The Dot Com Miner

In my dreams, I envision being the marketing consultant equivalent of Oprah or Tiger Woods. Oprah, for her premise, “You’re a woman and only you are responsible for yourself.” Tiger Woods, for his ultimate dedication to the game. Respectively, this is what they’re known for or what their personal value can be identified as; put another way, this is what their brand identities are.

Once you’re known for something and people perceive value in “this something [your brand],” it’s at this moment that you start to make money. Once you have perceived value, other entrepreneurs and businesses will pay money to be associated with the perception for which you’re known.

To be an entrepreneur, the first decision you must make is, “Who do you want to be?” Or, put another way, “How do you want to be perceived by others?” The answers to these two questions are equivalent to the foundation that’ll drive all of your future marketing decisions, from what advertising vehicles you’ll use, to the type of customers and clients you’ll target.

For example, would you like to be known as the world’s most prestigious dietician? People all over the world seek you out and pay money for your advice on how to integrate more color into their diets. To build a foundation and reach such prestige, your image marketing plan might involve the following actions.

• Complete appropriate credentials such as certifications and higher education.

• Obtain and make visible reputable references including popular media personalities quoting you as an expert, current and past clients quoting specific things you did to help them, and a variety of print articles and electronic news bulletins in which you’re quoted.

• Build credibility by hosting, writing or producing a weekly healthy-eating column called, “Got Colors, Get Healthy.”

• Socialize and be seen with other health-related well-known experts or people who exhibit healthy behavior such as: other dietitians, diet book authors, athletes, personal trainers, physiology professors and food scientists. Why? Because a person can create an implied credibility about themselves simply by hanging out with other experts. Generally speaking, people assume that because the other experts let you hang with them, then you must be worthy of your “expert” status.

• Pick a unique clothing and makeup style and stick with it. A simple example, perhaps every time you leave your house, you always wear something purple, a scarf, pin, shirt, tie or nail polish. The repetitive purple creates a subliminal image, that, after awhile, causes people, when they see you in the news, at an event or in a magazine, to say, “I’ve seen her somewhere.” And from this statement they extract that you’re sought after, and therefore, you must know what you’re talking about.

• Always evolve your image based on current trends. However, remember to make small changes, so as not to walk away from the image you’ve been working hard to build.

Every entrepreneur’s image-building plan will be unique. In fact, it must be. It’s the subtle differences about you as an entrepreneur that distinguish you from your competition. More importantly, it’s also these differences that help your customers find you, since you’ll be more able to effectively and affordably reach customers by selecting an image niche.

About The Author

Sharron Senter is a New England-based marketing consultant, speaker, writer and founder of Senter & Associates. She helps small and home-based businesses deploy affordable marketing strategies. She’s well known for her free weekly emailed marketing tips and her “14 Image-building Dos & Don’ts,” small biz survival report. Receive Senter’s free marketing tips at http://www.sharronsenter.com.

marketing@sharronsenter.com

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. While this
may be true if the picture is a schematic of a complicated gizmo
you’re trying to put together, it is hardly the case when it
comes to your ads.

An image should be used to get attention, and it should draw
people in to read the words used in the ad. Words sell - not
pictures. Each word used in the ad should lead the person to the
desired outcome. In the case of a classified ad, the desired
outcome should be to have them request more information. Sales
are seldom made from the first ad someone sees describing your
product, service or opportunity. If you can get someone to ask
for more information, your ad has done the first part of the
job.

Anyone involved in Internet Sales without a web page is simply
spinning their wheels. Many of the web pages however are
disaster areas. People get so creative in their design, they
forget their primary purpose. Once you have gotten someone to
this point, it is now time to close the sale, and this is where
many people “miss the boat”.

Think about it - your ad had to have been effective as it got
them to your web site. They are looking for additional
information. Some people want the presentation in the quickest
possible fashion, while others are willing to spend the time
researching your offer. To be effective you should try to
accommodate both groups.

