories in my personal experience. But NPR erred on that judgment to talk only about the negative and not give the full picture.
Good marketers today shield their mind by learning about inductive and deductive thinking. When we see flawed logic, we realize that we have to be cautious before accepting everything at face value.
Yes, close to 10% of the workforce is out of work. Well, I grabbed a calculator the other day. If 10% are out of work that would mean that 90% ARE employed! Yes, times are tough. But we are not ready to throw in the towel.
And that’s the whole point for you and me. Succeeding today means that you embrace deductive thinking to be disciplined and see the full picture. You focus on more than your own personal experience. Put on an extra layer of “Be Careful” when someone only talks about their own experience. If you hear the words, “I,” “Me,” or “My” more than is healthy coming from their mouths, let a warning light go off inside your head.
I think we have to be “realistically optimistic.” We see what is happening. Yes, we recognize the two people who are out of work cited by my dearly-loved friends at NPR. However, we also need to recognize others who are doing well. A doggedly-determined optimist is hard to beat. This approach works psychologically. It works in business Most importantly, it works in life.
For you and me, it not only works, but is essential for success in today’s economy.
There are many technologies which can help seniors to live a more full, enriched and lively life. Terry recently was on the Phyllis May radio program, “The Fiery Retiree” where he shared several key technologies to help people get more out of their life — at any age.
Enjoy this 19:15 podcast and learn about ways to enjoy your own life and help loved ones to extend their living to the fullest.
We can learn a lot from studying those who have successfully achieved greatness. One of the best is from the Founding Fathers of the United States. They were in a period of inflation, dire economic times, turmoil in the streets and a general fear of what is going to happen. Sound familiar?
Dr. Rebecca Staton-Reinstein has written a book where she, as a lover of history and devoted student of the American Revolutionary period, draws lessons for today’s leaders. Not only does she teach us some valuable lessons, that I haven’t heard cited by other authors previously, but she interviewed several current CEOs and leaders to find out what they are doing right.
I read her book and it was a real inspiration to me. I interviewed her (see video below) via Skype video and she had some powerfully educational lessons for us. Invest about 10 minutes of your time and learn some powerful lessons that are both motivational and educational. Not only that, Rebecca, is a fun person who delivers her content with wit and wisdom for an entertaining presentation.
This is one you’re going to love and want to watch a few times. In fact, share it with your staff so they can benefit from it as well.
Terry
www.TerryBrock.com
Terry@TerryBrock.com
To Reach Dr. Staton-Reinstein — www.ConventionalWisdomCenter.com, www.AdvantageLeadership.com
From Terry Brock, Marketing Coach, Syndicated Columnist and Professional Speaker
Today’s market is more challenging for job seekers than ever. It seems like there are no jobs and a lot more people looking for the jobs than ever.
Yet, in the midst of that people are being hired and there are principles you can employ to better your chances. Tom Dimmick of DK Search in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania returns with a great interview that gives specific, real-world answers to the puzzled — and worried — job seeker. Watch this video all the way through and you’ll get some good ideas on how to improve your chances in today’s turbulent job market. You owe it to yourself to get this information!
And here is a second interview with Tom Dimmick that is specifically designed to help employers during these times. Wondering what to do with that employee you let go? What are your plans after the employee is gone? Watch this video and discover some important points that will help you adjust and adapt in this different marketplace.
Tom Dimmick
DK Search inc.
1124 Highway 315
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
Copyright (c) 2009, Terry Brock and Achievement Systems, Inc.
www.TerryBrock.com
“It is time to take Relationship Marketing To the Next Level.” Terry Brock
Tough times call for tough marketing. The “tough marketing” is being tough on yourself, not on others. Today’s marketplace calls for understanding and empathy on the part of marketers towards prospects and others in your supply team. However, you have to be tougher than ever — on yourself.
The idea of the “Hard Sell” doesn’t sit well with many people, including this journalist. I don’t like someone “pushing” his or her product, service or even ideas off on me. You probably feel the same way. However, I enjoy conversing with people about new ideas and new products which can benefit me and help me do my job better.
