Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro

Upcoming Speech to the American Marketing Association

Niche marketing is all the buzz. Companies want to know how to reach niche markets to increase their profits. Small businesses have been far more successful at niche marketing than larger companies. It's much easier to reach one niche market than it is to reach many. Large companies by nature need to sell more products and services to earn a profit and therefore they end up serving the mass market.

I am delivering a speech on May 14th to the American Marketing Association on Niche Marketing: Stake your Claim to Profitable Market Segments. This is a great topic and I have some timely tips I'll be sharing with AMA members.

To find out more information about how to book Rick for an upcoming conference or event, visit the Speaking section of our website.

Buzzoodle Shares 99 Sites to create Buzz

I recently had the opportunity to hear Ron McDaniel, Founder of Buzzoodle, on the Get More Business podcast, hosted by Melody Campbell.

Ron shared 99 sites that can help you market your business and create buzz. He writes:

"How do you create a buzz on the Internet with all the great tools, communities and resources online? One at a time!"

Create a Buzz on the Internet!

If you want to generate positive interest in your business, there are techniques that can help you communicate your message and attract clients. There is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Be careful not to spam people. It's important to take time to build relationships. Focus on providing value and you will gradually make connections and give people a reason to contact you.

Entrepreneurs Capitalize on the Mobile Marketplace

Have you noticed that just about everyone these days is walking around with their face planted in a mobile device? This is especially true for younger generations. From wireless PDAs to smartphones, from turbo-charged cell phones to mini-tablets, people are addicted to their mobile devices. What does this mean for marketers? It means profits!

Entrepreneurs across the nation are beginning to ask themselves how they can capitalize on the growing trend toward mobility. And one expert has emerged to guide the way.

According to Mobile Marketing Guru, Kim Dushinski, from MobileMarketingProfits.com:

"The reality is that the rest of the world has been ahead of the U.S. in almost all aspects of cell phone use. Odd, isn’t it? We’re so used to being in front of the new trends. This time we’re not. But that is about to change."

Are you an entrepreneur who's interested in capitalizing on the mobile marketing trend? Then, take Kim's Mobile Ready Assessment.

The big companies have figured out a way to reach their target market through devices. Why not small businesses? The future is bright. You can't even imagine what's coming down the line. Imagine the day when you can walk into a retail store and instantly be notified of sales on products you want, based on your past buying patterns. Talk about big brother. Well, it's going to make your life more simple. And we could all use a little more simplicity. Why not make some money as well?

Artists Are Marketers Too

In the Bloglight: The Artsy Asylum

Artists are creative people, but did you also know they are clever marketing and sales professionals too? Susan Reynolds, artist and blogger, says in her bio, "After work with various media outlets and directing art for a manufacturer, Susan shifted her focus to painting and independent projects while raising a family." In her projects, she often looks for coffee stirrers, bottle caps, yarn and just about anything that might make interesting impressions on paper.

She offers resources to artists for getting known. She also shares her strategies for gaining viewers for your artwork, gaining readers for your ezines or newsletters, or gaining any kind of attention for what you do. In her article Get Seen, Get Known, Get Buyers, she asks,

So how do we get our names and our work seen?

One word: Communication

• We can network
• We can blog
• We can send out newsletters and ezines

She goes on to explain how to build a list and offers a definition for viral marketing. I think we can learn best practices from looking at people in other industries. And, artists are certainly unique in their own way. So, check out The Artsy Asylum and let a little art into your life.

Susan Reynolds is a member of the LinkedIn Bloggers.

Some Obvious Thoughts on Selling

Lori Richardson, the Sales Process Diva, notes that Tom Peters has released 111 Ridiculously Obvious Thoughts on Selling, a ChangeThis Manifesto. First, thanks to Lori for pointing that out. I was just visiting Tom Peters blog recently and did not see any reference to it. I'm a huge fan of Tom Peters, ever since In Search of Excellence. 

A quick scan of the manifesto revealed a number of timeless truths. I'll have to mention a few of the salient points on another occasion, but I thought a would refer you to it as quickly as possible.

Happy selling!

Seth Godin Blogs About Brochures

Seth Godin blogs on strategies for organizational brochures. He writes:

"The thing you must remember about just about every corporate or organizational brochure is this: People won't read it."

Seth goes on to offer six strategies that will increase the odds of your brochure being read. He recommends using photos along with testimonials. I would add to that that you should use photos of people in general than photos of things. This is especially true when marketing to women.

