Tag: get them to come to you

19 Ways to Build Buzz about Your New Website

Oscar Wilde once remarked, “The only thing worse than being talked about is NOT being talked about.”

So. Who’s talking about you?

Well, if you’re not happy with your answer, perhaps these practices, ideas and suggestions will help spread the word about your new website:

1. FIRST THINGS FIRST:Build remarkability into your ideas before they go public. Are you (already) worth making a remark about?

2. Give it away. If you want it to be viral, (some) of your content HAS to be free. What are YOU giving away?

3. Stop writing. Nobody’s going to read all that copy. Think images, not words. And keep it clean and above the fold. How are YOU using video?

4. Harness the power of ITunes. They have AMAZING marketing and reach a LOT of people that might not ever GO to your site. Podcasting – audio or video – is the key to reaching new audiences via web 2.0. How many people’s IPods are YOU on?

5. Use Digg and Delicious. Screw Oprah. Digg and Delicious are WAY more powerful (and a LOT less annoying) than her. Also, if someone comes to your website and doesn’t know what Social Bookmarking tool are, forget about it. Let the techies and bloggers who DO know what those buttons mean to use them to spread your message. Stop trying to educate the people who don’t “get” social networking. It’s not your job to convert them. Do people Digg you?

6. Use RSS. This is the PERFECT tool for building your permission asset. How many subscribers do YOU have?

7. Make it easy to share. Include boxes and buttons for link sharing, i.e., “Send this site to a friend” and embeddable HTML tags for videos, playlists and pictures. Are you making your website really, really easy to share?

8. REMEMBER: It’s not how many people come to your site, it’s WHO comes to your site. Eyeballs are overrated. So don’t get caught up in traffic, hits and the like. Are you focusing on the number of eyeballs or the RIGHT eyeballs?

9. People. Find raving fans that have big mouths, market to them and then get out of the way. How many fans do YOU have?

10. Build suspense. Whether you use an ezine, RSS feed or blog, have a countdown during the final month before launch. Build anticipation. For example, you could use a screen shot to drum up interest at the end of each blog post. Does anyone even KNOW about your new website?

11. Humor wins. Think about the last time you said or heard someone say: “Dude, you’ve GOT to check out this website!” More than likely, it’s because somebody, somewhere, was funny. What’s humorous about YOUR site?

12. Get ‘em at hello. Two seconds. That’s about how much time you have to convince someone that your website is worth telling her friends about. So, make sure it passes “The Cubicle Test,” i.e., If somebody walked by her coworker’s workspace, would she stop in tracks and say, “Hey, cool! What website is THAT?”

13. THREE WORDS: Other people’s traffic. What joint ventures are YOU working on?

14. Purpose. Don’t make it a website, make it a destination. Assure that people will actually stick around for more than 60 seconds. Make it community based and interactive through message boards, comments and other social networking tools. Keep the feedback loop constantly flowing. How frequently do people come BACK to your website?

15. Story. Make sure your site has a tab, box or content page that includes “Your Story.” After all, that’s all marketing is: storytelling. Because people don’t remember ads, they remember stories. NOTE: If possible, make “Your Story” a video. Let people see you doing what you do. Let people get to know you as a person, not a professional. What’s YOUR story?

16. User generated content. Enable customers to contribute and participate. Allow them to create their own profiles, accounts and usernames. Create a forum where they can discuss, share and upload their own pictures and videos with other users. They will take ownership of your website as their own and tell everyone they know. How are you giving your visitors a piece of the pie?

17. Simple. Simplicity is better, quicker, easier and most importantly, what customers crave. Could your website be explained to a five year-old?

18. Revisitability. Update new content at LEAST once a week, if not daily. This will bring people back again and again. REMEMBER: Websites are like newspapers – nobody wants to read them if they’re two years old. So, consider embedding a blog into the homepage. It works! If I had to do it again, my website and blog would be the same thing. When was the last time you updated YOUR content?

19. Ask yourself three questions. “What’s remarkable about my website?” “Why would someone come to (and stay at) my website for more than 60 seconds?” “Why would someone tell her friends about my website consistently?” Be honest. Are you evaluating your website objectively?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your #1 tip for building buzz about your new website?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your secret here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Who’s blogging about YOUR website?

Tune in to The Marketing Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons to get people talking about YOU!

Your primary task is to diffuse defensiveness

This week I’ve been working in The Bahamas with my friends at Homesteaders Life Company. We’re having a blast! (This is a picture of my mobile office to the left. Sigh...)

Too bad I gotta go back to the four inches of ice in St. Louis. Grrrr…

Anyway, these folks, who sell pre-need funeral and burial arrangements, have QUITE the challenge when approaching new customers. So, one of the key topics in our workshop yesterday was on disarming immediate concerns.

Because defensiveness always exists.

In the minds of every single customers you engage with, there’s always something.

Some concern.
Some insecurity.
Some annoyance.
Some stereotype.

Something she can’t get out of her mind.

And until she does, she not going to be fully comfortable talking with you.

It’s like a wall that, until you get over it, prevents meaningful conversation from advancing.

WHICH MEANS: Your primary task is to diffuse defensiveness.

