Issue 3
The New Year marks the time that many eagerly await.......
......so that they can push the “reset” button on their life (and business) setting New Year Resolutions to open new doors, push through obstacles and fear, and commit to a promise of change. In order to achieve different results we must do what we have not previously done. I would encourage you to take a step back and evaluate where you are, where you are going, and put a plan in motion to get you headed in the right direction. This issue of intelligent MARKETER is going to help you do just that. I am going to walk you through the steps you need to take to LAUNCH you into the New
Year! To do that we must first set your business objectives, then define your goals, and lastly develop a plan to help you achieve those goals. I am also going to share with you a Small Business Superhero; Kenny Chapman, of The Blue Collar Success Group and his point of view on what it takes to be successful not only as you start the New Year but every day of the year. Let’s put a plan in place to reach more, serve more, and have more! What you do matters and you deserve success if you are willing to do the things that others won’t so that you can have the life that most dream of. I’m excited for you!
Let's LAUNCH! 2
3
Marketing Objective, Plan, and Goals
4
What’s the Difference? I am typically known for keeping things simple and not over complicating things (not that I am going to start doing that now). I do think that we need to dive just a little bit deeper into the subjects of your marketing objective, planning, and goal setting before we jump into the task of trying to create a plan. It is important that you have a clear understanding of the role each of these have in your business. Your marketing goals must be clearly stated with the desired outcome and time frame to which you will achieve those goals. To build a proper plan you must first have a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish first. Your marketing objective is the
5
big picture of your businesses vision, mission, and purpose for which all your marketing plans will be based upon. Your objective is broader in scope than your goals and puts you on a clear path of who you are, what you want to be known for, and your positioning in the marketplace. Your marketing plan is made up of the strategies, tactics, and actions that you will need to take in order to achieve your desired outcome. I see many Small Business Owners setting out to achieve the “how to” before they know “what” they are trying to accomplish or how they are positioned. So, they find themselves jumping into doing stuff and then very quickly realizing that they are
frustrated and feel like they have wasted time (which they probably have). The reason they feel they have wasted time is because they didn’t really know what they were trying to accomplish with the task they were doing... you cannot hit a target you did not aim for...and therefore, that leads to their frustration. NOT THIS YEAR! Let’s commit to setting clear objectives, goals, and then creating a plan of action this year... and then following that plan! No more “drifting” through another year doing the same thing and expecting different results. This is the year of change and growth. Are you with me? Let’s do dis’!!! :)
Your Marketing OBJECTIVES Let’s start with the basics....Your Marketing Objectives.
Your marketing objectives lay the foundation to your business. They identify who you are, what you want to be known for, and how you will position yourself in the market place. Remember “way back when” you first started your business you wrote down your vision, mission, and your goals for the life (and business) you wanted to create? Liar! Ok, maybe that was a bit harsh :) I know that there are a few people who have done this...if that’s you, I commend you (still stick with me on this because you need to review your objectives). The reality is, most small business owners have never defined their vision or mission....let’s be honest :) It’s ok, I understand you’ve been busy. You’ve been busy leading a business life of quite desperation working your tail off with no end in sight. You my friend, have a glorified job (with a fancy title of “Overworked Owner”). No more! Today’s the day you take the time to define who you are, what you want to accomplish, and set those milestones so that you can feel a sense of accom-
6
plishment when you reach them. No more will you have no direction and feel like a “small cog on a big wheel”. I’ve put together a marketing blueprint for you that you can download here that walks you through defining your marketing objectives. Or you can pull out a piece of paper and answer these questions: Define your WHY. What was the reason you started your business? Define your VISION. What is the “big picture” you see for your business? Don’t worry about HOW you will get there...just cast the vision. The easiest way to answer this is to answer the question; “my business life will be perfect when...”. I challenge you to DREAM BIG! Define your MISSION. I believe your mission is a statement of WHY your business exists. What is the reason (passion) for starting your business? What do you what to be KNOWN for? If you were to hear two people talking about you, your company, your employees, your product, your service, etc...what would you want to hear them say? Here some quick coaching from Your Marketing Coach. When you look at your “why”, vision, mission, and what you want to be known for....are they in alignment? Are you off track? What do you need
7
to do to put you on track? I wish I had more time to spend with you on this subject because without clearly defined objectives you will struggle and not feel a sense of accomplishment. With clearly defined objectives you will be able to set goals and create a plan of action that will produce the desired results you are looking for. Head on over to the GOALS article to set your goals. Need more help on this area? Check out “Jumpstart Your Marketing” where you can learn how to create a Marketing Blueprint for your business.