Million Names Project

Another resourceful entrepreneur, Paul Nichol, has come up with a way to generate a million dollars for himself. That's through the Million Names Project. He is seeking people to buy a space on his website for their name and website url for the price of $1.00 each (through PayPal). Not bad for a little advertising.

I added my name when the count was at 36 names. It will be interesting to see how quickly he will make it to his target. Just another example of how the internet has created an entirely new frontier for entrepreneurship with few barriers for entry.

For more information on Paul Nichol, see his press release.

Observations on Innovation

Guy Kawasaki writes about the art of innovation. He says,

"Don't be afraid to polarize people. Most companies want to create the holy grail of products that appeals to every demographic, social-economic background, and geographic location. To attempt to do so guarantees mediocrity. Instead, create great DICEE products that make segments of people very happy. And fear not if these products make other segments unhappy. The worst case is to incite no passionate reactions at all, and that happens when companies try to make everyone happy. "

This is true of marketing and sales as well. Too often we try to appeal to everyone and in the process appeal to no one. To be successful, this requires knowing your target market intimately. Find out where they hide and join them. Learn more about your target market and their habits. Understand their behavior and you'll learn how to market to them more effectively.

Websites that Make you Wonder

Web Strategy Consultant Philippa Gamse recently noted a web experience that left her wondering. She makes the point that companies often forget why people are visiting their website and do not make it easy for visitors to find what they're seeking. Figure out why people are visiting your website and help them take action.

It's true that too many websites are filled with way too much information. This is true for blogs as well. Companies often forget that less is more.

In the Big Red Fez, Seth Godin makes an analogy of a monkey looking for a banana. Each web page should have a clear purpose and offer a banana that encourages the visitor to take action. Beyond providing information, most companies hope their websites will actually generate sales. So why create barriers? Use the KISS principle and keep it simple. There should ideally be only one banana on each web page and it should attract attention through shape and color. Look to Amazon to see the way they use a box and text to "Add to Shopping Cart" on every web page. They make it simple to buy. You won't have to scroll for days to find a link to buy a book or other product.

Websites are another form of marketing collateral and good design principles apply just as they do for print media and direct mail.

Marketers as Architects

Seth Godin has another great post explaining the difference between marketing, sales and advertising. He explains that a great marketer is a lot like an architect. He says,

"What does an architect do? She reinvents the very nature of what's delivered and how it is delivered. She reimagines the inputs and outputs of the organization, as well as its story, to create an engine of revenue that grows while benefitting all sides."

Seth points out that companies like Starbucks are successful because they have re-architected existing business models into something completely different. He says that great marketing is not slapped on.  I find this true in my own business. Sometimes my marketing feels well architected, and at other times, it seems like an afterthought. How is it in your business? What can you do differently?

He also points out the importance of knowing what skills you truly want and need when hiring a marketing person.

All in all, marketing is a make or break proposition. It can help you or hinder you. Be clear about your intentions, have a solid marketing plan and get the right talent to help you.

Door-to-Door Selling

Permission Marketing Guru Seth Godin says he considers door-to-door selling struggling. I heartily disagree. Cold calling is one of my least favorite things to do, but I started my sales career by selling copiers door to door. Seth remarks,

"A door to door salesman just walked into our offices in Irvington.

Tough job.

A job usually reserved for people selling advertising or janitorial services.

This was an assistant Vice President at Citibank. He's wandering the halls, door by door, trying to sell business checking accounts.

Clearly, all that marble, all those tellers and all that advertising is not enough to meet aggressive growth targets.

Once your business becomes a commodity, you can struggle or you can re-invent. I consider door-to-door selling to be struggling."

In fact, I think sales professionals who are willing to walk into a company without prior contact to have an advantage in some cases because it is so rare today. Not everyone will obviously look on this favorably. However, too many sales professionals hide behind technology and are reluctant to pick up a phone or walk into an office.

Seth's comment regarding the Assistant Vice-President is incorrect. First, banks have a lot of Vice-Presidents. Branch managers often have a VP or AVP title. Secondly, bank branches are managed as small businesses with a lot of autonomy. Even though Citibank as a whole spends millions on advertising, it's up to the branch manager to bring in business and other accounts.

Branch managers are sometimes the best sales professional in their branch and succeed by being active in the business community, joining the chamber of commerce and networking groups and sometimes even cold-calling. They do whatever it takes. And they are well paid for it. In addition to salary, they earn bonuses, incentives, spiffs and are eligible for annual rewards programs. It's not a bad life. If you call that struggling Seth, I'll take it anyday. Running a small business is hard work, even if it's for a mega-giant like Citibank.