Now, that doesn’t mean it’s your most IMPORTANT task.

Just your first one.

Because when comfort exists, the rules change.

See, comfort is the baseline from which engaging, open and approachable communication stems.

Think about it. When someone feels comfortable, they’re a LOT more willing to:

o Talk
o Open up
o Ask questions
o Voice concerns
o Share problems
o Express emotions
o Volunteer information
o Say how they (really) feel
o Listen to what you have to say
o Give you their phone number

Just kidding about that last one ☺

Anyway, that’s the big challenge: diffusing defensiveness.

So, I’m curious…

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you diffuse defensiveness – of prospects, customers, employees – in YOUR profession?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your three best practices here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Want your staff members to open up to you?
Tune in to The Entrepreneur Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on diffusing defensiveness!

13 Killer Sales Questions Your Competitors Aren’t Asking

Questions are differentiators.

With prospects.
With customers
With total strangers!

So, if you want to become That Guy – and if you want to own the MAXIMUM amount of mindshare in your customers’ minds – start by asking better questions.

Now, by “asking BETTER questions,” I mean:

Asking dangerous questions.
Asking disturbing questions.
Asking dumb questions.
Asking guiding questions.
Asking judicious questions.
Asking killer questions.
Asking challenging question.
Asking penetrating questions.
Asking smarter questions.
Asking unexpected questions.
Asking upside-down questions.
Asking well-crafted questions.
Asking well-timed questions.

AND I PROMISE YOU: If you ask questions like THAT, your customers will form an impression of you as someone who is creative, intelligent, observant … and has BIG ears.

That will ENABLE them to buy from you.
That will ENTICE them to come back to you.
That will ENCOURAGE them to tell their friends about you.

Sound good?

Cool.

So, I suggest you start by making a list called “Top Ten Most Common Questions Asked by a Salesperson in My Field.”

Whether it’s during a sales presentation, over the phone or at a networking event, identify the types of questions every other salesperson just like you is asking their prospects.

Examples might include textbook, unoriginal questions like, “How much are you currently spending on…?” or “How happy are you with you present suppliers?”

HERE’S WHY YOU DO THIS: Knowing what questions your prospects are used TO and tired OF being asked is a powerful sales weapon.

Because now all YOU have to do is NOT ask those questions!

(Well, that’s not all you have to do.) You ALSO need to keep an arsenal of killer questions yourself. And those questions need to be easily accessible.

So, that leads to the next step: creating another list.

Title this one, “Killer Sales Questions My Competitors Aren’t Asking.”

Think of the best, most creative and most original sales questions you’ve ever used or heard.

Questions that made customers smile.
Questions that caused customers to stop in their tracks.
Questions that enabled customers to share their needs and wants.

MY SUGGESTION: Spend a few hours searching through your notes, old emails, training manuals, on Google and in the books of your personal success library for the BEST questions you can find.

Over time, edit, update and review your list regularly. Keep it handy on your laptop, bulletin board and in your briefcase. (Or, if you want to be supremely dorky and O.C.D. like me, type out your best questions on a laminated card and keep it in your wallet for easy access.)

THE POINT IS: Cherish that list. It will become a powerful tool for differentiating yourself that will only get stronger over time.

And it will help you make sales forever.

And soon, people will be asking YOU for YOUR best sales questions!

Now, you probably noticed that the title of this article was “13 Killer Sales Questions Your Competitors Aren’t Asking.”

Well, I am a man of my word.

So, to finish up today’s post, I’m going to share my personal list with you.

NOTE: These questions were purposely left incomplete.

I did this so YOU could individually tailor these questions to your industry, customers and products.

So, think of them more as “prefixes” to your own unique questions. Fill them in however you wish. And feel free to use and share them with customers and coworkers today!

13 Killer Sales Questions Your Competitors Aren’t Asking

1. How are you making it difficult for your customers to…?
2. How are you making it easy for your customers to…?
3. How many customers are you losing by…?
4. What are the benefits you’d like to see as a result of…?
5. What are the bottlenecks in…?
6. What are the three biggest mistakes being made by…?
7. What do you think makes the difference between…?
8. What excuses are preventing you from…?
9. What one word do you want customers to use when describing…?
10. When someone comes to your website, what’s the ONE thing…?
11. When someone walks into your store, how do you want them…?
12. When was the first occasion you noticed…?
13. When was the last time you actually…?

REMEMBER: Questions ARE differentiators.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your #1 killer sales question your competitors aren’t asking?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post your question here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

How many unsolicited referrals did YOU get this week?

Tune in to The Sales Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on enabling customers to buy!

Your company environment IS your marketing

When I was a kid, my dad would occasionally take my brother and I along on his business trips.

Whenever he worked in Chicago, we’d stay at the Hyatt Regency in Rosemont.

Or, as we used to call it, “The Spicy Peanut Hotel.”

And to this day, we still call it that.

Because that’s what I remember. See, every night after my dad would finish work, my family and I would sit in the lobby, eating spicy peanuts.

So one night, I got curious.

“Hey Dad, why do they always give us free spicy peanuts?”