*******************************
Audio Version For You
You are in for a treat. Not only can you read this article, but you get an expanded and personalized version of it in audio here — for the same free price! And not only that, but you can listen streaming or download and listen on your favorite MP3 player. Your choice!
Let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing your feedback (below). Leave a comment and let me know what you liked or didn’t like about the audio. You can also access this on iTunes. Just look for the Podcast of Terry Brock.
See the difference? I like to have a conversation — a relationship — with someone who cares about me and my needs. Hey, if they are selling something that’s fine with me. I’m a die-hard, free market libertarian. I believe everyone is in sales and has the right to — at least initially — present their case. However, if it is not done in the right way and they start pestering me, I also have the right to walk away.
Bonus For You
Discover how Relationship Marketing, and what I call “R-Commerce, Relationship Commerce” can help you establish, build and maintain quality, profitable relationships in business, get your no-cost Special Report entitled, “Brock’s Business Building Boosters.” In this complimentary Special Report you’ll get articles that illustrate simple, yet powerfully profitable strategies other successful companies are using today in Relationship Marketing.
In addition to the articles you’ll get some of my best videos that you can use to help others in your office and share with your clients. These videos bring to life the concepts of R-Commerce and how Relationship Marketing is the best way to grow your business.
And if that weren’t enough, you’ll also get audio reports as part of the package that can be downloaded and carried with you on your MP3 player of choice to learn about implementing practical, real-world strategies and technologies.
If you’re interested in building your business based on quality relationships and not on a 1950’s style lung-power and coercion, this is something you’ve got to get. I’ve made arrangements for you, as a reader of my Ezine, to get it at no charge. It is part of Achievement Update, a regular newsletter that will come your way giving you ideas on building relationships, leveraging technology to help others and how to build the better you that you want. The Special Report will come to you as part of your no-charge subscription to Achievement Update.
Get both by entering your name and email in the upper right sign-up box on this page at www.TerryBrock.com. Don’t let this opportunity get away from you. In today’s environment you know you need to build quality relationships in business. This will give you what you need on a regular basis with both inspiration and simple how-to guides to make it work. You’ll see, “Sign Up for Terry’s E-Zine” in the upper-right corner and that is the place. Do it today and get the benefits coming to you.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Terry -
Terry@TerryBrock.com
The key for you and me is to up our persuasion skills. Make your products, services and ideas very attractive — even compelling — without using that old 1950’s “hard sell” approach. Besides, the soft sell approach brings in more to the bottom line so even the bean counters like it!
Today’s economic environment calls for a different approach. The world is different today and will never go back to what it was in the 2004-2007 era. We have to change and adapt. Yet, in the midst of that changing and adapting, we embrace time-honored principles that have worked through the centuries.
Here are some specifics to help you in this economic environment:
Specific Steps To Implement Today
1. Get A Strong Dose Of Empathy. This means you’re seeing things from the other person’s point of view. Listen to them. The old saying still applies today: “You have two ears, two eyes and one mouth. That’s the proportion you need to use them.” Really listen and care for the other person and ask probing questions to help with their pain. Only after active listening will you be able to offer better suggestions to solve their problems.
2. Connect Through Social Networking And Marketing. This is where the world not only is going, but is today. The world has changed (yes, again!). Social Networking is not just a passing fade. You need to get familiar with services like FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn and a few others. Find the 2-3 “Must-Have” social networks where you can connect with people as people. Don’t be a Twitter-Snob and ask everyone to follow you without reciprocity. Be part of the community and don’t just push your stuff. Soft sell in Relationship Marketing means you listen to them and offer your services only where appropriate and not with every post. Be hard on yourself with this. Be soft on others by caring for them.
3. Make Your Offer Fact-Based Packed With Value. One of the best ways to “sell hard in a soft way” is to pack lots of value into your offer. Demonstrate exactly why your product is superior to the competition. Don’t just use vague generalities. Cite specific benefits of your product. Show testimonials of those who’ve used your service and liked it. Be hard on yourself in creating the copy and make it easy (soft) for prospects to get involved with you. Start them in a small way and gradually build the relationship. Listen to their needs and tailor your demo in a way that answers their questions, not just what you think is nifty and groovy. After all, YOU are not the one buying your product — they are! The one buying the product is the one that matters most in any selling relationship.
