The Online Marketing Newsletter
for Independent Professionals
from Action
Plan Marketing
and Robert Middleton
-
Ten Stupid things -
Are
you doing stupid things in your marketing?
Yes, you're doing at least ten of them. Let me
count the ways.
Every
once in awhile I need to rant.
However,
I don't usually do it in this eZine. But I feel
the time has come. After working with Independent
Professionals on their marketing for over twenty
years, I've seen some pretty stupid things. And
they leave me dumbfounded.
Idiotic
things, moronic things, things that defy all common
sense and human reason. Of course, I've been
guilty of most them as well. But the thing that
gets to me is that people keep on doing this stuff
over and over and over even when it clearly doesn't
work!
Why?
Because doing stupid things is comfortable. And
doing smart things is uncomfortable. So the
material in this eZine is going to offend you. Not
maybe, definitely. But my purpose here is a wake-up
call. It will disturb your comfortable
mindset.
However,
If you don't stop doing these stupid things, you
will never reach your potential as an Independent
Professional. You'll be nothing more than a
mediocre also-ran.
Look,
I couldn't personally live with that. I need to
make a difference, make an impact, make things work
better, bring more love and life and order into the
world. And I know deep down that's exactly what you
want for your busienss as well.
But
it will never happen if you keep doing these ten
stupid things...
1.
Being unprepared - Professionals prepare.
They know their stuff. They study long hours.
They get it right. They have a stake in the
outcome. And a big reason Independent
Professionals don't attract clients consistently
is that they fumble around with marketing much
like George Costanza from Seinfeld.
2.
Not learning continuously - You spent
hundreds, if not thousands of hours learning
your profession, didn't you? To become a
competent marketer of your service demands
dozens, if not hundreds of hours, of study and
practice. There are good strategies and methods,
but there are no easy shortcuts to mastery.
3.
Underselling yourself - The value you can
provide is literally unlimited. The difference
you can make is unbounded. But you'd never know
it. Your operating principle is, "I can't charge
what I'm really worth." This is the mantra of a
loser.
4.
Not mastering networking - The most powerful
marketing strategy for Independent Professionals
is, and will always be, building networks of
relationships. If you don't master this, you
have no real chance of reaching your true
potential. Get out there!
5.
Complaining - Especially complaining to
someone who can't do something about it. You
tell your friends, "I really hate marketing,"
and everyone nods in sympathy. That is so
pathetic. Complaint saps your life force and
sets the groundwork for a mediocre life.
6.
Avoiding writing - Successful Independent
Professionals write. It's the master skill of
marketing. If you can't organize your ideas on
paper, clearly and persuasively, how can you be
expected to really help your clients with their
problems? You'll fall short.
7.
Avoiding speaking - Successful Independent
Professionals speak. It's the master skill of
selling. If you can speak in front of a group
confidently and persuasively, then selling will
not be a big hurdle for you. Don't master it and
selling will always feel hard.
8.
Not asking - People have so much concern
about offending someone or being rejected that
they simply avoid asking. That's dumb. You need
to ask. For time, for attention, for
interaction, for meetings, for the business.
Want it? Ask for it!
9.
Not implementing - If we implemented just a
fraction of what we already knew, we'd be more
successful than we could imagine. You need to
create intentions, action plans and timelines
and then set up systems of accountability to
make things happen.
10.
Not risking - Playing it safe all the time
may be the stupidest thing you can do. It makes
you weak, fearful and complacent. What's outside
of your comfortable little box? Success, joy,
aliveness. Swing out there and risk failing for
a change.
OK,
end of rant!
*
The
More Clients Bottom
Line:
If this offended you in any way, good! You have two
choices. 1) Unsubscribe to this eZine now. It's
a waste of your valuable time. 2) Take this to
heart. Copy this eZine and stick it up on your wall
and make a commitment to stop doing these stupid
things that are hurting your marketing, your
business, your self-respect and your
magnificence.
What's
the stupidest thing you're doing in your marketing
and business? Please share it with us on the
More Clients Blog at:
http://www.actionplan.blogs.com
*
A
Cure for Marketing Stupidity
The
opposite of stupid is smart. You need to do
more smart things in your business: Preparing,
learning, networking, writing, speaking, asking,
implementing, risking.
For
the past twenty two years, Action Plan Marketing
has been dedicated to helping you do just that.
But where do you start? I'd recommend these
programs in this order:
1.
The InfoGuru Marketing Manual - $69/$99
A complete system for attracting clients.
http://www.actionplan.com/infoguru.html
2.
The Relationship Pipeline Audio Program -
$29
A blueprint for networking and building business
relationships.
http://www.actionplan.com/fillpipeline.html
3.
The Value Pricing Audio Program - $29
A system for charging what you're really
worth
http://www.actionplan.com/valuepricing
4.
The Action Plan ToolKit - $49
A complete goal setting, planning and
accountability system.
http://www.actionplan.com/aptk.html
5.
The Web Site ToolKit - $49
A tutorial on building a client-attracting web
site.
http://www.actionplan.com/wstk.html
Until
next week, all the best,
Robert
Middleton
ACTION
PLAN MARKETING
Helping Independent Professionals Attract More
Clients
www.actionplan.com
210
Riverside Drive
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
831-338-7790
Contact
by email
©
2006 Robert Middleton, All rights reserved. You
are free to use material from the More Clients
eZine in whole or in part, as long as you include
complete attribution, including live web site link.
Please also notify me where the material will
appear. The attribution should read:
"By
Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing. Please
visit Robert's web site at http://www.actionplan.com
for additional marketing articles and resources on
marketing for professional service
businesses."
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