“Well, Scott, think about it,” Dad said, “What happens when you eat LOTS of spicy peanuts?”

“Um … your mouth breathes fire!” I said.

“Right,” he joked. “And what does that make you want really, really badly?”

“A soda!”

“Exactly,” Dad replied. “And where do they sell sodas?”

“In the bar!”

He smiled at me.

And at that exact moment, my first official marketing light bulb went on.

Ah-ha! They give away spicy peanuts for FREE so you have to BUY drinks! Genius!!

Of course, I was only seven at the time.

Had no idea I’d end up working in Marketing.

Anyway, 20+ years later, the principle still rings true:

Your company environment IS part of your marketing.

Here’s another example…

Last summer I was walking over to Starbucks for a meeting.

It was 97 degrees outside.

“Would you like a drink to go with your lemon pound cake?” asked the barista.

“Nah, it’s too hot for coffee. I’ll just grab a glass of ice water,” I replied.

So, I sat down with my snack, fired up my laptop and waited for my friend Dan.

And not ten minutes later, I stopped typing and realized something:

It was FREEZING in that store!

They must have set the thermostat at 55 degrees! I thought.

Either way, I got up from my table, approached the counter and smiled at the two baristas.

“So, do you guys make it REALLY cold in here so people buy hot drinks?”

They laughed.

“Well, our manager controls the temperature, so…” one of the girls chuckled.

“Mmm hmm…” I joked. “A likely story!”

They laughed again.

“Anyway, I’ll have a Grande Carmel Apple Cider.”

Damn it! They got me again! I thought.

Just like those spicy peanuts.

Your company environment IS part of your marketing.

Last example…

On Main Street in Disney’s Magical Kingdom, you might recall a store called Blue Ribbon Bakery.

Did you notice the smell of fresh chocolate chip cookies as you passed by?

Of course you did. Who could miss it?

But, did you know…

…those weren’t actually cookies?

Nope. Disney’s smell specialists have crafted a “fresh-baked chocolate cookie” smell that is piped through a vent directly over the door to the bakery.

Blast! Those slick marketers again!

– – –

So, peanuts, cold air, the scent of baked goods … each of these are examples of marketing through environment.

And they work.

Because they appeal to the senses.
Because they affect customers’ emotions.
Because they make the mundane memorable.
Because they create UNFORGETTABLE impressions.

REMEMBER: Your company environment IS part of your marketing.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How are you changing your company’s environment to promote purchasing?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best “marketing through environment” example here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

How are YOU making the mundane memorable?

Tune in to The Frontline Channel on NametagTV.com for video lessons on delivering UNFORGETTABLE service!

What does your email say about YOU?

Email addresses are VERY telling.

About your personality.
About your creativity and uniqueness.
About your professionalism (or lack thereof).

What’s more, email addresses elicit certain emotions when people first see them.

Let’s look at a few examples.

NOTE: None of these emails are actually real (to my knowledge). I just made them up. However, if any of them ARE real, I don’t mean to offend anybody. My apologies to Kayla.

1. [email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “He’ll never write me back!”
o “Great. Does this email even go to a real person?”
o “Well, so much for getting my problem answered quickly!”

2. [email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “Who still uses AOL?”
o “Who the heeck is Kayla?”
o “I bet SHE works from home…”

3. [email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “Wait, are two people going to read this email I’m about to send?”
o “Why can’t Steve and Mary get separate email addresses?”
o “Will the privacy of my letter be violated?”

4. [email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “Do I really want to do business with someone who has an email like this?”
o “Can’t this guy get a company email, or does he just sell junk cars from his back yard?”

5. [email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “What does 783 mean?”
o “Is Dave so lazy and uncreative that he needed Hotmail to create his email address FOR him? And is that the kind of person I want to do business with?”
o “Who still uses Hotmail?”

6. m_876#[email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “Is this spam?”
o “Is this even a real email address?”
o “Whose email is this?”

7. [email protected]

POTENTIAL SILENT DIALOGUES:

o “If this lady was such a ‘killer’ artist, wouldn’t she have her own website, and not have to use SBC?”
o “Kind of an uncreative email address for a ‘super creative artist,’ huh?”
o “Wait, what was her actual name again?”

– – –

Look folks.

Email addresses don’t need to be works of art.

But at the same time, they don’t need to be boring.

So, evaluate the perception of yours. Ask yourself how professional, accurate and unique your email address REALLY is, and what the first impression is when someone sees it for the first time.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What does your email say about YOU?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post a list right here called, “Types of Email Addresses that Really Annoy Me,” along with the PSD’s (Potential Silent Dialogues) that accompany each one.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Do you have MARKET share or MIND share?

Tune in to The Marketing Channel on NametagTV.com for video lessons on creating unforgettable brands that magnetize more business!

6 Ways to Put Customers, Coworkers and Employees Ease

Calm is approachable.

So, if you want to become more approachable to others, start by being calmer yourself.

See, when you’re at ease with yourself, other people will feel the same. And as a result, they will feel more comfortable in your presence, which will make them more comfortable opening up.

THINK ABOUT IT: Do you really want to approach (or be approached by) someone who is overly stressed, constantly worried, jerky or pacing back and forth?