4. Get With The Program – Use Video For Crying Out Loud! Welcome to the 21st Century! If you’re not using video in some way to promote, you’re already behind. Video is NOT the “wave of the future.” It is NOW. Demonstrating customer-valued benefits on video is an excellent way to “sell hard” while being soft on the prospect. Be hard on yourself to do a good job with good production quality, graphics, subtitles, cuts and more. If you can’t do it yourself, get help from someone else. This is why God invented high school kids! Video on the Net and/or over a delivered DVD, gives you a competitive advantage to show specific, real-world benefits of your product. Leverage it and use it. You can check out some examples at my website, www.TerryBrock.com and see how you could creatively blend these ideas into your own products and services.
5. Think “Hard Sell” In A Soft Way. Emphasize the relationship and be there as more than just another pesky salesperson. Listen more carefully than ever to their need. Use software like CardScan. I’m using CardScan for my Mac now — still use it on my Windows-based systems for my staff — and it is marvelous. CardScan is not just about getting business cards. It is about building quality relationships in business. (www.CardScan.com – about $250 for their best version) Stay in touch with people and learn how you can “feel their pain” to borrow from a well-known politician. Sincerely listen to where they are hurting then find ways you can solve the pain or bring in others from your network who can.
Being hard on yourself and soft on others is a time-honored principle that works. It is now time to move Relationship Marketing to the next level and these steps can help begin that process.
Exercise of your physical body is paramount for success. As you condition your body, your mind and spirit become ready and able to handle the other demands for achievement.
One of my heroes and coaches is Matt Furey. Matt is a person who excels in martial arts, body building (without weights!) and discipline. Matt and I also have a lot in common. He and I both have good haircuts (just watch the video). We’re both from the Midwest (he’s from a small town in Iowa, I’m from a small town in Michigan). We both enjoyed wrestling in high school. We both believe in exercise today. And we both believe strongly in freedom and liberty.
Matt also tells us a lot about the mental conditioning needed for success. Watch this powerful video (below) and discover how you can transform your life using the right exercises in the right way. This is a treat you owe yourself.
Blue Microphone is a company known for high-quality microphones. Now they have expanded to offer microphones that provide strong, professional quality for business. With the use of microphones like these you can expand your business and your bottom line.
I know because that is what I’m doing.
Lately I’ve been using their Snowball microphone. It is the size of a baseball and has exceptionally good clarity and sound. I heard about this one from Fergus McClelland over in London, England a while back when I was speaking there. He raved about it. Well, when I got the chance to try it myself, I understand why Fergus was so excited about it. The quality of sound is exceptional. Deep, rich bass sounds, good mid-level and the highs are nice. The microphone also has the ability to moderate volume. I don’t understand all the technical details of audio, but I know rich, clear sound when I hear it. With the Snowball microphone from Blue Microphones, you get that rich, clear sound that is unmistakably professional.
Now the company has a new webcam that jumps ahead of many in the market. Their new offering, called the EyeBall, provides HD video AND audio. The quality of sound is rooted in the rich tradition that Blue Microphones is known for. In addition to that, they have put together video on this tiny little webcam that comes across beautifully. I’ve tested it on my Dell XP Windows machine and on my MacBook Pro. It does a good job on both platforms with exceptionally good video and audio.
Yet, with all the great technical abilities that Blue Microphones demonstrates, I still contend that these are not audio and video products. Nope! They are tools to connect with people in a marvelously rich, human way to communicate your message. Yes, the nuts, bolts and wiggle-pins of their microphones and webcams are amazing, brilliant and top-notch. You’d be hard-pressed to find better quality audio and video elsewhere. However, where it shines is with the ability to connect with people in a meaningful, rich way.
In today’s market — or any market — that is a real competitive advantage for you.
Both products run $99.99 each. Check it out at www.BlueMic.com and see what all the excitement is about. And be sure to watch this fun, informative video I got with the Founder Skipper Wise and COO Ty Schultz. You’ll be glad you did.
To watch this video as I interview Skipper Wise, the Founder and President of Blue Microphone and Ty Schultz, COO, click on the video below. These two discuss the history and the philosophy of Blue Microphone and explain how we can use these tools for audio, video conferencing and more.