Setting Your
Marketing Goals Your marketing goals should fit into and support your “why”, vision, and mission. You goals should be specific and measurable. Here is an example of what bad goal setting habits and good goal setting: BAD GOAL: GOAL: Make more money in 2015 GOOD GOAL: GOAL: Earn $500,000 in gross revenue in 2015 by selling more “widgets”.
8
TIME FRAME: $125,000 by March 31, 2015, $125,000 by June 30, 2015, $125,000 by September 31, 2015, $125,000 by December 31, 2015 (total of $500,000 in 2015). HOW: I will sell 500 “widgets” at $1000 each. Your marketing plan will determine more on how you will achieve selling 500 widgets through your marketing efforts. MEASUREMENT: I will review my sales quarterly to see where I stand in meeting my sales goal.
I truly hope that you see the difference. The bad goal is a hope or a wish (hopes and wishes do not come true). The good goal is specific and measurable and can be backed up by a executable plan to make it happen. Before we define the plan we need to set the goals. Let’s do that now: What would it look like to have the “perfect year”? Go into as much detail as you can by providing the specific goal, time frame, and how you will measure your progress. We will cover the “how” when we put together the marketing plan. What would your income be? How many clients would you have? What does your business look like? How many hours would you be working? What would you be doing in your business? What would you NOT be doing? What’s standing in your path? What do you feel is preventing you from reaching your “perfect year”? Write down all the things you believe you need to achieve your “perfect year”. If you were to look back at the last 12 months what were your goals? Write them down now....then move on to the next question. Now, write down what prevented you from achieving those goals. What got in your way of making those goals become a reality? If you achieved your goals I would suggest you stretch yourself and set bigger goals.
9
If you are honest with yourself YOU should probably be the first item on this list of what’s standing in your path :) What is it about YOU specifically that is holding you back? Do you need to plan? Do you need to execute? Do you need discipline? Do you need accountability? Do you need to face some fears? Do you need to commit? I hope that you notice that everything on the “YOU” list is something that you already possess. There’s a reason for that. You DO have in your possession EVERYTHING you need to achieve your goals. I know that you are thinking “Misty you don’t know my situation, I need money (as an example)” to achieve my goals. That’s not true. I need more knowledge....not true. The economy....nope. The president....nada. My wife/husband/business partner/kids/ mom/siblings/the Easter Bunny (you have another problem if that’s the case :)....again, NO!!! You see, if any of those excuses were true then it would never be possible to change your situation and achieve your goals. Hang with me for a second. I’m trying to keep this short and sweet but make my point (don’t resist because there’s something positive in this for you :).
You see, if you need more knowledge you can get that....by you choosing to learn. If you don’t like your wife/husband/business partner you can choose differently there as well. Oh yea, and Your kids are your own fault too (thanks Larry Winget).
You can choose not to talk to your siblings... problem solved!
If you are blaming the economy (or the president)...you are correct you can’t change that by yourself. Jim Rohn’s quote The Set of the Sail” perfectly depicts that we are all affected the same...the difference is how you choose to set yoursail. “The same wind blows on us all, the difference is the set of the sail” (Jim Rohn). You see, if the economy and the president were actually the problem then every business (in your industry) would be affected the same. But their not, because they choose to set their sail differently (so they end up in a different place). This is a big one...”if I only had more money, then I could reach all my goals”. Here’s the deal...let’s go with your theory for a minute...if you need more money and you claim
10
you can’t control if you get more money then the lack of money will ALWAYS be an issue (because you are stating that you are not in control of producing more money). If that is truly the case then you don’t have the money...and you can’t control getting more money...then you are done...game over. NOT TRUE!