Doubtful.

IN FACT, THINK ABOUT THIS: Who’s the calmest, most relaxed and peaceful person you know?

That person’s probably pretty approachable, huh?

SO, THE SECRET IS: To put others at ease, start with yourself.

Your challenge is to incorporate calmness into various aspects of your daily life; then allow it to transfer to the people you encounter. Here’s a list of six practices to help you do so:

1. Daily Appointments with Yourself. Take 30-60 minutes every morning to do nothing other than think, relax and just BE. Focus on your breathing, read positive materials, practice affirmations and listen to great music.

This will prime your brain to face the day with calmness and peace. For a step-by-step guide on how to have a Daily Appointment, read this.

2. Incorporate breathing into EVERYTHING. My friend Robert Friedman, an expert on stress solutions, teaches people to incorporate mindful breathing into every aspect of their lives. He suggests being more mindful of your breathing during mundane activities like reading, writing, opening doors and before answering the phone.

“By increasing oxygen level and Alpha Wave flow to your brain,” Robert says, “You relax your mind, body and spirit,” he explains.

3. Affirmation. If you feel hurried, impatient or fidgety during the day, take a minute or two to affirm to yourself, “There are no emergencies,” or “I am enough, I do enough, I have enough.” This will build a foundation of calmness throughout your soul that can’t help but be contagious to the people you interact with.

And if you think affirmations are cheesy, you’re right. They are. But that doesn’t mean they don’t work 😉

4. Meditation. Don’t be intimidated by this word. You don’t have to be a Yogi Master or a Tibetan Monk to practice meditation. In fact, the word is defined as, “continued or extended thought or reflection.” And it comes from the Latin word “to contemplate.”

So, find periods in your day where you can be silent, mindful and reflective … by yourself. Anywhere from five to twenty minutes should be enough to calm you down.

5. Silence. Because of our “always on,” hyperspeed, information overload culture, silence is difficult for a lot of people. However, what you’ll discover is that silence is an important tool for projecting approachability. Here’s how it works:

o The more you practice silence alone, the more comfortable you will be during silence with others.
o The more comfortable silence is with others, the safer the atmosphere becomes.
o The safer the atmosphere becomes, the more likely you are to share your authentic feelings, concerns and questions.

How much silent time have YOU taken today?

6. Exercise. First of all, if you’re not already exercising every single day, you’re NUTS! More specifically, people who do so every day are calmer because they have an outlet to release their tensions, stresses and anxieties.

Even if it means walking for 15 minutes a day, do it! It’s not only essential for your health; it’s also a contributor to your calmness throughout the rest of the day.

REMEMBER: Calm is approachable.

So, if you want to put customers, coworkers and employees at ease, start with yourself!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you put yourself at ease?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your techniques and best practices here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Going on a sales call today?

Tune in to The Sales Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on selling enabling customers to buy!

How much time do you spend preparing yourself to listen?

Rehearsal.
Meditation.
Visualization.
Deep breathing.
Perusing your notes.
Reading affirmations.
Practicing your Powerpoint slide transitions.
Listening to the Rocky IV soundtrack in the bathroom down the hall.

All of these are examples of how someone might prepare herself to speak.

Which brings up an interesting question:

How much time do you spend preparing yourself to listen?

Odds are, not that much.

And this is dangerous. Because listening requires just as much energy, focus and mindfulness as speaking – if not more!

So, today we’re going to explore four practices for preparing yourself to listen.

1. Consult your materials. Gather all your notes, ideas, reports or any other documents relating to the conversation you’re about to have. Take a few minutes to scan them. Look for patterns. Get to know the person and the situation better. Jot down any specific questions, concerns or issues you’d like to raise during the interaction.

2. Listening reminders. Take a minute to re-read all of your listening reminders. This is a great way to keep your philosophies and practices fresh in your mind. NOTE: if you haven’t already created listening reminders for your office, consider writing a few of the following ideas on sticky notes to keep yourself accountable:

o L-I-S-T-E-N = S-I-L-E-N-T
o 2 ears, 1 mouth
o Attention, acknowledgment, appreciation and affirmation.
o Responses, not answers.
o Listening, not waiting to talk.
o NO Agenda.
o Don’t react; respond.
o Ask; don’t tell.
o Curious, not judgmental. http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
o You don’t own their problem.
o Listening isn’t a performance.

If you want to see the FULL list of listening reminders, check this out.

3. Breeeeeeathe deep. Taking in fresh oxygen will lower your blood pressure and relax your mind, body and spirit. It will also lay a foundation of mindfulness that will enable you to ask the right questions and tap into your intuition during the listening process.

A few secrets for breathing exercises (that I learned from my buddy Robert Friedman) include:

o In through your nose, out through your mouth.
o Make your exhale twice as long as your inhale.
o Consider reciting silent mantras to focus your attention.
o Close your eyes and visualize yourself Growing Bigger Ears.
o Relax your body, let go of tensions, especially in your shoulders and neck.

4. Affirmations. This last practice might sound kind of silly, but it’s also the most effective. Write out three lists of affirmations, each of which start with “I will, I choose or I am.” Be sure to keep them positive and focused on what you want and not what you DON’T want!