Recently we lost one of the greats. Paul Harvey, the well-known broadcaster for many decades left us at the tender age of 90. What he leaves behind will be with us for a long time — and will continue to teach you and me how to work and live.
I have to admit a bit of bias here. I studied Journalism in undergad school and worked in radio and newspapers startling as a mere lad in high school. So, I have followed the career of Mr. Harvey as he shaped my career from the beginning. I never met the man personally but, like many of us, feel that I knew him from the time we spent together over radio.
Listen to this special Podcast with my comments about Paul Harvey. This is available to you as a download or as streaming. You can also listen to it on iTunes (Podcast is called “Terry Brock”). I look forward to your comments.
Paul Harvey News and Comments was always intriguing, inspiring and a fun way to get updates on what is happening in the world. He had his unique sayings and pauses that enchanted us as we’d listen to him over breakfast, in the car on the way to work and sales appointments and over those early lunches. No matter what the day’s news contained, he was a rock we could turn to. Now that rock has rolled into the river. But his life leaves a wealth of principles for us to learn and profit from today and tomorrow. Here are some key principles that I see from this great man.
Principles We Can Learn And Apply From Paul Harvey
1. Be Different – But Professional. Mr. Harvey’s style was not conventional. We didn’t learn to make up words or pause in attention-grabbing ways in broadcast or journalism school. Paul Harvey was creative —- but he always remained professional. Too many today have pushed the envelope of creativity but lost sight of the guiding admonition to always remain professional. Be creative in what you do. Don’t follow the norm. At the same time don’t go so far over the top that you lose that all-important trait of being professional —- no matter what.
2. Do Your Homework. Paul Harvey would awake at 3:30 to do his radio show. In the days before the Internet, he would scramble to find news stories from around the world which he conveyed in his own unique style. Research is tough work — even with today’s search engines. You have to do your homework. Sometimes it is too easy to slide something in that we heard through second-hand sources as true. The mark of the true professional (whether in journalism or business) is to check three non-related, autonomous sources before citing as fact. Yes, this is hard. But it pays off for enhanced credibility in the long run. Paul Harvey knew this and you can I can profit from that principle.
3. Be Extraordinarily Creative. This Paul Harvey guy was incredibly brilliant. He could take what others would consider a dull news story and make it compelling and a must-hear story on his radio show. He creatively used words, pauses, delivery and an intriguing style to keep us interested. Figure out ways you can deliver your product or service in an entertaining, enjoyable and problem-solving way. Doing this will be the best way for you to keep those delightful creatures called customers giddy with glee — and for you to stay in business!
4. Sell Only With Integrity And Honesty. This one is so true in an age of questionable morals and chicanery from Wall Street, Washington and other areas. Paul Harvey would only sell products on his program which he used himself or knew to be of sound value. He probably could have made a couple of extra dollars touting products which were good, that he had not tested. Instead, he opted for the way of only promoting those products he knew were good from personal experience. Always deal with integrity with everyone you meet in business. You do it for you and your own well-being more than for them. Even if Paul had succumbed to pressure to shade a bit of the truth, the few silver coins he would have procured wouldn’t be worth losing his reputation. He held true to the end. You and I can do the same.
5. Keep Going Strong To The End. Paul Harvey lived a good life. When he left us with tears welling in our eyes, he was 90. That young man kept going always. This working at what you love thing gives us life and energy —- science now proves it. Find a job you love so much you’ll keep doing it till the day you die. Live life passionately and with vibrancy always —- you’ll live longer and healthier that way. Keep going strong mentally and physically and you’ll not only help others but you’ll do better for yourself.
Yes, we will sorely miss this legend of broadcast. He showed us how to have fun, make a difference and live life to the fullest. Yes, he did very well by any business standard. Most importantly, he lived life to the fullest for himself, his dear wife, Lynn (whom he always referred to as “Angel”) and he showed all of us how to do business and live life. We’ll miss you, Paul. Thank you for the lessons, sir.
I close this tribute to this giant as Paul Harvey would conclude his broadcasts, “Good day!”