My own business is small and I wish I had some of the resources the average branch has at its disposal. I'm building my own business literally from the ground up, and it's not all wine and roses. It's hard work. But that's the fun of it, isn't it?

So, if you're in sales or you're a business owner, consider door-to-door selling once in awhile. You might find you get a whole different perspective on your business. And it might even help you refine your marketing efforts.

Tom Peter's Blog Turns One Year Old

Tom Peter's blog turned one year old on July 27, 2005. His blog post offers some insights into the personal impact his blog has had.

I look at Tom's blog as an example of how a successful consultant and guru can share his insights and create a dialog with a community of interested persons. I think his website/blog pushes the limits of the technology and creates an interesting and informative experience.

I hope to see Tom launch a podcast and later a videocast to offer further value.

It's interesting to see the amazing collection of information and resources being created and posted that are free to use. What a rennaissance we are in right now.

Blog on!

When Advertising is Better than Publicity

We all know that publicity is far more effective than advertising. It’s just more credible. That said, there are times when advertising can be an effective medium. For one, you control the message. And don’t underestimate the value of that. Secondly, you can target your message to a specific market based on demographics. Finally, you can place advertising messages on specific dates and even times with certain media.

To be effective, advertising should ideally be used consistently and frequently in order to break through and be noticed. If you are considering advertising, focus on your market. Identify who you are trying to reach. What media do they watch, listen to or read? It’s not one size fits all. If you have secondary markets, craft a different message for a different medium.

Within my marketing strategy, I strive to generate publicity. I also use targeted advertising. For instance, I use radio spots to advertise my services. Radio and other media can be effective when you have a specific objective. Just be sure to measure the results and adjust your advertising to be most effective.

Be sure to keep your media list current on your PDA. Make sure you have media contacts, their company, phone, fax, email and mailing address. Touch base every three months because there is often a high turnover in media personnel.

Gain Visibility Through a Conference Panel

Conferences can offer instant leads and allow you to establish and enhance business relationships quickly. It's a great place to network with other exhibitors. You can quickly establish rapport. Be sure to prepare in advance and know who you want to meet. Conference and trade show attendees represent a specific demographic through their profession or trade and are generally interested in talking with you.

As a business owner or sales professional, seek out opportunities to take a greater role at a conference. In addition to being a speaker, you can participate on a panel. This post from Strategize provides ten tips on how to participate effectively on a panel.

Your PDA can assist you during a conference. Schedule your day, add new contacts quickly and connect other attendees with people in your network. When preparing for a panel, be sure to carry any prepared notes on your PDA. Use them to prepare in advance but not while you're on the panel.

In the future, I'll address strategies on what to do with that stack of business cards you'll have by the end of the conference.

Practice Marketing Magic To Sell More

Want to sell more? My latest book, Marketing Magic, offers marketing advice to increase sales and satisfy your customers. Prominent marketing experts Jay Conrad Levinson, Brian Tracy and Robert Bly join me in sharing insights into marketing, media and public relations.

The purpose of marketing is to sell products and services, period. It starts with the 4 P’s of Marketing: Product, Place, Price and Promotion. Strategies include media and public relations, publicity, sales, branding, positioning, advertising and more. Success depends on selecting the right target market, developing the appropriate products and services, positioning it in the consumer’s mind, creating awareness and ultimately brand loyalty. Bottom line, you need to generate revenues in order to create a profitable company. The same principles apply to non-profit organizations as well.

You’re sure to gain insights that will help spur your business on to further growth. Contact Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro, at blog@thepdapro.com or call 800-677-6708 for more information or to request your copy today.

Rules for Business Blogs

This is the inaugural post for The PDA Pro blog. So it seems fitting to quote one of the premier marketing experts, Seth Godin, who provides five rules for business leaders who want to blog.

Candor
Urgency
Timeliness
Pithiness and
Controversy

These are great rules to consider before beginning to blog. Small business owners have asked me whether they need one for their business. I typically encourage them to start with an email newsletter first which allows more time to reflect. Seth’s rules set the standard.

For my own part, I can write with candor. Urgency and timeliness go hand in hand. My goal is to post once per week, but that may not be often enough. Timeliness is certainly critical when commenting on technology. I can keep it pithy. Controversy is going to be tough, since I tend to be a peacemaker. That gives me something to work on.

So, stay tuned for PDA advice for business professionals that sell.