See, by reciting these to yourself before the other person comes into the room, you will lay a positive, forward-thinking foundation of listening effectiveness.

Here’s a quick list of potential affirmations for your list. Consider reading these to yourself before meeting with clients, patients or customers; or if you hold a leadership/management position, before walking into work every morning:

I WILL…
o I will listen today.
o I will say what I see.
o I will ask WHAT or HOW.
o I will take organized notes.
o I will think and pause before responding.
o I will listen at least twice as much as I talk.
o I will listen to myself as well as the other person.
o I will listen to ideas that make me uncomfortable.
o I will lead the other person where they want to go.
o I will listen to the silences between people’s words.
o I will acknowledge, appreciate, affirm and give attention to the speaker.

I CHOOSE…
o I choose to monopolize the listening.
o I choose to remain emotionally objective.
o I choose to use engaging, generative language.
o I choose to give advice ONLY when asked for it.
o I choose to ask and say the things that want to be said next.
o I choose to be conversationally selfless by giving the other person the stage.
o I choose to show the other person that I trust them to develop their own answers.
o I choose to listen with my eyes, arms, hands, fingers, legs, heart, mind and soul.

I AM…
o I am a giant question mark.
o I am curious and fascinated.
o I am now fully prepared to listen.
o I am making it a safe place to open up.
o I am prepared to receive the other person.
o I am making space to accept new ideas and thoughts.
o I am giving myself and the other person permission to open up and feel comfortable.
o I am a Listening Midwife who enables the other person to give birth to their thoughts, feelings and emotions.
o I am a still body of water in which the other person can see their reflection, which will lead to breakthroughs of their own making.

– – –

Admittedly, this is a lot of work. Probably more than most people are willing to put in for a soft, intangible skill like listening.

In fact, even I was hesitant to take on this practice at first.

Until recentlty.

I had two Rent Scott’s Brain consulting sessions this week. Both were great successes, inasmuch as my two clients gained clarity as well as few SOLID strategies for their businesses.

I, of course, didn’t do that much, other than listen.

Because that’s my job. And I now realize that by adopting this practice of listening preparation, I was able to facilitate and to give birth to breakthrough thinking.

It was pretty cool!

So, what about you?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How much time do you spend preparing yourself to listen?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best practices for listening preparation here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

…only 4 more days until NametagTV.com goes ON AIR!

ZOINKS! The customer actually came to ME! Now what?

Do you remember the first time you were asked out on a date?

It probably caught you a little off guard.

Holy crap. You really want to go out with ME? Like, you came up to MY locker and asked for MY number? Oh-boy-oh -boy-oh-boy! Hot dog! This is so exciting! Someone was seeking ME out for a change! What time should I pick you up?

Wow. Can you imagine what the prospective date would think if you said that out loud?

Des-perate!

Nice move, Casanova.

LESSON LEARNED: Don’t telegraph neediness.

Businesspeople do the SAME THING all the time. They get an email out of the blue from a prospective customer. And, just like that nervous, awkward adolescent, they respond the same way:

Wow! You really want to work hire ME? Like, you came to my website and now you actually want to pay me money for my services? Oh-boy-oh-boy-oh-boy! Hot dog! This is so exciting! A customer seeking ME out Where do I sign?

And the same principle applies.

If you act surprised when customers come to YOU, they might start to question your professionalism. To wonder about your busyness. And the silent dialogue becomes, “Wow, sounds like this guy REALLY needs my business…”

So, if you want to project confidence and coolness when YOU’RE the one being pursued, follow these three guidelines:

1. Just relax. Play it cool. Respond as if this happens all the time. Forget about the fact that if this client doesn’t hire you, only ONE of your daughters will get to go to college.

Give the impression that you’re in high demand. That you’re used to customers pursuing YOU for business. Yep, just another day at the office.

FOR EXAMPLE: If someone wants to book you for their upcoming corporate event, one of the most liberating responses you could offer is, “What year?”

2. Watch your emotions. Sure, it’s exciting when a new prospect calls out of the blue. But it’s also a stroke to your ego. So, be careful that your emotions don’t cloud your response. Strive to maintain emotional objectivity.

A few years back, I was asked to give a speech in Jamaica. And I got SO excited and felt SO honored … that I charged the wrong fee! Woops!

REMEMEBER: Overreacting can lead to under charging.

3. Understand your position. Because the customer came to YOU, you’re in a unique situation. First of all, it’s a position of strength, since you’re not the one threatened by rejection. And the ability to walk away from a sale is a tremendous advantage.

Secondly, it’s a position of choice. Since the buyer is pre-qualified, the next question isn’t IF she should use you; it’s HOW she should use you.

THE GOOD NEWS IS: The more this happens; the more you will normalize your routine. Patterns will emerge, encounters will become more predictable and you will develop an unconscious competency for handling unsolicited requests.

And eventually, YOU will become the selector – not the selected.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you respond when customers come to YOU?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the #1 way to (actually) get prospects to come to YOU, send an email to [email protected] and I’ll share the secret!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

…only 6 more days until NametagTV.com goes ON AIR!