An effective presentation will provide a synopsis of what you
want to cover. It should also have a “link” where a person can
be sent for in depth information. This is definitely a case
where more is better. But you should not use words simply to
fill space - they should all be carefully crafted to bring the
person to your order page.

Studies have shown that one large web page with internal links
to additional information will rank better with the search
engines. Think of these internal links as bookmarks within your
page, which will quickly advance someone to the desired spot.

An image will make your page more attractive, but don’t include
one unless it has a purpose, and will help close the sale. A
large image that takes a long time to load will many times have
the reverse effect of what is desired. If the visitor simply
“clicks away” from your web page because the image loads slowly,
it is defeating its purpose.

Some guru’s recommend power words like “free” or “earn without
work”, but these terms have been overused. While power words may
still have a place in your “teaser” ads, you should use down to
earth language at your web site. The words must be vibrant and
alive, driving the person toward the desired outcome.

You must learn how to write persuasive words specifically
written for your targeted customer. If your target market is
professionals, write your message geared to them. Remember
however that the vocabulary of many potential customers may be
limited, so don’t use words that will not be understood by the
average person. Avoid the use of terms that will not be known by
your prospects.

Your text should be written in a black, legible font with a
light background, preferably white. While yellow text on a black
background is “cute” you should avoid using fancy fonts or
backgrounds that are difficult to read - people will simply
“click away”.

Remember - every word you use should have one specific purpose,
and that is to lead your prospect to buy you are selling . When
writing sales copy, use words like “you” and “your” - write as
if you are speaking with just one person — one on one.

Finally, be aware that many Internet users are apprehensive
about making a purchase on the Internet. You must put your
potential customers mind at ease by displaying your full name,
company name and contact information. This will put their mind
at ease by building their confidence in you and your product.
While a picture may be worth a thousand words, it is the words
that will sell.

Recently I was contacted by a very successful Internet marketer
who asked me what I would suggest to someone who wanted to
create a cult-like following.

This is right down my ally so I gave him some very good advice
that he couldn’t wait to put into action but the question got me
thinking. What steps are there for anyone who wants people to
want his/her attention and wisdom?

The result are 10 ways to build a cult-like following. Of course
each one of them could be a book in itself but here goes.

1. Initiation vs. Instruction

There is a marked difference between learning by instruction and
learning by initiation.

Most people give instruction. This is nothing more than stating
facts and teach processes. Any good teacher does that as well as
most bad ones.

Learning by initiation is about creating an experience that
makes the learning personal and visceral to the student. A good
example of that is the 1984 movie “The Karate Kid” . On the one
hand you have the macho western karate instructor who taught his
students by instruction in a skill ‘n’ drill process. On the
other hand you have the character played by Pat Marito who says
that he will teach Ralph Macchios’ character karate in exchange
for doing chores. But the chores must be done in a certain way
“This way wax on. This way wax off.” Only later does the young
hero find out that there was a method to his instructors madness
and when he figured it out it made complete sense to him as if
struck by a lightening bolt.

There are many things that you could simply tell someone and
they would intellectually understand but they wouldn’t “get it”
as an insight. They would only see it as information. The result
is that they may use it or they may not.

Teaching by initiation means holding back on simply telling what
the student wants to know and instead provide an experience
where the student “gets it” on their own.

The subjective experience of the student is that the lesson is
much more valuable because 1) they had to work for it and 2) it
is felt more personally.

2. Being Accessible

Someone once told me that “There are no long lines for the guru
at the bottom of the hill.” Making yourself scarce adds
perceived value but it also distances you from the masses. If
you want a cult-like following you need access to the masses
otherwise you’re just an ivory tower wannabe.

There is an ingenious compromise.

Be accessible as a person but present your knowledge and wisdom
as being rare, expensive, mysterious, and only for those who are
truly ready for it.

This compromise allows you to build deep personal bonds with
people yet have them want more or your presence… as well as be
willing to pay for it.

Keep in mind that one cult leader, 2000 years ago, would speak
to anyone who would listen but he granted his most sacred
attention to his 12 closest disciples.