You must choose to do what you can, with what you currently have, to produce more money then you will get more money...helping you achieve your goals. I gotta move on, I hope you are getting this. I could do this all day :) So what CAN you do? I want you to pull out a sheet of paper and write down all the things you CAN do to make more money. Then create a plan to DO IT. Let’s head over to the planning section shall we? :) Need more help on this area? Check out “Jumpstart Your Marketing” where you can learn how to create a Marketing Blueprint for your business.
11
Developing Your
Marketing Plan Your marketing plan is the strategies, tactics, and action steps that will help you achieve your goals. Here’s the exciting part...now that you know that you are in control of your goals being achieved it is simply finding the right strategy and action steps it will take to get you there. Woot, woot! Happy dance! Here’s where things get a little tricky...there are typically many ways to get to the same destination.
12
I’d like to illustrate through this example: Let’s say your goal is to “increase gross revenue to $500,000 by selling widgets”. It’s a little tricky because you could increase gross revenue by: - obtaining more clients - upselling current clients - increasing the cost of the widgets Each of these would require a specific strategy to be implemented to achieve the goal. EXAMPLE: you can obtain more clients by: - capturing new leads - converting at a higher close ratio - obtaining more referrals - increasing the cost of the widgets Let’s try to narrow this down a bit by answering the following questions: 1. What price will you be selling your widgets for? 2. How many widgets do you need to sell to reach $500,000 in gross revenue? (HINT: Divide $500,000 by the cost of the widget = the number of widgets you will need to sell). 3. What is your closing ratio on obtaining new clients online and from referrals? 4. Is there a way to improve your closing ratio? Then you must decide on your strategy:
13
- Brainstorm ideas on how to get more leads online. - Brainstorm ideas on how you can get more referrals from current customers or power partners. Last, but certainly not least, you must create an action plan to implement your strategy. Your action plan must include creating an editorial calendar that includes the steps you must implement and the dates you will implement them by to achieve the desired result. Overwhelmed yet? Don’t be! It’s actually not as difficult (or time consuming) as it sounds...if you have some guidance from a Marketing Coach that is :) Check out my “Jumpstart Your Marketing” program where you can learn how to create a marketing blueprint for your business, set goals, and develop a strategy to implement. Or, take the information I have shared in this month’s issue of intelligent MARKETER and set aside some time to answer the questions I have shared. They should help you gain some clarity as to who you are, what you want to accomplish, and what direction you should take. I wish you all the best! Now, get er’ done :)
BUSINESS
Boosting APPS Remember Everything.
14
This month’s recommendation is probably one of my all time favorite apps - Evernote. Evernote is a digital workspace that can be accessed on all of your devices....so, you can collect, add, organize, and communicate in one place anytime - anywhere! Before Evernote, I would collect stuff, write lists, and lose my mind keeping track of where I saved it in my computer! With Evernote, I can save everything in one place and share it with whomever I want with a couple of clicks. You gotta check it out! You won’t believe it’s FREE! Get organized this year with Evernote.
15
Kenny Chapman is the perfect example of a Small Business Superhero serving the home service industry as The Blue Collar Success Group with passion, commitment, and 100% focus of customer service. I met Kenny and his team just a few months ago and had the privileged to work side-by-side with them on a recent product launch that they had tremendous success in launching; producing over $30,000 in annual revenue in just 5 days! This is clearly a guy who knows how to win in business!
16
Superhero SMALL BUSINESS
17
Your Partner in Profitability. I chose Kenny as this months featured Small Business Superhero not only because of his success in business but also because of his relentless commitment to serving his community, audience, and industry. Kenny has owned several other businesses over the years but started The Blue Collar Success Group because he was seeking a business where he could get paid for his performance rather than his time....a statement that likely resonates with many Small Business Owners.