123 Questions Every Marketer Must Ask

Since this is my final workweek of 2007, I’m going to post a ridiculously long list … every day. Be sure to check back all week!

And, don’t forget to read the other ridiculously long lists in the series:
101 Lessons Learned from 2007
101 Ways to Create a Powerful Web Presence

But for now:
123 Questions Every Marketer Must Ask

1. Are other people telling their friends about you?

2. Are other people repeating your “story”?

3. Are people talking about you?

4. Are the very first words out of your mouth consistent with your brand?

5. Are you broadcasting your brand to the right audience?

6. Are you building things worth noticing right into your product or service?

7. Are you concerned with traffic or transactions?

8. Are you everywhere?

9. Are you giving away enough stuff for free?

10. Are you listening to the word of mouth about you?

11. Are you pushing or pulling your customers?

12. Are you specializing enough?

13. Are you starting positive epidemics?

14. Are you still ripping off that lame-ass “Got milk?” campaign?

15. Are you thinking about your non-customers?

16. Are your products positioned, or do they just have clever slogans?

17. Can your target market afford you?

18. Do people know what you do?

19. Do people know what you’re DOING?

20. Do people know what you’ve DONE?

21. Do you find unusual places to show off?

22. Do you have customers or fans?

23. Do you have them at hello?

24. Do you know which of your marketing efforts have been effective in the past?

25. Do you provide a value message to your customers every week?

26. Do you really think anybody is talking about your yellow page ads?

27. Do your beautiful, award-winning marketing materials actually influence customer decisions?

28. Does a lower fee make you more affordable, or less attractive?

29. Does your website offer proof or just list a bunch of adjectives?

30. Has anybody ever done this before?

31. Have people heard about you?

32. How are you allowing customers to participate in your brand?

33. How are you building a following? (If you’re not presently doing this, send an email to [email protected] and I’d be happy to show you how!)

34. How are you building a permission asset?

35. How are you enabling your customers to do your marketing for you?

36. How are you getting permission from people to market to them?

37. How are you making it easy for customers to tell their friends about you?

38. How are you marketing yourself daily?

39. How are you staying in front of your fans?

40. How can you be visible to the highest number of people?

41. How can you become the best marketer in the world?

42. How can you keep marketing, even when you tell customers no?

43. How can you make yourself more marketable in the next year?

44. How could you encourage strangers to break the silence and talk to you?

45. How do you measure your permission asset?

46. How good are you at attracting attention?

47. How many different ways are you interacting with your market?

48. How many different ways can you leverage this?

49. How many different ways did you leverage your media appearance?

50. How many people anticipate your marketing?

51. How many people do you think really read your press release?

52. How much money do you spend on marketing?

53. How much time do you spend on marketing each day?

54. How often are customers retelling your company’s story?

55. If you have to jump through hoops to defeat someone’s efforts to avoid your advertising, is the result going to be worthwhile?