You can add to this compromise by having “special times” when
you are not accessible to anyone. You can tell people that you
are meditating, or doing your “spiritual practice” but you don’t
have to say anything. It’s the mystery of why you are absent
that you want to cultivate.

3. Imply Secret Knowledge

The role of simply remaining calm and silent will recur again in
this essay so I can’t understate it. Here is where silence is
worth a 1000 words. Saying things like “Hmmm… There are 100
possible solutions to that within your own mind.” and nothing
else implies things that you know and that they should know.

4. Remaining calm as if all-knowing

Any sharp change in your emotional state, with the exception of
joy and laughter, should be minimized. Any leader/teacher who
goes on an angry rant is demonstrating their own lack of
control. If you truly have control it should be demonstrated by
an unshakable calm as if everything is happening just as you
knew it would.

I’ve always remembered that the scariest martial artist are the
ones that don’t talk or threaten… they calmly do what they
have to do and walk away.

5. Create a detached involvement as if “you” are in a “higher
place”

In doing this people will look to you as if there is something
more to you than your mere physical presence.

6. Connect deeply with the individual

Here rapport is vital. When you are with people you need to put
aside all of your distractions, obligations and problems to
focus completely on the person or people you to whom you are
speaking.

7. “Chunk Up” whenever possible

This may be a bit abstract to grasp but it’s important to
creating an appeal because it forces people to think in bigger
terms. When you do consistently if gives the impression that you
are always thinking bigger than them.

“Chunking Up” is an NLP term that means referring to something
that contains what is spoken about as a subset . It can also
refer to something that controls or has a larger reach than the
topic at hand.

As an example when a person asks “Do you enjoy adult beverages?”
a chunked up response would be “There are many adult pleasures I
enjoy.” Here, “beverages” is a subset of “pleasures”.

Another example : Statement: “I’ll go with you if you promise to
control yourself.” Response “I have no intention of controlling
how much I enjoy myself.” Here “control” is a subset of
“Enjoyment”.

8. Always allude to the mysterious

This can be done by doing the opposite of name dropping. Refer
to a very skilled person you learned from who doesn’t normally
take students. Mention an arcane text that describes a
mysterious process you went through. Mention it took you ten
years of study to read between the lines and find the real
meaning to the work.

9. God-Like Confidence

Here is where the work of Blair Warren in “The Worlds Greatest
Cult” (http://www.MindControl101.com/WGC.html ) really comes in
handy. He describes what’s called “The God Complex” which
encompasses many of the concepts discussed here.

The God Complex is a great example of “chunking up” because it’s
about seeing EVERYTHING that can possibly happen as if it’s all
part of the plan and being okay with it.

The God Complex is about having such a larger view of the world
and your place in it so that what you are doing, this very
moment , regardless of what transpires will be as if it was
meant to you be.

The bottom line is that people are going to judge and criticize
you; you’ll have deal with money and security issues;
relationships will change… no matter what. The God Complex
includes all of that in a philosophy that allows you to deal
with it in a healthy perspective.

10. Appeal to peoples needs and wants

A deep understanding about what people truly respond to is vital
if you want to influence anyone. Each individual has their own
wants and needs that you have keep in the forefront of your
mind.

Good NLP training will help you with that.

People will also respond to the same basic needs being
fulfilled; the need to be needed, the need for hope in a tough
time, the need to feel in control, the need blame something else
for their troubles, the need to learn about something they don’t
know or not supposed to know.

Here again I give reference to Blair Warren again in “The Worlds
Greatest Cult”. (http://www.MindControl101.com/WGC.html )

Conclusion

The desire for a cult-like following has many benefits and many
responsibilities. The hardest of the responsibilities is simply
living up to what you are presenting to people. For that reason
I always recommend that you live what you teach.

Are you a Solopreneur, a Small Business Owner, a Helping
Professional, or a Creative who is tired of trying to figure out
how to sell yourself and your services without feeling
uncomfortable or pushy?

If so, you are not alone! Many of us have experienced
manipulative and abrasive salespeople who have turned us
off…made us cringe…and even stopped us entirely from
pursuing a purchase we really wanted.