18
I asked Kenny what he would attribute his success to in building the businesses he’s built. His response, “it’s two fold; first is clarity and second is execution”. He further explains that, “you can have a vision and mission statement as well as a business plan but without massive action (execution) nothing happens.” “If you work for yourself and don’t have tremendous self accountability to want to improve and get to the next level, then you are bound into the sea of mediocrity” (Kenny). “Most people settle for less than they deserve” (Kenny). The key to winning in business and being successful is having clarity and massive action, both of which tie perfectly into this month’s issue of intelligent MARKETER in setting goals, developing a plan, and executing a strategy. Kenny’s recommendation to LAUNCH into 2015....”raise the bar”. “Don’t accept being average.” “Utilize the tools that you have
19
available, don’t just look for the next best thing.” “Get clarity as to what you want in 2015 and then back it up with the activity that it takes to make it happen.” (Kenny). Well said, Kenny Chapman :) I know Kenny and his team have huge goals for 2015 and they are currently working on a plan and strategy to execute and LAUNCH into 2015. How confident are you in achieving your goals for 2015? Do you have your goals set? Click here to listen to the entire interview with Kenny. Learn from the man who has done it, is doing it, and stretching himself to do it better everyday. Thanks Kenny (and the team of The Blue Collar Success Group). What you do matters and makes a difference in the lives of others. If you’d like to learn more about Kenny and how he serves the home service industry check out his website, or head over to his Facebook page.
You may have stumbled upon this issue of intelligent MARKETER but if you want to be sure you get this Free Publication each month as soon as it is issued....click right here.... and we’ll be sure to send it directly to your inbox each month. So ya won’t miss a thing! :)
20
21
22
#AskYMC Ask Your Marketing Coach I have room for just one question this month...but I think it’s a good one :) Sue asked: “Your latest issue of intelligent MARKETER talking about people purchasing online is really awesome. Lots to consider. HOWEVER! There are those of us who provide intangibles where quite frankly, the odds of someone buying anything from us online is slim to none unless it’s some kind of book or a webinar maybe. What about us and social media marketing? Could you provide information for those of us who don’t offer widgets to purchase? Your Marketing Coach response: Thanks for your honest feedback Sue. Actually, everything I share in intelligent MARKETER can work for both online and offline. Think about it, my ENTIRE business is selling intangibles :) The key to successful marketing of the intangible is EDUCATION....create content (videos, ebooks, blogs, infographics, images, etc.) that educates and connects with those we are trying to reach. KEY POINT....THE PURCHASE IS MADE BEFORE a person calls!!!!!!! Consumers are more educated and have more options today than EVER before..... this is why creating content (as mentioned above) 23
is sssoooooooooo CRITICAL!!!!!! Many will not call until they know they can trust you (and that they are ready to move forward). Before they are ready to do that they are RESEARCHING, LEARNING, and EDUCATING themselves..... this again, is why creating content is so critical. There are 3 stages in the sales process: 1. The LEARNER - exploring, but not ready to make ANY buying decision. 2. The SHOPPER - exploring and COMPARING.... getting really close to purchasing. 3. The BUYER - has done their research, and is ready to buy. Your content / website needs to contain information for all 3 of these stages. People won’t buy if they don’t trust us....having content at all levels of the sales process will HELP build trust resulting in them buying from you. The key is to evaluate your “CONTENT INVENTORY”. Make a list of the most common questions people have regarding your products / services... and create content to answer those questions (I referenced this in last months issue of intelligent MARKETER). DON’T STRESS THOUGH...creating VALUABLE content will not happen overnight. Focus on creating one piece of content each month....that will make a HUGE dent over the course of a year :) Hope this helps!
Thanks for reading! I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts and feedback :) Hit me up at misty@yourmarketingcoachonline.com
www.yourmarketingcoachonline.com