56. If you have to trick people into looking at your advertising, is the result going to be worthwhile?

57. If you showed your idea to a teenager, what would she think?

58. If you showed your website to a five year old, what would he think?

59. If you stopped advertising, would anybody even notice?

60. If you were your customer, what would you LOVE to have from you next?

61. Is anybody else doing this now?

62. Is your idea simple enough that a five year old could understand it?

63. Is your idea so good that other people are copying it?

64. Is your idea so good that SNL would parody it?

65. Is your idea so remarkable that people make fun of it?

66. Is your marketing interrupting or interacting?

67. Is your marketing making music or noise?

68. Are you creating a website or a destination?

69. Are you sharing link love FIRST?

70. Can your business afford not to have a website?

71. Did you buy the domain first?

72. Did you get their email address?

73. Did you register all of the misspellings and accidental permutations of your URL?

74. Do you have a web-SITE or a web-PRESENCE?

75. Do you really care if your non-customers don’t like your website?

76. Does your website honestly reflect your business personality?

77. Does your Website leave a perception of value or vanity in the mind of a visitor”?

78. Does your website scream, “Look at me!” or “Here’s what you were looking for”?

79. How are you getting customers to come back to your website just to see what you’ve been up to?

80. How are you participating in your online image?

81. How are you taking advantage of the infinite shelf space of the Web?

82. How powerful is your online platform?

83. Is content king on your website?

84. Is your website an experience?

85. Is your website something you can proudly reference?

86. What are the Potential Silent Dialogues when people first come to your website?

87. What makes your website a destination?

88. When someone comes to your website, how do you want them to feel?

89. When someone comes to your website, what’s the ONE THING you want them to do?

90. When was the last time you added new content to your website?

91. When was the last time you bought something from spam email?

92. When was the last time you checked your website stats?

93. When was the last time you Googled a word or idea?

94. When was the last time you Googled somebody?

95. When was the last time you invited your audience to participate at your website?

96. Where are most of your hits coming from?

97. Who’s blogging about you?

98. Why aren’t you blogging yet?

99. Why wouldn’t anyone spend more than 60 seconds at your website?

100. Why would someone come to (and stay at) your website for more than 60 seconds?

101. Why would someone give you her email address (and therefore, permission) to market to her regularly?

102. Why would someone return to your website consistently?

103. Why would someone tell her friends about my website consistently?

104. Why would you put links on YOUR website that send customers to someone ELSE’S website?

105. What are three reasons ANYBODY would want to go to your website?

106. What are you doing to stimulate, harness and increase word of mouth?

107. What are you giving away for free?

108. What could you do to strengthen the relationships with your biggest fans?

109. What have you recently learned about marketing trends?

110. What is it about your idea that makes people eager to spread it?

111. What is your total marketing capacity?

112. What part of your marketing makes people stop and ask, “Huh?”

113. What type of marketing will you use?

114. What would the twenty-second word of mouth ‘sound byte’ be if your customer were to tell a friend about you?

115. What’s the most important word in marketing?

116. When was the last time a complete stranger come up to and said, “OK, so, I just HAVE to ask…”?

117. When was the last time you actually bought something from a telemarketer?

118. When was the last time you invited your audience to participate in your brand?

119. When was the last time you picked up Yellow Pages to find a product or service?

120. When was the last time you updated your brand identity?

121. When was the last time you were THRILLED to get junk mail?

122. Why are you marketing?

123. Why are you (still) wasting money on advertising?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What three questions MUST every marketer ask?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post your lists here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Practices, THEN principles.

No systems. No formulas. Just someone who listens, asks KILLER questions and facilitates creative breakthroughs.

Rent Scott’s Brain today!

101 Ways to Create a Powerful Web Presence

Since this is my final workweek of 2007, I’m going to post a ridiculously long list … every day. Be sure to check back all week!

And, don’t forget to read the other ridiculously long lists in the series:
101 Lessons Learned from 2007
101 Questions Every Marketer Must

But for now:
101 Ways to Create a Powerful Web Presence

1. Blog every single day.

2. Comment on other people’s blogs, especially when they link to your blog.

3. Post at least three videos on YouTube. Make them fun, cool, and most importantly – let the videos show you doing what you do. No more than three minutes each.

4. Post pictures on Flickr of you being yourself, working with clients, doing things you love, and most importantly – doing what you do.

5. Publish at least one article a month on public databases like www.ezinearticles.com. They get AWESOME Google rankings for ya.

6. Write and give away at least one free ebook a year.

7. Any time someone asks to reprint one of your articles, SAY YES!

8. Any time someone wants to interview you for her podcast, blog or newsletter, SAY YES!

9. Post your tour, schedule or travel calendar on your website.

10. Blog every single day.

11. Make use of social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn. Just try not to get addicted. Accept friend requests from everyone.

12. Create a lens on Squidoo.

13. Publish a regular ezine. Share 1/2 of the main article in the body of your email letter and then publish the rest of it online to drive traffic.

14. Google your name, company name and tagline every week. It’s a great motivator to boost your web presence, especially if the only thing that comes up is your high school golf team score.

15. Publish your profile on ZoomInfo.

16. Post pictures of your customers using your products. Great testimonial.

17. Post videos of your customers using and talking about your products. Even better testimonial.

18. Don’t have (just) a website. Have several. Create an interconnected network of various sites that all point to your MAIN site. Think octopus, not earthworm. And think destination, not website.

19. Get yourself on Wikipedia. (This is REALLY hard to do, but it’s a great goal to shoot for.)

20. Blog every single day.

21. If you’re an author, make ebook versions of your books available for download. I say give ‘em away for free.

22. Include a Media Room on your website. This builds your credibility and expertise. Which will attract other media outlets to seek you out. Which will lead to more interviews. Which will lead to more hits on Google whenever someone types in your name or your area of expertise.

23. Interview other people and post the transcripts or audio files online. They’ll take ownership of the piece and tell everyone they know to come to your site.

24. Start an online TV network.

25. Just be remarkable.

26. Give more speeches. Even if they’re free. See, what happens is, the organization you speak for will include your name and bio on their website. They’ll also post the conference agenda as a PDF online, which will come up as a hit on Google when people type in your name or area of expertise. Sweet.

27. Figure out what everyone else in your industry is doing and then do the opposite.

28. Post lots of lists.

29. Blog every single day.

30. Post your PowerPoint slides on Slide Share or your blog. (NOTE: don’t do this if your slides SUCK. And most people’s slides suck.)

31. Capture emails and build your list. Create a permission asset. Emails are GOLD.

32. Register misspellings, permutations and variations of your main URL and redirect them to your homepage.

33. I don’t know much about Search Engine Optimization, Google Ad words and Pay-Per-Click, but I hear that stuff works pretty well. Something to think about.

34. Got a book? Cool. Get it on Google Book Search.

35. Speaking of Google, get lots of Google alerts on your name, company name, product name, etc. This will help you stay current with what’s being said about you on the Web. (And if nobody is talking about you on the web, you’re in trouble.)

36. Review books on Amazon.com.

37. Do surveys on your website and publish the results.

38. Do audio podcasts.

39. Do video podcasts.

40. Then post them on your blog.

41. (And of course, blog every single day.)

42. Google the names of the leaders in your industry. Evaluate their search results. Check out their web presence and see what they’re doing right. Then copy them.