If we ourselves have had poor experiences with salespeople, how
can we be expected to enjoy becoming one?

Well, let’s look at the alternative. In order to bring our
talents, our services, and our gifts to the world…we need to
figure this out.

What I know for sure is that we cannot grow our businesses
without becoming comfortable with “selling”…so let’s bite the
bullet and master this “selling thing”.

“But we didn’t sign on to be salespeople”, you say. “We signed
on to help people or to make a great product available or to
express our creativity!”

“We’re ok with connecting with people, forming new
relationships, and helping people to get what they need…but in
a professional and non-threatening way.”

And so it is with “Selling from your Heart.”

“Selling from your Heart” is about forming connections with
potential Clients, finding commonalities, enjoying
conversations, figuring out what’s missing, helping to clarify
what’s needed, and partnerning to find solutions.

Is that something you’re comfortable with?

I thought so!

So let’s create a plan that will help you to embrace your
professional selling self and, in so doing, enhance the very
reputation of “selling”.

Step 1

Know Yourself. Who are you? What makes you special? What
characteristics do you have that would attract someone to
partner with you? What products or services do you have to offer
them that is unique?

Step 2

Get Clear On Who You Want to Attract. Who would you really like
to work with? What qualities do these individuals have? What
would it be like to have a relationship with these types of
people? Create a “My Favorite Client” profile. Keep it in full
sight.

Step 3

Look for Your “Favorite Clients” Everywhere. It’s like a
treasure hunt. Where do they hang out? What do they read? What
radio stations do they listen to? Where might you run into them?

Step 4

Create an Image for these Individuals to See. How will you
portray yourself to these potential Clients? What will you send
them that will make you curious about you? Should you place a
photo on your brochure? Should you pose a question in your copy
that will make them say…Hmmm! What will make them reach out?

Step 5

Imagine Yourself Conversing with Exactly the Type of Client you
Seek. If you could talk with your Favorite Prospective Client,
what would you like to find out about them? What would you like
to share? How would you introduce yourself? What questions could
you ask to put them at ease?

Step 6

Be a Conversation Starter. Remember, people love to talk about
themselves. Ask an “open-ended” question. Listen to the
response. Listen some more. Come from curiosity. What does this
person have to teach you? How might you two connect? What are
the commonalities of experience? Is this someone you can help?

Step 7

Move it Forward. Are you eager to share the “good news” about
what you do with others? Are you excited about what you do? Are
you comfortable in your own skin…even if it’s new? Just be
yourself. Share what turns you on. Tell a fun story. Move the
relationship forward.

Step 8

Watch for the “Magic Click”. Are you feeling on the same wave
length with this person? Does it just feel good to talk with
them? Do you want to know more? Is the conversation “flowing”?
Enjoy the connection!

Step 9

Enjoy the New Relationship for What It Is Right Now. Be sure to
be clear about what you do and why you love it. Invite your new
acquaintances to “try you on”…through a sample or
complimentary session. Nurture this new connection. Be there
when they’re ready to learn more.

Step 10

Be Ready for Them When They’re Ready for You. When the time is
right for them, be easy to find. Congratulate your new Client on
the choice they’ve made to better their life. Build on this
wonderful, new relationship. Strengthen it with intimacy,
caring, and skill.

So this,my friends, is “Selling from your Heart”. How much fun
is this! You have opportunity after opportunity to connect with
people, form new relationships, share your talents and skills
and products, and help people to get what they need…exactly
what you signed on for.

And don’t forget to keep the conversation going for a long, long
time. Ask your new Clients to give you feedback on how the
process or service or product feels to them. When they’re
delighted by the results, ask them to spread the good word
through a Testimonial or other venue. If they forget, ask them
again. Create a graceful ending when it is time for them to
leave you. Keep in touch.

Are you ready to make “Selling from your Heart” a goal in the
new year? I hope so. Your reward will be a Client Base that is
suited to exactly who you are who will help you to market your
products and services for a long, long time to come.

Happy selling!