43. If possible, get on CNN. That really helped me.

44. Join organizations, non-profits and trade associations. Get listed on their directories. Also, consider taking a leadership position or becoming a board member. They might even give you your own page on the organization’s website! (NOTE: don’t sign up just to get listed. Sign up to learn, grow, give back and make friends. Let web presence be incidental, not a intentional.)

45. FACE IT: you’re not giving away enough free stuff. Give more. The more you give away for free, the wealthier you will be. More on that theory here.

46. Share link love FIRST. People will be happy to reciprocate.

47. Send blog posts to people who would appreciate them. BUT, don’t ask them to blog about you. Just deliver value. Reach out to someone new. I did this once and the guy ended up blogging about me, which led to about 1 million hits in five days.

48. Learn about Digg and get dug. Unbelievably powerful.

49. Every time you meet someone who says, “Yeah, I’ve heard of you!” or “Oh, I’ve been to your site before,” write it down. Keep a Word of Mouth Journal. Notice patterns and soon you will hit a critical mass.

50. Dude: just be everywhere!

51. Leverage your expertise in every possible way.

52. Tell your story and make sure other people are telling it too.

53. Don’t cheap out on your website. It’s worth it.

54. Every time someone comes to your website, make sure they know THE ONE THING YOU WANT THEM TO DO, right away.

55. Blog every single day.

56. Blog every single day.

57. Blog every single day.

58. Blog every single day.

59. Blog every single day.

60. Blog every single day.

61. Blog every single day.

62. Blog every single day.

63. Blog every single day.

64. Blog every single day.

65. Blog every single day.

66. Blog every single day.

67. Blog every single day.

68. Blog every single day.

69. Blog every single day.

70. Blog every single day.

71. Blog every single day.

72. Blog every single day.

73. Blog every single day. (Any questions on this one?)

74. Install Google Analytics. Figure out where people are coming from.

75. Post in forums. Write intelligent, value-added responses. And have a cool signature.

76. Blog every single day.

77. Personally, I think press releases are WORTHLESS. However, many people have had great success with PR Web and other press release websites. Something to thing about.

78. Have some kind of lead-capturing device.

79. Submit your RSS feeds to Feed Burner.

80. Buy lots of domains and redirect them to your main site until you find another use for them.

81. Connect with other like-minded professionals who are ALSO creating a web presence. Have virtual lunches, regular email conversations and listserve discussions to brainstorm ideas and keep each other accountable.

82. SIX WORDS: Send This Site to a Friend!

83. Google the phrase “creating a web presence.” Read up.

84. Email [email protected] and ask me what the biggest marketing mistake made by entrepreneurs is. I’m happy to share it with you.

85. Figure out your Noticeable Number. Quantify the most remarkable aspect about your business and put a counter on your page that encourages word of mouth and revisitability. (Think McDonalds’ Billion Hamburger Counter).

86. Everything you write (articles, blog posts, press releases) MUST have a response mechanism built into it. Your writing becomes persuasive and effective the moment it compels the reader act upon (not think about) something. Here’s a mini-list of different types of response mechanisms to try:

o Go to this website, login if you’re a first time user…
o Email me with your three biggest questions about…
o Call me for your free consultation on…
o Send me a copy of your…
o Post your best story about…
o Link to this post on your blog, along with your list of…
o Leave a comment with your three best techniques for…
o I challenge you to try this for a week. Email me after you’ve…
o Try this on your blog and then send me the link…
o For a free downloadable ebook on this topic, go to…
o To receive my weekly ezine for tips on…
o Send an email with the words “I need sales!” in the subject line…
o If you’d like to know the rest of the formula, fax your letterhead to…

87. As you can see, I’m big on writing. And not just because I AM a writer. Mainly because writing is the basis of all wealth. Writing is the basis of all wealth. Writing is the basis of all wealth. Writing is the basis of all wealth. (GOT THAT?)

88. Speaking of writing: blog every single day.

89. And use Technorati to promote your blog.

90. Also, think about getting Meebo Messenger. Coolest thing on the Internet.

91. Contribute to entries on Wikipedia.

92. Start your own group on Facebook.

93. Use lots of colorful, singing, dancing pop ups on your website. (No, wait, sorry. Wrong list.)

94. Read Seth Godin’s blog. Do what he says.

95. Read Top Peters’ blog. Do what he says.

96. Read Bob Baker’s blog. Do what he says.

97. Evaluate your website’s hit and unique user ratio. Set a goal to double it within 12 months.

98. Evaluate your present newsletter, RSS feed or other type of subscriber number. Set a goal to double it within 12 months.

99. Just google “Gitomer.” Now THAT’S a web presence!

100. Read the book Naked Conversations. Totally awesome.

101. Read the book The Cluetrain Manifesto. Absolutely the best book ever written about the Internet.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How’s your web presence?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Right here, right now, post your list: Top 10 Ways to Create a Powerful Web Presence. We’d love to see it!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Consultants, schmonsultants.

No systems. No formulas. Just someone who listens, asks KILLER questions and facilitates creative breakthroughs.

Rent Scott’s Brain today!

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